Learning to love your quarantine space

I’ve left my house only four times since the lockdown started in March—twice to go to the bank and twice to get groceries.

Friends have asked, “Aren’t you going stir-crazy yet?”

No. And here’s why: I like my quarantine space.

I learned the impact that your living conditions can have on your mental state a few years before the pandemic, when I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorder. One of the first things my psychiatrist asked me then was, “Do you have space for healing?”

It was only a couple of weeks later, after I had moved back into my family home, that I understood what she meant. At that point, what was supposed to be my bedroom looked more like a storage area. I needed to create my space for healing.

I sorted through boxes and boxes and piles and piles of stuff, deciding which ones to keep, give away or throw out. I made a Spotify playlist that I called “Nesting” and I played it the whole time I was cleaning. For days, I was constantly dirty and dusty but all the effort paid off. My bedroom became my sanctuary, my refuge. It’s where I rested after long days at work, it’s where I collapsed after really long runs, it’s where I curled up on bad days, it’s where I nursed the pain, it’s where I cured my fear of the dark, it’s where I learned to accept changes and challenges, it’s where I started to build new dreams and cling to new hopes.

Self-care and the new normal

Our big challenge right now is adapting to the new normal while the pandemic is still happening. Self-care is a big part of that. It’s even more essential than ever.

You need to create your space for healing, too. It doesn’t mean you’re sick, it just means you need a place where you can recover from the strangeness of these past months. (Because they’ve been really strange.) You need a haven where you can recharge and take a breather when all the bad news overwhelms you. You need to nest. We all do.

Now that we’ve been spending so much more time at home, it’s important to have a space that you really like and that really works for you. You have to find ways to fall in love with your space. No, this doesn’t mean spending a lot (or any) money. And it’s not about the size of your home either (take it from someone who lived in a 13-sqm studio for over a year and loved it).

It can be as simple as using your favorite bed sheets, changing your curtains or moving furniture around.

Working from home

One of the things I struggled with in the first few weeks of the pandemic was exhaustion. I was working from home and I didn’t know when to stop. It was so hard to find balance.

Experts say it’s important to have a separate area for work and sleep, but not all of us have that luxury.

Still, there are ways around it. My room functions as both my office and my bedroom and so I created the illusion of change by using lighting. I had a dual LED light bulb (it cost me less than P300) and I’d use the cool white setting when it was time to work and switch to the cozy warm glow when it was time to wind down for the day. I just used the normal light switch—there was no need to install a dimmer.

You can use scents too—spray lavender when it’s time to relax, peppermint or citrus when you need to be alert.

Find new corners of your home to love

People who’ve never cooked or baked before have been spending more time in their kitchen. More and more people have started gardening.

Realize too that you can continue to live a full life while staying indoors. Learn a new skill, make the internet your best friend, connect to your loved ones. Eventually, we’ll be able to go out again as much as we want. But in the meantime, all those things you loved to do pre-pandemic—workout, watch a concert, have a drink or two—with a little creativity, you can do them all at home.

We are going to survive this. We’re Filipinos. We are strong, we are resilient. And we’re not just going to survive. With compassion, kindness and togetherness, we will thrive.