January isn’t normally a big month for going out – dank, dark and cold, we all tend to hunker down at home and wait for it to pass. This year, we have even more reason to stay at home so we thought we’d look at some ways at getting the most out of these shorter days.
The good news is that now we’re past the winter solstice (21 December), we’re getting an average of a heady 2m 7s of extra daylight a day. (We know, try not to get too excited!) By around the third week in January that equates to an extra hour a day of daylight, and we can expect an extra hour roughly every four weeks until we get to the 27 March 2022 when the clocks will go forwards.
While it’s nice to know that we’re past the worst of the short days, there’s still an awful lot of winter to go through so we’re looking at some ways to make the most of being at home.
1. Learn a new skill
We live in strange and exciting times – it’s now possible to learn all sorts of things without leaving the house, thanks to the wonders of online tutorials. You can learn anything from knitting and crochet, to tai chi, all without leaving the house. You might even be able to bag any equipment you need in the January sales!

2. Schedule time with friends
It’s been a very peculiar few months and for many people not being able to keep up their social life has been one of the most difficult parts. Why not try putting aside a regular day or evening each week to catch up with friends? What you do obviously depends on the current circumstances, but if you can’t see each other in person then how about themed Zoom catch ups? Take it in turns to demonstrate a favourite recipe or cocktail, create a virtual sewing circle or watch a film separately then schedule a call to discuss it. You can either take it in turns to suggest a favourite film, or watch a new release together.

3. Create a ‘yearbook’
If you’ve got a little time on your hands then take the opportunity to go through all your digital and real photos. Organise digital pics into folders and real pics into albums. With digital photos, it’s a nice idea to take a selection of the best pics for the year and have them made into a photo yearbook. Many online printers offer this service and they’re a nice thing to give as a present or look back on yourself.

4. Have a DIY spa day
Did you get lots of lovely products for Christmas? If not, hit the sales in the new year and treat yourself to some of your favourites. As visits to ‘real’ spas can be a bit limited at the moment, treat yourself to a DIY version at home. Candles, fluffy towels, music and plenty of time are all mandatory.

5. Plan your garden
You might not be motivated to actually go outside much at the this time of year, but spring is on the way! This is the ideal time to plan any changes to your outdoor space. Are you planning any replanting? Make a list of what you need and when you’ll need it. If you’re thinking about any hard landscaping jobs such as driveways and patios, then start tracking down companies for quotes so that you’re ready to go when the weather improves. In the meantime, try to force yourself out long enough to keep bird feeders topped up!

Fingers crossed, it won’t be long until spring is properly on the way – and in the meantime we can all make the most of staying at home.
All images (c) 2022 Pixabay.
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Planning my home and garden would be the top-most on my list. Well-written article Sara. Thanks for sharing.