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I like to consider September as a smooth begin to fall. When the primary of the month hits, our cravings orient towards all issues cozy: blankets, socks, heat drinks, and actions to assist us profit from the transition indoors. However October? She’s fall in full bloom. By the point the month rolls round, the air is crisp, the leaves have turned, and the rhythm of every day life feels each steadier and cozier. In any case, I’m so glad I dwell in a world the place there are Octobers. Aren’t all of us?
October is the month for soup simmering on the range, candles burning in any respect hours, and sweaters pulled out of storage. It’s additionally when the whole lot appears to hurry up—college in full swing, the vacations on the horizon—which is strictly why I like making an intentional listing of issues to do in October. Consider it much less as a to-do, and extra as a mild invitation to pause, savor, and absolutely expertise this season.
Featured picture from our interview with Sophie Collins by Christie Graham.
Small Reminders for an Inspiring October
That can assist you lean into October, we’re weaving in a couple of extras this month—like a journal immediate for reflection, a favourite learn from our Substack, and one in every of our editors’ seasonal picks. Light reminders to decelerate, discover inspiration, and convey just a little magnificence into the on a regular basis.
A mild nudge: What’s one ritual you might add to your October evenings that might make them really feel extra restorative?
From Respiration House: In “Why Some People Seem Lucky”, Camille unpacks how discernment, presence, and openness typically get mistaken for luck—and the way noticing the small, sudden moments can shift how we dwell.
Editor’s Choose: “I couldn’t be more excited for soups, chilis and casseroles this fall, and I can’t wait to get even more use out of my Dutch oven! I love mine from Sur La Table, it’s a workhorse that doesn’t break the bank. I also make homemade bread in it every week—I’d be lost without it!” – Kristen Garaffo, Design Editor
31 Issues to Do in October to Have fun the Season
Forward, we’re sharing our favourite issues to do in October that can assist you dwell this month to the fullest. Seize your favourite sweater and a mug of one thing heat—issues are about to get cozy.
October 1-5
1. Deal with your self to a comfy fall candle. Is there a greater season for candles? We expect not. I’m presently obsessive about Voluspa’s Spiced Pumpkin Latte (it’s a step up from the essential, ubiquitous scent) and the Blonde Hinoki scent from P.F. Candle Co.
2. Do a fall pores and skin reset. Cooler climate requires additional care. A fall skincare refresh doesn’t should be sophisticated—you’re 9 straightforward, however luxurious steps away out of your best-ever fall pores and skin.
3. Transition your breakfast for fall. Ayurveda teaches us to lean into grounding, warming meals when temps drop. Strive pumpkin in a single day oats or a bowl of kitchari for a comfy, nourishing begin.
4. Go apple choosing and whip up a batch of apple cider. Apple season peaks early, so make this a first-week precedence. When you’re house together with your haul, simmer a pot of selfmade cider on the range—your complete home will scent like fall.
5. Shock a neighbor with some baked items. Pumpkin spice cookies, apple crisp, or perhaps a batch of muffins—seasonal treats are such a candy strategy to unfold just a little October pleasure.
October 6-12
6. Swap up your telephone and pc backgrounds. A small change that makes an enormous distinction. Choose a picture that feels aligned with the way you need October to feel and look—or create a imaginative and prescient board on Canva that sparks pleasure everytime you open your laptop computer.
7. Deck out your entrance porch with fall decor. Pumpkins piled excessive are at all times a sure, however you don’t must cease there. Layer in lanterns, mums, and a comfy throw for an entryway that feels heat and seasonal with out making an attempt too exhausting.
8. Begin a guide membership with your folks. Being cozy doesn’t should be a solo exercise. Collect your girlfriends, open a bottle of wine, and dive into one in every of fall’s most-anticipated books. Bonus: pair it with a seasonal grazing board.
9. Heat up your home with some new fall throws. There’s nothing higher than curling up beneath a blanket when the temps dip. Goal (as at all times) has our favourite choices.
10. Bake pumpkin bread (the perfect one). There are 1,000,000 recipes, however we examined till we discovered our without end favourite. Save Camille’s pumpkin loaf recipe—it’s a basic you’ll come again to each October.
