The Ultimate January Bucket List: Start The Year With Intention

Here are 26 January bucket list ideas that will help you start the year without any pressure, and only good vibes.

January is either the month of aggressive self-improvement or the month of gray depression because it’s too dark, and you just can’t muster the motivation to fix your life.

But if you ask me, January should be treated like a blank page, because that’s what it is.

It is your chance to reset before you start walking toward your goals and resolutions.

You don’t have to become a new fabulous person overnight. Trust me, that won’t help you ace your goals and resolutions long-term.

Instead, what you need to be is intentional about this month.

In January, you need to:

• Ease into the year without pressure
• Lay down the foundation for what’s to come
• Be gentle with yourself
• Balance productivity with fun and relaxation
• Be honest about what you really want 2026 to feel like

And this January bucket list will help you tick off all those boxes.

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If you want to start the year feeling grounded, clear, and also a little excited about what’s ahead, then read on.

Here’s your January bucket list for 2026:

26 January Bucket List Ideas

1. Do a Slow Morning Challenge for 7 Days

One of the reasons why people lose motivation to pursue their new year goals so quickly is that they dive in too fast.

This year, try something different. For 7 days of January, challenge yourself to a slow morning routine.

Wake up 20 minutes earlier than usual and then do cozy things like stretching, drinking tea, journaling, and sitting by the window.

During this time, you can’t pick up your phone.

Familiarize yourself with the art of slow living every morning for a week. It will help you much more than an over-enthusiastic approach to the new year.

2. Start Reading

I’ll be honest, I didn’t read as much as I’d have liked last year, and that’s shocking, coming from me.

So, in January, I am planning on getting a lot of reading done. Winter is the season of books, after all.

Set your reading goal for the year, and then set a goal for the month too. Then, whenever you get free time, read books.

I am finally going to start the infamous A Court of Thorns and Roses.

I bought the whole book set months ago, but have been saving it especially for the new year.

So, so excited to finally join this fandom (I just know I’m going to love it).

3. Start a ‘One Line a Day’ Memory Jar

Get a jar, decorate it your way, and every day in 2026, write one moment on a piece of paper and drop it in.

It can be any moment that made you feel good, something like:

• Had really good coffee
• That song came on at the perfect time
• Made someone laugh
• Caught a beautiful sunset

Keeping a memory jar will not only help you collect sweet memories, but it will also make you want to create a happy moment every day for your jar, no matter what’s going on in your life.

By the end of the year, you’ll have 365 little reminders of the beauty of life. It’ll be nice to open and read it all on New Year’s Eve.

4. Set Your 2026 Intentions on a Solo Cafe Date

Pick a cozy cafe, bring a notebook, order something warm, and try to sit by the window.

And then get writing about your intentions for 2026. Don’t just list goals, but map out the energy you want this year to have.

How do you want to feel? What do you want more of? What needs to go?

This is different than planning your year. It’s more like getting clear on the vibe, because that’s what we forget to take into account, and then we end up doing things wrong.

But when you focus on the intentions, the rest follows on its own!

5. Choose Your Word of the Year and Put It Everywhere

Pick one word that captures what you want 2026 to be about, like:

• Calm
• Growth
• Joy
• Create
• Peace
• Release

And then put your word everywhere you can.

Make it your phone wallpaper, write it on your mirror with a dry-erase marker, or make it the title of your journal.

Let this word shape your decisions all year.

When you’re unsure about something, you just need to ask yourself: Does this align with my word?

It’s a surprisingly powerful filter, and also pretty cool!

6. Buy One Useful Thing To Make Life Easier

It’s the beginning of a new year, so splurge a little and gift yourself an item that would make your life easier.

You can buy something simple, like:

• A daily planner you’ll actually use
• Better storage containers
• Cute water bottle for hydration
• Book light
• Pomodoro timer

Just get one thing that you really need, and that simplifies your everyday life.

Last January, I finally caved and gifted myself a Kindle. Hands-down the best investment I’ve ever made!

7. Declutter If You Haven’t Already

If, for some reason, you didn’t get a chance to declutter before the new year, January is just as good a time to do it.

Get rid of the clothes that don’t fit, books you’ll never read again, junk drawer nonsense, and digital files (especially those).

