Romanticize the Season ~ Autumn

It’s fall! And it seems as though everyone is just itching to live the season to its fullest. Maybe it’s because we had a very hot summer but I’m more excited than usual. I’ve been collecting ideas to help us to romanticize autumn and make the next few months the coziest ever.

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Romanticize the Season:
Autumn
Over 50 Great Ideas to Enjoy This Fall!

I’ve long been an autumn-resister. Not because I dislike the season itself so much. I mean, I am a huge fan of hygge and the whole cozy thing. But winter follows fall and that is where I draw the line. As one who struggles somewhat with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the waning hours of sunlight are challenging for me. And I’m not a huge fan of the usual fall colors.

But this year, I’m determined to work on my attitude and truly embrace Autumn. Not just embrace it but romanticize it!

I’ve spent the past couple of weeks compiling a list of ways we all can create an ambience of warm, cozy, charming romance in our homes and our lives in general. Let’s dive in!

Make a fall playlist

Every season deserves its own soundtrack. Put together your own playlist of songs that give you fall vibes.

Here’s mine:

Cozy throws and blankets

Give them all a run through the washer so they’ll be fresh and then make sure every seating area has a warm throw blanket handy for curling up with on a chilly fall evening. If you don’t already have an overabundance of blankets like I do, treat yourself to a new one for the season. I love this one, but as I said, I already have plenty. We also have plenty of cats – ha!

Twinkle lights

Honestly, I keep twinkle lights up in several areas of my home year-round. But if you don’t, this is the time to put some up. Hang a strand or two in your family room, bedroom, home office, or any room, really. One of my favorites is the window over our kitchen sink. On dark and dreary mornings these lights look especially cheery. Consider putting your lights on a remote control so you can light them with just a push of a button. We did this several years ago and it’s great.

Candles, candles, candles

Need I say more? Whether you choose seasonal scented candles or the lovely glow of natural beeswax, there is nothing quite like candlelight when it comes to giving a home a romantic fall ambience.

Have an analog day

Most of us spend way too much time online, right? This fall, schedule an “analog day”. No screens! Instead, spend a day doing some of the things we used to do before computers and cell phones were ubiquitous. Read an actual book and savor the scent of those pages. If you have a record player, listen to a favorite vinyl album straight through…both sides. Instead of Candy Crush or Wordle, pick up an inexpensive book of crossword and word search puzzles and do a few of those.

Set up a cozy outdoor area

Do you have access to an outdoor space such as a porch, patio, deck or balcony? If so, why not make it a charming and cozy spot to enjoy this season? Comfortable seating, candles and/or string lights for ambience, perhaps an outdoor heater…

How to Turn Your Outdoor Space Into a Cozy Fall Retreat

Create a fall phone wallpaper

Most of us look at our phones multiple times a day. Why not get a little dose of Autumn each time? If you don’t know how to create one, here are a couple of links to help:

Make Your Own Phone Wallpaper

How to make your own phone wallpaper using Canva

Create your own essential oil blend

A friend recently posted this genius idea. He asked Chat GPT to create a personalized essential oil blend for his home. He gave it certain parameters (pet friendly, the ambience he desired, a particular oil to include). He said it was perfect. I love this idea! I have three diffusers in my home and am going to give this idea a try. My favorite source for essential oils is:

Plant Therapy

Choose a fall cocktail

25 Best Fall Cocktails for a Crisp, Cool Happy Hour

The 25 Most Popular Fall Drinks

45 Fall Cocktails for Something a Little Stronger Than a PSL

Or if you don’t drink alcohol, try these fall mocktails:

14 Best Fall Mocktails

21 Non-Alcoholic Fall Drinks that Taste Like Autumn in a Cup

Fall socks

One of the reasons I dread cooler weather is because I don’t like to wear socks (or shoes, if I can avoid it!). But if you have to, how about some cute ones?

Hot chocolate station

Set up a little area for those delicious mugs of hot chocolate (or coffee or tea). Cute mugs, a lidded glass jar for hot chocolate mix, candy canes, mini marshmallows and anything else you like in your hot chocolate…

If you don’t already have an electric kettle, I urge you to consider one. This is the one I have:

Unfortunately this one doesn’t seem to be available right now but there are lots of other options in a range of prices.

Here are some cute options:

The Best Vintage Tea Kettles (Electric and Stovetop Versions)

And how about a cute sign? Amazon has lots of options.

Create a fall Pinterest board

Set aside some time to browse Pinterest for seasonal ideas and pin them to a dedicated board for fall. Here is the link to mine:

Seasonal: Autumn

If you have one, I’d love to see it. I haven’t updated mine in awhile and could use some fresh inspiration. Leave me a link in the comments!

Collect Autumn quotes

Write them in a journal, print them on cards to hang on a bulletin board, use magnets to put them on your fridge, or…? Use your imagination and surround yourself with the best words about Autumn.

