Mastering a Morning Routine

I don't know about you but the mornings at my house definitely dictate the rest of the day (or at least the rest of the morning). If I wake up and jump up out of bed and get going it is so much better than laying around until the last possible second (or even late) and starting the day all frustrated.

My morning routine is all about how to make the day run smoother. There are a few things that I have to do before we start our day.

#1 - Start with a quick morning prayer (usually done in my bed or as I am doing a few tasks). I will say here that I do not get up hours before my kids and have quiet time for a few reasons. 1) I am not a morning person and need as much sleep as possible, 2) Luke wakes up the minute he hears me sit up in bed, and 3) I prefer to have my in depth quiet time when I can really get deep with my time with the Lord - afternoons and/or evenings after the kids are in bed.

#2 - Make our bed. I love the way a made bed looks and feels. I also have Luke make his bed.

#3 - Straighten up the master bedroom. I sometimes have a drink cup or can or late night snack box or books sitting around. I like to straighten it up in the morning so that I don't have to look at it all day.

#4 - Do something with laundry. Start a load, rotate loads, dewrinkle a load, and/or fold a load.

#5 - Straighten up the living room. Ideally we would have done this before we went to bed, but that is not always the case. It's amazing how putting pillows in place and picking up a few random items can really make a difference.

#6 - Straighten up the kitchen. Again, ideally we would have cleaned the whole kitchen up the night before after dinner or before bed, but that is not always the case. I like to unload the dishwasher if needed, load up dirty dishes, wipe down the counters, table, and high chair, and sweep the floor.

#7 - Make breakfast. I like to have breakfast made or at least started before Nathan wakes up. He is really fussy if his food isn't ready when he is ready for it.

These few things really make the day go a little smoother. Of course, it would be great if most of it was done the night before, but sometimes after dinner my priorities are to spend time with the kids and Lee and do my quiet time and relax before bed. I used to beat myself up if things weren't done at the allotted time, but now I realize, it will get done at some point. Why fret? :)

PS What is your morning routine?