Secrets To Getting Dressed On Time!

Are you always the last one to get dressed? Have your tardiness ever had you running down a car with an impatient driver…such as your husband? Do your kids soil their outfits before you even finish putting on yours? Ladies, if you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, please read on.

On a regular work morning between dressing, making breakfast, and if there’s children involve—getting them ready too, it’s a miracle when you get to your job ten minutes late. But when you have to get dressed for special occasions such as date-nights, anniversaries, dinner parties and the likes, the difficulty level of the process triples. Why? Well, you have to put more glam in your “glamorous” of course…which only agitates your waiting party. Women want to reach the destination looking and feeling beautiful. Men just want to get there before the food is finished. OK, OK. Men want to arrive on time. So, how can you make a win-win situation out of this getting-dressed-saga? Here are a few tips.

Prep & Prep Again
Prep as much as possible. Be it the night before, or a week in advance. Make sure the clothes you and your family need is selected, washed, and ironed. Pick the shoes and matching accessories that will complement the chosen outfits. When practical, groom your hair the night before. The kids more often than not, will throw a tantrum about which outfit they hate and which is their favorite, so give them enough time to be selective. Get pass the does-this-dress-make-me-look-fat stage from the previous night so on the given day, your “I’m-so-sexy-dress” will be ready for action. The same applies to preparing meals. The night before, set out items you will use for meal preparation as well as marinade and precook whatever you can in order to save time. “Get ready; be prepared…” (Ezekiel 38:7)

Work the Sitter
If the children won’t be coming to the outing, have the babysitter arrive a half hour early. This way you won’t have to worry about a late sitter making you late. If the kids are coming, still have the sitter come in early so you’ll have the extra help getting the kids ready. If there is no access to a sitter or it’s too costly, feel free to call over your mom or a friend to help with the getting dressed routine. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Face the Fact
Ladies, stop lying to yourself. If you know you take forever to get ready, give yourself enough time. It’s a good thing to set goals and be ambitious, but being realistic saves time. Stop giving yourself twenty minutes to get dressed, when you know you need an hour and a half. So what if your husband can knock out this getting-dressed-ordeal in fifteen minutes. He may take five hours to cook a half hour meal. Everyone is gifted in their own areas. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well…” (Romans 12:6)

What are your tips to getting dressed on time?