How to keep a clean home with kids in 6 steps
It is tough keeping a clean home with kiddos. You place toy bins in the room, on the toy shelf and it is as if it calls to my boys to dump them one at a time. They slowly drag toys throughout the home. Now living in an apartment makes it even more complicated, but we are learning.
I thought I would share today some tips that are helping me currently in keeping a clean (not 100%) home that doesn't make me pull my hair each morning.
1. Make a cleaning schedule.
I currently have a cleaning schedule hanging in my kitchen near my laundry room. It is a picture frame sprayed with chalk (Pinterest project) and it is encouraging for me to see it. I currently have a laundry day, kitchen day, bathrooms day, bedroom day, and family room day. I live in an apartment so I don't have too many rooms. I tried to make it something basic that I would stick with and so far I am. I have tried many many times FlyLady (love her methods), Home Organizer Binders and they only lasted a few weeks.
2. Keep a certain amount of toys.
Toys are a pain to clean up. Seriously. I just went through our toys and had a cleaning up and this is what is left. Decide how many you want to keep and donate the rest.
3. Keep toys in one area.
If you have the extra room, make a playroom. If not, designate a certain area in the home for all toys to be placed when done playing with. Our play area is the boys room. It is their play area. Yes toys end up trailing out to our family room but each evening they end back up in the room.
4. Have them help clean up.
If your child can walk fairly well he can clean up toys. Have a time each evening before bed and clean up together. Each evening we have the boys pick up their toys and take them back to their room. Yes they don't put them in the correct bin and they usually end up on the floor but they are in the bedroom/playroom. Each week we clean their room and put toys back on the toy shelves.
5. Make your bed (and theirs).
Want to brighten your room? Make your bed! It will feel 80% cleaner. Trust me. Get your kiddos in the habit of making theirs. Show them once and then have them do it each time. Don't correct it, let them be proud of their work.
6. Give yourself grace.
Remember you are in a season of grace. Lots and lots of grace. Your family is making memories. Don't stress and think everyone else's home is clean and dandy. It isn't. Everyone has THAT room, THAT closet, THAT drawer. Don't beat yourself up.
I thought I would share today some tips that are helping me currently in keeping a clean (not 100%) home that doesn't make me pull my hair each morning.
1. Make a cleaning schedule.
I currently have a cleaning schedule hanging in my kitchen near my laundry room. It is a picture frame sprayed with chalk (Pinterest project) and it is encouraging for me to see it. I currently have a laundry day, kitchen day, bathrooms day, bedroom day, and family room day. I live in an apartment so I don't have too many rooms. I tried to make it something basic that I would stick with and so far I am. I have tried many many times FlyLady (love her methods), Home Organizer Binders and they only lasted a few weeks.
2. Keep a certain amount of toys.
Toys are a pain to clean up. Seriously. I just went through our toys and had a cleaning up and this is what is left. Decide how many you want to keep and donate the rest.
3. Keep toys in one area.
If you have the extra room, make a playroom. If not, designate a certain area in the home for all toys to be placed when done playing with. Our play area is the boys room. It is their play area. Yes toys end up trailing out to our family room but each evening they end back up in the room.
4. Have them help clean up.
If your child can walk fairly well he can clean up toys. Have a time each evening before bed and clean up together. Each evening we have the boys pick up their toys and take them back to their room. Yes they don't put them in the correct bin and they usually end up on the floor but they are in the bedroom/playroom. Each week we clean their room and put toys back on the toy shelves.
5. Make your bed (and theirs).
Want to brighten your room? Make your bed! It will feel 80% cleaner. Trust me. Get your kiddos in the habit of making theirs. Show them once and then have them do it each time. Don't correct it, let them be proud of their work.
6. Give yourself grace.
Remember you are in a season of grace. Lots and lots of grace. Your family is making memories. Don't stress and think everyone else's home is clean and dandy. It isn't. Everyone has THAT room, THAT closet, THAT drawer. Don't beat yourself up.
