Twas the Night Before, Part 2

Last week we looked at three ideas (Twas the Night Before, Part 1) for getting things ready the night before to make the mornings run more smoothly. With a little preparation before, everyone can be dressed, fed, ready for the day and out the door ON TIME -- all without tears, fears and head-explosions! Here are the final four suggestions for making an easy-breezy morning:

4. Prepare lunches the night before and have them waiting in the refrigerator for quick grabbing. (In future posts we'll examine just what you can make and pack early for delicious, creative lunches.) If you have to leave before breakfast, pack some granola bars, fruit and even peanut butter sandwiches to give you a good morning start. My daughter keeps some of things in her desk drawer so that she can eat when she has a morning break at work.

5. Write a list of things you need to grab in the morning right before you leave such as water bottles, lunches, potluck salad. Put the list with your bag and keys so you will see it in the morning.

6. Empty the dishwasher. How does that help in the morning? With the dishwasher empty, everyone can quickly load their breakfast dishes before leaving so that you aren't coming home to a sinkful of dirty dishes.
7. Set up for breakfast prep. Remember that every few minutes counts in the morning. The night before, lay out bowls, spoons, cereal boxes, sugar and whatever else you can do for the morning. Set the coffee maker, fill the tea kettle. Check to make sure you have the milk or eggs that you need.

A little bit of preparation the night before will make for a smoother morning and prevent unexpected disasters. Try it and see if things don't run a little easier for you.

Twas the Night Before, Part 1

It's almost Back-to-School time and the pressure is heating up. Getting everyone out the door in the morning to school, to work, to the sitter can really be a challenge. But whether you're trying to get started on a school day or a weekend with soccer games, picnics and trips to Grandma's house, the key is THE NIGHT BEFORE!

Before turning in for the night, spend a few minutes preparing and you will save hours of valuable time in the morning. You'll leave the house calmer, on time and even with breakfast in your tummies! There are seven ways to achieve this easy-breezy morning, the night before. Here are the first three tips. Next week, we'll examine the other four secrets to a smooth morning.

1. Set out your clothing. This way you will know if jeans need to be washed or if the sweater you want to wear is still at the cleaners. Find the missing shoes and make sure you have clean socks. Need a jacket for an evening activity? Set it out, too. Kids love planning out their clothing and you will love fewer (and maybe no more) meltdowns over what to wear. You might even want to try this clever clothing bag geared to set aside clothing for the whole week. Great for kids!


2. Prepare your bags: Fill your diaper bags, briefcases, backpacks, and purses for the day. Make sure to pack the reports, forms and school assignments or sunblock, hats, cameras or whatever else you need for the day ahead.
3. Don't forget your keys. . . . and your phone and other valuable electronics. Lay them beside your bags (or pack them inside) so you won't spend valuable morning minutes looking for them.

Come back next Thursday for the final four secrets to make leaving the house a breeze.

A Backpack Place

We're soon to be starting school again and that means bags and backpacks. Do your kids' backpacks always seem to be all over the place -- the couch, the floor, the kitchen table? Much as you may want them to, kids just usually don't take their bags to their rooms, so why not create a place for them to go that the kids might actually use.

Shelves with hooks or pegs are a great place for bags and packs. A simple shelf can be hung on walls near the door that the kids use or even placed directly on the door.


Over the door (wreath) hangers make a great place to hang backpacks on any door.

If you have the space, create shelves or cubby holes for the backpacks to go in.


Individual hooks -- decorative ones, can be hung on walls

and Command Hooks by 3M work well just about anywhere


Whatever method you use for hanging your bags and packs, the most important thing is that they are in a place that is close to where the kids come in and out of the house, they are at a height they can reach, and each person has their own hook.

You might even like one for yourself.

Gunk Goo Gone

Today's post isn't so much about organization as cleaning, but I want to share this tip with you anyway. Do you get this gunky black stuff on your outside windows and doors? I hope it's not just me, but over the years, it just seems to grow and nothing I've tried gets rid of it.

Until now! I bought Goo Gone for when I was trying to remove scout badges for a shirt. It smells nasty and I've avoided using it much, but it occurred to me today, while cleaning the exterior windows and doors, to try it on this gunk.

I sprayed it on, let it sit for several minutes (that's key, you have to let it sit a bit) and then loosened it with a rag and soapy water. Then, blasted it with a hose on full force. Whalah!

Gunk is gone! Now, some of the gunk on the caulk, didn't fully come off, but I'm pleased with the results. The Goo Gone is really oily and you have to thoroughly wash the doors and windows afterward, but this really made a big difference! If you have gunk, try it!

P.S. If someone tells you to use that Magic sticky stuff to hold your scout badges on the shirt -- grab your Goo Gone and run! It's TOTALLY not worth it!