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By the end of this list you’ll have 15 solid ideas ready for the next boring afternoon or slow weekend night. No more scrolling for twenty minutes trying to decide what to do!
These got picked after scrolling through way too many pins looking for things that actually works in a real living room. Anything that needed fancy equipment or a full craft studio got skipped.
What stayed on the list are the ideas that are doable with things you probably already own. Some take ten minutes, others fill a whole evening.
A few are perfect for a solo night in. Others work better with a crowd or when the group chat is begging for plans.
Under each idea you’ll find the little details that make it worth trying. Grab a few and turn that boring day around!
THINGS TO DO WHEN BORED AT HOME
Build A Blanket Fort
We’re starting off strong with a blanket fort. Pillows, cushions and every blanket in the house get stacked into something way sturdier than it looks, lol!
Fairy lights get strung inside and it turns into an actual hideout. He refuses to eat dinner anywhere else, haha!
- Zero dollars spent
- Uses blankets already on hand
- Sturdier with a chair for support
- Fairy lights make it magic at night
Try A Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is oddly relaxing once the brush actually touches paper. You don’t need real talent, just water, a cheap set and a napkin nearby for the drips.
The wet-on-wet technique makes colors bleed into each other in a way that looks intentional even when it isn’t. Not that anyone’s claiming credit for happy accidents, haha!
- Beginner proof
- A dollar store set works fine
- Dries in under an hour
- Frame the good ones on the fridge
Bake Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade cinnamon rolls turn a slow morning into an event. The dough needs time to rise, so this one’s for when boredom stretches over a couple hours.
Cream cheese frosting is nonnegotiable in my book. Store bought dough works too if the kneading part sounds like too much.
A pinch of extra cinnamon in the filling never hurts either!
- Worth the wait
- Rises for about an hour
- Bakes at 375°F
- Cream cheese frosting recommended
Start A Terrarium Garden
Starting a terrarium is basically gardening for people who steal every houseplant they own. Layer pebbles, charcoal and soil in a glass jar and tuck small plants in on top.
Mine has survived longer than any plant I’ve ever owned. It barely needs water. That alone feels like a personal victory, lol!
- Low maintenance win
- Any glass jar from the pantry works
- Waters once every couple weeks
- Small succulents hold up best
Make A Photo Collage Wall
A photo collage wall turns a blank corner into the coolest part of a room. Print out old phone photos, mix in a few ticket stubs and pin it all up.
This one costs almost nothing if you already have photos saved. Are you guys seeing how good these look once they’re finished?
- Free if you print at home
- Washi tape holds photos without damage
- String lights add extra glow
- Ticket stubs make it personal
Create Homemade Scented Candles
Scented candles sound intimidating but they’re just melted wax and a wick. Soy wax flakes melt in a double boiler and take scent really well.
Old mugs and mason jars get reused so nothing new needs buying. By the end the whole house smells like a candle store, lol!
- Smells like a candle store
- Soy wax melts in twenty minutes
- Old mugs work as containers
- A few drops of oil goes a long way
Design Your Own Phone Case
This is one of the best things to do when bored for teens who are tired of the same generic phone case. Blank cases and paint pens are cheap. The design possibilities are pretty much endless!
My clear case ended up covered in pressed flowers and it still gets compliments. Talk about a way to make your phone actually yours!
- Cheaper than a store case
- Clear cases from the craft aisle
- Paint pens dry fast
- Seal it with clear nail polish
Try A TikTok Dance Challenge
A TikTok dance challenge fills up a boring afternoon faster than expected. Pick a trending sound and film it about a dozen times before it looks right.
The failed takes end up funnier than the final version anyway. Not gonna lie, some of mine never made it past my camera roll, haha!
Make Trendy Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets are having a full comeback and honestly they never should have left. Embroidery floss knotted into patterns keeps hands busy during a boring show or a long car ride.
Patterns get traded with the group chat constantly. Everyone ends up with a whole stack by the end of the week. Who doesn’t love free jewelry?
- Portable boredom fix
- Embroidery floss from the craft aisle
- Clipboard keeps the knots tight
- Patterns saved online for free
Host A Backyard Movie Night
A backyard movie night is one of the easiest things to do when bored with friends and it barely takes any setup. A white sheet, a projector and a bag of blankets is basically the whole list.
Popcorn always gets made in one big bowl and everyone piles in around it. It feels like a drive-in without the actual driving!
- Feels like a drive-in
- A bedsheet works as the screen
- Projector rentals are cheap
- String lights for the walk back inside
Have A Tie Dye Party
Tie dye parties get messy in the best possible way. Everyone brings a plain white shirt and by the end nobody’s hands match their actual skin tone, lol!
Rubber bands get twisted into spirals for the most satisfying pattern.
- Nobody’s hands survive clean
- Rubber bands from the junk drawer
- Sets overnight for bold color
- Rinse until water runs clear
Play A Board Game Tournament
A board game tournament turns a random Tuesday into a full event. Bracket it out, keep score on a whiteboard. Suddenly everyone’s way too invested.
Not that anyone’s competitive about Monopoly or anything, haha! Loser has to do dishes, which honestly speeds up the whole game. How’s that for motivation?
Go On A Stargazing Walk
A stargazing walk is one of the calmest things to do when bored at night and it costs absolutely nothing. Grab a blanket, walk somewhere dark and just look up for a while.
A stargazing app on your phone points out constellations without needing to know anything beforehand. Who doesn’t love finding shapes in the sky, am I right?
Have A Glow Stick Party
A glow stick party is chaos in the best way once the lights go off. Crack a bunch of glow sticks, put on music. Dance around like nobody’s watching!
Glow paint on white shirts under a blacklight always takes it up a notch. This one’s loud, silly and gone way too fast!
- Loud, silly, gone too fast
- Blacklight bulb screws into any lamp
- White shirts glow best
Make S’mores Over Candlelight
Last but definitely not least, s’mores over candlelight bring the campfire feeling indoors. A few thick candles in a heatproof holder work as the fire.
Marshmallows toast slower this way, so nobody burns their fingers rushing it. How cute is that for a quiet ending?
It’s a quiet way to end a long boring day and honestly the smell alone is worth it!
- Campfire without the fire pit
- Thick candles work best as heat
- Skewers toast marshmallows evenly
- Graham crackers already in the pantry
Just a little note - some of the links on here may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you decide to shop through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only post content which I'm truly enthusiastic about and would suggest to others.
And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Sophie
