So I hadn’t intended on doing Blogtober – where you publish a post every day in October – but I arrived back from honeymoon excited to share some fun, new content and I’ve ended up blogging every day this month so far accidentally! I’m trying to keep things light, but also mixing up the content, having travel posts, fashion, pregnancy, interiors and more – whatever’s most inspiring me at that moment and whatever I feel like writing.
And one thing that’s massively inspiring me right now is autumn. For the first time, we’ve actually decorated for fall with new cushions and new faux flowers in vases on the mantlepiece (see picture above!). Yes, I know, I’m a stereotypical blogger because summer used to be my favourite season, but since starting full time work a few years ago, autumn has just seemed more appealing to me. Not being able to get out into the sunshine during heatwaves makes me sad, but autumn can be enjoyed with cozy nights in. So here are my top tips for the perfect autumn night in – things that you can do even on a work night.
Cook your favourite autumn meal
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather starts to get chilly, all I want to eat is stews, chillies and soups, as opposed to those light, fresh salads of summer. We’ve bought a few new cookbooks lately (when haven’t we?!) and one of those is Nick Knowles’ Proper Healthy Food which has been a bit of a surprise hit for us – this Borlotti Bean Minestrone was super tasty, felt like a good hearty warm meal and left me with plenty of leftovers for lunches and the freezer.
Bake a spiced apple cake
My parents had an excess of apples this year so we were gifted a huge bag full. Spiced apple recipes seem to have a very American “fall” feel to them – every time I come across a cinnamon or crisp apple scent, I can’t help but think of my favourite places in New England. They’re nostalgic, festive and warming, which makes them perfect for those nights where the light is drawing in and you’ve shut the curtains and got the heating on.
This spiced apple cake recipe by the Hairy Bikers had that perfect level of slightly sour, crisp apples with the hint of warming cinnamon and ginger, plus a sugary crunch on top. We baked it up after tea one evening earlier this week and it filled our house with the most delicious scent.
Light a candle
Hygge is the only way you can describe the sensations I’m talking about in this post – warm, cozy nights in with good food, dim lights and the curtains drawn. And you can’t achieve this without a good candle too. Our candle of the week is Hygge by Skandinavisk which was a birthday gift from my parents, described as having echoes of tea, baked strawberry cake, rose petals and wild mint – it’s heavenly!
Take a bath
After that commute home from work in the dark, whether you’ve bundled up in a coat and scarf against the rain, battled public transport or been crammed into your car for miles, there’s nothing better than getting home to a warm, relaxing bath. I was sent a lovely gift package from Sanctuary Bathrooms to help create my perfect night in which included my absolute favourite Lush bath bomb, along with a Yankee Candle, chocolate, moisturiser, bottle of bubbly (saved until after baby arrives!) and more. All you need to do for that perfect night in is create your own relaxing bath kit like this, light the candle, lock that bathroom door, lie back and relax.
Read your favourite book under a blanket
Snuggling up under a blanket to watch your favourite film is one wonderful way to spend a cozy night in, however if I can get Ben to sit down for a film, it would be a miracle! Instead, I’m happy to spend my evenings with a good book. At the moment, my week has been baby books – a bit of a change from my usual fiction!
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