A FlyLady Before Bed Routine will make you prepared for whatever tomorrow brings. Part of the FlyLady System, your evening habits and routines will set you up for success.
FlyLady Before Bed Routine
One of the best things you can do for your future self is to stick to a good evening routine.
In FlyLady's book, Sink Reflections, she talks about slowly adding one thing to your routine at a time so it becomes a habit.
I've struggled to keep up with my own before bed routines, because I am NOT a night owl.
If I could, I'd go to bed at 8:30 pm every night!
But there are some things I do every night that make the next day easier.
Evening Routine Ideas
I tend to keep things easy for my evening routines because I know I crash and burn right after dinner.
But here are some parts of my routine that help me a lot:
- Loading and running the dishwasher
- Putting away blankets, and other things around the couch
- Check the calendar for tomorrow (I do this on my phone with the Cozi app)
- Check to make sure all doors are locked, garage is closed
- Set out clothes for tomorrow after I put my pajamas on
- Wash face and brush teeth right after dinner so I don't snack!
I usually do a little cleaning up in the kitchen if I have the energy, but as long as I have the dishwasher running, I'm okay with my kitchen being a little messy.
I know this goes against almost everything you've heard about what you should do to keep your house tidy, but this works for me and I'm sticking with it.
If my kitchen still needs work in the morning, I clean up while my coffee brews. It's actually a nice way to start the day!
Related: FlyLady for Working Moms
Nighttime Routine Ideas for the Future
There are so many things I'd LOVE to add to my evening routines, but I try to be realistic about my energy levels so I won't burn out.
Right now, I'm working on remembering to bring a glass of water to bed with me.
I've found that if I wake up in the middle of the night, I'm usually thirsty and need the water.
In the mornings, I drink the glass of water right away (if I didn't drink it during the night), and it's a good way to start hydrating right away.
Here's some more things I'd like to add to my routine as time goes on:
- Program my coffee maker to start brewing in the morning
- Gratitude journaling
- Put dirty clothes in the washer to start the next morning
- Water the plants
Whenever I have an idea about a habit I'd like to start, I add it to my Home Management Binder so I don't forget about it!
Before Bed Routines and Morning Routines
It's important to work with your natural energy levels when you build your own before bed and morning routines.
For a long time, I tried to do a lot in the evening because I thought that's what I needed to do to be productive.
But I've found that planning easy things for the evenings, and work that requires more energy in the morning, I actually get more done because I'm not wearing myself out trying to keep up with someone else's idea of a “good routine.”
Read: FlyLady Morning Routine: How to Start Your Day Strong
A Home Management Routine
My morning and before bed routines really serve as bookends to my home management routine that I use during the day.
Having a personalized plan that makes sense for our family has been a game-changer.
If you'd like to create your own home management routine, sign up below to get my free workbook that helps you plan out your own routine.
More FlyLady Tips
- How to Get Started with FlyLady
- Everything You Need to Know About FlyLady Zone Cleaning
- The Easy Way I Shine My Sink
