I’m still pretty new at this whole mom thing, but one thing that I’ve learned so far is that mornings will forever be a bit more chaotic. If I thought that getting to work on time was challenging before our baby was born, then this is a whole new hurdle to jump over. I have a natural obsession to anally organize everything and anything down to the littlest detail, so you can only imagine how I approached our “new” morning routine with baby. Here are some of the new “rules” that our morning routine now includes to help us keep our sanity (which is super important to have, don’t you agree?).

Limit time-consuming tasks.

As crazy as it sounds, I’ve tried to eliminate anything that takes time in the morning. If I’m going to shower, it needs to happen the night before. My outfit and lunch for the next day need to be ready to go before I hit the sheets for some shut-eye. I’ve been trying to proactively think about what can be done the night before and luckily, most things can! I also pack my son’s cloth diapers and his bag to take to the babysitter in the morning.

Use list-making to your advantage.

One of my best friends in the morning — and when I’m packing my son’s diaper bag and my work bag — is a list of what needs to be included. Balancing a 45-hour work week, being a mom to an infant, writing for my blog, and all of the other endeavors that flood my life daily can make remembering everything at 5 a.m. a bit daunting. Write out your list for the things you need every day, stash it in your kitchen or even in the bag itself and the daily packing will become a breeze.

Keep accurate reminders in obvious places.

There are some things that just can’t be done ahead of time. For me, this usually includes packing my pumped milk in the diaper bag, my pump parts that are in the dishwasher, and my lunch in the refrigerator. In order to help myself remember these important items, I stick a note on the bag that the item needs to go in. Then, in the morning, I just have to glance at the note to remember what needs to be added and we’re ready to go! I also have a note stuck to the door so that the last thing I see is a reminder for the most important items: baby’s milk, breast pump, computer, cell phone and diapers.

Plan for a few time-sucking events.

This might sound like a “duh” thing to suggest, but it still amazes me what unpredictable things can happen in the morning.  A few examples from our house might include missing our alarm, an unexpected feeding or pumping session that can’t wait (especially because I feed my baby on demand), or the outfit I laid out having an unseen stain. I have yet to successfully get up early enough to make sure there’s extra time, but I’m still working towards that! Whether you’re a working mom or you stay at home, we can look at our morning routines as a challenge to tackle successfully every day. If you don’t get it right today, then there’s always tomorrow to try again!

How do you get it all done in the morning?

I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. On the one hand, I love looking at the pinboards people have created to showcase delectable recipes, funny quotes, and gorgeously designed rooms. However, if you’re not careful, Pinterest can send you into a delusional, DIY tizzy.

Before you know it you’re thinking, “I could totally do that. I could whip up a funky, modern coffee table out of reclaimed wood and tricycle parts in a single afternoon! Bring on the power tools!” Never mind that your most ambitious home improvement project to date was sticking decals on your kid’s wall. Can you see where this is going?

Now that my oldest son is in first grade, I decided he needed a real desk. He had fashioned himself one out of a toy workbench, which was both ingenious and a little pathetic. So I started looking around for a better solution. I suppose I could’ve just gone to IKEA or Target, but because I am so eco-conscious (and/or cheap), I decided I wanted to find an old desk and fix it up.

Well, one day I was out walking and happened upon the perfect desk at a yard sale. It was a kid-size desk with a ton of storage. The top opened up and there were bookcases on each side. It was covered in cobwebs and hideous chipped blue paint, but I could see past that. I saw potential, and by potential I mean I had seen what other people had done with old desks on Pinterest.

Now, I know people who can do yard work while their kids play nearby. I know people who can cook and clean and actually accomplish things while their children are awake. I am not one of them. Case in point: I tried to sand the desk while my boys played in the backyard, but they were far too interested in the electric sander. Plus, lead-based paint particles probably aren’t the best thing for kids’ lungs.

Next, I tried to paint the desk while they played in the kiddie pool. I think I got half of one leg done before my three-year-old decided it would be a good idea to jump off the deck into the pool. It wasn’t. I put down my paintbrush and went over to kiss his boo-boos. I would have to wait for a day when Daddy could take the boys out for several hours. It ended up taking two whole days — and two-and-a-half coats of paint — to finish that desk.

The results were worth it, though. The desk came out great and my son loves to do his homework on it. Now all I have to do is post a picture of it on Pinterest, so I can lure some other poor sap into an “easy” weekend DIY project.

Are you able to get things done when your kids are around? How do you do it?

I came across a post by Liz over at Mom-101 about the myth of “doing it all”, and with the demands of all the roles I play: mom, wife, employee, daughter, friend, neighbor, Girl Scout leader, football team mom, I often get the same question as Liz: “How do you do it?” If I’ve ever given the impression that I have things under control, I apologize! There is no one super mom who can handle everything with 100% thoroughness, and anyone who acts like they do (and makes the rest of us feel like crap) has a scary closet somewhere, I promise.

Here’s my liberating list of what I don’t do and what I choose to do instead:

I don’t do it all, but I do a whole lot. And for me, I’m there for what matters most.

What things do you not do to make room for the most important stuff?

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