31 Ways for Loving the Ordinary Each & Every Day
Small, simple moments to begin the year with intention
January arrives quietly.
After the rush of the holidays, the days soften. Mornings feel slower. Evenings ask us to settle in. It’s the kind of month that doesn’t need a grand reset — it simply invites us to begin again, gently.
Every month, I create a Loving the Ordinary list — not as a to-do list, but as a collection of small invitations. Simple ways to notice beauty, care for your home, and enjoy everyday life with more presence.
If you’re new to this practice, welcome. And if you’ve been here a while, I’m so glad you’re back.In this post, you’ll find 31 ways for Loving the Ordinary in January — ideas to enjoy winter days, nurture community, and move into the new year with intention rather than pressure.
An Enjoyable Way to Use This List
Before you begin, a reminder:
Please find just one or two ideas that meet you where you are right now.
You don’t need to do them all. The beauty of this practice isn’t how much you accomplish — it’s how deeply you notice.
If you’d like a little more structure as you begin the year, the January Open to Exploring eBook expands on this list with journaling prompts, seasonal reflections, and unhurried activities designed to help you move through January with clarity and curiosity.
→ Explore the January Open to Exploring eBook
January Loving the Ordinary Ideas
Simple Beginnings & Reflection
- Get a journal, memory box, or album for the year ahead. (You might enjoy my 10 Reasons to Start a Creative Journal blog.)
- Jot down intentions or inspirations for the year and tape them where you’ll notice them.
- Create a vision board and hang it in a visible place.
- Watch a TED talk on finances, investing, or personal growth.
- Enjoy time doing what you do well — and allow others that space too.
Movement & Well-Being
- Try a free barre, Pilates, or yoga class.
- Drink more water each day — even a little more than usual counts.
- Drink green tea daily.
- Take a walk through a winter garden or park and notice the season’s quiet beauty.
- Try doodling snowflakes — just for fun.
Home & Everyday Order
- Rearrange your desk or office furniture for a fresh start.
- Add one item to help organize finances or paperwork; in other words, inspiration to get work done.
- Set up a file for each month to keep receipts in; as a result, tax time next year will be easier
- Buy a new accessory for your winter coat — an exterior outfit refresh.
- Find a beautiful little notebook to keep your account information, passwords, and emergency contacts in for easy access
- Clean out your winter hats, scarves, gloves, and coats you haven’t worn and donate them to a homeless shelter or children’s school
Creativity & Learning
- Learn to knit, crochet, or tat — check local stores, community education classes or ask a family member.
- Read a book about an interior design icon for fresh inspiration.
- Learn a new skill for work or personal interest — staying curious matters.
- Create a small sign or piece of art to inspire you (paint, découpage, laminate a computer image, etc.)
- Find a new podcast on finances, your interests, goal setting, or for achieving those goals.
Community & Connection
- Write thank-you notes for holiday gifts and how you are enjoying them.
- Have breakfast with a friend before work.
- Introduce yourself to a neighbor or someone you often pass by, someone in your workplace, or at your favorite store.
- Call or FaceTime someone you haven’t connected with recently.
- Volunteer for a group you believe in or want to learn more about.
Everyday Joys
- Try a new slow-cooker recipe and freeze extras.
- Visit a free museum event — and sign up for their newsletters.
- Sign up for a library card and leave bookmarks for the next reader.
- Learn a new way to tie a scarf – ask a coworker, search the web, or use YouTube.
- Create a new winter tradition — a fondue night, a winter walk, sledding, or attending a hockey game. __ (fill in the blank)?
A Closing Reflection for January
As you read, I hope January meets you with a sense of quiet encouragement.
I hope this month finds you enjoying your home, your rhythms, and your community. When I say community, I mean the full circle of people woven into your days — family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even those familiar faces you nod to on morning walks.
If one idea from this list becomes part of your January, that’s enough.
January blessings to you,
Bobbi
Keep Loving the Ordinary — All Year Long
A Simple Next Step
If you enjoy these monthly lists, you may enjoy receiving them regularly. When you join my newsletter, you’ll receive a free Loving the Ordinary guide with timeless ideas you can use in any season — a gentle companion to these monthly rhythms.
→ Receive the Loving the Ordinary Guide
Living This Way Together
If Loving the Ordinary feels like something you’d like woven more fully into your daily life, the Curated Life Membership offers a supportive place to continue this practice. Inside, we explore seasonal living, home rhythms, journaling, and intentional ways of enjoying everyday life — month by month.
→ Explore the Curated Life Membership
Later this winter, I’ll also be sharing more about Live Your Best Curated Life,a deeper, intentional-living experience. For now, January is simply about beginning — gently, thoughtfully, and right where you are.
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