Little things that really make a difference

Since I leave the house just before 7 AM, I have found that it is important to plan ahead.  It's no easy feat, but I will say that getting to work by 7:30 is do-able.  Below are some little things that I do to be sure I make it to work on time.

1. As soon as "Lucky" wakes up, usually around 5:45 AM, I change his diaper and put his school clothes on.  He drinks milk and watches Disney while I get ready.
2. Drink a cup of coffee.
3. Before he switched to sippy cups, I would make 3 bottles every night and put them in the fridge.  We would grab them just as we were walking out the door.  Now, we don't make meals or take milk/juice because it is part of the childcare program.
4. Similarly, I would pack his bag every night.  Since he spit-up often, we would pack 3-4 changes of clothes.  When he was eating baby food, I would pack that in his bag as well.
5. Keep a roll of paper towels in the car.  I keep mine hidden under the seat--they have really come in handy.  Additionally, keep some diapers and wipes in the back pocket of your car seat. It almost sounds like I am preparing for battle.  In a way, I am!
6. Whenever I look over Lucky's take-home note and see that he is low on diapers/wipes, I put those in the car as soon as I get home. (We have a good stockpile of diapers and wipes thanks to the Amazon.com Mom's program.  I get a 3-pack of the wipes listed for 15% off just for being a mom.  Then, for using subscribe and save, I get an additional 15% off...a total of about 12 shipped!  Amazon Mom's get a free 2-day shipping (Amazon Prime) for one year---you get 1 month's credit for every $25 you spend in the baby/child section.  Even with a coupon, one pack would cost about $7 at CVS or your local grocery store.  This is a great deal! You can get a similar deal with diapers.  We buy Luvs Size 5 and use the extra 20% off coupon in Parenting magazine each month.  In all, we pay about $17 shipped for 150 diapers.)

7.  I accidentally cut my hair very short.  I didn't mean to do this.  See that short haircut in the right sidebar?  Just before she started cutting, my hairdresser said, "now you like it short, don't you?"  I said, "yes..." and before I knew it my hair was on the ground.  It worked out well, though, because I can wash, dry, and straighten my hair in no time. 

8.  This one is a strange thing--I think about what I am going to wear as I am trying to go to sleep the night before.  I usually fold laundry at night, so I know what I have to choose from for the following day(s).  If I already know that I am going to wear a certain dress, I am not changing clothes a million times before getting ready for work.

9. Since I lose my keys so frequently, I have to be sure that I put them in the same place time after time.  They belong in my purse, so when I turn off the car, and before I get out of the car, I place them in the front pocket of my purse.  If I forget and they end up in the pocket of my jacket, well, I have just wasted 3 minutes the following morning looking for my keys.  One friend told me to verbalize where I am putting things and it helps remember where you have put them.  "I am putting my keys in my purse."  I haven't tried this--I will let you know if it works.

10.  I try to think about what I will take for lunch the following day the night before.  The easiest option is lean cuisine.  I can grab this out of our freezer as I am heading out the door.  Sometimes I will use leftovers, but if I don't have a container handy, this is not the fastest option. Side note: I don't know where all the lids to those containers go--does the dishwasher eat them?  I guess the most reasonable thing to do would be to fill containers with leftovers in lunch-sized portions after dinner each night..  I am not that organized...yet!

Getting all of your ducks in a row makes the biggest difference in getting to school/work on time.  Please leave a comment and let me know your suggestions.