Feet up, jammies on while you warm your toes in a new pair of socks.

I truly hope that is how you are reading this article as you sit at home reveling in the past few days of merriment. I love this Christmas glow where you drift between new games or movies or a beloved book someone has bought you all while eating snacks of turkey sandwiches and cookies.

Generally you have a new pair of slippers and some delicious smelling lotion to spread on your skin and you have probably consumed more chocolate in a 48-hour period than you have eaten in the entire year of 2013!

The crazy buzz of Christmas Day is counterbalanced by the chill of Boxing Day.

Unless you are a fanatical ‘get up at 3 a.m.’ to line up at Best Buy person, you get to relax with a great cup of coffee as you reflect on the past year and prepare for the New Year to come.

What will your plans be for the immediate and necessary resolutions? What changes will you make in 2014 which will help you feel more fulfilled and accomplished? Everyone has a hidden laundry list – everyone. Whether it is getting in shape or getting a raise at work you know that one or two items are sitting at the top of the list and that accomplishing them would make you feel absolutely incredible.

One secret laundry list item I have is to give more of my time.

Over the past few years I have been quite selfish with my off time. Being in a new relationship plus getting a new pup/house/RV/stepchildren/step-grandchildren has consumed most of my free time. I find myself using the excuse that I am too tired after a day of work to get out and give back to my community.

I’m not sure what this giving will look like or where I want to give my time but there has been a true nagging in my heart to use some of my time in a more productive and philanthropic manner. The thief of my time has been my hoarding it and my wish list is topped with the desire to share time and talents with this community I have grown to love.

What about you?

How do you plan to redesign your life in 2014? Some people need to get more organized and others have a burning desire to improve their living or work space. When you sit through many cold winter months and stare at four walls you can definitely see ways to improve! Take a simple first step and change your perspective. Move your furniture around and change your view of the room, it’s easy, free and quick.

Now you need to change your lighting. This can mean anything from new light bulbs to different window treatments. Changing a lighting source can actually change the entire colour of a room or change how your eye perceives the colour in the room.

It doesn’t always have to be grand life changing (lose 50 lbs) resolutions. Sometimes you can stroke off a teeny item on your secret laundry list and feel as fantastic as if you had just finished a Triathlon.

Merry Christmas everyone and have a very fulfilling New Year.

Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.