Saving Time During the Morning Rush!

What do you do to make your morning run smoothly? School mornings can be hectic at times, trying to make it to the bus stop on time or driving everyone to their respected morning locations. One small not so innocent child can throw a wrench in the entire works. Getting more than one child to cooperate can sometimes be a Mom’s worst nightmare, or at least the worst part of the day.

I have worked out a few ways to save my sanity in the mornings but I would love to know what you do too? Do you do the same as me or do you have even better and brighter ideas?

Most of my bright ideas come from trial and error. I hate running around the very last minute trying to hurry and toss something together. The night before is the way I save my time!

I load the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen after dinner so in the morning we all have a clean dish to eat off of and I am not searching and washing a to-cup or lunch box in a rush.

If we need to pack a lunch I do it the night before, box and all goes in the refrigerator.

Everyone gets a bath the night before, so we don’t have to take time to shower or bathe in the mornings during the morning rush. If your teenager has to straighten her hair this is an awesome trick because it will still be straight in the morning.

This saves your $$ too because if you go to bed clean you don’t have to wash your sheets as often. I also swear that if you wash off all the dirty world grime you are healthier for it. I swear to that because I washed my kid’s hair every night after they had been at the dirty school was part of the reason they NEVER had lice. But we could have just been lucky I am no lice expert. When my kids miss their bath they don’t sleep as well I think it relaxes you. I know it does me. Plus Dad is home at this time and I can have him be in charge while I take my bath. (I almost typed the word “NAP” here instead of bath, wonder if I am trying to tell myself something? Ha!)

So after bath I get the PJ’s and at the same time I am getting PJ’s I pick out the clothes we are going to wear the next day. Hey you are in the dresser getting clothes anyway, kill two birds! If we are going to need a jacket the next day I lay that out next to the door. Don’t forget the shoes! If I find my son’s shoes and lay those out next to the clothes I am much happier in the morning. He has a habit of kicking off his shoes and somehow one lands in one room under the table and the other finds its way into another room under a pile of clothes or something! So I find the shoes and lay those out too.

So then Backpacks, those go next to the jacket by the door. Most of the time this is already done, because I check his backpack when he comes home and then put it by the door. All the papers that need signed or filled out I do right away and stick back in the back pack. If it is Monday night I put the library books in because Tuesday is library day. If they are supposed to bring a snack the next day and it does not need to be refrigerated I put that in too.

If we are having pop tarts and cereal for breakfast that goes on the counter, bowls and all so all I need to do is pop the tarts and get the milk. My son is a chocolate milk addict and needs it like coffee in the morning so I go ahead and make up that too and stick it in the fridge.

If you are making a casserole or cinnamon rolls you can make that ahead in your baking dish and put that in the fridge too. Lots of breakfast items can be made in advance. I like to make a big batch of breakfast burritos, wrap them and then freeze them so I just have to microwave them. This saves time and money.

Next comes me, I cannot forget about me I run the whole show! I get my bath, lay out my clothes for the next day and anything I need for tomorrow. I set up the coffee pot so it goes off automatically and I have coffee when I roll out of bed.

Before I go to bed I also make a quick sweep of the house and pick up most of the junk and toys that find its way all over the counter and floors.

I am not perfect and sometimes I am lazy and say oh I will do that tomorrow, and then when I am pressed for time, and still sleepy-eyed I am sorry I put it off.

So what is your secret???