The early bird gets the worm, so they say. But who wants a worm, anyway? A slimy ground dweller is the last thing you want to deal with first thing, especially if the baby kept you up half the night and you have an important interview this afternoon.
You know what I want in the morning? Fifteen minutes of silence with a big, steamy mug of coffee. My favorite mug with the big-looped handle that fits just right in my hand, filled with just the right amount of cream and piping-hot coffee brewed from fresh-ground coffee beans. No interruptions, no messes, no requests. Just a few minutes of peace and quiet.
Yes, I’ve been that person who arrived late to work with spit-up on my blouse and a can of Coke instead of coffee because I didn’t have time to brew it or stop through the Starbucks drive-thru. On a regular basis.
I’ve been that mom chasing the school bus because we couldn’t find any matching shoes.
I’ve been that person caught in traffic, hungry for breakfast and late for an important meeting because I couldn’t get out the door on time.
But what if I told you that chaotic mornings could be the rare exception?
Last month, we talked about how important it is to have a morning routine. Today, I’m going to share with you another secret to having a good morning: planning and prepping the night before. Fifteen to thirty minutes in the evening of being kind to your tomorrow-morning self can save you a whole morning of chaos.
How are you doing with your morning routine habits?
I hope you’ve refined them and made them work for you. Now it’s time to write down your evening routine. It may take some tweaking, but in no time at all, you’ll be handling your mornings like a boss. (Or at least not crying over spilled coffee.)
Here are some items I suggest you include on your list:
Laundry
If you’ve started the habit of starting a load of laundry every morning, you’ll want to pull the clothes out of the dryer and fold them in the evening so you can have empty machines in the morning. (And clean clothes to wear!)
Clothes for tomorrow
Speaking of having clothes to wear, think ahead about what you want to wear the next day and lay it out. If you exercise in the mornings, it’s a good idea to lay those out too. It’s a lot easier to get motivated to go to the gym if you know where your tennis shoes are.
Dishwasher
Load the dishwasher and start it. That way, you’ll have lots of clean dishes for the morning. (And a dishwasher to unload, if you have that on your morning routine.)
Lunches
While you’re cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, figure out what everyone is having for lunch the next day and pack it. Leftovers make great lunches! If your kids are old enough, supervise them packing their own lunches; they’re more likely to eat them if they have a vested interest. That way, all you have to do is grab them and go in the morning.
Breakfast
Whether you like to grab a cup of coffee and a granola bar or you’re a bacon and eggs kind of family, have a plan in mind and make sure you have the ingredients on hand. And for that fickle toddler who loved bananas yesterday but loathes them like creamed spinach today—maybe even have a backup plan.
Your one-stop drop
Locate everything you need to take in the morning—bags, backpacks, homework, car keys, sports equipment, piano books—whatever you want to walk out the door with, and stash it in one handy place near the door. There’s nothing worse than looking for that one item while everyone else is busy losing everything else and getting their clean clothes dirty. Save yourself some sanity and gather it all up the night before.
Time for you
An ideal evening routine entails more than just teeth brushing and face washing. Think of something restorative and add it to your evening routine. It can be anything from a facial or a bubble bath to finally having some time to sink into that novel you’ve been wanting to read.
Giveaway Time!*
Once you have your morning and evening routines perfected, a new planner is a great place to write them down. Ruth Chou Simons has created a beautiful planner for 2020. It’s called Gracelaced 2020 12-Month Planner, and we have a few of these to give away to our readers!
One Grand Prize Winner will receive three books by talented author and artist Ruth Chou Simons.
Gracelaced 2020 12-Month Planner
Leave a comment below to be entered to win. What are you putting on your evening routine list to make the school year easier?
*Giveaway for US residents only.
- #642 – Financial Organization Made Easy: The Binder Method with Lisa Woodruff - November 5, 2024
- #641 The 3 Words That are Keeping You Cluttered (And How to Change It) - October 29, 2024
- #640 30 Days to Freedom: Join Our Annual 1000-Item Declutter Challenge! - October 22, 2024
I am 53 and have had a deep urging inside my soul pulling me in a new direction. I have returned to college for the next 3 years to earn my Bachelors Degree. I am desperate to get my morning and evening routines revised! Thank you so much for your guidance to help me follow God’s plan for me to serve!
I like to shower in the morning but I hate it when there aren’t any clean wash cloths! I’ll be making sure there are cloths and fresh towels the night before. Thanks!!
I want to lean into Christ as I deal with past hurt and sin. I want to truly trust Him to hear and act on my behalf. Thank you, both for helping women.
I love the simple beauty she offers. Can’t wait to see the Planner.
