How to Thrive with an Empty Nest: 33 Things to do After the Kids Leave Home

schoolhouse supplies inwards stores always makes me feel reflective

I don’t know virtually you, only seeing the render of back-to-schoolhouse supplies inwards stores always makes me feel reflective. This fourth dimension of yr brings back memories of dropping our youngest off at college in addition to the tearful ride back habitation, knowing I was leaving behind not just our girl simply a time of life I loved then much. And while I’1000 non wild well-nigh the term empty nest, it’sec a pretty adept description of what our abode felt like for the side by side several months.

That was over 10 years agone. And, honestly, those feelings of sadness and loss–sometimes called empty nest syndrome–all the same come upward straight off in addition to then, particularly subsequently a vacation or family effect when everyone gathers and then leaves again.

The best advice I take for friends whose kids are leaving home is to but let yourself experience all the feelings. Shed your tears for the terminate of this chapter.

You require to abide by in addition to cherish your life’s seasons. But live careful not to permit yourself go stuck in that location. At about indicate you lot accept to permit the side by side chapter to get down.

How to thrive with an empty nest - what to do after the kids leave home

Believe it or not, eventually yous’ll detect things to honey and appreciate well-nigh an empty nest. In the past few years, my life has blossomed inward ways I never imagined.

And evidently I’m non alone, because enquiry shows that women over 50 are among the happiest too nigh content!

If yous’re currently inwards the eye of it all, wondering what’s side by side as an empty nester as well as how long these feelings volition terminal, let me encourage y’all–in that location is life afterwards your children exit home!

While becoming an empty nester is a life-changing feel, it doesn’t take to throw y’all off track.

There’s then much happiness inward store for yous! That’s why I wrote this postal service–to encourage y’all to focus on what’sec side by side. God loves us as well much to allow us rest where we are. He’second always nudging us frontward too working things out for our highest adept.

If you stay open up, this stage of life can live an amazing fourth dimension of growth together with novel possibilities. This is your chance to reinvent yourself together with first fresh.

Now is the fourth dimension to rediscover all the activities y’all gear up aside spell y’all were raising your kids. Can yous think what they were? After our girls left home, I had a difficult time recalling what I enjoyed doing earlier nosotros had children!

To help yous become started, I made a list of things to make later on the kids leave abode. These are the things that helped me act past heartache together with observe joy in addition to purpose every bit an empty nester.

I realize many of these ideas mightiness seem obvious, but when you’re inward the eye of it all, sometimes you lot tin can’t think of anything productive or positive to do, and so I hope this list opens your listen too centre to more or less of the possibilities available to you lot subsequently your kids go out dwelling house.

How to Thrive alongside an Empty Nest: 33 Things to do After the Kids Leave Home

1. Volunteer

I tin can’t mean of a improve fashion to move by heartache than by reaching out too helping others who are inward necessitate, whether it’sec an elderly someone who could function close to groceries or company, a neighbor who’second going through a hard time, or a teacher who needs an extra dyad of hands inward the classroom.

2. Travel

An empty nest provides the perfect chance to outset planning trips to places you’ve e’er wanted to come across. I’ve plant that planning and looking forward to a getaway is nearly equally much fun every bit the actual trip!

After becoming empty nesters, my hubby and I traveled to Paris together with Italia for ten days — something nosotros’d talked as well as dreamed near for years. It ended up being 1 of the highlights of our lives, in addition to nosotros promise to render presently!

three. Expand your culinary skills

This is the perfect fourth dimension to broaden your abode cooking or baking skills, attempt out new recipes, too observe novel cuisines. Now you lot tin role all those ingredients your kids didn’t similar! Here’sec a page sharing a few of my favorite recipes.

4. Declutter your spaces

I’ve establish that having as well much material–even if it’s hidden behind a cupboard door–affects my free energy together with inventiveness. Decluttering our domicile every few months helps clear out the mental cobwebs and gives me a new outlook on life.

If you lot ask close to encouragement together with motivation to declutter and go organized, here’s my mail sharing How to Declutter Your Home.

v. Get creative

An empty nest provides the perfect chance to explore or rekindle a beloved of hobbies like picture, calligraphy, knitting, pottery making, woodworking, sewing, cross-stitch … the possibilities are endless!

Almost everyone I know (myself included!) would like to better their photography too photograph editing skills, whether that involves learning how to role all the features on their iPhone or mastering the fancy digital camera gathering dust inwards a cupboard.

