Are you tired of waking up each morning only to see there’s a mess that’s been waiting for your attention? Whether your babies are crying for their breakfast, or your school-aged children are running around the house trying to find something to wear and get their bags packed, you are in a great position to make some adjustments that will help you feel caught up and ready to conquer each day! So have you ever thought of creating a nighttime routine to help with the business that each day brings?
As a mom, it’s totally normal to feel the stressful burden of making sure everyone is taken care of. But your evenings can help alleviate those hectic, exhausting, and sometimes crazy moments if you plan well ahead of time.
Preparing for each day the night before may seem like more work than what you’re used to.
But trust me, it’s not!
Not only will you have less to concern yourself with first thing in the morning, a clean and prepared atmosphere will change the attitudes of your family members (including yourself). A routine will also provide a welcoming environment for you to walk into your day with much less stress.
So after your children have gone to bed and you finally get some time to yourself, consider implementing a nighttime routine that will help you to feel relaxed at the end of the day, and ahead of schedule for the next.
Before you start, put on some headphones and get some music or a podcast going to make this activity fun.
What am I listening to? Ellie Holcomb’s album, Canyon.
Here’s a Nighttime Routine for Busy Moms
Clean the Kitchen and Dining Room
If you’re like me, I dirty up a lot of dishes when I cook. So by the end of the day when our bellies are full, so is my sink. Just load that baby up and start the wash. This way those dishes are ready to be unloaded as your family eats their first meal of the day the next morning.
Gather up any trash, toys, or accumulated papers (like homework, receipts, etcs.) and put them in their prospective places.
Lastly, wipe down those countertops and get started on your dining room table. These are the clothes we like to use in my home:
I don’t like using sponges for wiping down countertops, and I’m trying to shy away from paper towels. These cleaning clothes are great! And we save money by foregoing the non-reusable products.
Obviously the table needs to be cleaned off. So do that as well.
In addition to wiping down the table, wipe down and reposition those chairs and sweep away what’s left from dinner. There’s nothing enjoyable about sitting in yesterday’s mess while trying to eat a meal.
Don’t forget to pick up whatever’s left around the table!
At my house, it’s my little boys’ kitchen toys that tend to crowd up the walking space around our table. I put those things away and get them ready to be pulled out the next day when he wants to cook me a tasty, plastic meal.
Speaking of meals, now is a great time to pull out that frozen roast you’ll be using for dinner tomorrow night.
Food Prep
If you’re an early riser and you find yourself tiptoeing into the kitchen for your morning coffee, trying not to wake the fam, consider preparing your coffee maker ahead of time and using the delay function in order to save you some time and alleviate loud noises.
Why not prepare your breakfast ahead of time as well! My husband and I enjoy eating overnight oats, and it takes less than 5 minutes to put together. Do this for the entire family and you’ve just given yourself a few more minutes of sleep in the morning, my friend.
(Seriously, a nighttime routine is going to be a game changer for you.)
If you have extra time and energy, any kind of meal prep can be done at this time. This way, you’re not rushing to throw things together when stomachs are growling and clocks are ticking.
Even if it’s something as small as peeling and chopping vegetables or combining your needed spices into a small bowl, you’ll be amazed at how much simpler lunch and dinner prep will be when it’s time to eat.
Gather Laundry and Pick Up Toys
If you have younger children, you inevitably have toys laying around waiting to be stepped on in the night. I’ve noticed that when my toddler gets up in the morning and walks into the minefield from the day before, he tends to get over stimulated and fussy right off the bat.
This never makes to a good start of a new day.
Designate a basket and make a trip around the house. Quickly pick up the toys (for us, it’s our kitchen and living room), and be done. This shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.
Here’s a basket from Amazon similar to the one we have that you may like:
Side note. I’ve come to learn that if picking up toys takes longer than 10 minutes in one room, you have too many toys within reach. Consider storing lesser used toys to be switched out after a month or so.
Same for the laundry. Grab that laundry basket and grab the dirty clothes from the day to put into the washing machine. As you begin your morning routine, take 30 seconds to add soap and start the machine! You’ll be thankful you went ahead and did most of the work the night before.
Miscellaneous
Would it be helpful to set out clothes for the next day? Do it.
Are there any unfinished projects that could use some attention to clear off a cluttered space? Why not!
You know your family better than anyone. I encourage you to pay extra attention to their needs each day to see what would be most helpful to make their mornings more enjoyable and easier to walk through.
As you implement this nighttime routine into your schedule, alter it as you see fit. Do what needs to be done in order to help alleviate that stress during the day.
For you
You’ve finally finished preparing for tomorrow and you’re winding down in the safe space of your room. If you don’t usually enjoy going into your room at night because of aesthetics, consider taking the time with your husband to clean or redecorate in order to feel comfortable when going to bed.
Take off your makeup (if you even had time to wear any today)
Slip into something comfortable
Check in with your husband – Here are some helpful questions to ask when checking in to see how your spouse is doing.
Before getting to sleep, is there anything enjoyable you don’t usually have the time to do? Like reading, journaling, crocheting?
Taking 15 minutes to relax before falling to sleep can feel like a reward for your body after a long day’s work.
It may be tempting to stay up late watching television or scrolling through your phone, but consider going to bed early for extra sleep and clarity for the morning.
This nighttime routine is not an exhaustive list of things to do in the evening to prepare for your next day.
Take some
Leave some
But show up to your mornings with joy and preparedness.
