Set the alarm clock for 6:57 am

How to use the online alarm clock

While getting the newspaper bundle, delivery bag and house list ready, set the alarm for 6:57 am so it sounds before the round needs to begin. That leaves a brief margin before 7:00 am for putting on a coat, checking the first terrace address and placing the papers where they are easy to pick up. Preparing now avoids searching for keys or gloves when it is time to leave.

Before taking the newspapers outside, check where the alarm sound will actually play. Wireless earphones may still be connected even after being put in a pocket or left in another room, making the alert easy to miss. Disconnect them or test the sound through the phone or computer speakers at a sensible level. The alarm cannot safeguard the newspaper delivery if the browser stops running or the equipment falls asleep, so keep everything awake until 6:57 am.

A newspaper route through terraced streets can look quick on a map yet take longer once repeated gates, steps and letterboxes are included. At this early hour, allow for dark side roads, parked cars narrowing the way and damp pavements common on British mornings. Estimate the journey using the actual sequence of houses, then leave a small buffer for crossing roads and carrying the bundle between terraces.