Little routines that quietly make life run smoother

[dongbibi]

I was chatting to a friend this morning and we realised how much the small habits matter more than the big plans. Nothing dramatic, just tiny routines that make the day easier without much effort.
For me it’s things like laying out school stuff the night before, doing a quick kitchen reset before bed, and keeping breakfasts very boring and predictable. It’s not exciting, but it means mornings are calmer and I start the day feeling a bit more in control.
It’s made me appreciate that I don’t need to overhaul everything to feel on top of things. A few small systems seem to carry a lot of the weight.

Any emails from school with any dates on go straight into my google calendar as a reminder before I even close the email. Otherwise they'll be forgotten asap.

One laundry wash a day to keep on top of it.
Plan the meals for a week ahead and write on a board in the kitchen. No last minute decisions on what to eat each day.
Pack bags the night before and lay out clothes for the next day so mornings are less rushed.
Do a quick tidy before going to bed.
Always have birthday cards, thank you cards and paper ready

I have a plastic five drawer storage unit that sits on the landing. On a Sunday I put DCs clothes in each respective drawer along with club uniforms. This really helps our mornings go a little smoother and means that whoever is doing the club taxi-ing can just grab the uniform and be on their way (we go from after school club to hobby club and it's a RUSH).

They have mixed reviews, but I invested in a heated airer this autumn and it's honestly the best money I've spent in ages. Keeping the 'load a day' discipline and using the airer has really helped keep on to top of what feels like the never ending laundry. I put the wash on and then DH arranges it all beautifully on the airer. It also helps warm up a chilly part of the house so double win.

I agree about heated airers. Wouldn’t be without mine.

Massive whiteboard with a weekly calendar + food plan + small monthly calendar.

shared shopping list & calendar on phones

Amazon prime (tho I would love to boycott stupid bezos but DH won’t)

same work clothes in different colours

robot Hoover & mopper.

cleaner once a week !

I recognise this system!

Sometimes when the house is like a tip I will invite people round to spur us into action! In work we talk about a “burning platform” where action is really urgent - well sometimes you need to set fire to the platform yourself (by creating an artificial/ self inflicted deadline) to get the action going.

I know some would think this is mad/ lazy but it’s about finding systems that work for you/ your family - one size does not fit all!

I batch make sandwiches and put in the freezer.
Just grab one in the morning and it's defrosted by lunchtime.

Batch cooking casseroles, bolognaise etc. Means day to day, it's just cooking the rice/pasta/potatoes.

Use frozen vegetables as was wasting a lot of fresh ones.

Shake clothes out before hanging to dry, means some don't need ironing.

Avoid accumulation of empty boxes.

TBH It doesn't sound lazy, it sounds like FAR more hassle to have a big 'do' to tidy the house than just doing a bit whenever it's needed/ while the kettle's boiling!

I parent fully alone, kids dad not around at all so kinda have no choice!

Never considered that a heated airer would also help heat a room up so thats on the list thanks for whomever mentioned it above.

I agree with clothes ironed and laid out night before, make my lunch night before, have my water bottle and flask out ready, plus everything I need plus sna is packed ready in my work bag! Getting up on the extra early days these things are essential for me. If it's icy I'll have my scraper out ready occasionally 🤪

I said this too! Particularly if you're menopausal and prone to getting a bit hot at night. I strip my bed back tidily and leave it all day. I suppose having the bed made makes the room look neater, but I don't have to go back into my bedroom much during the day so I don't notice!

Everyone is super organised! Great thread!

I always organise my work clothes the night before. I batch cook certain foods. Most I just prepare fresh but my kids are older so easier now. I dust once a week on Saturday and hoover a couple of times. Mostly I tidy as I need to.

Actually, I now use several 'bags for life' in my freezer, one for fruit, one for fish, others for veg and bread, then all the same tupperware for prepared meals, which sit at the bottom. That way it is easy to lift them in and out without much difficulty.

use Alexa to make a list for you! So you just yell out- Alexa, add bin bags to shopping list etc. then when you go to shops there’s a list on your phone when you go into the Amazon app. Partner can view it too. only thing we tend to run out of now is toothpaste as we don’t have an Alexa in the bathroom so I can’t just shout at her to add it 😂😂

Shopping list we're great at. It's the freezer contents I was referring to.

