The best things to do at home in Sydney

In the throes of the first stay-at-home orders in 2020, we all had big ambitions of totally transforming ourselves. But if you totally forgot to keep up all your iso side hustles the second restrictions started lifting, you're certainly not alone. We’ve done some investigating into the hobbies that might actually maintain the attention of your distraction-prone brain, even after lockdown ends.

Whether it’s a light-as-a-cloud confection of pillowy-soft pleasure or a heavyweight handful of thickly glazed gluttony, the doughnut is the versatile treat that can cater to damn near every taste. Seekers of deep-fried deliciousness are spoiled for choice in Sydney, and vegans, gluten-free diners and healthy eaters can get in on the sweet action too.

If you get a kick out of making purchases from local makers and artists, check out the new online directory from the team behind Sydney's biannual Etsy Made Local markets. You’ll discover gifts that practically scream “Yes, I’m the hip family member living in Sydney. Lockdowns aside, this affords me superior culture and taste” – like handcrafted ceramic wares, chunky statement earrings ripped from an art teacher’s wildest dreams, and socks and apparel emblazoned with quirky Australiana-invoking imagery of Chiko rolls and pink gallahs. 

Rejoice! Sydney-based online-only bakery Black Cream has released its latest product; the mini Basque cheesecake. The relative newcomer has only been on the scene for a year but is making big waves, especially given Sydney's insatiable appetite for delivered desserts since lockdown. 

It's one of life's simple joys, flicking through the pages of a must-read book. But it doesn’t work so well if you’re doing the household chores. That’s when the joy of listening to an audiobook kicks in. There are millions of brilliant audiobooks on the go, and some of them are even free. Plus there’s the added bonus of hanging out aurally with famous Aussies as they read the books of also famous authors – and even sometimes their own.

If there is one thing we've learned in the last year it's that treating yourself is no longer reserved for cheat day. Life's too short for mediocre cookies so we've rounded up the best that Sydney has to offer, which won't even need to leave your house to get.  

You might as well take the opportunity to make your space really yours. To help you figure out your budget, we've categorised the stores on our list by a metric close to the Time Out heart: booze. You've got your 'goon' budget for objects that won't break the bank, your 'beer' budget that factors in posher craft brews as well as unassuming ales, and the 'Champagne' budget for those seeking out those top-of-the-line, showily upper-market finds. 

Do you suffer from the black thumb? Don't despair. Pour one out for those succulents you over-watered, and that supposedly drought-resistant bloomer that crumbled to dust on your watch. Marrickville's own foliage whisperer Felicity Keep, the owner and director of PlantGirl, is here to help. Take these tips and order up some foliage friends from the best plant shops and nurseries that deliver in Sydney to brighten up your space this spring.

Do you have your green sights set on an ecologically transformative home-grown farm, but struggle to keep your spindly windowsill mint alive? Well, we’re here to help you turn those limp lettuces into glorious bouquets of greenery. 

We’ve all been staring at our walls a bit more than normal of late. Which is why it’s a great idea to brighten those large-scale canvases with, well, some actual canvases. But buying art can be an expensive endeavour. One way to brighten up your home without busting the budget is to snap up a print instead. We've rounded up a few of our favourite places to pick up prints in Sydney, all of which can be ordered online too.

We could all use a little tender love and care right about now, not to mention some respite from the innumerable stresses of lockdown life. Establish some time for self-pampering and support a business from Sydney or regional New South Wales while you're at it with our tried and tested product suggestions. Our list focuses on ranges that hero natural and native ingredients, and that are as gentle on the earth as they are on your body.

Let's face it, a lot of us are eating and drinking our feelings at the moment. That's totally fine, but as lockdown drags on, your bod might be craving sustenance of a slightly more healthy variety right about now. But what if we told you that there’s a better way to eat healthily? These top healthy dishes in Sydney prove that eating well can be just as satisfying when you know where to look. 

Taronga Zoo has relaunched Taronga TV, a digital platform streaming animal enclosures, behind-the-scenes 'sneak peeks’ and after-hours footage revealing what the keepers and the animals they care for getting up to when the park is closed to the public.

As fabulous literatti Zelda Fitzgerald once wrote in her essay Eulogy on the Flapper, “she refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn’t boring.” There are all sorts of fascinating ways to spend your days, so boredom need not be a thing. We spoke to five people about the cool and unusual hobbies that keep them eternally interested and interesting. Maybe you’ll be intrigued enough to try one out?

