It's that time of the year again, when we make promises to ourselves we (try to) keep all year round. That's right, I'm talking about resolutions. If you're like me, you might need a few reminders through out the year - or just the day - to keep you on track.

That's why I'm trying out these 7 inspiring ways to display resolutions in my home! I've already made a resolution art piece resembling subway art, and everyone loves it. Resolutions, after all, should make your life feel better, not worse...


Related: 20 things you CAN live without to reduce your clutter



1. Subway Art
Make your resolutions a permanent display in your house for a year-round reminder!
Make subway art


2. New Year's Resolution Pencils
An inexpensive way to always have a reminder at your fingertips....add your resolutions to personalized pencils!
Make New Year's resolution pencils


3. Embroidered Resolutions
Imagine your goal for the year. Now imagine sewing it onto cloth AND hanging it up someplace where you'll see

New Year. New you. That means taking the time to make your place reflect your personality.
-PJ Gach, BettyConfidential.com

jillian harris

A new year brings change. We've kissed last year good-bye and are so bright-eyed and eager to kick off the New Year right. We're tossing shoes, accessories, clothes and sometimes even our boyfriends into the recycling bin. Since you're in the mood for change, why not change the interior-of your house or apartment? Winter brings you lots of indoor entertaining, right? And instead of going away this year, you're staying close to home, right? So why not take all that positive energy and make your nest the place you've always wanted it to be.

Interior Designer Jillian Harris can be seen weekly on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,Fridays 8pm/7 pm c and she knows a thing or two about how important it is to feel comfortable and comforted by your home.

Jillian took time out of her busy schedule and shared her tips with us on how to inject your personal

test slideshow

Yummy pre-diet snacks

So, how many of you resolved to lose weight this year? For the umpteenth year in a row, losing some pounds tops my list of to-to's. It's so hard, though, trading chips and cookies for carrots and celery sticks. They just taste so much better, dammit! And, then there are the times when it's just plain unfair. Sometimes, calories just shouldn't count, right? Well, I think so ...

More from The Stir: This is Why You Put on Extra Pounds in Winter

1. Finishing kids meals. Ingesting fractions of food once belonging to your offspring simply counteracts the nourishment you passed onto them for 9 months while they lived inside of you. Ask any OB. It's true.

2. Your Birthdays. It's the one day a year that's all about you and only you and is not a day to be deprived of anything. It's, like, a law.

3. Other people's Birthdays. It's the one day a year that's all about them and only them, and nobody should eat birthday cake alone. You are simply preforming a public service.

Check out the exciting developments we're eager to watch this year.

San Francisco's new waterfront
San Francisco's new waterfront
America's Cup is the premier sailing compe­tition in the world, so when San Francisco was named a host city of the 2013 regatta, it was huge. For the first time in a long time, the city will actually feel like a port town. The northern waterfront (for decades a tangle of dilapidated piers) begins reno­vations this summer, and two weeks of races kick off in August. americascup.com
> Related: Insider guide to San Francisco Bay Area

The new gardening bible
The new gardening bible
The brand-new Western Garden Book hits bookstands in February. This latest edition includes more than 2,000 full-color photos, an all-new PlantFinder, and no-fail gardening tips for flowers, vegetables, natives, and more.
> Related: Order at sunset.com/books

Vegan goes gourmet
Vegan goes gourmet
Flirting with vegan cooking? Cast away any thoughts of bland bowls of tofu and brown rice. The new vegan cooking is all about bold flavors, colors, and

What's your sexiest outfit? I can name a dozen or so looks that make me feel sexy. (These outfits usually include gold and/or animal print.) But ask my boyfriend what he thinks is sexy, and you'd probably get a completely different answer.

To find out just how different our ideas of sexy are, we decided to try a little experiment. We asked our coworker Mandy to pick out her sexiest outfit, then asked her boyfriend Mike to do the same for her. (It's like a mini version of this weeklong dare when one of our editors let her BF dress her for a week. Check that out here.) Let's see what happened …

Mandy's Sexy Outfit

Mandy's Take: "I love this purple dress/blazer combo. Not only is the zipper sexy -- I can choose how much to unzip -- but I also like how the blazer adds a more fashion-forward, classy feel. This look is sexy because it's fashionable and powerful."

Mike's Take: "I definitely think this

David PrinceHow to tackle the biggest challenges of your broom closet.

Find a Storage Space
"During your precious Saturday hours, an organized, fully stocked broom closet will save you time, motivate you, and remind you what you need to do," says Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts ($20, amazon.com). If you don't have a whole closet to devote to cleaning supplies, part of a pantry, a nook under the staircase, or a corner of a room will work, too.

See More: Cleaning Supplies We Love



David PrinceOrganize Your Cleaning Rags

Problem: Rags everywhere.
Solution: Don't put dirty rags back in the closet. It's too hard to distinguish between clean and dirty ones. Launder them after use. Keep small clean rags in a hanging bag so you don't have to worry about folding or stacking them. Larger towel rags can be stacked on a shelf.

See More: Surprising Cleaning New Uses




David PrinceStore Your Vacuum Cleaner

Problem: The vacuum cleaner is bulky, and the hose is always in the way.
Solution: Position your vacuum cleaner front