We have needed an author like Ruth!! We mothers are so like our sweet children…Gentle reminders about our routines keep us on track better than harsh schedules. Thank you for this interview, Kathi!
Each evening I create a morning playlist including an audible reading of scripture. The play list is what wakes up the household for the day and sets a more peaceful atmosphere to our mornings.
I try to lay out clothes and as much breakfast items as I can! And always make sure the diaper bag is stocked with diapers 🙂
Love these ideas! I want to add making lunch the night before to my evening routine.
This is great!! I am so glad I found out about Clutter Free Academy. This group has helped me so much these last couple of weeks. I actually just started a routine this week to help my morning better in the kitchen; just to get started. It has made a difference in my morning and when I get home from work to start dinner.
When I start making dinner and I dirty a dish right way I wash it as dinner is cooking. So by the time I finish having dinner with my family. I don’t have a lot to do. I put away leftovers and pack my husband’s and mine lunch for the next morning. Coffee is set for next morning for my husband to take to work.
Thank you so much for this! I will definitely going to try this!!
When I was working full time, I would use my list of “L’s” to make sure I left the house with everything (lunch, liquid, luggage, laptop, and love (so I wouldn’t forget to give my husband a kiss as I frantically ran out the door!). I forgot about those L’s once I became a stay/work-at-home mom but I think I could modify a few and they could really help my morning routine. I should pack the lunch and liquid (water bottle) the night before, sign all papers and pack the “luggage” aka backpack, do the laundry aka dirty clothes to hamper and set out clean clothes for morning, and write a love note for the lunch box so it’s all ready to go!
I totally agree with the evening and morning routines. I am definitely a routine/to-do list kinda gal! My evening routine includes making sure my sink is clean and if the dishwasher is full to run it. Get everything by the door for the next day. If laundry in the washer, move the wet laundry to the dryer. Lay out my clothes, shoes and jewelry for the following day including ironing what has to be done. Lay out my exercise clothes so when I get up I just slip into the exercise clothes and head to the basement. My ready-for-bed routine alone at night is 10 minutes (you know with all the facial scrubs and moisturizers! haha)
My morning routine includes treadmill, Bible and quiet time, getting ready and out the door for work. My problem is truly the breakfast time. I need to get better at allowing more time to fix breakfast and eat. Otherwise I end up eating something I shouldn’t or spending money at the cafeteria at work.
Thanks for giving me ideas for better routines!
I’d like to check the next day’s weather and plan outfits for myself; this can take so much time in the morning with indecisiveness, so I’m trying to eliminate that.
I am trying to prepare lunches the night before! Makes the day so much easier!
I want to get lunches ready the night before and lay out school clothes so there are no fights
At our house we try to get lunches ready for the next day even though I stay at home. It’s so nice when the day is busy and I don’t have to make lunches with littles at home!
I love an empty sink, a running dishwasher, a clean counter top and that also means wiped down with a cloth. These things drive my husband bonkers because he’ll say “time for bed?” And I’ll reply “yep” and that really means time to put the kitchen to bed.
I’m a homeschool mom and so I try to clear off and prep the kitchen table every evening so it’s ready for the next day off schooling.
First, I simply love Ruth’s art and heart, thank you for having her on your podcast. This episode filled my heart!
As far as routine, I have been focusing on spending 10 minutes straightening my house, especially floors and the kitchen counter so I don’t need to wade through all the nonsense during our morning routine.
This week I have also started making sure that last load of laundry lands in the dryer before bed! It has drastically cut the number of reruns. ?
Love the podcast! I am setting out my clothes and making my lunch for the next day in the evening. This has so far made my mornings smoother and I’m ALMOST on time to work each day.
In the evening, I’m going to build lunches as I put away dinner. Also spend a moment to write down the three most important task for tomorrow. That’s about all I can handle?The planner is beautiful it make my creative brain happy!
The planner looks absolutely beautiful, and I definitely loved the helpful tips on creating an evening routine! I say every night at our house, “A good morning starts the night before!” 🙂
The most game-changing thing I should add to my evening routine is making a plan for dinner the next evening. With five kids (four of which do multiple sports and one is a baby), the days go by superfast and I find myself offering eggs or oatmeal for dinner (again). I would love to make the decision ahead of time…if I do it the night before, hopefully I can hear myself think!!
I’m adding making lunches and starting laundry to my list! Thanks for the tips!
Ruth’s artwork is SO beautiful! I love the idea of using her planner as a journal too.
As for the most important part of our evening routine, my husband sets up our coffee with a timer so it’s ready when the alarm goes off in the morning –we get our coffee and don’t get distracted on our way to ready our Bibles!
