Let's face it- going out for dates isn't all it's cracked up to be. You spend too much, you're stuck in a crowded area, you have to agree on a place (What do you want to do? Where do you want to go?)

We've all had a date night that's left us feeling a bit underwhelmed, so if you're looking to keep the romance alive without leaving the house, think about planning your next special night at home.

Here are our top tips for your next at-home date night.

Turn Your Living Room Into a Movie Theater

Browsing through the endless content on Netflix and Hulu can get mundane. We do it every day and the selections are always the same. Try something else! Is there a great movie that you both want to see or maybe a terrible one that you both wanted to laugh at? Rent or buy it online! You're still saving money by avoiding those pricey movie ticket prices, but will still give the night a special feeling. Give your living room a movie theater feel with soft mood lights, pop some popcorn, kick up your feet, and relax!

Bring Date Activities Back Home

If you want to disconnect entirely, go the whole night without screens! Play board games (best two out of three!) or plan a spa night for the evening. Think outside of the box - if there's something you always wanted to do together, there's definitely a way to do it for less money in the privacy of your own home. Maybe it's a home manicure, or karaoke, or a picnic in the backyard. If you were going to go to a concert, sing and play music for each other instead. If you were to visit an art gallery, how about hosting your own wine and paint night at home? It's all about creating memories that will stand out from your normal day to day routine!

Make A Meal Special

If you're planning a dinner at home, try something new! Don't recycle your old recipes or order from your normal take-out spots. Pick a drink that you've never made before, or choose a bottle of wine a bit fancier than usual. Dig up a recipe you've always wanted to try and give it a shot together. You and your partner get to work as a team to create something different and special. And, if it comes out as a disaster, have a back up plan ready to go - Postmates is always just a click away. Sometimes, the best memories come from hilarious catastrophes.

Set the Mood

We go out to get into a different headspace, so the biggest trick to making your at home date feel special is to recreate that feeling. Prepare for your date by cleaning the house, or even redecorating to give the evening a fun, whimsical feel. Keep the distractions to a minimum, which means no checking email, no work. Dress up for the evening to make it feel more special, or dress down to make it cozy. Buy flowers, and don't skimp on the candles. 

If you're looking for an easy way to set the tone, be sure to get the right mood lighting! This LED Ceiling Light is fantastic for that seamless transition from a cool white for your workday to a warm, cozy feel for date night back home. The RGB Mood Light lets you change the colors to match the activity of the night - bright when you need to make sure you don't slice off a finger with the carrots, or romantic for when dinner is served. You can imitate the karaoke bar of your first date, or dim down to the fancy candlelight of an anniversary dinner. The stage is yours to set.

Staying home means there's no interruptions- no waiter popping up in the middle of a deep conversation, or old friend sighted during a romantic moment. No movie theater means no screaming children in the row behind you, or people talking too loudly on the phone while you're trying to enjoy yourself. Create a space that's just yours, and enjoy the feeling of having your own little pocket of the world. Let the night take you wherever it goes - funny, or serious, romantic or silly. Take this time to talk about the future, or dream big on some romantic getaway you'll take one day. Home dates can be fantastic, intimate and inexpensive, as long as you make sure to set the tone for a special night. After all, there's no place like home.