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Setup Your Home for Stress Free Mornings

Fall is the perfect time to get your home, and your life, in order.
Whether you have kids going back to school, you’ve just become an empty nester, or you just need some organization after a carefree summer, I have some tips for how you can set up your home to make your mornings a little easier.
Who doesn’t want things to be easier, right?

1. Command Center
   The first thing you can do to set up your home for stress free mornings is set up a command center.
   You want it in an easily accessible part of your home, preferably by the door that you go in and out every day. If you have a mudroom then you can set it  up there. If you have a small foyer, you can add a small table or even an old dresser that you paint a fun color. Or, you can carve out a small are by the door and add a hook for a backpack, a file holder under that and a basket on the floor under them.
   You want each person in the house to have a spot for their bag, a spot to act as an inbox and a spot for other miscellaneous items that need to go out in the morning.
   That way when kids come home from school with papers, or you come home from work with mail, you get into the routine of depositing papers into the appropriate person’s inbox. Then in the morning everyone can check their inbox and put the papers that they need for that day back in their bag.
   You should also have a master calendar in your command center so that everyone’s schedule is easily visible. Each person in the house can have a different color marker assigned to them and everyone can quickly glance at the calendar and see who has what on what day.
   It’s also a good idea to have a drawer or a bin of frequently needed supplies somewhere in your Command Center. That way if someone needs something for that day they know where to grab it.
   Load up with pens, pencils, tape, glue sticks, post it notes, stamps, whatever you may need and keep it in your command center for easy access. You could even use an over the door shoe holder and add items to each pocket.
   Command Centers can really include whatever your family needs. Think about what keeps piling up in your entry, or what is always forgotten and add a system for those items.
   You can use the awe inspiring Command Center ideas below for inspiration!
   Having everything in one spot, your Command Center, will make your mornings easier and it’ll keep you organized. Everything will be in your Command Center and in its spot, making for a stress free routine.

2. Checklists
   I don’t know about you but I have at least a few checklists going at all times.
   Not only do they help me remember everything, but they also make me feel accomplished when I get to cross things off my list.
   They can do that for kids too!
   You could print up simple checklists, like the ones below, for any time of day routines, morning, after school, bedtime, whenever.
   Even adults can benefit, especially if you’re someone who is always forgetting something. You can just make a little checklist on your phone, or one to hang by the door, that says lunch, folders, keys, phone, etc.  That way you know you have everything.
   They really are a lifesaver!

3. Grab & Go Food
   Spend some time on Sunday creating easy, grab and go food for lunches and snacks.
   Yes, you can find individually portioned snacks at the store, but if you do it yourself you’ll save money and maybe even a few calories.
   You get to choose the food. You can choose healthy favorites.
   It’s cheaper to make your own from bulk items than to buy them from the store.
   What you want to do is create small, snack size bags of crackers, chips, etc. and put them in a bin in the cabinet or pantry.
   Then you want to do the same in with refrigerated items like fruits and veggies, meats and cheese.
   Put them in bins in the fridge.
   Kids could even pack their own lunch by choosing one bag from each bin! Like Not Too Shabbey shows below.
   They can also choose their own after school snack quickly and easily.
   You can also do salads in jars. Simply put dressing on the bottom and then a hard veggie like cucumbers or peppers and then layer on the rest of the salad ingredients. Leave some space at the top so that at lunch time you can just shake it up.
   You can even make all of your sandwiches for the week on Sunday and freeze them.
   Prepping your food for the the week on Sundays keeps your weekday mornings stress free!

4. OOTD
   Lastly you can set up your, or your kids, outfits of the day on Sundays as well.
   You can either designate a shelf in the closet or use a cube sweater hanger, like the one below by The Posh Space.
   On the weekend go through and add an outfit for each day of the week. That means everything needed for the outfit –  underwear, pants, shirt, shoes, accessories, everything. That way getting dressed on weekdays is stress free! Choose them on Sunday and mornings will be SO easy!

Even if you just incorporate one of these tips, you’ll be creating an easy weekday routine. It just takes a little planning on the weekend, when you have a little more time, to make your weekday mornings less stressful.

Let me know if you use any of these tips.
I’d love for you to share either in the Comments below or on our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/detailsfullserviceinteriors
And, don’t forget to check out the corresponding videos for more tips for a stress free, organized life!