Autumn Serenity: 12 Super Cosy Autumn Self-Care Ideas
Are you as excited as I am about the upcoming Halloween season? Let’s make your autumn even better with these 12 autumn self-care ideas and self-care activities to help you get cozy, relax and unwind this season.
Pumpkin spice latte – here we come!
>>> Bonus: How to DIY your personal autumn self-care kit <<<
Table of Contents
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Welcome back to our series ‘Seasonal Self-Care Ideas’. We started this series a few months ago with winter and currently, autumn is the only season that is left and honestly speaking, I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed by.
Do you feel the same way?
Yes?…well, I guess here we have a gentle reminder that time is precious, so let’s make it count.
Autumn is all about preparing yourself and setting yourself up for cooler weather leading up to winter and that is exactly what these 12 autumn self-care ideas and self-care activities are all about.
Get ready to enjoy, indulge, and relax with these 12 super cozy autumn self-care ideas that are all ready to be added to your personal self-care routine.
But first, let’s remind ourselves why self-care is important…
Why self-care is important
Self-care is pretty much anything that you do for yourself to contribute to your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
And as important as it is to nourish your body, with healthy food, water, movement, etc. it’s also important to nourish your mind as well as your soul.
Meaning, if you are looking to live a healthy lifestyle, self-care is key to making your healthy lifestyle happen.
Especially during the second part of the year with the lack of daylight, self-care becomes even more important for your physical and mental well-being.
12 Autumn self-care ideas
Autumn self-care ideas #1: Create a cozy ambiance in your home
Let’s start with the essentials first.
Autumn kicks off a new season and with the days getting shorter we tend to spend time inside rather than outside.
Create an environment for yourself in which you can relax. Focus on soft lighting, warm colors, comfortable seating, and natural elements.
Stock up on fairy lights and candles, and add some additional pillows, throws, and blankets in your living room as well as your bedroom.
Decorate your home with chestnuts, autumn leaves, pumpkins, etc. to invite the autumn season with all its beauty and colors into your home.
Autumn self-care ideas #2: Treat yourself to a Spa day
Autumn is also a time to prepare for the upcoming holiday season and as wonderful as the holiday season is, for many of us, it can also bring a lot of pressure and additional stress.
Take a deep breath and treat yourself to a Spa day at your favorite local Spa. Enjoy a hot tub session, a facial, a hot stone massage, get your nails done, etc. whatever it is that helps you to relax and forget about any stress you might currently be dealing with in your life.
Indulge in your feminine side and release the queen within.
Get ready to relax and recharge for the upcoming holiday season.
Autumn self-care ideas #3: Start a gratitude journal
With the lack of sunlight, the autumn days can sometimes be a bit heavy on the soul.
Starting a gratitude journal can help to increase your motivation, decrease anxiety, ease depression and contribute to better well-being overall.
A regular gratitude practice helps you to keep your mind focused on all the beautiful things and wonderful people you already have in your life, rather than focusing on what you don’t have.
Just imagine your glass would always be half full instead of half empty.
Take action and prepare yourself for the darker period of the year and look after your mental health and well-being by starting a gratitude journal. If you need a few gratitude journal prompts to help you get started, you can find them right here.
Autumn self-care ideas #4: Create your autumn movie list
Set yourself up for some cozy movie nights at home…nothing better than a Sunday movie night with your favorite takeaway and a cheesy chick flick on the couch. If you ask me, this is the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long week and weekend.
Add a face sheet mask and a few snacks and consider yourself all set.
To create your autumn movie list head over to Netflix or Amazon and create your personal autumn movie list right there.
Look for movies you always wanted to watch, add a couple of black & white movies, your favorite Disney movies, etc. anything you feel drawn to, and get ready for a few relaxing movie nights on the couch.
Autumn self-care ideas #5: Nourish your body with some soul food
As the seasons change, so do our diet requirements and during the autumn season, your body might be asking for a bit more cozy soul food rather than light summer salads.
Autumn is the perfect time to try out some hearty soup recipes. Think pumpkin soup, chicken soup, carrot & ginger soup, etc.
