9 Easy Morning Routine Hacks for a Smoother Start to Your Day

This is a sponsored guest post from Evelyn Long of Renovated Magazine. Interested in having your post appear on Imagine it Done's blog? Apply here.

Getting out the door on time in the mornings with kids can feel like climbing Mount Everest. Where are their shoes? Did you forget to pack the lunchboxes? You need to fill everyone’s water bottle. Forget a sit-down breakfast — the family is lucky if they can grab a toaster pastry on the way out the door to munch on in the car. But creating an easy morning routine can turn those stressful starts into smoother, calmer mornings for the whole family.

Start the day chaos-free with these nine planning and organization hacks.

1. Prep Bags and Clothes

In 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 49.6% of married-couple families had both spouses working. Getting yourself and the children ready and out the door can seem overwhelming, particularly if they are young and still need help dressing and fixing their hair.

Save precious minutes by prepping school bags and clothes the night before, including shoes and accessories. Line up backpacks, water bottles and lunches on the kitchen counter for easy access and quick fill-ups.

2. Create Grab-and-Go Breakfasts

Have you ever stayed at a hotel that offered breakfast you could grab as you hit the road? Use a similar setup for your family to save time, but ensure everyone gets the fuel they need to start the day. You can either meal prep on the weekends and cook items such as egg bites, wrapping them individually, or purchase premade protein muffins and bars. Stock up on bananas, apples and mandarin oranges.

3. Install and Program Smart Devices

Creating a smart home can streamline your routine. You can program many connected devices to run on autopilot. Set a coffee maker to brew your morning java directly into a travel mug and have it ready to grab as you run out the door. If you’ve ever backtracked to make sure you shut the garage door, a smart garage door opener can also save you precious time. These can be automatically opened or closed at scheduled times to remove one thing to worry about in the morning.

Has it been several days since you had time to sweep? Consider investing in a robot vacuum. Once set, it will run automatically and only require periodic maintenance to empty debris or replace filters and rollers.

4. Create a Color System

Assign each family member a color, which can speed up the process of gathering belongings because it eliminates hunting for names or other symbols to figure out what belongs to whom. This helps teach children to grab their belongings, such as backpacks, folders, coats and hangers. In smaller families, you may not need a color system. However, in a larger family, it can increase organization.

5. Declutter Unused Items

Too much stuff can slow you down. Use evenings and weekends to organize and declutter. Start with the kitchen. Studies show 60% of Americans believe clutter on the counter is a primary cause of stress. Since stress raises cortisol and can create memory issues, you may be backtracking in the mornings and wasting minutes. Put away or donate anything not needed for daily use.

6. Invest in a Family Calendar

Add a paper or digital calendar in a central location where everyone will see it. Put any doctor appointments, activities, meetings, school projects or special events on the calendar. Use the color system to organize the calendar by person.

7. Use a Smart Speaker

While creating a morning schedule, you can program your smart speaker to remind children to brush their teeth and put on their shoes. You can also command the speaker to remind adults to prepare water bottles or put backpacks in the car.

8. Create an Extras Bin

No matter how well you prepare, some items go missing at the last minute. If you frequently hunt for hair brushes and ties or a particular sock style, place extras in the bin and keep it stocked and near the exit.

9. Reset During Weekends

Consider your routine and how well it works for your family each week. Make any needed tweaks, restock the extras bin, prep meals for the next week and add items to the calendar. The more organized you and your family are on the weekends, the easier the week will be.

Optimizing Your Easy Morning Routine

Get the whole family involved in the organization of the home and watch your mornings flow more smoothly.

Evelyn Long is a recognized expert in organization and decluttering, dedicated to helping individuals create clutter-free homes and minds. She contributes her insights to publications such as the National Association of Realtors and Tidied by K, while also serving as the Editor-in-Chief of Renovated Magazine. Through her work, Evelyn inspires readers to embrace simplicity and efficiency in their everyday lives.