The Art of Staying In: Everything You Need for a Cozy Fall Night

There comes a point every fall when staying home on a Friday night suddenly sounds better than almost anything else. Last weekend, we spent it ala Friday Night Lights at the Michigan State opening football game. Tailgating, an 8pm kick-off, Taco Bell on the way home at 11p… ofcourse it was a blast but I’m a homebody and I’m looking forward to staying in this Friday evening.

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I love love LOVE the fact that it’s getting darker earlier. The setting sun is always a bit of a show-off in September and early October. I love to sit in our front porch rocker with a an apple or pumpkin cocktail and watch vibrant pinks and oranges drench the evening sky. Once fall really settles in, I find myself wanting fewer plans that require leaving the house and more nights involving comfortable clothes, something good to eat and absolutely nowhere I need to be. Summer evenings are always bursting at the seams with weekend activities. It’s nice to slow down once Labor winks goodbye to those fun-at-all-costs days of sun.

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For me, the best cozy fall nights at home aren’t complicated. I don’t feel the need to completely transform my living room into over the top fall vibes (But I do love subtle nods to fall with a few key decor pieces found here) or buy an entire collection of pumpkin-shaped things. A few things that make the house feel warmer, something good to eat or drink, the comfiest loungewear and an actual plan for the evening can make staying home feel like you never even, for a second, wish that you had gone out.

Start With the Cozy Stuff

Obviously, we’re starting with a blanket. I like blankets that are actually big enough to use, which sounds like a very low bar but somehow isn’t. Look for oversized throws, washable knits, faux fur or soft fleece that can live on the sofa all season. I do know that Lola Blankets are definitely having a moment!

This is also the time of year when I start pulling out the slippers, heavier pajamas and soft cardigans. If you’re putting together your own little fall-night-at-home uniform, I’d look for: the aforementioned oversized throw blanket, comfortable pajamas or loungewear, a soft cardigan or oversized sweater (really soft sweatshirts work, too!), joggers, slippers or cozy socks, a heating pad or heated throw and… a really REALLY good robe.

A few of my picks:

Turn Off the Overhead Lights

This may be my strongest opinion in this entire post. Nothing ruins a cozy night faster than a blazing overhead light. I LOATHE overhead lights. I even put a couple of lamps in my kitchen and try and use those more than the can lights we have over the counters and stove.

A cozy night in means setting the scene. Turn on the lamps. Light a candle. Bring out the little rechargeable lamps if you have them. Even a string of warm white lights tucked onto a bookshelf can completely change how a room feels at night. Fall is when I really appreciate having several smaller sources of light around the house instead of one bright one.

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A few things worth looking for are rechargeable table lamps, dimmable lamps, flameless candles, taper candles and candle holders, pretty matches and, of course, an actual fall candle. I’m partial to scents that make the house smell warm rather than aggressively like “fall.” Think amber, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla, fig, tobacco, apple or something slightly smoky. Note: you can get really good inexpensive rechargeable table lamps on Amazon and to dress them up a bit, think about a more expensive shade from somewhere like Mrs. Alice.

Make Something Good

A cozy night in deserves better than standing over the sink eating leftovers. Although I have certainly done that too. I feel like the term “girl dinner” annoys me but I like the concept. Just little bites of whatever suits your fancy. It doesn’t have to mean making an elaborate dinner. This is actually the perfect night for a big pot of soup, homemade pizza, a snack board or something you can put in the oven and mostly forget about.

And then there are the things that make an ordinary night feel a little more special: popcorn in an actual popcorn bowl, tea in your favorite mug with some really good speciality honey, warm apple cider with a splash of bourbon, a dessert you picked up earlier in the day. You don’t need any of it, obviously. But sometimes having the good mug or the giant popcorn bowl is part of the fun.

A Cozy Night In Doesn’t Have to Mean Just Watching TV

There’s nothing wrong with a Netflix marathon. Some nights that is exactly what I want (we are currently binging The Gentleman, Furious and Lioness). But I also think we’ve started treating “staying in” and “watching TV” as if they’re the same thing, when there are so many other ways to spend a quiet evening at home.

Pull out Scrabble or a deck of cards. We love to play Gin Rummy, ourselves. Start a puzzle and leave it on the dining room table for the weekend. Knit while listening to an audiobook. Read the book that’s been sitting on your nightstand for three months. Make something. Bake something. Invite another couple over and play games. I even started a paint-by-number and have been working on a book nook kit (if you know, you know). A night at home can still feel like an occasion. Sometimes you just need to decide what the occasion is.

Make Staying Home the Plan

There is something about fall that makes home feel particularly good. Maybe it’s because summer is so much about going somewhere. Trips, dinners outside, weekends away, concerts, sports, squeezing everything possible out of the long days. By September and October, I’m ready for home to become the destination again.

So make the soup. Turn off the overhead lights. Put on the pajamas earlier than is socially acceptable. Start the puzzle. Open the bottle of wine. Invite friends over for Scrabble or don’t invite anyone at all. Staying in doesn’t have to mean you couldn’t think of anything to do. Sometimes it’s the plan.

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