5 Easy Morning Routine Tips for Back to School

This post is sponsored by Tom’s of Maine and all opinions are my own.

I'm in complete denial that back to school is coming up! Our schools do not start until the Tuesday after Labor Day but I know that a ton of schools start much sooner so I wanted to share my tips for easy morning routines for back to school now. If you have kids in school, I'm sure that you know how crazy the mornings can be before school.


Get the kids up, have them get dressed, brush their hair, brush their teeth, make lunches, eat breakfast, get everything ready for school, etc. Often times by 7 AM or 8 AM! I am a planner and a morning person and have perfected many tips through the years to make our mornings easier so that I am not stressed with how much there is to do. I hope that these tips help you when planning for back to school for your kids.

1. Pack lunches the night before

Ever since I was in middle school, I packed my own lunch and made it the night before. I did this every day even as an adult when I was working outside of the home. Doing this saves so much time in the morning so that you just have to grab your lunch on the way out the door.

2. Set out clothes a few days in advance

On Sundays, I like setting the kids outfits out for the week to make it easier. When you're tired in the morning, you may spend time staring at your closet thinking that you have nothing to wear but setting your clothes out in advance makes it so that your outfits are put together and you save time in the morning. I like setting everything out on the kid's dressers in nicely folded piles.

3. Meal prep breakfast

To save time, I like to make a breakfast that lasts us a couple of days such as a batch of chia seed pudding, baked oatmeal, overnight oats or a breakfast casserole that we can heat up quickly in the morning to save time.

4. Get out everything for school

I keep Adalyn's backpack on a hook by her coat by the door so we can grab it quickly on the way out. When she has certain things to bring in to school, I set those out on the counter to make things simpler. Every little bit of time saved helps.

5. Make a list of what kids are responsible for in the morning

Ever since Adalyn was aware of what she was responsible for in the morning, our mornings have gone much smoother. She knows that on a school morning, she has to get up, go to the bathroom, brush her teeth, get dressed, brush her hair and put her shoes on all before coming downstairs for breakfast. We find it a lot easier to get ready first so then we are not rushed with having to finish breakfast and then go and get ready.

For oral care, we love the Tom's of Maine® products. We especially love Toms because this back to school season, they are partnering with the Kids in Need Foundation to help children in need get essential school supplies. Visit tomsofmaine.com/backtoschool for more info about the program.


For my son who is 1, we like the Training Toothpaste or the Silly Strawberry Fluoride Free Toothpaste. For my daughter, we like the Children's Gel in Fruitilicious. It fights cavities and strengthens enamel. My daughter has always loved brushing her teeth (but hates us helping her brush..) and a tasty flavor certainly helps. The toothbrushes are great as well! You can find Tom's of Maine products at many different stores including Sprouts.

I love the Tom's of Maine toothpaste for adults as well. 10% of their profits go to human and environmental goodness. Their products are made without artificial colors, flavors, fragrances or preservatives and they are not tested on animals.

These are the tips that we use that help our mornings go as smoothly as possible. Sure, some days are still crazy but these tips help to minimize the stress of a busy school morning.