Full disclosure here, I’m more of an indoorsy kind of girl as it is. Many of my hobbies are indoor activities or activities that are easy to do indoors. Which is quite ironic considering how much I gripe about the weather in the Winter. Or when it’s otherwise cold and dreary outside. Although with that in mind, aside from the dreariness, I actually love rainy days. I love the ambience of listening to the rain as I stay indoors, sipping on a cup of coffee or tea. And as an added bonus, rainy days allow me to enjoy my favorite indoor activities without a shred of guilt. Or that feeling that I should be out enjoying the sunshine.
Certainly, we should all be enjoying the sunshine when the weather is nice. Even if just for a walk around the block. But knowing that the weather isn’t always cooperative for spending time outdoors, we should also find ways to make the most of the rainy days. As well as the days that are simply too yucky to enjoy being outdoors for even a few minutes. After all, complaining isn’t going to make the sun come out. So we might as well use these days as an opportunity to lean in to our favorite indoor activities.
Seriously, let’s get cozy and enjoy the sound of the rain on our rooftops as we dive into our favorite indoor hobbies. Some of which may feel like guilty pleasures, but certainly bring us joy. As well as other indoor activities that feel more productive. Let’s make rainy days something to look forward to, rather than something to be sad about.
Indoorsy Self-Care and Personal Growth Ventures
Rainy days are perfect for staying in and pampering yourself. They’re also perfect for taking a moment to settle in and focus on your personal growth. And not only can we use a bit of a pick-me-up on cold, rainy, and dreary days, but their ambiance is a wonderful vibe for a self-care day. It’s undeniably wonderful to sit down with a cup of tea and care for your mind, body, and soul. Whether you’re looking for a bit of relaxation and renewal, or you’re looking to grow as a person, rainy days are perfect for settling in and focusing on what you’ve been needing. Or on what your mind, body, and soul have been craving.
On that note, it’s important to mention that self-care isn’t entirely about bubble baths or getting comfy and cozy. Sometimes, self-care involves a little bit of productivity, or even doing things you may not feel like doing. Especially as we all know that gloomy days aren’t the most motivating. But we all know how rewarding it is to show up for ourselves, even when we’re not mentally feeling up for it. As well as how wonderful it feels to learn and grow when we challenge ourselves.
That said, I personally like to ensure that I’m doing a combination of both relaxing and slightly challenging indoor self-care activities on a rainy day. Because we all need and deserve the best of both, my lovely.
1. Meditate To The Sound Of The Rain
The sound of the rain is one of my favorite sounds for relaxing and enjoying a moment of stillness. Heck, I’m often playing rain sounds from my HomePod on a clear night to help myself relax. So, of course, I’m going to take advantage of the sound of the rain my my rooftop on a rainy day. And one of the best ways to take advantage of a heavy rainstorm? By taking a spontaneous moment of stillness, no matter what time of day it is, to just close your eyes and listen to the rain, of course! Especially as we could all benefit from taking a pause in our busy days anyway.
Honestly, it doesn’t even have to be a deep or lengthy meditation. Oftentimes, I just like to pause, close my eyes, and listen as I take a few deep breaths. I might or might not use the Mindfulness app on my Apple Watch to guide my breathing. I might even grab one of my crystals that I have nearby. But my primary goal with my rain meditations is just to pause and observe.
2. Home Yoga or Pilates Session
I’m not going to lie, on gloomier days, I often feel a bit sluggish, and I have little desire to work out. That said, what I often need to boost my mood and energy levels on a dreary day is, in fact, a workout. And that workout doesn’t necessarily need to be anything of high intensity. Sometimes, we simply need to get out of bed and move our bodies in a gentle but challenging way that feels good. And honestly, yoga and pilates are wonderful for doing just that. Heck, even following along with a 15 to 30-minute yoga or pilates workout video on YouTube can be enough to boost your energy level and make you feel amazing.
For added ambiance on gloomy days, I like to turn on some ambient lighting as I work out. Something about doing yoga with my galaxy lights on elevates the experience for me on a rainy day.