Roast marshmallows and have s’mores

Graham crackers, chocolate bars and gooey marshmallows – is there anything better on a chilly fall night while sitting around the fire pit?

Fill candy dishes

Choose a candy that you only buy in the fall and fill a candy dish or two. If you are a candy corn lover, that’s a perfect choice. I like those little butterscotch discs or have you tried the caramel coffee flavored Werther’s? Yum!

Decorate your front porch

Mums, pumpkins, a fall wreath…even a few simple seasonal items will give you a little lift every time you enter your home. Give the porch a good cleaning first and then add your decor.

Leaf pressing

The brilliant colors of fall foliage are fleeting but you can preserve their beauty by pressing them.

How to Press and Preserve Fall Leaves

Do a puzzle

I always consider fall to be “puzzle weather”. Set up a puzzle for the whole family to work on during spare moments.

Make the most of the outdoors

All too soon these gorgeous fall days will be gone so this is the time to enjoy a bonfire, stargazing, long walks, sipping a glass of wine on a candlelit patio, visits to a nearby park, etc.

Create a Beautiful Life With a Stargazing Ritual

Start an indoor project or two

Declutter a space, repaint a room, do a bit of redecorating, tackle some overdo minor repairs or anything else that you’ve been putting off indoors. The results of your efforts will be enjoyed in the months to come.

Fantasy Football

It’s too late to join a Fantasy Football league this year but if your family enjoys football, this is a fun thing to do. Put it on your calendar for next year. For a number of years we belonged to a local league. We would meet at a local restaurant on a Sunday afternoon in August to draft our teams. I even won twice! This year we are doing a family league, along with a few close friends. The friendly competition is fun.

Bake bread

Is there anything that makes a home smell better than bread baking? This has been on my to-do list for quite awhile. At one time, I baked most of our family’s bread but it’s been years. I also used to have a sourdough starter. That’s one of my fall goals! The one I had for years had been given to me by a friend. I’ll be starting from scratch this time. Fingers crossed that it works!

How to Make Sourdough Starter

Apple cider donuts

Have you ever made apple cider donuts? This is definitely on my fall to-do list!

Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe

Enjoy slow-cooked dishes

Whether cooked in a slow cooker, baked in a slow oven or simmered stove-top…there is something extra delicious about food cooked “low and slow”. Stew, baked beans, pot roast, brisket…your house will smell wonderful and build anticipation for dinner.

Pumpkin, spice, oatmeal, caramel, maple, apples, butternut squash

The flavors of autumn are rich and delicious. Enjoy them as often as you can in your meals and desserts these next few months.

Pumpkin Bread ~ An Autumn Teatime Recipe

Grandma’s Oatmeal Krispies Cookies

Butternut Squash Risotto

Caramel Blended Iced Coffee

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole With Streusel Topping

Bacon and Pepper Jack Waffles with Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Polish up your evening ritual for a new season

The start of a new season is always a good time to evaluate your routines. Tweak yours to adjust to the changes Autumn brings.

Create a Beautiful Life With an Evening Ritual

Try a new lipstick shade

Tuck away the light, summery glosses for now and warm up your look with a deep, rich color.

Treat your toes to a new fall color

Even though sandal weather is drawing to a close, our toes can still sport a bit of color. This is the new nail polish I just bought and I’m loving it!

Buy a new mug

This is prime time for some warm and cozy drinks. Make them more special with a new seasonal mug! This is the one I just bought from Hallmark and it is perfect. Utterly perfect.

Host a tea party

Choose a glorious fall afternoon, invite a friend or three and set a beautiful tea table in your backyard.

Serve soup often

Make a steaming hot pot of soup at least once a week. Include your favorites AND learn a few new recipes.

Soup Recipes For Autumn

Delicious Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Take a fall foliage tour

We live fairly close to a foliage drive which I’ve wanted to see for years. We almost made it year before last then David needed emergency surgery. So close! One of these days…

If you can’t go on an actual tour, check out these online versions:
Fall Foliage Webcams

Or this Northern New York fall foliage tour:

Make a fall bookmark

Autumn is a great time to curl up with a good book and if you read “real books” you’ll need a bookmark. Make a fun, fall-themed bookmark to keep your place. And if you hit on a great design, consider making extras for friends.

8 Ways to Make a Bookmark

Baked apples

Such a simple yet tasty dessert. Slip these into the oven as you begin your evening meal and they’ll be ready to enjoy by the time you have finished eating.

Baked Apple Recipe (I also like adding raisins.)

Autumn coloring book

Pick up an autumn-themed coloring book to enjoy over the next few months. You can use colored pencils, markers or go truly old school with a 64 count box of Crayola Crayons. Ah, the scent of a freshly opened box…

Watch fall movies

Here are several suggestions:

Practical Magic
Hocus Pocus
Clue (maybe play the game before or after!)
Knives Out
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Over the Garden Wall
Haunted Mansion
Arsenic and Old Lace

The Best Family Halloween Movies and Themed Treats

Plan a reading day

A whole day to just read? Yes, please! Bonus points if it’s raining.

