Mornings can be hectic, especially as you work yourself and your family into a back to school routine. That first day of school can be a real challenge, and each day thereafter can also be chaotic if your household isn’t organized. From personal experience, it can get plain crazy if you have a house full of girls all trying to get ready at once!
Here are some tried and true tips to help get you and your family through the morning:
1. Teen and ‘tween girls (and some boys) are high maintenance. They take forever to get ready and they don’t seem very concerned that others also need to get in the bathroom so they can get ready to go. One suggestion is to set your teen up with an area in another space, perhaps her room, where she can get ready. A desktop organizer works great for hair and beauty items. A strategically hung full-length mirror and an eye level mirror will help. She can try on clothes, fix and re-fix her hair, and do her makeup in the bedroom while others use the bathroom.
2. Another handy idea is to purchase a plastic storage container that has a tight lid with a handle in the center. If you can find one that is divided inside that’s even better. Your daughter can keep her beauty supplies inside and carry the container into the bathroom and back out again when she’s finished. This way, her hair accessories, makeup, hair spray, lotion, etc. won’t be scattered all over the bathroom, and she’ll be able to find things at a glance. A caddy will also work if you can’t find another suitable storage container.
3. Set a timer. If one child spends more time in the bathroom than everyone else, start setting a timer for each child. Of course you will want to allow plenty of time, but this will give others a chance to get ready without rushing because they only have five minutes in the bathroom (we have two bathrooms and it’s still a struggle if I don’t set a time limit). After a while, your kids will get used to their timeframes and you shouldn’t need the timer any more.