3. Do a Tarot / Oracle Reading and Connect With Your Spirituality
The calmness of a rainy day is absolutely wonderful for tapping into your spirituality. Especially when you’re not in any sort of rush, and you can really tune in to your energy and what the universe is trying to tell you. So why not set up a sacred space with a few of your favorite crystals, grab the tarot and oracle decks that are speaking to you in the moment, and do a reading? Whether it be about a specific situation, or you just want to check in with your energy. And don’t forget to go beyond the guidebook that comes with your deck, and consider the energy of the decks you’re using. While also using your own intuition.
4. Dive In and Learn About Something That Interests You
As humans, we’re naturally curious creatures, and we love to learn about the things that catch our interest. So why not use a rainy day to sit down and intentionally learn more about something that interests you? Perhaps you can dive into a topic that’s always interested you. Or you can learn a new hobby or skill. You may want to dive into an interest that you’ve never explored before. You can also dive deeper and enhance your knowledge or skills of a current hobby or interest. There’s no such thing as too much knowledge when it comes to the things that intrigue your interest!
5. Sit Down For A Cozy Reading Session
Sitting in a comfortable chair by the window, sipping a cup of tea, and reading a book is the epitome of cozy indoor activities for a rainy day. Alternatively, you can also read long-form blog posts and online articles that interest you with a cup of coffee. But honestly, nothing beats reading a physical book as you listen to the rain in the evening.
6. Get Your Thoughts Into Your Journal
Sometimes, you have to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Whether you journal about whatever is on your mind at the moment or you’re looking to reflect on a specific prompt, journaling is a wonderful cozy venture for a rainy day. Or any day for that matter. You can choose to keep it simple and just write, or you can get creative with doodles and/or collage elements. Journaling is a wonderful way to get creative as you tune in with yourself. And honestly, it’s such a dreamy activity for a rainy evening.
7. Pamper Yourself and Have A Home Spa Day
Bubble baths, everything showers, sheet masks, and everything to do with having a home spa day is about the epitome of self-care. So why not stay inside and pamper yourself with a home spa day when the weather isn’t cooperating? Apply those under-eye masks and that sheet mask. Do the hair mask. Spend extra time on your skincare. Get creative and play around with makeup, and glam up just for yourself. Give yourself a gua sha facial. Enjoy a relaxing bath or an everything shower, as long as there isn’t a thunderstorm or potential lightning forecasted. Honestly, pamper yourself in any way that you desire.
8. Reorganize An Area Of Your Home
There is something quite satisfying and therapeutic about curating a well-organized space. Especially when you organize your space in a way that’s both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. And even more so when that area was quite chaotic before. That said, a rainy day makes for the perfect opportunity to tackle that one chaotic area of your home that could use a little extra love. Whether it be a single drawer or cabinet, your closet, or even an entire room. Take the time to declutter what you no longer want or need, and have some fun creating an aesthetic and functional organizational system that works for you.
And don’t forget to reward yourself after you finish your organizational project!
9. Text or Chat With A Friend
Is there a friend on your mind that you haven’t spoken to for a while, and you’d like to catch up with? Or do you have a lot to tell your best friend, even if you talk or text each other regularly? A rainy day can make for a great opportunity to connect or reconnect with some of your favorite people. So why not send your friend a text or a DM on a rainy afternoon? You never know, you just might be able to set up a time to call or FaceTime with them. And while we all have different schedules and adult responsibilities to contend with, you might even be able to set up a date to meet for coffee and reconnect in person. All because you sent them a text on a rainy afternoon.
But honestly, even just being able to exchange a few text messages is a wonderful way to reconnect with an old friend. Especially as it lets the other person know that they’re thought of. Even if both of your lives are a bit hectic.
10. Vision Boarding
Vision boarding is one of my favorite ways to manifest. It is also one of the most powerful ways to manifest your desires, as it gives you a concrete visual of what your life is going to look like. Which certainly motivates you to keep working towards your manifestations, and reminds you of the good that’s coming to you. Plus, vision boarding is also quite fun and allows you to use your creativity in your manifestation process. And it’s such a cozy activity to do indoors on a rainy day as you sip a cup of herbal tea.
