Autumn signifies an opportunity for realignment and growth.
After a busy and energetic season of summer vacations, weddings and social events, we crave quieter, more grounding moments.
So what better way to welcome in fall than by resetting your self-care routine and adapting it to fit a new, cosy season?
Here are 101 autumn-inspired self-care activities to fall in love with this season.
Fall into a self-care reset
Self-care during fall (or autumn for us Brits) is all about winding down after a busy and energetic summer season.
We crave quieter, more grounding moments.
As the days grow shorter and the air takes on a crisper edge, we find ourselves wanting to spend more time at home. We allow ourselves to get cosy and enjoy life’s simple indoor pleasures. Like doing a jigsaw puzzle, baking or curling up with a blanket to watch a classic movie.
And with the cooler weather, outdoor activities take on a new charm. We replace our beach flip-flops in favour of hiking boots and embrace the vibrant autumnal colours of the season while on a nature trail or woodland walk.
Self-care in this particular season can also look like adapting our diets to introduce seasonal produce like squash, pumpkin and apples.
Fall is also the best time for you to reset your self-care routine.
With the end of summer comes a “back-to-school” feeling.
After a season of summer vacations and slowing down at work, we need a new type of work-life balance — one that maximises productivity while still balancing play and rest.
And September invites an opportunity for realignment and growth. This can involve setting new goals and intentions for the season, preparing for Q4, reconnecting with your daily routine and building new daily habits.
The autumn months can also signify a time for creativity and tapping into your inner child. This can involve engaging in fun activities such as making a colourful collage with autumnal leaves and scrapbooking your favourite summer pictures.
Whatever fall self-care looks like for you, remember to prioritise your health and well-being.
If a particular ritual or habit feels off, then switch it up for something else. Don’t be scared of trying out new things to find what works best for you and your needs at that moment.
By taking the time to focus on your needs and engaging in self-care activities that bring you joy at this time, you can move towards the end of the year feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to take on winter and the festive season.
101 autumn self-care ideas to fall in love with this season
From realigning to your goals and vision for Q4 to making your own autumn-scented candles, here is an extensive list of self-care ideas and activities to fall in love with this season.
I encourage you to bookmark this post so you can refer back to it whenever you need to.
Fall self-care ideas for September
- Change up your self-care routine for autumn
- Reset every area of your life, including your habits and productivity tools
- Reflect on your year so far and celebrate your wins
- Print out all of your summer pictures and organise them in a scrapbook
- Use the Balanced Self Wheel to refresh your work-life balance
- Realign with your vision and begin to set new goals for Q4
- Try a new workout
- Put together an autumn-inspired playlist
- Start your day with a calming meditation outside
- Take a deep stretch yoga class to prepare your body for colder weather
- Practice gratitude
- Try making homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch
- Bake a batch of pumpkin or chai-spiced cookies
- Go on a wine-tasting tour
- Take up a new hobby like bird-watching
- Take an outdoor sketching class and draw the autumn landscape
- Watch the new season of The Great British Bake-Off
- Attend a pottery class
- Spend the evening getting inspired by binge-watching old TED Talks
- Go on an evening walk during golden hour
- Wash all of your summer clothes and pack them away to make room for warmer clothes
- Enjoy a day out at an adventure park
- Go apple picking
- Make your own caramel apples with various toppings
- Visit a sunflower farm before the season ends
- Go camping for the night with friends
- Try a new autumn-inspired journal prompt each day
- Visit an antique bookstore and find a cosy autumn read
- Learn how to do embroidery
- Buy a cosy knit sweater in a colour that makes you happy
- Host a Sunday roast dinner for friends or family
- Take a digital detox for a full weekend and reconnect with yourself
- Make a DIY essential oil blend for relaxation and cosy vibes
- Light a cinnamon or apple-scented candle while you work or read
- Celebrate the Autumn Equinox on September 23rd
- Switch up your daily routine to better suit the shorter days
Save these fall ideas on Pinterest for later
Fall self-care ideas for October
- Enter Q4 with a Sunday reset routine and say goodbye to the “scaries”
- Start a fresh goal-setting planner specifically for this new quarter
