How to Start the New Year Right
I know Christmas just ended, and it will soon be 2025. I’ve been thinking about the new year and ways to make 2025 better than 2024. The start of a new year is one of my favorite times to reflect and set myself up for success in the coming year. Whether it’s decluttering the house, starting a new routine, or simply listing out what you’re grateful for, it can be hard to know where to even start.
If you’re like me, you might be wondering, “How can I make this new year count?” I’ve gathered 10 simple tips to help us all step into the new year with confidence and ease. No lofty resolutions or complicated strategies—just friendly nudges and practical habits to set the tone for the next 365 days.
Easy Things You Can Do to Start the New Year
1. Reflect on the Past Year
Before jumping into the new year, take a moment to glance in the rearview mirror. Ask yourself:
- What went well this year?
- What challenges helped me grow?
- What accomplishments am I most proud of?
- What do I want more (or less) of in 2025?
Celebrate your victories, learn from the challenges, and then move forward without dwelling. A gratitude list is a great way to start—list everything you’re thankful for, from big wins to small joys. This exercise can help clarify areas for personal growth and what you’d like to prioritize.
If you want to take it a step further, consider creating a vision board. Use images, words, and quotes that inspire you to visualize your goals and smart goals for 2025. Place it somewhere you’ll see daily to stay motivated.
2. Organize Your Calendar
An organized calendar can make all the difference. Whether you’re team digital or love a paper planner, setting aside 30 minutes weekly to plan your schedule can be life-changing. This is also a great way to stay on track with your New Year’s resolutions and to-do list.
Tips for Calendar Success:
- Add doctor and dentist appointments now (they fill up fast!).
- Mark birthdays and set reminders a week in advance.
- Save holiday card addresses in a spreadsheet for next year.
- Schedule recurring tasks like bill payments and grocery shopping.
I swear by Google Calendar for my blog and personal life. It’s free and easy to use. Here is how you can get started. If paper planners are more your style, the Clever Fox Planner Pro is a fantastic option. What’s your favorite way to stay organized?
3. Move Your Body
We all know this one, but it’s worth repeating: movement is key to improving your physical health and well-being. Start small by committing to 30 minutes of walking three times a week. Put it on your calendar to stay accountable.
If you enjoy variety, try a new workout class or activity like yoga, pilates, or dancing. Exploring new ways to stay active can keep things fun and engaging while improving your mindset.
Workout Essentials:
- Workout Leggings: I linked some of my favorite black leggings in this post about comfy black leggings.
- Sports Bra: I’ve linked some of the best ones below, depending upon your different needs.
- Walking/Tennis Shoes: You can grab more ideas in this post.
- AirPods or Headphones
- Water Bottle: I love that this one helps you stay on track with how much water you should be drinking each hour. This one has an app to use on your phone to sync up and keep track. If you prefer a cup with a straw, this one is great!
- You can see more of my favorites in these posts: The Best Workout Clothes For Women Over 50 and Affordable Designer Inspired Activewear Clothing.
4. Clean Out Your Email Inbox
Take advantage of this time to declutter your digital life. Unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read and delete old emails. Apps like Unroll Me make this process quick and easy. A clutter-free inbox feels so refreshing going into the new year.
Email Tip: Create folders for important categories like work, personal, and finances to keep your inbox organized year-round.
5. Prioritize Your Faith
Life gets busy, but starting your day with quiet time for prayer and scripture can center your heart and mind. I love using devotionals like The Well-Watered Woman and keeping a prayer journal handy to jot down my thoughts. I find that when I’m at my busiest, that’s when I need to make the time to put a little bit of quiet time with Jesus first. I’m sharing a few of my favorite faith resources below for you as well to start the new year off right!
6. Treat Yourself
Investing in yourself doesn’t have to mean big splurges. Schedule small acts of self-care, like:
- Monthly massages
- Reading a good book
- Updating your skincare routine
Speaking of investing in yourself, don’t forget to indulge in some self-care from time to time like taking a relaxing bath once a week, giving yourself an at home pedicure, or investing in some new skincare products. Consider trying aromatherapy candles or bath salts to enhance the experience. Remember, you’re worth it!
7. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep is the foundation for everything else. If your bed isn’t comfortable, consider upgrades like new pillows or a new mattress topper. These pillows are highly rated and might be just what you need for a restful night’s sleep. I bought them for my guest bedrooms.
