25 Basically Free Rituals to Add a Little Whimsy to Your Daily Routine

Lately I’ve been feeling like I need to add a little more whimsy into my life. Between the delayed start to summer weather in Chicago, my general feelings of being exhausted (special shout-out to my 5-month-old daughter!), and vigilantly stretching my dollars, I could use a bit of relief.

Sure, I’ll keep scheduling “enjoying my rent” into my low-cost weekend plans and abiding by the dreaded “we have food at home” decree. But to help brighten these heavy times, I challenged myself to come up with some realistic ways to build bursts of joy into my day. Here are 25 basically free ways to add a little whimsy to your daily routine. 

If you live with family members or roommates, hide notes or miniatures all over your home for each other to find. Several months ago, my dear friend Julia hid 25 miniature frogs throughout my home, and I had a blast finding them in unexpected places. 

Clear a tabletop or windowsill and curate a makeshift exhibit to showcase special belongings. This display could include photographs, greeting cards, trinkets, flowers, souvenirs, and other items that bring you joy and spark happy memories. Spend a little time to observe your collection each day, adding or subtracting items as you see fit. 

Choose a task or habit you usually perform inside your house during the day and take it outside to your backyard or patio at night. Daily stretches, clearing out your inbox, journaling, Wordle, Duolingo — all way more special under the stars.

I like to set the mood during my nightly household closing shift by playing a Medieval Lofi beats playlist. I feel like I’m cleaning my Middle Ages castle. 

Jazz up your go-to coffee, matcha, or tea order with sprinkles or edible glitter (an ingredient you can find online or at craft stores). Serve your drink in a favorite mug, teacup, or glass with a fancy spoon or reusable glass straw. 

Collect some scrap paper (construction paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, or even old sheet music) and make a paper chain to adorn your curtain rods or headboard. I made a wall hanging-inspired version that my friend now displays in their dining room, and it looks great.

Unpack your old children’s books or find some in a used bookstore or Little Free Library. Put your favorites on display like you would a coffee-table book or stack of magazines. Enjoy a coffee break while flipping through and admiring the illustrations. They are fantastic conversation starters!

Even if it’s a typical uneventful day and you’re just working from home or sticking close by, pop on something fancy to elevate your look, just for you. A favorite tie? A bold lipstick? A statement piece of jewelry? Mix your fancies with your non-fancies!

I recently recovered some of my old dollhouses and now display them in my office. Guests always comment on them, and it brings me comfort to see such happy memories on my shelf. 

I find cleaning and organizing my home soothing and centering — and I feel the same way about ASMR videos. Approach your daily tidying routine like an ASMRtist, tapping on your products and reveling in the slow sounds of an otherwise humdrum activity.  

If you have a free day, build the entire agenda around the TikTok-viral concept, an “everything shower,” which can include everything from using a dry brush and lighting a candle to doing a lymphatic drainage massage and putting on a hair mask. From top to bottom, give yourself the total at-home spa treatment you deserve. Leading up to the shower, recline on the couch until you’re ready to go. And when you’re done, head back to a resting spot, sip a glass of water with slices of cucumber or lemon inside, and savor this otherwise ordinary self-care moment. 

When I visit my parents, we have an evening ritual right after dinner called “walk around the house,” when we — you guessed it — walk around the house. We take the dogs outside and throw the ball around as we make our way along the perimeter. It’s such a low-lift way to get outside that’s just fun. 

Find or create a playlist that includes the instrumental music from your favorite film soundtracks. I love listening to all my Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron favorites. It makes me feel like one of their characters! 

I make a digital to-do list on Sunday evenings to prepare for the week ahead. To mix things up, craft a fun handmade version using supplies like crayons, paint, glitter, and markers. At the end of a month or even a year, your weekly doodled, bullet-journaled, or watercolored lists reveal a whimsical snapshot of your daily life.

If you are a dedicated label maker user like I am, consider adding some whimsy to the labels you create. For instance, in my medicine cabinet the container that stores gastrointestinal medications reads, “Ouch, my tummy!” It’s a simple and silly habit that brings me outsized joy.  

Start a Pinterest board that collects memories and images from your adolescence. I have a ’90s childhood board that I add to for fun in my downtime. Sometimes the algorithm provides delightful memories I didn’t realize I’d forgotten.

Leave a note for future — you on your bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker or sticky note. Celebrate making it to the end of a long day, or as motivation for yourself in the morning. 

While I strive to be a respectful houseguest, I come from nosy stock. My mom has a habit of staying one step ahead of curious guests by hiding a rotating collection of creepy items in our bathroom cabinet for someone to find should they succumb to snooping (recently, she hid a Laffun Head). Poke around your belongings and select an oddball artifact for unsuspecting busybodies to find — it’ll make you chuckle each time you open your cabinet, too.

Replace your daily workout or physical activity break with a traditional ballet warmup or figure skating warmup. Part of the whimsy is how seriously you approach the workout, so feel free to pop on your best ballet ensemble for the occasion — like Étoile, Amazon Prime’s newest show about two world-renowned ballet companies.

No matter where you’re headed or what you’re wearing, add in one unusual article of clothing or accessory that you know will strike up conversation. For me, I have a tote bag that says, “Cast Joan Cusack More” that always gets compliments and wholehearted agreement. Same with my ’90s-era Busch Gardens “Kumba” roller-coaster hat. Wear your heart on your literal sleeve! 

If you have a pet, give them their own whimsical space. For my dog Rodeo, I’ve framed some corgi-centric art at her very low height, right next to her bed and water bowl. Taking a break from your day to focus on your pet’s special place in your life is a great way to spark joy.

If there’s a film, television, or literary character you love, put together an outfit inspired by that character. Whether that’s a shift dress and striped tights inspired by Pippi Longstocking or a blazer and hat after Meg Ryan’s character in When Harry Met Sally, see what you can find in your closet to try on a new style for the day.

Dig into your holiday supplies and create a little “Christmas in July” moment. I love smelling a Douglas fir candle in the summer or pumpkin spice in the spring. It’s a little disorienting, but the aroma reminds me of good things to come. 

I recently came across this idea in a post best-selling author Alexandra Franzen wrote about generosity: For your personal email inbox, create a customized auto-response that shares your favorite links, funny videos, personal updates, or random nonsensical joy. 

From the moment you wake up to lights out, take one photo an hour of your day and review before bed. You can post your daily summary or keep it just for you!