January’s Over—So Here’s A Plan to Channel That “New Year” Energy Into a Permanently Better Home

January’s “fresh start” vibe is unmatched. The dawn of a new year with limitless possibilities for what you (and your home) can become.

That’s why every year, Apartment Therapy dedicates the month to the January Cure—this fun little step-by-step group project that we all take on together to improve our homes. Today is the final official day of the Cure, but your commitment to a better home doesn’t have to end.

First, I have one last daily assignment for you, then some advice for how to channel your fresh start into a permanently better space.

Whether you joined the Cure on Jan. 1 or just yesterday, you’ve done amazing work this month, inching towards a home that looks and feels better than before. So your final assignment is to enjoy it. Pour a drink, run a bath, or play some music. Even if you haven’t done everything, you’ve done something—and that’s enough.

Whether or not you participated in the Cure this month, you can take advantage of the lessons we’ve learned.

Commit to doing one small thing for your home, every day. Those daily routines are really the foundation for a cleaner home and a more peaceful home life. So take three minutes near the end of every day to clear off your surfaces to keep clutter from taking over. Maintain a physical list of projects and repairs you’d like to complete around your space. Then make appointments—actual calendar appointments—to complete those projects on a regular basis. Keep an “outbox” in your entryway or closet to drop unworn clothes or unused items into, to keep you from hanging on to things you don’t need.

January doesn’t have a lock on self-improvement. Daily habits will keep you on track, but whenever you need help really overhauling your space and your homekeeping habits, you can take on the Cure at your own leisure by following along with The Eight-Step Home Cure book. Apartment Therapy’s founder Maxwell Ryan wrote the book to help you understand why you might feel dissatisfaction and stress from your living space right now, and then maps out an eight-week plan which leads you step by step through the process of healing your home.

If you signed up for the January Cure email list, we’ll also keep you updated on future 2020 Apartment Therapy jumpstart projects just like the Cure, including our Spring Cleaning series, and the September Sweep decluttering master class.

It’s been so much for me to help you clean and decorate your space this month with the Cure, but now I have to return to my regular job: Helping you clean and decorate your space with more articles right here on Apartment Therapy dot com the website. (Our commitment to home never ends!). If you want to make sure you get the best advice, stories, and lessons from me and the other talented writers here at Apartment Therapy, enter your email address below to get the AT Daily newsletter right in your inbox every day:

That’s it for the Cure! I hope you have a wonderful 2020 and I hope I see you around! Feel free to say hi on Instagram or find me in the Apartment Therapist Facebook group.

— Taryn ❤️