Additional Tips for Better Sleep:
- Set a consistent bedtime.
- Limit screen time an hour before bed.
- Create a calming bedtime routine, like reading or meditating.
8. Declutter Your Home
We all have one room that becomes a catch-all. You can start the year with a clean slate by decluttering your space. Focus on one area at a time—like your closet or pantry. Remember, it’s okay if it takes several days. Progress, not perfection!
Decluttering Checklist:
- Donate clothes you no longer wear.
- Toss expired pantry items.
- Organize drawers and cabinets with simple storage solutions.
If you feel extra motivated, tackle one room a week until your entire home feels refreshed.
9. Try Something New
Add excitement to your year by picking up a new hobby or activity. Whether knitting, gardening, painting, or joining a pickleball league, trying something new can boost your mood and keep life interesting.
If you’re not sure where to start, think about something you’ve always wanted to try. It’s never too late to learn a new skill or pursue a passion. New opportunities can lead to inspiration and personal growth.
10. Plan for Fun
Life isn’t all about work and productivity. Make space for joy by planning activities that bring you happiness. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, family game night, or a date with yourself at a favorite coffee shop, having something to look forward to is energizing.
Ideas for Fun Plans:
- Book tickets to a concert or play.
- Schedule a lunch date with a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
- Plan a short trip to explore a nearby town or nature trail.
What do you do to start the new year off right? Do you set resolutions, or do you prefer to focus on small, manageable habits like these? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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To GOD Goes The Glory!
Verse Of The Day
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Happy New Year? Favorite place to shop is J.Jill!
So many great ways to start the new year. I’ve down loaded unroll me and brought out a journal notebook. I’m also ordering the well watered woman devotional al. Thank you
I would like to accomplish 3 things this year: read through my Bible in chronological order, make exercise a priority, and learn how to make linocut prints. And thank you for the idea of a prayer journal 😊 Blessings to you in 2025!
Hello, I love your blog and your perspective on life, family and God. Thank you for sharing all that you do. My favorite retailer is Talbots. I love when you do try-on hauls from them. Thank you again.
My New Year’s resolution is to declutter my closet and dresser. I recently found your blog on wearing leggings after age 50. So I’m revamping my wardrobe with a new style.
Thank you for the inspiration
Declutter and organize is high on my list this year.
My New Year’s resolution is to prioritize my sleep and healthy eating to lose the weight I have packed on in the last couple of years.
I follow Jon Gordon’s plan for choosing ONE WORD for the year. That is what you are going to focus on. (I highly recommend him, if you don’t follow.) My word for this year is INTENTIONAL. I want to be more intentional about devoting time to my life, husband, family, friends, faith and fun. Time is truly a PRESENT. I don’t make resolutions, they get lost. Happy New Year!
Happy 2025 to you and your family! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas in this post – and all your fashion knowledge as well.
Lost 15 lbs this year and plan to loose 15 in 2025.
Congratulations!
You provided a great list, Tania! I am not one to make resolutions. With Larry being a cancer patient and the various medical issues I have, our numerous doctors appointments have a big impact on our weeks. My morning devotional time is extremely important to me, and I ensure that I make the time for it every day. We are planning on going to visit family in MO & IL in Feb. that we have not seen in a few years. And we will be bringing my 84 year old, very active SIL back to spend some time with us, so we do have plans to make for that trip.
I know your SIL will love spending time with you and Larry.
Great list!
I plan to continue my workouts and eating better.
I plan to be more intentional in my prayer life. I am in a weekly Bible study, but when we are not meeting, like during the holidays, I slack with my Bible study. I hope to do better with that. I want to give more compliments and be more encouraging.
Thanks, Tania! May God bless you and yours in 2025♥️🙏
Those are all good goals. You should make your goals specific, like give out 1 compliment a day,
My resolution is to set an earlier bedtime and be consistent. I find I waste too much time sitting looking at the TV where I could be reading and setting myself up for a good sleep.
All the very best for a wonderful 2025!
Happy new year!
Great ideas!!
Great tips for the new year. love the navy pants and stripped sweater.
Love all of your ideas for starting the new year right! A lot of them are on my list for the new year, too. My #1 to-do for 2025 is to declutter my closet and (hopefully) keep it that way. I am pretty sure that decluttering my closet will also help me “declutter my mind” by making it easier to see the clothing I actually have & come up with outfits for the day and have extra time for other things I enjoy. Thank you for all your wonderful posts, fashion ideas, family stories, and inspirational messages in 2024. I’m really glad I stumbled upon your blog about a year and a half ago!
