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Original poster

What do you do the night before to make mornings easier?

24 replies

wifeofabeardyman · 14/05/2020 21:18

Rubbish at mornings here so I'm praying for some lifehacks here that I might not already be doing.

I already get our own and our kids clothes out the night before, and make lunches.

I know my dad even puts his instant coffee, milk and sugar in his mug the night before so all he has to do is pour the kettle... So I wondered what everyone else does to make their mornings easier?

OP posts:

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 14/05/2020 21:20

I don't fill the wine glass all the way to the top

speakout · 14/05/2020 21:23

Go to sleep early.

OhioOhioOhio · 14/05/2020 21:23

Actually go to bed. Amazing difference getting sleep. Empty the bin. Have an emergency cereal bar breakfast for when I'm struggling. Have one so lazy pizza dinner a week to clear space. Regularly decluttered the house so cleaning is easier. Do the tiny admin jobs as they come along.

afrikat · 14/05/2020 21:25

I make breakfast as well as lunch, fill my water bottle and put it in the fridge, make sure my laptop bag and handbag are packed and ready to go, put a teabag in my flask ready
I eat breakfast at my desk at work which saves time at home
All this was pre lockdown, I still tend to make my breakfast the night before so it's ready when I get up

fairplay · 14/05/2020 21:25

I like the kitchen worktops to be tidy before I go to bed, makes me less anxious in the morning if I don't have to tidy before I have my tea. Although, recently dh has been making the tea and bringing it to me in bed - if you can get someone to bring you tea it might help your mornings

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 14/05/2020 21:28

Make sure all the house work is done. I like to get up to a clean house.
Normally make sure uniforms are ironed (not now, which is great because I bloody hate ironing).
Sometimes I look clothes out for myself, which is a time saver, but I don't always do it.
I WFH so I gave up putting on make uo, and just tie my hair up everyday. That's been the biggest time saver of my life.

AnotherMurkyDay · 14/05/2020 21:29

Absolutely everything except for get dressed the night before and sleep in my clothes, although I have considered that too. I also don't put the toothpaste on my toothbrush but only because it might dry out? Idk.

Complete waste of time when it can take an hour to change my stroppy toddlers nappy and he's not my only child, however

0Muggle0 · 14/05/2020 21:49

When I get home from work and take my work clothes off I get my outfit out for the next day at the same time.

On Sunday I make a big batch of soup to take to work for lunches that week. I also make 3 jars of overnight oats to grab for breakfast (eat at home or take to work if I'm running late). It doesn't help the mornings but I'll also prepare one or two dinners on a Sunday to make the evenings easier.

FoxtrotOscarPoppet · 14/05/2020 21:54

Jesus

Zoey92 · 14/05/2020 21:58

Work clothes ready for next day. Coffee ready minus the milk obviously, if im off work i get the washing machine ready to just pop straight on
Lunch made as well as water/juice etc( if working)
Kitchen tops all tidied.
I do food shop on mondays, so decide what to do for tea that week & do my list night before (plus saves panic buying)

CorianderLord · 14/05/2020 22:00

I batch cook breakfast burritos and freeze so I don't have to make them in the morning

PuntoEBasta · 14/05/2020 22:04

In all but the hottest weather I shower before bed, and I never attempt to wash my hair in the morning if I have to get out of the door.

The one consistent element which has remained into the lockdown, however, is setting up the coffee machine with its timer to come on at 6.30.

ComeOnGordon · 14/05/2020 22:06

As much as possible! I try to be asleep by 10.30 - that seems to help.
My kids are home schooling at the moment so I can be up and out the house in 35 mins including making 2 eggs! Shower the night before, have work clothes planned, lunch sorted for myself, handbag packed and water bottle filled.

So all I do is wash my face, get dressed, make the eggs and eat them, do minimal make up and brush my teeth.

Things are obviously slightly more complicated getting teens out the house - that requires lots of “what is taking so long” kind of shouting

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 14/05/2020 22:09

When I started uni and had to get ds out of the house to the cm I would get my clothes ready and get as much of breakfast ready as I could. Kettle filled, tbag in mug, oats in pan, bowls, bananas, fork and spoon. Bag packed.

7 yrs on dd is the problem. Weve just introduced a pictogram on the fridge of what she can have in her lunchbox and she gets to choose by putting magnets on. I used pictogrammer (free program) for that. I ordered some lego princesses from aliexpress and made a chart on canva.com so everyday she gets up and out of the house without crying she gets a sticker. 4 out of 5 gets her a lego princess.

