A New Year and What Matters Most
There’s something so peaceful about the quiet of January 1st and a new year.
The decorations are still twinkling, the house feels calm, and there’s a gentle pause in the air, that moment between what was and what’s to come.
A New Year
Every year, I love taking time on New Year’s Day to reflect on where I’ve been and where I want to go. It’s a tradition I look forward to, a way of grounding myself before the year sweeps me away with all of its excitement and plans.
I don’t really make resolutions anymore. Instead, I choose a few intentions, things that matter most, and try to weave them into my everyday life. This year, in 2026, those intentions feel especially clear: family, a comfortable and stress-free home, and a space to create freely.
As I sit here with my cup of coffee and the soft morning light spilling into our home, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. I am grateful for this space, for my family, and for the opportunity to continue sharing what I love most: creating, writing, and making our home feel like a place that reflects who we are.
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Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Last January, I wrote about what really matters … slowing down, savoring moments, and being present in the life I’ve built. And I can honestly say that focus carried me through the past year in such meaningful ways.
Life still moved quickly, of course. There were projects, deadlines, celebrations, and a few unexpected challenges (as there always are). But I learned that when you start each day with intention, even the busiest seasons can hold peace.
As I look toward 2026, I want more of that: more intention, more clarity, and more simplicity. I want to spend this year grounded in what truly matters, not just the things that fill my calendar, but the ones that fill my heart.
What Matters Most: Family
Family has always been the heart of everything I do. It’s why I decorate our home with such care, why I love setting beautiful tables, and why I create traditions that bring everyone together.
This year, I want to lean into that even more.
We’ve entered a new season of life, one where our family continues to grow and change in the most wonderful ways. Watching my sons build their own lives, homes, and traditions has been such a joy. And now, being “Grandma Lala Yaya” brings a whole new layer of love to everything I do.
Family looks a little different each year, as sometimes it’s a full house and laughter spilling from every room, and sometimes it’s a quiet dinner with just the two of us.
But no matter what, family is always at the center.
In 2026, I want to make more room for family, both figuratively and literally. I want our home always to be a place that feels warm and welcoming, where there’s room at the table and comfort in every corner.
Whether it’s a Sunday dinner, a spontaneous visit, or a holiday gathering, I want everyone who walks through our doors to feel cared for.
That’s what home is meant to be.
A Comfortable, Stress-Free Home
This next focus might sound simple, but it’s one I’ve been craving for a while: less clutter, more calm.
I think we all reach a point where the “stuff” starts to take over … the closets that need sorting, the storage spaces we keep meaning to organize, the boxes we move from one place to another without ever opening.
This year, I’m determined to change that.
I want to be intentional about what we keep in our home and what we let go of. Not just to create physical space, but to create mental space. There’s such freedom in simplifying, in walking into a room that feels light, organized, and full of only the things that bring joy or purpose.
I’ve started making lists of the spaces I want to tackle first: my craft room on the 3rd floor, the closets that have slowly filled with “someday” items, and the drawers that catch everything without a home.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about creating a home that feels easy to live in, one that supports the way we actually live, not the way we imagine we might someday.
I’ve learned that when my surroundings are calm, I am more relaxed, too. A clean counter, an organized workspace, a tidy pantry, these small things have such a significant impact.
This year, I’m allowing myself to simplify. To edit. To let go of what no longer serves our life, and make space for what truly matters.
Maintaining a Space to Be Creative
Creativity has always been part of who I am. Whether I’m crafting, decorating, or writing, I find so much joy in the act of making something with my hands. It’s where I recharge, where I express myself, and where I find peace.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize the importance of having a dedicated space for creativity, a place where I can spread out a project, leave out supplies, and let ideas unfold naturally.
This year, I’m excited to focus on maintaining that kind of environment, both physically and mentally. I want my creative spaces to be inspiring, organized, and stress-free.
That means clearing out what’s no longer needed, setting up better systems for my craft materials, and making sure my workspace feels just as beautiful and intentional as the rest of our home.
I also want to protect my creative time, making it a regular part of my routine rather than something squeezed in between everything else. Writing, crafting, designing, and dreaming all bring me so much happiness.
