Something I know a lot of people struggle with is keeping their house spotless. Especially when there are kids around. Sometimes it feels like you have a child following you around, sabotaging all of the efforts you make to tidy the house. I’ve had a little practice over the years, and I’ve learned exactly how I can keep a spotless house, even with the kids around.
Get them to Help You
Yes, they might hinder you slightly. Yes, you might take a lot longer to get things done. But, you must remember, you’re teaching your kids healthy habits. As they grow older, they’ll be more inclined to do things off their own back and keep their rooms tidy. If you’re sweeping, buy them their own little brush to help. Make it fun for them. Make games out of the chores, for example, who can pick up their washing the fastest? Who can put the most toys away? Get creative so they see cleaning as fun rather than a chore. If you don’t allow them to help you, when they grow up, they’ll be less likely to want to do these things. You can’t turn around one day and expect them to start cleaning their own room if you’ve never let them help you! It’ll be too overwhelming for them. You need to ease them into it. Once you’ve done this, they’ll get better and the time it takes you to do your chores will decrease. You’ll have an army of little helpers doing a great job of their own rooms and tidying up after themselves! What more could you want?
Teach them to be Mindful of Toys
Kids usually have a lot of toys, but teach them to be mindful. When they’re done playing with one toy, teach them to put it back before they get another. If you don’t, you’ll have a floor full of toys and nobody will want to put them away! By putting each toy away after they’re done, they’ll keep on top of the situation and you won’t get so stressed out.
Get Into a Routine
Try to put some time aside each day to do what needs to be done. Whether it’s the dishes, the vacuuming, or something else, try to set aside 30 minutes to an hour to get as much done as you can. Do it at the same time every day, so the kids know not to bother you or expect you to play with their toys. During this time, you could occupy them with food and a film. Having the right cleaning kit will help you to get things done much faster. Http://vacuumcleanerreviews.co.uk should give you an idea of the most effective vacuum cleaners.
Be Supportive
Be supportive of your kid’s efforts to help. However, don’t necessarily tell them that a job is great if it isn’t. Just thank them for putting the effort in and helping you. This way they know that their efforts are appreciated, and next time you can give them a few tips to improve. Eventually, they’ll do it like a pro. By telling them they’ve done a great job, even when they haven’t, they won’t see the need to improve their skills very much. This goes for anything; if they paint a great picture, you shouldn’t call them a natural. If they paint a bad picture, you shouldn’t tell them so, or tell them it’s good anyway. The key is to praise their efforts, so that they know effort gets you far in life! They won’t expect everything to come naturally to them this way.
Don’t Re-do What They’ve Done
Re-doing what they’ve done shows them that their efforts just weren’t good enough, even if you tell them they were. If you’re very particular about a way something is done, it’s best to give them a different job. Give them something that you’re not so precious about. Don’t get your 4 year old to fold the washing if you know you’re going to redo it afterwards. Give them something more manageable.
Live a Simple Life
Don’t try to have the next best thing; gadgets, toys, clothes, etc. Filling your house with junk just gives you more to clean and tidy away. Obviously you don’t want to go without, but there’s a difference between that and buying things you don’t need! Try to live a simple life so that you have less to worry about. The more space you have, the tidier your house will look too.
Eat Messy Food Outside
A lot of food can be messy when it comes to kids. Even food that didn’t seem messy at first can become messy when a child gets their hands on it. If something is particularly messy, for example a biscuit or flapjack, get them to eat it outside. This is a great idea for sunny days – not so much in the winter. You can also give them a food tray, but you can’t guarantee that they’re going to be tidy with it. Try to avoid messy food altogether if you’re worried about crumbs in your carpet.
Try to be Flexible
The key to keeping your house tidy with kids around is to be flexible. They don’t stay young forever; they’re certainly not going to be asking you for cuddles forever. They won’t want you to play dolls with them in a few years. Make the most of the time you have now. If that means leaving the washing up for a few hours, leave it. If it means that your house is a little messy, let it be. You’ll regret the time you didn’t spend with your kids eventually! You need to find the right balance between keeping a clean house and spending some quality time with your kids. So what if the house is a little messy as long as you’re all happy? Think of it that way!
What do you think of my tips? Will you use them? Leave a comment to let me know!