Having 4 kids, running a business, and volunteering at church keeps my days busy busy! So when I wake up in the morning, I hit the ground running! I don’t have time (or the sanity) to have a hectic morning. If my day starts rough and crazy, it’s hard to get back on track for the rest of the day. I’ve learned a few tips and tricks along the way on how to simplify your morning routine. Let me share them with you!
Pick Outfits Out the Night Before
How many times do you walk into your closet full of clothes and you think you have nothing to wear?! And then you take forever choosing an outfit that you’ll feel confident and look great in! By doing this in the morning, it’s just adding to the stress and hurry of the day. But by taking the time at night before I go to bed to put an outfit together, it takes the guess work out of what I’ll wear the following day. I have a clear and non-rushed mind and can be better prepared. This way I can make sure what I need is ironed and clean and ready to pop on quickly in the morning.
For my kids, I make sure all of their outfits are all set out as well. They currently wear school uniforms so it’s pretty easy laying out their clothes each night. But when they attended schools where uniforms weren’t required, I would make sure they would pick out their outfits and lay them out with their necessities. We also keep the kids’ shoes in a basket in our entryway so there’s never a scramble to find missing shoes.
Plan out Breakfast for the Week
With 4 little mouths to feed with lots of different opinions, I make out a standard breakfast menu for the week to simplify planning and prep. I rotate through 5 meals for the weekdays. This adds variety but also allows me to not have to come up with something different every day. I make sure to have everything I need on hand or bake what I need earlier on in the week during the day. The breakfasts that we currently rotate through are:
oatmeal & fresh fruitscrambled eggs, homemade toast, fresh fruithomemade muffins & fresh fruitbreakfast smoothieyogurt, muesli, fresh fruit
Go to Bed with a Clean Home
Everyone in our family has chores and duties to accomplish every day to keep our home clean and organized. Waking up to a messy home will only add to the chaos and stress of the morning. I always make sure to go to bed with a clean home so I wake up feeling at peace. The kitchen sink is free of dirty dishes, the counters are cleared and washed off, the family room is picked up and tidy, and the kids’ rooms are all neat. Having a tidy home simplifies your morning and gives you one less thing to worry about.
Keep Bags in the Same Place
We have a place in our entryway for all of the school backpacks, bags, and purses. Knowing where your belongings are helps minimize the chaos of the morning. Once the lunches are packed, it’s easy to quickly add them to the backpacks. Nobody is wasting time guessing where their stuff is and everything is all in one place waiting for us.
These tips have helped simplify our morning routine. Organization and planning is key! Life goes so much smoother when you’re prepared. If you want a simpler morning, try these tips!
