Do you live for rainy days? Is your first thought on Friday morning that you’re less than 10 hours away from a pair of sweats and a nice film on the sofa? If so then read on…

These London-based apps and startups not only allow you to be the divine couch potato you were born to be, they encourage you to bask in it. And if you recognise something of yourself in any of the following, keep an eye out for our man-cave competition – coming to the Box Room very soon!

See also…

• The ultimate man-cave: 10 of the internet’s very best
• 17 apps and websites for the way-too-neat freak
• 14 problems that London renters will recognise

For couch potatoes with hobbies

Ghost

Make your couch your ‘world stage’ with Ghost, a blog writing platform straight out of London that can be customised to any user’s needs. Whatever you’re blogging about, Ghost adapts itself – the split-screen editor allows you to type and format as you go. Even though there are upgrades available the basic software is free, so if you’re thinking about dipping your toes in the blog-ridden waters, Ghost is a great place to start. With the app on your mobile you’ll even be able to blog on the go (if, heaven forbid, you have to leave the couch.)

Fanatix

Share all your favourite sports moments with your friends without moving (aside from your fingers, natch.) Fanatix is all about capturing eight-second clips from the top matches you’re watching and sharing them with all your friends. Missed some of the action? Want to see something again? Check it out on Fanatix.

Busuu

Becoming exotic and interesting has never been easier! Busuu is a social network aimed at language learning, so you’ll be talking to native speakers all across the globe. There is loads to learn, with 12 languages ranging from Japanese to Turkish. They offer courses in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, so you get the whole caboodle covered. And did we mention there’s an app? You won’t even need to leave the couch to get your laptop.

24 Symbols

You know the old adage, ‘when the iPad is dead, read a book’? Well, books are just a few clicks away with this great London startup. You can create bookshelves, managing and arranging your books as you wish. The library of the future is here, and you don’t have to walk anywhere. Love to share? Connect with Facebook and tell all of your couch-potato friends about that jaw dropping murder mystery page-turner. Just don’t give away the ending…

Readwave

Once 24 Symbols has you into reading, there’s no stopping you! Words are everywhere, especially over on Readwave – the Youtube of the writing world. Writers publish their stories, you read them and share them, and everyone gets to see how far around the world each story travels. Imagine doing all that from the comfort of your sofa! What a time to be alive!

Sofar Sounds

Few apps can say they’re responsible for a movement, but Sofar Sounds is one of those rarities. Bringing intimacy to live music, musicians love it, fans love it, and it’s a great example of positivity in this dank world of internet dubiousness. Plus, you get to host a gig in your living room without having to lift a finger. The very definition of couch potato heaven!

Mixlr

Can’t be bothered to wait for the Sofar musicians to come to you? You could just tune into Mixlr, where thousands of musicians and DJs are performing live, all over the world, across streams flowing into your smartphone, at any given moment in the day. You can even interact with them, or – should you feel the urge – broadcast a performance of your very own. Forget the Sofar Sessions – Mixlr promotes the Sofa Sessions live from your living room!

For fashionable couch potatoes

Lyst

Shopping customised just for you, straight from the stylish streets of the capital to the comfort of your living room. With lots of interesting articles to get you in the shopping spirit, you definitely won’t be bored with Lyst, though you may end up out of pocket… They really have made online shopping fun with articles and blog posts to inspire the inner fashionista in all of us.

Metail

Which of you single-minded couch potatoes out there have the time (or energy) to try on clothes? We thought not, which is why Metail is such a good idea. This amazing website allows you to build a virtual body – yes, it can look just like you (minus the sofa) – and then dress it. It’s like a digital version of Barbie and Ken, only you get to order the clothes straight to your door if you like how they look. It’s the stuff couch potato dreams are made of.

The Chapar

Chaps who like clothes but don’t necessarily like moving will love The Chapar. It’s a simple four-step process – you register, they call you to find out what kind of togs you like, a selection of goods get delivered to you in a nice trunk, and then you send back anything you don’t want (paying for what you choose to keep, obvs). We’re not sure what the sofa-loving fashionistas are wearing this season. Do let us know if you find something fancy.

