A fresh start in January

January is a fun but also difficult month for many people. A new year is always fun because the counter is back to “0” and you are literally at a new beginning. But January is also the month when you have to be careful not to fall into a black “holiday hole.” Therefore, tackle it differently this year. Don’t concern yourself with good intentions that you won’t be able to keep anyway, but literally sweep through the old year and start fresh!

A nice clean and tidy house

Hooray! It’s January! You’re at new beginnings, so you better start those clean. You probably burned a lot of candles in December, so the gorges could use a wash. Also, clean out the kitchen cabinets nicely, flip the mattress and defrost the refrigerator. Clean out that shed and attic, too, because a tidy house makes for a tidy head. Items that are still nice can be sold on Marktplaats or Vinted, for example. You can use the money to treat yourself to a nice new home accessory or a new set of dishes. You can also donate your old stuff to charity. Then you have also started the year well and that gives a good feeling.

Organize your living room differently

Filling your entire living room with new furniture is a bit on the pricey side. If you move around a bit with the furniture you have, you immediately create a whole new look! Add a few fresh new home accessories and you are complete. Or buy some paint and paint one wall a different color. That will also give your existing living room a whole new look. And it’s fun to do too!

Lots of green in your home

Get rid of the Christmas tree and put in lots of greenery! It is scientifically proven that green houseplants make people happy. So visit the garden center or buy some new plants online. And for those who want to start the new year sustainably, you can also adopt a plant at a real plant shelter. There are lots of them in the Netherlands!

Try out new recipes

Change makes you eat, they say. And that’s really true. So try out different recipes. At the weekend, for example. You often have more time to cook and thus to try something different. Follow the blogs of LekkerenSimpel, FrancescaKookt or ChicksLoveFood. Print out your most favorite recipes and put them in a folder. That way you will always have cooking inspiration! Free cooking magazines like Allerhande (Albert Heijn) and Boodschappen (Hoogvliet and Plus) are also nice. You can cut recipes out of them and save them. Also, try to use as much fresh produce as possible and cook less from packets. This is much healthier and also much tastier! Tip: do your shopping at the local farmer or teeler. It may not always be cheaper, but it supports local people and the products are honest.

Grow your own food

Or go one step further and start your own vegetable garden! It’s best to start making a plan as early as January. Which vegetables do you want to grow and where? Sowing usually starts in February so make sure you get there in time. Earlier we wrote a blog about having your own vegetable garden. It’s fun to do, healthy and better for the wallet. What more could you want?

Start a new hobby

January is also the time to find a new occupation. Start a hobby where you learn something new: try crocheting/knitting, take a photography course or learn a new language. Or put your hands to work by doing creative crafts. That way you’ll be busy and learn new things. Always useful!

Find other people

Start a reading club or go hiking with people from the neighborhood or moms from the schoolyard. Or just with girlfriends, of course. There are many sports you can do together. Swim, bike or run. Exercise is healthy and doesn’t have to cost a lot. Or go visit that lonely neighbor. Maybe it’s a bit exciting to ring the bell, but it can turn out to be great fun. Who knows, you might even end up making a friendship.

Make more time for yourself

It is human nature (or rather female nature) to be preoccupied primarily with others. We are also often too hard on ourselves. One resolution that all women (and men) should really implement is: make time for yourself. Read a chunk of your favorite book every night, binge a cozy or exciting series, take a nice bath or pamper yourself with a facial mask. Just listening to your favorite music can do wonders. Try it, it will make you a different person. Happy New Year!

Credits photos: www.canva.com