Good morning! Today I am sharing with you 7 simple things you can do before bed that will help you have a smoother morning. These 7 organized things are small tasks you can complete before you hit the hay at night and by doing them you can feel better about waking up each morning! (Or at least have a little less to dread!)
1. Brain Dump
The number one item on my list every night before I go to bed is what I like to refer to as my "brain dump" This is when I figure out exactly what I need to do the next day. I figure out what time I need to set my alarm, what errands I will be running before or after work, and write down anything that's in my brain that I don't want to forget while I'm sleeping.
This has worked really well for me because I was always the girl who couldn't get to sleep at night because I was constantly worrying about things for the next day. I used to wake up in a panic in high school when I would remember something I needed to bring to school the next day and then would resort to writing myself a note and putting it on my backpack so I wouldn't forget in the morning. Don't get me wrong, I still sometimes have those panic moments where I remember things just as I'm drifting off to sleep-but my brain dump time before bed has almost eliminated them. (And if for some reason I remember something in the dead of night having a notebook and pen near your bed is never a bad idea!)
2. Start The Dishwasher
This tip was something I learned from my mom and really saves a ton of time. The dishwasher is one of the slowest moving appliances. Sure, it gets everything sparkly clean but it takes a huge chunk of time to get that done. At our house the dishwasher gets run almost every night while we're sleeping and although no one really wants to empty it in the morning- it's better to have clean dishes in the morning instead of a whole pile of dirty ones!
Consider it making your dishwasher work for you while you sleep =)
3. Pick Out Your Clothes
This isn't a task just for school-age kids but can really apply for everybody. How often have you woken up and gone to get dressed for work and realized the pants you need are either- in the washing machine, in a pile of stinky, dirty clothes, or nowhere to be found? If you pick out your outfit the night before there is no reason to scramble around looking for matching socks.
Now, I don't necessarily pick out my entire outfit the night before but I do make sure that I have options I can wear the next day. For example; at my job I need to wear a white top and black or khaki pants so I need to make sure that at least one white top is clean and I have a pair of pants clean that I can wear as well. After all neither you nor your co-workers want to smell your dirty clothes all day- so make sure you have some clean ones!
4. Shower At Night
I know showering at night isn't for everyone but I can't explain how much time it cuts out of a morning routine. By showering at night I cut out my morning shower, blow drying my hair, and straightening my hair. Those three things could easily take an hour in the morning. Instead, I get to sleep in an extra hour which makes me a much nicer person... trust me =)
5. Empty Your Inbox
I'm talking e-mail, text messages, actual mailbox outside your front door. No, you don't need to reply to everything- sort e-mails to respond to the next morning into a separate folder in your e-mail. You'll rest easier knowing that you at least have an idea of what to expect in your inbox in the morning. Sort your mail and know what bills have come in and what you need to mail or e-mail out the next day. Reply to text messages and phone calls or at least add them to your to-do list to handle the next day.
This is also a great time to make note of friends or family you haven't spoken to in awhile so you can carve out a bit of time to get in touch with them!
6. Enjoy Some Down Time
Sometimes the best thing you can do to get yourself organized is to clear your mind before bed. You might be experiencing the longest day ever and need to take a nice long bath or go for the run you've been putting off all day. Maybe you journal or work on a scrapbook. Or perhaps you like to lounge on the couch watching tv and movies before bed. Whatever you do- take some time to decompress and not worry about the world around you. Everyone needs some down time- so take it!
7. Spend 5-10 Minutes "Picking Up" Before Bed
This is one of the most important organizing tips I can give you because it makes life a lot easier. Before you go to bed spend five or ten minutes wandering around your house picking up from the day. This can involve bringing dirty clothes to the washing machine, putting clean clothes away, wiping down the kitchen counters, picking toys up off the floor- whatever it is you are focusing on getting as much done as you can in your allotted time.
Don't go crazy- set a time limit and stick to it! If you don't get everything done- that's okay! You are simply trying to make life a little easier for yourself the next day =)
Now...it's your turn!
What do you do before bed to stay organized?
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