It’s that time of year. The holidays are over, the skies are gray and life seems to fall into a wintertime rut. For a lot of people, this is the most difficult time of year; it’s too cold to spend much time outdoors, sunrises come late and sunsets come early and sunlight is hard to come by. While nothing sounds better than being inside a warm, cozy house on a chilly day, feeling cooped up for too long can leave you feeling a little stir-crazy.

If you’re feeling unmotivated, lethargic or on edge, then you’re probably dealing with cabin fever. Check out our list of fresh ideas to help you and your family get through the rest of the season with your sanity intact.

Pick a Room to Freshen Up

Your environment makes a huge impact on how you feel overall, and sometimes, changing up a room is all it takes to make your space more functional and inviting. Introducing a new piece of custom art is a fun way to bring in new hues while reupholstering a favorite chair is a relatively economical way to extend its life. If the holidays have left you a little strapped for cash, simply giving the room a deep clean and rearranging your furniture goes a long way in giving your interior a fresh look.

Start a New Hobby

If you’re stuck inside anyway, you might as well make the time count. Starting a new hobby is an effective way to relieve stress, work out new challenges, boost your confidence and prevent burnout. A few ideas include starting up a blog, knitting, painting or an exercise program.

Take a Hike

Sure, it’s a little chilly outside, but you can still benefit from stretching your legs and getting some fresh air by going on a winter hike. During the winter months, trails tend to be much less crowded, and you have the opportunity to see views that you can’t see in the summer. Before you hit the trails, just remember that you may not move as quickly as you are able to on a summer hike, especially if there’s a lot of snow or ice. For that reason, it’s important to start early and give yourself plenty of time to finish before it gets dark.

Be a Tourist

Check out your city’s website or go to a local hotel and find a brochure kiosk, and find some interesting attractions that you may not normally pay attention to. If your city offers guided tours on a bus, this can be a fun way to see your community in a new light and learn fun historical tidbits.

Make Plans for the Summer

When winter is feeling especially endless, thinking through warm-weather plans can help you break out of the rut. If you haven’t already picked a summer vacation destination or mapped out your garden, now’s a great time to grab a pen and paper and make some plans.

Spring will be here before we know it, but in the meantime, introducing new hobbies or changing up your surroundings can be perfect antidotes to cabin fever.