Weekend Recap: How I Avoided Cabin Fever During Winter Storm Jonas

Over the weekend, DC was hit with a record breaking blizzard, Winter Storm Jonas.  Staying true to form, as soon as the warning for the upcoming storm was broadcasted on the local weather stations, Washingtonians immediately took to preparing for the storm and "Emergency Preparedness Palooza" began.  

I am not exaggerating when I say the checkout line at Trader Joe's was wrapped twice around the perimeter of the store on Thursday at lunch time, it was absolute mayhem!  Even though I am from South Florida, where we were regularly preparing for/enduring the annual hurricane season, I still find myself falling right in line with the rest of DC and stocking up my house as if it were the end of the world. 

Beyond just preparing the basic winter storm provisions (food, water, batteries, blankets and candles), it occurred to me that we could possibly be stuck in the house for a few days, so what the heck was I going to do with all of that free time?!?!   

Make a Wish List

To answer this question, I decided to make a wish list of all of the things around the house that I had been wanting to accomplish, but could never find the time necessary to actually take care of these items.  My list consisted of the following:

  • Baking- Nothing can transform the smell and atmosphere of your home like baking a deliciously decedent dessert!  While home on Friday afternoon as the snow began to fall, I made the most delicious Triple Chocolate Cake that we have been enjoying throughout the weekend.  Baking doesn't have to be complex and can be a great activity to do with your kids.  
  • Iron Table Linens - I am a strong believer in having pressed table linens when entertaining.  It's a small detail that packs a big punch and really can make a table look polished.  After hosting both Thanksgiving and Christmas at my house, I had accumulated an impressive pile of ironing.  I had been able to launder all of my linens, but couldn't find the time to iron everything before putting it all back in my linen closet.  This was the perfect opportunity to finally tackle this chore.  **I know ironing table linens probably isn't at the top of most peoples list. This is merely an example of a chore that I have been wanting to tackle.  I know that you all probably have at least one or two chores like this one!
  • Spring Cleaning- Personally, I find the winter months to be the ideal time to clean out my house.  Since you're already inside, why not take the opportunity to get your annual mega-cleaning accomplished?  By taking care of your spring cleaning in winter, you are staying productive and giving yourself more time to enjoy those beautiful spring days.  
  • Reading- I have an embarrassingly large stack of magazines that I have been meaning to read, but have yet to tackle.  Being snowed in has been the perfect opportunity to finally read through this pile of delightful periodicals.  If you aren't a big fan of magazines, maybe there is a book or even cookbook that you have been meaning to curl up with, but haven't had the time to do so . Well, now is certainly a great time to address that reading list!

Get In the Kitchen

When you are cooped up inside during a snow storm, there is no reason (if you like cooking of course) why you shouldn't be in the kitchen whipping up a few fantastic meals.  This is a great opportunity to try out a new recipe and make something delicious for you and your family.  Plus, it's a great way to pass the time.   Here are a few recipes I have made during the snow storm:

Games

When all else fails, like the electricity (but hopefully not!), have a stack of games ready to go.  My husband and I love to play Rummy 500, but a few other great game suggestions would be: Apples to Apples, Bananagrams, Monopoly, Scrabble, Catchphrase.

Exercise

It is so important to get your blood flowing and your heart pumping daily!  Even if you can't get to your gym or your regular workout routine, you should still find a way to exercise every day.  Yesterday, my husband and I suited up and took a really long power walk through the snow (*Snow covered fire hydrant from our walk pictured above).  I honestly felt so much better after having gotten outside for a bit and the resistance training from trudging through the snow was an added perk for sure!  Even if outside is too treacherous, you can still follow along to one of the billions of workout videos available online or even create your own home workout by running up and down your stairs or doing push-ups and sit-ups.  Just get that heart rate up for at least 30 minutes every day!

While Dolly was not particularly thrilled with all of the snow on her morning walk post-blizzard, we all survived and avoided the dreaded cabin fever!  Taking time to plan beyond just the basic snow storm provisions was totally worth the extra effort.  Being cooped up at home ended up being extremely productive, fun and relaxing.  Even though I am missing my normal routine, Winter Storm Jonas has given me the opportunity to do those things I normally wouldn't have prioritized on a given day.