Here are my best buys for surviving ‘Lockdown’. It isn’t easy being stuck at home day in and day out, so here are my top investments for making quarantining during the Covid-19 crisis slightly easier…
1. Disney Plus
Disney Plus launched in the UK just as we went in to lockdown, and ever since it has been invaluable to us as a family. We are all big Disney fans anyway, so having the entire collection at our fingertips at all times has been so much fun and killed many many hours. My kids have loved discovering old classics we had all forgotten about, and we grown ups have enjoyed all the Marvel movies too. We got ours at a discounted rate with the launch promotion, I believe it was £49.99 for the year. I have seen they often do 7 day free trials too. Although a little pricey, (especially if like us you have little or no income for the foreseeable future) we have found it to be worth it’s weight in gold and use it every day!
2. Stationary
Paper, pens, crayons and glue…all can be bought really cheaply and the fun you can have with them is infinite. If you have children, stationary is your life blood. Who wants to have a drawing contest? Who wants to practice writing? Who wants to make a rainbow? Who wants to make a fan? Paper planes? Design a castle. Second only to being outdoors, it’s the best way to get the kids off of their screens and using their creativity. A few pounds on a bunch of coloured paper has bought us hours and hours of entertainment.
3. Rice
Okay, a bit of a practical one now. Rice! It’s cheap, it’s easy to store, it can be boiled or baked, it can even be made in to a pudding. It’s the perfect crisis food. Buy a big bag and feel safe in the knowledge that you will always have a food for your family in a crisis.
4. Shop Local
Not so much as an item but a strategy. With supply chains buckling and provenience of our goods becoming increasingly important, shopping local is just a no brainer. So many independent shops and services have mobilised to provide delivery options and convenient parcels for locals, and even better you will be supporting a small business that will no doubt be struggling immensely to stay afloat during these rocky times. Rather than buy from the big providers, see if you can get it somewhere small and independent first!
5. Chamomile Tea
It has pretty much become my favourite kind of tea, like most people I often find myself feeling pretty anxious about what is going on in the world right now. We are all struggling in different ways and if you haven’t felt worried at all I would be very suprised. Chamomile tea is known for it’s calming and soothing properties, really great for having before bed to send you off to sleep worry free too. There’s no point being a nervous wreck AND sleep deprived.
6. Books
My favourite thing in the whole world. The humble book…but a treasure trove of infinite adventures and lifetimes. I’ve been reading as much as I can (which admittedly with two children and a grumpy husband is a lot less than I would like) and it really takes my mind off everything. Reading calms me down and sends me to another world (as long as I avoid all books about world disasters or diseases) and does the same for my children. We have spent many an hour sitting together reading, and it’s been so so nice.
Going back to number 4, try and buy from independent book shops if you can. Or if you are struggling financially, check out auction sites or local listings were people often sell books by the bundle for really cheap. (Obviously be careful about decontaminating books you order as with anything else.)
7. Vitamin C
There is so much research to support vitamin C’s link to strong and healthy immune systems. Whether it be in the form of fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, or a supplement to boost your intake, every little helps to keep you and your family as strong as possible.
8. Toastie Maker
Trust me on this one. Nothing better than a toastie!
Ours even came with a waffle maker attachment too, so we have had lots of fun with it. We bought ours from AO but it seems they are now out of stock, it’s available here from Argos too.
However you are spending your lockdown, wherever you are and whoever you are isolating with, I wish you all the best and hope we all get through this safely. Hopefully we can try and find some positive things to take away from these truly uncertain times.
x
Kate
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