Thinking about fun things to do by yourself in autumn? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
As someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) being comfortable in my own company is essential. In the Autumn I often have no choice because I simply don’t have the energy to leave the house.
So, if you’re like me, or are looking for inspiration just for the sake of it, let’s enjoy this season even while on our own!
Even though we never know what the weather might be like, Autumn is a wonderful season to enjoy the outdoors. There we can engage in activities that keep you both physically active and mentally refreshed. But as I said, sometimes leaving the house simply isn’t an option, so I’ll cover some indoor activities as well.
And no, these are not the traditional kinds of suggestions. We do things differently here. So, here are 15 ideas for things you can do by yourself to stay active and happy during the autumn months:
15 Things to do by Yourself in the Autumn
Especially for people in their 30’s and over, life can get quite busy for us and the people around us. Sometimes (read: quite often) we find ourselves having to fend for ourselves, especially if you’re single, which is when it’s good to have some ideas of things to do by yourself in Autumn.
- Find photo props on nature walks
The most obvious thing that everybody will suggest to you for things to do by yourself in Autumn are nature walks and hikes. And sure, I definitely recommend them! But let’s add another level to it:
While exploring local parks, nature reserves, or forest trails use the colourful foliage to spark creativity. Bring a camera to capture the beauty of the changing leaves and collect photo props to take home with you. There you can spend a couple joyful hours taking autumn flatlay photos.
- Leaf pile jumping
Autumn provides us opportunities to let the inner child loose. And one of the best bits are the fallen leaves that we can rake up into a pile and then jump into!
Fuck always having to be an adult (whatever that means… I’ve actually never met one)! Instead, embrace the fact that it’s your life and you can live it exactly as you wish. And if that means jumping into leaf piles, then you’re gonna bloody well jump into leaf piles!
- Go on a walking tour in your own city
We never do any touristing in the cities we live in, right? Well, here’s your chance to break that pattern! And for the sake of things to do by yourself in Autumn, let’s add a twist to this:
Find a spooky walking tour or a haunted house/castle in your area to go explore.
- Gardening / House plants
This is an option that you have an indoors and outdoors option for. Just because the reality is that we don’t all live in houses with massive gardens available.
If you do have a garden, Autumn is a good time to prepare it for winter.
- Plant bulbs for spring flowers
- rake leaves
- start a compost pile.
And if you don’t have a garden, you probably have some house plants you can give some extra loving to. If not, go shopping for some! They will need repotting, singing to and dusting every now and then.
- Redecorate your home
Just like for the Summer version, for things to do by yourself in Autumn I suggest a seasonal amp-up for your home. Not necessarily redecorating everything from top to bottom, but subtle seasonal changes.
One of the best aspects of Autumn are the vibrant colours it brings with it. The yellows, oranges and reds bring a nice lift to your home decór while days get shorter and darker.
- Autumn picnics
When the weather allows, pack a healthy lunch and head to a park for an autumn picnic. We should definitely go outdoors whenever possible, especially if you live in the Northern hemisphere. Soon it’ll be near-impossible…
All you need for this activity is
- a blanket
- a book
- maybe a portable speaker for some background music
- and enjoy the peacefulness of the season.
- Visit a local autumn food festival
Okay, this is mainly for my European readers, I’m not sure how much of this applies to, for example, the US. But of course some of the things to do by yourself in Autumn have to revolve around food and drink.
Autumn is the time for all sorts of food-related festivities. And I’m not just talking about apple-picking and visiting pumpkin patches. I mean traditional events like wine tasting festivals that are arranged all around Slovakia and Czech Republic.
In addition to serving produce from the local vineyards the cuisine in these festivities revolves around duck and cabbage dishes. Most European countries have their own Autumn food festivals, so find one close to you and go check it out.
- Journaling or scrapbooking
Spend some alone time in a bubble of your very own while journaling or creating a beautiful Autumn spread on your scrapbook. You could utilise what you found in the woods on your nature walks.
Create a cosy spot for this activity, regardless of whether it’s indoors by a window with a view or outside in a park.
- Learn to cook a new recipe
Autumn is the season for warm, comforting foods, right? And after a busy summer many of us are glad for some time for ourselves. So, for things to do by yourself in Autumn, why not try and cook something new for a change?
Something seasonal like pumpkin curry, apple pastries (other than apple pie), or something inspired by the best vegetables that the season has to offer. It’s fun AND satisfying for the body and soul.
- Re-invent your personal style
Autumn is also a great time to get creative with your wardrobe. While you’re piling away all the Summer clothes, take a proper look through all of your Autumn/Winter wear. Obviously put aside everything you have no intention of wearing anymore.
And with the remaining pieces you can create completely new outfits by mixing and matching pieces you never thought to mix before. This is called shopping your wardrobe and it’s free.
- Go bird watching
Now, hear me out! Since we’re talking about things to do by yourself in Autumn, we can’t ignore such a trendy activity.
Autumn is a brilliant time for bird watching as many species migrate to climates most of us can only dream of. So, grab a pair of binoculars and a guidebook, and see how many different birds you can spot.
- Volunteering
The things to do by yourself in Autumn don’t always have to be about you alone. We can add a charity element to it as well.
Look for local volunteer opportunities, such as helping out at a food bank, cleaning up parks, or assisting at an animal shelter. Volunteering is a fulfilling way to stay active and give back to your community.
- Exploring Farmers’ Markets
This season is the best time to visit local farmers’ markets to buy fresh, seasonal produce. And no, you don’t always have to do what everybody else is doing and go to that overcrowded pumpkin patch. Instead, you could opt for a small independent farm with animals and support them.
Walking around a farm is a nice way to stay active during this time of year, and you can find inspiration for new recipes and creative projects.
- Take on a social media challenge
In case your weekends look threateningly empty, one of the fun things to do by yourself in Autumn is to challenge yourself. And a nice way to do that is to take on a social media challenge of some sort.
Whether it’s a challenge about knitting a scarf, reading books, dressing according to a changing theme every day, you get to choose. Obviously aim for something that you love to do to ensure it brings joy to your days.
- Drink & Draw events
Last but definitely not least we have an event that guarantees a good time. And it also provides you with company! Find a drink & draw event near you and meet interesting people while painting and sipping wine.
For those who aren’t familiar with this concept, Drink & Draw events are usually events where you pay a fee in return for painting equipment and wine. Then you sit down and paint with other people in a jolly atmosphere.
Final Thoughts
Even though this list is about things to do by yourself in Autumn it doesn’t mean you’d have to be alone.
While each of these activities helps you to stay active and enjoy the beauty of autumn, many of them also offer opportunities to meet new people and even find friends. And some of the suggestions are focused around offering you moments of peace and happiness by yourself.
