10 Tips to Get the Whole Family Out the Door Quicker

The morning routine can be rough, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t worry: I’m not going to tell you to wake up earlier.

There are a few organizational shifts you can make within your space and your routine to calm the morning chaos and start your day strong.

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1. Clean Out the Closet

Decision fatigue is a real thing. I notice it most when I’m trying to choose what to wear. You are losing valuable morning time shuffling through clothing you don’t actually like, clothing that doesn’t make you feel confident, or pieces that are out of season. A little prep work and some regular maintenance can speed up this part of your morning routine.

Start by editing your wardrobe to only pieces that make you feel great. Store out of season items up high or somewhere else entirely.

In your kids’ closets, eliminate things they have outgrown, and while you’re at it, donate any clothing that causes drama.

Each weekend, take a look at the weather forecast and your family calendar, and then select outfits for the upcoming week. Carve out a section of each closet for the week’s outfits. You can even visually separate these items by using clothing rod dividers.

2. Create a Drop Zone

Revamp your entry so each essential item — keys, backpacks, sports gear, mittens — has its own spot. Add a household “outbox” for things like birthday gifts or library books that need to leave the house with you. Post a quick visual checklist next to backpacks or sports bags to help the kiddos remember what they need to pack each day.

3. Keep a Family Calendar

Whether it is digital or analog, keep a calendar of social events, practices, work commitments, and dinner plans. Glance at it each night before bed. Remember, it’s the little things that can add up to make or break your day. For example, glancing at our calendar helps my husband remember that he’s picking up the girls from school. This, in turn, prompts him to throw an afterschool snack in his work bag to avoid a potential tantrum . . . The little things.

4. Create a Grab-and-Go Section in the Fridge and Pantry

This is a big one. Designate a section of the pantry and fridge for quick meals and healthy snacks. As much as I would love to share a nice breakfast with the family each morning, we decided something had to give in our routine. Now, we stock quick breakfast items that can be eaten on the way to school and work. If you are up for some meal prep over the weekend, make batches of breakfast favorites to reheat.

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5. Do the Go-Back Bin Before Bed

Spend five minutes going through the house each night picking up and returning out-of-place items. Older children can do this in their rooms as part of their bedtime routine. No more hunting for the shoe under the coffee table when it’s go time.

6. Take a Fresh Look at Your Routines

Evaluate your morning routines like makeup, hair styling, or making coffee, and see how you can simplify. I always tell clients “choice where it matters,” meaning add choices where you spend lots of time, and eliminate choices where you do not.

For example, if makeup is your thing, then have more product options in that category. If you are in your messy bun era, own it, and declutter the hair products and styling tools that are clogging up your morning routine.

7. Try Visual Schedules

Every morning, my four year old asks where we are going. If your children are young, you know they are always wondering what’s coming next. Visual schedules are a great tool for helping littles have more control over their morning and evening routines. They support young children’s’ desire for order and guidance while empowering them to be independent.

Help them carry out their morning schedule by placing necessities like hairbrushes, outfits, and backpacks within reach. Keep their commonly used belongings in a consistent spot.

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8. Create a Car Caddy

In the center console of my car, I keep my kit of essentials for when I am on the go. It includes a backup phone charger, my makeup stack, lip balm, gum, a couple of snack bars, an umbrella, tissues, and a few baby necessities. There is comfort in knowing that if I do forget something, I probably have a backup in the car.

9. Designate a Charging Station

Grab a desk organizer and a cord keeper, and you will have everything you need to create a charging station for your family’s laptops, tablets, and phones. Bonus: It can be used to set limits on screen time because the devices are not always readily available.

10. The Takeaway

As a working mom of two, sometimes it hits me that my only weekday time with my kids is during the morning and evening routines. Ultimately, these seemingly mundane routines are shaping our family time and quality of life. If this is the time we have with our babies, I say we figure out how to make the necessary stuff as easy and pleasant as possible to make more time for the memorable stuff.