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How I Get Out of the House in Just 20 Minutes Every Morning

Published on 9/30/2016 at 3:00 AM

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POPSUGAR Photography | Sheila Gim

I have two trains I can take to work, and they are 30 minutes apart. The walk to the train is 10 minutes; the ride itself, assuming nothing breaks down, which it usually does, is 45; and then the walk from the train, after you've pushed your way off the train and through the station, is 24. On an absolutely perfect day, when the sun is shining and every commuter exhibits stellar decorum, I can get door to door in one hour and 19 minutes. The point is not for you to feel bad for me, rather, to justify why after my alarm clock goes off I only give myself 20 minutes to leave the house.

When I tell people this — that I get ready in 20 minutes — they think I'm only mentioning some portion of my morning. Getting out of bed, perhaps. But no, from the time my iPhone beeps at me to the time I'm kissing my dog goodbye and heading out the door, 20 minutes has elapsed. Find out how I manage up ahead.

Set the coffee pot the night before

I cannot get it together in the morning, so an immediate cup of coffee is necessary. To save the three minutes it normally takes, I grind the beans and set up the coffee pot the night before. That way, as soon as I wake up, I stumble into the kitchen and press "on."

Keep makeup vanity minimal and clutter-free

Once I have my coffee in hand, I head to my vanity area and get my face ready. By having an organized and clean surface area, I'm able to grab exactly what I need. I start with Clinique Pep Start, which brightens my eyes, and apply Clinique Hydroblur moisturizer to the rest of my face (it's super lightweight). Then I finish with under-eye concealer and mascara. This usually takes a maximum of four minutes.

Sleep with my hair in a bun if it's wet

My hair is naturally wavy and frizzy, and I don't wash it every day, but when I do, I wash my hair at night. Then, I wrap it up in a bun and finish with a light hair spray. I sleep on it that way. In the morning, I unwrap and lightly shake out the hair at my roots to add volume. This process usually takes two to three minutes. If I don't like the way my hair has fallen, I may put it half up, in which case hair can take up to five minutes.

Create a capsule wardrobe for the week

My closet can be overwhelming, so to make my mornings easy, I pull out five to seven pieces I'm interested in wearing every Sunday. I set them in the front of my hanging closet so that I can see them easily. Once I've had my coffee and finished with hair and makeup, I slide open my closet and grab the first thing I see. I know I'll like it because I've spent the time thinking about the pieces the Sunday before.