They say to make sure you have a regular date night when you move in together. When you get married. When you have children. But who are “they”? They must have oodles of time and energy on their hands, and while I love a delicious dinner date night out on the town, I absolutely love staying at home with my hubby-to-be and hanging out at home. The biggest problem is that sometimes it can be hard to make sure your “at home date night” doesn’t just turn into a regular “night at home.” Here are four rules and 20 at home date night ideas to make your next “at home date night” a true date night!

The Rules

1. Attention men: make it official and ask your lady for an at home date night! Be sure to pick a day that works for both of you, i.e. you both don’t have to work super-early the next morning.

2. Send the kids off for a few hours. Ask a family member or close friend to watch them for the evening.

3. Dress up! We all feel fancier and like we should act a certain way when we are dressed up to go out as opposed to lounging around in sweatpants and a T-shirt. Take a shower, do your hair, put on cologne. Just the act of primping will get you excited for your at-home date night! You could even buy some human pheromones to get you and your partner in the mood! It’s important that you’re both attracted to each other on your date night – so have fun!

4. No distractions. Turn off your phones or leave them upstairs, and leave the TV off (unless a movie is part of the plan).

At Home Date Night Ideas

1. Play a fun new game like Blokus or an old game like Gin Rummy.

2. Watch a movie that was on both of your Netflix queues. Or watch one that was on neither of your queues! Nonetheless, make sure that the chosen movie suits the taste of both of you. Neither of you would want to ruin your movie date by getting bored. Additionally, you might look for movie recommendations and IMDb ratings on websites like Flixboss, which might assist in selecting the perfect movie for your date.

3. Teach your significant other something new. Then, have him or her teach you something new!

4. When it’s hot outside, fill up a kiddie pool for the dogs and make fruity tropical cocktails!

5. Chip golf balls in the backyard!

6. Build your dream house! Make a list of everything you both want in a dream home one day, and use a home plans database to check out floor layouts!

7. Pick a meal you’ve never made before and cook together! (Note: The “no phones” rule does not apply here: you and your sweetheart should totally Instagram your culinary creations!)

8. Or, order in! Pick a type of cuisine or restaurant that neither of you have tried before and give it a shot!

9. Create your couples bucket list, a list of everything that you and your significant other hope to accomplish one day. Include individual dreams as well as shared dreams, since it is important to be able to assess what the long term couple and personal goals are for each of you.

10. Play the 100 question game! (Crack open a bottle of wine so that it’s a light hearted relaxed affair and not too serious!)

11. Pick up a craft cocktail how-to book and improve your bartending skills!

12. Tackle that quick home renovation project you’ve been putting off: changing light or hanging a mirror. Or maybe surprise your partner with a new customized neon light fixture for your drawing room (websites like Neon Filter could definitely help you with that)! Then celebrate with some ice cream – you can finally check that task off your to-do list!

13. Challenge each other with a game of Scrabble.

14. Host a private wine tasting party for two! Visit your local wine shop and pick up a couple of bottles that you and your significant other haven’t tried before. Ask the store clerk for recommendations on what kinds of food to pair with these wines. (You could also do this with beer or liquors if that is more your style!)

15. Watch an outdoor movie with some crazy yummy caramel popcorn! Borrow a projector from a friend or family member and view your favorite black and white movie on the side of your garage (or hang a sheet up if you garage isn’t a light enough color).

16. Pick a country that neither one of you have been to and cook a meal from that culture. Be sure you talk all about your combined bucket list of things you want to do when you visit that country one day!

17. Make breakfast for dinner! (Try a refreshing brunch cocktail to pair with your eggs and bacon, such as Sparkling Tarragon Gin Lemonade.)

18. Spend the night playing video games! Play his favorite, and then play your favorite – or run to the store and pick out a totally new game to start together. If you want to avoid electronics, then consider playing tabletop or RPG games (go to this website for some ideas) together. Games like D&D or Magic: The Gathering can get pretty intense and have you bonding in no time!

19. Plan your dream vacation (with a little help from a travel review site!).

20. Take a bubble bath for two. Be sure to bring the champagne!

Now it’s your turn! What is your favorite at-home date night activity? Let me know in the comments below!

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