Hobbies that you can do at home are such an excellent way to engage in self-care.
As an introvert, I am a big homebody. While I’m not saying that being stuck at home in recent times has ticked all my boxes, it has certainly grown my appreciation for slow, simple hobbies as an act of self-care. For the first time in a long time, I’ve been making time for hobbies (some old ones and some new ones), and it has felt amazing!
The intentionality of sinking your teeth into an ongoing project – and spending regular, quiet time to do it – is a very real way to create some calming space in your brain.
I’ve partnered with LoveCrafts to come up with some wonderful at-home hobbies to try adding to your self-care routine.
Whether you’re a crafter, a foodie, a thinker or a green thumb, there is a hobby out there for you.
So open your mind, commit to the idea of working on something a little bit long-term, make a plan to get any supplies you need, and get hobby-ing at home. Like, this week.
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22 Things To Do At Home To Promote Self-Care
1. Knitting
The sweet people at LoveCrafts sent me some absolutely stunning, soft yarn and some beautiful, chunky knitting needles to go with it, and I used them to make a lovely scarf – using their free Lia Scarf pattern.
I hadn’t tried knitting since high school (back when my mum used to cast on and off for me!) so I wasn’t sure how I would go. Their instructions made the whole process simple though! I had no problems following the directions, cast on and off all by myself, and now I have a gorgeous, ridiculously soft scarf. I am seriously obsessed with this yarn! This is now the softest garment I own.
I’m definitely hooked on knitting, and keen to begin my next project. I’m desperate for a decent pair of hand-knitted socks, so I’m thinking I’d like to try something like this cute pair.
2. Sourdough bread making
Sourdough bread making has blown up lately! I’m pretty sure we all have at least one friend with a sourdough starter by now – if you do, ask her for some to help kickstart your new sourdough hobby! If not, you can make one yourself over a 1-2 week period. LeAnne at Lion’s Bread created an easy step-by-step video series in her Instagram Story Highlights – look for “SD Starter”.
Once you have a starter, the world of sourdough baking is wide open to you. Aside from bread, you can use your starter to make sourdough pancakes, cinnamon rolls, pretzels, pizza crust, chocolate cake and more – check out this nifty list courtesy of King Arthur Flour.
3. Flower pressing
Flower pressing is a real act of delayed gratification, but it is so worth it! I purchased a flower press from Facebook marketplace, but you can find them on Amazon too (or you know – find some heavy books). The flowers take 2-4 weeks before they’re flat, dry and ready to use. And then I love to create art pieces with them (check out the #pressedflowers hashtag on Instagram for some stunning inspo).
You can use pressed flowers in all kinds of ways. My favourite way to preserve them is in a frame like this one, this one, or this one.
4. Crochet
Crochet is by far one of my favourite craft hobbies to do at home (especially when the weather cools down!). I especially love creating granny squares that will eventually become a big blanket for a bed or couch – I’m slowly working to create a granny square blanket for each bedroom in our home and our living room too!
LoveCrafts have so many crochet patterns perfect for beginners or more advanced crafters. This free grannie square blanket pattern is absolutely gorgeous, and the colours are fully customizable to suit any space in your home.
5. House plants
You don’t know a satisfying hobby until you’ve witnessed a new leaf unfolding on a beloved plant baby. House plants add to the aesthetic of your home by adding a splash of green here and there, and caring for them is a simple and satisfying hobby.
Worried about killing a house plant? I used to feel the same way, until I learned the fundamental elements of caring for house plants. All you need is:
a) A good soil (I mix regular potting mix with perlite, charcoal and orchid bark – check YouTube out for instructions. It’s easy, I promise!)
b) A soil moisture meter to prevent under/over-watering (this is the one I use)
c) A bright, sunny spot in your home (usually bright, indirect sunlight is best)
That’s it! Start with something simple, like a monstera or a devil’s ivy. And before long you’ll be like me, with 50+ plants taking over your home and patio.
6. Embroidery
Embroidery is one of those crafts I am dying to try! The results are always so stunningly beautiful. I’ve been browsing through LoveCrafts embroidery kits with some major heart eyes lately. I absolutely adore this cactus embroidery hoop kit, which comes with everything from the design to the hoop to the needle and threads. And their flowery Believe In Your Dreams kit is making me weak at the knees!
7. Cheese making
Last year I began attending occasional cheese making classes with Chris’s Mum, and it has been such an unexpected pleasure to learn this slow, delicious art form. The process of making cheese is precise and scientific, yet therapeutic enough to qualify as an awesome self-care hobby. There’s something wonderful about standing at my stove on a Friday night making halloumi – cutting curds, maintaining a steady temperature, preparing the brine, and even making fresh ricotta from the whey.
You can grab a variety of cheese making kits on Amazon, such as this ricotta and mozzarella kit or this goat cheese and halloumi kit.
8. Reading
If you’re not the hands-on type, a self-care hobby could be as simple as picking up a book every day and reading a chapter or two. Disappear regularly into a fictional world, or devour non-fiction books such as biographies, interesting facts or how-tos.
It can be difficult to create a reading habit if you’ve barely picked up a book since high school, but it’s a habit that will serve you and help you create a little brain space every time you do it.
9. Paint-by-number
I haven’t tried this yet – but I do have a kit on its way that I may have spontaneously purchased thanks to a Facebook ad that caught me out of the blue a couple of weeks ago! I am, by no means, a talented painter – but with a paint-by-number kit, I don’t have to be! There are a TON of options available on Amazon including this gorgeous painted deer (above), this stunning butterfly, this bold and colourful lion, and even this recreation of a painting by one of my favourite artists, Leonid Afremov.
