Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your love of fashion or looking great every day. I know it can be difficult to find the time (and energy) to make yourself look your best when you have other people you need to get ready, a demanding schedule, and way too little “me time” But with these four tips, you can get ready in the morning quickly, feel great about how you look, and make a fashion statement.
#1: Build a Capsule Wardrobe
You’ve probably heard of a capsule wardrobe, with women’s increasingly busy schedules, they’ve become a favorite strategy for simplifying your fashion choices. But what defines a capsule wardrobe? It’s basically a streamlined collection of clothing that is timeless, can be mixed and matched, and includes all the essentials you need. Your capsule wardrobe should have the basic clothing items you need to make a variety of outfits
To make your morning routine easier, I recommend starting your capsule wardrobe with the following:
- 4-5 pairs of shoes (women’s loafers, heels, flats, boots, and sandals)
- 5-7 bottoms (jeans, dress pants, shorts, one short skirt, one long skirt, etc.)
- 9-12 tops (a mix of long sleeve, short sleeve, and sleeveless)
Of course you can still wear accessories and add to your collection as needed to give your closet a refresh—think a nice jacket for fall or a wool coat for winter. The main goal of a capsule wardrobe is to make choosing your daily outfit a seven-second process instead of a 15-minute process. So, even when you’re running late, you’ll still look fashionable and put together.
#2: Streamline Your Makeup Routine
The first part of the morning routine that typically goes out the door when you have kids (or even just a super busy schedule) is putting on makeup. But, what if I told you that you can create an easy makeup look in just 20 minutes! The key to makeup routine efficiency is following the same steps every time. At some point it will become second nature and you won’t even have to think about it—perfect for those nights when you’re up late comforting your child after a nightmare or feeding the baby.
To make your makeup routine easy, I recommend stocking your makeup bag with:
- One neutral eyeshadow palette (perfect for everyday wear)
- One long-wear foundation
- One highlighter
- One contour powder or stick
- Two lipsticks (one for day and one for night time)
- One mascara
- One brow powder or pencil
With these essentials you can quickly move from one step to the other to achieve subtle but beautiful results.
#3: Prep the Night Before
If you regularly run out of time in the morning due to last-minute interruptions, struggling to get out of bed, or young children who need your help, you might benefit from doing some prep the night before.
Not sure where to even start, here are a few tips for things you can do the night before to make some more time for yourself in the morning:
- Blow dry your hair before bed (or try overnight braids)
- Pack school lunches and snacks
- Have your (and your kids’) clothes laid out
- Leave your purse, keys, and other essentials near the door
- Set your beauty and skincare products next to the sink
- Choose your accessories ahead of time
While these might all seem like small tasks in the morning, you’d be surprised how much time you can shave off your getting-ready routine by doing a little prep work.
#4: Divvy up the Morning Duties with Your Partner
If your partner notoriously needs less time to get ready than you in the morning, why not ask them to take a few seemingly simple to-do’s off your morning checklist? While they might only require them to wake up a few minutes early, they can save you enough time to feel less frantic when trying to get yourself ready—which will surely contribute to a better day overall. If your partner has time to spare, ask them to:
- Make breakfast
- Pack up lunches and snacks
- Make sure the kids have everything they need in their backpacks
- Help the kids get ready
- Drop the kids off at school
Delegating tasks between the two of you will prove that teamwork truly does make the dream work.
Being a mom, it’s important to remember to prioritize your own needs, including putting your best foot forward every day. Hopefully these tips will help you find a little more time in the mornings so you can always look and feel your best.