Are you tired of spending way too much time getting ready each morning? Or maybe you just don’t even try anymore because you’re too exhausted and gave up.

These getting ready hacks will help!

  

I’ve been a SAHM for 9 years, and one thing I’ve learned is I don’t have hours each morning to devote to getting ready.   

But I also don’t want to feel frumpy, or lazily put together, so how do I look cute in just a few minutes?

Here are 10 getting ready hacks that will have you feeling and look beautiful, all in under 20 minutes each day!

Shower everyday

A quick rinse helps wake you up, and regardless if the baby spits up all over you later, you feel clean and smell good. Plus it’s the first step in to looking cute, cuz rarely do you take a shower just to put pajamas back on. It motivates you to put clean clothes on. 

Do not wash your hair everyday

How often are you washing your hair? If it’s more then twice per week, you are spending hours each week washing, blow drying and styling your hair.

Instead of washing your hair daily, reduce washing your hair to only 1-2 times per week. Or if you’re a pro, every 7 – 10 days! Wow! right?!

Just this ONE change can save you hours each week getting ready.

Plus, it is not good for your hair to wash it daily according to a study done by Harvard.

Tips to go longer between hair washing

Get a good dry shampoo that your hair likes, not necessarily what is most popular or most expensive. You may have to try several before finding the best one for your hair. I’ve definitely gone through a few different ones, and right now I’m liking Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo.

Reserve 1-2 times per week to have a “hair day” where you will plan more time in your getting ready routine. 

On the day(s) each week you wash your hair, following these tips: 

• Wash your hair twice with shampoo to get it really clean and remove all of the products that have been used for the past 7 days.
• Use a scalp scrub brush to really scrub your scalp to get all of the built up products out of your hair and off of your scalp.
• Let your hair half air dry before you apply product and blow dry. 
• Try not to use a ton of products in your hair. I like to use a thickening spray and a root pump. 
• Use these hair ties to pull your hair up while in the shower, at night and during the day to keep your hair from getting a crease. 
• Braid your hair at night to have instant manageable curls in the morning. 
• Use the Revlon Hair blow drying brush. It give a “blow out” look in half the time.

A practical weekly schedule for your hair

It helps to have a weekly hair schedule to successfully go longer in between washes. When you get towards the end of the week your hair will feel dirty and there are some good hair styles to wear for “dirty hair”.

Day 1: Wash, blow dry, use products, no curl, hair down

Day 2: Curl, hair down, a little hair spray

Day 3: Dry shampoo, hair down, fix curls where needed

Day 4: Dry shampoo if needed, wear hair in any style. Day 4 for my hair is a great hair day. It’s not super dirty yet, but has grit, volume and often times my hair looks best on this day. 

Day 5: Dry shampoo, re-curl if wearing hair down. 

Day 6: Hair up in a top bun, hair spray. My hair starts to show oils by day 6, so I tend to wear my hair up or in a hat depending on what I have going on that day.

Day 7: Wear hat, hair up, hair spray, dry shampoo if needed. Just trying to make it one more day till hair wash day.

Simplify your closet

A lot of moms get hung up on what to wear. Our closets are filled with clothes we don’t like or we don’t fit in. Our clothes may not be the current trend or fashionable, so we struggle in the mornings on what to wear.

Go through your clothes and purge / get ride of the extra clothes that don’t fit, are old, not fashionable or you just don’t like anymore. 

Step 1: Stick to essential pieces

If you are a new mom with a baby, now is not the time to try and be trendy. Stick to classic, timeless & versatile clothing pieces. It will save you time when trying to divide what to wear each day. Make sure your clothes are functional for the day and you feel good in them. 

Step 2: Eliminate high Maintenance pieces

Remember that the goal is to not spend hours trying to figure out what you’re going to wear so for each season your “Go-To” outfits that you love, which will cut down on indecisiveness.

Step 3: Declutter regularly

Have your environment set up so you can be quick in deciding on your outfit and picking out your clothes. 

It’s hard to be quick at getting ready if your space is messy and unorganized. De-clutter and organize your bathroom, closet, and bedroom so you won’t have to fumble through all the extra stuff to find what you need every day. It will significantly speed up your getting ready process if your space is organized and clean.

I recently was getting frustrated with my skin regimen and hair product drawer. Over time products started to pile up on each other and every morning it was taking me considerable extra time to find the products I wanted to use for the morning. So I made a plan to declutter and organize the drawer using two Lazy Susans. I loved how the two drawers turned out and it has sped up my getting ready routine.

Start by organizing and creating a space that’s clean and calm and peaceful.

