Struggling to Get Going First Thing? Transform Your Morning with our Clever Hacks!
Are you struggling to get going in the morning? It is such a tricky time right now, whatever you're juggling - kids, family, work, housework, self-care... In lockdown 3, good habits are beginning to waver, and patience is wearing thin.
I think we all started Lockdown 1 with an air of ‘we can do this!’ I made an effort to get up early each morning to keep the routine going and make myself feel like I was going to work.
Now a year on, I don’t know about you, but it feels a bit more tiresome, and if I'm not careful my good habits could start to get sloppy. With the reduced amount of sunlight hours and the terrible weather, it feels so much more difficult to be productive. But that means it's even more important to dig deep and double down on those established routines. I'm going to share my top tips to get you on the front foot first thing, and help you stay calm and collected throughout the day.
“A good way to start your day is with a positive frame of mind. So, regardless of whatever external input you’re exposed to or that you’ve chosen to put into your brain, if you’re feeling positive and determined to start your day in a happy and constructive way, that’s your best defence against anything life can throw at you,” says social psychologist Dr Sandra Wheatley. In other words, a good morning routine can make or break your day.
1. Keep it neat
Firstly, I always make sure my bedroom is tidy and clutter free, so I feel calm and in control the minute I open my eyes. I know, the simple pleasures!
I always leave a large glass of water on my bedside table to drink as soon as I wake up, this energises me, keeps my skin clear and glowing and makes me feel like I've done something positive for my body before I've even brushed my teeth!
My bedside table is always clean and clear as I keep all my essentials neatly stored away in the drawers underneath using my clear makeup bags.
2. Get ahead with some me time
I always get up before the rest of the family, giving me plenty of time to prepare for the day before the chaos starts. If I can, I start the day with either a short meditation or a simple yoga routine. I know, I know... everyone says it! but honestly, even 10 or 15 minutes can genuinely make you feel so much better and set you up for the rest of the day. I roll out my yoga mat in the living room the night before and do my yoga in my pyjamas so I can literally fall out of bed and into my routine without giving myself time to think about it!
3. Keeping up appearances
I spend a lot of my day on zoom calls and it is important for me to look and feel well-groomed and professional. However it's easy to let standards slip over time. To tackle this I make it as easy as possible to keep to my good habits by keeping my skincare, haircare products and makeup easily accessible and close to hand. Of course I swear by my ultimate collection of makeup storage bags to help me do this!
I'm short of storage space in the bathroom, so I keep my skincare essentials in my hanging wash bag on a hook at the back of the door. Hanging my wash bag so I can see it in the mirror whilst I am brushing my teeth reminds me to spend an five extra minutes on my skincare. Making my products look appealing in a makeup bag with compartments makes them seem much more enticing than shoving them in a dark cupboard. I know that when I have taken the time to make skin glow my self esteem feels boosted and this kick starts my positive frame of mind. Also knowing that I look groomed reduces my stress for those upcoming video calls.
I use an Emma hanging wash bag for face cream, serums, cleansers, toner, cotton wool pads and other essentials in it so it is easy to find everything I need. All our hanging wash bags have clear compartments to protect your products, keep them organised and separate wet from dry.
I use one of my Iris Carry All large wash bags for my hair essentials as it is very handy makeup bag with compartments to organise my styling necessities. I put things in here like hair oils, heat spray and brushes. I put hair elastics, clips and pins in the compartments to make them easy to find in the morning. The grab handles makes the large wash bag easy to store away in the bottom of my wardrobe.
If you're short on space, why not fill your Emma hanging wash bag with your hair essentials and hang it in your wardrobe? Hang the organiser on the rail, and you turn your hanging wash bag into an instant styling station!
I've already divided my makeup into everyday items and ‘night out’ items. That way I don’t have to search through my hanging wash bag to find my morning essentials, saving me loads of time.
I use my Kate hanging makeup bag for my daily cosmetics as my daytime look is fairly minimal. I have put my ‘night out’ make up in the clear makeup bag which can pop off and be kept separately. Sadly I have no use for it right now! When the pubs reopen again, I can clip the compartment back onto the hanging wash bag ready to hit the town once again!
Our Kate makeup bag with compartments is ideal for a smaller cosmetics collection, but if you love to use lots of products, our Emma hanging wash bag has more space, and our Charlotte hanging toiletry bag is even bigger.
Creating a routine takes effort, however once you start it becomes easier and will soon become part of your normal daily activity. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit says “Habits start as a conscious decision, but ultimately the loop can reinforce itself”.
These simple beauty bag storage hacks have helped me feel more organised, calm and in control, and this gives me a little energy boost to start my day. It may not seem like much, but for me, feeling organised is something that improves my stress levels twofold.
For me, one of the best ways to have a productive morning is to give yourself a head start the night before. Morning and night-time routines are intrinsically linked. Waking up to a cluttered house will inevitably impact your mood. If you take the time to prepare yourself the night before, you will thank yourself in the morning. Read my blog on night-time routines for tips on how to use our beauty bags do this.
With a growing business to take care of and two children at home, I need all the help I can get and I'm sure I'm not the only one! What are your tips for a good morning routine? Are there any products that have helped you? Do comment below, we'd love to hear from you!
Victoria x
For more organising tips, head over to our blog post here.
For tips on decluttering your dressing table like a professional organiser, head over to our blog post here