Resources to find #funthingstodowhilesocialdistancing

As I was putting the final touches on this blogpost to publish later today, Massachusetts Governor Baker has just issued an Emergency Order for non-essential workers to Stay In Place effective noon tomorrow through April 7.  It is now more timely than expected and is something I have been working on over the past week just in case this occurred.  

As most of my clients and friends know I like to be proactive. When I grew up my parents would not let me go out with friends until I finished my chores.  Thus I was always ahead of the game with getting them done.   In addition, I was a Girl Scout leader and raised 3 kids which also explains my motto of always being prepared.   I have recently been putting these skills to use while exploring all modes of life one can do from their socially distanced space.  I have prepared this information below. 

Please note: This list is for #funthingstodowhilesocialdistancing and does not include any COVID health resources.  These are best available from your local Community Health organizations. I will add to this as I learn of more ideas but this is compiled over the past week and should cover most bases.  

Errands done from home to save and free up your time
  
Online food delivery-they will personally shop and deliver ShipT,  Instacart you can have curbside pick up or delivery RocheBros. Some of these services are on overload and may not have easy delivery slots. 
Need a new book, puzzle or game- you can order these online and either pick up outside the store or have delivered for fee Indépendant bookstores-Wellesley Book Store

No need to go to the Post Office just set up online-  Stamps.com

Need dog/pet food you can order online Chewy.com 

Entertainment/Movies to watch:
Instead of going to live theater check this Globe article for online resources Watching Theater
Also for live streamed music/concerts check here
Love Music Festivals- check these out
 www.stayathomefestival.com; or on Instagram at @stayathomefestival. 

Virtual Travel:
Instead of traveling to a real destination you can stream a movie and then go on tour to the film's location.  check this article
Its cherry blossom time and instead of going to Washington DC this spring you can see them here.

Socialize/Meetings:
Facebook-stay connected but beware of fake ads etc,  I would try to use other tools as much as possible as do not trust potential exploitation from them.  Look at tools such as Zoom and Facetime-you can have actual group meetings -try a lunch date with friends, happy hour, bookclub.

Exercise:
Yoga apps such as Yoga Studio
Meditation such as Buddify 
5 at home workouts featured in the WSJ
Train for a virtual 5K with Prevention Magazine
Join Gretchen Rubin 20on20 Walk Group

Inspirational / Spiritual:
Gretchen Rubin-daily Instagram chats at 4pm
check your local synagogue/church for streaming of services

Kids/family activities:
Listen to stories and do related projects from children's author Kate Messner through her site Read, Wonder and Learn
For some online and new Game ideas
How about making a photo book online?  You can create one and go through old photos on one of the apps such as Snapfish
Keep your kids engaged on current events with free NYI weekly news quiz -maybe reward them if score well



Culture:
Online virtual exhibit at the Reggie Lewis Museum Click here for a link to an exhibit donated by my family.  (Stearns collection)
Virtual Shakespeare
Google has partnered with Art Museums worldwide that you can visit virtually on a site called Google: Arts & Culture
Boca Raton Arts Museum has a program for kids called Keep Kids Smart with Art
See a virtual art exhibit hosted by The Cotuit Center for the Arts called BLUES
Classical Music lover here's the BSO online

Outdoor activities:
Places to go around Boston
Neighborhood walk
Drive around and look at architecture/old houses

Spring Cleaning and Home Maintenance:
For the practical or one who enjoys doing things around the house how about getting an early start so you have more time to play.
This is a great time to declutter, clean and get your home ready for spring. I have prepared a Home Maintenance checklist and am happy to send you a copy if you email me: wendy.bornstein@nemoves.com.

I continually am posting new ideas on my Facebook page @wendybcb (Wendy Bornstein Coldwell Banker Needham) and use the #funthingstodowhilesocialdistancing.  I invite you to visit and like this page.  Please feel free to share any new suggestions there or below in the comments section as well.  Thank you and stay healthy.  We are all in this together.  

The world of reading at the tip of your fingers

As most of my blog readers and friends know I love to read.  I enjoy all types of book and find that a really good novel can be almost like a mini vacation transporting me from everyday life to a th expanded outside world.  As many need to shelter in place or social distance this is a great way to broaden your horizons.   For those who also share the love of reading or may want to learn how to have better access to reading materials please read below:

I just participated in a motivational Instagram group chat hosted by  Gretchen Rubin.  For those unfamiliar with her she is a great resource and authored The Happiness Project and Outer Order, Inner Calm as well as several other books.  I have read many and subscribe to her daily podcast and newsletter.  During the chat, she launched a virtual book club for the listeners and suggested reading  Love, Loss and What I Wore by Ilene Beckman.   The first date of this bookclub will be April 1.   It was recommended to buy the book at a local bookshop.   She reminded listeners that due to the COVID crisis many small businesses will be forced to close their doors and it important to do our part to help them stay in business.  

Coincidentally this morning I got an email from one of my favorite local brick and mortar bookstores, WellesleyBooks  informing customers that they were temporarily closing but would have online ordering available with easy pickup or mail delivery.  (Likewise in today's Boston Globe there was an article siting area Indie bookstores also offering curbside pickup and delivery.) I went to their website for more information and noted that their monthly lunchtime book club (April 6 which is canceled) featured the book Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver .  After reading about the book description I was inspired to start a virtual bookclub with my Next-door online neighbors.  Since my local bookclub isn't launched yet I went ahead and ordered the Beckman book for now so I can read it by April 1.  