Soups are mostly liquid, so it’s a great way to help you stay hydrated and with the right ingredients and spices they can also support and boost your immune system.
Pair your homemade soup with some fresh sourdough bread, butter, and cheese.
Tip: Soups are also great for meal prep and you can easily freeze them for some time which is great for days when you don’t have that much time to prepare a meal but still aim to have a healthy and hearty meal. Simply defrost and enjoy.
Autumn self-care ideas #6: Reconnect with your hobby
Autumn gives us a chance to prepare and slowly transition to winter. We are getting ready to spend more time indoors. This is a great time to reconnect with your hobby.
Spending time with your hobby can bring a lot of physical and mental health benefits to your life.
Engaging in a hobby can help you to reduce stress, enhance your creativity, offer an outlet for self-expression, and add a sense of purpose and fulfillment to your life.
And all of this can lead to a more positive mood and more happiness in your life overall.
Get out your knitting needles, sketchbooks, guitars, etc. whatever it is that feeds your soul and nourishes your mind.
Reconnect with your creative side and let your energy flow and inspire you.
Autumn self-care ideas #7: Declutter your home
Living in a cluttered environment can feel overwhelming and draining.
Just imagine mail piling up on the hallway cupboard, laundry that needs folding piling up in the living room, the wardrobe that could do with a serious cleanup, used dishes in the sink waiting to be cleaned, the electricity bill pinned to the fridge waiting to be paid, etc.
Do you know the feeling?
Prepare your nest and set your home up for more comfort by creating an environment in which you can relax and unwind.
Similar to a spring clean, do an autumn clean and plan a decluttering day to get it all done and out of the way in one day.
Tip: Learn all the tips and tricks on How to Declutter Your Home to help you stop the overwhelm and get started with your autumn clean.
Autumn self-care ideas #8: Boost your immune system
Prepare your body for the cooler season of the year and boost your immune system.
Eating with the seasons is always a good choice as this way your body will get most of the vitamins and nutrients that it needs during this particular season. Yes, nature has you covered.
In addition to this, spices such as turmeric, ginger, garlic, oregano, etc. can also help to boost your immune system. See where you can add these to your meals. Ginger or turmeric shots for example can be great addition to your morning routine.
Actively strengthen and prepare your body and your immune system for the upcoming winter season.
Autumn self-care ideas #9: Celebrate a full moon ritual
Moon rituals are pure nourishment for the soul and a super powerful guide for personal growth and development.
The full moon is a time of celebration and invites us to slow down, take a step back and appreciate how far we have come and what we have learned and accomplished along the way.
But the full moon is also a time of illumination and exposure. Helping us to shed light on what no longer is in alignment with our dreams and desires.
Anything that is holding you back, any limiting belief systems or thought patterns, the full moon is the perfect time to become aware, release, and let go.
And as the trees let go of their leaves in the most beautiful and colorful way, is there anything that you are ready to let go of?
Learn how to leverage the cycles of the moon helping you to step into your true potential and create the life that you desire for yourself.
Autumn self-care ideas #10: DIY your Halloween costume
Now this is my personal favorite 🖤
Rather than spending money on your Halloween costume and risk running into two other girls who got the exact same online deal for the exact same Beatrix ‘The Bride’ Kiddo (Kill Bill) costume, think about making your own Halloween costume.
This can be so much fun. Start by checking your wardrobe and fancy dress box for suitable items for your Halloween costume.
If you need additional items to dress up your costume, check the local charity shop they always have some treasures.
To make your costume extra scary get some additional accessories or decoration supplies from Amazon.
Making your own costume is sustainable, you save money, and you can be sure that your costume is unique – time to shine and get spooky!
Tip: If you love Halloween as much as I do and are about to create the spookiest house ever, you can find lots of super cool tips and tricks on Halloween decorations right here.
Autumn self-care ideas #11: Host a casual Sunday afternoon tea
Indulge in all the sweetness autumn has to offer and share it with your loved ones.
Get your baking gloves on, and make a homemade pumpkin pie, apple & cinnamon pie, plum pie, etc. whatever fruits you can find at the farmers market.