It’s entirely up to you whether you print off some images that symbolize your desires or if you make a digital vision board. I personally recommend doing both, and saving images you like to Pinterest before printing them off for your vision board. You could create a desktop, iPad, or even a wallpaper for your phone to use as your vision board. As long as it’s something you’ll see every day. And don’t forget to get creative with it and make it your own unique vibe.
Indoor Activities For The Creative Mind
As a creative girly, one of my favorite ways to justify spending the vast majority of my time indoors is creating. Heck, I often joke about why I’d go outside when most of my creative hobbies are indoor activities. And oftentimes, my ideal day involves doing some form of creative venture. Whether it be creating something digitally or through a more traditional hands-on method. I love to get cozy and get creative. And whenever I see rain in the forecast, I’m fully ready to barricade myself in my creative space and create whatever idea I have in my head at the moment.
Most creative indoor activities are perfect for getting cozy when the weather isn’t cooperating. Or when it is cooperating, depending on your perspective. That said, getting creative is also naturally productive. Even when you’re simply creating for fun, rather than to create a masterpiece. Although you can also certainly use your creative hobbies to achieve your dreams. But, honestly, we all have to create something just for ourselves sometimes. Without stressing over making it perfect or social media worthy. And rainy days give the perfect vibes for creating just for the fun of creating.
11. Create Art — Digitally or Physically
There is something so calming and cozy about sitting down to paint or draw on a rainy afternoon. Whatever idea you have in your head, grab yourself a cup of tea and allow yourself the time to sit down and create it. Break out those markers, pens, and paints that you have and allow yourself to have some creative fun. Heck, even if all you have is a simple pen or pencil and some printer or notebook paper, that’s enough to get doodling as the rain hits your rooftop.
You could also grab your iPad and play around in Procreate and see what you come up with digitally. Whilst taking advantage of the benefits that come with creating digital art. Namely, the undo button. And all the ways you can easily alter what you’ve laid onto the digital canvas.
12. Try A New Recipe — Or Prepare Your Favorite Meal
Many of us are guilty of buying a cookbook or saving a ton of recipes on Pinterest to never actually try them. Including the ones that are relatively easy and utilize common ingredients that we may already have in our pantry. So why not utilize your time indoors on a rainy day to try one of those recipes that you know you want to try? Or put together that ideas that you have in your head for a wonderful meal. You never know what might become your next go-to meal that you’ll want to enjoy regularly!
But if you’re looking for something a bit more comforting and familiar on a rainy day, it’s also wonderful to prepare a familiar favorite. Especially one that you might not prepare very often.
13. Scrapbooking or Junk Journaling
Scrapbooking and junk journaling are one of my go-to ways of getting creative when I’m looking to work with a physical creative medium. I often love to fill a page in my bullet journal with collage elements, just to make a work of art. Whether it highlights a specific memory, or I’m just feeling inspired to make a collage of elements that just work together. Be it stickers, washi tapes, photos, doodles, or whatever ephemera that I can get my hands on, I love piecing things together to somehow make a cohesive collage.
For me, scrapbook-style collage making is one of my top indoor activities that also gets me off my phone. I’ll even get excited to roll out my own supply carts and start scattering sticker books, washi tape organizers, and ephemera collections about.
14. Knitting, Crochet, or Cross-Stitch
I’m going to be honest with you for a second; I personally have no experience with knitting, crochet, or even cross-stitch. But I’ve always been mesmerized and interested in these intriguing and cozy activities. And something lights up within me whenever I find out someone does any of these activities as a hobby. So perhaps that’s a sign that one rainy day, I should take up one of these hobbies for myself. Even though I know I’ll have to start with something simple. These “granny” style hobbies seem perfect to relax with on a rainy Autumnal afternoon. Or a cold, snowy morning in January.
15. Content Creation
As a content creator, I can’t recommend creating content enough. Especially if you spend any amount of time on the internet, or have ever had a thought of posting your own content. I can’t even begin to describe the fulfillment that I get from creating and publishing my own content. It’s wonderful to take my ideas from a spark within my mind to being published for others to enjoy. Plus, there are so many different types of content that you can create, whether short-form or long-form. Or a mix of both, which I highly recommend as a content creator.
