How to Start the New Year Fresh

When the holiday season comes to an end and all the festivities are over, you're left with a new year. It can be a time to set in place new things to learn and do or it can be a time of consolidation of things you're already passionately pursuing. Another alternative might be to simply contemplate where you've reached in life so far. Whatever your preferred approach to the new year, it's nice to start feeling refreshed and focused, ready to get back into things you're working on or to get started on new things. Here are a few ideas to give you a boost.

Edit Steps

Put away the holiday decorations in a timely manner. When the holiday festivities are over, the decorations, ornaments and other festive trappings can be popped back into their boxes and bags. If you leave this too long, it can feel like a chore and can also have the effect of holding you back from moving into the next experiences.
- Ask family and friends to help tidy away the seasonal decorations to make it easier.

Look over your New Year's Resolution list. (If you haven't made one, skip this step.) Write the list out on a planner, chart or calendar where you can make notes. In order to get your resolutions underway, it's probable that you'll need to do some planning and organizing, and perhaps even some purchasing. It helps your focus to make notes and lists to direct your efforts in starting new habits. For example:
- Is there any gear, equipment, food, clothing, etc. needed to start your new fitness/eating/exercise regime? Or perhaps you need new hobby or craft materials or new sports gear. Write down the needed items so that you can work out whether you already have what's needed or need to buy, beg, borrow or freecycle it.
- Do you need to book memberships, travel, subscriptions or any other service to aid the resolution? If so, write this down too.
- Write down anything else of relevance, alongside those resolutions.
- In some cases, breaking down the goals into short term and long term milestones is necessary to ensure you don't flag in your willpower. Write down any milestones you think will work for you.

Focus on organization. If you're already wonderfully organized, skip this step. But many people aren't and this can inhibit feeling like the new year is a fresh start.
- Are there piles of papers and books on the desk and floor? Clean them up in short bursts here and there (stealth cleaning!).
- Do you have trouble finding things, from keys to socks? Look for simple solutions, such as hanging up a key holder and setting up a special lost sock basket. One method is about training, the other is about acceptance––for example, you can train yourself to put things away but you can't account for missing socks until the mate turns up, so have a safe-keeping zone for such items.
- Hate cleaning? You could try to convince yourself it's exercise, a moment of Zen or a chance to throw out your mate's junk but it's better to find help. Delegate the cleaning jobs to others as much as possible and try to arrange it so that you're doing what you're best at. It's overwhelming to be the person responsible for it all, so stop trying.
- Take decluttering in gradual steps. Perhaps, first sort through your desk on Monday, organize your closet on Tuesday and Wednesday, go through your bookshelf on Thursday, on Friday vacuum, Saturday dust, and Sunday whatever you else needs to be organized. Once you've organized specific high-use areas, you will realize it's much easier to concentrate and find what you need with a clean room.

Relax more. If you're not in the habit of relaxing, start the new year with a resolution to add this important activity (or lack of activity) to your life from now on.
- Spend a little time browsing through books and websites devoted to relaxation ideas. What sorts of relaxing opportunities appeal to you? Not everyone agrees that the same things are relaxing––some people find adrenalin-packed activities relaxing while others would rather slump in the hammock with a good book. It's your choice, just so long as it relaxes you.
- Almost everyone finds spa-style activities relaxing. This might mean a weekly bath by candlelight with big bubbles (and maybe some bubbly), a massage (at home with a loved one or paid for at a spa), yoga, meditation and the like.
- When you get a chance, take a relaxation break on Saturday or some other appropriate free day or afternoon. Get your rest, have some friends over for a spa party if you want, or just be alone. You can give yourself an oil treatment, manicure/pedicure, and whatever else will make you feel good and look good.

Clean your work or study space. Going back to work or college/school after the holiday break can leave you feeling a little out of sorts. Tidying up your desk, locker, backpack, or whatever else you have where stuff accumulates can help you to feel refreshed for the new year. Throw out last year's junk, file away important information where it belongs and give everything a good dust or wipe down. Refill anything that you're running out of and if you can, place a pretty plant or photo on your desk to cheer yourself up.
- For backpacks, satchels, handbags, laptop carriers and other bags: Don't carry around unnecessary items! Things you don't need in the bag are clutter that increases the bulk and weight and might scratch items like laptops, phones and valuables.

Reflect over the past year. Think about things you'd like to do better this year, new things you'd like to try and people you'd like to make amends with or start over with. Have you achieved the things you wanted to in the past year? What specific things would you like to change or redirect? Asking yourself questions about progress, change and where you want to be right now can help to keep your perspective fresh, giving you new motivation to make this year a more fulfilling one.
- Anything you regret saying? Anyone you wish you could apologize too? If there is, apologize and make things right with them. You don't want to worry or regret anything when you start the new year.
- Was this past year so great you don't want it to be a new year? Great, make a scrapbook or diary entry about how great this year has been. But tell yourself the new year will be even better. Build on the lessons you've learned and keep the good things coming.
- Was this past year such a terrible year for you that you worry the new year will be more of the same or even worse? Thinking that way may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nobody expects you to fly when your wings feel broken but it's important for your own well-being to start finding small ways to mend your dreams. Treat yourself with greater compassion and hang out more with folks who have kind hearts. Focus on making this coming year a much gentler, kinder one. This might include letting go of things that are causing you anxiety––scary at first, but really liberating when you finally do it.

Edit Tips

Think of the new year as the best year of your life when you start it.

Promise yourself to do a weekly organizational check on your room/desk/car/whatever it is that gets you bogged down in mess, to prevent you from getting into that dysfunctional state of messiness.

Most people equate the new year with eating healthier, exercising more and spending more time with your loved ones. While these may seem like platitudes, it's precisely because these basic things assure you of a more satisfying life through bringing you greater energy, closer ties to people you care about and feeling healthier.

Edit Warnings

Worrying about what is to come during the year can lead to inaction. Do something about the problems, to the best of your ability, and things may change for the better. And give bad things time––these things too shall pass.

Don't beat yourself up if you're in a bad situation. Ask yourself once and sort out seriously if you did anything that helped cause it and why - then let it go. Beating yourself up about it over and over just makes it worse and drains time, energy and resources that could go to solving the problem.