When it comes to romanticizing life, weeknights often get overlooked in favor of weekend plans and long-awaited vacations. But what if we treated a Wednesday night with the same intention as a slow Saturday morning? The truth is that those ordinary weeknights add up to a lot of time, and you have the power to let them pass by or to make them count. So, if you’ve been craving a little more magic in your daily routine, explore these 12 ways to romanticize your weeknights at home to make each day feel like a weekend.
1. Set the mood for the night
To transition out of work mode, start by setting the mood for the evening. Turn on lamps, build a cozy night-in playlist, and light a candle to help create the ambiance that will make an average Tuesday feel extra special. All you need to feel like a Nancy Meyers main character IRL is some cozy lighting, a glass of wine, and a little French music on the speakers.
2. Have a decadent snack plate for dinner
If figuring out what to cook feels like too big a chore, consider this your sign to snack for dinner. And while that could look like standing at the counter for 20 minutes and nibbling on whatever looks good, crafting an aesthetic snack plate to enjoy throughout the night is a lot more fun. You could go the classic charcuterie route (think meats, cheeses, maybe some fresh fruit) or gather a selection of your favorite snacks and dips. There are no rules—just go with whatever sounds good to you.
3. Slip into a silky set of pajamas
Swap out your oversized T-shirt and several-day-old sweatpants for a new set of silky pajamas that will bring a touch of luxury to your weeknights. After a long day of work, there’s really nothing quite like the buttery soft, cooling feel of silk against your skin. Match it with a slow skincare routine and a bit of journaling before bed, and you’ve got yourself a dreamy evening well spent.
4. Give the night a theme
Themes aren’t just for parties and special occasions. Planning your evening around a theme can help you make the most of a typical weeknight. Pick a movie for inspiration, like The Princess Diaries (pajamas, pizza, and M&M’s) or Something’s Gotta Give (pancakes for dinner and lots of candles). You could also model your evening after a specific destination, like an Italian night with jazz music and homemade pasta. Or just lean into the current season—for fall, imagine baking pumpkin bread and rewatching episodes of Gilmore Girls for the hundredth time.
5. Bake a dessert and share it
For a cozy weeknight activity, pick a dessert recipe you’ve been wanting to try and attempt to make it from scratch. Baking gives you the time to slow down and focus all of your energy on one task, which can give your brain a much-needed break. From chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies to freshly frosted cinnamon rolls, there’s no shortage of delicious confections you can whip up. And if you share the results with someone else—whether that’s a neighbor, friend, or family member—that’s even better.
6. Host a midweek game night
Weeknights deserve a little fun, too. Get out the board games and invite your friends and family over for a midweek game night. If it becomes a weekly ritual, vote on the game you’ll play beforehand, or select a person to choose the game of the week. If your friends are long-distance, play an online game together, or go solo with a puzzle night.
7. Curate an outfit for the next day
Set aside some time before you go to bed to plan tomorrow’s look. To level up this activity into something even more creative, choose a pinned look from your Pinterest board and try to recreate it from what you already have in your closet. Then, neatly set out the outfit for the next day (shoes and accessories included). You’ll be thanking yourself in the morning when you have one less decision to make and five extra precious minutes of sleep.
8. Make dinner feel special
Eating takeout at your kitchen counter while scrolling on your phone doesn’t exactly make dinnertime feel exciting. Break up the midweek routine by planning out at least one weeknight to make dinner an event. Make a fun new recipe, set the table with some fancy plates and napkins, and light a few taper candles, or take it to your patio and watch the sunset while you eat. Simply being more thoughtful about how you spend these everyday moments can help you live a fuller life.
9. Create a vision board for your next chapter
Grab your laptop and your favorite drink, and let’s get to dreaming. Start by scrolling through Pinterest, finding all the aesthetic visuals you want the next phase of your life to look like. While you can stop here, taking the time to create this vision board on a design platform like Canva can really help you better visualize what you want. Want to take it offline? Try collaging a vision board by cutting out words and photos from old magazines and pasting them together on paper.
10. Unwind with a cup of calming tea
Brewing a cup of tea is a relaxing way to end the day, and some teas can actually help you wind down and get sleepy. Chamomile tea is known for its calming effects, so if you have trouble falling asleep, sipping on a cup before bed might help. Lavender, valerian, and peppermint tea are also great picks. Just skip anything caffeinated, like black or green tea, so you don’t sabotage your wind-down.
11. Treat yourself to an at-home manicure night
Doing your nails at home can take a good chunk of time, so why not make a night out of it? Gather your favorite polish and tools, set up a cozy spot in front of your TV, and put on a comfort movie for a low-key, self-care evening that feels like a mini spa night.
12. End your evening with a slow stretch
After a full day of movement (or sitting at your desk), winding down with a slow stretch routine can help relieve all that built-up tension and set you up for a good night of rest. Dim the lights, turn on a calming playlist, and take five to 10 minutes to stretch the parts of your body that need it most.
Lauren Barnhill, Contributing Writer
Lauren Barnhill is a freelance writer with a passion for all things fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle. Beyond The Everygirl, Lauren has written for top outlets including Real Simple, SUCCESS, and BuzzFeed. She is also the voice behind Leisurely, a Substack newsletter all about living an unhurried, intentional life.
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