How to bring the autumn inside

Autumn is a wonderful time of year when everyone brings out woollen scarves and starts drinking hot chocolate. However, it can also mean unpleasant weather, slippery pavements and other hazards for older people who wish to get out and about. This is especially difficult for those who already struggle with limited mobility as often public disabled bathrooms are closed off-season or have shorter opening hours.

However, there are many ways to feel seasonal without having to brave the great outdoors. Reading prose or poetry set at this time of year is one way to stir up autumnal feelings.  Alternatively, crafts that can be done with young relatives or decorations can make any room ready for autumn. See the different ways to bring autumn inside below. 

Eating local and seasonal food is not only cheaper, it is more environmentally friendly and is a great way to feel connected to your area. Autumn is a wonderful time for food as many harvest festivals celebrate local bounty. Robust flavours make hearty stews or warming pastry-wrapped desserts make a perfect accompaniment to cooler weather.

Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli

Pumpkins may be associated with Halloween but they are an essential flavour of autumn. This recipe from Debs at the Wilde Orchard blog is enough to get anyone in the seasonal spirit. The rich flavour of the bacon combined with sweet pumpkin is a perfect balance. For those concerned about making their own pasta, use the flavours for inspiration, buy shop bought cannelloni and stuff them instead or layer lasagne sheets for your own interpretation.

Harvest stew with smoked sausage

For comfort in a bowl, this is a must-try recipe. Ingrid at The Cozy Apron creates a stew of autumn veg and spicy sausage that is perfect to batch cook and freeze for those long nights. Add dumplings or sop up the juices with a hunk of bread for a filling and warming dinner.

Getting outside might be tricky but there are lots of activities people can do at home to get them in the mood. While going outside and leaving a well-heated home may seem unappealing, it is easy to bring autumn home (or at least outside the window).

Bird Feeders

At this time of year, the birds will be having a last-minute scrounge before winter properly sets in. Watching their comings and goings is a wonderful pastime and encouraging them to feature outside a window will give people the perfect view of this breathless activity. Making a bird feeder or fatballs is easy and fulfilling, or alternatively, shop-bought versions can be hung at strategic places around the garden.

For those looking to make their own bird feeders, Catherine at Growing Family has an easy recipe that makes safe and nutritious offerings. Make sure bird feeders are hung well above the ground and away from predators, especially if there are cats nearby.

Seasonal Scents

The sense of smell is the most closely linked to memory and is very successful at conjuring up emotional responses. One way of ensuring someone is in the mood is with scent and there are lots of different ways of bringing this into the home. Though many people enjoy scented candles, they can be a fire hazard, so a safer way to introduce scent into your home is with these soaked pinecones.

Like seasonal potpourri, they give off the scent of choice, and with so many pine cones around, they are easy and cheap to make.  

Decorating the home may seem like a tradition strictly related to Christmas, but a couple of splashes of colour brings the season inside. Though shop or florist bought decorations are available, many people enjoy making them themselves.

Autumn Wreath

An Americanism that is making its way across the pond are wreaths that reflect the time of year. While a spring wreath may be full of fresh greenery and buds, the autumn equivalent expresses rusty colours and hips and acorns. Instructions for a pretty wreath that would look perfect on any front door are available at the Purple Pumpkin Blog and Michelle explains why she loves this decoration and time of year:

“Autumn is such a wonderfully colourful season with the changing colours of the leaves from green to golden brown, rusty oranges, and vibrant reds. They are so warm and inviting, and I love to make autumn wreaths to decorate our home. Using a pre-bought grapevine leaf, some ribbon, and faux leaves, constructing a wreath is a fairly simple task - especially if the leaves are on a wire as you can entwine them through the wreath and there is no need for hot glue. It's also nice to embellish with other autumnal decorations like faux toadstools, berries, acorns etc. It's a lovely creative project that can be as simple or complex as you wish.”

A pinecone garland

Readily available, pinecones are fantastic when it comes to decoration. A garland is perfect for both autumn and Christmas and this garland on the blog How to Decorate just needs a little fake frost (silver glitter) to take it to festive chic.

Though it is quite chunky, it can be easily used to decorate a table or dress a mantelpiece. Add pieces of dried orange or acorns if you can find them to make it more autumnal, or leave it plain as a versatile piece of indoor decoration. 

Image Credit:Sabrina_Ripke_Fotografie, WimdeGraaf,