For hungry couch potatoes

Pronto

Who says couch potatoes have to be gross slobs? Certainly not Pronto. With this great London-based service, you can order healthy, cooked-from-scratch meals to your door in 30 minutes. With no minimum order or delivery charge, it won’t break the bank either. It couldn’t get any better than that! Or could it? All the ingredients are sourced from local producers and they pride themselves on being environmentally friendly. Good on them, and good for you. Check out their Twitter page for a sweet discount code.

Henchman

Well named for these Krays-obsessed times, Henchman is slightly less sinister than it sounds. Rather than being an on-demand hitman service, this friendly app – in operation ‘from Fulham to Farringdon’ – collects up your restaurant orders and has them with you within the hour. And for couch potatoes with serious movement issues, they’ll also bring your groceries, your pharmaceuticals (legal goods only!) and your last-minute Christmas shopping (note: shopping throughout the rest of the year is also acceptable). Gawd bless the Henchman. He’s a good boy really, and he loves his old mum.

Honest Brew

Which self-respecting couch potato doesn’t like to keep a bottle close to hand? With Honest Brew, you don’t even have to walk to the off-license (although you may still have to walk to the fridge). Simply head to their website, fill in their taste profiler, then lie back and wait for the lovingly-selected craft beers to start arriving at your door. You get 12 different selections each month. All you have to do is sup.

For couch potatoes with chores

Boxman

Sort your flat out without leaving the house. With on-demand storage like Boxman, you can order self-storage to your door – all you have to do is pack up the lovely blue boxes they bring you, and then send them away again. Whenever you want your stuff back, Boxman are only a few clicks away from being back on your doorstep, and because you’ve tagged everything digitally, you can even recall each box one by one. Finally, you can make room for that corner sofa you’ve been dreaming of!

Borrow My Doggy

Got a dog that needs walking? God forbid you get off the couch and do any exercise yourself! Borrow My Doggy is a startup that matches dog owners with dog lovers and guarantees extra dollops of fun and love throughout the year for your four-legged friends. It also provides a bit of company for those that maybe can’t afford pets (or whose landlords are too mean to let them have one) – so you’ll be doing your bit for the general happiness of mankind. Good for you, couch person!

Shutl

A personal delivery service that allows you to stay strong and sofa on. With Shutl you’ll be able to have the dress you just bought online, or the phone you left at a friend’s house, delivered within an hour. The price is given to you when you book so you won’t be surprised by an outrageous bill at the end. It’s based on the size of vehicle you need and the distance it’ll be travelling, so you know you’re getting a fair price.

Wigwamm

Looking for a new couch to potato on? Look no further. Wigwamm is a great app for flat hunting, and with a constant feed of new flats to call home, you’ll never have an excuse for missing a new listing again. Plus, you can make bookings and take virtual tours directly on the app, so you won’t even need to turn off the telly!

Hassle

Couch potatoism and cleaning do not go hand in hand, which is why some of these on-demand startups are such a godsend. Hassle is another of our London faves – a great, easy-to-use cleaning service, homegrown right here in the capital. Everything can be booked online for the low price of £10/hour. Payments are all taken from your card so you won’t be worrying about running to the cashpoint during your busy day.

For business-minded couch potatoes

Adzuna

The dreaded job hunt – every couch potato has been there. Adzuna is great for perusing local jobs, and – like a lot of great things – the idea was born in a London pub on the back of an envelope. They search loads of different job sites to find exactly what you’re looking for, so you don’t have to waste any time. Whether you’re after a desk jockey job or something in the trade sector, Adzuna seemingly has listings for everything.

My Accountant Friend

You’ve put all of that time and effort into creating a business that you can run from the sofa, so why ruin it by having to leave the house for an appointment with your accountant? With MAF, everything gets done via an on-screen dashboard (you even get an app to scan and upload your receipts), and you get a dedicated accountant at the other end of the phone to chat to whenever you like. They even run a fun and friendly blog to keep you stocked up with hints and tips for a freelance life (read: life spent ‘working’ on the sofa).

GoCardless

Are you an entrepreneurial couch potato? GoCardless is a great new way to take direct debit easily from the comfort of your sofa. They’ve made the process accessible to everyone, from the small business to the massive conglomerate. And with low fees, you’ll see more of your money – something everyone likes to celebrate. Hurrah!