Football is on, the temperatures are dipping, and Halloween décor is on the shelves. Yes — fall is back! If you’re having a hard time getting into the autumn spirit after sunny summer days, use these 6 tips.
1. Make Seasonal Swaps
Wondering how to get into the fall mood? Start by making a few swaps in your home environment. From your closet to your kitchen, making a few simple exchanges could be all you need to jumpstart autumn vibes.
Stash away your bikinis and board shorts in favor of cozy cashmere crewnecks. Take stock of your closet and donate items you no longer love. Then, push your summer items to the back and organize your drawers to make space for your fall favorites.
This season is all about snuggling up and settling in. Create the perfect place to nest and rest by replacing your light summer quilt and sheet set with a plush-down comforter and flannel sheets.
The swaps don’t stop there! Scent is one of your most powerful memory triggers. If you’re looking to get into the fall spirit, now’s the time to start reaching for fall-inspired flavors and scents — think pumpkin spice, cinnamon, warm vanilla, or crisp apple. Pull out your favorite fall recipes and enjoy the tastes and textures of the season. You’ll be feeling all the fall warm-and-cozies in no time.
2. Cocoon Your Home
Summer brings with it sunscreen-soaked days capped off by late-night barbecues. Or, perhaps, shuttling the kids to and from activities. But after the summer pool days and beach escapades subside, it’s time to prepare for a seasonal transformation. But how exactly can you get in the fall mood and prepare for the changing of the seasons?
Stary by cocooning your home. In nature, a cocoon is a safe environment that can provide comfort and isolation — all while providing its inhabitant with the proper conditions for transformation.
You can create your own cocoon at home by embracing cozy blankets, dreamy mood lighting, meditative sounds, stress-relieving scents, or familiar flavors. Essentially, you’ll need to gather everything that gives you “feel-good vibes” and turn your space into the ideal place for a little R&R. After all, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season will be here before you know it!
3. Embrace Warm Fall Hues
Once the leaves start changing color, it’s time for your seasonal decor and wardrobe to follow suit. Get in touch with the shifting seasons by adorning your home — and yourself — with a fall-inspired color palette. Shy away from crisp high-saturation shades and embrace muted earthy hues that mimic your surroundings. Not sure where to start? Popular fall shades include burnt pumpkin orange, cinnamon red, marigold yellow, moss greens, and chocolate brown.
4. Go “Back to School Shopping”
Remember the excitement of picking out a new backpack ahead of the start of classes? Or determining which color folder best matches each subject? Get excited about the fall season by taking advantage of seasonal sales and embracing the concept of back-to-school shopping — even if your days in the classroom are far behind you.
Channel your inner child and reward yourself with a handful of new fall clothing items, new home office supplies, a new lunchbox or work bag. Don’t need to stock up on fall essentials? Treat yourself with new hobby supplies or a few self-care items. (We won’t judge if you can’t resist picking up a few pieces of Halloween decor, either.) With your new goods in hand, you’ll be motivated and excited to take on the cooler weather and shorter days ahead.
5. Form a Few Fall Checklists
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as striking through one of your “to-dos.” So, why not get organized and prepare for the season ahead by compiling a fall checklist (or three)?
Fall Maintenance
Start by outlining any home maintenance tasks you’ll need to complete this fall. For example, you may need to prepare your home for cooler weather by cleaning the gutters, swapping out your air filters, planting bulbs in the garden, closing up the pool, or purchasing mothballs for your closet.
Holiday Prep
Whether you’re preparing to entertain in your home or head off on a cross-country road trip to visit family, the holidays will sneak up faster than you think. Create a list of those you need to buy holiday gifts for early and start shopping now. The earlier you start, the easier it’ll be on your wallet and your nerves — nobody likes the pressure of completing a last-minute gift run. If you’re planning on hosting, make a list of your must-have ingredients and anything else you think you’ll need, whether that be décor, extra flatware, or the perfect fall place settings and tablescape décor.
Fall Fun
Not all fall checklists have to be so practical. Plan out all the fun things you’re hoping to accomplish this autumn and outline them in a checklist! Perhaps you want to head out for a cool fall-weather hike in the woods, plan a bonfire with friends, visit your local orchard for apple picking, don lederhosen at an Oktoberfest celebration, or cheer on your alma mater at a football game. Outlining and prioritizing your favorite fall activities is sure to get you in the autumn spirit — and ensure you don’t miss out on all the fun and festivities.
