Fall Self-Care Ideas to add to Your Fall Bucket List

Fall means it’s time to think about ways to take care of yourself and make your autumn cozy and fun with these fall self-care ideas. Whether you’re looking for ideas to relax and destress or participate in some fun fall activities, we’ve got you covered. You can check out our favorite fall self care ideas below!

Self-Care Fall Ideas

The leaves are changing colors, the air is getting colder, and Pumpkin Spice Latte everything is back in season. All of these signs can mean only one thing: fall is officially here!

So, where do you start? Whether you want to be outdoors or focus more on cozy activities to do inside, the autumn season is a great time to focus on self care and give yourself some much needed TLC. Either way, you can’t go wrong as there are plenty of fall activities you can do to help yourself relax.

In fact, these fall self-care ideas don’t have to be fancy or expensive – sometimes the simplest things can make the biggest difference. Here are a few ideas you can add to your routine this autumn to help you relax and recharge while still having some fun.

Fall Self-Care Ideas to Get You Outdoors

Outdoor Fall Activities to Enjoy the Crisp Fall Air

Go for a walk, sit in the park, or simply spend some time in your backyard. Nature can be very soothing and calming especially when you have beautiful fall foliage to look at!

Going for a nature walk or taking your family and friends to a pumpkin patch is a great way to be out in the (mostly) lovely fall weather. You can enjoy seasonal drinks like hot apple cider while apple picking at your local apple orchard.

You can also spend some quality time with good friends navigating a corn maze. Or pick out some of your favorite flowers for fall like mums or late season flowers like sunflowers.

Whatever you can do to spend more of your time outside in the crisp air after being cooped up because of the summer heat, is a good thing.

Spend some time outside each day, even if it’s just a short walk around the block. The fresh air and vitamin D will do you good and possibly help you if you experience seasonal depression.

Cozy Up with a Good Book (Outside!)

Just because it’s getting cold outside doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all the time! Find a comfortable spot outside while it is not too cold yet, cover up with a blanket and curl up with your favorite book.

Now is also the perfect time to get off of social media and engage your imagination in something more engrossing than “who said what when”. If you need some help with doing a digital detox, you can find out how to do so with the “7 Day Self-Care Challenge”.

Go for a Scenic Drive as a Fun Fall Activity

Maybe you have a travel destination on your bucket list but didn’t get around to it over the summer months. The fall weather is a perfect time to visit those places before winter arrives.

You may find you have the beach to yourself, for example. The cooler weather and “off-season” aspect may deter some people from going.

The opposite is also true for some locations though. For those locations where the fall season is their busy time of year, plan accordingly. Places that might get a lot of traffic in the fall include any location that is a good place to take pictures of the fall foliage like mountains, forests, state parks, etc.

Fall can also be a great time to take a weekend trip to one of your favorite places too. Maybe you enjoy the zoo or want to catch a football game at your alma mater. With any luck, you will have some great weather to spend time with the ones you love before the really cold weather sets in.

Be Active and Move Your Body Too

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it can be tempting to stay indoors all the time. However, it’s important to get up and move your body to keep your energy levels up.

Take a brisk walk in the fall leaves, go for a jog in the park, or sign up for a yoga class. Adopting some healthy habits before the busy holiday season can be a great way to set yourself up for success for the upcoming year.

A little bit of time taking care of your physical health with a healthy diet and some exercise, will help your body to feel better mentally and physically.

Fall Activities for Adults Include Having Fun and Making Time for Your Relationships at the Same Time

Spending time with friends is a great way to improve your mental health. Engaging in social activities like making a plan for fun outings, having game nights, or just catching up over coffee are all easy ways to fill your “social bucket”.

Being social can help with your risk for things like dementia, so it is important to spend time with others. Can you combo up some quality time with your family or best friend by going to the park or having a picnic?

Family traditions like going to the apple orchard and picking apples or getting pumpkins from the pumpkin patch can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors and have fun too! If you need a recipe to make for all those apples, check out the caramel apple pie recipe on “Traditions of Fall“.

Fall Self Care Ideas to Enjoy Being Cozy Inside

Cozy Fall Self-Care Ideas like Make Time for Yourself Everyday

Carving out time each day, even if it’s just a few minutes, to do something you enjoy can make a big difference in your mental health. Whether it’s reading, taking a walk outdoors, or listening to music, find an activity that helps you relax and stick to it.

Ideas you could try to include each day:

• Books you want to read
• Podcasts to listen to
• Taking a walk
• Meditating
• Just sitting quietly and taking a few deep breaths
• Spending time on your favorite hobby whatever it may be (painting, hiking, writing, cooking, as long as it is something you enjoy)

Relax and Unwind at the End of a Cozy Fall Day

At the end of a long day, it is time to indulge in some self-care rituals for a cozy autumn day. Why not light some fall scented candles (pumpkin pie spice scented maybe) and take a relaxing bath?

You could add some soothing aromatherapy to your routine by using essential oils and adding a few drops of them to your bath. (Lavender oil is good for those who aren’t allergic to it.) The combination of the hot bath and the lavender scent can be a good way to wind down before bed.

The fall season is also a good time to take care of your skin, especially if it was neglected over the summer. Applying a face mask or two to undo some of the damage done from too much time spent in the sun over the summer can be a soothing and productive way of pampering your skin.

Why not combo up something fun like a facial with one of your favorite fall drinks? You can give yourself a facial while you drink some hot cocoa or a Pumpkin Spice Latte, for example.

