5 autumn traditions to adopt this year
With the days starting to get shorter, I’m reluctantly preparing to say goodbye to summer and look forward to the autumn.
Here are five different traditions I’m adopting this year. Let me know if you’ll be joining in any with me, or if not, what your favourite traditions are at this time of year.
1. Collecting leaves
It’s a great time of year to wrap up warm and go for a walk. But to add to that, collecting leaves like you’re five again is such a fun thing to do. It really makes you appreciate the beauty of nature in a whirl of colours. It’ll be a while still before the leaves start to turn, but I love the inbetween time where you get all the different colours, from green to yellow to red.
2. Making a favourite seasonal recipe
With all the hot weather this year, I’m looking forward to some warming autumn and winter classics coming back. I’m planning to stock my freezer with lots of batches of home cooked soups (I find pour-and-store bags perfect for storing and reheating them efficiently).
My favourite soup at this time of year is a classic potato and leek, with plenty of pepper and a side of crusty bread. Yum! Homemade soup is so quick and healthy to make, and then there’s no excuse not to eat well for lunch (or dinner).
3. Wardrobe switch out
This time of year is ideal for switching over your summer wardrobe to your autumn/winter wardrobe. Pack away all your summer clothes (vac seal bags are ideal for this), and get out your jumpers and boots.
It’s also wise to hold back some transition pieces, for example long sleeve tops and base layer leggings, so you can add or remove extra layers on top as needed.
I always arrange a set date for doing a wardrobe switch out as soon as the weather starts to turn cold. Don’t go off of dates, solstice, or what magazines/fashion advice tells you – wait until the temperature itself drops. You don’t want to be stuck with winter clothes in a random autumn heat wave!
4. Transitioning to autumnal home decor
This is kind of the home equivalent of changing your wardrobe for the season! What I’m planning to do is make little focal points around the house using things like pine cones, conkers, rustic ornaments and small photo frames. This will not only make the house look good, but it will start to smell more autumnal, too (with extra help from essential oils!).
I think these extra touches will help the house feel more homely and ready for the transition to winter and Christmas decorations. I’m also looking forward to open fires and lots of books.
5. Stencilling
This is a bit of a wild card, but I’ve wanted to get into stencilling properly after doing some pumpkin stencilling as a pre-carving step. I love the idea of upcycling furniture by adding some traditional stencil designs, and I’d love to play around with lamp shades too.
For me this is the perfect stay-at-home craft, so I’d love to hear if you’ve tried it out (or been tempted to!)