How to Be a Homebody and Actually Enjoy It

I am a natural homebody. A genuinely good day for me involves puttering around the house and yard without much of an agenda. Leisurely coffee with a book at the kitchen table, a little cooking or baking, knitting in the afternoon, sitting on the porch listening to the birds, harvesting something from the garden, drying herbs, petting the cats, talking to Jeff. Chores happen in the middle of all of it without much fanfare. There’s no rush and no particular plan and at the end of the day there’s a kind of easy contentment that comes from having spent the day close to home. Not everyone is wired this way naturally, and that’s fine. But if you’re drawn to the idea of enjoying home more and going out less, these are the things that have made it work for me.

Finding enjoyment at home generally means living more simply which often translates into spending less money and finding ways to calm the body and soul in the ever increasing speed of life. 

Embrace Hobbies

Hobbies are valuable for a number of reasons. They keep our hands and minds busy, they teach us valuable skills, and can provide us with gifts as well as items to barter or sell.

There’s no right or wrong here. Hobbies can be building model cars, knitting, quilting, gardening, cooking, and more.

Pick what you love or want to learn and can afford to do (buy supplies, necessary tools, etc.). Then simply get busy as time allows in the rest of the daily activities. 

Having more than one hobby is more than okay and remember that some hobbies might be seasonal in nature. I knit more in the winter for example than summer because I garden in the summer months. 

Have Entertainment Easily in Reach

Entertainment can easily be hobbies. So have projects ready to work on. This is not an excuse to hoard or gather clutter – but do have something ready to work when the current project is done.

Entertainment can also be watching TV, movies, documentaries, etc. If you can afford a streaming service or cable / satellite make use of those things.

Remember to watch these expenses and make sure you’re using them enough to make it the actual dollars spent. Many library systems rent DVDs for frugal watching experiences as well. There are plenty of free streaming services these days that are free with ads.

Reading books (or listening to audio books) can also be a great way to entertain and educate ourselves. Again make use of the local library, many systems have ebook and online audio book options as well as traditional book borrowing.

Board games can be a valuable source of entertainment for families. Have favorites on hand and institute game nights as a fun way to enjoy home and connect with each other.  

Learn to Stay Active

It can be super easy to confuse being a homebody with being a couch potato. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with binge watching some movies every now and then, there’s no need to only do that to pass the time as a homebody. 

Learn to putter around the house. This about engaging in hobbies, choosing wise entertainment options, doing chores, cooking from scratch, etc.

This is not about running around the house deep cleaning to the point of exhaustion. This is about learning to pass the time in the house in a way that feels good while also being rewarding. 

Avoid Cabin Fever

Home is a wonderful place but those four walls can get confining. Avoid cabin fever by getting outside. This doesn’t necessarily mean getting in the car and going anywhere specific. It simply means getting some fresh air.

Take a walk around the block to get nowhere in particular just to walk and inhale the fresh air. You can also use this walk to close errands or even parking at one of town and walking to multiple stops along the way.

This is important for mental health even for the most natural, hard-core homebody in my experience, don’t overlook it.

The Power of Connection

Enjoying home does not necessarily mean not enjoying the company of others. There’s a time and a place for everything. Share meals to connect with friends and family as desired.

Remember to connect with loved ones far away through the telephone or video chat options as desired. This is a great way to stay connected but also embrace home. 

Don’t forget the power of old-fashioned letter writing. Write letters or jot simple notes onto the back of postcards and send them off. This simple bit of connection is fun for the writer and often a blessing to the recipient. 

Make Home An Enjoyable Place

Home is as individual as people. Make it yours. Paint it, decorate it in ways that feel good. Obviously, renters have to abide by agreements but do whatever is possible.

This is not about spending thousands of dollars on a remodeling project. That’s fine if the funds are available and the project is desired but it is by no means a requirement. 

Arrange the furniture in ways that best suit how spaces are used, how the light plays in the room, etc. Make sure the space feels inviting and this might include removing clutter or simply changing a few pillows or using a lighter fabric for curtains. 

The goal is to make home be a place where you want to be, where it feels safe and comfortable. Make it practical and beautiful in whatever ways are meaningful to you and the others living there. 

Find Endless Gratitude

Honestly, be grateful for home. Whatever home is right at this moment. It doesn’t matter if it’s your dream home or if you want something different or if you’d rather own than rent or if you want to live in a different town – find gratitude for whatever roof covers you every single day.

That’s the key to happiness in the end. Gratitude for what’s currently in hand. Keep a journal to stay on track and for easy reflection on the tough days.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have different / bigger goals, you can, but for now be grateful for where you’re planted and celebrate it. 

Whether or not you think of yourself as a homebody the above tips can surely help anyone enjoy home, find some frugal outlets, and slow the pace of modern living ever so slightly. 

If you enjoy slowing down and spending more time at home, The Letter Circle might be a good fit. It’s a monthly subscription that brings one private email and one physical letter to your door, written in the same unhurried spirit as everything on this blog. Something handmade and personal arriving in your mailbox each month feels right at home alongside a homebody life.