
Make someone else happyįollow the advice of Mark Twain. It might be black limes, a box of tamarinds or a rosewater drink with vermicelli pieces. Purchase food in shops where the majority of products have no English on the packaging, so eating what you buy is an adventure. Don’t have a car? Offer to wash your neighbour’s, and score double on the feelgood factor. Here are the benefits: your mind feels less foggy, you feel in control, organised and superior to your fellow slovenly humans. For the hygiene conscious, edible marker pens are available. Photograph: Ilka & Franz/The ObserverĪ wonky face or an inspirational message drawn on the peel of a banana is a joyous bit of silliness. Round the bend: make silly faces on fruit and see if anyone notices. It is impossible to read about the plight of those caught in its web and not be reminded that things could be a lot worse and appreciate what is better in your own life. Published between 18 and set in London, all living hell is here – squalor, mystery, death, tragedy and a crooked legal system. Never can there come fog too thick, never can there come mud too deep, to compare with the misery endured and the corruption and cruelty perpetrated in Bleak House, Charles Dickens’s ninth novel. Whack on Total Eclipse of the Heart or Freak Like Me or Dancing in the Dark, and get miming. There is nothing better than lip-syncing to a power ballad while making unbroken eye contact with someone. According to New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin, we repeat about 40% of our habits every day – now’s the time to try something new. Walk to work a different way, switch to a more nutritious breakfast cereal, or get off the bus one stop early. Begin with 10 steps and build up the distance as you take your brain out of its comfort zone and keep it guessing. It’s a perfect reminder to enjoy the moment. The memento mori skull detail from Holbein’s painting of The Ambassadors this year is highly recommended, available from the National Gallery shop. A kitsch bauble is for life, not just for Christmas.

Pick a new tree decorationĪnd keep it up all winter. Make a retro recipe: pick a 70s party dish. Help a friend moveĮnjoy the absurd Jenga of carrying a sofa down stairs, the weepy nostalgia as forgotten items are packed away, the takeaway you’ve earned in the evening. Throw yourself into eating earlier evening meals coated in darkness, attaining the feeling of pleasant omniscience granted by the first gulp of your second glass of red at 6pm, rather than waiting until 8pm. There’s only one rule: no scribbling out. Take 10 minutes to put pencil to paper and not give a damn what happens next. His sublime narration of Mick Herron’s Slough House series, about a bunch of MI5 outcasts, will bring cheer to the gloomiest days. On a crisp winter’s day, there is no finer companion than 82-year-old actor Seán Barrett. Start now and you’ll be sufficiently beardy by Christmas, and everyone you know will buy you beard oil as a present. There is no greater sensation available to a man than returning from a winter walk and realising your beard is moist with condensation. Hair suit: grow a beard by Christmas for a whole new range of gift options. Throw in some edible flowers and savour the paradox of a jiggly yet sculptural creation. Buy a vintage Victorian jelly mould made of glass, stoneware or copper and have fun with layers of colour. Make like Mrs Beeton and enjoy the simple pleasure of a perfect jelly.

#53 THINGS TO DECLUTTER TODAY HOW TO#
“Through fiction,” according to the study, “people can learn how to escape dangerous predators, navigate novel social situations, and practise their mind-reading and emotional regulation skills.” 5. According to a 2020 study, fans of horror movies appeared to have lower psychological distress and increased levels of psychological resilience. Frighten yourself senselessĪ sure way to build up the resilience needed to get you through these challenging times is to watch terrifying films. Wrap it around your shoulders when working from home, or put it under the duvet before going to bed. They start at about £20 they finish with extreme cosiness. Go electricĭiscover the life-changing power of an electric blanket.

#53 THINGS TO DECLUTTER TODAY PRO#
The real question is how did dipping snacks in molten cheese with friends ever fall out of fashion? Pro tip: use cut up bits of crumpet. Unfairly viewed as naff and dated, fondues are overdue a revival.
