# Dry January Week by Week: A Plan for 2027 | The Softer Hour

> A week-by-week Dry January 2027 plan: the holiday weekend, the first ordinary Friday, the MLK long weekend, the last stretch and what to do on February 1.

Source: https://softerhour.com/dry-january-week-by-week

Dry January

# Dry January week by week: a plan for 2027

By The Softer Hour Editorial Team

Our pick **Kava Variety 12-Pack** $102 · 12 cans

[Shop at BBCo →](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/kava-1/products/kava-variety-12pk?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate)

Every week of Dry January 2027 starts on a Friday. That's useful: the night a drink is easiest to miss is also the first night of each week, so if you plan Friday, the rest of the week tends to follow. Each week below has one job, one tricky moment and one thing to have in the fridge. Part of our [Dry January guide](https://softerhour.com/dry-january).

## Before it starts: December 26–31

- **Write down your reason.** One line, somewhere you'll see it.
- **List your drinking moments.** After work, Friday nights, dinners out, the game. Those are the slots you'll fill.
- **Stock the fridge before New Year's Eve.** A variety pack lets you find a favorite flavor in week one instead of week three.
- **Plan New Year's Eve.** It's Thursday, December 31, the night before day one. [An alcohol-free New Year's Eve](https://softerhour.com/alcohol-free-new-years-eve) has a plan for the toast and the first weekend.

## Week 1: Fri Jan 1 – Thu Jan 7

**The mood: fresh start.** Motivation is easy this week. Logistics are the hard part.

**The job:** get through the holiday weekend (Jan 1–3), then back into the work week on Monday, January 4.

**The tricky moment:** New Year's Day afternoon, when the party is over but the holiday isn't. Plan something for it: a long walk, a late brunch, a movie you've been saving.

**In the fridge:** a variety pack. Try a different can each evening this week and note which ones you'd happily drink again.

**Try this:** put a calendar on the fridge and cross off each day. It sounds childish, but a streak you can see is a streak you won't want to break.

## Week 2: Fri Jan 8 – Thu Jan 14

**The mood: habit.** The novelty has worn off and this is the first ordinary Friday.

**The job:** replace the Friday drink with a Friday ritual. Same time, same glass, plenty of ice, a garnish, and a can you only open on Fridays. Then something to do with the evening: cook something new, call a friend, start a series.

**The tricky moment:** the after-work invite. Decide your answer before it comes: "I'm in, I'm doing Dry January, I'll get something without alcohol." People rarely ask a follow-up question.

**In the fridge:** your Friday can. [Kava Orange Dream](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/kava-1/products/orange-dream-kava?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate) tastes like a creamsicle and is the easiest first kava. Save it for Friday so it stays a treat.

The Friday can **Kava Orange Dream** from $36

[Shop at BBCo →](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/kava-1/products/orange-dream-kava?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate)

## Week 3: Fri Jan 15 – Thu Jan 21

**The mood: restless.** The middle of the month is where it starts to feel long, and this week has a three-day weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18), which means an extra free evening.

**The job:** plan the long weekend now. Book one thing that isn't built around a drink, and make one night a mocktail night: [7 easy Dry January mocktails](https://softerhour.com/dry-january-mocktails).

**The tricky moment:** game day. NFL playoff games fill January weekends (check the schedule for your team). Have a cold swap in the fridge before kickoff and something to eat that isn't an afterthought.

**In the fridge:** something you haven't tried yet. Boredom is the enemy this week, so a new flavor helps. The [Elixir Variety 12-Pack](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/elixir/products/elixir-variety-12pk?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate) has every elixir color in one box.

Something new for week 3 **Elixir Variety 12-Pack** $102 · 12 cans

[Shop at BBCo →](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/elixir/products/elixir-variety-12pk?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate)

## Week 4: Fri Jan 22 – Thu Jan 28

**The mood: steady.** By now you have a routine. Notice which swaps you actually look forward to, and which nights you stopped thinking about a drink at all.

**The job:** write down what stuck. Which drink, which ritual, which plan. That list is the most useful thing you'll take into February.

**The tricky moment:** "one won't hurt." It might not, and it's your month. But decide in advance, not at the bar. If you do have a drink, you haven't failed. Pick it back up the next day.

**In the fridge:** your favorites from weeks 1 to 3, restocked.

**Try this:** host. A dinner where you choose the drinks is easier than a night out where someone else does. [Non-alcoholic drinks for a party](https://softerhour.com/non-alcoholic-drinks-for-a-party) has a simple setup.

## Final stretch: Fri Jan 29 – Sun Jan 31

**The mood: finish line.** The last weekend of the month.

**The job:** mark the finish with something that isn't a drink: a dinner out, a day trip, something you bought with the money you didn't spend on alcohol.

**Then decide about February 1.** People usually land on one of three paths:

1. **Go back to drinking as before.** That's a choice, and the month still counted.
2. **Keep some dry nights.** Some people keep weeknights dry and drink only on weekends, or the other way around. [How to drink less alcohol](https://softerhour.com/how-to-drink-less-alcohol) has practical tips.
3. **Keep going.** If the month felt good, there's no rule saying it has to end.

## A Sunday check-in (5 minutes)

Ask yourself the same four questions every Sunday night:

| Question | Why it helps |
| --- | --- |
| Which night was hardest? | That's next week's night to plan. |
| What did I drink instead, and did I enjoy it? | Keep what worked, drop what didn't. |
| What do I need in the fridge next week? | Shop before the hard night, not during it. |
| Did I slip, and what happened right before? | The trigger is more useful than the guilt. |

## If a week goes wrong

A drink on the 12th doesn't cancel the 11 days before it. Start again the next morning. If a month off feels much harder than you expected, or you're worried about your drinking, talk to someone. In the US, SAMHSA's National Helpline is free, confidential and open 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357. If you drink heavily every day, talk to a doctor before stopping, because alcohol withdrawal can be serious.

The cans on this site are for adults 21+, one can per serving, never mixed with alcohol, and they aren't recommended if you're in recovery.

## Who should skip kava

- Kava drinks are for adults 21+.
- Kava has rare reports of liver problems, mostly linked to concentrated supplements. Skip it if you have a liver condition, are pregnant or nursing, or take medications that affect the liver or nervous system.
- Don't mix it with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it. Talk to your doctor if you're unsure.

## Who should skip kratom

- Kratom drinks are for adults 21+.
- Kratom can be habit-forming with regular use. The FDA hasn't approved it for any use, and it's restricted in some states and cities, so check your local rules.
- Skip it if you're pregnant or nursing, in recovery from alcohol or other substance use, or take any daily medication. Talk to your doctor if you're unsure.
- One can is one serving. Don't drink it with alcohol or other botanicals, and don't drive after drinking it.

Related: [Dry January guide](https://softerhour.com/dry-january) · [Dry January 2027: dates and rules](https://softerhour.com/dry-january-2027) · [Dry January mocktails](https://softerhour.com/dry-january-mocktails) · [Dry January drink alternatives](https://softerhour.com/dry-january-drink-alternatives)

**Ready to try it?**

[Shop Kava Variety 12-Pack →](https://botanicalbrewingco.com/collections/kava-1/products/kava-variety-12pk?sca_ref=12358316.LbbEA40zk2Gdk&utm_source=softerhour&utm_medium=affiliate)[Not sure? Take the 60-second quiz](https://softerhour.com/#quiz)