The Best Evening Routine: 20 Nightly Routine Ideas

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After a long day, it’s easy to check out in the evening. Especially after the kids have gone to bed.

I love relaxing at night, but I also try to follow a simple evening routine that helps set myself up for success the next day.

I used to wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes every day. In order to eat breakfast I had to dig through a sink full of dirty dishes so that I could wash a bowl for my cereal.

One day, I finally had enough of doing this every day. So the first evening routine idea that I added to my checklist was to wash the dishes every night after supper.

Then I added to the checklist.

Now, I’ve added a few other key things to my evening routine which help me practice self care and be productive even at night.

Routines make your life easier by putting daily habits on autopilot. That way you get important tasks done instead of always feeling behind.

Before making an evening routine

As you decided what will be part of your nightly routine, ask yourself these questions.

  • What does your family need in the morning?
  • What household tasks need to be done each evening?
  • What are you doing in the morning that you could be doing the night before?
  • What self care habits do you need to do before bed?
  • What time do you need to be in bed in order to get enough sleep?

Decide what you want to wake up to in the morning.

Maybe you would like to wake up to a clean kitchen, your lunch already made, and a tidy living room.

Those are the things you’ll need to include in your nightly routine.

Have a realistic routine.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many tasks to get done. If you have never followed a routine at night before, just start with 1 new habit.

Maybe it’s dishes. Challenge yourself to get the dishes done every evening before you go to bed. Once that becomes a habit, try adding something else to your routine.

I started out by simply cleaning up my kitchen every night before bed. Then as that became a habit, I started doing the following things.

The Best Evening Routine 

Clean up the kitchen after dinner.

One of the best habits I started doing was to clean up the kitchen every evening. I wash all the dishes, wipe down the countertops, and sweep the floor.

This way, I wake up to a clean kitchen the next morning. It signifies a fresh start to the day, and I don’t have to take care of messes leftover from the previous night.

Pack your lunch and bags for the next day.

If you have kids or need to be to work or some other event the next day, get all your things ready the night before.

Then you won’t be running late the next morning.

Have a plan for tomorrow’s breakfast.

It’s also a good idea to know what you will have for breakfast the following day. Set out what you can on the countertops so that you only have to pull out a few things from the fridge.

Currently we are following a breakfast rotation that works well:

Monday: cereal and fruit

Tuesday: baked muffins or quick bread and fruit

Wednesday: smoothies and toast

Thursday: waffles or pancakes and fruit

Friday: oatmeal

Following this weekly plan means I never have to think about what we will eat for breakfast and I can simply get the food ready the night before.

I also get my coffee pot ready to go the night before. In the morning, all I have to do is turn it on.

Tidy up the main living spaces.

Before your kids go to bed, they can help you quickly put things away that are out of place. I like to have my kids put away anything that belongs to them: shoes, toys, bag.

Tidying up each night means you’ll have a neat home to wake up to and less of a mess at the end of the week.

Practice good personal hygiene.

I know how easy it is to want to plop in bed at night and skip your personal hygiene. However, you’ll feel better and even sleep better if you take a few minutes to brush your teeth and wash your face.

Stay off electronics right before bed.

If you want to have a productive evening, stay off of social media and turn off the TV. The best time to stay off electronics is right before you go to bed.

I always fall asleep faster when I stay off my phone for at least 20 minutes before bed. This is when I practice my personal hygiene and read a little from my book.

Evening Routine Checklist

  1. Wash dishes
  2. Wipe down countertops
  3. Sweep kitchen
  4. Clean dining room
  5. Have a plan for breakfast the next day
  6. Get the coffee pot ready for the morning
  7. Put laundry away
  8. Quick tidy up of main living spaces
  9. Pack school or work bags
  10. Lay out clothes and shoes for the next day
  11. Pack lunches
  12. Make a to-do list for the next day
  13. Go for a walk outside.
  14. Spend time with spouse after the kids go to bed
  15. Brush teeth
  16. Floss teeth
  17. Wash face
  18. Moisturize face
  19. Apply lotion
  20. Read a book or the Bible
  21. Add to your daily gratitude list

Download a free Evening Routine Checklist Printable

Once your evening routine is figured out, be sure to establish a morning routine as well. Both of these habits will increase your productivity.

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