When I first started writing this post it was very different – I was going to call it ‘Life at the click of a button: How to get stuff done without having to leave your sofa.’
I scrapped that idea.
If it’s your goal to start living your life from your sofa, that’s on you – society is evolving and there is always going to be an unquenchable need for a type of customer service that offers more … and more – but i’m not feeding the beast. Am I being dramatic by imagining a society where we just lay on our backs, day after day, remote controls in our hands, being fed by machines and using our sleeves to wipe away KFC greese? Yes, of course I am.
But I just can’t shake the idea that we are normalising being a bit…lazy? Don’t@me.
So, I decided to flip things a bit.
This post is for those who CAN’T leave the house. Whether it is mobility issues that prevent you from doing so or your mental health problems and anxiety mean going outside is impossible, or even if you are a new mum and you just want to hibernate – this is for you.
Here is our list of (tried and tested) home services for when you want to be boujis AF or you just need some fruit and veg for dinner … but you can’t leave the house:
Beauty
We will start with our favourite as the service was truly flawless. If you can’t leave the house or just simply hate waiting amidst the fumes and queues in your local nail salon, give Le Salon a try. We requested a nail technician to visit on a Sunday, we were kept updated via text and email when our technician would arrive and we were even able to choose our technician based on previous reviews. When our technician arrived she was bubbly and friendly and it was just like having a friend round to do our nails. Win win.
Selfcare is an absolute must right now and if facials are your bag (and if you can afford it) Dermoi offer advanced facials right there in your home. You can book a therapist from 7am until 11pm, 7 days a week – seriously! In fact, a professional skincare therapist can be with you in just 2 hours. We booked on a Sunday and had someone with us pretty promptly. Although costly, the treatment left us feeling radiant – a very nice one off but might be a little pricey for a regular appointment.
Beyou – Make-up
This app based service will bring make-up artists to your door. On those odd occasions that you might be able to go out, you could make a real occasion out of it and book an artist to work their magic on you. You can even invite some friends round and stay home – Instagram anyone?
Food
We have tried them all and Uber Eats remains on the top of our list. Despite Uber’s questionable practices when it comes to their taxi service, their food delivery service cannot be beaten in our opinion. The handy app allows you to see where your driver is, whether he has picked up your food yet or not and even includes a picture and name of your driver so you know who will be knocking on your door.
Look, figuring out what to cook every night can be a headache. The pressure to keep your children interested at dinner times can be challenging and if you have limited food at home and going out is not an option…welp. Gousto have taken the pain out of cooking the evening meal by providing you with the idea, the recipe and even the ingredients. Just sign up and they take care of the rest.
What is life without snacks? Snacking is great, healthy snacking is even better. If you don’t have the opportunity to get to the supermarket or to your local health food store, but you need regular snacks because…snacks. Well, Graze could be the answer. Just sign up and list your preferences, they will then send you a snack box each week.
They are London’s first sustainable fruit and veg subscription box. Why Oddbox? Because just 25% of the total food wasted could feed all the malnoursihed people in the world. Oddbox work closely with farmers across the UK (& from abroad), rescuing fresh, seasonal surplus fruit & veg which are at risk of becoming food waste. It really is good enough to eat.
Did I mention that selfcare can take any form? A facial, a massage, or my personal fave: a glass of wine in the bath. Don’t worry about getting down to the off license, let Majestic wine deliver your bottle of choice to you. There is just so much to choose from – a malbec and a soak in the tub sounds good to me.
Home
Laundrapp – Laundry
If you can’t get to the dry cleaners or the launderette yourself, Laundrapp offer a pick up and drop off service for all of your washing and dry cleaning needs. Just book on the app and select all the items you want picked up and when. You can then choose when your washed / dry cleaned items are delivered back to you – easy peasy. The app is really easy to use, prices start from £20 but there is often a discount for new customers. This has to be one of the easiest ways to get your clothes sorted.
Handy – Cleaning
Absolutely everything is managed online or via the app. You can choose your cleaner, work out a cleaning plan, pay and tip your cleaner and all with just a click of a button. All you need to do is open the door and let them in.
