11 family routines to simplify family life
If your days often feel rushed and slightly out of control, then starting some simple, family routines will completely transform the way your family runs, as they provide everyone in your family clarity over who needs to do what, when, and how.
Here we’ll discuss 11 family daily routines you can start to simplify family life, including what routines are and why they’re beneficial, from fostering a sense of belonging, strengthening family bonds, and encouraging independence.
If you’re ready to set some routines, and discover how to maintain the ones you choose, then you’ve come to the right place.
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What are family routines?
A family routine is a way of organising your family to get things done, by helping family members know who needs to do what, when, in what order, and how often.
The benefits of starting routines
Some of the benefits of routines for family life are that they:
- Foster a sense of belonging
- Strengthen family bonds
- Encourage independence
- Provide clearer expectations for children
- Reduce stress by helping you feel like a more organised mum
Family routine examples
Here are 11 family routines that you can pick and choose from to help make family life simpler.
Morning routine
Morning routines set the tone for the day.
Some things you can do as part of your family’s morning routine include:
- Eating breakfast together
- Making beds
- Getting dressed
- Brushing teeth
One of my favourite ways to communicate our family’s morning routine is to put each step of our routine on this routine chart.
RELATED POST: School morning routine ideas to get kids out the door on time
After school routine
After school can be hectic, so having an after school routine goes a long way towards helping everyone transition from school mode to home mode.
Here are some things you can add to your after school routine:
- Empty school bags as soon as your kids enter the house
- Get changed and have a snack
- Spend 10 minutes talking about the day
- Have some downtime before bed, so everyone can end the day feeling calm
Evening routine
Evenings can be exhausting, but having an evening routine can turn your evenings from chaotic to calm.
Some things you can do as part of an evening routine include:
- Doing a quick speed clean
- Tidying the kitchen
- Putting things back where they belong
Next day prep routine
Preparing for the next day is one of my favourite things to do when it comes to organising your family.
Some things you can do to prepare for the next day include:
- Laying out clothing
- Looking at your family schedule or family calendar, to see what appointments, school activities, or tasks you need to prepare for
- Prepare any breakfast items that you can
- Placing keys, school bags, and school essentials by the front door
Meal planning routine
Having a meal planning routine in place means having a plan of the meals you’ll make over a dedicated amount of time, for example one week.
You can meal plan for more than one meal, like breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, or you can plan for a selected meal like dinners.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Choose a day to write your meal plan
- Decide where to write your meal plan, for example by using a meal planner, or a magnetic meal planner
- Go through your fridge, freezer, and pantry and make a list of what you can use for your meal plan
- Create a list of family favourites that you can rotate through
Cleaning routine
A simple cleaning routine can help you keep your home clean, without spending hours cleaning it.
Here are some cleaning tasks that you can include in a cleaning routine:
- Wipe down kitchen countertops
- Run the dishwasher at night
- Remove items that belong in another room
- Put cushions, remote controls, and gaming sets away
- Get children to help with age appropriate chores
Laundry routine
Here are some things you can do to make laundry part of your family routines:
- Keep your laundry in a laundry hamper close to where your family gets dressed
- Separate clothes by light and dark using a dividing laundry hamper
- Have set laundry days so you’re not doing laundry every day
Homework routine
Getting kids to do homework can be made much easier by setting up a homework routine, that includes:
- Doing homework at the same time every night
- Creating a dedicated homework station where homework gets done
- Breaking tasks up into manageable chunks with short breaks
Bedtime routine
A predictable bedtime routine can help the whole family get enough sleep to meet the next day’s challenges.
Here are some steps you can add to your family’s bedtime routine:
- Bath or shower
- Brushing teeth
- Getting into pyjamas
- Reading together
- Lights out at the same time every night, even on school holidays and weekends
Weekly family meeting routine
Weekly family meetings are a great way to check in to see how everyone is feeling, set some family goals, or plan ahead.
If starting family meetings is something you’re interested in, here are some things you can discuss during them:
- Upcoming activities and appointments
- Household chores and responsibilities
- How to celebrate special moments
Establishing weekly family meetings encourages communication, shared responsibility, and helps children feel involved in family life.
Weekend prep routine
I love preparing for the week ahead every Sunday night, which you can also do by:
- Clearing out your family command centre
- Reviewing the following week in your calendar and making a note of what you need for upcoming events, appointments, or tasks
- Preparing clothes, bags, and lunches for the week
How to maintain routines
Here are some ways to ensure any family daily routine you start is maintained:
- Start small – introduce one routine at a time, and when your family is comfortable with it introduce another one
- Stick to the steps in your routine and don’t vary them unless you absolutely have to
- Involve everyone – allow the whole family to contribute ideas and responsibilities to each routine, so they’re onboard
- Adjust if needed – family life changes overtime, so let your routines change with it
Family routines – a recap
When everyone knows what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and what their role is, family life becomes simpler.
When deciding which family routine to start, choose the ones that make the biggest difference in your current season of family life, which may be a simple morning routine, a consistent homework routine, or a weekend reset.
With a few routines in place you’ll be able to simplify family life, and spend more time doing the things you enjoy.
In case you missed it, here’s your free weekly meal planner and grocery list to help make family meal planning super simple.
Which one family routine do you want to start this week?
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