9 Evening Routine Checklist Habits to Help You Unwind
As busy moms, our days are often go, go, go.
We manage meals, juggle school pickups, work, and everything in between. The mental load of motherhood can be overwhelming. By the time the evening rolls around, it can feel like there’s no time left to unwind. Sound familiar? If you’d like more calm and less chaos at the end of your day, an evening routine checklist may be just what you need. It’s not about adding more to your plate—it’s about creating a routine that works for you, helping you unwind, recharge, and set yourself up ready to tackle tomorrow.
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Evening Routine Checklist
Last week I shared my morning routine checklist, and this week I’m sharing my evening routine checklist. In case you don’t have time to read the whole post (I know how it is!), feel free to jump to the items you want to learn more about.
Unwind with these evening routine checklist habits
The following habits are part of the evening routine checklist that I follow most days. They help me feel present with my children, but also allow me some time to unwind at the end of the day.
1. Family dinner
My husband and I don’t have a set routine for cooking. It depends on who has what going on. He’s better than me at putting together a quick meal, so lately he’s been doing more of the cooking. I like to follow a recipe and need to prepare more in advance to make sure I have the ingredients that I need.
No matter who cooks the dinner, we sit at our kitchen table and eat dinner as a family. This is one of the favorite parts of my day. I am fully present with my girls, and they are eager to tell us about their days. I like to ask them questions that spark conversation, such as “What is the best thing that happened today?” and “What is one thing you learned today?” Some days they are more talkative than others, but they’re usually excited to share something that happened at school each day.
2. Dishes and other cleanup
After finishing dinner, the next item on our evening routine checklist is dishes and other cleanup. My husband tackles the dishes while I clean the floors and do some other tidying up. I do most of my weekly cleaning schedule tasks in the morning, but I do feel better knowing that the house is relatively clean when I’m going up to bed even if the house is going to be messy again the next day.
3. Relaxing family time
Before heading upstairs for bed, we like to relax and cuddle with the kids on the couch. We usually watch some TV, read, or play a board game. We try to keep the activity calming, since it’s a lot harder for the girls to fall asleep when they’re all riled up from running around.
4. Next day prep
Once we’re upstairs, I like to do some preparations for the next day. I set out clothes for my morning workout so it’s one less thing I have to do in the morning. If my girls have to dress a certain way the next day, such as wearing a school spirit shirt, I also set that out so we don’t forget about it in the morning. Eventually I’d like to get to the point of always setting out my daughters’ clothes the night before to make the morning easier, but we haven’t gotten there yet.
5. Kids’ bedtime prep
The next item on our evening routine checklist is getting the kids ready for bed. Daily, that’s getting them into their pajamas and helping them brush their teeth. We also bathe them a couple times a week.
This tends to be the more stressful part of the evening. I know I’m so close to my own relaxation time, so I just want them sleeping! There are times that the girls just push back on getting ready for bed. They like to horse around, play hide and seek, and just stall. I try to stay calm and move them along, but that’s not always easy!
6. Bedtime story
Once the girls are ready for bed, my husband and I split off. I usually finish our older daughter’s routine with her, and he finishes our younger daughter’s routine. This is another part of our evening routine checklist that I absolutely love. My daughter and I cuddle up in bed and read together. Most of the time I read her a few chapters in whatever book we’re reading. Some of our recent favorites are Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sometimes she reads to me.
I love reading myself, so I try to foster a love of reading in my daughter. It’s so rewarding when she laughs or gets excited about something that happens in a book. Once we’re done reading, we say goodnight!
7. Personal self-care routine
Once the kids are sleeping I can finally let out a breath and have some time to myself. I start with my own routine for getting ready for bed. At a minimum I brush my teeth and wash my face. When I have more time and energy I use the Honest Beauty Moisturizing Trio. It comes with Honest’s Gentle Gel Cleanser, Green Juice Antioxidant Serum, and Hydrogel Cream. My face feels so clean and soft once I’m done!
8. Personal relaxation time
My favorite way to relax at the end of the day is to read on my Kindle. The Kindle Paperwhite uses a warm light, so it’s easy on the eyes before bedtime. I love reading because it gives me an escape from the day. It also helps me unwind and be ready to fall asleep.
On Friday and Saturday nights, my husband and I also relax by watching some TV together after the kids go to bed. We love mindless reality shows, basically anything on Bravo!
9. Lights out
After some relaxation, it’s time for sleep. I aim for 7 hours of sleep a night. My alarm goes off at 5:30am most days, so I usually turn off the lights by 10:30pm.
Benefits of an evening routine checklist
There are many benefits of using an evening routine checklist, especially if you’re a busy mom!
- Lower stress: Having a regular evening routine can help you feel less overwhelmed with more energy at the end of the day.
- Better sleep: An evening routine can help you wind down and relax, allowing you to fall asleep quicker and get more rest.
- More productive: By doing some preparations for the next day, you’ll feel more in control when you wake up, and ready to tackle the day.
- Prioritize self-care: An evening routine checklist helps you carve out some self-care time, such as for reading or skincare, making sure that you don’t forget to take care of yourself.
- More consistency: Repeating an evening routine can provide more structure and consistency at the end of the day for both you and your family, helping you feel like a more organized mom.
An evening routine checklist can be a game-changer for busy moms.
By having a plan in place, you’ll find it easier to manage your responsibilities, unwind, and even make time for a little self-care. As a busy mom, you deserve that moment of peace before bedtime. Start small, adjust your evening routine checklist as needed, and soon enough, you’ll be ending your days with more calm and less chaos.