I read both physical and online books.  I always keep a book on my kindle and on my phone kindle app as sometimes I am stuck somewhere and have wait time to read. I am fortunate to have local bookstores near me and often try to buy my physical books through them vs Amazon.  

For those who do not have local bookstores nearby or just prefer to read on a device I thought I would share online ways to read books.  - here are some great apps you can download.

Bookshout, Kindle and Books are apps where you can purchase content.

The Overdrive app connects you with your library to be able to borrow downloadable books.

Libby is the platform the borrowed books can be accessed on as well as various reading apps.

Goodreads is an app building a community of readers where you can make book recommendations and share books you have read.

Lastly we all have books sitting on our shelves at home.  Now is a good time to clean your home and get organized.  Chances are you will find books you forgot you had or never got around to reading.   

No matter the source of your reading materials there are so many books to read.  Think outside your box and try a new genre such as  fiction, non-fiction, professional development , educational material for students, spiritual and motivational books and much more that you haven't had time to read before!! Be an explorer from the socially distanced book resource at the tip of your fingers.

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  Like the books she reads, she is only a click away if you have any questions about your local real estate market during this time period.  

Allston Christmas and the Art of Decluttering

This past week we moved my MIL (mother in law) from her single apartment in a private residential Senior Living facility to an insurance qualified care facility.  This process of moving has been a continuum of moving from a primary home of fifty plus years to a two bedroom Assisted Living apartment with my FIL to a room in Memory Care and then a single once he passed away.  With each move the size of the room and storage space has gotten smaller and smaller and the cost of living higher and higher.    

As a realtor, mom and homeowner with three grown kids I see how much stuff we buy and hold on to.  As I look at my MIL and her new place I am hit with the reality that time goes by quickly and if one doesn't take responsibility of getting rid of clutter it burdens others. Having gone through this with my own parents in Florida 3 years ago I recognize this burden and don't want to put it on my kids.  Although not the primary care person for my in-laws I helped a bit but my SIL shared most of this burden.  

I have a basement filled with boxes of stuff that we no longer need or most likely will never use.  When I go to a clients home the first thing most need to do is declutter as a step towards getting ready to move.  Although many of us are tempted to pack and move things to our next locale it is always best to get rid of as much as possible. In Margareta Magnusson's book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. she shares her techniques of carefully and thoughtfully divesting of her things so as not to impose on her offspring.  

Millenials get it and every fall there is a local event in Allston called Allston Christmas.  Most college students return to the area around September 1 and this is a popular lease term start. Those moving leave their unwanted furnishings out for others to take and  repurpose.  

For those a bit more settled and in suburbia there are many places where one can discard unwanted items such as Community Councils and Transfer Stations in town.  There are also services available to help get rid of the junk.  We used GotJunk this past week to dispose of the last remnants of my MIL's home that had made it to each of her prior locations as her new place now includes furniture.  

There are many great books out on how to start decluttering and getting rid of things.  A recent book I just read by Gretchen Rubin Outer Order, Inner Calm was a great kick start for me to launch a deep purge in my kitchen.  I am hoping to continue this process as the colder weather approaches.  If you need any further ideas on how to tackle this process feel free to reach out to me.  I have a network of professionals who also help facilitate these projects.  

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham and also works on Cape Cod during the warmer parts of the year.  She loves walking her dog, traveling, reading, exercising and keeping up with friends and clients.  She also loves coffee and will happily meet anyone interested at a local Starbucks near Needham and Mashpee.  

Pass over the clutter and spring cleaning

As the spring holiday of Passover approaches I always try to clean my home in anticipation of hosting a seder dinner.  I got a jump start on my adrenal by helping a family member move to a new apartment in New York, a few weeks ago and this was my primary inspiration to this blog.  My next motivation came as I started cleaning my kitchen and found the March issue of Prevention Magazine under piles of mail.  One article that popped out was How to Declutter Your Home, One Room at a Time.  In this article are simple steps to declutter your home and simplify your life.   There are 26 small steps suggested to do one day at a time.   

As I approached the move in New York,  I had a sudden clutter attack when I entered a room full of "stuff".  Although I try to keep accumulated things under control in my own home, this was not the case in this apartment.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that could be passed over (and thrown out) and the importance of getting rid of things as one goes along.  After an intense attack session we managed to clear the room out in under 10 hours.  See the photos below.  

We need to get in the habit of getting rid of clutter.  Each time you buy a new clothing garment, for example, ask yourself ....is there an older one you will no longer wear? If yes give it away.  After you use a toiletry item, throw it out or after you finish reading a magazine recycle it.  Clean up as you go.  Do your laundry weekly so it doesn’t pile up to 90 plus pounds.  Get rid of the junk and clutter as it can grow beyond control.  If you move frequently (millennials- learn to go with the minimalist lifestyle as it is much easier to pick up and go).  

BEFORE PHOTO

AFTER PHOTO

If you are feeling the declutter vibes there are many great articles and books on this subject.  One author who has inspired me is Gretchen Rubin who wrote The Happiness Project .  She has a new book out  Outer Order, Inner Calm which definitely goes into depth about simplifying life to be calmer.  Perhaps you now feel inspired to get a jump start on a cleaning project.  If you don't know where to begin you can always hire a professional (I have a network for referrals) but it just takes drive and small steps.   You will feel much better as you shed the excess.  I wish you a happy and clutter free start to spring holidays and a simplified summer.

Wendy is a realtor at Coldwell Banker Needham who loves to read, write, walk her dog and work towards a simpler lifestyle.   You can visit her blog at www.wendybcb.com.