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Creating a strong nighttime routine can make for a good morning every day.
Take a few minutes every night to set yourself up for a smooth morning.
Let’s get into exactly what this means.
Clothing and Accessories
If you find mornings to be a struggle, start setting out clothing for the next day for all family members. If your partner isn’t into this they can sit it out of course…they are a capable adult.
I also recommend placing various accessories out with the clothing. If you keep shoes in your bedroom closets set them out near the door you use. If you have a mudroom area where all shoes are kept you could still set them out for the next day so they are ready to go.
For children, this can be a game-changer.
If you have little babies or toddlers where do you get them dressed? Do you have a changing table or do it on the floor? Set their clothing out so it is ready to go first thing in the morning. Also set out their daytime diaper. Hair ties or bows if needed. Also, don’t forget about socks!
If your toddler is getting to the age they can dress themselves placing the clothing out the night before gives them an opportunity to show some independence in getting dressed.
If your children are old enough you could teach them to set out clothing for themselves. Help them understand exactly what they need and the expectations around this. Maybe when you come in to tell them goodnight you take a quick look at what they have set out to make sure it is ok for school.
Explain to your children that taking this time in the evening means they get a few more minutes to sleep in once morning comes. Make this a part of your routine and then you won’t even have to think about it.
If you prefer to select outfits for your children consider getting a hanging organizer in the closet and picking out all outfits for the week on Sunday night.
Prepared for School/Daycare
If we are talking daycare-aged children pack the diaper bag. Make sure they have the necessary clothing, accessories, diapers, and wipes. Do you have to provide bottles or food? If so these may need to stay in the fridge until morning. Go ahead though and have them properly measured and labeled for the morning as much as possible.
If your children are school-aged you should know the night before if they plan to pack or buy their lunch. I recommend printing off the monthly calendar and filling it out all at once. If they plan to pack, prep the dry foods in the lunchbox and leave it handy on the counter. If any of the cold food can be prepared in advance have it ready to go in the fridge.
Backpacks should be packed up before bed. All folders, notebooks, and general supplies should be ready to go.
Any special items should be placed near the door as well. These could be items for a holiday party or school project.
As your children get older you need to think about afterschool activities and sports. Do they need gym clothes or take an instrument to school? Do they need clothing and a snack for afterschool activities?
All of this should be ready to go the night before
Depending on the ages of your children they will possibly be quite involved in these preparations. Again this will vary greatly on their ages.
Quick Tidy Up of the House
If you have older children they can help. If you have toddlers who get more out than they put away this may be better left for once they are in bed.
A quick tidy is not deep cleaning. This is just giving your house a refresh. It could be straightening pillows on the couch and folding blankets. It could be cleaning up any toys that remain out of place.
You may do what people refer to as closing the kitchen. This means wiping down all surfaces, clearing the sink and table, as well as preparing for the next day.
Before closing the kitchen check your meal plan or think about what you will be cooking for dinner tomorrow. Do you need to move anything from the freezer to the fridge to thaw?
Know what you have available for breakfast options. Set out items as reminders. If you are coffee drinkers get your machine ready to go for the morning. Set a timer if it has one.
Out the Door Routine
Take just a minute to make sure you have ready the items you will need when you go out the door in the morning. This means those backpacks are packed and ready to go. Do you have your keys and wallets in the place they should be? I will even fill my Yeti with ice the night before so all I have to do in the morning is add water.
If you have items that can be loaded into your car the night before do that now as well.
This part of the night routine should only take seconds.
Quick Schedule Check
You and your partner should take a quick glance at the calendar. Know what is happening the next day and who is covering what. For example, you could be picking the kids up from school early to make it to the dentist.
Things to discuss include carpool arrangements, children’s activities, meetings, appointments, and any major deviations from the norm.
There is always something going on. Make sure you are on the same page.
Bedtime
Again all of these tasks are dependent on the age of your children. If you have babies you may only do a few. Put them down to bed and then bust out the rest. If your children are older you may do all of these while they are awake and then shut down the house for everyone at the same time.
At this point, the living room and kitchen are closed down. You are turning off lights and locking up. You have everything set for a smooth morning.
I recommend going to bed at a decent time. If you have young babies it is ideal to wake up before them so you have some time to yourself. We purchased the Hatch Night Light to start creating more consistent mornings with our toddler. You can also check out my article, 4 Benefits of Introducing the Hatch Night Light While Still in the Baby Crib.
Now you have successfully made it through your nighttime routine to have a smooth morning the next day and every day.
The Importance of Routine
If this list sounds overwhelming, start with one section of it. Make it a part of your routine. Over time you will see the benefits and continue to add steps to your nighttime routine.
You will get to where you don’t even think about the steps. You get them done in 20 or so minutes so it doesn’t feel all that difficult.
Making the effort to establish a strong nighttime routine helps you start the day off on the right foot. Your mornings will feel more calm and relaxed rather than stressed and rushed. You may find yourself having more time to say good morning or make a hot breakfast.
Not every morning will go perfectly. Some mornings you wake up to find your toddler had a blow-out. Maybe you or your spouse are feeling under the weather. The key is that establishing these routines make disasters a little less disastrous. You can recover because you have everything possible prepared and ready to go.
Keep your routine well-oiled and it will serve you well.
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