Some people keep pet alligators and others keep New Year’s resolutions. A lot of us would say the first one is easier. Nonetheless, you have an ally to help you stick with those annual commitments. One you may not have thought about. One you spend time with every day.

It’s your home! No, your house won’t turn down that second piece of cheesecake for you, and it won’t take a brisk walk every night after dinner. However, you can take steps in interior design that will make it easier to develop the good habits you’ve always wanted. Read on for some examples.

Resolution: I will start an exercise program.

It’s a lot easier to persevere with a workout routine if you have a welcoming place to do it. So why not set up a home exercise area! Start out with a corner of a basement or a family room. Lay down a mat to protect the floor and protect you. Make sure there’s plenty of light and color. It makes you feel alive and ready to go! If there’s not a wall you care to paint, use vivid motivational posters and sports-related wall art.

The workout equipment can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want. There’s a lot you can do just with exercise balls and stretch cords, and they usually come with suggestions. At the other extreme, there are treadmills, exercise bikes and even a multi-function, full-body vibrating aerobic exercise unit!

A few mirrors are helpful for maintaining proper form, and a few storage units will stash the equipment between sessions.

Balance your exertion with some refreshing massage. A massaging shower head is nice, but for a real treat, nothing beats a massage chair! It’s a luxury you have to experience to believe!

Resolution: I will prepare healthier meals.

You’re most of the way there when you have a kitchen that’s a joy to cook in. A remodel with new appliances, counters and cabinets is great, but, if that’s not in your near future, don’t despair! Improved lighting and a new paint job will make it a more cheerful spot. Maybe you can add some shelves and racks for better organizing. If you only have capacity for one project, consider a new backsplash. It’s a big transformation for a reasonable cost and effort.

Your new healthy meals don’t have to come from the kitchen stove. Discover the convenience and flexibility of cooking on the patio with the Big Green Egg, an all-in-one portable grill, oven and smoker that can be used year-round.

Resolution: I will get better sleep.

Set up a bedroom that’s ideal for cranking out the ZZZs. Pay attention to color: how it looks with the lights on affects how you feel when the lights go out. Experts say light blue walls are ideal, but any soft colors will do. Multiple light sources are more soothing than a single overhead. And, of course, make sure the lights from your electronic devices are hidden.

You spend a third of your life on a mattress, so it pays to get a good one. Once you have the mattress of your dreams (pun intended!), protect it with a mattress cover. Add the pillow that fits your sleeping position, and splurge on a new set of sheets: they make crawling between them a pleasure!

Resolution: this is the year I get organized.

For most people, the biggest problems are holding on to things they don’t need and finding a place to put the ones they do. Once you’ve decluttered, there are several ways to increase your home’s storage capacity. One is with shelving, racks and closet organizers, but another lies in that wonderful dual-purpose furniture that provides storage in addition to its primary purpose.

For example, storage beds have drawers under the side or at the foot, and some even include shelving built into the headboard. Storage ottomans and benches provide hidden space under their tops. Some coffee tables and nightstands have a closed storage drawer underneath.

Resolution: this year I’ll start inviting the neighbors over.

What a great incentive to get that media room organized the way you’ve always wanted it, with theater seating, a media center and lots of side tables for games and snacks. Or to set up a bar complete with new barstools, lamps and bar-related wall art.

Warm weather will be here sooner or later – it’s come every year so far – so a reconfigured patio might be in order. A few new chairs, a patio sofa and even a fire table might be just the ticket for your own household as well as your guests!

Resolution: I will work more efficiently.

It’s hard to work from home if you’re sitting on the sofa with your laptop or have papers strewn across the dining table. Whether you need a fully organized office for your job or just a better place to read and write, a few well-chosen additions can create a workspace that works for you.

Maybe you just need a small desk or writing table. Or possibly you’ll never do your best work until you have an executive desk and some file cabinets and shelving. If you’re using part of a room, you might even set up some room dividers to separate your business from the rest of your home.

Maybe all you need is a nook for reading and some light journaling. In that case an accent chair with a side table and a lamp will produce that comfy corner where time with a book becomes your daily habit.

Resolutions are challenging, but you don’t have to go them alone. With the right home design, sticking with your New Year’s commitments can be more pleasure than obligation.