How Your Home Can Support Your New Year Resolutions

It’s that time of year again. We reflect on the current year and think about what we want to do differently next year. We make New Year resolutions, intending to make positive life changes. However, like anything new, they can be hard to sustain. “Set smaller goals,” “be specific,” “get in the right mindset,” and more, are all pieces of advice and encouragement we might hear. These suggestions are great, but support is important also. Support can come in the form of an accountability app, program, or partner. It could also mean that you change your environment to better help you achieve your goals. What does that mean?

First, let’s take a look at some of the most common New Year resolutions, according to The Healthy:

1. Get in shape
2. Spend more time with family and friends
3. Get organized
4. Learn something new
5. Eat at home more

Do any of these resonate with you? They are fantastic resolutions with a lot of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. They are also lofty and can require an entire lifestyle or mindset shift. That is where your home comes in.

Most of us spend a significant amount of time at home, especially with the increase of flexible and remote work options. Therefore, it only makes sense that our homes should support any goal you make. If your home is altered in a way that supports your resolutions, you will be more likely to stick to it. Here are a few changes you can make so your home can support your New Year resolutions.

Get in Shape

Physical health and wellness are important and should be a priority. However, most of the time, gyms and fitness centers experience a busy season in January and February, and less so as the year goes on. Life is busy and it can be hard to find time to move every day. You can make it easier to achieve your fitness goals if you create a space in your home that supports your movement. Eliminating the drive to and from the gym will free up some of your time as well.

We recommend creating a space in your home dedicated to physical wellness. Collect your favorite gym equipment. Set up a television and stream motivating exercise videos. Find a place in your house that will fit your yoga mat. Whatever exercise inspires you the most, set up a space dedicated to that. If it’s right inside your home, it’s accessible. Furthermore, you will then have the flexibility to work out when it fits within your schedule.

If you do not have room for exercise equipment, change up the furniture in your living room, bedroom, or another room to have enough space to safely move. With exercise video content galore, there are a lot of choices that will allow you movement in a spot with limited space.

If space is truly tight, another alternative is to think about using the areas surrounding your home to walk, run, or bike. There are apps that can guide you through these activities and track your movement. Additionally, you can stream your favorite tunes and rock out with a view while you move.

Fitness centers are great for many people. However, many see the commute to and from the gym as a hinderance to their exercise routine. Finding a way to workout at home is a great option. The goal is never perfection, and always progress.

Spend More Time with Family & Friends

This is a WONDERFUL goal. Spending time with those we love and care about the most fills our buckets and our hearts. So how can our homes help with this goal?

First, think about how you like to share your time with your loved ones. Do you enjoy watching movies? Playing games? Eating? Spending time outside? What do your typical gatherings look like?

Once you have this figured out, elevate the space where you spend the most time. Why? If your spaces are already designed in a way to support hosting company, you’ll be more likely to do it. If you must spend a day cleaning or rearranging or decorating or preparing, you’ll be less likely to host often.

A few ideas

1. If you like to watch movies, swap your pristine white sofas for a big cozy couch.
2. Is food a focal point of your gatherings? Add chairs to your island or find a space where your dishes can be featured.
3. When you are ready to host your next board game bonanza, make sure your space has a table and chairs that will comfortably fit everybody.
4. Repurpose your “formal dining room” in a way that supports the way you like to entertain most.
5. If the fresh outdoors if your jam, design it in a way that you and your company can enjoy it. An outdoor kitchen, a bonfire area, comfy outdoor seating, or a play space are great places to start.

Let your home help you with your New Year resolutions. Make a few changes that will increase the opportunities to spend time with those you cherish most. With a little help, you can make the phrase, “mi casa es su casa,” a reality.

Get Organized

If your goal is to get organized in the new year, why not start with your home? According to entrepreneur.com, the average American spends 2.5 days each year looking for lost items. A goal to increase your organization is justified.

Fortunately, your home is a blank canvas. There’s so much you can do to improve your storage. Check out Pinterest for ways to maximize your closet and pantry spaces. Look into furniture that serves multiple purposes and will help you store some items. Bring in a filing cabinet to arrange your mail, pamphlets, and bills. Grab totes and tubs for your garage. Find a storage system that will fit all of your toys.

You spend so much time in your home, it’s important that your possessions have a place. With a few changes, your home will feel organized in no time and your resolution will be more achievable.

Learn Something New

When was the last time you focused on learning something new? Carpe diem! If it’s been a while, now is that time! Piedmont.org outlines the benefits we receive when we learn a new skill. Motivation, confidence, health, and happiness are a few of the advantages mentioned.

Fortunately, interior design trends agree, and support the creation of a multifunctional space. An article from Better Homes & Gardens says that “multi-use areas are increasingly in demand.”

Whether taking up an instrument, beginning a crafting hobby or starting an online course, you don’t need a separate space. Your space can be an addition to another already established room in your home.

The point is, you don’t always need to enroll in a class in a facility thirty minutes away. Your home can support your endeavor to learn a new skill and your spaces can be flexibly altered to do just that. Like a fitness space, if you have an accessible space at home to practice your new skill, you will be more likely to prioritize it.

It’s time to do some soul-searching to figure out what you are most interested in. Once you figure it out, see if you can find a way to integrate it into your living space.

Eat at Home More

Most people eat at home less due to time constraints and busy schedules. Here are a few ways you can prepare your home and change your habits, so you are more motivated and prepared to eat in instead of out.

Choose simple recipes

Choosing simple recipes is key for a few reasons. Simple recipes typically take less time to prepare. They use less ingredients, and often ones already commonly found in most homes. Furthermore, they often use kitchen gadgets you likely already have at home. If you choose simpler recipes, you will be more likely to eat more of your meals at home.

Add a second refrigerator or a garage freezer

Having a second way to store food means that you can have more meals readily available. If you take the time to prepare your own freezer meals or have frozen family favorites, you can store them in your extra space. Then, when those busy nights arise, instead of heading to the drive thru, you can choose to head to your freezer instead.

Stock your pantry with staples (and keep it organized)

Think about things you enjoy making that are quicky and easy. Next, make sure your pantry has everything you’ll need to make these items. Knowing that you have what’s necessary to make a favorite dish ready and waiting will improve your odds of cooking (and eating) at home.

Have a designated eating space

Standing while eating or eating on the go isn’t as appealing. Having a designated eating space at home allows you to enjoy your company and delicious meal more. It gives you something to look forward to. It may be just what you need to choose in over out.

Your home was a huge investment. It’s time to make your home a place that supports the other goals and resolutions you have for yourself and your life. As you head into the new year and aim to make changes, consider how you can alter your home to support you and your needs. Go ahead- set that goal! This is your year!

If you’d like some assistance, or even just an accountability partner, I am happy to help. Click here to connect with me. Support is only a click away!