Rinsing & Repeating Lately

14 things to make life easier

Today's post is not behind the paywall thanks to our friends at Brooklinen. Thank you, Brooklinen! Shop the internet's favorite sheets, on sale now for Sleep Week.

At this stage in life - three kids, a farm, work, and attempting to get out the door looking pulled together - I’ve realized that simplicity is my best friend. I don’t have time for decision fatigue or reinventing the wheel every day. So, I rely on a few core things that I rinse and repeat to keep life running as smoothly as possible. Because when life is full, the last thing I need is to over-complicate it. Here are some of the habits, strategies, and shortcuts I keep coming back to because they work:

1. The Same Breakfast Options Every Morning
For me, for the girls and Jack. This eliminates the chaos of “What do you want?” followed by 20 different answers. It’s either eggs and avocado toast, yogurt, granola and berries or a smoothie, and everyone knows the drill. On weekends we shake it up.

2. A No-Fail Outfit Formula for All
Denim and a great sweater, and an oversized blazer or coat (for example). With my life, I can’t spend precious time overthinking every outfit. I fine-tune my basics, play in my closet when I do have the time, wear what feels good and go on with my day. And same for the children. They each have their favorite comfy outfits, and I stock up on them. Fewer morning meltdowns, and they feel good in what they’re wearing. A win-win.

3. Saving Outfit Pics for Future Reference to Rinse and Repeat
When I put together a look I love, I snap a quick photo and save it to an outfit folder. The next time I’m in a style rut, I can scroll through instead of standing in front of my closet feeling lost. I do the same with outfit inspiration from the internet - if I see something I love, I screenshot it and add it to the folder. Instant inspo!

4. The 5-Minute Face
Concealer, bronzer, blush, brows, mascara, and lipstick with a glow. I’ve done this enough times that I can do it in my sleep, and it makes me feel pulled together. Bonus: I thoroughly enjoy doing it, a little meditation.

5. The “Never Empty Hands” Rule
If I’m walking from one room to another, I grab something that needs to be put away. It’s like passive cleaning - I barely notice I’m doing it, but things magically stay tidier. “Leave every room nicer than you found it” mentality.

6. Habit Stack my Cardio
When I’m on the ClimbMill, I habit stack it with work emails and work tasks. Sometimes, I even write this newsletter while getting my heart rate up. The result: 30 minutes of cardio flies by and I powered through a bunch of work in the process.

7. The Morning Straighten
I do a 15-minute house straightening every morning after drop-off. First, I make our bed - not just to start the day with a sense of order and a calm mind, but also for the joy of slipping into my Brooklinen made bed at night. Next, I make the girls’ beds, tackle their getting-dressed hurricane clothing pile, open every window treatment and power through the kitchen cleanup. Tidy, reset with a clean house for the day, and ready for the next mess.

8. Meal Planning
I don’t do a big Sunday meal prep, but I do plan and keep a list in my notes app of everything I plan to cook along with the ingredients I’ll need (see #10). This usually involves a browse through my cookbooks, favorite apps and/or recipe folder and cross-checking the fridge/pantry which is something I genuinely enjoy doing. I shop twice a week - once on Wednesday and once on the weekend, with quick stops for fresh protein in between. This structure keeps me inspired, prepared, and makes pulling together quick, healthy meals so much easier.

9. One Signature Dinner That’s Always on Rotation
For me, it’s a sheet-pan situation. Roast a protein, throw in some veggies, done (this lately). It’s predictable, easy, and requires zero mental gymnastics at 5 PM.

10. Keeping a Default Grocery List
I keep a running grocery list in my notes app for the two stores I frequent, making restocking effortless. It includes the ingredients I need for planned meals, staples we always have on hand - milk, eggs, fruit, snacks for the kids - and one-off items we run out of but use regularly, like paprika, chickpeas, or a good salad dressing. I simply check things off as I go, ensuring I never forget anything or run out of what we need.

11. Default Out-the-Door Grab Bag
There’s a little pouch in my bag that always has lip balm, hand sanitizer, Jack's diaper needs, a snack for the girls, and whatever else I reach for constantly. It moves from bag to bag so I’m never caught without the essentials.

12. Auto-Refills for Things I Always Use
Diapers, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, dog food - the things we reach for daily are on auto-ship. One less thing to remember, one less emergency grocery run. Obvious? Yes. But super helpful with streamlining.

13. Buying in Multiples
If I love something and use it daily, I buy extras. My favorite lipstick shade? There’s one in my car and bag. Kids favorite snacks? We’ve got a supply. The girls go-to leggings? We have multiple. Also: gifts for birthday parties. I always have a stock so there’s no Saturday rush before a party. Saves time, saves sanity.

14. A Weekly Brain Dump
I grab a notebook and write out everything swirling in my brain - work, kids, house, farm, personal things. It clears my mind and gives me a game plan.

The theme here? Make life easier, not harder. I’ll keep rinsing and repeating these until they stop working - or until I find an even better one. What are your rinse and repeats?