*read our Bibles
Doh, I just wrote a comment but fudged the captcha response and now I have to redo. Basically, I need to be more intentional about what I want to do in the morning (and daily) routine to help me be motivated for an evening routine. I love the idea of clean dishes and laundry to start the day. I’d love to make my husband’s lunches the night before if I’m not too sleepy from dinner and putting a baby and a toddler to bed. I know, though, that the whole family would benefit from a more structured day.
As a stay at home wife (kids are grown) and mom of 2 pups…who may or may not have a golf addiction….I have found that if I make the coffee, my husband’s breakfast and lunch…for the next day….by early afternoon the day before….that takes a weight off of my evening “kitchen time.” I put it on my calendar as “CBL4 Douglas” (Coffee, breakfast, lunch)….has really made a difference for me! Our evening time is precious….and too short! I don’t want to be in kitchen half of the night!
I’ve asked my dear sweet husband to make lunches the night before so I can spend that time making sure everyone has their backpacks and books ready to go.
I love these ideas! This year, I’m laying out my clothes in the evening so I don’t have to think about it in the morning! These are all such great suggestions.
Awesome suggestions! I’m setting out everything I need to make lunch the next morning before I go to bed! So helpful!
These are great suggestions for routines! I try to run the dishwasher every night, which is so helpful (when I remember). I’m going to focus on getting laundry put away daily as my next goal.
I’ve been trying to clear and clean off the stove to make sure it’s clear for preparing breakfast in the morning.
I usually have clothes picked out and lunches packed. If we have a busy evening, I’m learning to extend myself grace. Go to bed on time and wake up 5 min earlier to get it done when I am rested.
Thank you so much for making me more mindful of the junk I have in my bonus room…I think it’s time to get rid of all the wonderful bonuses we have inherited(we have both lost our parents in the last 8 years) Two if our kids have taken their inheritance so what’s left should only be what our last one wants when she moves out! It was stuff that was so helpful for them to start up housekeeping! They didn’t really need to buy furniture or anything! That’s easy! The rest goes to our local charities!
My kiddos are small and not yet in school, but one thing I’ve been trying to do on Saturday nights is have their clothes picked out and ready for church. So I’m not frazzled on Lord’s Day mornings figuring out last minute what they’ll wear.
I’ve also been trying to start packing my husband’s lunches in the evenings so they’re ready for when he leaves for work. It can be tempting some evenings to neglect this, and I haven’t done it perfectly. But I’m striving to become consistent with it, to show him in this and other simple ways how much I love him and appreciate how hard he works for our family.
My 8 year old is obsessed with earrings so we are planning outfits and earrings the night before so there is less stress in a rushed morning. If she wants cold lunch it has to be made the night before or she’ll have to have school lunch.
Love this life prompt and these great responses! My new favorite evening routine (in addition to cleaning the kitchen and making school lunch ahead) is taking a hot shower, washing my hair, and giving myself the treat of a new leave-in nourishing conditioner. I put a towel on my pillow, spend a nano-second more to twist up my hair, put a couple of drops of lavender oil on the towel, and slip in to bed. Evening me feels so fresh and indulged with this simple care task. Morning me feels like I got a jumpstart on my day and my hair feels great. For someone who doesn’t do lots of pampering of self, this is making a sweet difference!
That is really cool!
I want to grow my gaze upon Gods glory in my everyday – to see His order and attempt to reflect that I’m my daily life – to not obsess about my own accomplishments or lack thereof as I do easily do
Thank you so much Kathy and Ruth ~ The Lord bless you for all you doing !
I prep my purse,papers for diverse appointments, to have it ready to go,next day
as well as clothes.
Cups for water,coffee and supplements all set; for us, the night before.
The evening before…wash AND dry all of the dishes so that the kitchen is neat when we get up!
I plan to lay the outfits , socks and backpacks packed up by the door! Papers signed , already back in the backpack etc.
Currently we have been using Sunday evenings to prepare for our entire week. We have been grocery shopping for meals, meal prep our lunches, do our entire laundry, and then fill out our calendar plans for all to see. During the week, I have been making small steps to clean one important space of the house per day of the week. This allows me to free up space in the afternoon to take a stroll outside or to do a bit of outdoor excercise as a family. So far, our plans have most definitely been imperfect, but they’ve been helping us get into a desirable routine. This allows us to take back moments of stillness with Jesus and to not allow our hearts to frenzy over largely piled up tasks.
Writing out our Top 3 to-dos, meals, and chores for the next day and setting out the first thing to work on has been so helpful.
