16 home date ideas for when you're stuck indoors

16 home date ideas for when you're stuck indoors

If you are confined to your house now, first: same. You will remain at home for the foreseeable future. Second, there are so many fun and inexpensive date ideas (open in new tab) that you can find if you're stuck in a house, condo, or apartment. If you've exhausted the usual options like Netflix & Chill, movie marathons (open in new tab), home-cooking, sleeping in, and couples yoga, here are a few new ideas to spice things up a bit. Make the most of your snuggle time.

Even if the weather is bad or the timing doesn't work out, you can still have a picnic. Spread a blanket on the floor, carefully select fresh food that you both like, open the windows to let the fresh air in, and munch on it while sitting across from each other. Bonus: If you have a furry friend, play fetch together (carefully). Bonus: There are environmentally friendly compostable supplies available.

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Even if you're not a caffeine snob, spicing up your daily caffeine choices can be a revelation of sorts. My husband and I were inspired to try a French press after our visit to England. And French presses are super cheap (especially compared to espresso machines, etc.). If you like to brew outside, see how you can recreate it at home.

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If I sound like your mom, it's probably because your mom sometimes has good ideas. Listen, I'm not suggesting you unplug everything, just ... Take a break from the screen for a while. That way you can see each other and maybe find something to talk about. Many couples have set rules, such as dinner without phone calls or no technology for an hour. They can even pause WiFi to keep their commitments.

Yes, there is such a thing as virtual volunteering. Write letters to the military or local politicians. Offer a helping hand to a local school. Volunteer your skills online (I sometimes help build resumes as an editor). Or simply choose a cause and donate.

If you're like me, you like to pretend you're in Tuscany, admiring the rolling hills and emerald vineyards, sampling the local wines. No, this isn't Italy, but that doesn't mean you can't imagine being there, grabbing a case of wine from your local wine store. If you really want to be a sommelier, do some light research on tasting notes and wine pairings.

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Cooking at home can be a bit of a chore. If you don't like or don't like to cook at home, it can be difficult. So why not try TikTok's Cooking Challenge? Play rock-paper-scissors with your partner to see who gets to choose the drink, appetizer, main course, and dessert. Together, you and your partner will create the winning recipe. If you are particularly ambitious, you can record the entire process and post it in hopes that it will go viral.

Exercise, and exercising together, is always fun. But let's spice things up with a switch to see how the other half lives. (Warning: don't start carrying 40-pound weights with no experience or guidance.) My husband would never do it, but one of my goals in life is to get him to try the barre with me. It's fun to watch, and it's much harder than my husband thinks it is.

I apologize to all of you who live in the city, but I strongly encourage all of you in the suburbs and countryside to take a little trip to your backyard or to your local dark sky park to see the stars. You can also download a stargazing application (opens in a new tab) so you can have constellations like Orion and Ursa Major at your fingertips. Perfect for astrology buffs looking for their own constellations in the night sky.

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Likewise: do something for your apartment or make the same thing for both apartments. Make planters full of green stuff. Make shelves. Hand paint mugs with pretty designs. Some inexpensive Paint by Numbers paintings will keep you occupied for a while, and when you're done, you can hang them on the wall.

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Maybe it's the trip you've always wanted to take. Maybe it's a trip you've always wanted to take, and when you have the time, money, and availability, you can go whenever you want. Maybe it's the pleasure of finally getting out of the house. Either way, while you're at it, set some goals and plan where you'll eat, shop, and sleep.

Last year was a tough year for us, but there has never been a better time to get into the right headspace (opens in new tab). There are a variety of resources for couples meditation, but the goal is the same: sounds like a win-win.

This is harder than it sounds: take time away from your hectic lives to have an in-depth discussion about a topic you both care about. It can be about your relationship or a goal you both share, for example, talking about financial matters (opens in new tab) for the first time. Set ground rules to keep the conversation polite and emotionally focused, and celebrate (preferably with food or drinks) when you're done.

You may think of board games as being played by three or more people, but there are many that can be played by two. Uno and Monopoly are easy recommendations, but if you want to dig deeper, I suggest a game that features meaningful questions (think 36 questions (open in new tab) that lead to romance).

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This is indeed a sin: I default to the same 3-4 restaurants I know make good food and never branch out. Are there any newly opened restaurants that you would like to try? (I'm a Thai foodie and my husband is a pho guy.) Try different things.

Find a way to commemorate your special moments together, whether it's your first picture together or a picture taken on vacation. Whether it's making a scrapbook or creating a gallery wall in your apartment, it's a great way to keep your memories forever. You can even get cute and chic frames without spending too much money.

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I'm really leaning toward old-fashioned today, but some quiet time together might be exactly what you need: grab your Kindle or an actual book (breathtaking), especially one you've been meaning to read for a while, and get on the couch Cuddle up. You can pause to share something fun or interesting, or just sit quietly together and enjoy some downtime.

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