Covid-19 was barely a concern this time last year, but thanks to its global spread, it’s now a household name – and 2020 has seen a fair few lockdowns in London, as well as in other locales and, of course, nationally.
“Lockdown in London” may not have occurred to you when you chose a short term rental here, and it may, at the start, get in the way of work and pleasure while you visit and live in the capital.
But it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time in the big smoke.
In fact, this special blog post is dedicated to the myriad ways you can make the most of your time at home. After all, there’s power to be had in the staycation!
So, without further ado, we present our tips on keeping busy in your short term rental during the pandemic.
Tips to keep you busy during lockdown
1) Tap into your creative side
Being locked in is the ideal time to discover – and unleash – your inner creativity. Here are some fun apartment ideas in this vein…
For the foodies: London is known for being a culinary destination, with a whole host of Michelin Star restaurants and fine-dining credentials. Whether it's turning your hand to baking, dusting off the recipe books or signing up to a subscription service like Gousto or Hello Fresh, you can still go on a culinary journey, but from the comfort of your short term apartment.
For the romantics: Always had a passion for poetry? Or a love of writing to friends far and wide? Now could be the perfect time to rediscover it. Why not invest in some lovely writing paper or notebooks – or spend your time documenting your endeavours with a journal?
For the crafty types: From crochet to painting to sewing projects, pick up a brush (or needle) and you'll be surprised what you can make. Fun apartment ideas include making a cushion or blanket to decorate your short term rental with, or some artwork to display on shelving (or stick on the fridge!).
2) Now’s the time to DIY
While short term rentals do have restrictions on “doing up” the property, there's no reason you can't adapt with some fun (and useful) DIY. Here are a few ideas:
Why not paint some of your own personal furniture? During lockdown, some homeware stores (such as B&Q) have stayed open – and you can always order supplies online (though we advise on getting samples before committing!). Other places you could try include Wickes and Wilko, though do check whether stores are open in your area before making a journey.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could have a go at putting together your own woodworking project, like a bookcase, stool or table. Or if you own furniture from Ikea, you could look into the notorious Ikea hacks and make something new.
3) Get your daily exercise in
A quick walk by the Thames, even a (socially distanced) picnic in the park -there's plenty of things to do in London during lockdown!
Here are a few ways to make your time out and about even more fun.
Invest in a quality camera, or experiment with apps and filters on your phone, to help document your surroundings. If you're off work, try going out at different times than you usually would and make the most of different lighting.
Rent a Boris bike (aka Santander Cycles). With short term rentals, you don't always have space to store your bike or scooter, but you can still get around the city by renting one through a scheme like Santander’s. There are a few stations within walking distance of Dolphin Square
Of course, Joe Wicks notoriously developed a series of YouTube videos over the spring for locked-down kids (though there’s no shame in adult participation) and with a few quick searches, you can find clips on everything from fun indoor games, to martial arts techniques, to yoga and meditation.
4) Enjoy your down time
If you're furloughed, you'll have a lot more time on your hands than you're used to. Thankfully, we've lots of ideas for how to while away the hours...
Catch up on your sleep: Of course, sleeping all day, every day is never recommended for your health and wellbeing, but if you work a high-pressured job, there's nothing wrong with appreciating your newfound leisure time with a bit of R&R.
Read every day: No, we don't just mean the news! Now's the time to get stuck into that book you were given two Christmases ago, or to make good with that magazine subscription.
Don't feel guilty over Netflix: We all love our streamed TV, whether Apple, Netflix, HBO, BritBox, Now TV or any of the other iterations. It doesn't have to be all reality shows and low culture, either – there are frequent David Attenborough drops on Netflix, for example.
5) Make it all about you
With work, family, socialising, travel and everything else vying for attention in our lives, isn’t it time you made the most of, well, you? Here are some ways of doing just that…
Have an at-home spa day with your favourite products, get some snacks in for a solo movie night, or dress up for the day – just for the fun of it!
Catch up with your friends and family over Zoom, Facetime or a good old-fashioned online pub quiz. If you’re a gamer, or love fun indoor games, then why not try Jackbox, which has everything from trivia to catchphrases to keep you entertained.
And don’t forget to treat yourself! Whether it’s an extra couple of bits in your weekly food shop, a letterbox gift through your door, or even a bunch of flowers just because, it can work wonders for your mental health.
And finally…
If you’re still stuck for ideas for fun indoor activities, there’s no shame in having a top-to-bottom spring clean. From polishing and mopping, to touching up the grout in the bathroom or giving the oven a good once-over, a tidy space means a tidy mind. (Some people love cleaning, anyway!)
There you have it
We hope we’ve helped you survive your four walls with things to do in London during lockdown, from fun indoor games to fun apartment ideas (of course, many of these apply wherever in the world you live).
At Dolphin Square, we hope to make our tenants feel happy and comfortable whatever life throws at us – and a pandemic is no different.
Whether you’re already in the area or are considering a move to London, don’t let a small thing like a global pandemic get in the way. Get in touch with our accommodation experts today, and don’t forget to visit our short lets page and rental listings to find out all the details. You can also take a look at our other blogs for even more inspiration here in London.
