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10 At-Home Date Ideas
I’m going to help you out, because unless you’re new around here, you know how much I stress the importance of dating your partner - no matter how many years you’ve been together. Today I want to share 10 date ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home, that take minimal preparation, but will produce maximum connection. So put those kiddos to bed, and create some time and space to date your partner!
Did you do it? Did you forget that today is Valentine’s Day?? Dun..dun..dun…
I hope not! I hope you had those dinner reservations made weeks in advance, had your flowers ordered, and I hope you’ve had those chocolates so long you’ve eaten one or two ;)
Or maybe you ascribe to the, “I’m not celebrating this commercial holiday,” camp.
Orrrr maybe you’d love to go out, but instead you’re home without a babysitter, and are in need of some at-home date ideas that are more fun and creative than the old, Netflix & chill.
Either way, I’m going to help you out, because unless you’re new around here, you know how much I stress the importance of dating your partner - no matter how many years you’ve been together. Today I want to share 10 date ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home, that take minimal preparation, but will produce maximum connection. So put those kiddos to bed, and create some time and space to date your partner!
Date idea #1: Have a picnic. Right in your living room. Get some of those fancy ass cheeses from the grocery store, some wine, and whatever else you know your partner loves and lay out a blanket and set the stage for the perfect at-home picnic.
Date idea #2: Have an adult game night. Just the two of you. You can get down on the classics - Monopoly, Scrabble, or whatever card games float your boat, or you can also get creative with some adult trivia or drinking games.
Date idea #3: Cook something together. As in, the two of you in the kitchen, helping one another. Try a new recipe, and work together to create a dish you’ll both enjoy and then, bon appetit!
Date idea #4: Dance party! Make a playlist of songs that remind you of your partner and your relationship, invite your partner to do the same and spend an evening dancing or signing to your favorite songs together.
Date idea #5: Get creative and color, draw, or paint together. Get an adult coloring book or look up a paint tutorial. Create your own paint and sip night at home - have a couple of drinks and summon your inner Van Goughs for the night.
Date idea #6: Get your sweat on - exercise or do yoga together. Look up a workout you’d both like to do on YouTube and get sweating.
Date idea #7: Take turns giving massages. Invest in some nice massage oil, check out an online tutorial, and light some candles. Give whole body massages, or just hand or foot massages to each other.
Date idea #8: Read a book of poems or short stories together. Take turns reading to each other and discuss each poem or story between readings.
Date idea #9: Have a spa night at home. Take a bath together, put on some face masks, and have some relaxation time.
Date idea #10: Movie night with a twist. Have you ever had the “I can’t believe you’ve NEVER seen that movie” conversation? My husband has it with me a couple times a year, because I’ve never actually seen Back to the Future (even though I pretend I have). Each of you write down a handful of movies that you can’t believe the other hasn’t seen, put them in a bowl, pick one, and enjoy. (My husband has never seen Dirty Dancing, so we’re even!)
Dating your partner doesn’t have to break the bank. It’s really just about having fun together, sometimes getting out of your comfort zone, and thinking outside the box. Nurturing your friendship and connection needs to happen no matter what phase of life you’re in, it just takes creating the space for it.
Are you dating a commitment-phobe?
Commitment can be tough for some, and past hurts can hinder people's ability to create new, lasting, committed relationships.
But how can you tell if the person you're dating is totally averse to commitment? I'd like to share a few signs you shouldn't ignore when trying to decipher commitment cues.
Commitment can be tough for some, and past hurts can hinder people's ability to create new, lasting, committed relationships.
But how can you tell if the person you're dating is totally averse to commitment? I'd like to share a few signs you shouldn't ignore when trying to decipher commitment cues.
1. You're left in the dark about the status of your relationship.
If you've been dating for more than 6 months, and by dating I mean actual dating - going out to various dinners, events, etc. and having the occasional sleep-over, but the person does not seem hip to the idea of exclusivity and rarely mentions the status of your relationship this may be a sign they are having trouble committing.
Not having at least one discussion about relationship status and exclusivity can leave you wondering if you're the only one, and as though your relationship isn't a priority.
2. Their "future language" does not include you, or anyone else for that matter.
When people see themselves as having the ability to commit in a relationship they often talk about the future, and this language will include their partner or person they're dating.
They will say things like, "we" and "us" or even "future husband/wife" and they talk in ways that indicate they see themselves with a significant other in the future.
3. They haven't had committed relationships in the past.
Asking about this may seem a little off-putting if it's done too soon, but a casual conversation in which you ask about past relationships is pretty standard when you are a newly dating couple. Asking questions about the length of past relationships without asking all of the gory details can be helpful.
If the person's response does not indicate that they've had any relationships longer than a few months, it may be a sign they are challenged in the commitment department.
4. They are unable to keep other commitments in their life.
People who are unable to have long-term friendships, jobs, and social commitments such as playing on a sports team or being part of a club might have difficulty committing in a romantic relationship.
If they have analysis paralysis when it comes to smaller commitments such as what movie to see, what car to rent, or hotel to stay in, and making decisions about those things is a long and overly drawn out process, this may be a sign that commitment is difficult for them.
If they hop from place to place, friend to friend, and job to job, without truly investing the time in creating stability it may be a sign that a long-term relationship isn't on their radar.
5. They aren't creating space for you in their life.
If the person you're dating isn't introducing you to their friends, family, and other significant people in their life, this can be a sign that they aren't ready to go public with the relationship, and might not be ready for commitment.
In the same vein, if they are unable to break up their daily routine in order to spend quality time with you, they aren't creating the space necessary to have a committed relationship.
While it's unrealistic to expect that someone you are newly dating is going to rearrange their whole life for you, there has to be a balance, and while they may very well be busy with work deadlines and gym sessions, total inability to include you in their schedule isn't a positive sign in terms of their ability to commit.
Having a direct conversation about the status of your relationship is always recommended. Being open and honest about how you see the relationship going, and asking about their feelings can assure you are on the right track.