Share the love and enjoy some relaxed and fun quality time with your friends.
Sweet treats are the best, but they are even better if they are homemade with love.
Tip: If you are looking for some baking inspiration, check out Desserts with Stephanie, I love her recipes and she offers a great selection of sweet treats.
Autumn self-care ideas #12: Move your body
Movement is so important. It strengthens the body, boosts the energy, it helps us to sleep better and yes, movement releases a lot of endorphins aka happiness and more happiness means more smiles.
Exactly what you need during the darker part of the year.
Renew your gym membership, sign up for a dance class, or come and join me on the yoga mat.
Check out my weekly schedule and my free online on-demand YouTube YogaTX videos.
I am ready when you are and can’t wait to see you on the mat.
Bonus: How to DIY your personal self-care kit
A self-care kit is a beautiful small box with lots of cozy, feel-good self-care items and self-care treasures inside.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to DIY your personal self-care kit and I will also leave you with a few recommendations on self-care items that you can include in your self-care kit.
Self-care kit box
First of all, you need a nice big box to hold all your self-care treasures.
There are a lot of off-shelf boxes available that you can simply order from Amazon, but of course, you are also welcome to build your own cardboard box from scratch.
Once you have your box ready, off-shelf, or built from scratch, decorate it with wrapping paper, stickers, postcards, motivational quotes, glitter, etc., whatever gets you excited and motivated when you think of opening your self-care kit.
Once you have your box ready, allow it a bit of time to dry, and then all you have to do is fill it will your favourite self-care items.
Self-care items for your inspiration
Below is an inspirational shopping list for you with all the items that I have in my personal self-care kit. And who knows, maybe you find one or two items that you like as well. Enjoy.
Beautifully crafted hardcover journal with light grey ruled lines and round edges; high-quality material for a magical journal experience.
Discover an enchanting underwater world hidden in the depths of the sea. This colouring book for adults is simply magical. Breathe in, relax and dive in.
Relax at home with these magical face masks. The set features turmeric, Dead Sea and green tea - the choice is yours.
This handcrafted Home Spa set brings pure indulgence featuring a range of the most soothing Spa products all made with pure ingredients.
Take a breath, lean back and enjoy a relaxing cup of organic tea. Available in a variety of flavours - pick your favourite.
The powerful animal archetypes offer insights into relationships, personalities, behaviours and tendencies. Magical inspiration and guidance.
A rose and jasmine scented candle to inspire balance and new beginnings. This special candle also features small amethyst stones to help clear away any negative thoughts you might be having.
Close your eyes and relax after a long and stressful day with this magical lavender eye pillow.
Keep your self-care kit in your closet, under your bed, maybe in your living room, and have it ready for whenever you feel like you need a little break to relax and unwind from your daily life.
Make sure to keep your self-care kit stocked up all the time and replace used items as you go along.
I hope you enjoyed these 12 super cozy autumn self-care ideas and found a few that resonated with you.
Before you go, keep in mind that this blog post is part of our series ‘Seasonal Self-Care Ideas’. Do make sure not to miss out on the other parts of this series. You can find all links to all seasons below:
- 12 Icy Cool Self-Care Ideas for Winter To Warm Your Body And Soul
- The Ultimate 12 Self-Care Ideas for Spring
- Self-Care Ideas for Summer – Splish, Splash The Ultimate Summer Fun
Should you have any questions, please feel free to join the conversation below.
Keep me posted on the autumn self-care ideas and self-care activities you put on your bucket list, how you are enjoying your personal self-care kit, and what self-care items you ended up with. I cannot wait to hear from you.
Thank you so much for your time and your space beautiful warrior, so very much appreciated.
Enjoy the Halloween season.
Stay wild and keep it spooky!
Nicolle
Featured image: Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash
Love these tips! I’ve been splurging on candles this season and enjoying sitting in the quiet – that’s been my form of self care!
LOVE this!!! Same here, so good sitting in the quiet 😉
Lovely blog, and such a helpful post. Can’t have enough self-care ideas for fall.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Super happy to hear that you enjoyed the post 😉