It’s easy to grow bored of your surroundings—especially when you can’t leave your house save for the occasional socially isolated walk. Sure, there are plenty of simple DIYs you can do around your home to make it feel fresh, but you can also embrace a little luxury without spending any money or making any permanent changes.
All you need to do is think outside the box, channel your most glamorous self, and lean into indoor living. Here are some ideas that will have you feeling fancy in no time.
In Your Kitchen
- Remember that fleur de sel or Maldon salt you bought for special occasions? How about the nice olive oil you brought back from vacation? Or the gourmet jam you got as a gift but haven’t even opened? Now is the time to enjoy them.
- Undertake a time-consuming recipe. If you don’t want to join the sourdough bandwagon, take a cue from Laila Gohar and use your free time to peel chickpeas for the smoothest hummus you’ll ever make.
- Break out your nice dishes (or just those champagne coupes you never use) for an ordinary meal or cocktail. Instant refinement.
- Look into fresh produce delivery so your plate looks a little more colorful. Depending on where you live, Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market are great options for getting “ugly” fruits and vegetables without going to the grocery store, and in New York City, you can take advantage of Natoora (an app typically accessed by chefs that has now opened for residential use). You can also search if local farms near you offer delivery on CSA boxes.
- Brew an aromatherapy potion that fills your entire space with the summer scent of citrus.
In Your Bedroom
- If you have access to a washer and dryer, clean all your bedding and learn how to perfectly make your bed—like a sandwich, perhaps?
- Set the mood with incense, palo santo, or candles—this is an easy way to differentiate the workday from the evening.
- Embrace robe life. Maybe wearing jeans or slacks as you usually do for work helps you to be productive, but it also doesn’t hurt to embrace a bit more comfort these days.
In Your Living Space
- Use those taper candles you’ve accumulated to make nighttime feel more elegant and gothic—kind of like you’re in a Daphne du Maurier novel.
- Watch an old movie—the Criterion Channel has you covered for just $10 a month. With access to so many classic, indie, and otherwise hard-to-find films, it’s an additional streaming service that’s actually easy to justify.
- Read a classic book you’ve never read before. Sure, Anna Karenina isn’t going anywhere, but neither are you.
- Turn on an escapist playlist that takes you on an auditory vacation: Fado can instantly transport you to Lisbon, and bossa nova can bring you straight to Rio de Janeiro.
In Your Bathroom
- If there were ever a time to take a nice, long bath, this is it. You can’t go wrong with Epsom salts, but feel free to add any bath bombs or bubbles you have around.
- Have a mask marathon: You shouldn’t use all your face masks in one night, but you absolutely can use a hair mask and a face mask at the same time—just rinse off in the shower once they’ve both set. If you happen to have a foot mask on hand, apply that, too.
- Reorganize your medicine cabinet. You know you’ve been tempted by the color-coded ones you’ve seen on Instagram. Take your time and get very detail oriented.
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