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January Is National Hobby Month: These Activities Are Totally Worth a Try!

Home & Living

Jan 20, 2020 7:05 pm·

By Emy LaCroix

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Sure, January may be National Hobby Month, but it’s really never too late to find a pastime you love! The older you get, the harder it can be to find free time to do fun things, but having a hobby doesn’t mean you need to sink hundreds of hours (and dollars) into your new endeavor.

A hobby can be as casual as a weekend hike every once and a while or as intense as becoming a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. Want to try something artistic and creative? Maybe embroidery, fashion illustration, or stamp art is for you. Prefer to spend time outdoors? Maybe give jogging or skiing a try. Love animals? Believe it or not, even fostering kittens could be considered a hobby!

But we get it: trying something new can be overwhelming! Luckily, we put together a list of tons of fun and exciting hobbies to try, and exactly how to get started on your potential new passion. Scroll through the gallery below and take a stab at a few! You never know what you might come to love.

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Herb Gardening

Herb gardening is great because you don’t even need a yard to do it. If you get plenty of sun in your home, just put some well-drained pots of herbs by a window. If you don’t get much sun, there are plenty of planters with built-in lights for under $100.

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Crochet

It’s not just scarves and mittens, people! It may take a little while to get the hang of crocheting, but there are plenty of YouTube videos to get you started, and for less than $10 you can cop a ball of yarn and a hook to get started with. Once you’re comfortable, you can start making little characters and all sorts of fun projects.

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Embroidery

This may look tough, but it’s as easy as threading the needle! Once you learn a few basic stitches, you can start embroidering anything from jean jackets to t-shirts to bags! Plus, thread is only around $0.50 per color and it’s a cheap and fun way to customize your clothes.

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Skiing

Some hobbies are a little more involved than others, and skiing is definitely a costly one to try (but so fun!) A half-day ski lesson will usually run you around $150, plus ski rentals which tend to be around $50. If you have to buy warm clothing, it can definitely add up, especially since a one-day lift ticket is often around $75 or more.

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Running

On the opposite end of the athletic hobby spectrum is running, which costs literally nothing and you definitely don’t need anyone to teach you. Just strap on some sneakers and head outside for a jog. Take it easy when you’re starting out, and try alternating walking and running for 2-5 minutes at a time and build up your stamina!

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Linoleum Stamp Art

If you’d like an artistic hobby that’s a little more unique, linoleum stamp printmaking might be a good option. Basically, you buy a cheap block of linoleum and use a linoleum cutter (about $10) to carve a design into it. Then you can use it to stamp as many copies as you’d like!

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Cooking

Why not have a hobby that also feeds you? Think of your favorite restaurant meal and find a recipe online. You might be surprised at how easy it is to make, and how much money you can save!

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Baking

If you’re more of a sweets person, baking might be more your speed. But keep in mind: cooking is an art, and baking is a science. You NEED to use a recipe and follow it to a T, or your cake/cookies/brownies/whatever will not come out right.

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Clay Modeling

It’s not just for kids! Order some modeling clay online for about $15 for several colors, and you can make tons of cool, useful things from coasters to ring holders to plates and even jewelry!

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3D Printing

Okay so this isn’t exactly a cheap hobby, but it’ll definitely start conversations at parties! If you’ve ever wanted to design your own phone cases, watch bands, tripods, or, well, anything really, you can do that by finding a local 3D printer and paying to use it. Some places, called Hackerspaces, offer the equipment for a monthly fee of about $100.

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Yoga

If you’ve never tried doing yoga … you definitely should. It can help relieve all kinds of aches and pains, but it can also become a fun hobby that will surround you with a strong community. If you like going to class, maybe try training to become a teacher or join an international yoga retreat.

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Jiu-Jitsu

Demi Lovato is a fan of this workout, and the self-defense skills are useful, too! It’s a bit more involved than joining your typical gym, though. Lessons will run you anywhere from $50-$250 monthly, plus you need to buy the outfit, but once you know the moves you can train on your own or with a friend!

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Tea Making

If you’re a tea fanatic, why leave the mixing and blending fun to someone else? Try buying your own teas, herbs and spices, and blending them together yourself at home. Once you really get into it, it’s more involved than you’d think!

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Candlemaking

We’re not talking old-fashioned candle dipping like you’ve done at the county fair. All you need to get started is a glass or metal jar, some wax, and essential oils to blend to create your favorite scents. Some people even like to dress them up by adding crystals and flower petals.

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Cheese Making

We know, it sounds hard! Some cheeses are definitely harder than others to make, but there are some super simple options to try! For example, all you need to make ricotta cheese is whole milk, lemon juice, and salt!

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Handlettering

Have you dreamed about writing sweet letters to your loved ones in beautiful handwriting? Then try handlettering! A pack of brush pens will cost you less than $20, and there are plenty of how-to videos and stencils online for free.

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Sewing

Don’t be intimidated, there are a lot of things you can sew besides clothes! Pillows, tote bags and makeup holders are all good places to start, either by hand or with a machine.

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Cosplay

If you’re a big fan of movies, TV, video games, or even just dressing up, you might love cosplay. Sure you can buy really cool costumes, but the homemade ones are even more special.

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Journaling

You might be surprised by what you discover when you start recording your thoughts and feelings every day. You don’t need anything fancy to start journaling. You could use a pen and paper, or even just notes on your phone. All you have to do is jot down some thoughts and feelings once a day.

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Fashion Illustration

Did you know there are specific rules to draw those fancy fashion designer drawings? All you need is a pencil and paper and a good YouTube video to get started. Try drawing a look your favorite celeb wore before creating your own!

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Flower Arrangement

There are plenty of classes to teach you how to make stunning bouquets, but you could also just buy a few kinds of flowers at Trader Joe’s and play around to see what you like best!

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Hula Hooping

A workout that’s fun and silly? Sign us up! All you need is a hula hoop, and you can start practicing! Once you get the basics down, move into doing tricks.

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Memorizing

Yes, memorizing CAN be a hobby. There are actually several techniques professional memorizers use to keep track of hundreds of numbers or items, and they even compete to prove they have the best memory! Google the “mind palace” technique and try it for yourself.

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Podcasting

Do you love podcasts? Try making your own! There are tons of apps that allow you to make one right from your own phone with no special equiptment.

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Makeup Artistry

There’s no reason to envy those amazing YouTube MUAs, you can do just as great yourself! Find yourself a fun eyeshadow palette and copy some looks you find online. It’ll get easier and more professional looking with each practice!

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Fostering Puppies

Or kittens! Sometimes you can’t commit to having your own pet, but many shelters need people to watch their super young animals before they’re ready to be adopted out. Can you imagine a better hobby?

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Meme Making

If you’ve got a great sense of humor, try making your own memes! There are lots of apps with blank memes to work with.

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Weightlifting

Lifting weights may not seem fun, but seeing your progress and growing strength can become totally addicting! Pretty much any gym will have a squat rack, bench press, and free weights, which is all you need!