30 (Mostly Free) Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home

Stuck at home dealing with a bad case of the blahs? Before you let your lethargy get the best of you, remember that boredom is a choice, not a sentence. To prove my point, I put together some super easy (and mostly free-of-charge) things you can do when you find yourself overwhelmed with boredom.

From styling your bookshelves to DIY facials, here are thirty ways to have fun the next time you’re feeling bored.

1. Free up your phone space. What better time than now to clear out all the stuff taking up space on your phone? Use your downtime to score some extra GBs by deleting old photos, apps you don’t use, and old messages.

2. Style your bookshelf. Whether you prefer your bookshelves color-coded or stacked gallery-style, organizing your books is a great way to kill time and freshen up your bookshelf.

3. Organize your closet. If you’re anything like me — aka dealing with a tiny overstuffed closet — your wardrobe is likely long overdue for a clean out. Now’s your chance to finally clear out your closet and hopefully score some extra storage space.

4. Upgrade your bathroom storage situation. Looking for a new place to store an awkward dresser? There are tons of unexpected bathroom furniture pieces that offer ample bathroom storage opportunities — and now’s the time to move some stuff around!

5. Clear out your refrigerator. No matter how much of a clean freak you might be, chances are you have at least one expired item sitting in your refrigerator. Take this free time to clear out your fridge and organize your freezer while you’re at it, too.

6. Declutter your place. Why stop at your closet or fridge when you can de-clutter your whole stinkin’ place? Take this time to downsize your stuff and make a donation to charity when you’re done.

7. Deep clean your bathroom. Searching for a productive way to kill a good hour? Give your bathroom a good old-fashioned deep cleaning and you won’t have to worry about it being dirty when your schedule picks up again.

8. Or your kitchen. Name one thing more satisfying—and fun to look at—than a sparkly clean kitchen? We won’t hold our breath.

9. Or your whole friggin’ house. Feeling the buzz of your freshly cleaned bathroom or kitchen? Ride the cleaning wave and keep on tidying up (at least until you think of something better to do).

10. Soften a cheap pair of sheets with vinegar. Too tired to deep clean your place but still searching for something productive to do. Throw your cheap pair of spare sheets in the washer with a cup of baking soda and ½ a cup of vinegar and brace yourself for a good night’s sleep.

11. Clean your makeup brushes. Got ten minutes and a couple of hair ties? Rid your dirty makeup brushes of oil buildup and bacteria and give them a thorough upside-down cleaning.

12. Pull out your clothes steamer. You can tackle everything from carpet stains to dirty tile grout in just a matter of minutes with your trusty garment steamer (even travel-sized versions will do).

13. Make a mood board. Turn your boredom into inspiration and fashion a mood board for your bedroom or home office.

14. Make your own woven rug. A great project for the weekend. Buy some fabric on Friday and by Sunday, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind hand-woven rug.

15. Dress up your furniture. Feeling bored but ambitious? Pull out your paintbrush and make a fun stencil, and before you know it, you’ll have your very own bone-inay-inspired dresser.

16. Dye your stuff. Looking for a fun way to update your bedding? Grab a pack of fabric dye from the store (it’s under five bucks) and tie-dye your sheets and pillowcases.

17. Refinish your furniture. Bored but don’t have the budget to go shopping for new furniture? Refinish your furniture’s battered wooden legs with metallic contact paper for a revamped look.

18. Repurpose old paper bags. Who knew paper grocery bags had so much design potential? From storage bins to plant holders, you can use your down time to upcycle all those paper bags you’ve been hoarding.

19. Design a gallery wall. What better time than when you’re bored to finally fashion a fabulous gallery wall for your living room?

20. Upcycle old candle jars. Before you throw out your depleted candle jars, consider saving them to repurpose the next time you’re bored with nothing to do.

21. Rearrange your living room. Searching for a cheap way to update your whole apartment. Rearrange your living room for a fresh new look that’s totally free of charge.

22. Forge an entryway. Dreaming of a proper entryway but stuck with a narrow hall instead? Use your free time to forge a mini-foyer for your apartment with a few coat hooks or a diy dowel coat rack.

23. Refresh your kitchen. Update your kitchen on the cheap by simply hanging up some art or removing your cabinet doors for open shelving.

24. Have friends over virtually. Stuck at home broke with nothing to do? Call a few of your friends and host a virtual happy hour or game night (even just with stuff around the house).

25. Phone a friend. Now’s your chance to Facetime a friend and catch up without having to switch out of your sweatpants.

26. Determine your decor personality. Feeling especially bored but antisocial? Take our online decor personality quiz to figure out your decorating style.

27. Exercise. Boredom doesn’t have to turn into laziness. Use your free time to jumpstart your fitness goals with a fun in-home workout routine.

28. Sign up for some home catalogs. Home catalogs are ripe with decor inspiration. Sign up for a few of the best home decor catalogs now and you’ll have them on hand for the time you feel bored.

29. Bake something delicious. What better time than being bored to channel your inner Julia Child? Treat yourself to something simple but delicious that you baked yourself (no worries if you don’t want to share with your roomies).

30. Give yourself a DIY facial. Turn your down time into a spa-day with a DIY facial you can make from stuff you probably already have at home.