“It’s 7:00!” Oh, my favorite phrase every single weekday morning. Of course there’s also “Have you brushed your teeth, have you put on lotion?”, etc. 7am is the time that the kids and I are all expected to be out the door and ready to leave for school and work. Does this always happen? – NO! But we try our very best to make it. When we’re running on time, the mornings are much less stressful and mommy is happy. And we all know that a happy mommy makes a happy husband and kids! That’s the ultimate goal. There are a few routines we have in place to try to make this happen, and they simply involve planning and prepping. It doesn’t all just start on the weekday morning. I’ll share with you my tips on how to get out of the house on time.

(Click here for access to the worksheets I use to get out of the house on time and keep my life in order!)

Besides my worksheets, I’ve also used the Living Well Planner for years, to help keep my life in order. Check out my review of this awesome planner.

Sunday Evenings

We switch from weekend mode to getting ready for our week on Sunday evenings. The things that we do then that help our weekday mornings run smoothly are:

• Wash and braid my daughters’ hair to last for the week
• Iron clothes for the week for my husband and I (and anything the
  kids may need ironed)
• Pick out my matching jewelry and shoes for the week (if I’m feeling
  ambitious!)
• Go over our calendar for the week (so there are as few surprises as
  possible!)

Weekday Evenings

Tasks on weekday evenings that set us up for morning success include:

• Older kids unpack and pack their lunchboxes/snacks for the next day
• Older kids put their bookbags in the van after they’re done with homework (so we don’t forget them…because we have!)
• Pack lunch for my husband and I
• Prepare bottles and sippy cups for the youngest
• Leave out on the counter whatever I will need to prepare in the morning (k-cup/mug for coffee, oatmeal, bowl, spoons for breakfast, etc)
• Unpack and pack the baby bag (clothing, diapers, wipes, dry snacks)
• Plan out what the next morning will look like, figuring out how much time I need for each task, and count backwards from 7am to determine the time I need to wake up. This doesn’t change much from morning to morning, unless I need to prepare something special.

Weekday Mornings

A successful weekday morning for me looks like this:

• Stretch, pray, and get myself ready before anyone else wakes up.
• Wake the older kids up with enough time to get themselves ready
• Prepare things that need to be done in the morning (heat food for thermoses, breakfast, coffee)
• Wake the younger two up and get them ready
• Throw a load of clothes in the washing machine if I’m lucky!
• Place everything that needs to go out in the morning on one specific counter
• My husband scoops up the things off of that one counter and takes them outside for us
• We all head out the door, happy and stress-free at 7am!

Not a perfect science, but it works

Of course, your household may be very different than ours, and there may be small details that aren’t listed above. But, in general, these are the things that, when done consistently, really help us to get out the door and where we need to be on time.

I know I struggle with making my schedule too rigid and not allowing much extra time for things to go wrong. But with a toddler who has never been a great sleeper, sometimes my snooze button gets pushed more than once in the mornings!

My husband and I work in our own strengths. I know that he’s not a morning person, so getting him up and functional would be a difficult task. But, he steps in and helps to corral everyone up on time.

It may seem small, but it really makes a big difference in our morning.

I hope these tips on how to get out of the house on time are helpful! Tell me what works in your house in the comment box below!

If you need help getting out on time, get my printable Getting Out On Time checklists and timelines as a part of our Balanced Mom Toolbox. You’ll get checklists for Sunday evening, and weekday morning and evenings. I’ve also included a timeline for your weekday mornings. These have been a lifesaver for our household. You’ll get my completed samples to use as a guideline, and blank templates to customize to fit your own needs.

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If you love these tips, be sure to check out my 170+ page digital library, filled with step-by-step instructions and  the tools you need to create effective routines, manage your time, prepare meals,  clean your home, care for your kids – and so much more!