6 Things To Do The Night Before For An Easy Morning

It's been 2 weeks since my kids started school. This school year is a completely new experience for me. For the last 2 years, my husband has been taking my stepson to school while he is with us for half the week, while I was able to sleep in with the 2 little girls. I didn't have any stressful mornings and pretty much had an easy start to the day.

Now things are completely different. With one of the girls starting Kinder {and being quite demanding if you ask me}, my morning consists of lunch boxes, school clothes, laundry, waking up the older ones, waking up the younger ones, signing papers, breakfast, and more. {If you can believe it}

While I've had a ton of trail and error over the past 2 weeks, it took me a while to figure out a system that didn't have me scrambling in the morning, or to exhausted the night before to even wake up.

1. Check The School Folder/Back Pack

There were many times were I had forgotten something because I didn't check it the night before. We are scrambling in the car to go through papers, when we should have done it the night before. This way, you have time to add items to your calendar, sign important forms, and get rid of the junk paperwork.

2. Get Lunch {And Breakfast} Ready

My stepson usually eats lunch at school, but sometimes he also likes me to pack him a lunch. Truly on the other hand, wants only a packed lunch. I'm fine with that since I can pick things that I know she will actually eat, and I know that she wont be hungry when the school bell rings. Every night we get her lunch ready, put it in ziplock bags and stick it in the fridge. Now it is ready to just grab and go in the morning!

For Breakfast, set the cereal out in the morning, make a week's worth of granola on Monday, and set out all your ingredients and utensils ready for pancakes.

3. Pick Out Clothes

For the first week of school, there was at least a 10 minute lag in picking out what they wanted to wear. "Is it PE today? Is this dress appropriate? {Yes Truly really asks that} Have I worn this already?" If picking out clothes the night before saves you 10 minutes of deciding, that's 10 minutes extra everyone can sleep in!

4. Get Those Kids To Help You!

There's been many a time, even before school, where I've woken up in the morning greeted to piles of toys, clothes, and more toys around the house and rooms. Then as we try to get our day started, I'm left to clean up, while the kids try to get ready, tripping around our junk. Getting your kids to clean up their rooms, put every toy away, as a night time ritual will not only make things clean for you in the morning, but teach them how to be responsible.

5. Get Everything By The Door

The night before, get your kids to make sure everything is in their backpack, and for them to put them by the front door, or garage door, whichever one you use to exit. You, Mom, do the same. Put your purse by the door, your to do list, and anything else you would take with you in the morning when leaving.

6. The List

Whether you have a paper to do list, or you use an app on your phone, before you get in bed, list all the things you have to do for the next day. This is also a good time to eliminate things you maybe don't have to do and shorten your list.

By following these things, our nights have actually been more calmer, and the kids have learned their "good night" system. The 6 things usually take us about 15 - 20 minutes, if even that, but saves us at least an hour of craziness in the morning.

Sometimes a mom just needs to hit snooze every once in a while!