During times like these, no one wants to be go out shopping in person. It’s an unnecessary risk and, quite frankly, in today's world, nonessential. Thankfully we don’t have to if we choose not to. In a shelter-in-place world, people need to think about their health and the well-being of their neighbors rather than just the convenience of it all. There are things people don’t know they can get delivered right now and still practice social distancing and keep on living your best life, within reason.
Thanks to delivery personnel, our 70-year-old parents and 90-something-year-old grandparents get to stay home and remain relatively unexposed and safe. Friends with underlying conditions can still eat and get their prescriptions filled without leaving their homes.
Feeling deprived? Don’t. Here's a list of things people don’t know they can get sent to them right now:
Plants
Feeling cooped up and want to spruce up the house? Maybe some redecorating or just a complete overhaul? After all, if we're going to be stuck in the house, might as well make that joint look Insta-worthy. Well, at CORT you can rent a living succulent wall and not worry one bit about missing the green thumb needed. There are many other online stores like The Sill, that will deliver live plants straight to your door (or someone else's door.)
Groceries
Whether Costco, Trader Joe's, or the mom and pop bodega on the corner is where people shop, now almost every grocer is offering free delivery or pickup. Amazon and Instacart are no longer your only options. Check out the grocer's website and see what delivery options are available. In the past, that was a luxury, but now it’s a necessity for public health and safety. Try it.
Essential Oils for Your Mental Health
Need some namaste? With the click of a mouse, one can order any and all the essential oils one might need to get their serenity on. Allergies acting up? Insomnia kicking up? Stress making things harder than they need to be? There’s an essential oil for that.
Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry can provide a range of mental health services including psychiatric evaluations, therapy, patient education, and even medication management. Do a quick online search for local therapists — most are doing tele-visits nowadays.
Prescriptions
Currently, most pharmacies are offering free delivery so the most vulnerable people can stay safe while still getting their prescriptions. In fact, they are even offering many over-the-counter meds and even some toiletries at the drive-thru, if needed by customers.
Peloton, Nordic Track, Mirror, Oh My!
We already knew we could get any piece of exercise equipment like the Peloton bike, Nordic Track row machine or the Mirror delivered. But now, whatever the exercise of choice might be, it can be delivered and even put together outside of your home, all the customer needs to do is disinfect it and get to it.
Birth Control
It's all fun and games until we end up with a baby boom in 2021. Have fun while sheltering in place with your favorite person but use protection because no one knows exactly how the virus hits or when it will be over. Thankfully, you can get anything delivered these days, including birth control.
Ice Cream
It's universally known that ice cream makes everything better. Thanks to delivery services like UberEats, we can still get that favorite ice cream parlor sundae we love without leaving the house. Stay safe and order in.
In-Theater Movies
Obviously, no movies are in theaters right now. Or rather, no people are allowed in crowded movie theaters to screen new movies, but instead, new movies are being released directly to streaming devices and it is glorious.
Telehealth
Telemedicine is the process of getting health care from a physician through technology, using videoconferencing. Companies like MDLive provide these services. Its a great way to social distance without sacrificing your health.
Games
There are services like Bard and Baker in New York that now rent and deliver video games, board games, and even classics like checkers and chess. No one expected to end up in a shelter in place. It happened so fast some people were caught with no games in the house. If you're not wanting to commit to spending hundreds on board games, this is an alternative.
At Home Workouts
Maybe during a pandemic there's not an extra $1,000 in the budget to buy the Mirror and the Y has closed for the foreseeable future, how about a Beachbody, BBG, or Barre Method subscription delivered directly to your inbox with no chance of cooties? It's much cheaper than the equipment, plus most places are offering 30-90 day free trials right now. Also, FYI, the Y has free online classes for its members. Well, not free, they've been paid for by the membership fee but it's something. Either way, working out is good for mental health. Move.
Zoos, Museums, Cirque du Soleil, & Concerts in Your Living Room
Holy wow, Batman! It’s not just Netflix and Hulu, there are now Broadway shows, ballets, Cirque du Soleil, music concerts, zoos, museums, and travel available for free all over the world. Just about anything one's heart desires can now be accessed online anytime. For introverts, it’s a dream come true. For the rest of us, it is salvation.
Booze
Feeling stir crazy? Just want to escape? Well, join the crowd. Even though we can't actually go anywhere, we can get dressed up, play some music and have a drink. On sites like Drizly, isolated folks can shop beer, liquor, and wine booze and have it delivered directly to one's door within an hour (stimulate that economy while staying safe). Who says sheltering in place is all bad?
Laundry Washed & Folded
Granted, there's a lot more time on our hands these days, but probably filled with homeschooling, cooking all day, baking even more so, walking the dog (to escape) and trying not to interrupt any partner's conference calls. It's exhausting sheltering in place. Wouldn't it be amazing if someone else could wash and fold the laundry? Well, they can. The Rinse app allows anyone (in the major cities the company services) to order dirty laundry picked up, dry cleaned or laundered, and folded and returned to the front door. Yes, please.
Fast Food
Most restaurants are closed to dining in, but that doesn't mean we don't miss their food. Comfort is more important than ever and while take out pizza and Chinese food are definitely BAE sometimes a girl just wants a Big Mac with extra sauce and a giant fry. We're in luck thanks to services like Door Dash, Grubhub and UberEats, which will all deliver our guilty pleasures directly to our door now.
Psst: If purchasing an item on this list, CafeMom may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
