It’s the weekend, it’s cold and you are wishing for summer to come back! Navigating around the cold, wind, snow all week has taken its toll and nothing will pull us out of our homes! All we want to do is hug a cup of hot cocoa and stay in our pyjamas all weekend long.

For those of us who truly find cold weather and all of its outdoor activities intolerable, there is hope! Whether you are on your own or have a family to entertain, we have found five great indoor activities that will keep you indoors, warm and busy!

1. Read and Explore

During those summer garage sales, you picked up a pile of books you promised you would read. Start a book club where everyone can meet online or for those of you who enjoy writing, get a blog started to review them and see where it leads!

2. Bake and Cook

Baking and batch cooking are always favourite indoor activities. While the weather gets cooler, soups, and stews are easy to batch cook and freeze for weeknight meals. The scent of banana bread baking in the oven conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings during the cold winter days! Crank up the tunes and get moving in the kitchen! Alone or assigning tasks to family members this will make for some great entertaining and eating!

3. Game Night

Cold fall and winter nights are the perfect opportunity to gather everyone around and play some old-fashioned board games. Invite your neighbours and make it a pot luck evening filled with eating and winning!

4. Declutter

Clearing closets and clutter for a donation bin opens up extra space in your homes as well as helping out your community. You can start in the basement or storage room where you keep a lot of “just in case stuff” piled up and then work your way to the other rooms, closets and drawers. The general rule is that if you haven’t used or worn it in over a year, it’s time to go.

Keeping boxes assigned for various things will keep things in order when you’re ready to drop them off at goodwill. Not only are you clearing out some old stagnant energy in our homes, but you are also helping others in need!

5. Get Crafty

I am sure you are like me when I say, I wish I could draw, paint, crochet or knit! During those cold winter nights, you could be learning a new skill that can perhaps not only beautify your homes but turn into a business at local craft fairs. Unless you try something new, you will never know what you are capable of.

Many of us would easily turn to binge-watching movies and shows during those cold winter nights, and that’s not a bad thing, occasionally. But if you dedicate a few nights a week or the weekends to being productive, creative, and inspiring you would not only feel accomplished but also motivate those in your lives to do the same. It’s time to discover what lies inside of you and what better time than on a cold windy night!

Angela, Your Sleep Expert