Calm mornings take planning, patience and coffee

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Mornings start early at my house. Like, 5:15 am early! Even though I don’t officially get up at this beastly hour with my 16-year-old daughter, I hear her alarm. I turn over and pray for another few minutes of sleep when beep, beep, beep, my tween daughter’s alarm goes off.  This is our life every single school day morning, because my daughters get on their school buses before 6:20am! All I can say is, thank goodness I plan ahead and have my #McCafeMyWay coffee ready to go every morning!

Getting two girls concerned about their appearance out the door on time takes planning and a hefty amount of patience, but I’ve learned a trick or two over the years that may help you have chaos free school mornings as well.

One of my easiest and favorite tips is to set up coffee the night before.  Now that I’ve discovered the new premium McCafé coffees, I can keep calm and power on, knowing a freshly brewed cup of coffee is waiting for me.

Whether you like using freshly ground coffee, or prefer pods, McCafé has you covered.  I discovered this new coffee on a recent trip to Wal-Mart. Being coffee connoisseurs, my husband and I go down the coffee aisle often. So, I was delighted to see I had new premium coffee choices from McCafé! There are eight varieties to choose from. I liked that their coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans harvested from some of the foremost coffee-growing areas of the world.

I honestly had a tough time making a choice from the scent and packages, but finally decided on the McCafé French Roast Bold & Dark ground coffee.

My husband loves a deep, dark, flavorful cup of coffee in the morning and this one sounded perfect for both of us. Getting a happy husband out the door is part of my morning plan.

He loves my choice of McCafé coffee and thinks we should try Breakfast blend next and I am all for that!

All too soon, my house is quiet and I’m able to pour my second cup of coffee of the morning and savor every drop knowing that my work and planning the night before paid off. I prefer to add creamer and sugar to my coffee. I loved the bold taste of McCafe’s French Roast! It has a delightful full flavored taste. I didn’t find it harsh or acidic at all, so I’m able to drink two large cups in the morning without my stomach bothering me.

Here are a few of my quick and easy tips to help take your mornings from chaos to calm.

Prep the night before.

I’m sure you’ve heard this tip before, but it’s worth repeating. Prepping everything the night before can work wonders to restore morning calm to your home. I start planning early in the evening, with the end goal being a quick and calm morning.

Cook once, eat twice.

While prepping dinner, I cut extra veggies and fruit I know my girls will eat. I immediately put them in a lunch container and refrigerate. My daughters also love taking leftovers from dinner for their lunches, which helps cut down on food waste.  Get your kids involved in the process of making their lunches the night before to free up precious morning time.

Make a drop zone for backpacks and school needs .

My girls put their backpacks by the front door bookcase every night.  This rule has been in place since they were in first grade. There is a zero tolerance for backpacks in other rooms by the time they are in their P.J.’s and saying goodnight. Speaking of backpacks — spend time teaching your kids to double check that they have packed every item needed for the next day of school in their backpack before they hop into bed. For younger kids you may have to make a checklist with things like homework, books, pencils, calculators, ruler, permission slip, special project, etc.

Pick one outfit the night before and stick with it.

I’m not going to lie — this one can be tricky and time-consuming, especially with daughters! I’ve learned from trial and error that the “lay out 3 outfits, then pick one” system works. I have my girls start planning early, after dinner, but before showers in case there are any last minute button woes, lost tights, etc.  Once they have decided on their one outfit — help them plan every part of it! That includes, shoes, jewelry, hair accessories, and even makeup (if your daughter wears it). Trust me, this will save you from shouting through the house to hurry up!

Now that I’ve shared my tips for making the morning routine more less stressful, I’d love to hear some of yours!