The holidays are over, a new year is here, and it’s the middle of winter with nothing to do, right? Wrong! There are tons of things you can do to keep your hands busy, heart full, and brain active so you can stay sane in the new year. Here are 11 easy things you can do right now to enrich your life and stay happy!

Buy Flowers For Yourself (Or Someone Else!)

Nothing says “spring is coming!” like a bouquet of cheerful flowers on the kitchen table! You don’t need an occasion to give flowers, and they’ll surely brighten anyone’s day. Take a detour to the floral section at your grocery store or farmer’s market and surprise a loved one with a pop of spring (or keep them for yourself)!

Write Thank-You Notes

Grab some cute note cards and tell your friends how much you appreciate them! Everyone likes receiving mail, and keeping in touch with friends and family is more important than ever. So give yourself a break and take a few minutes to send a thoughtful note to whoever helped make your holiday special. Practicing gratitude and thoughtfulness will make you both feel great and help you stay close to treasured friends and family.

Go Through Your Fridge Or Pantry

Out with the old! January is the perfect time to give your fridge or pantry a once-over to clear out any items that are past their prime or you don’t need. Your fridge, pantry, and medicine cabinet will thank you, and your local food pantry would welcome any non-expired items you’d like to donate!

Find A Way To Volunteer Or Give Back

Nothing gives a mood boost like helping others, and there are tons of opportunities for you to give back to your community. From donating to food banks to picking up litter at the park, giving to your favorite causes, or even walking dogs at the shelter, there is plenty to do to give back. Your skills, talents, and support are valuable and will be appreciated by your neighbors!

Put Away Holiday Decorations

Seriously, it’s time. Just take a deep breath and wrap them up for next year.

Try A New Hobby

The great thing about a hobby is that you don’t need to be good at it already! Try something new just for fun – whether it’s painting, knitting, cooking, dancing, woodworking, playing games, gardening, or even trying out an online yoga class. It’s never too late to start something new, and it’s incredibly rewarding to do things just for the sake of doing them! There are plenty of ways to enrich your life and have new experiences in the new year. You might just find your new favorite thing to do!

Re-Evaluate Your Workspace

Everyone deserves a working setup that makes you happy and helps you be productive when you’re on the clock. Take a look at your current workspace and see if making any improvements can help you be focused and happier at work! Clear off work surfaces, get a new calendar, empty the trash, change the lightbulbs, hang a piece of artwork... whatever you need! If you’ve got to work, you might as well feel good doing it.

Declutter The Junk

Chances are you have at least one junk drawer, messy closet, or cluttered table you’ve been putting off for later. Pick one and get to work! It won’t take too long to put in order, and you’ll feel great getting one thing checked off your list.

Watch Something New

Now that you’ve done all that hard work, give yourself a break! Check out a new show or movie on Netflix or your favorite streaming service. Theaters may be closed for now, but you can still feed your brain and enjoy something new. Ask friends for recommendations or take a chance on a new show you’ve been meaning to see. You deserve a break!

Visit Your Local Library

Speaking of feeding your brain, your local library has LOTS of movies, books, and audiobooks just waiting for you to come and check them out! Many branches even have online options to check out ebooks and movies. Better yet... it’s totally free! Give your library a look and get something new to enjoy.