Things I Do In My Night Routine That Set Me Up For A Great Morning

I talk about routines on the blog pretty regularly. I love my routines, but they’re nothing special. Anyone can do them! (I actually watch a lot of morning and night routines on YouTube and TikTok, so I try and get ideas from these videos.)

I actually didn’t realize I even had a structured night routine until I thought about writing this post. That’s the thing about routines, or I’d rather say, rhythms. They should be flexible, adjustable, and have a good flow.

These are things that I do in my “night routine,” or things I do in the evening to not only wind down for bedtime, but also set me up for a great morning and next day.

Do The Dishes.

Okay, maybe I’m not the best at this and I don’t do it every single night, but I almost always try to have an empty sink when I go to bed. Not only do the dishes smell (yuck!), but when you wake up and walk past the sink to your coffee maker, you aren’t distracted by a heaping pile of dirty dishes in your sink. Personally, doing dishes is a form of therapy where I can not only be alone with my thoughts but decompress from the day.

Wash My Face & Skincare!

I’m not the type of person to have a 12-step skincare routine. I barely know what a serum or retinol does to your skin. However, as I’m getting older, I am realizing that I need to take better care of my skin. I use the Cetaphil Facial Moisturizer in the morning, right before I put on my makeup, and I use an overnight moisturizer mask that I put on right before bedtime. And I always, always wash my face.

Tidy Up My Apartment.

I don’t pull a Mary Poppins and start dusting the floorboards, but just like with the dishes, I always try to tidy up my living spaces. This includes tidying up the shoes by my front door, straightening the pillows on my couch, and pushing in any chairs that I used throughout the day. I also sometimes wipe down the kitchen counters after cooking dinner and take out any trash that’s overflowing. I’ve loved doing this because the next morning, when I walk by my living area on the way to the coffee maker in the kitchen, I don’t feel as stressed.

Read.

I am TRYING to not be on my screen right before I go to sleep, but I’m not perfect. However, I’m really trying to make it a habit (especially in the new year) to read at least a chapter—and some nights, not even a chapter if that’s all I have energy for—a night. I have a big reading goal of reading 50 books this year and reading every night before bed can definitely contribute to that.

Journal.

The overall idea of this post is night routine essentials to set me up for a great morning, and journaling has definitely helped me go to sleep happy, peaceful, and overall, healthy. Not only does it get me off the phone screen, it allows me to reflect on the day before and the day ahead.

AND THAT’S IT! These aren’t the only things I do in my night routine, but just some of the things I’ve been doing lately. What are things that you do to unwind before bed and set you up for a great morning?