3 Brilliant Ways to Remember Your Stuff When You Leave the House

On any given day, I'm bringing a lot of stuff out of the house with me.

My kids and their Kindles, my work bag, lunches, snacks, water bottles, choir robes (that, frankly, we forget about every other Sunday), a change of clothes, reusable grocery bags, coffee (because "they" expect me to remember my coffee PRE-COFFEE!), an extra phone charger, a pot luck dish...the list is endless!

(What? You haven't forgotten your kids before? Not even once, in a sleep-deprived stupor?)

There are 3 simple things that you can do to make sure you never leave home missing something again.

*Create a Night Before Routine

Every night, check your planner or calendar and set out everything you need for the morning.

TIP: At first, set a timer on your phone reminding you to do your nightly prep. After about three weeks, it should become habit.

*Create a Launchpad

Designate a spot for everything that is leaving the house, including a wipe erase board for things that are elsewhere (like your lunch that is in the fridge).

Put your purse there. Put your phone charger there. List lunch and a cup of coffee on the list.

Each night during your new routine, look at your schedule and list all the things that need to leave the house with you in the morning.

(Okay, you don't have to put kids on the list. But if you have a newborn and feel the need, do NOT feel guilty one bit for writing them on that wipe erase board! You are tired, Momma! It's not your fault.)

*Put Out Physical Reminders

I prefer to keep my list on that dry erase board as short as possible. I'm more likely to check and obey it that way.

But I don't want to forget my lunch in the fridge, so I put out physical reminders of my lunch. For example, my lunch might be packed in the fridge, but the napkin and fork that I am bringing with me are sitting out in my launchpad. I can't really miss bringing my lunch if I see the fork.

TIP: Sleep-deprived parents should consider putting something important, like your purse AND cell phone AND office key, next to the car seat each time you ride in a car. That way, you never get out without checking the back seat and remembering your baby in the car. Seriously. We've all been there. Make checking the back seat your new routine.

These 3 steps have virtually eliminated my tendency to leave the house for a birthday party without the gift! I hope they help you.

If they do, remember to share on social media.

Etcetera.

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