Seriously, sit down on a rainy day and record that podcast or write that blog post. Film that short video on your phone to post on TikTok or Reels. Play around in Canva to make your own graphics. Open up that editing software and play around. And publish what you come up with. You never know what amazing things might come from it. Or who you might make smile from across the globe.
16. Web Development or Programming
Understandably, coding is quite a niche hobby that has quite a bit of a learning curve. But if you have any interest in designing your own website layouts, apps, or games, it’s 100% worth taking up. And I’m not going to lie to you, coding can sometimes be more frustrating than cozy. But it’s extremely rewarding when what you’re trying to accomplish finally works. Designing with code is also quite a fun way to get creative, as you watch your lines of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript become an aesthetically pleasing and functional web page, made exactly to your liking. Just as the layout of this website was designed and coded by me.
Rainy days are great for learning to code. Or for building your skills as a developer, as you design your own layouts. Or make your own widgets. And sometimes, it’s fun just to play around in CodePen [not affiliated] and see what you can create.
17. Coloring
Coloring is one of the coziest indoor activities there is for when you want to be creative, but don’t necessarily feel like creating something from scratch. Honestly, coloring makes for a great way to decompress and meditate if you struggle to sit in meditation for any length of time. Plus, it helps connect you with your inner child, even when you choose more intricate designs to color from an adult coloring book. Although I honestly love the big and bold designs that artists like Coco Wyo and Maison Nook put into their coloring books. Especially as they have plenty of space for adding in your own doodles and patterns.
Coloring is such a calming activity for a rainy day. As well as for mornings, evenings, or any time you’d like to clear your mind. And you can still get quite creative with your color selection.
Indoorsy Guilty Pleasures
Honestly, some of my favorite indoor activities are slight guilty pleasures. That said, when I say that they’re guilty pleasures, I’m not implying that these activities are necessarily bad in any way. Rather, they’re not necessarily things that we should be indulging in all day, every day. After all, we don’t want our favorite indulgences to no longer feel like a treat, but just another mundane part of our lives. Nor do we want to allow them to take over other hobbies and interests that we have. And while they’re certainly a wonderful way to show ourselves a little bit of love, they can not be the entirety of our self-care routine.
For me, these are the indoor activities that I feel the most guilty about indulging in on a sunny day. Especially when I know damn well that I could benefit from getting some fresh air and touching grass. And when there’s no reason why I shouldn’t go for a walk around the block. But on a cold, rainy, or otherwise yucky day? There’s really no harm in wrapping up in a blanket, getting cozy, and nourishing my soul with a bit of indulgence. Especially when I allow myself to truly enjoy the experience on a rainy evening.
We all deserve to treat ourselves to indulge in what we simply enjoy sometimes. Even if it’s not necessarily productive. And rainy days are wonderful for partaking in the indoor activities that simply bring pleasure into our lives.
18. Enjoy A Movie Marathon
Sometimes, it’s wonderful to grab some snacks, wrap up in a warm blanket, and just enjoy an evening watching a marathon of your favorite movies and TV shows. Or, perhaps, a marathon of videos by your favorite YouTuber. Especially on a rainy evening after a long day at work. Or on those dreary afternoons when it’s just not ideal to go for a walk or sit on your back patio with a book. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with sitting back and relaxing to whatever movie, show, or long-form video you want to watch. So why not make it a cozy moment on a rainy evening in October?
Like I said, grab some snacks and allow yourself to truly enjoy it. Put on your favorite pajama set, and wrap up in a cozy blanket. Watch whatever makes your soul happy to watch, whether it’s a new movie or your comfort TV show that you’ve loved since childhood. Just try your best to fully enjoy it without it becoming background noise as you scroll on your phone.
19. Play Some Cozy Video Games
Cozy gaming is one of my favorite ways to unwind, whilst also using my creativity. Honestly, it’s quite easy for me to get sucked into The Sims 4 for weeks at a time. Especially as it’s almost entirely a sandbox game where you can fully create anyone, any home, and tell any story you want. That said, I also get a lot of enjoyment out of games like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and Disney Dreamlight Valley. Such games are perfect for getting cozy after stressful days or on rainy evenings. It’s wonderful to get sucked into these games from time to time. Especially when you’re able to live vicariously through them.