6. Set Your Seasonal Intentions & Goals
Each season presents a new opportunity to embrace change — and to create the life you desire. Spend some time setting goals and thinking about what you’d like to accomplish this autumn, whether that’s learning how to code, getting in an extra 10 minutes of stretching in the evening, saving cash by cooking rather than ordering out, or by honing your creativity in a painting event.
The start of a new season is the perfect time to dream big and create goals for yourself in all areas of your life: both professional and personal. No matter what intentions you’ve set for this season, you can use the SMART goal method (that means creating goals that are sustainable, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) to pave a path towards success. With your new goals in place — and a plan for how to get from point A to B — you’ll step confidently into autumn.
Get Fall-Ready With Painting with a Twist
It’s time to spice up your creative side! Head into your local Painting with a Twist to create a one-of-a-kind piece of autumn-inspired decor and strengthen your creative abilities. Gather your nearest and dearest or make new friends at one of our fall painting events. Under the guidance of one of our talented instructors, you’ll paint, sip, and enjoy the ultimate autumn experience, all while creating an art piece that adds to the fall aesthetic of your home.
Ways to Get Happy & Channel Joy This Holiday Season
It would be nice if everything felt merry and bright 24/7 during the most special time of year… but in the real world, that’s not always the case! In fact, with the holidays rapidly approaching, it might be easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Instead, check out these simple ways to channel joy and get happy this holiday season!
Make a gratitude list daily.
Despite the magic of the holidays, this season often has a way of making us acutely aware of what we think we’re missing. Questions from old hometown friends can make you suddenly second guess your career path, while a social media feed full of smiling couple photos can make you feel painfully single.
But instead of dwelling on what you think you lack, focus on what you have! Every day, make a quick mental list of what you’re thankful for — it can be as big as your healthy family, or as small as the peppermint latte you just got.
Move your body!
One of the greatest aspects of the holidays is the abundance of delicious and festive food and drink. It’s also the perfect time to watch holiday movies and lounge around. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging, it can actually wind up making us feel a little cranky!
Making it a priority to move your body a little every day, whether it’s a hardcore boot camp class or a sunny stroll around the neighborhood with your family, can do wonders to boost your mood and maximize your happiness.
Focus on the things that really matter.
This can be tricky, because sometimes it feels like everything matters. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or completely stressed out, ask yourself, “Will this particular thing matter in five years?” For example, burning that holiday dinner side dish you worked so hard likely won’t matter in five years. However, making time to connect with your extended family over the other unburned dishes certainly will! Food, gifts, decorations, and the other little details aren’t as important as the relationships and memories you make!
Prioritize new experiences over new things.
While it’s tempting to spoil the people you love with elaborate gifts (and toss out a few clever hint hints about the gifts you’d like in return), the real joy of the holiday season can often be found in the special experiences!
Make it a goal to do something completely new with the people you love, whether that’s enjoying a festive painting event at Painting with a Twist, exploring a new snowy hiking path, or hosting a holiday-themed trivia night. Those experiences may become your favorite stories, while most gifts eventually collect dust.
Make sure to schedule downtime.
Perhaps you feel overwhelmed this time of year because you want to do it all: the Pinterest-inspired crafts, the elaborate recipes, the flawless home décor, the parties, the traditions, the list goes on.
But while you’re crafting your merry schedule and your jolly to-do list, make sure to schedule in a little bit of TLC and rest time for yourself! Take a nap. Spend a day doing nothing. Order takeout instead of cooking. Go to bed early. In other words, don’t forget about those gifts for yourself!
Scratch the idea of making everything “perfect.”
It can be easier said than done, but one of the easiest ways to get happy during the holidays is to simply accept that things will be imperfect… and that’s half the fun! Little ones may not cooperate for photos, gifts may be back-ordered, and you might not be able to see everyone you love. Some things will inevitably go wrong. Laugh it off, and remember that a little bit of chaos makes life fun!
Channeling joy doesn’t have to be a challenge. It can be as easy as changing your expectations or giving yourself some creative space – like joining a painting event at Painting with a Twist! Take a break from the holiday rush, grab a glass of wine, and grab a seat at your local studio to let your inner creativity flow.
