January might already be a write-off but you can still save your year

Every January, we see the same thing happen, like clockwork.

At the start of the month, we create new routines, set goals and tell ourselves we’ll become a brand new version of yourself in 30 days.

We share our New Year’s resolutions with friends over strictly ‘dry’ meet ups.

We do all of this when we’re supposed to be hibernating, staying warm through the cold, dark days, and – let’s be honest – recovering from the chaos of Christmas.

Feels a tad unrealistic.

So it’s no wonder that, like every year, these goals fall through as quickly as they are made.

Today, I don’t doubt many of you have already seen those best laid plans go awry. 

But you shouldn’t beat yourself up.

Over the years I’ve come to believe that January needs to work around us, because it simply isn’t designed for drastic change, and honestly, the older I get, the more I trust that instinct.

My experience of failed Januarys

I’ve had plenty of Januarys where I’ve signed up to the gym alongside the masses, overhauled my diet, committed to daily journalling all while commuting, running a household, and trying to keep everything ticking along. 

One January, I convinced myself I’d become a 5am person. I started to read the 5am book and decided I could do this. I managed a couple of mornings, but the dark, the cold and sheer exhaustion quickly caught up with me. Instead of feeling motivated, I just felt like I was failing before the year had properly begun. By mid January, the alarm clock was set to a reasonable time and decided I could carry the disappointment longer than the habit itself.

By the time mid January arrives, our energy dips, and suddenly all that motivation we initially had leaves the building. 

Life, as always, gets in the way of our well laid plans.

It can feel like you’ve already failed the year before it’s properly begun but January doesn’t need to feel like a pressure to achieve in our lives.

So instead of trying to change myself, I’ve started wondering what I can do to support my journey into the new year.

What I do to make January easier

For me, the most effective place to begin isn’t physical clutter or big life decisions – it’s mental and digital clutter, the invisible stuff that quietly drains our energy without us even realising and it’s quite a gentle exercise to manage over the month.

My emails are a clear example of this – an overflowing inbox creates constant low level stress, yet dealing with it doesn’t require a huge emotional investment. And I have one simple rule that works beautifully – delete, action, or file into folders. 

I always do this at the start of January, and it makes me feel a lot lighter and brighter – when I’ve cleared space in my inbox, it clears my head too. 

The same applies to the clutter of notes I have – from my Notes apps, notebooks, scraps of paper tucked into bags and drawers. I gather all physical notes together and place them into one bag or box. Then, I go through them all to either consolidate, action or bin.

As someone who helps others declutter and organise for a living, I can say with certainty that lasting change rarely comes from dramatic overhauls. It comes from small, intentional decisions made consistently over time.

Some decluttering steps you can take

Instead of dramatically changing your life this January, here are a few simple decluttering steps that can quietly stand you in good stead for the year ahead without burnout or overwhelm.

Start with one drawer or one surface. Not a whole room or a whole cupboard. Concentrate just on one small space you interact with daily. Do what you need to with this space – clear it, clean it, wipe it, and only put back what you genuinely use or love.

Create a ‘pending’ pile. January is not the time to make final decisions about everything, so create a box or bag of items you’re unsure about and revisit it over the next few months. 

Whether it’s clothes, correspondence, house plans, it can all wait – ideally when spring arrives and your energy naturally lifts.

Edit your digital life. Unsubscribe from emails you never read, delete apps you don’t use, clear duplicates from your photo roll. These changes are quick but incredibly calming.

Reset one routine. Whether it’s in the morning, evening, or weekly, find something you can do to give you a simple structure. Make it simple, not big – something you can sustain even on a tired day, such as air you bed whilst you shower / get ready in the morning, open the window for 15 minutes to let the moisture out of the room and then pull the covers back over to neaten your bed.

Trust me, it will make you feel good every time you walk into your bedroom.

Remember to always be kind to yourself about pace. Any progress you make doesn’t need to be visible to be real, so be kind to yourself during this time.

For me, January should be a soft start and I want to normalise that. 

It’s a chance to move into the year gently, holding on to what supports us and letting go of the rest. 

Because when we let go of what no longer feels right, we’re making space for an exciting new chapter.

And that’s how we begin the year – without burning ourselves out before it’s even begun

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. 

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