Last year, Stastisa revealed the most common New Year\u2019s resolutions \u2013 and they probably won\u2019t surprise you. The top five were: eat healthier, get more exercise, save money, focus on self-care and read more. If you\u2019re setting your own resolutions for 2019, some of those might resonate with you. But this list can also be discouraging. If we\u2019ve all been trying to eat healthier year after year, why haven\u2019t we pulled it off yet?<\/p>\n
Now, we\u2019re not going to try to solve the New Year\u2019s resolution problem in one fell swoop. Your local gyms will probably still be packed in January but a ghost town by early March. We can, however, make some recommendations to help you stick to your resolutions next year. Making some small changes around your home can make 2019 the year where you reflect on your resolutions with pride come next December. Here are a few things you can do to create a home that sets you up for success.<\/p>\n
Resolution #1 : Eat healthier<\/strong><\/p>\n Are you trying to get on board the healthy eating bandwagon? Us, too. This is a hard one when you\u2019ve got coworkers who bring in cookies or friends who love to eat out. But you can at least make your life easier at home. First things first, clean out that pantry. Give yourself the challenge to stop buying groceries except for fresh produce until you\u2019ve eaten all your pantry staples (and, yes, those extra bags of chips while you\u2019re at it). Now that you\u2019ve cleared out all those refined grains and trans fats, restock with healthy, whole food. As a rule, the less processed food is, the better it probably is for you. Check the ingredient list. Fewer ingredients, and especially fewer items you can\u2019t pronounce, usually means a healthier selection.<\/p>\n Keep your pantry organized and stocked with healthy options. It\u2019s a whole lot easier to eat right when you\u2019ve got a bag of almonds or a banana waiting for you when hunger strikes. Similarly, make it a point to keep healthy options within reach and at eye level, where you\u2019re more likely to grab them. Even if other family members aren\u2019t on the health kick with you, you can protect yourself by shoving those Oreos to the back of the pantry and putting a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter.<\/p>\n Resolution #2 : Get more exercise<\/strong><\/p>\n Who among us couldn\u2019t use the physical and mental health benefits of getting moving more often? But with the busyness of life, actually getting to the gym can be a real hassle. Instead, why not create a workout space in your home?<\/p>\n If you have the space, setting up a full-blown home gym is motivating. Every time you walk past it, you\u2019ll get a little nudge to get your sweat on. If you\u2019re working with a more compact footprint, a yoga area doesn\u2019t need to take up much space. Queue up a YouTube video to guide you and you\u2019re ready to go! Or, if you\u2019re trying to go the cardio route, set up an area near your front door where you can lay out your sneakers, headphones and whatever other gear you\u2019ll want. This visual reminder to get moving can help you keep your new year\u2019s resolutions in 2019.<\/p>\n Resolution #3 : Save money<\/strong><\/p>\n This is another one of those resolutions that pretty much everyone can agree would be great to pull off. If you\u2019re looking to end 2019 with a little more padding in your wallet, your home can definitely help. Make some high-efficiency changes to cut back on your utility expenses. We\u2019ve got five easy ways to get started. Swaps that will take you just minutes \u2013 like changing out a light bulb or turning down your water heater \u2013 can help you tuck away savings throughout the entire year.<\/p>\n Another great way to save money is to encourage time at home. It\u2019s a whole lot cheaper to have a friend over for drinks or a movie than it is to go out for the same activity. Set up your space for entertainment and see some serious savings next year.<\/p>\n Resolution #4 : Focus on self-care<\/strong><\/p>\n This resolution captures a wide range of sentiment, from people just trying to get more sleep to those who are feeling seriously burnt out and need to scale their commitments back in a major way. However you want to practice self-care in 2019, a comfy, cozy bed is key. Upgrade your bedding to encourage yourself to the get the rest your body needs.<\/p>\n If simply catching more zzz\u2019s isn\u2019t your goal for next year, create a physical space in your home where you can take care of your body and your mind. If you love chilling in the bath for its calming effects, create a spa-like feel in your bathroom to amplify the benefits. Or if you want to explore meditation, make a meditation room so you can minimize distractions. Think through what you want to do for yourself to feel more relaxed and balanced next year. Then, create an area in your home where you can regularly revisit that practice, keeping your New Year\u2019s resolutions and keeping yourself healthy.<\/p>\n Resolution #5 : Read more<\/strong><\/p>\n If the digital revolution of the last few decades has shown us anything, it\u2019s that finding time to unplug is key in maintaining our sanity. Diving into a good book is a perfect way to both relax and stimulate the brain. So it\u2019s no surprise that when coming up with new year\u2019s resolutions, so many of us are resolving to read more. Making a change to our homes can definitely help us keep that resolution.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got the space, why not add a home library? That awkward area under the stairs or unused corner can transform into a place that inspires you to crack open a book. Or, if you\u2019re not keen on adding a bunch of bookshelves, at the very least carve out a reading space. Place a comfortable chair in a location with a nice view. Add a soft throw and a table where you can place a mug of tea or a cool drink and you\u2019re ready to read!<\/p>\n What are your New Year\u2019s resolutions? Are you making any changes to your home or apartment to help yourself keep them in 2019?<\/p>\n