The one thing about a blizzard that really annoys me isnt the 20 inches of snow that fell and that I had to shovel out, or even the worry about the electricity going off. Rather, it’s the idea of being stuck at home for days at a time.

Many people, especially those in rural areas, are still surrounded by a 15-mile field of impenetrable snow that will take a few days of plowing to get through. When you mix that with the hours of childrens programming that you’ll be forced to watch since the kids are home from school, the result is a wicked case of cabin fever.

Suddenly, the walls are closing in on you, and you need something to do to pass the time away. Your mind immediately fixates on what you can do around the house. There are plenty of projects around the house, but you have no way of getting to the hardware store for the proper tools and accessories. Its frustrating.

So what do you do? You may not be able to paint the living room or tile the bathroom, but there are plenty of things to do if you just look hard enough:

1. House work: What?! Mr. Fix-it doing housework? Preposterous. Its time to get off your high horse and help get the house in ship shape again. Two to three days without leaving means that laundry and dishes will pile up, and your significant other will appreciate the help. If you organize the kids’ toy room or scrub down that bathroom sink, then you will be surprised at how fast time flies when youre having… fun. OK, so it’s not really fun, but it will pass the time.

2. Little repairs: Is there some molding in the kitchen thats a little loose? Is the door to the basement squeaky when opened? There are tons of little repairs that can be done around the house that dont require special tools or accessories to complete. A can of WD-40 and a hammer can fix a multitude of little problems that have been on your mind for months. Now, you finally have the time to get it done.

3. Helping out neighbors: Odds are that you are not the only one stranded, and if you have any nearby neighbors, then you can brave the weather to see if they’re OK and if they need anything. You may have stocked up for the blizzard, but your neighbors may need food or water. Their pipes could have frozen or busted. Their furnace could have broke down. Make sure to be safe, and dont try walking through 15 inches of snow to check on your neighbor a mile away unless you have a snowmobile or other conveyance.

There are plenty of things to do when stuck in the house during a natural disaster. The good news is that after a day or two, things should be back to normal.

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