Silver Linings? Half of Californians admit they will miss lockdown life, reveals survey.

• A third say lockdown has brought about a greater community spirit.
• Almost half appreciated spending more time with their families.
• 27% say they have upskilled during lockdown.

It sounded like everyone’s worst nightmare: being told to just... stay at home, with no idea how long for. No more socializing, no more eating out, no more travel. Thankfully, lockdowns across the country, imposed because of the Coronavirus, are finally starting to lift, and that should mean thousands of us are celebrating the end of the restrictions, finding some measure of freedom at last... Or are we?
Is it actually possible that, in certain cases, lockdown might actually have been seen as a good thing? EverydayCarry.com, the leading review site of everyday carry essentials, surveyed 4,500 Americans and made the startling discovery that over a third of people - 41% - said there were aspects of lockdown they would definitely miss. It appears that Californians on the whole have adapted better than most to quarantine – 48% of Golden State residents say they will miss parts of lockdown life. Being in quarantine didn't work so well for West Virginians, however, as only 14% of them say they’ll miss any of it.
View the results across America 
So, what kind of benefits have people been experiencing? Well, nearly half - 45% - have been grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with their partner, or family. Over one third - 35% - have enjoyed the sense of community spirit which has emerged during the pandemic, which has brought people closer together, while 9% have been grateful for the decrease in pollution, 6% glad to get on with some home improvements, and even 3% enjoying more sleep.  
And speaking of upskilling, some of us are even coming out with new, useful skills. Over a quarter- 27% - believe they’ve become more self-sufficient since lockdown, doing things they’ve never done before such as growing their own fruit and vegetables, baking bread and learning DIY. It seems women are more keen to gain these new skills, with 31% of them taking to it like a duck to water, compared to 24% of men.
But with all this new knowledge, are we any better prepared for emergencies around the house? 55% of us say we are and would know how to tackle something like a leaky pipe or a disaster in the kitchen involving a sharp knife. So what kind of things should you have in your home at all times in case of any future emergencies, in or out of lockdown? Well, EverydayCarry.com has prepared a simple slideshow detailing the kind of gear you should keep in your home, from a first aid kit to a flashlight, just in case. Whatever the world throws at us next, you’ll be able to take just about anything in your stride...

​