Fall into Comfort: 11 Cozy Hobbies to Try this season
About a year ago I really started trying to do things that I enjoyed that weren’t just finding a new show. I wanted things that I could do while I was listening to a book or just relaxing on the couch without doom scrolling on TikTok. I was starting to get overwhelmed with the feeling of constantly needing to be doing something productive. Honestly, that feeling really hasn’t gone away but now when I am picking something to do, even if it is productive, it is one of the many hobbies that I have added to my arsenal of things that I like to do! Seriously there were so many fun options that I might have went overboard but I am thankful to have the options that I have. Much like being a mood reader and having many books going at one time, I am a mood hobby person too and sometimes I want to play my Nintendo switch, sometimes I want to do some embroidering or junk journaling. You will see below that there are so many options! It’s nice to have things that I like doing that make me slow down, since starting these it feels very important for me to carve out time for relaxation and my version of some self-care.
Cozy Fall Reading
I’m pretty sure that it’s no secret I have become obsessed with reading lately. I like both reading a physical book and listening to books on Audible! When I am reading a physical book I am usually in the ZONE. Then when I am listening to a book I am probably multitasking with one of the other cozy hobbies that you have read about in this blog post! I made a huge roundup of all of the books that I have read this year over on Amazon! Also I know the top of this says Cozy Fall Reading but this is something that I do year round! There just might be more thriller books on my TBR in the fall or cozy witchy vibe type books!
Junk Journaling
I have mentioned this hobby before in an email that I sent out and I LOVE it! I have been doing junk journaling for about 4 months ish and it is basically messy scrapbooking with things that you pick up throughout your day. It could be things like recipes, part of a bag from shopping, a fun print on a piece of mail, paper scraps, invitations, a straw wrapper, magazine scraps, literally whatever you pick up! I also grabbed some things from Amazon to use on these pages as well things like paper, stickers and letter just to add a little something to the pages. I like being able to do this more hands-on type of activity and it lets me relax and be creative without feeling like it needs to be perfect. With the name JUNK literally in the name, it somehow takes the pressure off of what it supposed to look like. It also lets me document my thoughts, memories, or experiences but they get to come out in a more creative way. This is another cozy hobby where you can do as much or as little as you want. You can use items that you have on hand or you can add to your supplies with stickers and papers!
Diamond Painting
This is another hobby that I started doing before I REALLY got into cozy hobbies but I still love doing it. The big sheets of diamond painting can be a little intimidating but there are littler ones that you can start with if you are just trying to get an idea if this could be something you are into! I like doing them in all different sizes but it isn’t a super easy thing to take out and put away so you might want a more designated spot like a table to do this hobby if you are going to try it out.
Cozy Nintendo Switch Games
I love playing on my switch and will get into bits of time where I really really like a game and will play it for a long time and then honestly will forget that I even have a switch for about a month and then so on and so forth but I do love cozy switch games! I think my favorite is FaeFarm. I love the cozy fairy vibes that it has. There are objectives but you can also just spend the day doing whatever you want in the game as well. It is a game that is very much at your own pace, I like that a lot. There are so many cute games to choose from and I shared some of the good ones!
Embroidery Kits
This is one hobby that I have enjoyed, but need to practice in order to be more confident in what I am doing. Embroidery Kits (once you get the hang of it) can help you unwind and tap into your creative side. This is also something that I have been able to do while listening to a book. Like I said before, I think in the future I could do this while watching tv but right now I am relying on some YouTube videos to help me figure out the best process for me. I think these kits from amazon because they come with all the materials and instructions you need to create these really cool embroidered designs. They also make it simple for whatever your skill level is. Here are two videos that have helped me with the learning process!
puzzles for everyone
I think I actually started my puzzle addiction back in Covid, I sweat I did 4-5 a week at the time! But back then I was doing puzzles 250-500 pieces. Now when I do a puzzle they are usually bigger and they take me a lot longer but I still love them! I like that puzzles are a hobby that can be both relaxing but also give mental stimulation. Dustin will help me sometimes too, but not always. Its nice to have something laying on the table where I can either sit down for a couple of hours and work on it but also just a couple pieces here and there! You can also do puzzles more than once so buying a puzzle is the gift that keeps on giving!
Coloring on the ipad
I have actually been doing this one possibly the longest. I started doing this when I got my iPad, I had the pencil as well and found a free app called Adult Coloring Book - Pigment. There is a version for this that you can pay for but I just color the free coloring sheets with the colors that are free. This is another thing I like to do when I am listening to a book! Nothing revolutionary but I do like to count it as one of my cozy hobbies. It is a simple and creative way to relax, without the need for coloring books, markers, colored pencils and all of the things that come with that. I’m sure there are other apps as well that you can use on the iPad!
Crochet kits for beginners
I added this one to the list but for me this is still COMPLETELY a work in progress type of hobby. I have a crochet kit that I got as a gift and I want to complete it but I have yet to sit down and try to make it happen. If you have any tips on crocheting PLEASEEE drop them below! I can take all of the help I can get. I also don’t know why it is so intimidating?! I did link some of the cute kits that I found though. Much like the embroidery kits, there are YouTube videos and the kits come with everything you need. Now I just need to commit to starting mine!
Candle painting
Another way to unwind and tap into your cozy creative side is through candle painting. This is another one of the hobbies that has fun new designs year round. You can paint simple everyday styles or you can do little ghosts or candy canes! Literally the options for these candles are endless between the designs, colors and candles sizes.
Beading with seed beads
I love having seed beads on hand, it all started with making friendship bracelets but it has turned into more than that. I love making them for myself for different things like the Fourth of July or a day at one of the Disney Parks. I also just wear a few everyday. I like that I can wear them in the shower without problems, they look so cute next to my permanent bracelets that I have. I only know how and do basic bracelets but there are so many designs that you can make with them. I pretty much just needed beads and string and I was set. Since starting this I have added things like charms and letters and other fun additions to the brackets but it’s not necessary. I like making these when I am watching TV because I can do something with my hands that isn’t scrolling on my phone!
ROck painting
This is a hobby that I VERY recently picked up when we traveled home to Iowa in July. My mother in law started painting rocks when they would camp and so when we went camping with them we spend a lot of time painting rocks and it is SO much fun! I immediately ordered my own paints and have done it a few times since then. I like painting them and then hiding them in public places for people to find them!
ANYWAYS, the hobbies that I have picked up in the last year might be a lot but coming from someone who never had any of these before, there were a ton that I wanted to try out! You could literally do all or just one of these hobbies! Since I have started adding these into my nightly routines I have just felt so much better overall. I like doing things for myself and making sure that I am spending my time doing things that allow me to relax and shut my mind off. I have loved exploring all of the different cozy hobbies that there are like reading, candle making/painting, embroidery kits and coloring. It has really let me enjoy slowing down a lot more. If you have tried any of these hobbies let me know and if you have more that you think should be on this list I will definitely add them! If you have any other questions you can drop a comment below or send me an email at hello@emmatarynjones.com and I will get back to you ASAP!
XX
Emma