My Secret To A Succesful Morning Routine

Let me start by taking you back to a few months ago when the school year began for my kids. The first day of school felt like a scene right out of Home Alone. Everyone woke up late, we were running around like maniacs, and hoping not to get there after the gates closed! Except in this house, there was no flight to Paris, and I didn't leave a kid at home!

I'm a pretty organized person, I like things in order, and I believe in routines. However, I didn't take into account that I was only used to having one kid attend school. So there I was trying to get organized in line of fire, and I failed miserably. All I could do to calm my frustrations was envision myself standing at the refrigerator pounding beer!

It may not seem like much, but when you are trying to make breakfast, pick two different outfits, brush two heads of hair, pack lunches and backpacks, and try not to have the school gates close in your face, it can be a little overwhelming. 

It only took one day for me to realize that I had to get on a new routine. I played around with a couple of ideas before I found the one that worked. So, whats the secret? Well, my husband likes to call it reverse planning. The key is to start the night before!

Making time the to get the things that take the longest out of the way, will make for an easy morning. Try these things the night before:

1)  Pack their lunches. If you can get this done it will give you a major head start on the next day. Pack things you know can sit overnight in the fridge. 

2) Plan their outfits. I usually check my weather app to help me figure out what is ideal for the kids to wear. Some days they will want an input in what clothes they wear, and other days they leave it up to me. I find that hanging their outfits (with shoes below it) next to the bed makes things flow so much smoother in the morning. 

3) Take a bath/shower. I never have the kids do this in the morning. It takes way too much time! Getting this out of the way the night before will not only save you time in the AM, but also help the kiddos sleep easy. (Winning on two counts!)

4) Checklist Board. While this isn't a night before duty, making a checklist for the kids is not only a great way for them to learn responsibility, but also takes the guess work out of what tasks they still have to complete. I try to leave the board near their bed so they can clear it off at night, and get ready to use it the next day.  

Other things I found helpful are making the kids responsible for packing their own belongings. Try these tips:

1) Make snacks accessible to them. I usually have the kids pick one fruit, and one "grain" for snack. I try to keep the pantry stocked with things I know they will eat, and like. Side note: I know these aren't the healthiest snacks but hey, I have to pick my battles!

2) Leave lunch pails and water bottles in reach. By now the lunch is packed and ready to be put away in their backpacks. I leave their lunch pail and water bottles in reach for them to pack. They are also in charge of filling up their own water bottles. (One less thing I have to do.)

3) Have a designated area for their stuff. I have a study room for the kids where I hang their backpacks and lunches. They know the last step before walking out the door is to make sure everything is packed. 

These are pretty simple steps, but they go a long way! We have gotten it down to a science! Some days we even have time to spare. On those days, I take advantage and make a trip to the park before school to capture *OOTD picture! Hope you enjoyed.

*OUTFITS OF THE DAY

Outfit details on Instagram @not.your.mamas.style