Sometimes the morning rush hour of out the door for school is more hectic and stressful than bumper-to-bumper traffic. Between breakfast and brushed teeth and homework in the backpack, hairstyling often takes a backseat but it doesn’t have to. We’ve got 5 stress-free time-saving tips to help you get your kids ready for school fast and keep your morning sanity (and your kids from looking like a wreck when they walk out the door).

1. Shower the night before. Imagine a morning when no one is arguing over hot water or pounding on bathroom doors yelling, “Hurry up!” Bump bath and shower time into the evening routine. Not only a great way to relax and get ready for bed, it means the kids are never heading out the door in the morning with wet hair. Once they get out of the shower, add a little detangler or leave-in conditioner and comb through hair with a wide-toothed comb. It will make all the difference in the morning when hair is soft and tangle-free.

2. Keep all hair gear in one place. Determine a logical spot in the house (perhaps the bathroom closest to the door or the kitchen) to keep brushes, combs, accessories and styling products all together for the kids. This way, everybody always knows where to find everything and you can quickly style or supervise while you’re buttering toast.

3. Learn a few cute easy hairstyles. Having a few quick and easy styles in your arsenal will make mornings easy. On a quiet weeknight or Sunday morning, try out some of the five minute styles (really, five minutes!) from my book, Cozy’s Complete Guide to Girls Hair, like the double twist or basic bun. Choose your favorites fast hairstyles and write them down and post them on the inside of the cupboard door where you store your hair gear. Rotate through them or pick one the night before to cut down on any time-sucking indecision in the morning.

4. Use products on the go. For kids who are old enough to take care of their own hair (even on the way to school), slip hair care must-haves into their backpacks. They can combat static cling or frizzies all on their own. Pick up travel-sized spray bottles and fill them with your favorite stylers, then pop them in a Ziploc bag along with bobby pins, hair clips and a few elastics. It’s like a hair First Aid Kit at the ready!

5. Loose braids or ponies for long hair. You’ll thank yourself a thousand times for this tip if you’ve got kids with long hair. Before bed (and after that shower), comb in some detangler or leave-in conditioner then put hair in a ponytail or loose braid before sleep. Tossing and turning all night won’t matter at all, and (bonus!) wet-braided hair results in cute waves the next morning! All you need in the morning is a dab of styling cream to fight any frizz.

Try these tips and you just might have enough time to enjoy a second cup of coffee before starting your day. Imagine that!

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