Giving someone a package that brings them joy has to be up there with one of the world's greatest feelings. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, consoling a mate doing it rough or bringing a smile to a dial just because a well-timed package can really make a difference. We've gathered a few of our city's most cheer-inducing deliveries.

We've all heard about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, but where do you get started? We spoke with Luke McLeod, the founder of Soul Alive, Australia’s first dedicated virtual meditation studio, to find out his top tips for meditation noobs.

Food and mood go hand in hand, like chicken and waffles, Oreos and peanut butter, or hot chips and ice cream. While a bowl of pasta can’t take all of life’s problems away, it’s not a bad place to start. Sydneysiders could use some love right now, so we’ve done a round up of the city’s most popular comfort foods for when you need a little tea and sympathy.

Gone are the days of booking a babysitter and heading out for dinner and a movie. But before you resign yourself to an absence of romance during lockdown, all is not lost. We’ve put together a dummies' guide to date night at home so you can bring cupid out of iso and forget about the world (screaming intensifies) for a while.

Beautiful beaches are serious business in Sydney. Thanks to Salty Gallery, you can bring home a little piece (or 1000 pieces, to be exact) of Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, Little Bay or your favourite Harbour beach. Photographer Dharma Bendersky is sharing his love of the ocean by turning some of his best shots of local shorelines into premium puzzles. 

Fancy yourself as something of Dora the explorer? Well the Australian National Maritime Museum has the online game you've been searching for. While the bathtub might be as undersea as we can get right now, Wreck Seeker lets you dive headlong into the oceans on the hunt for sunken treasure.

It's not always possible to head out for the full Sydney dining experience, but when you want a spectacular finish to your meal, or just want to eat your feelings in front of the TV, these top tier dessert slingers will deliver a sweet treat to your home.

Fact: Sydney’s cocktail game is one of the strongest in Australia – even during lockdown. Many of Sydney’s best bars and distilleries are now producing bottled cocktails, and we’ve picked some of the best of the bunch currently available in Sydney. Bottoms up!

Make another night at home much more camem-bear-able with a feast of fromage. Whether you’re after the most indulgent, globe-trotting cheese board you've ever seen, or you're after one of the funkiest washed rinds ever to accompany a special bottle of wine, these are the cheese focused providores that'll ensure your dairy game is strong. 

During times of uncertainty, a reliable routine can really help. But if fitness was part of your daily ritual, you might be a little rattled by not having access to a gym right now. Or maybe you're just looking for new ways to get your body moving with that spare time you're now saving on the office commute? We’ve picked out some of our favourite online workouts by local experts.

Hungry for a cultural fix in lockdown? As ever, the Sydney Opera House has your back. They’ve just dropped Outlines, a season of digital works showcasing game-changing artists and technology. You can face down your demons and explore trippy artificial worlds.

You can tune in and freak out to curated shows from the spooktastic minds behind Darkfield Radio via their mobile app, which collects a hair-raising series of unnerving soundscapes meticulously designed to creep you out. In other words, the demonic portals they open are the perfect distraction for thrill seekers with a penchant for terror who may well be trapped at home.

Since everything changed in 2020, many of us have spent more time than ever in the digital space. Turns out everyone’s favourite panic-inducing entertainment made the switch to digital too. All you need to keep the breakout thrills alive is a reasonably un-wobbly internet connection, coupled with a computer or a tablet.

With many of us spending more time just pottering around the house, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at being a literal potter. Although they’ve had to close their studio doors to the public, a bunch of local ceramics studios have adapted their businesses so you can get busy moulding your own mugs, vases and assorted sculptural vessels at home.

Get hands-on with a new hobby at home with ClassBento, an online platform for livestreamed workshops and classes taught by local experts. What's more, they'll deliver you a kit to get started. There are arts and crafts like painting your pet, calligraphy, Turkish mosaic, and kokedama (Japanese moss balls) as well as with cooking classes and DIY cocktail hours.

We’ve searched the city far and wide, and this is our guide to some of the best delis (that deliver). Think funky blue cheeses, slices of fatty porchetta, briny green olives, bobbing blobs of burrata, rich oils and astringent vinegars, along with everything else you never knew you needed.