7 TIPS FOR KEEPING A CLEAN HOME (WITH KIDS)

One thing I’ve learned about cleaning is that it is important to have the right perspective. There are days when I feel like I will never be able to keep up with the mess. It seems as though it is going to consume me… I feel overwhelmed and the last thing I want to do is clean up everyone else’s mess. Can anyone relate?

A Better Perspective

Then there are those moments after I’ve finished putting my children’s laundry away, the floor is picked up, everything is in order and I can cuddle with Lanae (my two year old) and read her a story. Those moments are peaceful and relaxing. I feel like I’ve accomplished something. I also feel like I created a space that is calm and inviting for my family. That's when I realize that keeping the house clean is all about service. Cleaning is one way that I can show love for my family.

Cleaning is turning chaos into beauty. This is so important for me because I do NOT function well in chaos. I love having a crisp, clean table with a beautiful centerpiece in the middle. Something simple and pretty to look at throughout the day cheers me up and makes me smile. 

A clean house feeds children’s creativity. I believe that the mind is inspired by what surrounds you. I can’t cook in a messy kitchen and I have a hard time giving my daughter 100% of my attention if I’m distracted by the mess on the table, or tripping on shoes and toys. Even though kids like to make messes, it can be hard for them to concentrate and create if they are surrounded by messes constantly. I honestly don't think Lanae would be able to create a "house" out of books to sit in and read, if the room was cluttered with other toys.

TIPS

Here are some tips that I’ve found to help me keep a better perspective and manage all the cleaning that needs to be done around our house. I am in no way saying that my house is always perfectly clean… but I feel like it is manageable (most of the time).

Tip #1: Everything has a place: You know it and your kids know it. I realized this was important last summer, when Lanae was 20 months old. She threw a fit because in my rush to clean up, I accidentally put a bunny in the domino bin, and of course, that’s just not okay. I realized that I had subconsciously taught that everything has a place. And in teaching her that simple lesson, she was able to feel confident in cleaning up her own toys. Now, throwing a fit didn’t help, so I had to teach her some coping strategies… But it certainly helps kids to understand where things belong if they are going to be responsible for putting them away.

Tip #2: Special toys: In our home some toys are free game—like books, stuffed animals, dress-up, legos, building blocks and Dad’s old race car track that my little girl loves. But we also have special toys that we keep in bins on the shelves. I have taught my kids that they have to ask to play with these toys and they can only have one bin out at a time. Which is great because it requires that they clean up as they go…

Toys that I keep in bins are:

smaller toys that I don’t want left all over the house for my baby to choke on

messy toys like play dough that I need to monitor closely so they don’t get stuck in the carpet... or eaten

educational toys that I want my kids to be excited to play with so that they don’t lose their novelty, like sensory bins, etc.

Tip #3: 15 minute sweep: This is something that takes some time to make a habit. But once it becomes a part of the everyday routine its wonderful. After dinner, everyone, even Daddy, takes about 15 minutes to pick up the living room, dining room and bedrooms. Toys get picked up, blankets folded, everything gets quickly tidied. On a good night, I’ll get the dishwasher loaded and running, too. Mornings are about ten times easier and a million times more pleasant if they start out clean.

Tip #4: Designate a specific “housekeeping” time: Planning ahead almost always saves time later. For those everyday projects, set aside a little time each day so that the mess doesn’t build up. I like to have a list of what I want to accomplish during my cleaning time. I have found that this helps me be more productive during the day. My designated cleaning time is right after breakfast. I clean up the table and the kitchen so it is ready for me to make new messes as I prep lunch and dinner later in the day. (Unless I can find a way to use my crockpot and just get breakfast and dinner messes out of the way all at once. I love those days!) I also sweep and vacuum most days because I have a 10 month old who likes to eat all the snacks that he hid on the floor for later. Getting a load of laundry done early is nice, too. This decreases the amount of work to be done and helps mom be a little less irritable and enjoy having a clean house for the rest of the day… J Right.

Tip #5: Let it be: After you’ve finished your “housekeeping” try to let little things go (I have a hard time with this one sometimes). Try to focus your time and energy on your children, work and if you are lucky a little free time for yourself. I rarely get to the last one, but you can always hope!

Tip #6: Let the kiddos help: Ask your children to help clean up their toys… they made the mess, they need to be responsible for at least helping clean it up. In addition, give your kids little jobs that they are in charge of. No kid is too young. My 2 year old has a couple of jobs that she loves: setting the table, emptying the dishwasher and helping fold laundry. Of course, I have to have slightly lower expectations when my 2 year old sets the table. But it’s totally worth it… This may be weird, but I find that I’m able to have a lot of real amazing teaching moments when Lanae is helping me clean. She loves to help clean because I always praise her up and down and tell her how much I love it!

Tip #7: Make it fun: There are days when I feel like I’m constantly saying, “Clean up your toys!” in an irritated tone. However, I have found that my kids respond much better if I make it a game. How many blocks can you toss in the basket? Who can put the books on the shelf the fastest? Making it fun will decrease the headache…

Again, I want to clarify that my house is not always clean, I promise. But I’ve learned that there are things that I can do to keep sane and organized. It is definitely much more manageable if I make an effort each day to do the little things that make a house, a home.

And you can do the same.

Take it one day at a time.