30 Cosy Ideas for Autumn
Autumn has always been my favourite time of year. I've always loved that back-to-school feeling that September brings: the idea of fresh beginnings, feeling renewed after a summer break; we can begin again with a clean slate and it feels like anything is possible.
Harvest, pumpkins and squash, fields of sunflowers. Conkers, acorns and crispy leaves underfoot. Knee-high boots and woolly tights. Gingham tablecloths, apple and blackberry crumble. Gingerbread and cinnamon sprinkled coffee. Dark mornings and darker afternoons. Chunky cardigans and chenille blankets.TV dramas and new books to read. The silliness and magic of Halloween and Bonfire Night.
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Cooling temperatures mean our homes once again take centre stage for family life. We draw curtains, light candles and snuggle under checked blankets. We drink warming chi lattes or syrupy red wine, spend afternoons in the kitchen perfecting our apple crumble.
We start new projects and make plans and lists, powered by the new energy a change in season brings.
Here, I bring you 50 ideas to cosy up your life this autumn. Dip in and try as little, or as few as you like.
Happy Autumn
1 Create a cosy reading corner for the season
Long, candle-lit evenings are made for getting cosy with a good book, a soft blanket and something warming to drink. A reading corner is a great way to encourage you to spend more time reading and make your home feel as cosy as autumn.
Pick a corner of your room and transform it with a soft blanket, a lamp with warm lighting, and a scented candle.
You can keep a small stack of books nearby, a mug coaster, and dried flowers (in honor of fall).
The corner could also serve the purpose of being your relaxation spot where you can write, sip your tea, and just have a cosy time. Keep everything you might need close to hand so you don't have to leave this cosy cocoon
2 Candles, candles and more candles.
I'm obsessed with candles; I make and occasionally sell them, but i still buy more than I could ever possibly use! I light candles all year round, but from the 1st September I want my whole house to smell of pumpkin spice. If pumpkin isn't your thing, there's clove, pine, cinnamon, frankincense, or velveteer. Experiment with scents till you find the right blend for you.
3. Spend an afternoon learning something new
Autumn has major back-to-school energy, even when you’re long past school. Use that energy to learn something new.
It can be calligraphy, crochet, basic photography, baking bread, watercolor painting, or a few phrases in another language.
Don’t think about monetising the thing or becoming exceptionally good at it. Learning something simply because it sounds fun is reason enough.
4. Create the ultimate Autumn playlist
There's nothing like a playlist for a low effort way to set a mood. I love Jazz as it's something a can have on in the background while i work that doesn't distract me, so i have a Spotify playlist for every season.
Songs for your autumn playlist
Harvest Moon- Neil Young
October song- The Corries
Endless Numbered Days- Counting crows
Like real people do-Hozier
5. Try this recipe for chocolate pumpkin torte
Ingredients
Semi-sweet chocolate bars or dark chocolate bars (dairy-free option), chopped
5 eggs, large
Smooth almond butter – this is important if you don’t like the gritty feel of regular almond butter. Here’s the smooth almond butter we love.
Canned coconut milk (full-fat)
Pumpkin puree
Pure maple syrup
Method
Preheat oven to 350℉ / 177℃. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with a parchment round and the sides with parchment strips.
Melt the chocolate bars in a bain marie (double boiler) or a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Alternately, microwave the chocolate in 20-second intervals in the microwave until smooth and melted. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until combined. Add the almond butter, coconut milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and espresso powder (optional). Mix together gently using a wooden spoon, whisk, or silicone scraper/spatula, or an electric mixer on low speed; don't beat too much air into the batter.
Add in the melted chocolate, mixing together all ingredients until smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is set with a slight jiggle. It is done when the center reaches 160℉ / 72℃ on an instant read thermometer.
Remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack. Once cooled to room temperature, chill in the refrigerator until serving.
Right before serving, dust with a light layer of cocoa powder
6. Invite friends and family to dress up warm and join you for one last picnic.
Lay a chequered blanket on the grass and serve warming soup from thermoses, jacket potatoes (wrap in foil to keep them warm) and crisp apple and cheddar salad.
7. Host a grown-up party
Throw an adults-only Halloween party or if that’s too much effort, invite a few close friends over for a scary movie-a-thon Bring back the dinner party, and make it as unapologetically posh or low key as you wish.
8. Make Breakfast Something Special
When mornings start to turn dark and cold, it can be difficult to tempt family members from their cosy beds, so why not make breakfast a bit special ? set the table with your best plates, napkins, and checkered tablecloth light candles and serve croissants fresh from the oven and homemade jam.
9 Go brambling.
Pretty much any woody area will be full of blackberry bushes, so grab a basket and the little ones (being careful of prickles), then find a new apple and blackberry pudding recipe to perfect this season.
10. Find Your Autumn inspiration
Pile a stash of the most Autumnal magazines in your collection on to the coffee table to remind yourself of all the joys of the season
11 Choose a cosy, no-fuss supper
Make every Friday "Jacket Potato" night and enjoy them with a different topping each and every week throughout Autumn
12 Take a Mustard Bath
Revive achy muscles with a Mustard bath: simply mix half a cup of baking soda with two tablespoons of English Mustard powder, then add 4 drops each of peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus.
