Organize + Energize: 10 Ways to Make Your Mornings Easier
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert
Organize + Energize: 10 Ways to Make Your Mornings Easier
Here are 10 ways to make your mornings easier.
1. Plan and prepare meals for the week. On Sunday, portion out and prepare meals and snacks. This is one less thing you have to do during the week. Grab and go. Prepare lunches the night before. Any food you can prepare ahead of time, go for it! It’s one less thing you have to think of during the week.
2. Think ahead. Don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning? Make an omelet on Sunday and portion it out in seal tight containers for the week. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It will set the tone for the rest of the day.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST3. Plan and prepare outfits. Plan outfits for the week on Sunday. Prep everything from shoes, clothes, accessories, underwear and socks. Iron everything. Line up the outfits in the closet Monday-Friday. Do you have children? You can do the same for them. Create handmade tags with the days of the week on them and hang them over the hanger. Kids know exactly what they are wearing and won't waste time in the morning trying to figure out what to wear. If they want to participate, definitely include them in the process.
4. Organize backpacks. Again, if you have children, go through and organize backpacks the night before so in the morning kids can just grab and go. Get your kids in the habit of checking their backpacks every night. They won’t be scurrying around in the morning wondering if they are forgetting something. This will also give you some extra time in the morning.
5. Pack what you can ahead of time. Be sure to mark all activities on the calendar. Write down everything on the calendar and also give your kids a calendar of their own so they are also aware of upcoming activities/events. Do you head to the gym after work? Keep an organized and ready-to-go gym bag. Not sure what to put into it?
6. Organize your bathroom. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? Are you touching 5 products before you find the one that you need? Get organized and cut your bathroom time in half.
7. Get up a little earlier in the morning. Do you get up at the last minute and find yourself rushing out the door? Set your alarm a little earlier. Relax a little, have breakfast and check your emails before work.
8. Keep a to-do list. To-do lists will keep you on track and will help you with your time management. They will help you become more efficient and productive. Keep a daily to –do list as opposed to a weekly one.
9. Have a designated spot for essentials. Keys, laptop, electronics, glasses, and any other important tools you use everyday should have a designated spot in the home.
10. Routines. Create daily routines and out of these routines will form habits and then it will become an everyday way of life. Follow the organized systems you create. It’s as easy as putting the item back where you found it.
You and your family will reap the benefits once you get organized. Your mornings will be a breeze. You will have more time to enjoy breakfast and spend with your family. Don’t start your day behind the eight ball by being stressed and overwhelmed. Create structure in the morning and you will be amazed at how much more relaxed you will be in the morning.
5 Organizing Blunders
Not planning ahead
Getting organized is a process and you have to have a plan on how to conquer your project. You can’t tear apart an entire room all at once. You need to break the project down into small pieces. Plan to tackle your project in 3-hour increments. If you work longer than 3 hours at a time, you are setting yourself up for burnout. Plan ahead to try to avoid distractions and stay focused.
Click here for more tips on how to avoid distractions.
Purchasing the incorrect supplies
I know you are excited to get organized, but don’t rush out to the store and purchase products just because you like the way they look. Get organized first. Figure out what you need to contain, and then purchase your container to match the items you need it to hold.
Click here for more on choosing the right container.
Not letting others know about your system
Once you set up the organized system, you have to get everybody in your home on board. Show them the systems and how you are going to function with this system going forward. Label everything if you must, so everybody gets in the habit of putting items away. Remember, the simpler the system, the easier it’s going to be to maintain.
Need help creating those systems? Go here.
Not maximizing your space
Use every inch of space and use it well. Take everything out of the area you are organizing. You can’t get a clear visual of the space if it is filled with clutter. Shifting items around is not going to work.
Here are more tips on maximizing your space.
Repeatedly clearing spaces
You are creating more work for yourself if you continue to clear spaces once a month. Create a system and allow everything in your home to have its own place, and you will never have to clear a space again.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.