I feel a new addiction coming on…
10. Colouring
Adult colouring books ain’t a new trend, but there’s a reason it has been consistently popular for years now. There’s just something very therapeutic about adding colour to a page, colouring inside the lines, and seeing a picture come to life. And these days there are more adult colouring book options than ever, like this beautiful Disney book, this flowery book filled with positive affirmations, this cheeky book of colourful swear words, and this classic collection of wildlife.
Grab yourself some fresh new coloured pencils and get scribbling.
11. Soap carving
For something totally left-of-field (and wonderfully satisfying), give soap carving a go. You can use any knife from your kitchen drawer, a fresh bar of soap, and a sheet of newspaper to capture the shavings.
Adorable designs aside, soap carving is a real favourite in the ASMR world. It’s a very sensory experience, from the sound of it to the way the soap flakes off as you carve.
Soap is cheap, and everything else you need to get started on this is almost definitely in your kitchen. So why not give this a try next time you’ve got some time to yourself at home?
12. Writing poetry or short stories
If writing is something you enjoyed once upon a time, but you’re out of practice, it’s time to put pen to paper and start writing again. Writing is my guilty pleasure – the one hobby I carefully make time for whenever I can. I loved writing in high school. But as an adult, I set it aside and got distracted by life. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve made it a priority again, and I’m so grateful that I have it.
Create stories, or poetry, or write about a topic that you love. Try some creative writing prompts like these, or find a photo that inspires you. Just start writing!
13. Playing a musical instrument
Whether you want to pick back up on an instrument you played in high school, or whether you want to try something completely new, it’s time to begin making music practise something that you regularly do in your time at home.
Grab a second-hand instrument off Facebook marketplace, find a YouTuber offering free lessons, and start making music. It’s so good for your soul.
Not sure what to start with? A ukelele is a lot of fun and can be sourced cheaply (try eBay), a guitar is a great instrument to sink your teeth into, a drum kit is a LOT of fun, or you may get lucky and find a beautiful, vintage piano for less than $500 on Facebook marketplace.
14. Origami
This ancient art form confounded me as a kid, but as an adult I’m intrigued by the idea of sitting down with some pretty paper and a YouTube how-to, and creating something delicate and papery.
If you have kids, this is a great way to keep them concentrating on something – just be available to help them with some of the trickier instructions.
15. Scrapbooking
From experience, I know this is a hobby that can quickly escalate to the point of having hundreds of supplies – but is that really a bad thing? (wink wink). Scrapbooked photo albums are so special to look back on over the years, and a great way for a creative person to flex their creative muscles and come up with new, beautiful lay-outs and designs.
And be sure to check out these unique ideas for documenting precious memories.
16. Wood working
This is an absolute favourite hobby of Chris’s – he loves getting out to his workshop and creating things out of wood. And there’s absolutely no reason why women can’t enjoy power tools too! Find some basic woodworking projects on YouTube like this farmhouse coffee table or this $15 15-minute bench and give those tools a good crack!
17. Candle making
Have you ever considered making your own candles? Homemade candles are beautiful to have dotted around your home (especially if they’re scented with your favourite essential oils) and they make wonderful gifts for friends and family too. Find a good tutorial like these instructions for homemade arometherapy candles and give it a go.
18. Gardening
Gardening is truly the hobby that just keeps on giving back. Test your abilities with a small raised herb and vegetable garden, create a flowerbed in a little patch of dirt, or plant a couple of fruit trees out the back if you have the space. Gardening is patient, and can be a learning curve, but anyone can master it.
My gardening project over the last few years has been learning how to grow tomatoes really well, and it’s so satisfying when it comes time to harvest those bright red, gorgeous, sweet homegrown tomatoes.
19. Puzzles
My mum is a puzzle queen – it’s her go-to when she needs some mental space. Working on a puzzle is great for your brain, and extremely satisfying when it’s complete.
If you have kids in the home and can’t just leave a puzzle sitting out for days or weeks at a time, just grab yourself a puzzle board like this one so you can move it out of reach when you’re not working on it.
20. Makeup
Makeup can be a really fun hobby, and allows you to spend time experimenting with new looks without the usual pressure of needing to look a certain way in order to leave the house. Hook yourself up with some YouTube tutorials, trial new products as you can afford to add them to your collection, and be sure to take a bunch of selfies when you’re proud of the look you’ve created.
21. Crossword puzzles
Crossword puzzles (and other word puzzles) are great for your brain, and happen to be a very cheap hobby to take on. One crossword puzzle book will last you quite a while, and is extremely portable, so you can bring your hobby to work on wherever you go – your train ride to work, the doctor’s waiting room, or meeting with a friend who’s always running late.
22. Fixing things
We have a very disposable mindset these days – if something is broken, it often ends up in the trash. But what if more people took the time to fix things? Holes in socks can be mended, broken toys can be patched, chipped ornaments can be glued back together, and even some electronics just need a bit of a tweak from someone who knows what they’re doing.
Fixing is a great hobby because it’s satisfying, and it also means you’re creating less waste – win win!
Self-care hobbies are an absolute must for everyone
While it might seem frivolous to partake in hobbies, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle, it’s actually essential for your wellbeing. Finding the right hobby for you can take time, so get experimenting, and work out what you enjoy doing. You may even surprise yourself by falling in love with a hobby you’ve never considered trying before.
Do you already have some hobbies you like to do at home?
What’s missing from my list? Let me know in the comments!
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