From Ancient Babylonia to Self-Storage: The Curious History of New Year’s Resolutions
Ah, New Year’s resolutions — that annual ritual where millions of us solemnly swear at midnight on January 1 that this year will be different. We’ll be healthier, tidier, more disciplined… and by January 14 we’ll be back on the sofa with a slice of cake wondering what went wrong. Sound familiar? You’re not alone — humans have been wrestling with the concept of “new beginnings” for thousands of years.
Thank the Babylonians
Believe it or not, the idea of making promises for the year ahead dates back nearly 4,000 years
to ancient Babylonia. During their New Year festival called Akitu (which wasn’t actually in January but in mid-March — likely better weather for celebrations), people made pledges to return borrowed items and pay debts, hoping to stay in the gods’ good graces. If you thought not returning a neighbour’s garden tool was modern laziness, imagine doing it and risking divine displeasure!
Rome’s Contribution: Janus and the Dates
Fast-forward to 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar revamped the calendar and made January 1st the official start of the year. January was named for Janus, a two-faced Roman god who looked both backward and forward — the perfect mascot for people reflecting on last year’s pizza intake and hoping to do better next year. Romans offered sacrifices and made promises to Janus for the year ahead, a spiritual ancestor of today’s gym-membership surge.
Modern Resolutions: The Good, the Bad & the Forgotten
Nowadays, about 40 % of people say they make New Year’s resolutions, but only a small fraction actually stick with them — which explains why gyms are packed in January and ghost towns by February. Some people resolve to get organised… but often that just means cleaning around the piles of clutter rather than dealing with them. Wikipedia
And this is where we arrive at a surprising (yet entirely logical) modern twist: the link between New Year’s resolutions and the self-storage industry.
Self-Storage: Your Resolution’s Best Friend
Let’s face it — one of the most common resolutions isn’t just “get organised” — it’s “deal with all the stuff I’ve been ignoring for the last decade.” Whether it’s holiday decorations, exercise gear from 2018, or boxes of “important documents” you’ll definitely need someday, January is when many of us finally decide to do something about the clutter.
Enter Store That self-storage at Store That in London E14 — the unsung hero of hopeful resolution-makers everywhere. Whether you’re clearing out space to start that home yoga studio, storing sentimental items you can’t bear to ditch, or keeping seasonal stuff out of sight (and out of mind!) so you can finally breathe in your own living room, self-storage can be the practical solution that keeps your New Year’s intentions from collapsing under a mountain of mismatched socks.
Final Thoughts
From ancient promises to the gods to modern pledges to finally tackle clutter and chaos, New Year’s resolutions are a quirky mix of human hope, optimism, and maybe just a little bit of denial. But whether you break them by Valentine’s Day or keep them for life, the ritual persists — because humans love a fresh start. And having a bit of extra storage space doesn’t hurt either.
Here’s to a clutter-free 2026 (or at least a well-organised place to hide the clutter)!
Speak to one of our helpful staff on 020 7515 1300 or pop in for a chat. We are always happy to advise www.storethat.co.uk