Don’t overthink it. Just walk around your place and grab things that can go (maybe 26 things, just for the symbolism of it).

It’s a quick, easy, and perfect way to start 2026 lighter.

8. Deep Clean Your Phone’s Gallery

Delete old screenshots, remove different versions of the same photo, clear out random memes you saved six months ago, and organize what’s left into albums.

Do this while watching TV or listening to a podcast. It’s mindless but satisfying.

Going forward into the year, you’ll be able to find photos when you need them.

9. Curate Your Social Media

Your feed should feel like a breath of fresh air, not a source of stress. So in January, curate it ruthlessly.

Unfollow anyone who makes you feel anxious, less-than, or annoyed.

Follow people who inspire you, teach you something, or just make you happy.

This is your digital environment, so make it healthy and happy.

Also, maybe mute some people instead of unfollowing if you’re worried about drama.

Protect your peace quietly, because it’s the most important thing in life (well, next to chocolate, of course).

10. Make an ‘Everything I’m Leaving Behind’ List

Write everything you want to leave behind in 2025.

The habits that didn’t serve you, the beliefs that held you back, the relationships that drained you, and the version of yourself you’ve outgrown.

Naming these things will act like a ritual for your nervous system, and actually help it let go.

You don’t have to share any of it and don’t even have to reread it.

Burn the page later, rip it up, and just let it file away. Do whatever feels like closure, because that’s what this is about.

11. Make an Energy Map

In your journal, draw two columns: What Gave Me Energy in 2025 vs. What Drained Me.

And then start filling the two tabs. List down certain people, activities, obligations, environments, and habits.

Then make a plan to do more of the first column and way less of the second.

This exercise is basically life designing. It helps you figure out what deserves your yes and what should be an easy no.

A really smart way to set your boundaries, minimize drain, and say yes more to what energizes you.

12. Pick One Daily Non-Negotiable for the Entire Month

If you are someone who doesn’t do well juggling multiple new habits, then do this instead.

For the entirety of January, pick one habit and make it a non-negotiable for every day.

• Water first thing in the morning
• A ten-minute walk
• Tidying for five minutes
• No phone until 9 am
• Reading before bed

Pick something achievable that makes a real difference, and do it every single day in January. Once it’s automatic, you can add two more habits in February.

My non-negotiable for January this year will be drinking a cup of green tea every day. Simple, doable, and healthy!

13. Have a Digital Detox Evening

Pick one evening for a digital detox and turn off all screens an hour before bed.

During this time, read, stretch, write in your journal, do your skincare slowly, and exist in analog mode.

If one night goes well, maybe try it weekly. You’ll sleep better, feel calmer, and your brain will thank you for the break from stimulation.

14. Build a Cozy Night Routine

January isn’t just the first month of the year. It’s also a winter month, so let your evenings reflect that.

Create a cozy winter night routine that helps you unwind, relax, and lean into the season’s vibes.

Have a warm drink, dim the lights, light a candle, stretch for five minutes, do your skincare, and read a few pages of a heartwarming book in bed.

Do rituals that make you feel calm, cozy, and cared for. And if that includes watching an anime with your furr baby in your lap, so be it!

15. Write a Letter to Your December 2026 Self

Sit down with pen and paper (or Notes app if that’s more your style) and write to the person you’ll be at the end of this year.

Here are some prompts that will help you write a good letter:

• What are your hopes for yourself?
• What energy are you bringing into 2026?
• What do you want to remember about this moment?
• What lessons from 2025 do you want to carry forward?

Seal your letter and save it somewhere you won’t accidentally read it, and then open it in December.

It’ll be fun to see what things ended up not being that important, and what came true.

16. Plan Your Solo-Dates for the Next Few Months

Solo dates with yourself are just as important as time with others.

Plan one solo date per month for the entire year so that you have things to look forward to.

Like, for January, you can do bookstore browsing. For February, you can visit cafe and have cake.

In March, you can plan a museum visit. For April, you can schedule in a long nature walk followed by a picnic.

Plan just these four months for now, and actually do these things when the time comes.

Romanticize your own life, and be your own best company!

17. Host a Vision Board Night With a Friend

Any monthly bucket list is incomplete without doing something fun with a friend, and for January, nothing makes more sense than having a vision board night.

