Mornings and I have a complicated relationship. I have a hard time getting up in the morning and I tend to move slowly. I’m rarely ready to leave the house on time. But I do love to be up early when everything is quiet when I’m the only person awake in the house.

Eleanor it seems has taken after me, she’s usually a bit cranky, and her dawdling skills are at their best in the morning. She eats breakfast slowly, gets dressed slowly, and is rarely cooperative when I brush her hair and teeth and put her sunblock on.

I’m doing my best to make our mornings easier. And I’ve found that if I do just a few things the night before, it makes our mornings go more smoothly and gives us a better chance of getting out of the house on time. 

1. Pack Snacks & Lunches

I try to do this while I’m making dinner or right after dinner while cleaning the kitchen for the evening. I can’t imagine doing in the morning.

2. Set anything needed for the next day by the front door

Eleanor’s blankets for nap time, Eleanor’s homework, a toy that she might want to bring for share day, any special items the school has requested for art projects, or my Camera bag on days that I’m shooting the next morning.

3. Check the calendar

I try to check what’s on the calendar for the next day to see if Eleanor needs anything special for school, or if I have any plans for the next day or evening that I need to remind Josh about.

4. Set out our clothes

I generally go to the gym after I drop Eleanor at school, so I put my workout clothes on my dresser, and I pick out Eleanor’s clothes and put them on the coffee table (she gets dressed in the living room after eating breakfast).

5. Quick tidy up

I work from home and can’t stand a messy room, so I like to just do a quick tidying up of my living room (where my office are is located). It just makes my whole day better to have a clean room. If it’s messy I waste time cleaning up before I can get to work.

Note: I don’t always do all of these, but I should! And when I do it makes the mornings so much better!

I’d love to hear your tips for an easier morning! Especially getting out of the house on time! We are regularly running 10-15 minutes late!