45 New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Keep in 2025

The last thing you often want to do in any open block of time you have is cleaning, but a regular schedule can make it more do-able and maybe even less painful. Start by thinking what needs to be done and how often, and then plan out who will do each task and when.

It’s easy to let your family’s activities take over all your time and wear everyone out. Instead, be proactive about scheduling time for dinners, walks, read alouds, excursions, or game nights together, and make a point each month to plan a date night or two with your partner. Take advantage of family activities that come with each season too.

The default in life is often to get stuck in meal ruts when life gets hectic. Take advantage of extra time in the slow winter months to find new recipes you want to try and cook one a week or whatever works best with your schedule. These quick, easy dinners are a great starting point for gathering ideas.

Exercising can be less of a burden and even enjoyable if you find the right activity for you. Explore cycling, pilates, or other classes at a gym new you, or make a plan for a regular video or other regimen with a friend to help keep yourself accountable to sticking with the plan. If you haven’t been working out regularly, make sure you start with smaller, easier workouts and work your way up from there.

Studies show that too much time on social media can impact your mental health negatively and can become addictive, so consider where to set daily limits using screen time or another app and/or taking breaks after 9 p.m. or longer blocks of time on weekends or vacation. Better yet, leave your phone in a bedroom for periods of time or take a vacation from it; you’ll be glad you did.

It’s crazy how fast that trash can can fill up, so consider making a commitment one or more routines that will cut down on your waste: Use reusable grocery bags and water bottles and cups and avoid other single-use food containers and utensils. Start recycling and composting your food scraps. Use old rags instead of paper towels. Buy food in bulk to cut down on packaging. Use soap bars instead of bottles. Wrap your food in bees wrap instead of plastic wrap. Every little bit counts.

It’s fun to return to familiar spots but can also be a fun adventure to travel somewhere new. Brainstorm destinations, and then start research with travel guides and travel blogs, plus recommendations from friends. We’re a big fan of exploring small towns around the U.S. too and have plenty of guides for them.

Devoting your time to a cause you care about can be incredibly rewarding. Start by identifying the skills you can offer and nonprofits with missions you are passionate about, and then reach out to find out how you can start volunteering.

There’s no time like the present to get on prettying up that drab corner or room that is likely cluttered up with who knows what. We’ve got plenty of inspiration for your bedroom, small spaces, and more.

You don’t have to wait for spring cleaning to start decluttering. Get a head start by cleaning out the clothes in your closet and dresser. Go through every single piece and toss anything that’s damaged or stained and start a giveaway pile for anything haven’t worn in over a year (you can make an exception for some attire for special occasions). Your decluttered closet is sure to make you smile in the end, and often you don’t need everything you thought you needed.

Short of time? It’s easy to skip stretching in your exercise or just daily routines, but stretching regularly is proven to increase your flexibility and range of motion in your joints. It can also help you relax and decrease pain. Experiment with different stretches and find the ones that work best for your body.

We all know face time in person—or virtual or a call when that’s the only option to chat with someone—is better for than texting, but it’s easy for all that typing with emojis to become our default. Studies show that verbal conversations even on a phone create stronger social bonds than typing texts or emails, so make time for more calls and coffee dates this year, even if it means scheduling them way far in advance.

Taking on a new language improves your memory and can make traveling a place where it is spoken more fun (and easier to get around). Tools like Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and Duolingo make it easy to start building your vocabulary and learning grammar from home in whatever time you have available.

Sure you can find all your pics on the cloud these days, but there’s nothing like holding them in your hands. Use an online tool to make a photo album virtually that will come in the mail printed nice and pretty or go old school and get prints made to put in an album or scrapbook. Then pull it out when friends or family come over to relive special memories.

In the age of streaming, we often let platforms tell us what to watch and find even with all the options nothing looks good. Instead, start curating your own list of classics, favorites, and new films to work your way through this year. Start by perusing these lists of the best movies of 2023 and the best New Year’s films to get you started.

It’s easy to get so consumed by paying for groceries and monthly bills that you aren’t thinking strategically about saving and investing, and it sure is easy to put off doing so even though we all know it’s not wise. Research ways to do this better and invest your money in the coming year. It’s not as hard as it sounds!