Covid 19 coronavirus: Household jobs to do in lockdown this Easter weekend

Jeffrey Hall pictured in 2018 after holding a car wash fundraiser. Photo / File

Easter weekend usually brings much-wanted days to do the odd jobs you never have time for. However, the Covid-19 lockdown has provided more than enough time. But to keep you motivated and to ensure you use the best of the warmer days while you can, journalist Leah Tebbutt gives some ideas to make the most of endless time.

• Green Fingers

Turn your thumb to the weeds or up high into the gutters. Photo / File

If you haven't found yourself in the garden yet, this long weekend gives you the perfect amount of time to turn your backyard wilderness into a backyard oasis.

Weed the garden. Take cuttings and get them growing. Harvest any seeds from the vege garden or even plant the herbs you can buy at the supermarket.

While you cannot buy many new plants, you can take the opportunity to do the garden work you never want to and right in time for winter.

Clearing the guttering is a job that should be done before the winter months bring more rain, which could lead to a bigger mess.

• Car wash

Jeffrey Hall pictured in 2018 after holding a car wash fundraiser. Photo / File

Now with the water restrictions lifted, there is no better time to line all the cars associated with your bubble onto the lawn and slap them with a soapy sponge.

Doing so on the lawn will put the water used right back into the earth but then move into a drier place to vacuum the inside as well.

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Get the kids involved and play some music loud but watch out for whoever has the hose in hand.

And while you're at it, why not clean the outside of your house too. Get rid of the dust and cobwebs and make it shine.

• Spring Clean

A rearrange of furniture is the perfect way to make the space feel fresh this weekend. Photo / File

It may be autumn but there is never a better time to give your house a spruce up on the inside.

A deep clean of your pantry cupboards, sorting out the linen cupboard, rearranging the lounge and even clearing out your wardrobe and getting it into shape for winter will make the house feel fresher.

Work through the house room by room each day.

Remember secondhand shops are closed so if you find things in your wardrobe or kitchen you no longer want, store them in a bag ready for a drop-off when the lockdown is over.

• Pamper Hour

Pampering is the best way to look after yourself after a long day of chores. Photo / File

Chores around the house are important but it is more so to look after yourself.

Lay out all the nail polishes you have. If you don't have everything you need to make your toes sing, the supermarket should have a good range of tools.

Face masks, hair masks, a soak in the bath. It's a long weekend, you might as well make it feel like one.

While this may seem an option suited to females, males should never underestimate the power a nice bath and glittery toenails can bring. But if you are unconvinced, get the beard trimmer out and make yourself look glamorous for another day inside.

• The Deep Clean

Cleaning the oven is no one's favourite job, but is one way to spend part of a rainy day if it comes. Photo / File

Some homemade hot cross buns are a great Easter treat but how much better would they taste in a clean oven?

It is something you never have time to do but you feel accomplished for tackling. And when you have done with that how about defrosting the freezer. Clearing out the built-up ice will provide more space to stock up on lockdown snacks.

But it doesn't stop there, get into the bins and clean them out. Wash the shower curtain, descale the kettle and vacuum under the furniture.

If you still find yourself with an extra day under your sleeve, why not clean the washing machine or the dishwasher? The curtains will thank you for a deep clean too and never forget the pesky places you always touch but forget to clean like the door frames.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website