My Top Five Autumn Home Essentials

The most magical season is finally upon us! I personally begin dreaming of autumn during the smothering heat of mid-July. Typically, when I start voicing my desire for the crisp air and jewel colored foliage of October, my husband tells me to stop wishing my life away. He is a summer baby. Apologies to all of the summer babies out there, but we are now firmly in the time of autumnal goddesses, such as myself.

Autumnal goddess (noun): a person who embraces the coming of the most beautiful of the four seasons with intense satisfaction and incredible determination to experience all of the seasonal pleasures (e.g. seeing, eating, and drinking all of the pumpkin things, leaf peeping at every opportunity, wearing sweaters whilst consuming warm beverages out of doors, etc.).

My enthusiasm for this season tends to be exhibited all over my home as I begin my annual tradition of surrounding myself with the coziest of my possessions. I also tend to wander into shops I have no need of actually being in, only to peruse what seasonal sundries I can claim as my own to further my cozy home goals. When I walk through the grocery store and stumble upon yet another plethora of autumnal gourds, the phrase “treat yo’self!” plays on a loop in my mind. I convince myself that a cupcake dessert automatically becomes a muffin acceptable to eat for breakfast as long as there is pumpkin in it. I think you’re catching my drift…

If you have found yourself nodding in understanding while reading my seasonal truth, please take a moment to enjoy a sampling of my autumn necessities below.

Candles

I am a year-round candle loyalist. Truly, I have a borderline obsession. I typically go for soy candles with warming scents that aren’t too sweet. I have two favorites for this season and these scents paired with their pleasant candlelit glow will bring you all of the seasonal warmth you crave:

Mrs. Meyers Apple Cider Scented Soy Candle
Mrs. Meyer’s seasonal scented candles tend to always hit the mark for me. This candle is relatively inexpensive and has a really accurate apple cider scent. The aroma is warming, slightly spicy, with just a tiny hint of sweetness from the apples.

Sydney Hale Co. Eucalyptus Sage Scented Soy Candle
Sydney Hale Co. makes some of the most gorgeous small-batch scented candles around and they donate 10 percent of their profits to support animal rescue organizations. I buy this particular scent multiple times per year. The aroma is rich, warming, and just a bit smoky.

Blankets and Throws

The fluffy throw blanket: an essential for any true seeker of coziness. I enjoy neutral cream and gray toned ones for this time of year, although a tasteful plaid is never unwelcome. I dress my bed and my couch with these beauties because the draping of a warm blanket on my person at every opportunity is also one of my autumnal necessities.

Solid Faux Fur Bed Throw
The size of this throw is just plain luxurious.

Soft Corded Throw
The texture of this throw is beautiful and would be appropriate for other (less magical) seasons, as well.

Seasonal Items Found in Nature

You know what I’m talking about: pumpkins, gourds, acorns, etc. These essentials are undeniably the bread and butter of fall decor. Picking up pumpkins from a patch or garden center is a two for one fall activity and seasonal decor score.

Also, I have found myself really enjoying foraging for natural seasonal items, like acorns, to create inexpensive/free but beautiful decorations. More details on foraging for seasonal decor in a later post.

Homemade Baked Goods

I kick my baking game up a notch as soon as the fall equinox comes through. Few things compare with the scent of freshly baked cookies filling the house on a chilly day…and I am of the belief that if the cookies are made with almond butter it’s completely acceptable to eat a few with my morning coffee. What is fall if not a season of decadence, after all?

Feasting on Fruit’s Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is my absolute favorite cookie recipe of all time. These cookies are crispy with a chewy center and the almond butter base gives them a rich and complex flavor. They also happen to be vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar free (if you use Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips like I do). I make the tapioca flour version and I like to add walnuts to the mix and a bit of flaked sea salt to the top.

Minimalist Baker’s Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies
If you’re anything like me, you think of pumpkin pie often. However, I only tend to indulge in it once or twice a year because making a whole pumpkin pie outside of a major holiday seems excessive. Enter the mini pumpkin pie. The perfect sized treat to get your pumpkin pie on — any day, any time. You’re welcome.

A Calm and Cozy Corner

You don’t need to blow all of your dough (or any of it, for that matter) on autumn themed goods to experience the beauty of this season at home. I like focusing on one corner of my main living space, where I can create a calm and pretty pocket for myself to enjoy throughout the fall months. I shop my home (which is something I will go into detail about in a later post) and find things that I already have to create my seasonal space. I then proceed to pour my favorite seasonal beverage, get situated in my cozy corner, and savor the moment I took the time to make for myself…because I am a goddess and I deserve it.