When we had our first baby, we spent many a date night in front of the fireplace once she fell asleep, stacks of pillows and blankets surrounding us, and our favorite series to binge-watch. To this day it is still one of my favorite kinds of date night and one of our top Valentines Day ideas!
Did you know that women who spend “date night” with their husbands at least once per week were over 4 times more likely to be very happy in their relationship? And conversely, women who date their husbands less than once per week are nearly 4 times more likely to have an above-average level of divorce probability (sited in a paper by The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia). The stats are so shocking that I wanted to share some at home Valentines Day ideas with you to make it easier to reconnect… and get in that much-needed date night.
And believe me with six children I know how busy life can be. Especially with a newborn, or two. 😉
Women today are juggling fitness goals, family goals, and many times, career goals, but oftentimes our relationship becomes secondary to everything else.
Keep reading for some simple tips to get a quality moment for the two of you, even when you can’t get a sitter.
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Easy at Home Valentines Day Ideas
First, let me assure you that it doesn’t have to be a big production. Date night can look different for different people. Even experts say you can have equal results between going out on your date night or staying in.
“It doesn’t have to be a full-on, three-course meal with the violinist in the background and a dozen roses, though that never goes astray, let me tell you,” says Matt Garrett of Relationships Australia.
“The most important message a date night or special occasion or catch up—whatever form it takes—conveys to the couple is that they are creating a unique and special space for one another.”
It’s really about having that one-on-one time with your partner. We continue to grow and change as people and unless we want to wake up one day lying next to a stranger, we need to talk with them.
Women can be just as guilty of having the sense that the relationship simply exists—as if it will always be there. But in fact, relationships take work. And unless both sides put forth an effort either or both partners can begin feeling taken for granted.
So, here come those at home Valentines Day ideas and tips that will make having your date night super simple. Get those kiddos to bed, slide into your own cozies and get ready for some time together, at home!
At Home Valentines Day Steakhouse Dinner
Driving to and from a restaurant can add another one to two hours onto your night depending on where you live. Add in long holiday seating wait times and you could end up shelling out big bucks to your babysitter for not so quality time with your spouse.
That’s why one of our at home Valentines Day ideas is all about dinner. Let’s be honest, unless you are one of the very special people that genuinely enjoy it, you don’t want to have to cook for a special occasion. But what if I told you it can be easy, delicious and fun!
This is one reason I love ordering our food for delivery, and why I almost always order steak online from Omaha Steaks! With some date night planning in mind, I went for their Valentine’s Day Steakhouse Favorites package, which takes the guesswork out of date night dinner plans. We both love a good ribeye. And since the package comes with stuffed baked potatoes, molten lava cakes, and their signature seasoning packet it was everything we needed for the perfect night in, while still getting that steakhouse feel.
To make it fun we poured the wine and started cooking the steaks together as a team – in our pajamas! This way neither one of us felt like we had the responsibility of making the meal alone. And for the best steak possible we followed the Omaha Steak Preparation Guide.
I recommend that you have an electric cooking thermometer to make sure you are reaching the perfect steak temperature for your taste.
We used the signature seasoning pack to flavor the steaks, so there truly was NO guesswork, and then cooked them up in our cast iron skillet with some butter and rosemary, making it so easy and flavorful.
Not only was this delectable meal package worth every penny, it comes with 4 servings. The wonderful thing is we can get two at home date nights out of it.
So worth it.
Set the Mood for Your at Home Date Night
When it comes to at home Valentines Day ideas I highly recommend setting the mood. Think candles, flowers, and a nice table setting. It doesn’t have to be fine china, but it can be fun to pull out the cloth napkins and placemats once in a while.
I like to use tall, unscented taper candles on the table, but in the rest of the home, spread scent with one of my favorite essential oil blends in a diffuser. Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Rose, Neroli, and Clary Sage are a few of the essential oils that are thought to be aphrodisiacs.
Hey, it can’t hurt and regardless they smell great.
You know your marriage and your style, so be creative. Maybe your happy place is on the back porch under the stars, or on the floor in front of a fire with lots of throw pillows.
There isn’t a wrong answer when it comes to at-home Valentines Day ideas.
You simply need to try. Put forth a little effort to do something out of the ordinary to make your moment together special.
Our Top 15 at Home Date Night Movie Picks
Everyone’s favorites are different, but we compiled a list of our top ten at home Vaentines Day ideas for a romantic movie night. If you want to make it easy on yourself simply pick one from the list and relax.
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- A Star is Born
- Fever pitch
- My Fair Lady
- Pride and Prejudice
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I feel like I need to explain this. It’s on the list since it is a little bit Pride and Prejudice for the ladies and a little bit zombie for the guys. It can be a great compromise, and I actually kind of liked it.)
- Say Anything
- The Notebook
- The Princess Bride
- The Vow
- Valentine’s Day
- When Harry Met Sally
- While You Were Sleeping
- You’ve Got Mail
- The Princess Bride
We like to watch movies we’ve seen before, so if we talk during the movie it isn’t such a big deal. Or we can even call it a night before the end.
Exchanging foot rubs or back rubs can be a great way to end a long day curled up in front of a movie. When we do, we use my personal favorite Fresh Mommy Blend with fractionated coconut oil. The warm, floral scent helps us relax and cozy up every time.
Read to Each Other
Even when you think you are too tired and don’t really feel like having a conversation listening to the cadence of your partner’s voice can bring connection. We sometimes end our date night with one of us reading to the other after we are all snuggled in for bed.
I find it really relaxing and sharing the interest in a common story can be a great conversation starter. It’s a neutral topic that doesn’t have anything to do with the worries of our day.
Try to find something you both will enjoy.
[tweetthis]No babysitter? No problem. Plan the perfect date night in![/tweetthis]
Our At Home Valentines Day Ideas Are Only the Beginning
This is our shortlist of at home Valentines Day ideas for one great night, though of course, there are many more things to do. When it comes down to it the essential take away is to make time each week for your relationship to thrive, in whatever way works the best for you! Maybe it’s a coffee date after school drop off or sitting out on the patio at night while the kids play in the yard. I hope our ideas sparked some for you… now you can make it your own.
Our Favorite Cast Iron Steak Recipe
Shop this at home Valentines Day look
I wish you all the best as you grow in love and life with your loved one. If your looking for more at home date night tips check out this post on Our Patio Date Night.
What about you? Any favorite Valentines Day ideas or date night plans you already have? Share your favorite at home date night tips with our other readers in the comments below.
It’s been awhile, but I shared a few simple tips with SheSpeaksTV for creating a fun and memorable date night in, even with a crazy busy schedule, and it still applies today!
Kathi says
Love this! Some great tips and encouragement for date nights! Encouraging, all you do with six kids = busy schedules. Will have to look into the @OmahaSteaks for sure
James Trevor says
Thanks for sharing great tips regarding indoor Valentine’s planning!
Really appreciate that!