There are hundreds of online courses available through sites like Teachable, too every bit local college classes, together with costless tutorials on YouTube sharing tips on whatsoever creative outlet you select.

six. Put pen to newspaper

Have y’all always dreamed of becoming an writer? Now’second the time to outset writing! You never know who is waiting to listen what you take to enjoin.

seven. Start a blog

Blogging is another bang-up mode to connect alongside others in addition to part your ideas, experience, together with creativity. It’second besides a wonderful incentive to acquire novel things!

8. Plant a garden

There’second something virtually getting your hands in the dirt, nurturing plants, too seeing them thrive that is and so satisfying!

On the same bank bill, having potted plants together with flowers indoors and on your porch as well as patio can take new life to your home.

Orchids are a favorite of mine — I dearest the bear on of elegance they convey to whatever infinite. Here’second a mail service I wrote on How to Get Orchids to Bloom Again.

nine. Turn your hobby into a business organisation

After becoming an empty nester, I took my dearest of interior blueprint, writing, cooking, health, too locomote in addition to poured it into a weblog too business. I intend this 1 pace, more than anything else on this list, helped me observe a novel sense of use as an empty nester.

ten. Take time for self tending and ease

Now’second your risk to enjoy approximately downtime, pass fourth dimension sitting inward the garden, appreciate the sunrise or sunset, in addition to accept long baths (without kids banging on the bathroom door!).

Or, y’all power want to take hold of upward on about of the binge-worthy TV serial everyone’sec talking almost. Escape to the Chateau, The Crown, The Queen’s Gambit, The Great British Baking Show, in addition to The Newsroom are around of our favorites.

eleven. Focus on your health

My emotions were up too downwardly equally I adjusted to life every bit an empty nester (menopause didn’t assist either!), merely this volume helped me remainder my moods. At this time of life, it’sec also a groovy idea to encounter your medico or naturopath to brand certain your diet as well as hormone levels are inward remainder.

12. Be a grateful empty nester

I’ve noticed I’1000 happiest when I focus on what’second going well in my life, rather than what’second non, so every solar day I effort to write downwardly — or at least think of — several things for which I’m grateful.

thirteen. Invite somebody over for dinner

Gathering people about the dinner tabular array is 1 of my favorite things to do–peculiarly right away that we take an empty nest. If y’all’re a footling rusty inward the hosting section and postulate some tips, I wrote a mail service on how to host a casual dinner political party, including card ideas.

fourteen. Connect amongst other empty nesters on social media

I’ve met or so of the nicest women inward the home décor community over on Instagram, only you lot power prefer YouTube, Facebook, or Pinterest.

xv. Stay positive

During the solar day, equally I’thousand cooking or doing things around the home, I popular inward my AirPods together with listen to motivational podcasts or YouTube videos. And at nighttime, I ever read something positive before I fall asleep.

In addition, no affair how busy I get, I attempt to meditate for a few minutes every twenty-four hour period. Even though I oftentimes simply sit down in that location in addition to think nearly my to-make listing, I know meditating makes me a happier somebody overall.

Spending less fourth dimension on social media as well as avoiding the tidings were besides large game-changers for me!

xvi. Learn a novel linguistic communication

My married man in addition to love watching Escape to the Chateau (on Peacock). All the beautiful scenes of the French countryside take us dreaming of making a render trip to France.

So when our younger girl told me well-nigh a complimentary language-learning app called Duolingo, I downloaded it on my ring in addition to started taking French lessons.

Now, instead of scrolling through social media inwards the eventide, I spend a few minutes learning something new!

17. Get moving

This is a corking fourth dimension to get taking daily walks or hikes, add together some force training to your routine, take lawn tennis or golf lessons, join a gym, or go around practise DVDs from Amazon and go out at home.

I similar to get down my twenty-four hour period amongst approximately gentle yoga. It entirely takes a few minutes, merely I intend it helps proceed my body as well as mind flexible.

eighteen. Switch up your beauty routine

I know it mightiness audio superficial, just a modify inward your makeup, hair way, or hair colour tin go a long style in improving your outlook on life. Just getting my roots touched up makes me feel like an alone novel individual!

nineteen. Update your wardrobe

Refreshing your sense of way tin can help y’all encounter yourself in a novel calorie-free in addition to, inward turn, help y’all approach the world in a more confident mode.

One of these days, I’d beloved to skin downward my closet as well as put together a high-lineament capsule wardrobe for each flavor. I’thousand sure it would make getting dressed inwards the morning much easier!

20. Become tech savvy

Have y’all e’er wanted to larn how to use Photoshop, PowerPoint, Canva, or Excel? Now’sec the perfect time to master the latest apps, programs, together with gadgets–your kids volition live then impressed!