Related post: 6 steps to simplify your home with decluttering and organizing

Step 4: Document

Lastly, take pictures of your outfits and save them to a folder on your phone. This will come in handy when you are tired, staring at your clothes and you just can’t figure out what to wear. Pull up your phone and look at past outfit ideas that are right out of your closet. Makes picking out clothes so much easier.

Have a Simplified Make-up Routine

Stick to tried & true products that are long lasting and quick to apply.

Use multi-functioning beauty products and makeup, like tinted sunscreen or moisturizer (one of my GO-TO products!) or lip colors that double up as cheek tints. This allows you to cut down the steps in your makeup and skincare routine.

Get clear repeatable daily steps with the products from your skin regimen that you know work for your skin. Be consistent and get in to a good routine so that no time is wasted. 

Same goes for your make-up. Have your go-to make-up products that you can put on quickly. 

I have narrowed down my staple make up products, purging and getting rid of all of the make up I don’t like, organizing my vanity drawer, and then creating my every day make up routine. But I love having all of my make up organized and ready to quickly use in the morning.

Want to have a smoother morning as a busy & stressed mom? Get more done in LESS time, make yourself a priority, get some kid-free time back in your day and have a morning that is smooth and not chaotic? This guide is just what you need!

Invest in Laser Hair Removal

This is a getting ready hacks mom hack / tip not talked about enough! And also a huge time saver, and is pretty affordable. Whether you go in to an Aesthetic Spa and utilize a GroupOn coupon, (which can save you hundreds if not thousands) or buy a product online and do it at home, this is definitely worth looking in to. 

If you are tired of ingrown hairs, razor rash, wasting hours each week shaving, and feel like you always need to wear pants or leggings, this is worth every penny. 

No more stressing during the summer about if you shaved that morning for the afternoon swim playdate. This is a great Mother’s Day gift idea, Christmas or Birthday gift idea. Make the investment in YOU!

You will save so much time in your morning getting ready routine with not having to shave in the shower every day.

Medical News Today has the top 7 best home laser hair removal devices if you are interested in trying the i- home approach. 

Amazon’s best product based on reviews: Braun IPL Long-Lasting Hair Removal

One of the more recent reviews: “Shaving was always a hassle; it takes up so much time and I always have patches from missing spots. I have been using this device for a little over a month now (I’m out of Amazon’s return period) and I have to say that I am impressed with the results and I can already see the difference.”

You will save so much time each morning in the shower if you don’t wash your hair or shave! All that is left is to quickly rinse off with soap and wash your face. In and out in 3 minutes. Look at all of that time saved. 

Skip the nail salon

Having your nails done is definitely not a requirement as a busy mom, but can make you feel *extra* pretty and put together. But since I don’t have the time or the money as a SAHM, I love the home gel nail kits. They are a game changer in my opinion.

I switched to the in-home gel nail kits a few years ago and it makes me feel so put together and beautiful.

Getting Ready Hacks In Action (My daily routine)

The night before I look at my calendar to know what my day looks like, and I look at the weather app to confirm the weather. 

If i’m feeling in a rut with my clothes and can’t decide what to wear, I look at my phone and pull up pictures of my already saved outfits to get some fresh ideas. I pick out my clothes and lay them on my chair so they are ready to go for tomorrow morning.

The next morning, I drink my hot cup of coffee, make my bed, fake clean my house, spend 15 minutes on my doable daily morning workout, all described in my Morning Routine, and I hit the shower. 

My shower only takes me 3 minutes, thanks to my getting ready hacks, and I am out of the shower, getting dressed and starting my daily skin care regimen. I’m quickly on to my make up routine, and I end with dry shampoo in my hair, brushing my hair and I am ready for my day. All in under 20 minutes.

Getting Ready Hacks for Moms

As a busy mom it doesn’t have to take you hours to look amazing. You just need a few good getting ready hacks and you will be well on your way! Start using these getting ready hacks and see if you can cut your getting ready time in half. 

Please remember, some days are just hard, and brushing your teeth and keeping your baby alive will feel like a victory in itself. These hacks are not meant to make you feel like you are not succeeding at motherhood. Social media, the online community can make us feel like we are not doing “enough”, but that is so far from the truth.

Share some getting ready hacks in the comments and I will update this list to include them!

Looking for more genius hacks? Don’t forget to check out…

• 7 Important Self Care Items for Busy Moms – Do these daily!
• Best Tips on how to survive summer as a SAHM

Want other amazing mom routines to help you stay on top of mom life?

Check out 9 Must do’s in a morning routine for busy mom’s

I would love to hear from you, leave a comment, and share your favorite hacks below.

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