Jackie, I have a lot of jeans. So, when I was trying to rearrange my closet, I organized them by brand. It makes it much easier for me to find the ones I’m looking for.
I like that idea! Thanks!
Thank you for all your great fashion and self help ideas. My resolution is to follow through.
Follow through with everything I start. Happy New Year!
I love your blog!
My new year resolutions are these: read 1 book each month for pure pleasure and the other is to do 1 kind thing for myself every day.
Good ideas. I put faith as first. I would add reading the Bible every day. Everyone has time for one chapter. I joined a women’s Bible study in my church this year and it’s best thing I did. We dive in deep. I can’t wait to start again in a couple of weeks. I put working out second. It’s important for overall your health. My resolution is to be wiser in my fashion purchases. I’ve wasted a lot of money through the years and I want to stop that. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Blessings to you and your family Tania.
Have the best 2025 everybody.
God is GRET and greatly to be Praised!
These are all such helpful suggestions. I definitely want to declutter and drink more water out of my motivational water bottle!
Declutter and organize is HUGE on my list.
Thanks, Tania for the gentle “nudge” and great tips for getting my heart and mind right for the new year!
I have The Well-Watered Woman in my Amazon cart!
I hope you like it,
My New Year’s resolution is to be mindful of ingredients that go into my body… really reading labels. 2024 was no drive throughs…I accomplished it! Happy New Year ❤️🥂🥰
Wow! No drive throughs is a good idea.
Great suggestions! To answer your question from your email about one resolution (or goal, as I prefer to use) for the new year…for me, that is to keep a tidier home AND create a cleaning schedule and stick to it. I guess that’s actually 3 things…hehehe. I consider it all as one since having a schedule and sticking to it will, in turn, help keep things tidier. 🙂 I definitely have other goals for 2025, but that is a good place to start.
Happy New Year!
I like the small focused approach… great ideas! I have learned so many new things in 2024 (forced upon me after losing my husband) …. But grateful for the ability to do those new things. I am starting out 2025 with more confidence which is good.
So many of your great tips have been added to my resolution list. In fact, I printed the list out and taped it to my frig so I could be reminded all day long. I want to continue my schedule of getting up at 4:00 am, getting my coffee, reading your post and sitting down with my
“morning basket” to plan the day. Starting food prep in the morning saves me so much time during the day. Happy New Year everyone. Let’s make it a good one!
Ummm, 4:00 am is a lot too early for me. Lol! I am not a morning person at all.
Some great ideas! I desperately need to declutter my entire house and I think your idea of concentrating on one area a week may be what I need to begin with. I always look forward to your daily posts!
All great ideas Tania. I want to thank you for your daily posts and especially your inspirational posts. I look forward to reading them every day. My first resolution is to read my Bible daily and get closer to God . Second get healthier by getting more consistent on exercising. Third, take time for inner reflection and meditation. Stop the busy-ness and listen. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Less excuse making will lead to more success! THANKS and Happy New Year!
Great ideas! Some of them are natural to me, like the organizational and health related ones. The one that I think I need to focus on a lot more this upcoming year: #5, #5, and #5. *Sheepish look* 🙂
Aside from that, #6 and #10 are somewhat challenging for me, as I am a bit of a workaholic. I’m pretty proud of myself right now, though. I actually have taken a little time off work this year for Christmas and New Year’s. I haven’t done anything extravagant, but I have been luxuriating at home. I will admit, it’s been kinda nice. 🙂
Happy New Year!
Carolyn, I’m right there with you. I rarely take time for myself, and I’m definitely a workaholic. I’ve been slipping on my Bible reading, so that is #1 on my list.
This is a great post! I will use it as a guide to get organized ! Thanks so much!
I would like to strive to be more “present” with less screen time.
Love that list! Like you, I use Google calendar. All appointments, birthdays, “to do” reminders – all on there. Really helps me to stay organized! 2025 is going to start out with hip replacement surgery, then lots of recovery and pampering! I’m determined to focus on doing special things for myself next year. Lots of hiking, camping, taking classes. Bring it on!! 🙂
Hi! One goal for 2025 is to send a card each week to someone who needs a bit of cheer. It might be a friend, family member, pastor, service provider but everyone needs encouragement!