I set out everything I’m going to take with me in the morning, the night before. If it’s books, Bible, to do list, my water glass, jacket, umbrella, whatever it is I need.
Sometimes I even put it in the car the night before, depending what it is.
Setting up the coffee pot makes the morning easier. Since I have gone back to work recently we’ve been doing one or two loads of laundry most evenings, instead of saving it for one day. And we go over what papers they need read or signed, and whether or not they need supplies.
Love this as a cluttered creative Ruth speaks my language. I am so grateful for any ways to help me. Often I find organizational tools work for some but it doesn’t work for me so I am trying to find something that works the way in which I think and work. Otherwise, I feel like I am trying to fit my square peg into a round hole. Excited to be entered into a chance to win.
I got so engrossed in all these comments! Isn’t it nice to know we are not alone on this journey to being who God wants us to be for His glory & the good of our families & all we meet? Thank you, Kathi and Ruth for helping & encouraging us!
I have been working on my morning routine for 3 weeks now, and although I have room for improvement, it has been very encouraging to finally develop some disciplines (prayer, bible study, exercise, time mgmt), and so freeing to no longer carry around the burden of so many “I shoulds.” Now I can say “AM”! I think I am ready to add in a night routine, and the first thing I would like to try is writing down everything I am going to eat the next day. Losing weight is one of my goals for this year, so I hope this step will help me face the morning with hope – and less temptation!
We homeschool, so I need to make sure we have the supplies ready for the next day of learning along with all my household duties…clean kitchen, water bottles filled, laundry sorted, and dogs are fed.
I love all of the reminders. I live by routines and checklists, having had a stroke a few years ago I learned that writing everything down and developing a daily and weekly routine kept my brain active and gave me a better sense of control over my day. Thank you for always having such great information and exposing us to such amazing people!!
Congratulations, you are a winner! Please check your email for more details ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
Changing my gaze has taken our family shift off of the chaos that tends to happen and focusing our eyes on Jesus and what He did for us. How can we serve Jesus in the home? My kids do a good job on their daily chores and I am excited to shift our focus from “I have to do these chores because mom said” to “I am choosing to help my family because I am serving the Lord”. Deep stuff I know for littles but this will certainly help me! On top of this we lay out clothes for the next school day and talk about whether the kids want a home lunch or a school lunch and then prep them ready for the fridge! It certainly helps!
Picking up the night before helps the morning. Sunday night especially. I get everyone to do a quick 15 minute pick up while I clean up the kitchen, start dishwasher, clean counters. Hubby and kids pick up and quick swiffer the floors before we settle down for the night–adds a sense of calm on the hectic Monday morning.
Packing lunches and running the dishwasher the night before are a must or our whole day falls apart before it even begins!
Waking up at least an hour before the kids do for coffee, prayer, study time. We homeschool, so this important to me. Having healthy foods to choose from that are easy to prepare so we’re not tempted to eat junk, and stick to a routine with some flexibility.
I agree with everything said above, and I’d add cleaning the car. I still have very little children, so when we get home from an outing, I don’t always have the time to tidy up the car, and when we get into the car the next day, finding snacks thrown about, socks he pulled off, etc, doesn’t feel good. Taking 3 minutes after the kids go down to tidy the car would make a big difference!
I set up our coffee pot to turn on. I often will pack ahead some lunch items – easier while I am cleaning up after dinner to go ahead and put some cut up veggies in containers, etc. Dishwasher is always run at night so we have everything clean for the next day. I often will go ahead and list the priorities on my To Do list for the next day as well…helps me formulate a plan of attack. This was a good post to remind me of how helpful even the little things are for the next day!
I pick up everything in the evening. I load the dishwasher and wipe down all my kitchen surfaces. I enjoy waking up and coming downstairs to a tidy house. My day starts fresh. My coffee tastes better when I don’t feel like I need to be doing other chores.
Congratulations Shannon, you are a winner! Please check your email for more details. ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
Well, kitchen must be cleaned from evening prior, and I often start laundry as well. I’ve held back from making lunches as I’m concerned they will not be fresh. I think now, however, I should give that a try, even if for a week. Simply see if it does smooth out a few things for the morning routine. I also set my alarm and wake extra early if possible (when I am not completely exhausted). Getting up at 430 or 5am gives me the time I need to wrap my brain around my day, and spend time in the word in some way. This pays off EVERY SINGLE TIME! Would love to win these books! Was just researching them yesterday!
This is great!! What a helpful thing to think about and plan! My mornings often feel rushed last minute. I plan to incorporate my kids in planning for the morning. I think it would be helpful for them to pick out their breakfast, clothes, and school snack the night before. I also like starting the day with a cleaned up kitchen, cup of coffee, breakfast, and devotions, so I plan to make some changes the night before to make these happen more often. Thanks for getting my brain thinking!
