A Cosy Guide to Autumn: The Seven Day Challenge.
NOTE ON THE SPELLING: I am aware that in America Cosy is spelled Cozy. The amazing author is from Buckinghamshire, England and out of respect I will not change it in this article.
Cosy Autumn’s Seven Day Challenge
You have heard of the work out challenge, the saving money challenge, but have you heard of the cosy challenge?
Melanie Steele explains in her book how she gets cosy and ready for autumn in her Cosy Autumn: A Seasonal Guide. She challenges us to add something to our lives that makes us feel cozy. In doing so this may help us get ready for autumn. Check out the blog article here.
With temperatures being in the high 90’s and 100’s here in Texas. I am so ready for autumn. I love wearing a soft sweater or hoodie and enjoying a small walk around the block. The air smells different when one isn’t feeling the skin actually burn. So, curiosity had me wondering “ How do I get things more cosy around my home?”.
Day 1 (Monday)
I started my challenge on a Monday. My thought process is that it would be easier to remember and not feel to heavy to keep up with. I reread the Cosy Autumn: A Seasonal Guide. I made a list of things I actually wanted to do. I made a promise to myself that if I stick to this seven-day cosy challenge, I will reward myself. Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone? Just kidding, I learned how to make pumpkin spice flavoring so I can have it year-round.
Day 2 (Tuesday)
I shifted my wardrobe around. I moved my clothes around for the season. Digging out my sweaters and hoodies to add to the wash pile make sure they don’t smell stagnant. (I love the smell of clean clothes.) Moving clothes that no longer fit or serving a purpose to donate or recycle. Enjoyed a cup of coffee and removed garbage from my closet, bedroom, and bathroom.
Day 3 (Wednesday)
I picked another room to declutter. 5 minutes at a time throughout the day. This helped me stay focused on decluttering before trash day and not feel trapped in a room. I don’t want to overwhelm myself and discontinue this challenge. By having a goal of filling one trash bag I feel like I completed something. I can see that I removed stuff from my home. Celebrate by taking a photo, throwing trash away and bringing the trash to the curb.
Day 4 (Thursday)
Bring donation bags to donation locations. Do not let them sit in the car for weeks on ends. Celebrate by getting a cup of coffee after completing.
Day 5 (Friday)
Make a hot chocolate buffet bar. By this I mean I put 1 packet of hot chocolate in front of the cups. Make my own with coconut milk and dairy free chocolate. Top it with whip cream and marshmallows and watch movies in the evening. Our family loves Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire. Maybe watch a “grown up” movie (anything that isn’t a cartoon and rated above PG).
Day 6 (Saturday)
Go out and enjoy the weather. Saturdays there is always an event or market to visit. I always enjoy visiting the Pearl. Or maybe we will get to the pumpkin patch this year. I have to be realistic with setting goals for this seven-day challenge. I am not going to do it, if it causes me stress.
Day 7 (Sunday)
Celebrate with my homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte. We have made it to day seven! Fill and take out the garbage bag. Make a fall favorite recipe. Go to sleep and enjoy being wrapped up in my cosy clean blankets.
Overall Experience
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Melanie Steele’s Cosy Autumn: A Seasonal Guide. I mainly used this seven day challenge to help me stay focused on cleaning and downsizing while maintaining my sanity. We have a possible move coming up and quite frankly I hate the process. It gave me a sense of accountability because I wanted to complete this challenge as an experience in conjunction with the opportunity of reading Melanie’s book. I felt I would be doing a disservice had I not completed the challenge. Melanie makes a great point in her book; autumn brings cooler temperatures, and one may want to stay inside versus braving the weather. Why not get your home ready for the cooler months?