Rainy days have their own special appeal because they’re the perfect opportunity to spend a cozy night in. When the weather doesn’t play ball, it gives up the ultimate excuse to stay indoors and find ways to amuse ourself. It’s comfortable AND cost effective!
There is, of course, the array of treatments that you can pamper yourself with ranging from face-masks to pedicures, running yourself a bath, and just enjoying a movie marathon. We’ve all probably been there, done that.
But before you get to it, I recommend you make sure your living space is ready for the night of ultimate relaxation. Because let’s be honest here, if there’s mess everywhere and things to do you can’t really relax, can you?
So, let’s get all the necessary tasks out of the way (and I mean necessary, not those big life goals etc., they can wait!) first. The point is for you to get properly cozy and feel all warmed up inside the way that a quick and forced facial routine could never make you feel. Let’s dig in!
Step 1: A quick clean up
Once you’re done with the day’s work, it’s time to do a quick run-through around the apartment. If you have a big house, the living room will do.
- Pick up all the excess mess (probably kitchen-ware) and put them in their rightful places
- Get a wet cloth and do a quick dust sweep on the coffee table and other necessary spaces
- No need to bother vacuuming unless your chosen chilling space is an absolute dump
As you can see, a quick clean up is all that is needed to get your cozy night in started. Next up, the most important aspect of the night:
Step 2: Cook / Prepare snacks
It’s not a proper cozy night in unless you can enjoy some good snacks or a good dinner. This can be the first event of your night in: cooking something that you really love.
As Paola from The Tiny Italian cooking classes says; we should always cook food that makes you feel good. So, if you can’t bring yourself to prioritise this every day, dedicate at least one day a week for this.
Make it special!
- Get you boyfriend/girlfriend involved or invite friends over and cook together.
- Try something new that you haven’t cooked before, this is your time to shine for yourself.
- Or stick to your favourite comfort food because nothing in the world beats that, right?
We all deserve a little treat every now and then anyway. So, why not treat yourself on that particular day when things are as gloomy as ever (hopefully only weather-wise) and have a proper cheat day from your usual healthy eating routine.
Step 3: Pour yourself a drink
Deliciousness isn’t only limited to food, it should also be considered in terms of drinks. No matter if you’re alcohol-free, wine lover or a whiskey connoisseur, the choice is yours.
For me, a cozy night in, especially when it’s pissing it down, wouldn’t be complete without a few glasses of good red wine. It warms you up just right on the inside and provides as taste experience that just calms one down. And as my mum discovered, it also relaxes the muscles, so do consider red wine if your neck or shoulders feel a bit stiff.
And why not get a bit fancy? You could even mix up a classic margarita with a Halloween twist — try adding a splash of blood orange juice for a spooky, delicious kick that everyone will enjoy.
Step 4: Choose the entertainment for the cozy night in
Now that all the preparations have been completed, it’s time to get into business. What is your chosen way to relax?
- Board game night with friends
- An evening reading a book and listening to music
- A movie marathon
- Some sort of a creative project, like scrapbooking, painting, etc.
Again, the choice is yours because it is your cozy night in. What would I go for? I’m a creature who loves routines and I tend to dedicate the cosy nights in for Friday evenings specifically.
And as I mentioned in the previous points, red wine is an essential part of my cosy night. After a quick clean up I usually snuggle up on a comfy couch to snack and enjoy my wine with a movie marathon. In the Autumn my favourites are of course Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings marathons.
Step 5: Make it a habit
A cozy night in shouldn’t just be something that you reserve some time for once or twice a year. No matter if you’re single or have family, you should make this a weekly or a monthly habit.
Having a routine to slow down and allow yourself to relax fully for one night regularly is an important part of self care. And without looking after yourself… well, we all know how that’s going to end.
So, make sure you do this regularly so that it forms into a habit. Then you’ll do it even without thinking about it, which enables the accumulation and promotion of positive mental health. Take into account, though, that forming a habit doesn’t happen overnight.
There are multiple studies that suggest that creating a habit can take from 18 days all the way to over 200 days. This obviously depends on your personal commitment to forming that habit. If you’re not committed, of course it’ll take you a year.
At which point you’ve already forgotten about the whole point of having a cozy night in once a week or a month… Don’t allow that to happen.
And there we have them: 5 steps to making sure you have the best evening stuck indoors! What do you think? Would you like to create a habit out of this? How would you spend a rainy day in? I’d love to hear your survival tips. One can never have too many ideas, right? ♥
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