Streamline Your Week Series: Baggage/Accessories

A very quick but very effective way of drastically reducing stress on Monday morning (and every other morning) is getting your whole family's book bags, sports bags, after school bags, diaper bags, laptop bags, purses and briefcases ready...the night before.  (Gasp!)  I guarantee it will take 1/5 of the time (and 1/5 of the blood pressure) the night before as it would the morning of.  The following are suggestions of things to check off your bag packing list.

• Purse:  We have a junk 'desk' where I put my purse.  Somehow, my keys end up under the mail, my wallet ends up by the computer, and my sunglasses are in the stroller.  Take a few minutes to make sure all the necessities are back in your purse safe and sound.  Put your phone on the charger so it isn't dead in the morning.  If you have a hard time remembering your cell phone, write a note and stick it on your keys.
• Book bag:  Make sure all homework, books, calculators, permission slips and folders are carefully stowed away before you climb into bed.  When you accidentally push snooze a couple extra times, you won't be frantically looking under your bed for your math assignment.
• After school/work bag:  Does anyone have band practice, sports practice or tutoring after school?  Will your highschooler be going straight to work?  Do you have a meeting?  Go through the entire outfit needed for each activity from head to toe to make sure all uniforms and equipment and dress clothes are accounted for.  Do you need a snack or water?  Bringing this from home will save cash as well.
• Work bag:  Is your laptop charged?  Do you have business cards? Have you completed all necessary reports and projects?  Do you need food for a carry-in or $ for a co-worker's present?  Setting everything out or writing reminder notes ahead of time will keep you from having to kick yourself if your laptop dies during your big presentation or stop at the store on the way to work.
• Diaper Bag:  Lest you be stranded at Target or library with a dirty diaper and no clean diaper, you may want to check to make sure the diaper bag is well-stocked.  Cherrios for my 13 month old is as high priority as diapers and wipes.  You never know when the screaming will start, and you need to shove some food in to make her quiet.

Stay tuned for more ways to streamline and lessen the stress of your work or school week.


In case you missed it...
Streamline Your Week:  Clothing