Guest Post: 5 Steps to an Easier Morning Routine

Image by Hugo Quintera

This is a guest post by Laura of The Spinach Spot.  We’re having a series of guest posts throughout March and April so that Kate can focus on some time with her family, including the new baby!

Whether you need to get out the door for an appointment, work, school or just to the park, mornings can be a challenge.  Between breakfast, getting everyone dressed and collecting everything you need for your adventure, mornings can easily turn into a stressful event.  Add in a late night or having been up a couple times with the littles and it can be very hard to start your day off right.

I usually feel like I’ll never get out of the house when I haven’t done my evening prep work the night before.  There are some super simple tasks I do each night to make sure our mornings run smoothly.  By doing these tasks, our mornings run much smoother, no matter what is on the schedule.

While everyone’s family needs are different, there are some universal things that need to get done each morning- getting dressed, eating breakfast (you are eating breakfast right?), our chores and of course getting out the door at some point.  By having a plan and making a few minor preparations the evening before, your mornings can be a lot easier!

Simplify Your Chores

Think about what you need to get done tomorrow and make a to-do list.  Make sure you keep it reasonable here.  Put the most important things at the top and work down in priority.

Next, have a rough plan for when you want to do each item.  You’ll accomplish two things with this.  First, you’ll make sure you have enough time in your day and second, you’ll be able to see what tasks need to happen right away in the morning.  Need to get laundry done? Stick a load in quickly on your way out the door.  Need to run errands?  Now you’ll have an idea of when you need to be out the door.

Simplify Your Breakfast

First, do you know what you’re having for breakfast?  If not, take a few seconds and figure it out.  Then, gather the items you’ll need for the morning.  I like to get out the pot or pans I’ll be using, spices, coconut oil and our plates and forks.  We start each day with a smoothie so I make sure the fruit is cut up and in the fridge, ready to go.  Anything that saves me a few minutes in the morning gets done!  You’ll be amazed what a time saver this can be.

Simplify Getting Dressed

I can’t tell you how much this helps our family!  Each evening I make sure we all know what we’re wearing the next day.  My son doesn’t care yet so I pick his clothes out.  My daughter likes to pick hers so we make sure that gets done before bed each night.  Don’t forget to get your clothes ready too!  I also make sure our shoes and socks are accounted for— there’s nothing worse than being ready to walk out the door and missing a shoe.  If you need coats, hats and gloves, gather those as well.

Simplify Getting Out the Door

Packing your necessities the night before means less trips out to the car with your littles swarming.  Headed to the grocery store in the morning?  Put your reusable grocery bags in the car.  The library?  Gather the books and put them in the car too!  Diaper bags, snacks, a cooler… anything you might need for your errands can go in the car the evening before.

Image by Plinkk

Simplify Some You Time

How often do you get to do something for yourself in the morning?  If you’re like me, you’re probably lucky if you get both your hair and teeth brushed.  But starting your day with some simple things to help sustain you throughout the day can make all the difference in your day.  While you may not have time for a yoga session, a relaxing bath or a leisurely breakfast, you can definitely make time for some simple things.  How about a nourishing cup of tea, taking time to take your supplements or a few minutes of prayer or meditation.  These simple things may only take a few minutes but you get to feel cared for too and that is so important to taking on the day.

By implementing these 5 things, you’re mornings will run much smoother.  I encourage you to make a list of the things you normally do in your home every morning.  Figure out any additional tasks you can take a few minutes each night to do and make your mornings even better!

What do you do daily to make your mornings easier?

Laura blogs at The Spinach Spot where she shares allergy-friendly whole foods for the whole family. She is a married to her best friend, an Air Force pilot and is a mama to two amazing kiddos who have undergone a health transformation through eating whole foods. You’ll find healthy, nourishing, kid friendly recipes that are free of dairy, gluten and soy on her blog.