Do you look at your house at the end of the day and feel like an explosion has happened? Is it impossible to keep up any standards of tidiness and cleanliness with young children in the home? It can be a considerable challenge to create and maintain an organized, clean house when you are taking care of kids. You probably don’t have much time or energy left to look after the house.
But there are some tricks you can use to keep your space neater and cleaner – even when the kids are running around in it all day. Here are some ideas for small, actionable tasks that you can complete every day to help make your house a better place to live.
7 Top Tips for a Cleaner House with Little Kids
1. Clear the Decks
Look down – can you actually see your floor? If you can’t, you may need to do a quick declutter first. Then, assess how easy your floor is to clean and keep maintained. It is a good idea to invest in an easy-to-care-for flooring, so you minimize the time you spend cleaning it. For example, laminate flooring is hard-wearing and waterproof and able to withstand life with young kids. Laminate floors just need a quick wipe with a damp mop to keep them looking good.
2. Minimize and Declutter
The less stuff you have, the less you have to clean! It’s a simple and life-changing mantra for moms with little time and a messy house. Decide to streamline your home to the essentials and the elements you love. Send the kids to the babysitter or grandma’s and get to work. Declutter and recycle or donate any items you no longer use. Clear out kids’ toys that haven’t been played with for years. Check out our top tips to clear the clutter one and for all.
3. Put Storage Containers in Every Room
Use cheap baskets, boxes or crates in every single room of the house. These containers make it easy to scoop up stuff and simply deposit it in a box. It is much quicker than having to open drawers or store things in hard-to-reach cupboards. You can do a sweep of the room after the kids have gone to bed, putting related items into separate boxes.
4. Set Up a Cleaning Schedule
It can be extremely daunting to look at cleaning the whole house without a plan. A cleaning schedule is essential when you have little kids. Break down the tasks into manageable amounts that you can complete every day. You should only spend around 30 minutes each day on your designated tasks in order to keep everything looking presentable.
5. Just One Laundry Load a Day
Don’t do it all at once! One of our favourite tips is to deal with laundry on a daily basis. Get into the habit of putting a load in every morning or each night. It’ll only take a few minutes to put clothes in and then switch them to the dryer, and around 10 minutes to put the clothes away.
6. Make Sure You Make Your Bed!
Did you know that making your bed every morning leads to greater productivity and happiness? Add this simple habit to your routine and see the difference. When you make your bed, you feel like you have accomplished an important task, and that will inspire you to continue accomplishing throughout the day. And get your kids making their beds too!
7. Do a 15-Minute Sweep
At the end of the day, set a timer for 15 minutes and do a rapid tidy-up of the living room and playroom. Put toys in their boxes and crates, fix the rugs and the cushions, and move anything that’s in the wrong place into the right room. It’ll make your space look lovely for the morning.
These simple hacks will make your life easier and enable you to keep a cleaner and tidier home. Don’t let little kids get in the way of a neat house! You can rise to the challenge with these tips. And don’t be too hard on yourself. Your best is always good enough.