My 3-Item Morning Coffee Setup
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If you’re curious about my current coffee obsession, these are the three things I use every morning:
The Coffee Stop That Never Happens
I have never had time to stop for coffee on my way to work.
Nearly 2 years into a new job and I drive by not one but two Dunkin’ Donuts on my way to work. It’s not that I don’t have access, it’s that I mentally do not have the capacity to make one more stop on my way to work. My brain is already on fire with things I have to do before the studio fills with kids for before-school tasks and the bell for first period rings to start the sprint of the day.
I can’t even tell you how many nights I have thought to myself: I’m going to make some time for myself and stop for coffee before work tomorrow.
It’s not even about the coffee—it’s about the act of choosing to do something nice for myself to start the day. Holding that cup of java that someone else poured feels luxurious when your day revolves around caring for everyone else.
These days, that luxury looks a little different. It looks like a homemade iced coffee sitting next to the lunch bag I drag back and forth to school every day. (I’ve had this lunch box for over 8 years, so the linked option is the same brand but clearly an upgrade. It’s machine washable and seemingly indestructible.)
But the simple fact is: I’ve never made the time to stop for coffee, and I needed to find a different form of self-care before the caretaking started.
My Current Coffee Obsession
This past weekend, I restocked my cold brew made-at-home coffee needs. I bought two Chameleon Cold Brew flavors and my favorite cold brew add-in: Premier Caramel Protein Shakes.
I had forgotten I bought these glasses with lids last year.
I’m not really a fan of drinking coffee from a tumbler (I don’t know why—I think it tastes better out of glass). I’m one of those type C moms that drives with one hand on the steering wheel, another artfully maneuvering bumps in the road with a steaming hot cup of coffee in a kitchen mug in the other.
The glass is thick and keeps the ice for longer than you’d expect.
This has become the perfect addition to my morning routine that gets me out the door feeling like I took literally two minutes to give myself a life. Something to look forward to.
If you’ve read my post about The Day I Threw Away 20 Years of Planners, you’ll know I have spent years chasing systems that make life feel easier. Lately, this tiny coffee routine has become one of those systems.
The Cost Breakdown
It’s a huge money saver, also.
The cold brew and protein shakes (you can use whatever milk or creamer you like) might seem pricey up front, but when you break it down, it’s a bargain.
One bottle of Chameleon Cold Brew costs about $10 and lasts me roughly a week.
I use about half of a Premier Protein Shake in each coffee, so I go through only about 2–2.5 shakes per week.
My total weekly cost comes out to approximately $15–$16.25 for five workday coffees, which means each coffee costs me about $3.00–$3.25.
Compare that to stopping for a large cold brew every workday at approximately $4.50–$6.00 each. That would cost roughly $22.50–$30 per week.
By making coffee at home, I’m saving approximately $7–$15 every week,.
Not bad for a routine that takes less than two minutes and saves me up to $600 over the course of a school year.
Apparently I’m Six Years Late to the Trend
One of my students saw my cold brew this week and said, “Oh, that’s so 2020 of you. Everyone was making iced coffees at home on TikTok during Covid.”
I have zero recollection of this, but I’ll take it as proof that it has stood the test of time.
I’m here six years later making coffee at home.
The Real Takeaway
For me, this isn’t really about coffee.
It’s about finding a version of self-care that actually fits my life.
As a busy working mom, self-care takes on different forms on different days. The mantra remains the same: grace not perfection.
I have yet to become the person who leisurely stops for coffee every morning before work. But I could become the person who spends two minutes making herself something she enjoys before the day begins.
And right now, that’s enough.
A lot of the systems I write about on Spruceprints—from my Weekend Reset Routine for Busy Moms to my Drop Zone System for Busy Families (coming soon!) to the Laundry Systems I’d Recreate in Any Home—exist for the same reason: to remove friction from everyday life.
This coffee routine belongs on that list.
This post is brought to you by more java than I care to share.
Make yourself a cold brew and enjoy.
Shop My Morning Coffee Routine
Glass Iced Coffee Cup with Lid and Straw
The glass that accidentally turned into part of my morning routine. Somehow coffee just tastes better out of glass.
Chameleon Cold Brew
The shortcut that lets me have coffee before work without adding another stop to my morning.
Premier Protein Caramel Shake
The ingredient that makes this feel more like a coffee shop drink and less like something I threw together before first period.
More Systems for Busy Moms
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
- Weekend Reset Routine for Busy Moms
- The Day I Threw Away 20 Years of Planners
- Drop Zone System for Busy Families (coming soon!)
- Laundry Systems I’d Recreate in Any Home
Spruceprints 