How to Organize Your Morning, Even with Kids!

People often complain that they are always rushing around in the morning trying to get everyone out the door. I just look at them as if they are nuts. I have learned how to make my mornings less stressful by following some of these ideas:

*Lay out all your clothes the night before, including the kids' clothing. I use a hanging system that hooks over my front hall closet door. I have my clothes for work and my son's school clothes hung up and freshly dewrinkled before I go to bed each night. The fun part is always having my son pick out which shirt he'd like to wear the next day. The key is getting the child involved. That way, there is no frantic search for clean clothes in the morning. They already have their clothes ready. This way, they can simply get dressed and focus on getting some food in their stomach!

*Figure out what accessories you are going to wear the night before. I usually hang my necklaces and bracelets on the hangar with the outfit I have chosen. Then, I hang the earrings on the necklace or just lay them on my nightstand. It saves me a ton of time in the morning trying to figure out what goes with my outfit, as I have a lot of jewelry.

*Pack lunches the night before! What I like to do is make lunches while I am waiting for dinner to finish, or right after I get all of our clothes and things laid out. This saves a ton of time in the morning. We use the prepackaged snacks like cheez-its or mini-oreos to save even more time. I pack everything but the sandwich. This way in the morning, it takes me less than a minute to assemble the sandwich. All Done! I do the same with my own lunch. I put everything together the night before, usually harvesting leftovers, or simply putting my snacks together. It may take about 5 minutes total. The key, again, is to get the kids involved. Once they are old enough, say between 5-7 years old, they are more than capable of putting snacks and drink pouches together. Their hands aren't broken!

Once all of this is done, you can easily be showered and dressed with very little stress. If you have the option to finish up while your spouse showers, all the better, especially if your time in the mornings is extremely tight. The key to all of this is, establishing a clear-cut routine. If you can have the kids bathe or shower the evening before, that's great. If not, just set up a specific time for them to shower in the morning. For my husband and me we have a clear-cut schedule in the morning. My son knows this and follows it without question. Therefore, by the time I am ready to leave for work, he is dressed and starting on his breakfast, his lunch is made, his schoolbag is ready, and the only thing left for my husband to do is make sure my son takes his medication, does his teeth and puts on his deodorant. While my son is eating, my husband can relax and watch the morning news. In addition, while I am waiting for my husband to finish, I can relax and have some time for myself.

The key, as I said, is to be organized. Children thrive on routine and structure. Following the simple tips listed will allow things to be less hectic and stressful. Doesn't that sound wonderful?