21 Ways To Finish Your Glow Up Before Stepping Out Of Quarantine in 2021

This blog post contains affiliate links.  This means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you should you choose to make a purchase using my link.  I love all of these companies and you will too!

Maaaaaaan... dog mom quarantine was no joke!  But finally it appears that, in the United States at least, the end is nigh.

Word on the street in the States is lockdown could be over by July.  So with dreams of family bbqs and summer getaways coming into focus, we’ve got 4 months to tighten it up!  That’s right.  Now is the time for us to finish up our quarantine to do list and exit this mitch (wink, wink) with the most golden of glow ups!

So here’s the Top 21 Things To Do Before Stepping Out of Quarantine in 2021!

1. The Great Purge

We are about to make the Great Escape from lockdown.  But before you go racing out the front door, be sure you completed your decluttering purge.  We are talking a Keep, Toss, Donate Bonanaza of epic portions.  Massive enough to make Carries Bradshaw shed a prideful tear!

I know, I know but you were going to get into those killer jeans from 2015.  Or you never know when the IRS will come calling and you’ll be soooo glad that you kept those faded receipts from 2010.  Girl please.  How about we do everyone a favor and toss/donate those jeans, scan all that clutter paper and then buy a sweet pair of Good Americans to celebrate?  Isn’t that so much better!?

2. Say Bye Bye To Your Quarantine 15...or 20

We had a nice run.  But it’s time to give our favorite sofa the “it’s not you it’s me” breakup speech.  We laughed, we cried and we binge-watched all of the streaming like the soulmates that we’ve become; but it’s time to push off the sofa and do some push-ups.  Like for real, for real.  Put the Peloton pedal to the metal, hit the jogging trails or trade in your Netflix streams for Team Beachbody On Demand.

Soon you are going to be out and about visiting all of your friends and family while doing all of the things.  Get your stamina back in gear so you’re not winded after completing your first lap around that 5-star hotel pool you’ve been dying to visit.

3. Calling All Helicopter Dog Moms...Land The Chopper

We have been in our dogs’ faces all day, everyday for the last 12 months.  They wake up.  We’re there.  They eat.  We’re there.  They pee.  We’re there.  WE pee.  They’re there.  You get the picture.

Don’t inadvertently give your dog the Shock & Awe treatment when you suddenly disappear back to your office job.  Ease your pet into being home without you — especially if you adopted a pandemic puppy (or two... awkwardly raises my left hand).  Start with low key leaving the house for a few minutes and then build up to a few hours so nobody freaks out.

Lindsey Pro Tip: Make your exits even less interesting by giving your pup a safe, yummy long chew treat or busy box when you leave.  This is what I did and while at first I was just hanging out in the driveway, now I can leave for a few hours with no issues.

4. Puppy Playpen

Speaking of leaving the house for a few hours, have you figured out your puppy’s home situation when you go back to work?  If they are staying home all day without you, are they fully housebroken?  Will they be restricted to a room or have they graduated to free range rovers? 

Work out the logistics ahead of time for location, safe doggy gates, access to food and water as well as the potty.

5. Eating Clean

I’m just gonna go ahead and start off here.  I have put away more than my fair share of house special lo mein, pepperoni pizza, fries and countless other miscellaneous foods that I don’t feel it necessary to recount. LOL. But with all our newfound freedoms comes lots of physical activity which means if we’ve let our diets slip like I have, it’s time to improve the quality of the fuel we are putting in our bodies.

I’m not suggesting any crazy no carb, no fat, no sugar, no bacon (perish the thought!) diet. I don’t particularly believe in “diets.”  But I do believe in cooking quality foods and trying to eat in a balanced manner.  So let’s do that, shall we?

6. Hair Masque It Up

For many of us there is no listing the numerous tortures and abuses we have put our tresses through during quarantine.  I’m sure hairdressers the world over are prepping for a tsunami wave of returning customers.  But between now and whenever you are tearfully reunited with your hairdresser of choice, help them and your hair by make weekly hair masques a thing.

What do we want? Hydrated hair.  When do we want it? Now!  So take a few minutes every week to revitalize your hair now so your shine wattage will be at maximum later.

7. Vaccinations For EVERYBODY

Don’t close out.  It’s not what you think.  

Humans are not the only ones who need to consider the vaccination question.  For some of us, not all of our travel plans will include our pet.  So now is the time to make sure your fur kid is up on all of their shots and vaccinations; especially their Bordetella aka Kennel Cough.  Don’t wait until the last minute. 

8. The Pet Lodge

Speaking of travel plans, again if your pet isn’t traveling with you, now is the time to find appropriate pet sitting options.

I have an amazing pet resort that I absolutely love which I’ve been using for years for all of my dogs.  But it did take me some time to find it.  Do your homework and start researching facilities or auditioning pet sitters.  And once you’ve firmed up your travel dates, book your pet’s arrangements as soon as possible.  Kennels and pet sitters will be sure to book up fast.

9. Hydrate.  Hydrate.  Hydrate.

I don’t know about you but ever since I’ve been working from home, my drinking water habits have been horrible.  We’re talking abysmal.  I recently started using this water bottle from Amazon to help me stay on track.  Whatever method you choose, proper hydration goes a long way to helping you look and feel better.  Nobody has time for a bunch of dehydrated dog moms passing out at the beach.

10. Check Your Luggage

No Babe, not at the gate.  We’re not at the airport yet.  

Bust out your current luggage from the dark recesses of your closet and inspect it to make sure it’s up to par.  Check to make sure your zippers still work and it doesn’t have any tears or malfunctions.  

