The BBC reported today that the 17th of January is the most depressing day of the year. This conclusion is drawn from the 5 factors below. If you really can't see past the death of the Christmas tree and the lack of sunshine, here's the Out There Interiors guide to combating the January Blues:  

 Weather :  

If you don't like the weather in January, just avoid going out. Internet shopping has made home an easy place to hibernate, so stay inside and order all your shopping online.  We're great believers in retail therapy, so why not buy some nice sparkly things online. It'll give you something exciting to look forward to.   Invest in some mirrored furniture or a big Venetian mirror, or maybe some spotlight chandeliers to bounce light around your bedroom.

Debt : 

Ok, debt is rubbish, but in hard times the most fun thing to do is chop and change your lifestyle to be able to afford the stuff you want. So instead of thinking 'I can't go out as I have to pay off my credit card' why not think 'I'll forgo my Pret A Mange this month and have a nice meal out at the weekend!' We are great believers in justifying your spending by lifestyle shifts. We'll be writing a post on this soon so watch this space. You'll be amazed what you can afford.

Time since Christmas: 

Oh boohoo, Santa's gone back to Lapland and the snow has melted. Come on, you're not 12. The January Blues isn't usually about Christmas being over, but more the lack of stuff to look forward to, after all the summer does feel a long way off. Combat this by planning something -  a weekend away or a 'January Blues' dinner party.

Time since failing our New Year's resolutions: 

Yeah well, we all know that New Year's Resolutions are hard to stick to. Don't beat yourself up over this. You can make the changes any time of year and feel the benefit, New Year is ridiculously over hyped! The 'treat yourself' option is better than trying to start a fresh in the new year. Read our Incentives post for a new take on quitting the ciggies.

Low motivational levels

When its cold and miserable outside and there's nothing left to plan for it's understandable that you will have low motivation to go to work, the gym or even outside. At this time satisfy your need to be productive by making the most of your interior space so you get the full benefit of curling up on the sofa watching rubbish. Why not change your furniture around for a different perspective? Change works wonders for the mind, so get creative and pull yourself together! :-)