by Lisa Curcio

Created on: February 11, 2009

School starts early and sometimes getting up and out the door can be a difficult, even crazy way to start your day. I have a few tips that will make waking up on the wrong side of the bed a thing of the past and even give you a few extra minutes to sleep in for a little bit of extra rest.

Believe it or not, getting your kids ready for school starts on a Sunday afternoon. You need to have your laundry at least clean for the week, (it does not even have to be folded and put away) and your grocery shopping for the week done by Sunday afternoon. In addition, you can let your children help you get their things ready. This will help you get done faster as well as give them responsibility and self-confidence.

A list of things you will need, to help you save time and money:

Lunch Box, Thermos, Sandwich Box, Snacks: Carrots, Grapes Pretzels, Etc., Snack Bags, Days of the week pill box, Clean Clothes, Day of the Week Clothing Organizer, About an Hour on a Sunday Afternoon, An extra shelf in a kitchen cupboard, or a large basket or bowl on the kitchen counter, along with space in your fridge.

For lunches and snacks, you will need a shelf in one of your cupboards to store everything for the week. This includes parts of lunches, snacks, napkins, juice boxes or anything else your child may need. I like to tape exact instructions of everything needed for lunches and snacks in case something comes up and I have family members helping. It is also good to have a list to double-check yourself so you do not forget anything if things get hectic. If you do not have a cupboard you can spare, a nice decorative basket or large bowl on the counter works too. Your list can be attached to the fridge or inside of a close cupboard.

You can save a lot of money by packing your child's lunch, but it can be a time consuming part of the morning. You can save time by packing 75% of your child's lunch ahead of time. I like to pack pretzels and carrots, grapes or apples for my children's lunches. Portion out 5 snack bags of pretzels for each of your children. Portion out 5 snack bags of carrots or grapes for each of your children. If you want to send apples, it is best to wait and cut them up the night before and then put them in the fridge. The pretzels will go in the cupboard with the napkins and juice boxes. The fruits or veggies can go in the fridge, I like to put them in the deli drawer, but you can put them in a bowl or on the door too.

You can pack any snacks the same way. This works if you have

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