Get into the habit of preparing for the day the evening before to save time in the morning

We all know the daunting prospect that awaits you when you wake up slightly late with what feels like a million and one things to do before you leave the house. Well, there are plenty of things you can do to give yourself a head start in the mornings. Here are some ideas:

Layout your clothes and your kids’ clothes for the day before – or encourage your kids to do it themselves

• Prepare pack lunches and school bags in advanced
• Buy easy-to-prepare breakfasts like cereal
• Speak to your children about any school permissions slips or special requirements they have as soon as they are home from school.

Develop a morning routine for each member of your family to improve efficiency

This may seem like overkill, but you will be amazed by how much even a simple checklist of morning chores and preparation can help even adult members of your family. Also, if everyone is given an allotted time to use the bathroom you can help avoid potential arguments. Having a plan for the morning will help reduce stress and ensure everyone gets back into the groove after breaks from work and school. Of course, the morning routine can also help you keep on top of your home maintenance; should you start to notice any issues within, say, the bathroom, you can get someone like Jones Mechanical, Inc to have a look and fix anything before it becomes a massive problem that holds up the entire routine and causes stress that could have otherwise been avoided.

Organising your children’s wardrobe for every day of the week

Storage Solutions could be the key to improving your mornings. We all know the gripes that can occur when your little monsters can’t find their favourite clothes in the morning. Well, using a simple partition in their wardrobes or installing seven shelves will mean your kids can decide what to wear a whole week ahead. Not only will this reduce potential arguments but it will also help you keep track of what washing needs to be done and ensure everyone has clean school clothes.

Set a designated space for school lunches in your fridge or pantry

By keeping all the food and containers you use for pack lunches in one area you will save time in the morning and be able to better keep track of what food you are running low on. Also, for those with kids who are able to pack their own school lunches you can make it easier on them and ensure everyone is taking the right food with them. You can even separate snacks like dried fruit or nuts into separate portions to ensure no greedy kids take more than they should. This way you can also make sure your family are eating healthy and less likely to get peckish and waste money on fast food when they are out.

Set a launching pad for your family near the door so they can quickly grab what the need for the day

Keep your house tidy and your family organised by installing coat racks and other home storage solutions for keys, umbrellas, hats, bags, and footwear. This means that when everyone is ready to go, they will be able to get what they need quickly – after all, how many times have you lost your keys on a busy morning? It is possible that you would have even required the assistance of an emergency locksmith at times to get the locks on your car or cupboard opened when in a hurry. So it’s better to organize things now rather than later struggle to find keys. Aside from making your hallway tidy, keeping things organized by the door is especially important so that you don’t end up tripping over your kid’s school bag when you get home late in the evening. By replacing your old door and adding a new barn door with the proper door hardware add-ons, you can create a stylish and functional solution for hanging coats, hats, and bags. The sturdy and sleek design of barn door hardware can also add a touch of rustic charm while effectively utilizing wall space near the door. Furthermore, you should also allocate a designated place to leave footwear to encourage your family and guests to remove dirty shoes before they tramp mud – or worse – throughout the house.

Ensure you are stocked up with enough school, home, and office supplies

How often have you ended up needing a pen or pencil and not being able to find one? What about that last-minute homework project that was left incomplete because you couldn’t find the glue? Well, keeping your school and office supplies organised only takes a quick trip to the stationery store. Ask your kids about what they are likely to need for this term’s projects and keep all your stationery and tools for arts and crafts in one place. In addition, by planning for the months ahead you will know to invest in more supplies in one go – so keep an eye out for back-to-school and bulk-buy deals to take advantage of. Some items you might want to add to your shopping list include:

• Pens, pencils and rubbers
• Paints
• Glues and tapes
• Gift wrapping paper and craft paper
• Printer paper.

Label your kids’ clothes and school supplies to help them keep organised and stop them from getting lost

Now you have everything you need for your kids’ term at school, it’s time to help them make sure they don’t lose all the new stuff you just got them. Adding name labels to all their clothing and belongings is a quick, cheap and effective way to ensure their stuff doesn’t get lost or stolen at school. It means that your child will be able to easily recognise their prized possessions when they end up in lost and found. In addition, if your children are precious about their clothes or belongings then asking them to label their stuff will mean there are no more scream matches about who owns the Peppa Pig jumper.

Clear out your children’s school bag every day

Have you ever smelt the inside of a rucksack when half a tuna sandwich has been left to mature over the weekend? Well, the easiest way to avoid any mishaps like this is to simply go through your kids’ bags with their help every day after school. Not only will this keep things hygienic and smelling good it will also help you keep track of any permission slips, school news or homework your kids might have forgotten about. If you are worried your child is not keeping on top of things, then you should also go through their school diary or homework planner with them to make sure they are completing their homework and clear on what lessons and activities they have for the day ahead. Teaching your children organisational skills like this at a young age will put them in good stead for the years ahead.

Create a designated area in your home for homework

By setting a special place for your kids to do their homework means you can ensure a quiet and distraction-free environment that will help your kids concentrate, stay on task and not end up with their schoolwork strewn all over their bedroom floor. All you need is a desk in a quiet part of the house with all the necessary stationery supplies and you can quickly create the perfect place for studying.

Begin your new year when the school year starts

This final point requires a little more explanation. But, preparing for the school year ahead is – for many families – more important than when the holidays come to an end in January. Your kids need help getting into the swing of things and, as you are usually the one shepherding them around to school, it makes sense to take the end of the summer holidays as the time to organise yourself too. This means taking note of all the tips we have mentioned in this article and ensuring you have all the items and home storage solutions to help make your home life a lot easier.