11. Host a chili cook-off. Our go-to? Candy potato and black bean chili—vegetarian-friendly and at all times successful. Invite buddies to convey their very own variations for an off-the-cuff cook-off, and crown a winner on the finish of the evening.
12. Go for a fall hike with buddies. Layer up, get exterior, and take within the leaves whereas they’re at their peak. Plan an early-morning path stroll with buddies, and reward yourselves with cider and pastries afterward.
October 13-19
13. Cook dinner a seasonal dinner. Let native produce information your menu. Suppose cozy pasta dishes or a easy roast hen with fall veggies. For inspo, try our favourite fall sheet pan recipes—they’re excellent for market-to-table cooking.
14. Put money into a comfy fall wardrobe. Suppose staples you’ll attain for all season: cozy knits, a basic trench, and boots that work for each errands and evenings out. Our fall capsule wardrobe is a good place to begin.
15. Practice for a 5K. Even in case you’re not a runner, signing up for an area race is such a enjoyable manner to absorb the crisp fall air. Apps like Sofa to 5K make the method really feel approachable (and dare we are saying… pleasant?).
16. DIY an unbelievable Halloween costume. Skip the last-minute scramble. Pull inspiration from our favourite Halloween costumes and get inventive with what you have already got in your closet.
17. Spend a weekend away at a cabin within the woods. There’s nothing dreamier than waking as much as fall foliage exterior your window. Whether or not it’s a tiny home a couple of hours away or a cabin within the woods, a fast journey is the perfect reset.
18. Go vintage procuring. Spend a Saturday wandering native outlets with a fall drink in hand. You’ll virtually at all times depart with one thing sudden (and completely charming).
19. Have a fall film marathon. Pile on the blankets and work via your must-watch listing. In case you want inspiration, bookmark our listing of the perfect films to stream this fall and begin checking them off.
October 20-26
20. Make s’mores at house. Who says you want a campfire? Layer graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows in a skillet and bake till bubbly. Bonus factors in case you combine in seasonal flavors—pumpkin spice chocolate, anybody?
21. Make a fall playlist. Some songs simply sound like autumn. For me, it’s Gregory Alan Isakov, José González, and Fleet Foxes. Press play everytime you wish to really feel instantly cozy.
22. Take up a knitting or crochet mission. Few issues really feel extra satisfying than working together with your palms because the climate cools. Begin with a newbie package, be a part of an area class, or just carve out time to make progress on a half-finished mission.
23. Have a weekly strolling date. It’s such a simple strategy to join with a buddy whereas getting recent air. Maintain it easy: choose a neighborhood loop, convey a heat drink, and let the dialog unfold.
24. Plan a fall date. Swap dinner-and-a-movie for one thing seasonal. Strive apple choosing, cooking collectively, or working via our listing of cozy fall date concepts.
25. Spend a complete morning studying. As a substitute of compressing in a couple of pages earlier than mattress, block out a weekend morning only for books. Pair it with tea or espresso and let your self linger longer than regular.
26. Tailgate at a soccer sport. Bundle up, pack a cooler, and cheer in your favourite crew. Truthfully, the snacks would possibly simply be the perfect half.
October 27-31
27. Invite buddies over for a bonfire. There’s nothing like a night across the hearth with heat drinks and s’mores. Make it a potluck to maintain issues straightforward.
28. Make a fall-scented simmer pot. Fill your own home with the scent of autumn by simmering apples, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange slices on the range. It’s the best strategy to make a cold day really feel heat.
29. Do a puzzle evening. Collect your accomplice, household, or roommates for a night of puzzling. Placed on a fall playlist, pour mugs of cider, and let the gradual rhythm of puzzling turn out to be its personal sort of ritual.
30. Get forward on vacation playing cards. Earlier than the season will get too busy, order stationery and schedule a date for household photographs. Future you may be grateful for the top begin.
31. Carve pumpkins (and roast the seeds). Make an evening of it: carve pumpkins with buddies, then season and toast the seeds within the oven. Salty, crunchy, and the proper Halloween snack.
This submit was final up to date on October 1, 2025, to incorporate new insights.