Try to Establish a Fall Self-Care Routine (just make it fun too!)

A fall self care routine can help you feel more focused and motivated. Try to wake up at the same time each day, eat healthy meals, and get enough sleep. Of course, you also don’t want to forget to schedule some time for fun!

And, if you have forgotten how to have fun as an adult, think back to your childhood. Did you love to jump in the leaves once they were raked? How about roasting marshmallows over a campfire?

Try and revisit some old pleasures or introduce your family and friends to some of your old favorites. You might be surprised at how much joy the simple things can bring you.

Organize and Decorate to Make Your Home More Cozy

Anyone else have the urge to buy new pencils and folders with the back to school season? Fall can be a great time to freshen up your living space by revisiting your home’s organization (or lack thereof).

Because you will soon have to spend more time inside, investing in some organizational tools to make your home feel more cozy is a good idea. Feel free to use the change of seasons as an opportunity to declutter your space and get organized.

By doing this you can help to reduce your stress levels and give yourself a sense of control during chaotic times (like with the upcoming holiday season). You can also take stock of what you have and what you may need too, especially if you are hosting Thanksgiving or another big holiday meal.

Eat Seasonally this Autumn Season

With any luck you were able to take full advantage of the summer’s bounty of corn, tomatoes, and watermelon. If so, you are probably more than ready to move on to this season’s produce like apples, squash, and pumpkin to make hearty meals that will nourish your body and soul.

Fall is also a great time to experiment with new recipes for soups or casseroles! It seems easier to implement meal plans once you are back in the swing of school because your routine is more set than in the summer. For more on this, see “Back to School Routine for Kids and Moms Too”.

So, bring out the slow cooker and instant pot and start whipping up some heartier meals to go with football games and tailgating.

If you are looking for the perfect pumpkin spice latte recipe, try this copycat version from Yummly for Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte! You can make it at home for a fraction of the price.

Embrace Fall Hygge

What is Hygge? Hygee is by definition “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture)”.

Start by staying warm and comfortable. As the cooler weather hits and the temperature starts to drop, make sure to dress in layers. (Isn’t this where the whole “sweater weather” idea came from?)

Keep your home cozy and build out your “nest”. If you think of your home as your refuge from the world, especially when the weather gets cold and rainy, then you will want to make sure you have the following handy to help you feel warm and comfortable.

Here are some ideas of things to have for Fall Hygge:

• Pillows
• Blankets
• Seasonal decorations – living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
• Favorite Movie or TV Show or other Entertainment – Video Games, Music or Books
• Favorite Fall Drink – stock up on the hot chocolate, tea, and coffee (pumpkin spice or not – up to you)
• Comfy PJ’s
• Cozy Robe and Slippers

Get Ready for Sweater Weather and Switch Out Your Wardrobe

One of my favorite things to do to get in the fall mindset is to switch out my summer clothes for my fall ones. Being able to put away the shorts and t-shirts, swim suits, cover-ups and flip flops for the more substantial outfits of fall is a good thing in my book. While I love summer, I have to say that fall has the best clothes!

If you have never done a seasonal swap for your clothes, there are instructions for doing it here with this closet cleanout. Some items you are going to want to make sure are in good shape and fit you are:

• Jeans
• Sweaters
• Hoodies
• Jackets
• Boots – short or tall
• Sneakers
• Long sleeve tops (or short sleeves and use layers)
• Scarves
• Accessories
• Warm PJ’s and Slippers

One great source for finding fall clothes (or for any of the seasons for that matter) is Outfit Formulas. They can help you create a capsule wardrobe for the fall by using closet staples and also some trendy items too.

Treat yourself for all the Fall Feels!

We all have different ideas of what a “treat” is for ourselves. In case it has been so long that you can’t remember what you might like as a treat, here are some more ideas:

Fall Treat Ideas:

• Feast on your favorite comfort food
• Buy yourself some flowers
• Do something that makes you happy
• Buy yourself a new fall outfit
• Get a manicure
• Treat yourself to your favorite dessert
• Get a massage to feel refreshed and rejuvenated
• Go see a movie
• Take a weekend trip

Don’t forget to pamper yourself every once in awhile! It’s important to show yourself some love and appreciation.

Importance of Fall Self-Care

Self care is important all year round, but it’s especially important to take care of ourselves in the Autumn season. You may have less energy (both physically and mentally) in the fall due to the change in seasons.

With the chilly weather and shorter days of fall, it can be easy to let self-care fall by the wayside. However, as you can see there are plenty of self-care activities that can be incorporated into your routine, no matter how busy you are.

And by taking care of ourselves we can help prevent mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Adding even a few of these self care activities into your routine can make a world of difference in your overall wellbeing this fall.

What is Your Favorite Autumn Self-Care Idea?

Fall is a wonderful time to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. Whether you’re spending time outside enjoying the crisp autumn air, cuddling up with a good book and a blanket, or taking some time for yourself, there are plenty of ways to savor this special season. These seasonal self-care tips are simple things that can have a huge impact on your mood.

Fall Self-Care Ideas – Free Printables

A fun way to keep track of all these ideas and create a checklist of things to do is to download the “40 Things to Do Autumn Self-Care Ideas” coloring sheets. (See below)

One is filled out with ideas for you to use as a checklist and the other is blank for you to fill in with your own ideas. Both can be colored with markers or colored pencils.

What’s your favorite way to practice self-care with the change of season and these autumn self care tips? Let us know in the comments below.

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