13. Clear a path for Autumn
Sweep your path and replace your doormat as a sign you are welcoming Autumn into your home
14. Make an Autumn display
Arrange your season displays, fill jars will moss, pine cones conkers and berry's (don't forget to bake them first to kill of bugs)
15 Bake Flapjacks
Sundays are best spent in the kitchen, no more so than in Autumn; try this simple recipe for Flapjacks.
250g jumbo porridge oats
125g butter
plus extra for the tin
125g light brown sugar
2-3 tbsp golden syrup
(depending on how gooey you want it)
Method
step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the oats, butter, sugar and golden syrup in a food processor and pulse until mixed – be careful not to overmix or the oats may lose their texture.
step 2
Lightly butter a 20 x 20cm baking tin and add the mixture. Press into the corners with the back of a spoon so the mixture is flat and score into 12 squares. Bake for around 15 mins until golden brown.#
16. Create your Autumn library
Stockpile a collection of books you've been meaning to read, designate a 'to read’ shelf to keep them together, and set aside time each week to sit in your favourite chair with a hot chocolate or a glass of wine and get carried away with a good book.
17 Treat yourself to new stationery
It's not just children who deserve new stationary when September rolls around. Treat yourself to the best fountain pen you can afford and source some green ink cartridges.
18 Make your own Pumpkin Spice blend
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
Add to your usual coffee for a homemade pumpkin spice latte (don't forget to add the whipped cream!) or add to your usual cake, cookie or any other baking recipe to add an Autumn twist
19. Create a sacred morning routine
Dark mornings can be difficult, but choose to embrace them. Declare it your sacred time; make a ritual of rising at least 30 minutes before the rest of your family to light your morning candle, sip good coffee and consult your daily planner.
20. Plan a weekend Away
A perfect autumn treat Autumn is the perfect time for a weekend getaway, whether it’s a county lodge with long walks and roaring fireplaces, or a city break to start on the Christmas shopping. A short break is a great way to rest and reset before the madness of December.
21 Visit your library
Head to your local library and borrow as many cosy themed books as allowed
22 Toast Pumpkin Seeds
Don't waste the insides of your pumpkins when you carve them. Toast the seeds and sprinkle them with vanilla or an autumn spice blend for a nibbly taste of Autumn in a Mason jar.
23. Turn your bathroom into a spa
I love a long, perilously hot bath. If you have dry skin like me, opt for bath oil over bubble bath. Add your favourite autumn-scented essential oil such as pine or cinnamon. when you get out apply the best body lotion you can afford then wrap yourself up in a warm , fluffy towel.
24. Keep it fresh
I'm a big believer in fresh air . Homes can get stuffy in Autumn, especially if you're drying clothes indoors. Open as many windows as you can for 20 minutes each morning and evening
Find a new cafe, or try a new drink in your favourite one. site with an actual book or just your phone. Bonus cosy points if it raining outside
25 Collect conkers
nothing says natures simple abundance like these little chestnut gems. I still get the same childhood thrill if discovering them on my autumn walks. Display in clear vases or bowls
26 Make soup from scratch on a rainy day
Soup is a mainstay of Autumn, perfect comfort food on a rainy day and almost impossible to mess up.
If it’s too bland, just add some salt, and if it’s too thick, just add water.
It somehow tastes good and satisfying every time, and I love curling up next to the window, sipping it while watching the rain.
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27 . Go to a thrift store and find something unusual
October is the perfect month for secondhand shopping, because everything looks more interesting when it’s sweater weather.
Visit a thrift store and find random things, like an old ancestral painting, a weird Halloween decoration, a coat that nobody else would wear, or a ceramic owl that looks haunted.
The weirder it is, the better, because that’ll make it fun to create a fake story on it as you tell people about it.
28. Keep an Autumn notebook
I always have at least one notebook on the go, but in Autumn I feel i can really take time to get carried away writing, scrapbooking and recording my Autumn. You can write about what October smells like, tape in a leaf you found on your walk, and draw terrible sketches of pumpkins.
Record quotes from books you’re reading or conversations you want to remember, and make your journal entries fall-themed.
This journal will be your October time capsule. When you find it years later, you’ll be grateful you recorded this particular chapter.If you’ve never had a fall journal before, let me tell you it’s very fun and seasonal.
29 Cook something new
October is a lovely month to step into the kitchen.
This October, challenge yourself to cook a cuisine you’ve never tried before.
Whether it’s homemade sushi or Indian curry, experimenting with new flavors can be fun and delicious.
Of course, you can always go for a classic Pumpkin or apple dish. We are in the midst of fall, after all.
And if it doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket, you can even sign up for a cooking class that focuses on seasonal dishes and master dishes like butternut squash risotto or caramel apple tarts.
30. Watch scary movies
Even though Halloween lurks at the end of October, the whole season is perfect for spooky movies .
If you are brave of heart, you can dive into your spooky night solo, or invite in your friends and siblings to make it more fun.
Choose a selection of classic horror films or thrilling new releases, set up a cosy viewing area with cushions and blankets, and settle in for a night of a horror movie marathon.
Don’t forget your spread of Halloween-themed snacks. It’d be a crime to skip spicy popcorn, ghoulishly colored beverages, and those colourful candies.
Do have the most lovely Autumn.
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