Keeping a clean house with there are kids around can be a struggle. The younger the kids, usually the bigger messes they create. If you put a plan in place to keep the house tidy, however, it can be much easier to keep up with the mess. This can reduce a lot of stress on you as a parent. Here are a few things you should consider doing.
Designated Home Storage
If everything in the house has a proper place, it is easier to make sure those things get back to that place by the end of the day. You may even want to create labels so the kids can not only see where things go, but it will help with reading skills as well. Having designated storage in the home will ensure that things look less cluttered when everything is put up. Remember to create places for toys that the kids can get to so they can put their own toys away.
Utilize Outside Storage
With so many toys in the home that your kids love to spend time with, finding a storage place for all of them can become daunting. If you store some of these toys outside the home in a self-storage facility, you can help declutter the house. While these toys are still loved and definitely usable, you can switch out those toys in storage with the ones in the house every few months. This way, the kids get to use all of their favorite toys but there aren’t so many to try to put up every day.
Make Daily Rounds
You might want to get up a few minutes before the kids wake up or stay up a few minutes after they go to bed. Even nap time can be utilized to spend some time walking the house. Things that are out of place or left out can be put up without kids wanting to leave them out. It won’t take long to find a cleaning routine that will allow you to get the house tidied up in no time. You may want to make a naptime round as well as one in the morning or evening so you can start the day with a clean house and keep it from getting too bad as the day goes on.
Involve the Kids
While very young kids may not be able to help with much around the house, as they get older, you can involve them in keeping the house clean throughout the day or even helping with chores. It may take a bit of creativity to allow them to help, such as buying a children’s toy vacuum. This toy vacuum can allow them to “help” you with the chores and as they get older, they can have just as much fun with the true responsibility of vacuuming. Starting early will teach good habits as they get older.
While it is difficult to maintain a tidy home with kids in the house, it is possible. You may have to adjust your storage solutions or adjust the schedule of your day. However, with the right tricks, you can keep your house clean and organized despite the munchkins running around.