I know it’s usually a solo activity, but I think putting two hands and minds together will make it more creative.

Grab some magazines, print stuff from Pinterest, get some glue sticks, play good music, and make tea or cocoa.

Connection, creativity, and intention? Sounds like a perfect January evening to me.

18. Revisit One Dream Your Younger Self Had

What did you want to do before life got complicated? Was it painting, writing, dancing, or building something?

Spend your free time in January re-exploring that dream as an adult.

You don’t need to be good at it, or even think about monetizing it. Do it for the pure joy of it.

You’re never too old. It’s never too late. Permission granted to play again.

19. Call One Person You’ve Been Meaning to Reach Out To

January is the perfect excuse to reach out to people to wish them happy new year.

So, lean into this reason and start the year by strengthening connections that matter.

Call a friend you haven’t talked to in ages, or a family member who’s just drifted apart for some reason, or a person you think about but never actually contact.

Have real conversations, not just texts, and enjoy catching up.

Connection is everything, and it’s important to practice this truth rather than just know it.

20. Start a ‘2026 Firsts’ List

Keep a running list of every first you experience this year.

First book, first recipe tried, first cafe visited, first hike, first concert, or even first time saying no to something you don’t want.

It’s a cute way to track the year and a reminder that you’re constantly experiencing new things, even when life feels repetitive.

Add to your list throughout the year. Read it next December and be surprised by how many new things you did without even realizing.

21. Create a January Playlist

Curate the soundtrack for your year’s beginning.

Soft beats, winter instrumentals, cozy-girl energy, whatever matches January’s vibe for you.

Having a dedicated January playlist will make the month feel more intentional.

You’ll hear these songs next year and immediately remember this time.

And try to name your playlist something good, like ‘January 2026: The Soft Launch’ or ‘Winter Reset’.

22. Bake a Winter Recipe

Baking in January feels like self-care.

The process is meditative, and even even the result isn’t delicious (happens a lot with me, haha), the smell alone improves your mood.

You can make gooey cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate pudding cake, or banana bread that makes your whole place smell like comfort.

You can share it or keep it all for yourself. Both are valid choices, and we shall not judge.

23. Go on a Chilly Photo Walk

January has its own aesthetic. It’s moody, quiet, and introspective. And the best way to experience it all is outdoors.

Bundle up and walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park, and make a photo dump for Instagram or just for yourself.

Capture the fog, your sweater, the empty roads, winter light, and frost patterns.

These photos will remind you that winter isn’t just something to survive. It has its own beauty and it’s a season worth enjoying.

24. Make One Cozy Upgrade to Your Room

It can be a new bedside lamp for a better ambiance, a soft rug, a pretty candle, or a chunky blanket.

Add just one thing that makes you space more cozy, and enjoy the little upgrade.

25. Have a Nourishing Food Day

We all indulge in food and treats during the holidays.

But once that’s behind you, give your body a break by having a nourishing food day in January.

Spend one day eating light and calming foods like oatmeal, yogurt, rice, coconut, almonds, white fish, and tofu.

This isn’t a diet or a cleanse, but a reset so that your system can rest from rich holiday food.

26. Do a 10-Minute Journaling Challenge

For every day of the month, spend ten minutes writing in a journal or a notebook.

Make gratitude lists, process your emotions instead of running from them, and write down your random thoughts.

By the end of January, you’ll have 31 pages of your internal world.

You’ll notice patterns that will help you do better or stick to what’s working.

Most importantly, you’ll process things you didn’t know were bothering you.

Let’s Make January Good!

January is your foundation month.

Everything you do during this month—the habits you build, the energy you protect, the intentions you set—will shape the rest of the year.

So, it’s important to be gentle with yourself while also being intentional.

Rest when you need to, push when it feels right, and give yourself permission to figure it out as you go.

The year is long, and you have time to do it all. But starting with clarity, care, and purpose will everything else easier.

Hopefully, this January bucket list has given you plenty of ideas to balance it all.

So, take your pick and welcome 2026 with positivity and warmth.

Happy new year to you!

Read next: The Fresh Start Effect Is Pure Magic: Here’s How To Use It Right

You just discovered 26 things to do in January. What’s definitely going in your bucket list? Let me know in the comment box!