There’s something magical about sitting down with a cup of tea, a clean workspace, and a fresh idea. Those moments of creation are where I feel most myself, and they’re what fuel so much of what I share here on My 100 Year Old Home.
Finding Balance
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that balance isn’t something you find once; it’s something you continually strive for. It’s something you keep adjusting, again and again.
This year, I aim to establish a rhythm that keeps me productive, creative, and connected without feeling overly stretched. That means saying “yes” to the things that bring energy and joy, and “no” to the things that don’t align with what matters most.
It means carving out time for rest, absolute rest, and giving myself grace when things don’t go as planned.
And it means creating routines that make everyday life feel smoother: simple meals, organized systems, and spaces that work for us, rather than against us.
When life feels balanced, everything else feels easier.
The Beauty of Simple Living
If there’s one theme that keeps showing up for me, it’s simplicity.
For so many years, I’ve been drawn to the idea that a simple home is a beautiful home, not because it lacks things, but because everything in it feels intentional.
A bowl of fresh fruit on the counter. A cozy throw on the couch. A handmade plate on the dining table.
These small things bring me immense joy. They remind me that beauty doesn’t have to be complicated; it just has to be real.
This year, I want to focus on that idea in every area of our home. Fewer things, but better things. More meaning, less distraction.
Simplicity doesn’t mean empty; it means full of the right things.
My Word for 2026
Every January, I like to choose a word that captures how I want the year to feel.
For 2026, my word is Creative.
Use creativity in my home.
Add creativity to my routines.
And think creatively in my mind.
That’s what I want this year to bring.
Not perfection or constant productivity, but a sense of a creative life … the kind that comes from knowing what matters and letting the rest fall away.
What I Hope for This Year
If I had to sum up what I hope for in 2026, it would be this: I want to live more slowly, love more deeply, and create freely.
I want to spend time with my family without rushing.
I want to walk into each room of our home and feel a sense of ease.
And I want to keep making things, with clay, with fabric, with words, simply because it brings me joy.
I want to write more, dream more, and continue to find beauty in the everyday.
Because that’s what truly matters.
A Gentle Reminder
If you’re reading this on New Year’s Day, I hope you’ll take a moment to breathe and reflect, too.
It’s easy to feel pressure to set goals, make resolutions, and start running toward something new. But maybe this year, we can allow ourselves just to be.
To appreciate what we already have.
To take care of what’s in front of us.
And to fill our homes with love, and our days with meaning.
You don’t have to reinvent your life every January. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is realign with what matters most.
As I step into 2026, I feel hopeful. Not because I expect it to be a perfect year, but because I know what I want it to hold: creativity, purpose, and connection.
This home, this family, this creative life … it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of, and I never take that for granted.
There’s always more to do, of course, closets to clean, projects to finish, ideas to bring to life. But this year, I’m not chasing busy. I’m choosing calm.
I’m choosing to make space in my home, in my mind, and in my heart, for the things that truly matter.
So here’s to a beautiful new year.
To family, creativity, and comfort.
To uncluttered spaces and peaceful days.
And to mornings that start slow, and nights filled with gratitude.
And most of all, to remember that what matters most isn’t what we accomplish, it’s how we live and who we share it with.
Happy New Year, my friends. Here’s to a calm, creative, and meaningful 2026.
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You certainly deserve calm. I don’t know how you did what you did in 2025! I wish I had your stamina! Happy 2026.
happy new year leslie!
Rediscovered your blog!
We recently became grandparents to amelia grace ! awesome are changing bedrooms and making room for her “ toys.” I have a monkey mat in my office!
We just bought a second home in breck and figuring out how to manage updates from our home 140 minutes away!
happy new year! laura in CO
Happy New Year to you and yours. Enjoyed all of your holiday crafts this year. I’m trying to clear out my days of stress and stuff also.
I am just so wowed by your new year message. It’s filled with everything I want in our lives, too. It gives me the “warm fuzzies” our daughter’s kindergarten teacher taught her and her classmates many years ago. You are such an amazing woman with so much warmth and depth. I appreciate all the time you take to inspire and encourage us, your fans. Thank you, Leslie. I hope 2026 turns out to be the kind of year you want it to be – one filled with love, simplicity, creativeness, good health and a never-ending faith in God and in the goodness of people. Fondly, Sharon