Are you always running late in the morning? Adopt a few organizing and time management strategies to help start your day in good time.

The night before: Check the next day’s agenda at night and do as much as you can to prepare for the day.

• Pack what is needed for the next day in the backpack or briefcase and put the bag by the door.
• Choose an outfit and make sure it is in a wearable state. You may be spared a wardrobe malfunction in the morning.
• Pack the lunchboxes and put them ready-to-go in the fridge. Consider getting a coffee maker with a timer. Waking up to a brewed pot of coffee is wonderfully motivating.

Eliminate distractions. Focus on getting ready and eliminate anything that prevents you from leaving on time and in good spirits.

• Don’t answer the phone. If you are concerned that the message will have immediate impact on your day, check voice mail before you leave.
• The computer and the TV are notorious for holding people’s attention hostage. Turn the TV off and get the news from the radio.
• If checking email is a must then use a timer by the computer to keep the session brief. Actually, use a timer with any activity to prevent time from slipping away.
• Checklists are also useful for keeping you focused. A checklist posted on the door at eye level will help you remember what you need to take and what needs to be done to secure your house.

Simplify. Make things as easy as possible, and develop a morning routine that gets you and your family ready while leaving the home in a reasonable state.

• Put things away when you are finished with them. If you feel too rushed to put things away, then wake up ten minutes earlier.
• Collect fast and nutritious breakfast items together in one spot. Skipping breakfast is not a time saver. Your plummeting blood sugar will interfere with your work.
• Streamline the morning shower by gathering the personal care items you use daily into one basket.

The morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Starting the day in a calm and prepared manner will empower you for the rest of the day.

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Clear Spaces owner Denise Lee merges seven years of social service experience and seventeen years experience in Information Technology to bring you effective and personal organizing solutions for the home, the small business and the student. The Clear Spaces approach is holistic -- empowering you to live the life you want to live.