Fun Ways to Beat the Winter Blues
The winter blues are TOTALLY a thing—whether we want them to be or not. Short days and cold nights can easily kill your motivation and leave you feeling just plain blah. There’s a name for these melancholy feelings: seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD for short. SAD tends to affect women at a higher rate, and it can take a serious toll on your work and life if it’s left unaddressed.
Since we can’t hibernate for three months (lucky polar bears!), it’s important to stay ahead of this seasonal slump with proactive self-care. Ready to beat the winter blues and reclaim your good vibes? Read on!
Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms
While no one is 100% sure of the cause of seasonal affective disorder, according to WebMD, some scientists believe it’s linked to changes in hormones that happen in tandem with changing seasons. It’s normal to feel a bit different in your mind and body as the seasons change each year, but how do you know the difference between a one-off bad day and an actual bout of seasonal affective disorder? Check out the Mayo Clinic’s list of classic symptoms of seasonal affective disorder below:
- Depressed feelings for days or weeks at a time
- Low energy
- Trouble sleeping
- Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Feelings of lethargy, hopelessness, or worthlessness
- Changes in appetite or fluctuations in weight
Sound familiar? If you’re having a few of these seasonal affective disorder symptoms, it’s time to start fighting the winter blues.
How to Treat SAD and Cure Winter Blues
First things first—if you’re experiencing prolonged depression, it’s always a good idea to speak with a doctor or therapist. Once you know you’re not dealing with something that needs professional or medical attention, fighting the winter blues is as easy as bringing more fun and action into your life! Here are a few ideas to cure winter blues:
1. Get moving.
It’s no secret that exercise is good for your physical health, but it can also boost your mental state! Exercise releases endorphins, which can help to elevate your mood and give you a sense of overall well-being. Sunlight can help SAD symptoms, too, so exercise outside or near a window whenever possible.
2. Try some mind-body integration techniques.
Sometimes, the winter blues can make you feel disconnected from your own feelings—almost as if you’re just going through the motions of life. Keep yourself grounded and engaged in your life with mind-body practices, such as meditation, mindfulness exercises, breathing techniques, or even yoga (a dual-purpose activity, since it gives you a dose of exercise, too!).
3. Be social.
When experiencing winter blues, you might only want to curl up under a blanket and sleep. But actually, doing the opposite is far more beneficial! Join a group exercise class at a nearby gym, or book a paint and wine night where you and your friends can laugh the night away (like exercise, the Mayo Clinic reports laughter is proven to boost your mood). Yes, you’ll have to put on real pants (or not, we won’t judge!) and leave the couch, but we promise—the memories and social time will make leaving your blanket fort worthwhile.
Find Painting Events Near You for A Mid-Winter Pick-Me-Up
We may not be able to stop winter from happening, but we can help you avoid the sad feeling it sometimes brings with it! Fighting the winter blues can be as simple as spending time with those you love and practicing a fun new skill in a relaxing environment. Find nearby painting events for an unforgettable winter outing at Painting with a Twist. Don’t forget the wine!
5 Ways to Cure the Winter Blues
Staying active, eating chocolate and getting a little art therapy goes a long way!
Let’s face it, the arctic weather this year has taken a toll on all of us. (Is it flip flop season yet?!) I’ll speak on behalf of all women out there that we could all use a little renewal this spring to cure the winter blues. We got you, girl. Check out some ways we’ve found to Spring into Joy below!
1. Get Outside!
When the weather starts to warm up and the ice starts melting, go outside and soak it in! Or at least open the windows! Take a walk, bring the kids to the park, go have a picnic. The much-needed dose of Vitamin D can certainly boost your mood!
2. Healthy Diet & Exercise
Grab your
3. Get Together with Friends
Keep your social life active. Enjoy a night out with girls for food and drinks or some art therapy! Did you know that painting can relieve stress, encourage more creative thinking, build self-esteem and create an overall healthier state of mind. Pairing WINE with PAINT — we may be biased but it’s the perfect combination to de-stress and feel rejuvenated!
4. Cross Something Off Your To-Do List
The never-ending To-Do list… don’t let it be never-ending. Cross something off! It’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your mood. It can be something little like organize a junk drawer (we all have them!) or something bigger like “Marie Kondo-ing” your closet. Just get something done so you can put a big check mark next to it. It’ll bring you joy! 
5. Plan Something to Look Forward To
Whether it’s planning your next date night or girls’ night or a big vacation, start a Pinterest board with some ideas. The planning process, itself, will boost your mood!