Ad. If you are always in a rush in the morning, but still want to leave the house looking and feeling fabulous then this post will help you leave on time looking amazing. By cutting out distractions, being efficient and reducing indecision you can save a surprising about of time each morning. So whether you only need to worry about getting yourself out the door or you have a family to organise too these ideas will help you get ready to leave the house in record time.

Lots of small changes to your morning routine can add up to a big difference

10 Ways To Save Time In The Morning

Plan Your Morning

Knowing exactly what you need to do each morning and in what order helps simplify your morning so you leave the house on time.  Work out your routine tasks and how long you need for each and you can plan exactly when you need to set your alarm for to get out of bed. Make sure you don’t forget anything by keeping a notice board next to your front door with a list of what you need to take and any reminders.  If you have children to get out the door for school make sure they have their own list, younger children will appreciate pictures for each stage and enjoy ticking off each activity.

Team Work

Very few of us live alone and it’s often the people we live with that add in extra delays when we are trying to leave the house, especially our children. Help avoid any problems in the morning by supporting children (and your partner) to get everything ready the night before. If multiple people need to shower or use the bathroom agree in advance who gets to go when and make sure people stick to those timings. Agree with your partner who will do what in the morning eg they could oversee breakfast while you get dressed and then switch so you help children to get dressed while your partner gets ready. Agree responsibilities, priorities and timings so no one causes problems for others.

Choose Clothes The Day Before 

Indecision can be a big cause of delay in the morning so save time by checking the weather reports and choosing what you are going to wear the day before. Ideally you want to get it out of your wardrobe and lay it out ready to wear (including shoes), but at the very least make sure it is ironed, clean and ready to go.  

If you have younger children you can plan out their clothes for the week and put them into drawers or baskets with the day on, making it easy for them to know what they are wearing each morning.

Pack Your Bag The Night Before

Keys, wallets and other essentials can have a cheeky habit of hiding in the mornings, especially when you are in a rush. You can avoid this though by packing your bag the night before and making sure it is ready to grab. If you need a packed lunch then make this the night before too and leave in the fridge so it’s ready to add to your bag in the morning. Put a post it note on the noticeboard or door saying “lunch!” if there is a risk you will forget to take it.

Prepare Breakfast

Overnight oats aren’t popular just because they are instagrammable, they are super convenient too. Prepping your breakfast before you go to bed means it is ready to grab and eat in the morning. Having some instant breakfast bars on standby are a good idea for those mornings you are too rushed to eat before you leave the house as you can eat on your commute. This saves you time and makes sure you start the day with plenty of energy. You can save time by setting your tea or coffee up ready to go too. Prepare your coffee machine or put water in the kettle and a tea bag in a cup. This might only save a few seconds, but it all adds up to be helpful when you are in a rush. 

Put A Timer In Your Shower

It is easy to lose track of time when you are in the shower, especially on cold mornings where it requires extra motivation to move away from the warm flow of water. Make sure you don’t end up behind plan by setting a timer when you go in the shower. This will stop you running behind and will save money too as you’ll cut down on the amount of energy and water used.

Upgrade Your Hair Dryer

My hair never looks or feels as good as on the day I wash it so if I want to feel full of confidence that means washing my hair in the morning. In the summer I might be able to get away with leaving it to dry, but the rest of the year I need to take time out to style it. If your hairdryer is a few years old you might not realise how inefficient it is. Upgrade your hairdryer to a sleek modern design like the BLOW hairdryer from mdlondon and you could save precious minutes each morning. 

Streamline Your Make Up Routine

My approach to make up has always been pretty minimal so it doesn’t take me long. Having semi permanent eyeliner a few years ago was a game change though, I now feel confident enough to leave the house without any make up (although I’ll normally still add mascara and powder to prevent shine). My daughter on the other hand feels the need to do contouring every morning. Whatever you consider essential make sure all your make up is easily accessible so you don’t lose precious moments searching for items that have some how fallen right to the bottom of your make up bag.

Don’t Go On Social Media

I am one of those people who loves to wake up and scroll though social media, but it is so easy to lose half an hour before you realise it. Getting distracted by our phones is probably the biggest reason for being late. There are two options: either don’t go on your phone until you have left the house or plan time in to your morning routine to allow yourself some time to scroll. If you choose the second option make sure you set a timer and are strict with yourself that when the time is up the phone goes away.

Have An Emergency Routine

Some mornings things don’t go to plan. It might be that your alarm doesn’t go off or you find out there are problems with the trains so you need to leave earlier. It happens, so be prepared with an emergency routine. This is where your morning routine is cut back to the bare minimum. Hopefully you have already got your bag packed and ready to go and your clothes pre chosen so that leaves getting clean, beautiful and fed. You can freshen up hair with dry hair shampoo or a quick blast with the hairdryer. If your make up can’t be done quickly grab the essentials to take with you and grab breakfast to eat on the way. This means you can be ready to go in as little as 5 minutes. It might not be a good idea for every morning, but have the kit ready for when you need it, you’ll be glad you were prepared.