You wake up prepared to start your day only to discover it's raining all over your parade. The last thing you want to do is slosh around outside, so what do you do?
You can give in to weather-induced boredom or try one of the following rainy day activities in your apartment.
If you're like most people, you're in and out of the bathroom fast as you start your day. Whether you're heading out to work, school or even just the grocery store, you probably don't have as much time as you would like to pamper yourself.
Go ahead and indulge yourself when you're stuck at home. Give yourself a facial; apply a mud mask; tweeze, pluck and shave wherever you'd like to be hair-free; and take some extra time with brushing, flossing and rinsing your teeth. Then, run a hot bubble bath or fill your tub with bath oils. Take a long soak, and follow up by applying some aromatherapy lotion to your still-damp skin.
This is also a good time to take care of things such as clipping, filing and maybe even painting your fingernails and toenails, if that's your thing. Relax, and enjoy taking the time to really treat yourself.
Rainy days are an excellent time to turn your living room into the ultimate comfy movie theater. Pick two or three of your favorite movies, pop some popcorn and grab your favorite beverage.
If you're lucky enough to have some movie-style candy around, grab that too. If not, you may just decide it's worth pulling on the galoshes to head to the store for some candy bars and licorice.
Then, kick back in front of the television and watch your movies back to back. Make sure you have a throw and a pillow handy, as rainy days make an excellent time for impromptu naps as well.
A rainy day is the right time to settle down with some good grub and chat with friends. Instead of eating leftovers when you're stuck at home, call a few friends over and ask everyone to bring a dish. Prepare your own dish and set up your kitchen or dining room table for company.
Play music in the background to liven up the atmosphere and avoid turning the television on unless you plan to watch a sports event. Then dig in and enjoy being full, happy and surrounded by good company.
If you have a bunch of recipes scattered about, a rainy day is a good time to organize them. Rather than simply shoving them in a binder or file box, go ahead and make an artsy project out of it.
Start with an empty scrapbook, colorful markers, stencils, and tape or glue, and put together your own recipe book.
If you have photos of your loved ones eating meals you've cooked, incorporate them as well. Don't worry about food splatters, folds or small tears in your recipes. They will only add character!
Choose a room in your apartment (probably not the kitchen or bathroom) and move as much of the furniture out of the way as possible. Then, pop a tent in the middle of the room–and if you don't have a tent, indulge your inner child and make a fort with chairs and blankets. Add sleeping bags, pillows and a couple of battery-operated lanterns to enjoy a day of camping out at home.
When was the last time you sat down to play games, besides the ones on your computer or smartphone? Rainy days are the perfect time to break out the old board games and get some friendly competition going. Keep up the fun until you get tired or the sun comes out to chase the clouds away.
As an alternative, host a video game day and focus on games that allow a few players to join in the fun at the same time. You'll have even more fun if you choose games that require you to move, such as dance or virtual sports games.
Don't forget to prepare some party food too! Think finger foods, things that are quick and easy to heat up, chips, veggies and dip. With this sort of setup, you and your friends or family members can snack and play all day.
How do you keep busy and entertained on rainy days? Apartment Guide wants to hear from you! Share your great ideas in the comments or on Twitter.