She also has to choose her clothes the night before.

CherryPavlova · 14/05/2020 22:23

When the children were young I used to have an old pew that was the morning bench.
Each child’s uniform put out in right order for dressing. Shoes marked for left and right feet.
I had my clothes out ready too. Husband made my mug of tea and brought it up.
Bath at night for children rather than morning showers. I’d shower properly in evenings too and just have a splash in the morning.
School lunches not packed.
Standard breakfast everyday during week. Banana in yoghurt with a toasted pitta with cheese. Very occasionally berries rather than banana. Pitta made up night before and just warmed in Aga.
Hair in plaits for sleeping to avoid tangles.
Schoolbags made ready the night before with sports kit, prep, musical instruments etc ready on hooks by front door.
Toothbrushes in downstairs lavatory.
Husband warmed car on cold mornings as he left the house before us.

It wasn’t the everyday it was the unexpected so we always had a spare set of uniform ready in case of spillage. Children taught to get themselves ready as soon as possible. No television or radio in the house in the morning.

SoloMummy · 14/05/2020 22:33

All bags etc sorted, clothes out, I even have to plan which jewellery and hairstyle I'll have!
I'm an early bird so in the morning I prep the day's evening meal veg etc, but if struggling or when was out really early I'd so that too the night before.

Some people do that overnights oats thing....

OlivejuiceU2 · 14/05/2020 22:42

Set a 20 minute timer before bed to do a sweep of the house to tidy up and do any jobs I know I won’t want to do in the morning, I.e put posts away, take rubbish out, wipe down sides, put washing away. I also get a load of washing ready to put in when I get up.
I’m not a morning person and hate getting up to a mess!

Mollypolly2610 · 14/05/2020 22:43

I am totally organized for the morning and love to do it all the night before, but always had a wish that I could put on my eye make up the night before and wake up with it perfect in the morning.

Talulahoopla · 14/05/2020 23:13

Not so much now I'm WFH and gym is closed but my evenings used to be filled with packing gym bag and picking out the clothes for wearing on my way there before work, making my breakfast overnight oats, sorting my lunch (often meal prepped at the weekend) and snacks. On Sunday I'd batch cook lunches and pre-workout snacks for the whole week ahead. Used to feel like I didn't have any time to myself - would often work late then need to come in and do all of that and would be bedtime before I know it. As now WFH, the only thing i do is pick out my gym clothes for the morning workout since I still get up really early for that and clean the filter coffee machine so it's ready for use first thing. Once we're back to "normal", I'll definitely work from home more so I can have more time to myself. Feel much better when you actually stop and relax for a while between work and bed.

stellabelle · 15/05/2020 00:53

I don't have to do it now, but when I had kids at home I always cleaned up before going to bed, and prepped breakfast / made tomorrow's lunches / put clothes out. I also got up half an hour before anyone else - sometimes that meant getting up at 5am but it was great to have that time to myself before the rush.

I also went to bed early. I honestly don't get the idea that you have to "chill out" or "have me time" or whatever, before going to bed. I just went to bed - sleeping was far better for me than some artificial me time.

TimeWastingButFun · 15/05/2020 01:19

Nothing at all at the moment apart from making sure there's a clean tidy house to wake up to. But pre the virus I would put out kids' uniform and pack their schoolbags/polish shoes. It will be a shock to get back to normal!

daisydalrymple · 15/05/2020 01:26

Currently it mainly involves checking the home schooling timetable for all 3 dcs (ks1, ks2, ks3) and making our own timetable of what needs to be done the next day, who needs the laptop when, who needs my input with what etc
Checking the freezer before bed for anything needs defrosting for next day dinner, or bread / milk
Sometimes I put a load of washing in before bed, so it’s ready for the line next morning
Making sure dishwasher is empty and all surfaces clear in kitchen (I’m on furlough, DH working from home, but he says he’ll clear up after tea... just not quite as I would and I hate doing it next morning!!!)
Drink Prosecco 🥂🤣

daisydalrymple · 15/05/2020 01:28

stellabelle very wise words re getting to bed early. I really should do that! But right now with five of us at home together, I do really do need some time to myself!!!

Wheresthebiffer2 · 15/05/2020 01:33

tea bag in cup, ready. water in kettle, ready to boil.

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