Monday, June 20, 2011

Streamline: Night Before

Again, trying not to be too obvious - but also another one that I forget to do or don't make a priority to do as often as I should! Oh, how this helps! If I can only do this on occasion - Saturday nights are an ideal time to help prepare for Sunday morning! During the school year I try to do this on the night before we have CC the next morning. What a help to wake up in the morning and have breakfast ready to go!!

Of course, this night before idea can translate into other areas like setting our clothes out, packing lunches for the next day or setting meat out into the fridge for dinner the next night. Do you plan ahead by prepping the night before for anything?

15 comments:

Ginger said...

During the school year I get the breakfast items out (including pulling the toaster out if using it)the night before. It really helps. (BYW, this is my FIRST day of a real summer in 11 years)

Anonymous said...

Even though we are all adults, I still ask each person to choose what they'll be wearing on Sat. for Sunday. That way, I am not busy with work when I should be preparing my heart of worship Sunday morning.

Wendi said...

I need to do this more often. It really helps the morning go smoothly. During the school year I always set out Megan's clothes the night before.

Lisa @ Simply Things Family said...

I like to make my husband's lunch for the next day. It really does help in saving time and stress.

Tim, Allyson, and kids said...

I like to do this on Saturday night as well, although I do forget fairly often. I need to just write it into my Saturday evening plans.

Agnes said...

I prepare everything the night before. On school year, bags and lunch bags are ready the night before. Breakfast is ready too. The children just have to wake up, get the crepes or waffles from the fridge, some milk and juice or fruit and eat. Then get dress and go.
I prepare my breakfast (oat cakes the winter, shakes the summer) the night before as well as my lunch.
I cook the night before. For example I cook Monday the dinner for Tuesday.
Prepareness is the best idea to avoid chaos.

Michele said...

We used to get ready for Sunday worship beginning on Saturday evening. I would make sure that everyone had a pair of shoes and socks (have you ever had to hunt for a runaway shoe?) and that all clothing was ironed and ready.

I usually made breakfast casserole the night before since my family had very hearty appetites and cereal wouldn't last all morning.

When my girls were going through growth spurts around years 11-13 I had them try on whatever they planned to wear the next day because what fit one week could easily be immodest the next with such rapid growth.

angie said...

At our house, we lay out clothes for the kids school week on Sunday afternoon. We pack lunches the night before, adding any hot items and slicing fruit in the morning. We've never tried setting up breakfast the night before, but everyone seems to want something different! Keep the practical ideas coming.

Anonymous said...

Always - since I was a little girl. I am not a morning person so anything I do at night helps for a better day for me.

Jenny Goldsby

Elaine said...

I do for Christmas morning, Easter morning and special days like that. When I make muffins or homemade pancakes I will get things together the night before and it makes it easier in the morning. When my children were younger I would get things ready the night before and it made mornings go so much smoother.

Mom said...

I try to decide what I'm wearing to work or church the night before. I also have meals planned so that I know the night before what I'm preparing for the next day and set any frozen items out to thaw. My mornings go much smoother when I stick with doing this! Love you, Mom

Dawn said...

Andy laughs on Sunday mornings when he sees everything laid out for breakfast-down to the measuring cups and spoons! Sunday mornings especially need a little extra forethought.
So many clothes and shoes to gather. Plus Bibles, notebooks, snacks for the car, etc.
One thing the kids do to steamline our mornings is to make stacks of cups in the cabinet. Everyone has their own color of cup, so they make a stack of one cup for each person for the breakfast chocolate milk! It helps me to just pull out a stack instead of looking for a cup for everybody.

Lee said...

Clothes are a big one for us. Having the kids lay out school clothes the night before saves us so much time in the morning. We do this for Sundays too. Now I just need to get in the same habit. Picking out clothes the morning of wastes way too much time.

Ami said...

I like to have the counter (peninsula?) cleaned off before bed, because it is such a treat to see it clear in the morning! I like to have the main living areas of the house neat and start the dishwasher and a load of laundry, but I don't do too much because I feel like I'll never get to bed!

Mother of Many said...

Great idea. Sunday morning often feels like a battle. Simple ideas are the best ideas... The one where you say, "seriously, why didn't I think of that?"

Thank you!