If you do find some issues, consider upgrading to hard shell luggage as a replacement.  They wear better, are easier to maneuver in airports and foreign countries, and often come with electronic charging stations.  Idk about you, but I have no plans to be using those communal, germ-infested airport charging stations anymore.

11. Just Start

Whatever the project, hobby or “crazy” business idea that’s been nagging you for years or months, just go ahead and start it.  You’re home right now.  You’ve got nothing but time and have binged all of the things. You’ve earned the right to try something new.

That’s exactly the thinking that spurred me on to just go ahead and start this blog.  I’ve loved writing, been enchanted by bloggers, and have wanted to start my own small business for years.  2020 gave me the perfect amount of spare time to give it a go.  So whatever that dream of yours is, you can learn to do almost anything online these days.  Go ahead and make these last four months count!

12. Early Start

There is just something about getting up early when everything is quiet and getting ahead of the day.  If you have gotten out of the habit of honoring a consistent morning schedule and routine, now is the time to start one up.

I’m not saying you have do the whole journal in the morning, yoga mediation,  herbal tea and frozen showers thing (though more power to you if that’s your bag), I’m just saying get up at the same time every day and get out of the habit of rushing through your morning.

13. Hold On To What You Love

Hopefully during these last few months you’ve learned some things about yourself.  Like what and who do you value most?  Have you found a new hobby, passion or joy?  Whatever it is, make plans to take it with you once quarantine is over.  Life is too short to give up the simple joys.

14.  Anything But Basics

If there is one thing that my own personal Great Purge of 2021 taught me it’s this: I had way too many clothes.  And the worst part of it was, I had way too many low quality clothing!  If you follow me on The Gram, then you saw my closet reno before photos in my stories (If you missed them don’t worry, I’ll be doing a post on my reno soon) and you know I was out of control.

I’ve streamlined my wardrobe down considerably and I’ve slimmed down a bit too.  So I’m going to be very purposeful about the few quality pieces I add back into my life.  My new mindset is to treat my daily life like I treat my travel life.  When I traveled to Europe a few years ago, I knew I would be gone for a while.  I wanted to pack the fewest quality pieces I could which would give me the lightest luggage and the most outfits.  Consider joining me in this approach of purchasing quality basics which are interchangeable and will hold up over time.

15. Game Changing Mindset Makeovers

True transformations are not only physical.  They are mental and emotional as well.  If you haven’t already looked for ways to expand your mental horizons and increase your EQ (Emotional Intelligence), then you’ve got four months to start.

A great way to begin the process is through audiobooks and podcasts.  If you need some recommendations on what to listen to, check out my five favorite podcasts here.

16. Frugal Finances

Chances are you, like me, have gone without quite a few things over the last year. And while some of that may have been involuntary, some things we chose to go without.  For example, did your new clothing and makeup consumption go down because you had no place to go?  Did you eat out less?  Did you save more?

Over the next few weeks, take a good look at your finances and see what kinds of disciplined choices you can keep honoring in the future.  If you need some recommendations on books by financial experts to help you with this process, you can read this blog post of mine.  

These are the exact books that I used to get out of debt, learn how to budget, keep good credit, educate myself about the stock market and invest.  Granted it was a multi-year process, but education was definitely the start.

17.  Floral Fragrances

How about something a little lighter and more spring-like for number 17?  It has been a minute since I’ve donned any perfume.  After all I had literally no place to go.  So it’s time to identify some new signature scents for Spring and Summer 2021.  I’ll be doing a post soon on some of my new favorites, so be on the look out for that.

18.  Skin Repair

Oh my word, how did I make it to number 18 and not mention skincare?  Over the last year, I have experimented with all sorts of skin serums.  And honestly, I was introduced to quite a few of them through the CURATEUR box that I subscribed to.  I’ve found some new products which I absolutely love and which have made such a difference in my skin.

You can find my latest and past CURATEUR review posts here.  But if you haven’t found your go-to skincare system yet, now is the time to find it.  In addition to my past CURATEUR posts, I’ll be doing a new skincare blog post soon.  So be sure to be on the lookout for that! (Hint. Hint.  That means please come back and visit me here again!)

19.  Support Small Businesses

Hopefully like me, you’ve been doing your part to support small businesses and restaurants throughout quarantine.  Now more than ever I think we all have recognized the value of the mom and pop store down the street and that tiny restaurant with the best Italian food in town.

Why not make a list of the small businesses you are going to make it a point to continue to support after lockdown is over?  That goes for any charity organizations or animal shelters you may have been supporting too.  They will all continue to need patrons and volunteers after life returns to normal.

20. Do Less

I’ve come to realize that I, for one, was doing way too much before lockdown.  Like I was running at a million miles an hour but I wasn’t necessarily making the best use of my time and energy.  And oh my word was I stressed!  I have since come to appreciate the value of being more purposeful with my time and learned what is a must do verses a nice to do verses a completely unnecessary waste of time. 

Sort out that list for yourself and commit to keeping your priorities straight when life resumes its’ insane pace.   Maybe look for ways to make it more sane?

21. Be Gracious

You’ve been through a lot this past year.  Not only from the effects of Covid on the world but from so many other factors.  Perhaps sickness, death, loss of a job, new pets, new babies, missing distance relatives and friends.  The list goes on and on.

As we come out of lockdown, but kind to yourself and to others.  Continue to have empathy and awareness for how these past many months may have impacted you and others.  

None of us will come out of lockdown unscathed, but hopefully all of us will come out realizing just how much more loving and kind we can be to ourselves and others.