One of my favorite ways to welcome fall is by returning to nightly rituals—or creating new ones. I develop different routines for each season, and autumn is the time I most enjoy ritualizing small, steady practices. It feels like reconnecting with an old friend and brings a comforting rhythm to my days.
Many of these practices are simple habits that truly serve me during the season, but I don’t always do them automatically. I have to be intentional and plan for success the evening before if I want my mornings to go smoothly.
As I mentioned in a recent piece about gratitude, preparing the night before makes it far easier to follow through on the things we want to do in the morning. Setting an intention in the evening sets your future self up to begin the day with calm and purpose.
I’ve had readers ask for more specifics about my morning intentions, and I plan to share a fuller post on that soon. For now, here are evening habits that help me rest well and wake up ready for fall mornings.
If your mornings feel hectic—whether because of kids, work, or just the general scramble—this excerpt from my book Dwelling may be useful. Creating more order in the evenings brings more peace, better sleep, and a calmer start to the day.
If you haven’t read Dwelling yet, it’s a gentle, practical book about how to care for yourself through mindful home routines. Heading into the cooler months, tending to our wellbeing in simple ways can make a big difference in how we feel. While we can’t control everything, we can shape many small things that support comfort and ease.
4 Ways to Treat Yourself Kindlier in the Evenings:
1. Focus on your essentials. Avoid overwhelming your evening with a long to-do list. Instead, choose a few key tasks that prevent morning chaos and complete them before bed.
Think of evening rituals as a thoughtful act of self-care for your future self—the person who will wake up tomorrow grateful for the small preparations you made tonight.
- Lay out your outfit for the next day, including undergarments, shoes, and accessories.
- Place a clean towel where you’ll find it for your morning shower.
- Set your slippers by the bed to warm your feet. Pack your lunch while you prepare the kids’ lunches.
- Premeasure coffee and set up the pot so you can brew quickly in the morning.
- Fill a water bottle and set it beside your bed so hydration is ready when you wake up.
2. Reset your kitchen. A quick kitchen tidy after dinner prevents lingering mess that will weigh on you the next day. If you can’t manage it yourself, enlist family help or give yourself a buffer by serving dinner a little earlier so cleanup is easier.
3. Prepare a peaceful mood. Clear clutter from your nightstand and remove anything that disturbs the calm of your bedroom. Turn on soft lamps at dusk to create a gentle transition toward night.
4. Put your mind at ease. Unload lingering tasks and plans by writing them down earlier in the evening so your mind can relax. Sip a warm cup of tea, avoid stress-inducing shows, and limit social media scrolling in favor of reading, quiet, or soothing music. Experts often recommend avoiding screens at least an hour before bed, since light from devices can interfere with sleep. Keep work and difficult conversations out of the bedroom so the space remains restful.
— excerpt from my book Dwelling
Bonus tip:
Choose an evening aroma that feels cozy and peaceful to you. I like using a diffuser with a calming essential oil blend each night. Lately I’ve been combining a few drops of different oils that create a woody, slightly sweet, citrusy scent—subtle and comforting. The minute the diffuser runs, the house feels calmer and it helps me settle for the evening.
Related Posts:
The Best Way to Start Your Day
Cozy fall morning routines (from last year’s fall nesting series)
8 Tips for a Tidy and Peaceful Bedroom
How to Have a Happier Home
Catch up on this year’s Fall Nesting series here!