OK… these are actually hosted by the incredibly awesome Kelly of This Ain’t The Lyceum but she doesn’t have a super cool picture yet for this meme so we’re sticking with the old one. Got it? Good.

These takes are inspired by a remark my mother-in-law made last Christmas visit about how I can go from “zero to car in 4 minutes”. It’s not usually *THAT* fast (though I can totally do it) but I thought I’d share my tips for getting out of the house quickly in the mornings, especially with kids.

— 1 —

I shower at night. I find that it works better for getting out of the house in the morning if I shower the night before. My hair actually looks better after I have slept on it. Not showering when I get up cuts down on time in the mornings, not to mention it eliminates the possibility of my hair freezing solid if I happen to be living in colder climates. (Not that this happened…)

— 2 —

I have a hairstyle that doesn’t require a lot of work. My hair is very fine and usually at a length somewhere between chin-length and shoulder-length. All it generally takes in the morning is a wet comb to make it presentable.

— 3 —

I generally have some idea of what I plan to wear ahead of time. I live in jeans and t-shirts — those are easy. If it’s a formal occasion (i.e. church or a concert), I have a section of my closet for that and I’ve usually made sure that whatever I plan to wear is clean and pressed.

— 4 —

My shoes are always in a condition where I can just slip them on and go. I finally tossed my Old Navy flip-flops last week but those were my go-to shoes for a good chunk of this year. (I live in southern California so I can get away with that.) Unfortunately, I’m constantly on my feet chasing Daniel so I started having problems with my right foot. Switching to running shoes helped that (as did athletic tape) and my running shoes are always tied in such a way that I can just slip them on and go. My flats are also easy to slip on for more formal occasions. (I seriously own maybe 5 pairs of shoes total.)

— 5 —

My purse/keys/phone are always in the same place. Not having to search for my stuff means that I can focus my time on getting Daniel ready to go (if he is coming with me) and making sure I have everything I need.

— 6 —

Daniel goes in the car barefoot. Again, I live in California and we’re in the middle of a drought so it’s not like I’m asking him to venture out barefoot in snow or any kind of inclement weather. Socks and shoes can theoretically wait until we get to our destination and usually by that time, he’s jonesing to GET OUT OF THE CAR AND GO (!!!!!) so he doesn’t dawdle in getting them on.

— 7 —

I prep all of Daniel’s stuff the night before. His school has a uniform (more or less) so that part is easy. We lay clothes out the night before and he knows how to dress himself. (The issue is usually him farting around instead of getting dressed.) If food needs to be taken, I will have prepped it and/or packed it the night before so we can grab it and go. He has a couple “car cups” and I will take one or more of those and stock them with juice ahead of time. If there is paperwork, I make sure it is filled out the night before and put it in/next to my purse.

— Bonus —

I have a “go bag” in the car that has spare clothes for Daniel, training pants, wipes, snacks, etc. I go through it regularly to make sure the clothes still fit, the snacks haven’t hit their expiry date, and that I have enough training pants. Keeping it in the car means that I always have access to it on the go and I don’t have to worry about what to stuff in my purse. (My purse is actually pretty small for the simple reason that it keeps me from acquiring junk.)

For more Quick Takes, go love up Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.