To manage expectations it's not like having a full on radiator heating a room but it definitely takes the chill off a drafty room... plus I may have set up my WFH spot directly in front of it so it warms my back as I work. But pretty sure that goes against the advised use though so proceed at own risk!

Definitely get one with a cover as it traps the heat inside and mentally I find it an easier view than a sad airer full of damp clothes.

The covers can be expensive - although they do look better. A sheet over the top will speed the drying in the same way. I’m on my second in 20 years. Definitely recommend.

Another vote for whistlefish. Lovely cards and reasonably priced. If you sign up for the emails you often get offers. I keep them all in a whistlefish tin I got free so no hunting for cards. Also generic wrapping paper so suitable for various people.

Kitchen reset every night before bed , use time sensibly .
Eg I can do smallest jobs while kettle boils /while a cup of tea brews or empty the dishwasher from the night before while stirring the porridge for breakfast.
Fill / empty washing machine too while something is cooking on the stove that doesn’t need full attention.
Ideally if you have space it helps to have separate laundry baskets for clean items for each family member and they can take it up.
Re book things such as hair appointments, eyebrow wax , podiatrist all together on same day to save time .
( I don’t live in the town , need to travel in )
Also think about how you schedule other things if you need to drop off and pick people up .
eg could go early and do a quick top up food shop or go to post office then pick up

We have a seperate wardrobe for uniform and work clothes and separate washing baskets. All I uniform and work clothes are washed dried and put away over a weekend. Means they don't get mixed up with normal clothes.

Seperate wash for pants/socks/wipes etc means no sorting out little bits from regular clothes.

'station" in the hall, one section per child for coat, school shoes, club bag etc.

Swim stuff all kept together in bags then when it's used gets washed dried and straight back in the bag

One load of washing per day which then sits around waiting to be put away until I do it all on my day off

Not very budget friendly but we have hello fresh x 3 meals most weeks, saves some of the mental load at least!

All DC on school dinners and I buy lunch at work most days. Saves faffing with packed lunches. Although we all take our own snacks from home

My children are older now but when they were younger I always used to have a bag of spare clothes under the buggy and also in the car.

Small roll of bin bags and wipes in the car means in theory I can quickly give the inside of the car a quick tidy and clean although in reality we just stick it in the valet clean place every few months

I wipe down one section of the bathroom while I'm waiting for baths to run eg one night might be toilet, next sink, next floor etc. saves doing a big bathroom clean

This all sounds very organised but in reality I'm flying by the seat of my pants and dropping balls everywhere!

I will never batch cook, clean certain things on certain days or lay out clothes the night before.
I'm just not that person.
I've recognised things happen for me more organically.
What I do is to organise my life to facilitate this.
All my storage is tidy and ordered and I work on a like with like basis.
I don't put away seasonal clothes. It just creates an additional job doing swap over, plus our weather patterns are so unpredictable now. I just have only the clothes that can fit in the storage.
I am a great believer in knowing exactly where to find things if I decide I'm going to do some gardening, or DIY or whatever on a particular day.
I like to streamline and automate as much as I can.
Basically I want anything that is a chore to be able to be tackled as quickly and smoothly as possible.
I also have boundaries. I don't iron. I don't over clean. I keep admin as basic as possible. I run super quick wash cycles when I can. I cook simple foods. I don't over commit. I grow plants in the garden that self seed or are perennials, flourish in the conditions they're in, and mainly don't need staking.
It's so easy to complicate our lives beyond belief if we let it happen and think we need to be superwoman.

It’s a bit late to recommend now but I was putting my Christmas decorations away yesterday and remembered I’d bought a storage bag for wrapping paper and bits back in December (from Home Bargains). It is about half the size of a snowboard bag. It was so satisfying stashing unused wrapping paper rolls, tags, gift bags for reuse there etc for next year, I’d highly recommend one. I’ve also thrown out plenty of old decorations while putting things away so hopefully it’ll feel nice and organised when I get them all back out this December!

Thank you to everyone who recommended the Whistlefish website. Just ordered 20 cards and wrapping paper 🎉
trying to make things not so last minute!

Breakfast table laid before bed.

Hairbrush and mascara in the car so I can apply when at a red light and not in the house.