EVENING ROUTINE
My evening routine would have to be what helps my mindset for the following day. To not wake up to a messy kitchen and make a start on cleaning the dirty washing. Adding a few of the tasks that may take up too much time in your mornings to your evening routine, may just be all that’s needed for a less chaotic morning.
My evening routine has not changed over the years, it seems to work well for me. However, remember like I mentioned in the previous task create and find a routine that suits you and your family. One thing that I may do differently to a few households would be that I put a load of washing on in the evening and hang it on the line before dark. As I live in QLD the sun shines early and strong, if it’s put on the line the night before (providing it doesn’t rain), it’s usually dry by 10am. Which allows me to get another load out if needed.
This was my routine when the kids were in primary school, now they are older we don’t do readers, they clean their own bathroom and go to bed a little later.
My Evening Routine
5.30pm – put on a load of washing
5.35pm – start making dinner
5.50pm – hang washing on line
6.00pm – serve dinner, eat together as a family at the dining table
6.30pm – do dishes, put on dishwasher, wipe bench, quick vacuum under chairs
6.45pm – watch TV with the kids
7.30pm – read with kids
7.50pm – straighten up the kid’s bathroom
8.00pm – kids lights out & relax and chat with hubby, watch more TV
9.00pm – get ready for bed
I don’t dry my dishes, instead, I leave them to dry overnight and I put them away in my morning routine. We will talk about the dishes in more detail throughout the challenge.
It’s a good idea to switch off from work, chores or the computer at a reasonable hour leaving time to unwind in the evening. I find that if I check emails, facebook or look through Pinterest before I go to bed my mind starts thinking and I find it hard to sleep.
Create your evening routine
Use the blank evening routine list create your own routine. Be realistic with your evening routine, don’t fill it with too many chores as the evening is the time to rest and relax.
- Perhaps if you don’t have time throughout the day to clean add an additional cleaning task each night to your evening routine (preferably before dinner).
- If you are time poor in the mornings consider making lunches the night before.
- Having your meals planned for the week ahead will reduce the amount of stress during a busy evening.
Create an evening routine for the kids
Kids benefit from a regular routine, knowing what is expected of them soon becomes a habit. Create tasks within their routine which will teach them about responsibilities they have has a family member as well as it helping you, ie. tidying the bathroom after they brush their teeth, or picking up toys in their bedroom.
This chart is available in my shop in a range of colours, along with an option to personalise with your own tasks.
[wlchecklist name=’PreTask4Kidseveningroutine’]
DOWNLOAD
Print the evening routine lists to help you create your own evening routine that suits you and your family to help make tomorrow calmer.
- EVENING ROUTINE – file behind ‘Routines’ divider – click to download.
- BLANK EVENING ROUTINE – file behind ‘Routines’ divider – click to download.
213 comments
Done. Will need adjusting as we get into I’m sure.
Evening routines done & dusted. I’ve also added times to spur myself into action!
Clever idea Vicki!
Evening routine written out for myself and one for miss 7.
See how we go.
This will be the tough one for me..my girls are heavily into dance, which means each weekday night is different to the next! Add in my work, commitments on parent committees and the fact my husband is a shift worker means on many occasions all of the kids are having to tag along for the drop-offs and pick-ups too. But I am determined to figure out a way..maybe just a routine list that’s not time restricted to start?
Yes I wouldn’t do one based on times, perhaps a general list on what you would like to complete each night and I would also put family members names next to some as you sound very busy maybe they can help contribute to some??
Great idea! I will start delegating a couple of things to share the workload. Thanks
I have something similar – maybe an order in which things are to be done so that everything gets done?
Good luck! Xx
Evening routines done.
Seems to be way more time available when it’s written down.
I have even done the time from school pick up. There doesn’t seem to be that much time for anything in the afternoons they go so fast so I will see how it is with a routine to follow.
Thanks so much Kat for the effort you put in to help and the ideas you bring with you.
Your very welcome Danielle, I find I work quicker too when I have a to-do or routine list. I just try and jump from one task to the other, rather than stopping and thinking what needs to be done, or getting sidetracked with a task that doesn’t need attention right now. Hope this helps you!!
Have read some of the older comments and I love the idea of having different routines for different seasons.
It’s a great idea!!
Our evenings start later, once the little darlings are home from their sports. It has been challenging to get them fed, showered, homework and kitchen chores completed before bedtime. I am hoping that seeing their responsibilities written out will help.
It should, and also stop you having to repeat yourself every night as well.
You could laminate the list and they can tick it off as they go. that way you can easily see what they have achieved instead of asking them and getting the old “mum stop nagging me” routine.
afternoon/everning routines done 🙂 ours is a bit different as mine starts at 1.30pm when i make my hubby his lunch/dinner as he is a nightshift worker. I have added times in for reading with my girl which we will try to stick to, she is usually too busy playing to want to at night. We will see how it evolves over the next few weeks 🙂
The beauty is that you can change the routine until it’s what suits you 🙂
My routines are a little different now that my children are basically adults. They come and go at varying intervals. But I’m working on it!
As my children are getting older, not quite teens I am finding I am driving each of them in different directions.
Semi finished this evening routine but I need to add times as I’m not getting to bed when I want to.
that’s a great idea Simone to help you manage your time better, let me know how you go!