One of my resolutions (or really a challenge) is to not buy anything in 2025. What I mean by that is: I’m not going to buy items just because I want them…if I actually need something – like new shoes for my workouts because my old ones are worn out – that’s ok…but I’m not going to buy a pair because there is a new model, or there is a “good deal”. I need to shop my closet and hopefully pare down what is in my closet over the coming year. Keep what I wear and love – shed what I really don’t wear or need anymore.
Rather than resolutions, I usually have a “word for the year”. For 2025, it is “slow down” (ok, that’s 2 words..lol) I want to take time to enjoy life and remember that time spent with family and friends is what is important. Happy New Year!
Such great tips! I have to print this out and go over it more thoroughly. I’m definitely good on some of these, and haven’t even thought of others. The one thing I have made a habit is to read more and walk more by listening to audiobooks while I take walks around our place. I love that habit, but I have work to do other areas. I turn 60 this year, and I’m hoping to finally conquer the habit of biting my fingernails – ha ha! Sad but true!😉
We all have areas that are easy for us, and some that are challenging. We are all different.
Thank you for everything you do. I love all of these. My top resolution is to journal each morning and start my day with a gratitude list of 5 things. Thank you, Jesus, for another day. Let us all do thy will each day better.
Cindy from Atlanta, GA.
Happy New Year Tanya! Thanks for your inspiring and informative posts. I especially enjoy your Faith posts. Wonderful inspiration!
I’m not a resolution gal but…. I do have some goals for the coming year. I am going to move daily (walk, work out, some type of movement) and also be more diligent in studying my bible. Thanks for your blog. I appreciate the items that you spotlight as I’m not much of a shopper and would never see a fraction of what is in your blog. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Thank you for this “roadmap” and suggestions.
High on my list is an act of kindness each day. It can be as simple as a smile for a stranger, complimenting someone for their hard work, writing a note to someone.
Great ideas!
My New Year’s resolution is to read the book: Keep it Shut by Karen Ehman and to apply it’ s biblical principals about the power of the tongue ( when to use and not use our tongues)!
That might be a book I need to buy too.
2024 was a tough year. Loss of my Mom and 2 close family members, I want to focus on the ones still close to me. Thank you Tania for all of your positive thoughts and fashion. I look forward to your posts daily. Happy New Year 🎆
I hope that 2025 is a better year. We all need to hold our loved ones as close as possible.
Happy New Year!
Tania, I want to thank you for sharing your great fashion sense & your faith. I had to make a hard decision regarding my lifetime church & struggled with my faith. Your positive energy comes through your writing & I needed that! Thank you & have a happy, healthy new year! 🥳🎆Resolution-Worry less, pray more
That’s a great resolution.
Thanks for the ideas for planning a great 2025! It doesn’t just happen, you have to imagine all the greatness to have it come to fruition. Loved the reminders to learn, love and live lively!
I love everything about this post, Tania!
Such great inspirational ideas and doable plans. Now I have to curb my ordering because I want most everything you linked to..🤔🥴
Lol! I’m glad you like my choices.
Thanks for these achievable ideas. I plan to read 10 books that have been banned in schools. I want to know my facts when when I support reading those books. I also plan to increase how far I can walk without resting from 1 mile to 2 miles. I want to be in better shape for our travels and our grandkids.
Great post! Ready to jump into 2025 with consistent healthy habits, decluttering, making the time for fun and daily joyful moments. Overall working on being a better human. Happy New Year to all!
Happy New Year!!
My goal is to meditate 3 times a week. It keeps me centered & calm.
New Year’s resolution my husband and I will schedule “off” screen time from the phones, to spend better quality time together happy New Year’s Eve
In April, I started a weight loss program that actually worked. I lost 12 of the 20 pounds I was hoping to get rid of. When my daughter got engaged in September, I “fell off the wagon”. I have gained five of those pounds back and I don’t feel as good as I felt. So for 2025, I WILL BE getting back on that “wagon”. I really miss the way I felt (and looked).
This is a recurring New Year’s Resolution so obviously I still need to work on it:
Take a few seconds (or more) to think before speaking rather than just letting words fall out of my mouth.
Hopefully, 2025 will be the year I finally learn this lesson!
Great ideas thanks!
Be the best YOU! Thanks and Happy New Year!