What’s “In” and “Out” for 2026
We're not talking fashion trends here. Today, the SB team is sharing their personal priorities for the new year AND what they're choosing to leave behind. What's on your list? Image: iStock
Heading into a new year, resolutions are always a topic of discussion. But beyond setting goals and listing new hobbies to explore and skills to master, our team’s favorite tradition is also to consider what we’re leaving in the rearview. Here’s what’s “in” and “out” for 2026, according to the StyleBlueprint team!
OUT: Chronically being “too busy” for things I really want to do.
IN: Visiting with friends. I’m craving no-agenda visits (and time to do so)!
— Liza Graves, Founder & CEO
OUT: Too much cardio, over-explaining, and people-pleasing.
IN: Strength training, feeling confident at 50, and quality over quantity (in everything!)
— Caroline Neely, Account Executive
OUT: Overpriced lattes, 100% polyester, trading books for doomscrolling before bed, skipping breakfast.
IN: Meditative mornings, returning to a regular yoga practice, mastering homemade matchas, shopping secondhand and thrifted (quality over quantity!), belly laughs with friends and family, and practicing daily gratitude.
— Anne Marie Hanna, Marketing Coordinator & Editorial Assistant
OUT: 100% (the phrase and the concept)
IN: “I don’t know, but I’ll research before forming an opinion.”
— Jay Graves, COO
OUT: Faux leather jackets! Ditch the squeaky, shiny, plastic stuff.
IN: Authentic vintage leather bombers. Think simple details, but don’t overdo it. Lived in and well loved!
— Lauren Cummings, Client Operations Manager
OUT: Holding on to digital clutter. The hundreds, if not thousands, of screenshots should be deleted.
IN: Phone-free meals.
— Robert Conklin, Digital Developer
OUT: Clutter and chaos.
IN: With Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year being “Cloud Dancer” (a soft, near-white), the trend feels clear to me: white space is in — in design and in life. I’m craving calm, open spaces, thoughtful restraint, and room to breathe.
— Mary Breen, Web Designer
OUT: Tracking my metrics with a wearable device.
IN: Listening to my body and implementing all I learned without being glued to stats. This past year (and for probably four years before that), I wore Whoop or Garmin constantly and knew a lot about my sleep, recovery, workouts, the way stress and drinking affected me, EVERYTHING. It taught me a lot. But I grew sick of waking up with a mediocre “score” and letting that dictate my day. I told myself I had to track every workout for it to “count.”
As a new mom, I now know that literally everything can be a workout, and that I can survive the day after a bad night of sleep without the constant reminders from an app telling me to do better. The wearables are awesome for some people, but they don’t serve me right now. Plus, it’s one fewer thing to constantly charge, check, and manage on my phone. FREEEEEDOMMMMM.
— Zoe Yarborough, Staff Writer
OUT: Unused kitchen gadgets taking up counter space. Use ’em or lose ’em.
IN: Jewel tones! A friend of mine owns the House of Colour on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and after seeing the entire process, I am absolutely drinking the “color analysis” Kool-Aid. I typically reach for black (which, lucky for me, fits into my season), but “Winters” really shine in rich jewel tones, so I vow to embrace them more this year.
— Alissa Harb, Managing Editor
OUT: Treating rest like a reward and apologizing for having preferences, boundaries, or a calendar.
IN: Choosing what actually fits this season of life, protecting my uninterrupted time, and finally writing the scripts I’ve been saving for “later.”
— Jenna Bratcher, Associate Editor & Lead Nashville Writer
OUT: Getting less than eight hours of sleep, uncomfortable shoes, fast-fashion hauls, and filling up weekends with no downtime.
IN: Giving gifts for no reason, handwritten notes, always having a candle burning, dressing and decorating in colors that make me happy, choosing quality over quantity, and complimenting strangers.
— Hailey Cunningham, Account Executive
OUT: Rushing from one thing to the next. Stop and take the time to appreciate your day-to-day activities and lean into those every day!
IN: The power of saying NO, and by doing so, protecting your peace.
— Amanda Stanfill, Account Executive & Travel Director
OUT: Running out of time to eat breakfast and dumping all of my kids’ school papers in a pile to deal with “later.”
IN: Going to bed at 10 p.m. and high-protein breakfast.
— Sarah Finklea, Sales Operations Manager
OUT: “The Closet of No Hope” … It’s the year to finally tackle it, and do a general decluttering of our house.
IN: Disabling the snooze button and waking up earlier to ensure exercise happens.
— Travis Graham, Operations Manager – Lifestage Marketing
OUT: Overcommitting and people-pleasing. Saying “yes” to everything leaves me drained and less present. In 2026, I want to focus on what truly matters, rather than spreading myself too thin.
IN: Breaking my routine. My brain, bookshelf, and music library all deserve a little more adventure and variety.
— Brianna Goebel, Associate Editor & Sponsored Content Manager
OUT: Not focusing enough on self-care.
IN: Actually scheduling get-togethers with friends and family that you’ve talked about for years and never scheduled. This is the year to spend more time with my nearest and dearest!
— Melissa Thompson, Account Executive
OUT: Thoughtless purchasing.
IN: Budgeting!
— Madison Huskey, Digital Account Coordinator
IN: Consistent, healthy routine (sleep, diet, exercise, etc.) BUT with the reminder that some spontaneity is an important balance.
OUT: Takeout during the week!!!
— Bailey Torkelson, Marketing Manager
OUT: Online shopping apps — they cost me a lot this year!
IN: Getting enough sleep and saving money!
— Kaye Torralba, Email Assistant
OUT: The chaos of 2025.
IN: Prioritizing my peace and putting my energy into the people who uplift and encourage me.
— Katherine Alexander, B2B Marketing Manager
OUT: Saving things “for later” that never comes.
IN: Treating today like it counts.
— Rae Robrigado, Operations Manager
OUT: My digital life
IN: My real life! Using my phone to actually speak to people (or better yet, to arrange an in-person meet-up), curling up with real books again, using social media with intention (or not at all…hmmm).
— Bonny Osterhage, Assistant Editor/Writer
Happy New Year! We hope you’re inspired to create your own “in” and “out” list for 2026!
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Alissa Harb
Alissa Harb is StyleBlueprint's Managing Editor, based in Nashville. A lifelong Tennessee native, Alissa has over 13 years of experience in digital media and loves writing about food, travel, and entertaining. She is a lover of dogs, true crime, and ordering for the table.