The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 was something that changed the lives of everyone around the world. The coronavirus spread like wildfire globally, and 2020 was the year of the lockdown.

Cities and towns all over the world went into lockdown in an attempt to stop the spreading of the virus, and along with it came a large number of restrictions and new laws and regulations about what we could and could not do. Many aspects of our daily lives changed, and with the pandemic still in effect, who knows what future changes we may be subjected to.

The lockdowns

One of the most difficult aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic, apart from the obvious deaths and suffering of people all over the world, was when cities were placed in lockdown.

Things that we once took for granted and which were part of our everyday lives were suddenly things we were no longer able to do. Going out to watch a movie in the cinema, eating in a restaurant, working out in the local gym or travelling were now all forbidden.

Shops and businesses were forced to close up around the world, causing widespread unemployment, with the creation of widespread financial difficulties for many people from all industries and professions.

Staying home

People were being told to stay indoors and only leave the house for essential reasons such as work (which was the case for a number of people who were not in a profession to work remotely from home), visiting a doctor, shopping or an hours exercise.

Being locked up indoors is never something most people will want to experience. Yet, during the lockdown, it was an important part of stopping the spread of the virus and getting it under control. The more time that people spend at home, the more things they did to help pass the time and deal with the inevitable boredom that followed.

Many people started setting up home gyms, others redecorated their homes, others invested in their gardens. There was a huge surge in the amount of online shopping that people were doing, and online retailers such as Preeco were seeing record sales.

Fixing up your garden

For many people who are fortunate to have a garden with their house, the lockdown provided an excuse for them to start taking better care of their garden and fixing it up. When the lockdowns were put into effect in April 2020, the winter season for most people had passed, and with spring just around the corner, they’d be able to spend more time outside.

Sales of garden products and equipment went through the roof, and records were being broken all over the world in the number of products being ordered online. With many garden centers forced to close during the lockdown, the only alternative was to order online.

The variety of garden products

During the Covid-19 lockdown when many people were forced to stay home, all sorts of garden products were being purchased. Along with the classics such as different flowers, plants and shrubs, there were also things such as hot tubs and garden sheds that were proving to be very popular.

A lot of people were investing quite large sums of money in their gardens, and with the coronavirus pandemic still affecting the world, there is no real clear sign of when it will pass, and when things will get back to normal. With that in mind, many families were under the belief that they could be spending much more time at home due to the pandemic than first thought.

Garden equipment such as lawnmowers and tools such as shearers, shovels, leaf blowers and chainsaws (for those with much larger gardens) were all in great demand.

BBQs and grills have always been popular items that are used throughout the spring and summer months, and with many people unable to travel abroad for holidays during the pandemic, more and more people simply stayed at home, and invested in outdoor cooking equipment for the summer, when they would usually be abroad sunning themselves on a sandy beach somewhere.

Garden furniture

Though most people have a couple of outdoor chairs and a small table for their gardens, there were many people who were investing in much fancier and larger outdoor furniture. Outdoor dining tables were very popular, especially in areas where the summer nights were long and warm, and eating out was something to be enjoyed on a daily basis, and not just for special occasions.

Other outdoor furnishings such as pergolas and gazebos were providing to be popular with many, and with the winter season not too far away, there has been a gradual pick up in outdoor heaters, wood burners and other forms of outdoor heating systems.

Some final thoughts

No one yet knows what the coming months will bring with Covid-19. For many parts of the world, the winter season is coming, and with that, there are usually other viruses that are about which can affect many individuals. The fact that many cities across Europe are already starting to undergo their second national lockdown, the future does look bleak.

With social distancing and avoiding large gatherings still in effect, it does appear that people will certainly continue to be spending more time at home as we enter into 2021.

Though for some it’s actually a blessing to be able to spend time at home, rather than at work, there does come a point when everyone starts pining for things to be back as they were before Covid-19 became the buzzword for 2020.

People will still tend their gardens, workout in their home gyms and cook and eat at home rather than in their favourite restaurant for some time yet, and there is no indication that sales of fitness equipment, garden furniture or anything else that has seen huge growth during the lockdown this year will start dwindling off anytime soon. Unfortunately, Covid-19 looks like it is something that will continue to be a part of our lives for several years to come.