15 Ways to Kick Off the New Year
With the frantic holiday season coming to a close and hectic work days looming around the corner, it’s tempting to downplay New Year’s Day. But it’s said that how you spend the first day of the year sets the tone for the rest of the year, so it doesn’t hurt to do something constructive or entertaining on New Year’s Day.
Here are 15 things you can do on New Year’s Day to start off on the right foot.
1. Get Organized
It may not sound like fun, but getting organized is a rewarding way to spend New Year’s Day. It’s about tackling those places in your home that have gotten out of your control and making your living space more comfortable and inviting.
Start with your closet. Make three piles: keep, donate and discard, and organize the items you keep in a way that makes it easier for you to find them. After your closet, you can tackle your bedroom drawers, bathroom cabinet, your children’s closets, linen closet, pantry and those junk-filled kitchen drawers that beg to be organized every time you open them. If you survive the kitchen drawers, and your adrenaline is still pumping, you might as well go all the way and engage in the extreme sport of garage organizing.
2. Binge on Movies or TV Shows
You could make this a New Year’s Day tradition. Every year, spend the day watching your favorite movies and TV shows or catching up on the movies you have missed throughout the year. Get cozy on your couch or recliner and enjoy the escapism that good movies and TV shows offer.
3. Host or Attend a Brunch
Who doesn’t love brunch? Like, seriously—who doesn’t? It’s not breakfast. It’s not lunch. It’s both. It’s brunch. And it’s a wonderful way to start the day—and the year. Indulge on delicious food and mimosas. Then take a glorious nap.
4. Call Your Friends and Loved Ones
New Year’s Day is the perfect day to reach out to people you haven’t talked to in a while. We all have people in our lives that we care about but that we rarely get in touch with because life and work get in the way. Take the time to call—not text—them to wish them happiness and prosperity in the New Year.
5. Watch Football
You know that big-screen TV you risked your life for at Walmart on Black Friday? Put it to good use on New Year’s Day for a full day of football and tailgating from the comfort of your own couch. New Year’s Day is a big day for college and pro football, and with plenty of sports channels to choose from, you won’t run out of games to watch.
6. Walk or Hike
Going for a long walk in your neighborhood, a nearby park, the city or along a scenic route is an excellent way to clear your head and enjoy the present moment. If you live in an area with hiking trails and you’re in decent shape, consider going on a hike on New Year’s Day by yourself or with a partner or friends. Carry a backpack with water and snacks and have a picnic at the highest point of your hike, wherever you can enjoy the view.
7. Clean the Fridge
Do you remember the last time you cleaned out your fridge inside out? Probably not. That means it’s been too long. Take everything out of the fridge and get rid of expired and old food. Clean the shelves, drawers, door, sides, everything. Reorganize the freezer. Wipe the outside of the fridge, including the top and grille at the bottom.
8. Start a New Book
If reading more books is one of your New Year resolutions, you might as well start on New Year’s Day. By now, you should have one or more books (printed or online) awaiting your attention. Choose the one that catches your fancy the most, sit in a comfortable chair and spend the day reading.
9. Host a Game Day
Video games, card games, board games, casino games, pool, darts, ping pong, dominoes, puzzles, trivia, charades. There are so many games waiting to be played, but the demands of work and everyday life leave us little time and energy to play them. New Year’s Day provides a great opportunity to get a few friends together and have a fun game day.
10. Work on Your Resolutions
Take a moment on New Year’s Day to write down your resolutions for the year ahead. If you have a track record of failing to keep resolutions in previous years, focus on being more realistic about them this year. In addition, break down your goals into steps and milestones you can take and keep track off, respectively, throughout the year.
11. Go Shopping
Take advantage of post-holiday sales and go shopping on New Year’s Day. Many retailers open that day during regular business hours or modified holiday hours (by opening later or closing earlier). Typically, there are bargains to be had after Christmas, but quantities are limited, so plan to shop earlier rather than later.
12. Hang Out by the Fire
Few activities are as relaxing as sitting in front of a fire and watching the flames flicker and leap. On New Year’s Day, hang out by your indoor fireplace or an outdoor fire pit alone or with your partner.
13. Take a Yoga Class
Find your Zen on New Year’s Day through an invigorating yoga class. Yoga can be strenuous and relaxing, challenging and soothing. Most teachers show you how to modify the poses according to your level of fitness or expertise (e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced). Yoga promotes strength, flexibility, balance and peace of mind. This is one good habit to have.
14. Play in the Snow
If you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by snow on New Year’s Day, bundle up and go sledding, tubing, ice skating or skiing. Reward yourself with a decadent cup of hot cocoa afterward.
15. Do Nothing
After all the decorating, shopping, cooking, gift wrapping and partying, it’s not surprising that many people run out of gas by New Year’s Day and opt for spending the day like it’s Sunday on steroids—doing absolutely nothing. Well, nothing but lounging around, snacking, watching TV, that kind of thing. After all, it may be the last day in a long time you get to do nothing, so you might as well give it your all.