25 Ways You Can Beat Cabin Fever!

     During this past summer in Vermont, I spent a lot of my time outside of my job feeling lonely and bored. It's really unfortunate those were the months that I was still so new to living here and feeling very unsettled, as the couple months of summer weather that Vermont gets are definitely the nicest time of year! And yet those were the weeks that I would literally sit in my apartment before and after work and sometimes just stare at the walls out of bordeom (I wish I was joking...). But- it is what it is. It's now mid-January in Vermont, which is pretty much the height of New England's miserable winters. It's cold everyday, bitterly cold certain days, and it snows often. Not the type of weather that you want to be spending extended amounts of time outdoors in, unless you're really into winter sports (which I am not). I was already nervous this summer about not being able to tolerate winter well, and developing a bad case of cabin fever once it hit. I decided to make it one of my personal goals during this winter to do everything in my power to beat cabin fever!

     Sure- there might be lots of weekdays now where my life revolves around work and going straight home after, and there's also been weekend days this winter where I've had to cancel plans or stay in because of inclement weather conditions. But I am 100% determined not to become a hermit, and even on days when I have to be a hermit for safety reasons, I'm not going to be a bored and unproductive hermit like I was this summer. 😊 Here's a list of 25 indoor activities you can do at home when the winter weather keeps you inside!! Use these to keep cabin fever away: 

     1. Clean out your closet, and gather a bag(s) of items to donate or consign.

     2. Start a new bible study - either a book that you have lying around, or find one online/on an app. 

     3. Watch something new-to-you on Netflix. Don't pick the show that you always come back to and binge watch- try a documentary about a fascinating subject, or an international film with subtitles. 

     4. Set aside two hours and deep clean a room of your home. (Bonus: listen to episodes of a new-to-you podcast while doing it!)

     5. Re-organize how you store holiday decor or other seasonal items.

     6. Update your travel bucket list. (Bonus: plan a realistic vacation in your budget that you can actually take for the upcoming months or year.)

     7. Call or text a relative.

     8. Facetime with a friend. (Bonus points if it's someone you haven't caught up with in a year or more!)


     9. Put all of your close friends' and family members birthdays into your iPhone contacts and/or your agenda (get them from Facebook) so that you don't forget them in the upcoming year! 


    10. Take a nap... everyone loves zzzzz's.


    11. Try a new recipe.


    12. Print off or clip coupons for your next trip to the grocery store.


    13. Do a face mask.


    14. Find 10 new inspiring Instagram or Twitter accounts to follow. 


    15. Try an at-home Youtube workout video.


    16. Write a snail-mail letter to a friend.


    17. Make a DIY craft from your Pinterest boards.


    18. Update your Linkedin profile. (And if you've kept your employment description updated regularly, then keep things current by sharing a post with your network!)


    19. Make a new Spotify playlist, or subscribe to some new ones.


    20. Use Radiolocator.com to discover new-to-you local radio stations in your city or town! 


    21. Find a tutorial for a new hairstyle, and practice until you get it! 


    22. Make a vision board with craft supplies and old newspapers/magazines.


    23. Have a dance party (even better with your new Spotify playlists!). 


    24. Organize important "adult" paperwork (financial statements, medical forms, legal documents, etc). 


    25. BUNDLE UP and get outside in the cold, even if it's just a quick walk around the block! A little fresh air exposure does wonders for cabin fever.



     Those are just some of the ways that I've been trying to combat cabin fever this winter season in Vermont. Now I want to know, how do you avoid becoming "a boring and unproductive hermit" when you're forced indoors for inclement winter weather?



     Stay warm, friends!



     God Bless,



     xoxo Annaliese