By T. Espinoza

You hit the snooze button one time too many and now you only have 25 minutes to go from groggy to gorgeous? This is the story of my life… perpetually tardy for the party. So how does one manage to get out the door quickly and still look great? Here are 8 tricks for getting up, getting fly and getting out the door…in 30 minutes or less!

1. Organize your closet. Hands down, one of the most effective ways to shave time off of your morning routine. Don’t know where to start? Check out this FREE e-book.
2. The night time is the right time: Free up precious morning minutes by getting things done the night before. Pick out two outfits (plus shoes and accessories) to avoid searching through your closet while you’re still half asleep. Check the local forecast to make sure your outfits are weather appropriate. I know that a morning shower can help wake you up but taking your shower at night frees up valuable time. Bonus: A nighttime shower will help you relax before bed and better sleep = easier mornings.
3. Be a bag lady: Okay, more like a pouch lady. Make switching purses a breeze by keeping your important items (keys, credit cards, ID, favorite lip color, etc.) in a small pouch or clutch that you can easily throw into your purse of choice. Now when you switch purses, you know you always have your essentials. Bonus: Transition from day to night by just ditching the purse and rocking the clutch.
4. If it ain’t broke:  We all have a few outfits that just…work. Once you’ve found an outfit you like, take a selfie and save it on your phone for future reference. Whenever you get the style ‘blahs’ you’ll already have your perfect outfit ready.
5. One and done: One of the easiest and most foolproof ways to get dressed and out the door quickly starts with one of my favorite items of clothing: the dress. Whether it’s an easy flowing maxi, a structured sheath or a figure-flattering wrap, once the dress is on just add shoes and accessories and you’re done. You can avoid having to iron by choosing a style in a wrinkle resistant jersey fabric.
6. Do double duty: Make your makeup work overtime for you by choosing products that can multitask. A BB or CC cream can give you buildable coverage, SPF protection, and will moisturize your skin. Eye shadow quads take the guess work out of matching shades, and a lip tint can be used to add color to your cheeks. Any of these multi-taskers will help speed up your routine.
7. For the really rough mornings: Hide your sleepy eyes behind a pair of chic shades and disheveled hair under a fly hat or wrap.
8. If all else fails: Wear an all black ensemble paired with colorful shoes and bold accessories.

What say you? How do you shave time off your morning routine?