Winter hobbies perfect for enjoying at home

With colder weather approaching and more reasons to stay inside than ever this year, it can be hard to work out how to fill your time at home. However, there are ample rewarding hobbies that are not only wonderful ways to pass the time but great forms of self-improvement and fun. If you are looking for a new hobby to get stuck into at home, take a look at these suggestions for the ultimate winter hobbies.

Painting

One hobby that many people have considered but have never tried is painting or any form of art. A relaxing hobby and one that is easy to get in to, painting can be made unique by each person and enjoyed for years. Whether you wish to paint the landscape your home overlooks, a portrait of a loved one or go for something a little more abstract, the possibilities are endless.

For something more unique, Alice in Sheffield recommends diamond painting: “My hobby recommendation would be diamond painting, it's an indoor task and very therapeutic, it's a mix between cross stitch and painting by numbers, and you basically use a tool to place coloured diamonds to form a picture. There are a lot of kits available cheaply online with a whole host of pictures including brands and franchises like Disney. It's a great hobby to pass time and create a beautiful diamond masterpiece”

Cooking or Baking

Everyone loves a warm, home-cooked meal, or a fresh biscuit straight from the oven with a cup of tea. Whether you’ve never been much of a cook before or adore spending time in the kitchen, setting some time aside to brush up on your skills is a rewarding hobby.

You could learn to cook some family favourites, try your hand at recreating your favourite cuisines or even come up with your own creations. And, for everything you try, you’ll have a tasty meal or delicious treat at the end of the process – win-win!

Roshni from The Wanderlust Within offered her suggestion: “Building and decorating a gingerbread house. It’s not an activity that only for kids, I did it with my mum last year and we had a blast together. You don’t need to be particularly creative to make something that looks authentic."
“Top tip: If baking isn’t for you - buy a gingerbread house kit and go wild with your choice of sweets, the more you add, the better the house will look and taste and you can cover up any icing mishaps!”

SEE ALSO: Baking tips for older people

Writing

Writing can be an amazing way to keep our brains sharp whilst also giving us a chance to flex our creative muscles a bit. It’s also easy, with all you need being something to write on to get started. Maybe you’ve always had an idea for a novel and you’ve never put pen to paper, you want to create a unique gift to hand down to your family and write about events from your life, or you want to try your hand at poetry; the possibilities are endless.

Even if you’ve never written before, taking the time to give it a shot can be a therapeutic exercise. And, with the many tools available to help you along with more complicated parts of grammar or trying to find a synonym for an overused word, you can worry less about the technical aspects of writing and more about what it is you are actually saying.

Reading

As well as writing, reading is another wonderful literary hobby. Perfect for those who want to snuggle up and escape the world around them, reading allows you to travel to an infinite number of locations, stories and times without having to leave your sofa. Plus, for those who struggle reading, almost all popular books are now released as audiobooks as well making it an even easier hobby to pick up.

Pippa from Life of Pippa recommends reading: “Reading and indulging in books can be a game changer over the colder months. Whether you’re craving pure escapism or seeking solidarity in stories that mirror your own, there are books out there that can give you exactly what you need, right when you need it. And I can only speak for myself, but I believe my love of reading has shaped the person I’ve become.

“Even if you don't consider yourself an avid reader or a bookish person, there's so much to be gained from making yourself a cuppa, picking up a book and getting lost in a story rather than constantly scrolling on your phone.”

For those who may find they struggle with reading, Pippa also has a wonderful article with tips for reading with a chronic illness that is worth checking out.

Jo from Teacake For The Soul also suggested reading, explaining: “Reading is a perfect winter hobby. There's nothing cosier than snuggling up with a book in a chair by the fire, or in bed before you sleep. Learn something new from non-fiction or lose yourself in another world with a fabulous fiction book. Don't forget you can use your local library or choose one of the many free e-books available - your hobby doesn't have to cost you a penny.”

Scrapbooking

If writing is not your style, but you do like the idea of creating gifts or hand-me-downs for family and loved ones, then why not turn your hand to scrapbooking? We all have family photographs stored out of sight and out of mind, so why not try to dig them out and create your own scrapbooks? You could even get some recent digital photographs printed to add to the collection.

Whether you create dedicated photo albums and make sure all of your images are neatly stored away, or create event-specific scrapbooks to remove important life milestones, it’s a lovely way to not only reminisce but enjoy some creativity. You can write notes to future readers explaining the stories behind each image, include other items like ticket stubs and saved memorabilia and more, the possibilities are endless!

Catching up on TV

If you are looking for a calmer hobby, then why not try catching up on some TV shows you’ve missed? We all have those shows that we are putting off trying and the colder, winter months are a perfect time to get into them. Whether it’s finally finding out what all the Game of Thrones hype was about or settling down to rewatch a TV show that you loved in your younger years, dedicating some time to get into a series can be rewarding and relaxing.

And, if you are living alone, it’s also a great way to connect and keep up with others. Perhaps you and a loved one decide you’ll watch together using an online tool like Netflix Party, or you and a friend watch a series at the same time and talk about it with a weekly phone call!

Winter hobbies to enjoy at home:

• Painting
• Cooking or Baking
• Writing
• Reading
• Scrapbooking
• Catching up on TV

As the cooler weather sets in, getting to grips with some home hobbies can be a great way to make the season fly by. For those who are spending more time at home and finding it not working for them as much as they’d like, take a look at our stairlift prices and discover just how affordable an upgrade can be.

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