Plan some cozy outings

Sometimes you need to get out of the house, right? Even though I have to be very careful to avoid the various diseases making the rounds, there are plenty of safe activities to do (I wear a high quality mask indoors or in outdoor crowds). Here are several ideas:

library
book store
museum
botanical garden
lake
park
outdoor sketching
picnic
antique shop
outdoor seating at a coffee shop
farmers market
apple orchard
local farm that gives tours
visit a pumpkin patch

Buy a cozy new scarf or cardigan

I recently bought this cardigan from Old Navy. I bought it in Emerald Green and liked it so much I just ordered two more (Berry Fine and Parisian Green).

And look at these cozy scarves. At that price I might need more than one!

Send cute fall cards to friends

It’s all too easy to rely on text messages alone to keep in touch. Why not surprise a few friends with some real “snail mail”? I know how thrilled I am to receive a card or letter in the mail instead of just junk mail or unwanted catalogs. Aren’t these cute?

Current Catalog also has some nice fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving cards. This one is pretty:

Click below for a discount. (And if you want to get a head start on Christmas be sure to check out their Christmas cards. I have ordered from them for many years.)

20% OFF your order at CurrentCatalog.com! Use code AFLD20A to save.

Create a fall basket

Get a basket and fill it with things to enjoy in the evenings or whenever you have leisure time. Include books, a journal, coloring book, puzzle book, crochet or knitting project, etc. Add a nail file, hand lotion, cuticle oil, tissues, lip balm, tissues and any other items that you find handy to have nearby. You can make this basket even more special by lining it with a piece of fabric (or try a fall themed tea towel) and perhaps decorating the handle with a strand of artificial fall leaves.

Try a new apple variety

Fall is apple season. If you notice a new-to-you variety in the grocery store pick up one or two to try. If you have apple orchards nearby, even better!

Binge watch a series

My personal favorite for fall is Gilmore Girls. Is there any setting more perfect than Stars Hollow?

A few other options include:

Twin Peaks
This Is Us
Charmed
Only Murders in the Building
Schitt’s Creek
Friends
Golden Girls
Frasier

Or anything that feels cozy and nostalgic to you.

Change to fall scents

If you use scented products, try switching to fall scents for your cleaning supplies, hand soap, lotion, body wash, etc. Mrs. Meyers has some lovely fall scented cleaning products.

And of course, Bath and Body Works will have plenty of options for lotion, hand soap, body wash, etc. Do you have a favorite scent?

Play games

Have a weekly game night. What are your favorites? We love Cards Against Humanity, Monopoly Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble.

Or how about cards? I am not a big card player but I do like gin rummy.

Do some fall cleaning

This may not be exactly fun but the results are worth it. And it’s nice to have the house in good order as we head into the holidays.

Fall Cleaning Tips (+ Free Fall Cleaning Checklist)

Learn something new

Take an online course, learn calligraphy, study a language or do a deep dive into a topic that has always intrigued you.

Indulge in something you enjoyed (or wanted) as a kid

Indulge your inner child. What is something you loved to play with as a child? Give yourself permission to tap into the child within and simply play.

Colorforms
paper dolls
a craft kit
finger paints
Playdoh
stickers
Lego sets

Start a new journal just for fall

I love the Erin Condren journals and they happen to be having a sale at the time I’m writing this.

Check them out here.

Re-read favorite children’s books

What was your favorite book as a child? Do you have a copy? If you haven’t done so in awhile, set aside an afternoon (or more if the book is long) and relive the pleasure you experienced reading it as a child.

Favorite Children’s Books

Build something

Have you ever seen these cool building kits from Robotime? There are so many to choose from. I am totally enamored with the Book Nook Shelf Insert Kits, especially.

Back to School Save 15% Off Buy 2+

My husband enjoys building car models and of course, there are the ever popular Lego building sets. Like this one:

Do a paint-by-number kit

Romantic Love Autumn

Drink apple cider

Fresh is best, of course, but if it’s not available in your area I did notice Aldi has some. I’m sure other stores will have it as well.

Create a fall bucket list

Have you enjoyed these ideas for romanticizing autumn? Choose several, put them on this printable bucket list and hang it somewhere you’ll see every day. Don’t let the season slip away without doing at least a few special activities to celebrate autumn.

Creating a Fall Bucket List

Would you like a printable list? Click here: Romanticize the Season Autumn printable

Other posts in this series:

Romanticize the Season ~ Spring

Romanticize the Season ~ Winter

Romanticize the Season ~ Summer

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You may also enjoy…

The Gifts of Autumn

Soup Recipes For Autumn

Fall Vibes ~ Books, Movies, Activities and More

Harvest Vintage Recipes – 1950s Fall Meal Plans