Christmas isn’t even here yet, so it may be a bit early to start thinking about the new year. But, 2013 is looming, and the New Year means a fresh start and a new slate for a lot of people. New Year’s Eve sees plenty of alcohol consumed; food eaten and fireworks let off; whilst Jools Holland plays Boogie Woogie in the background. And the next day hangovers are felt; resolutions are set and the cleansing process begins.

So, if you need a little help heading into the new year, we are here to help. Here are some ideas of ways that you can prepare for 2013.

Sell all of your unwanted belongings
There is nothing more cathartic than getting rid of all of your old tat that you haven’t had any use for since 1995. If you have a large number of items that you feel the urge to get rid of then why not do just that in time for the New Year? You can get rid of all of those old Robot Wars VHS tapes; sell all of your old furniture that is cluttering the spare room; and clear your wardrobe of all of your neglected items of clothing. You can get rid of these items by setting up a stall at a car boot sale, or, you can just put everything up for sale on Friday-Ad. This way, you can sell all of your unwanted possessions from the comfort of your own home. Just because you don’t have any use for these items doesn’t mean that no one else will. If you put something on Friday-Ad, someone is bound to want it. Something you deem to be useless, could be just the thing someone else is after. So, cleanse your home of unwanted belongings and make a little bit of money on the way.

Make a New Year’s Resolution
You could go for one of the more traditional resolutions – lose weight, quit smoking, go on a diet – or, you could set yourself a more avant garde New year’s Resolution. My friend Colin, for example, set himself the task of inventing something new before the end of the year. Now, I am not suggesting that you attempt to do this one, as Colin was drastically unsuccessful. His attempt at inventing a new colour was not only flawed from the start, but he also sunk a lot of his money into it, his girlfriend left him and he lost his job at The Co-op (it will not surprise you to hear that Colin’s resolution for 2013 is to get a job). But you can veer from the norm and set yourself a challenging yet different resolution. Why not try and learn a new language? Or, you could learn to cook or bake. The possibilities are endless.

Get a new hobby
Hobbies are good fun, and they allow you to learn new skills as well as socialise with others. It’s a New Year, so why not start something new to mark the occasion? You could join a local sports team or decide to go swimming more often. Or, if you fancy trying something a bit more creative, then you could do a more arty and crafty hobby. You could get a potter’s wheel and make vases or teapots for example, or start painting – I don’t know it really is up to you. If you are looking for a new hobby but aren’t sure what to go for, then why not check out the Community and Leisure section on Friday-Ad, it is full of local societies and other bits and bobs that might inspire you when it comes to finding your new pastime.

Here are a few hobbies that I have considered in the past but never gotten around to, they might be of help to you:

• Tightrope walking
• Dog walking
• Learn the Moonwalk
• Power walking

Treat yourself
Christmas will have just finished and you are then thrusted head first into the New Year. Some people will be starting their new diets, others will be agitated and angry as they try to survive without cigarettes and others will hungover from the festive period. Now, you could do all of the above. Sure, you could make a resolution or sell all of your old bits and bobs, but if these options don’t appeal to you, then you could just go out and buy yourself present. A big one! Go on, you deserve it. Why not buy a better car in January and kickstart the year in style? Or you could always go on holiday? Friday-Ad can help you with both of these and more. Take a browse of the site, find what you are after, and treat yourself. You know you deserve it.

Now the echoes of Auld Lang Syne have finally faded into the abyss and the perennial hangovers have all been shaken off it is time to start thinking about which resolution you are going to try your hardest not to break in 2012.

For lots of people thinking up a New Year’s Resolution is a hard task, there are so many things to choose from. Well, here are a few ideas that may be of use to you.

Quit something…
Everyone has something which they could quit from their lives. The obvious one is smoking, but that isn’t the only thing you can eradicate to make your life healthier or simply just more enjoyable. Why not quit soap operas? Everyone in your household would be hugely appreciative if they didn’t have to witness you comatose in front of Eastenders every night of the week. Or if that is too hard, then you could always quit eating takeaway; that would certainly make your life a lot healthier.

Learn something…
This has always been the most attractive one for me. You could learn a new language; I hear Korean is fun; of you could try and learn a new talent. Some people take up knitting which would be a fantastic thing to learn in the New Year.

You could even go to evening classes and get to grips with some of your favourite subjects. You could go back and pass that blasted GCSE that you never managed to pass back when you were at school or even take up something brand new. The possibilities are endless and just think how satisfying it would be when 2013 rolls around to have a brand new string to your bow.

Help others…
This one is most probably the hardest to keep to, but if you do you and many others will feel the benefits. Why not give up an evening a week to help out a friend or loved one in need? Or, you could even take some time out to help a local charity or at your library. Basically devote a portion of your time to help others by performing completely selfless acts.

Enjoy life more…
For a lot of people this is an ideal New Year’s Resolution. Just have more fun and worry less about the minor things which have caused you stress in the past. Go out more during the week; go to the cinema or out for a meal to relax and take your mind off work. Treat yourself more often and take some serious ‘you time’ throughout the year and try your hardest not to worry about the little things. I can promise you, you will feel better for it!

So, I hope I have been of some help with these ideas for New Year’s Resolutions. And, so long as 2012 isn’t the beginning of the end of the world as some people believe, I hope you have a fantastic year.

Pictures: KhE 龙,