- Listen to Red Taylor’s Version — the ultimate fall soundtrack
- Build a cosy nook with blankets and pillows
- Read two new books that match the season’s cosy atmosphere
- Or pick up Stay & Slay; How To Beat Burnout Without Quitting Your Job
- Head on a nature trail or woodland walk
- Savour the sound of crisp leaves under your feet
- Make a colourful collage with autumnal leaves
- Visit a farmer’s market and buy fresh seasonal produce
- Cook a new recipe using your seasonal produce
- Treat yourself to some autumnal flowers and spend the afternoon arranging them
- Whip up a hearty vegetable soup and enjoy it with some toasted bread
- Rewatch Gilmore Girls — the ultimate fall TV show
- Try your hand at baking homemade sourdough bread
- Bake an apple pie or crumble
- Paint your nails with autumnal colours
- Go away for the weekend to a remote location and completely unplug
- Grab a camera and head out on a photography course to capture the beauty of fall
- Try a homemade pumpkin spice latte
- Decorate and carve pumpkins
- Make leftover pumpkin soup
- Host a Halloween gathering with your closest friends
- Try making your own spooky-themed cocktails
- Have a scary movie marathon
- Have a pyjama day and stay in watching nostalgic Halloween movies
- Visit a haunted house or do a ghost tour in your city
- Drink your first hot chocolate and marshmallows of the season
- Buy yourself a fresh pair of slippers
- Go thrift shopping for a unique autumn outfit
- Experiment with an autumn-themed eyeshadow look
- Knit or crochet a scarf to wear as the temperatures drop
- Spend an afternoon at a cosy coffee shop, journaling or reading
- Go for a long scenic drive and admire the changing leaves
- Make an autumn gratitude jar and add a note every day
- Write a handwritten letter to someone special
- Make an autumn-inspired vision board
Save these fall ideas on Pinterest for later
Fall self-care ideas for November
- Try a cosy morning routine that involves slow stretching and reading
- Have a lazy day
- Treat yourself to a luxurious bath with autumn-scented bath salts
- Use CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask to keep your skin hydrated
- Try a warm oil hair treatment to nourish your hair before winter
- Treat yourself to a luxurious indoor massage
- Curl up on the couch and watch a classic black-and-white movie
- Get stuck into a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle
- Wrap up warm and head to your local park to watch the fireworks
- Share stories around a campfire
- Write a fall-inspired short story or poem
- Buy some crayons and tuck into a colouring book
- Take a scenic drive through the countryside
- Embrace your inner child and jump into piles of leaves
- Have a solo self-care retreat weekend at home
- Bake blueberry muffins
- Experiment with new warm drink recipes like chai lattes or spiced cider
- Take an online cooking class for comfort food recipes
- Start knitting a jumper for winter
- Treat yourself to a new cosy scarf
- Play a game of chess
- Sit and listen to the rain
- Plan a gratitude dinner with close friends
- Put on some wellies and jump in the puddles
- Take a train ride through the countryside just to admire the fall scenery
- Make your own autumn-scented candles
- Have a candlelit dinner at home
- Hang out in your favourite coffee shop for the day
- Make a warm stew using seasonal produce
- Have a cosy indoor picnic with friends and all of your favourite snacks
- Rewatch all your favourite nostalgic childhood movies
- Make one new meaningful connection in time for the holiday season
- Dig out your winter pyjamas and blankets and start getting cosy
- Decorate your home with twinkly lights for extra warmth and cosiness
- Start a new creative project that you can work on throughout the colder months
- Make a DIY autumn wreath for your door
- Schedule a slow Sunday where you do nothing but relax
- Write holiday cards early and add a thoughtful personal touch
Save these fall ideas on Pinterest for later
Final thoughts
It goes without saying, that these fall self-care ideas and activities are for inspiration only.
I don’t intend for you to do every single one, but to pick and choose the ones that work for you so you can incorporate them throughout the month or season.
I also encourage you to test out these fall activities first before fully committing to them and adding them to your self-care routine. Because what works for me might not necessarily work for you.
Put together your own self-care tracker to record which fall self-care ideas you enjoyed and which ones you would do again.
Rate each ritual out of 5 stars and ask yourself, “How did this activity make me feel?” If it’s a hell yes rather than a hell no, then add it to your self-care routine and get consistent.
I’m all about doing the stuff that works for you. Not one-size-fits-all BS.
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
emma downer
this is so stinking cute