There’s something about September that makes me want to make the most of the little things.
The mornings are cooler, the evenings are getting darker and there’s that unmistakable feeling that the seasons are beginning to shift. But I don’t think autumn needs to be all about rushing towards colder days and darker nights.
For me, it’s about enjoying that lovely in-between moment the last of the summer flowers, golden afternoons, crisp walks and the first proper cosy evenings at home.
So I thought I’d share a few of my favourite ways to make the most of it, from my go-to autumn drink to some simple ways I use fragrance to turn ordinary moments into little rituals.
🍂 Make an autumn walk part of your week
One of my favourite things to do at this time of year is simply get outside.
But here’s my little tip: don’t wait for a perfect autumn day.
Some of the best walks are on those slightly chilly, cloudy days when you can wrap up properly and come home ready for a hot drink.
I like taking a different route when I can, looking for the first changing leaves and noticing how the countryside changes from week to week.
And I always think the walk is only half of the ritual.
The best bit is coming home.
Shoes off. Comfy clothes on. Something warm to drink. Your favourite fragrance on.
That’s when the walk really becomes an autumn moment.
☕ My homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
I have to admit, I’m a big fan of a pumpkin spiced latte when autumn comes around.
But you don't need to head out and buy one every time you fancy it. This is the version I make at home.
My Pumpkin Spice Latte
You’ll need:
- 1 shot of espresso, or around 50ml strong coffee
- 200ml milk of your choice
- 1 tbsp pumpkin purée
- 1–2 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- A tiny pinch of ground ginger
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg
- A tiny pinch of ground cloves
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Whipped cream, if you're feeling indulgent
- A little extra cinnamon to finish
How I make it
Warm the milk gently in a saucepan, then whisk in the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla.
Don't let it boil you just want everything warm and beautifully combined.
Pour your coffee into your favourite mug, add the spiced milk and give it a good stir.
Then add whipped cream and another little sprinkle of cinnamon if you fancy.
My tip: Start with less spice and add more to taste. I like mine warming and aromatic rather than overwhelmingly sweet.
And yes, it tastes even better when you're drinking it in a chunky jumper.
🧶 Have a “first jumper” day
This sounds ridiculous, but I genuinely think there should be a little ceremony around getting your favourite autumn clothes back out.
You know the jumper.
The one that's been packed away all summer and suddenly feels like an old friend.
Rather than waiting until it gets properly cold, choose an evening when you can get cosy, put it on, make yourself a warm drink and settle in.
It's a tiny thing, but these little seasonal rituals are what make the year feel special.
🕯️ Use fragrance to create moments not just rooms
This is probably my favourite autumn tip.
Rather than thinking:
“What fragrance should I use today?”
Try thinking:
“What do I want this moment to feel like?”
Fragrance can become part of a routine, almost like a little signal that tells your brain this is my time to switch off.
For a slow Sunday morning
Choose something soft, clean and comforting.
Put your wax warmer on while you're making breakfast, opening the curtains and taking your time with that first cup of coffee.
The fragrance becomes part of the feeling of a slow start, rather than simply making the room smell nice.
For coming home after an autumn walk
This is when I love something warmer.
Think woods, amber, vanilla or gentle spice.
Put your fragrance on just before you make your tea and get changed.
By the time you've settled down, your home has that lovely “I've just come home” feeling.
For an afternoon of baking
Here's one I really love.
If you're making an apple crumble, cake or something spiced, don't necessarily match the fragrance exactly.
Instead, layer complementary smells.
The real smell of apples, cinnamon or vanilla coming from the kitchen combined with a softer fragrance elsewhere in the house can make the whole home feel wonderfully autumnal without becoming overpowering.
For a cosy night in
Save one of your favourite deeper fragrances for evenings.
This is something I particularly like doing as the nights get longer.
Rather than burning through your favourite fragrance all day, make it part of your evening routine.
Dinner finished.
Phone down.
Comfy clothes on.
Wax warmer on.
That's the moment.
🍎 Make one autumn recipe a tradition
I think we sometimes make seasonal living much harder than it needs to be.
You don't need to completely transform your home or spend a fortune on autumn decorations.
Choose one recipe you make every year.
It could be:
- Apple crumble
- Pumpkin bread
- Cinnamon buns
- Sticky toffee pudding
- Spiced apple cake
- Pumpkin soup
Then make it when the first proper autumn weekend arrives.
Eventually, the smell of that recipe will become part of what autumn means to you.
And that's the lovely thing about scent it's incredibly good at holding onto memories.
🍁 Create your own “autumn evening” ritual
This is one I'm definitely taking into September.
Pick one evening a week where you deliberately make things a little slower.
No rushing around trying to get everything done.
Put on your comfiest clothes, make something warm to drink, choose a fragrance you associate with autumn and do something you actually enjoy.
Read.
Bake.
Watch a favourite film.
Have a bath.
Call someone you haven't spoken to in a while.
Or simply sit down and do absolutely nothing.
The trick is making it intentional.
Because sometimes the most luxurious thing we can give ourselves is time.
🤎 Don't rush through the in-between
I think that's what I love most about September.
It's not quite summer anymore, but it isn't fully autumn either.
There are still flowers blooming. There can still be warm afternoons. But there's a crispness in the air and you can feel the season beginning to turn.
So rather than rushing towards pumpkins, blankets and dark evenings, I'm trying to enjoy all the little moments in between.
The last sunny walk.
The first jumper.
The first pumpkin spiced latte.
The first evening where you actually want the heating on.
The smell of something baking.
The first time you put on that fragrance that instantly makes your home feel like autumn.
Because perhaps that's what makes a season memorable.
Not the big things.
The little rituals we repeat until, years later, they become the things we remember.
My autumn formula?
A walk → something warm to drink → a favourite bake → a beautiful fragrance → nowhere else to be.
Honestly, I think that's a pretty good way to welcome the season.
Jess x 🤎