20. Do Some Online Shopping — Even If You Don’t Buy Anything
I’m not going to lie, shopping online is one of my favorite pastimes. Even when I don’t end up actually buying anything, I enjoy browsing around and adding things to my wishlist. That way, I can come back to them later if I know that I truly want them, after viewing them a few more times. And honestly, rainy days are perfect for sitting down and doing some window shopping. Whether you’re browsing the shop of that small business you came across on social media, or you’re scrolling through Amazon, there are so many wonderful products that we can wishlist for later. Whether for ourselves, or to give as a gift to a friend or loved one.
That said, rainy days are also a great time to check up on any essentials you may be running low on and order some more.
21. Have A Meal From Your Favorite Restaurant Delivered
We all have our favorite meals that we just can’t perfectly recreate at home. Or the ones that taste so much better when we don’t have to prepare them ourselves. We also all have days where we really don’t feel like cooking, or we’re looking to treat ourselves with a comforting favorite. Which is why I have no quarrels with ordering take-out and having one of your favorite meals delivered. Especially on a dreary rainy day, when you could use a little pick-me-up. Honestly, it’s nice to enjoy a delicious meal that you didn’t have to cook from time to time. And food delivery pairs well with a movie marathon or cozy gaming session.
22. Take A Nap!
Naps can be absolutely wonderful on a rainy afternoon. Especially as the sound of the rain is so delightful to fall asleep to. So why not close your eyes and allow yourself to doze off for a little while? As long as you don’t nap too late in the day, or for too long that you disrupt your sleep, there’s no harm in allowing yourself a nice nap. Especially when you’re feeling a bit drowsy anyway, a short nap might just be what you need on a rainy day.
Conclusion
While rainy days can objectively be quite gloomy, and it can be a bit of a bummer when the weather isn’t ideal, we know that the rain is necessary. Heck, even the snow and cold of Winter is necessary, as much as I personally don’t want to admit it. But not only are rainy days necessary, but they can also be quite enjoyable. From the relaxing ambiance the sound of the rain creates, to the lovely indoor activities that we can enjoy as the rain comes down. So allow yourself to indulge in those indoor activities that feel like guilty pleasures on a rainy day. Or use them to get things done in the house. And don’t forget to cozy up and make the most of them.
What are some of your favorite indoor activities to do on a rainy day? Are you more of an outdoorsy or an indoorsy person? Do you actually enjoy the rain? How do you find joy when the weather is less than ideal? I’d love to hear from you!
Love all these ideas. Especially meditating to the sound of the rain, its so relaxing.
The rain is so wonderful to meditate too! Thank you for reading, Chloe!
Great ideas! I like the idea of just sprucing up one area of the house. That way it’s not as overwhelming as cleaning the whole house.
I often find it so much easier to focus on one area at a time when sprucing up. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you try to do everything at once. Certainly, a drawer is less intimidating than multiple rooms!
Some great ideas
Some great tips listed here. Some I have even weaved into weekly self-care. I also love the way you organized this blog post- it’s stunning!
I have a few of these weaved into my regular self-care routine as well!
Thank you so much for the compliment! Design is one of my passions, and I like to implement it into the way that I write my posts!
Love this post and totally agree on meditating to the sound of rain! 🙂 Love that! There’s nothing like a rainy day providing you with found time or just an excuse for much needed self-care! I’ll apply this to snow days, too. Lots of great ideas here!
Just what’s needed on a rainy day! Especially 5, 7 and 9.
Lovely list of indoor activities to get cozy on a rainy day. Thank you so much for putting it together.
I really enjoyed reading this article, your website itself is so calming and inspiring! I love the practical ideas shared here. I’m going to try getting my thoughts into a journal, pampering myself with a relaxing home spa day, and reorganizing an area in my home. It’s amazing how therapeutic and satisfying that can be. Thank you for the gentle reminder to slow down and take care of ourselves!