Congratulations Julia, you are a winner! Please check your email for more details. ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
It is all wonderful advice. Thank you so much for sharing.
For the past three weeks I’ve been writing down five things that I’m grateful for from the day before I go to bed. This really helps me put the day in perspective and sparks reflection on how I can do better the following day in the areas that I failed. Having this gratitude journal also helps me create a better mindset for the day ahead. Before the habit of writing down those 5 things that I’m grateful for, I would go to bed dreading the morning. Now I go to bed encouraged that the morning won’t be so bad and, if it is, then our family will get through it. On a more practical note, it helps me to know what we will be having for breakfast the day before and do any necessary prep the night before.
Before I get too comfy on the couch to watch TV, I set my alarm for the morning, make my lunch, and lay out any unusual items I need for the next day. This helps reduce the craziness.
I love getting the dishes done at night so I wake up to a clean sink. Also it always helps us to get clothes out the night before. What a great post. Thanks!
Congratulations, you are a winner! Please check your email for more details. ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
Loading/running the dishwasher and preparing the kids lunches.
Evening preparation for the next morning allows breathing room for the unexpected, which is a daily possibility. If all goes well I’m able to get 5-10 minutes of Bible reading done. Appreciate each of the reminders.
My favorite part of my evening routine is getting the laundry out of the dryer and folding it while I watch TV. Then the kids have their clean clothes ready in the morning and It also keeps me awake so I don’t fall asleep during The Great British Baking Show.
Picking out clothes for the next day. Now that my closet is thinned out and organized, this is my next step.
Congratulations Lisa, you are a winner! Please check your email for more details. ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
I do laundry at night and write my plan for the next day with time allotment so I am prepared.
Espresso maker is set with coffee. I just add water in the morning and turn on. It’s magical!
Well, I don’t have a school year anymore, but I have recently started a new evening routine that has tremendously helped my mornings. Depending on how late I’m working, I get home 5:30-6:00. 6:00-7:00 cook supper (it doesn’t usually take the whole hour, but that includes prep, pre-cook clean up and such). 7:00 – 8:00 eat, watch tv, veg on facebook, catch up with the family’s daytime happenings (it’s my first time to sit down so I make it count). 8:00-8:30 clean up the kitchen. 8:30-9:00 fold/swap/start laundry, wash my face/take off makeup (If I get home early enough, I do these before I start cooking). At 9:00 I fix myself a cup of (decaf) coffee, check my planner to see what I got done today and gather what I need for tomorrow, and put it all with my purse in a barstool. While I’m unwinding with the coffee, I will read or listen to music or watch some tv. Usually in bed and/or asleep at 10:00, to get up at 5:00 a.m. to a clean kitchen, laundry done, and all my stuff gathered together.
Definitely lunch prep! Even though we homeschool, if I had lunches prepared (or at least started the night before), that would be a huge help in the middle of our school day. Thanks for the reminders and the giveaways!
I so needed this! I work from home so my commute is walking down the stairs. I somewhat have a routine but I dont give myself enough time before I start work for myself. I also watch my 2.5yr old grandson so I wake up get him, make my coffee and sign on to work. Yes that is a routine but it is wham bam thank you mamma, no time for me. Gotta make time for ME! Thank you!
Congratulations Lisa! You are a winner. Please check your email for more details. ~Kathi Lipp Giveaway Team
Yes, this is so needed right now!! I’ve had a couple mornings running late simply because I couldn’t find a pair of matching socks for one of my kids. This totally helps give me a plan so I’m not flying around in the morning or up all night trying to get ready!
What great advice. With 3 kids at 2 different schools, I’ll have to start planning the night before.
Wow! Evening routine is definitely a struggle!! We just get through the business of the day and the evening routine is so disorganized, that time just gets away from us….and we end up staying up way too late trying to get everything accomplished!! Excited to try out these ideas!!! Thank you!!!
I lay out clothes, jewelry and shoes for the next day, and plan/prep my next evening’s meal most nights.
This is a great reminder. Thank you for always serving your people so well. There are many things on this list I need to continue to do, but one thing I could add that would bring great peace to my morning is reading my devotional the night before. I am reading the Bible through in one year and I am 84 days behind. So I have to read to per day to catch up. I would love to finish it, but I don’t want it to make me stressed. If I would read one before I go to bed, then I could read the one for the next day in the morning and still get caught up. Thank you
Laundry – set up to run during the night
Coffee maker set up
Shiny kitchen sink