The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Rachel at Useful Beautiful Home.
I’m not a morning person. While I may be awake in the wee hours, I definitely operate on a lesser speed compared to later in the morning. That said, mornings go best for me when I prepare the night before by setting out my clothes, making sure I have everything I need in advance, writing a quick reminder list, etc.
However, there are some days that just don’t go as planned. Either my alarm fails to go off (admittedly, by user error) or something else occurs making the morning a little more chaotic. Those are the days I’m thankful to have a few things already implemented in my routine. Below are 5 simple techniques I have on standby that help deal with the unexpected chaos while getting dressed and out the door on time.
1. Keep jewelry and accessories in the closet.
If the blouse I was planning to wear is no where to be found or crumpled in the dirty laundry pile, jewelry comes to the rescue. A simple statement necklace or infinity scarf can work wonders by transforming plain shirts into something flattering for most occasions. As a bonus, you may end up “designing” a new favorite outfit using things you already own. After all, necessity is the mother of invention. 🙂 I keep my jewelry inside the closet because I have a little extra display space, however just keeping accessories nearby your dressing area has the same time saving advantage.
2. Keep a small pile of safety pins in the dressing area/closet.
I’m actually surprised how often I’ve reached for one of these temporary wardrobe fixers. I’ve used them in a pinch many times for things like an awkward clothing pucker or to replace a missing button. Rather than changing into a back-up outfit or hunting around the junk drawer for an extra safety pin, I keep them on standby right where needed. At the end of the day, that piece of clothing gets tossed in my mending pile to avoid making the same mistake twice.
3. Wrinkle release spray.
I keep a small travel sized bottle of wrinkle releaser right inside my closet. It’s not used often because I have a laundry routine that keeps my clothes relatively wrinkle-free, but sometimes clothes get crumpled in the closet and this stuff comes in handy. I find it especially helpful when time is tight and plugging in the iron will result in making me late.
4. Neutral colored & organized purse.
I debated about adding this, but it’s truly a part of keeping myself organized, even on the crazy days. Purses, for me, are 95% functional and 5% accessory. Occasionally I’ll enjoy a bright summer clutch or something fun but for the most part I stick with purses that can keep my basic out-the-door needs organized (this is what I use and love), handy, and coordinated with the majority of my clothes. I haven’t done a “tour” of my purse organization (yet) but I loved when Kristin showed us inside hers.
5. Keep gum and/or mints in purse.
My home would have to be on fire for me to leave without brushing my teeth in the morning. However, there are many times I’m drinking a cup of coffee after my morning minty brush. Gum or mints squelch offending coffee breath and make me feel a little more prepared if I don’t have time to eat/drink before jumping in the car.
Of course getting ready is only half the battle; there are other morning time snags like eating breakfast, doing my daughter’s hair, finding the shoe that mysteriously wandered off, etc. So, it’s easy to say these 5 things are not an exhaustive list of organizing efforts. They’re really just a break down of what helps me get myself ready on time. Nothing will buy back the minutes, but many times I have found these preparations handy when I’m running late getting dressed in the morning. Of course, I hope you find them helpful too.
I would LOVE to hear your creative ways of cutting corners on busy mornings! Do you have any getting dressed time savers for us? Please share in the comments below!
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I invite you to check out the tutorial I shared last year for Mini Heart-Shaped Cookie Cup Sundaes if you’re looking for a new way to treat the ones you love.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
In the professional world, I’m a nurse by trade. But, around our house, I’m known as Mommy to our young daughter. My two worlds collided and began shaping into a blog. Useful Beautiful Home represents the hours I’ve dedicated to managing my household as efficiently as possible. I offer you motivation to keep your home healthy, organized, and welcoming. My goal is to share what I’ve implemented in my home to inspire you with fresh ideas and to encourage you to keep up the good work in yours! Learn more about me HERE or visit me at UsefulBeautifulHome.com.
Elaine says
Are some of those bracelets premier designs? Lol I am definitely using your number one tip at my jewelry shows if you don’t mind!!
Bennie says
I too put my clothes out the night before and if I’m wearing a blazer I pin a broach on the lapel too. It’s too eay to not center or line it up if I’m in a rush. I also have my food all ready to go in my lunch bag in the fridge.
shannon brown says
Thanks for the tips! One thing i do that helps me out a kot is getting mine and my sons clothes out for the week. This has been a great habit!
ANna Marie Peterson says
I go one step beyond laying my clothes out each night. I put a week’s worth or the whole closet into outfits. The slax or skirt go on a clip hanger and the blouse and jacket go on as well. Jewelry and even underwear/sox/hose can go in the pockets. This reduces the volume of my closet by 2/3 and I know where I have too many or too few tops and bottoms
Aimee says
I loved this post and found it very helpful. We all need to get dressed quickly in the morning, don’t we? I love getting it done and getting on with my day. Thank you for the tips.
Aimee
http://www.lifetimeorganizing.com
Dana says
I found that laying out my next day’s outfit complete with jewelry and packing lunch helpful. When our grown daughters were small I had them select what they would eat for breakfast and have the cereal in bowls with lids, juice in sealed glasses and milk in child friendly measuring cups with covered with plastic wrap (washed and reused). Check backpacks and work tote bags to be sure you are ready for the next day. Find all needed shoes, hair bows and keys are also a great time saver. Don’t forget to tell your family that you love them.
Kyde says
Whenever I am serious about whatever I am planning to do in the morning, I prepare my clothes in advance. But I realized that the real time saver is when you shop with a certain vision in mind. I now spend more time shopping (which is fun) to make sure that I have several outfits with all perfectly matched items. If I buy something on impulse, I need to make sure I have something to go with it too. If I don’t do this, my closet will be full and I will still not know what to wear, losing tons of time in the process. Thanks for tips!