21. Refresh your spaces

I’ve always loved poring over abode catalogs together with magazines for design inspiration, but one time I became an empty nester, interior blueprint together with decorating became my passion.

I’ve found that but moving the furniture around or adding around fresh flowers or dissimilar pillows to a infinite tin can lift my spirits as well as reach me a new outlook on life.

If you’re interested in updating your home, hither’second a page sharing my decorating in addition to pattern posts.

22. Build a novel human relationship amongst your kids

When my daughters were teenagers, nosotros talked about everything, shared our daily ups together with downs, together with went shopping together, then when they left domicile I felt like I’d lost my best friends!

But before long I discovered that one of the nearly wonderful things nigh existence an empty nester is getting to know my kids every bit adults (in addition to instantly parents themselves).

Now nosotros go together for coffee, plan family unit vacations — as well as withal go shopping together! Even though our human relationship is different, it’s withal rich and wonderful.

23. Strengthen your union

If you relegated your union to the back burner patch yous focused on your kids, an empty nest provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect with your spouse and recall why y’all vicious inwards beloved in the get-go place.

This is a great time to explore novel activities too hobbies every bit a yoke. Soon later on our youngest left dwelling, my husband and I took ballroom dancing lessons at the local community college, which gave us an opportunity to connect inward a whole novel manner.

24. Continue your education

This is besides a groovy time to have some online classes, finish your degree, or pursue a brand new profession.

Even though I accept a business concern degree, I likewise honey learning virtually natural health, and so later our girls left dwelling I went to nutrition schoolhouse in addition to received my wellness motorbus certification!

25. Nurture your friendships

It’sec then slow to neglect friendships patch nosotros’re busy raising our kids, just an empty nest provides the perfect chance to reconnect alongside your friends. And one of the many benefits of existence an empty nester is yous can directly enjoy long conversations without suspension!

26. Meet with a fiscal advisor

It’s always a proficient idea to connect amongst a fiscal good most your time to come plans to make sure yous’ll take plenty money to retire when the time comes.

And, whether y’all’re married or single, if y’all don’t have a current will, this is likewise a cracking fourth dimension to come across an estate attorney together with get that done, likewise.

27. Spend roughly time alongside little ones

There are many ways to spend time alongside children subsequently your kids exit abode, including volunteering at schools, reading to toddlers at the library, or education Lord’s Day School — which is how my hubby as well as I stayed involved with lilliputian ones later our girls grew upwardly.

28. Connect amongst extended family

After your children go out home, getting together alongside your parents together with siblings is a peachy manner to make full the take for connexion. And, if your family is spread out across the land or earth, you mightiness even desire to design a reunion!

29. Adopt a pet

Pet adoption, fostering, in addition to animal rescue are slap-up ways to fill an empty nest — together with when it comes to animals, y’all ever end upward receiving much more than dear than yous give!

thirty. Join a club

If you savor socializing, you mightiness desire to mean near joining a book lodge, garden gild, span club, vino gild, church grouping, or civic arrangement.

Clubs are a neat fashion to make novel friends, explore an involvement or hobby, learn something novel, and alleviate the loneliness too boredom that tin come amongst beingness an empty nester.

31. Plan an outing

Now that your kids have flown the nest, this is a great fourth dimension to kickoff going on dates, visiting novel restaurants, going to shows, too checking out the latest museum exhibits.

Whether you’re married or single, getting out of the menage together with doing novel things — fifty-fifty if yous get by yourself — is a bully style to proceed from getting stuck inwards a rut.

32. Take a road trip

Are at that place places y’all’ve always wanted to visit? An empty nest provides the perfect chance to charge upwardly the car in addition to accept a road trip, see national parks, as well as come across dissimilar parts of the land.

33. Lose yourself in a skillful book

Finally, this is your take chances to read all those books that accept been sitting on your nightstand for years! Reading has the power to behave us away, inspire, together with modify our outlook on life.

Lately, I’1000 into not-fiction, just when I desire to immerse myself in another world, hither’second a charming book serial I honey.

Final thoughts on empty nesting

Whether you’re a new, seasoned, or shortly-to-live empty nester, I hope this list gave you lot more or less encouragement and ideas of activities to do later on your kids get out dwelling.

This is your hazard to starting time fresh as well as hand yourself all the good books, not bad food, long walks, exceptional trips, together with happy memories you deserve. Wishing y’all much joy as well as beloved on your journey! xo Jane

P.south. If your feelings of sadness, grief, in addition to other symptoms of empty nest syndrome are severe as well as/or terminal more than a few weeks, please try out professional person assistance.