Mummas!! (And daddies) How do you keep your house clean?? I have a 2yo, 4yo and a 6yo and it seems like my house is always filthy!! š£ I vacuum EVERY morning, but by the afternoon it looks filthy again. There's toys everywhere (I have just done a big cull too), washing everyday, the folding, aka Mt Foldmore, the dusting, the mopping, the dishes, it feels like it's never ending.... I feel like I'm drowning š¢ How do I get on top of everything and stay on top of everything??
6 Replies
You have a 2year old and a 4 year old of course your house is like this!
Make the kids pick up the toys before there bath/bedtime routine at night. Make sure you have enough storage for all the toys.
When the kids are a bit older the washing gets much easier and the sooner you give them chores the easier life will be. Start with things like picking up after themselves.
My 3 kids are all close in age like yours, when they're young it is hard but once the two oldest are both at school it does get easier.
What I find helpful is a combination of doing little bits as you go and dropping your standards a bit, by that I mean prioritizing things, for example we basically live out of the clean washing basket that's not doing any harm but I'm always cleaning as I go in the kitchen as I feel that's the area that needs to be kept clean and hygienic.
My living area is a toy and food free zone, it has been since my kids were toddlers because I just got so sick of the toys and clutter and crumbs, if this isn't something you want to do I'd implement a rule like only bringing out 2 toys at a time and they must be put away before getting knew ones (I tried this too but my kids wouldn't stick to it hence the no toys at all rule lol).
As for the vacuuming issue i'd only let them eat at the table (or at least in one spot), invest in a cheap handheld vac that you can whip out when they're done, if that's not an option just leave it til the end of the day. There's no point vacuuming 50 times a day and I'd add no shoes in the house too just to stop crap being dragged in.
Is a cleaner once a week a possibility? Even just for an hour to do bathrooms? That's the thing I can never find time for lol.
Lastly, just don't stress about it (I know easier said than done), a bit of mess isn't going to cause any harm. Focus on the things that can't go undone and just do the rest when you can.
I have kids around the same age and honestly this sounds like my house! By no means is my house a āshowroomā house but Iām ok with that! I vacuum every day but have swapped from morning vacuum to afternoon so when they go to bed at least the floor is clean for 10 hrs lol once a week the kitchen and tiled areas gets a mop ( unless drinks are spilt or weāve had extra visitors then a 2nd one is done) also after the kids are in bed. The kids and I all do a quick 10 min toy pick up from the lounge and kitchen every afternoon so that itās tidy, they have been told toys left on the bench or floor at bedtime get thrown in the bin and Iāve only had to throw 1 toy each away for the message to be loud and clear to them lol I have a lounge in the kitchen and thereās always at least one basket of clean washing there I fold one basket a day but by the afternoon the next load comes In lol bathroom and toilet gets done once maybe twice a week if the tooth paste strays everywhere (most weeks it does) other than that sounds like your doing a great job! It gets easier once you can delegate a couple of small things to the kids to let them help. But until they are much older it is a continuous never ending mission lol
P.s my 6 yr old and 4 year old clean ($3) and vacuum ($2) their own room once a week for a total of $5.
I have kids the same age and exactly the same
Battle !!! I know other families in a similar situation and we all say the same our houses are ALWAYS trashed ! :(
I try so hard to get the kids to help but thereās only so much a 2 and 4 yo will help before they just make more mess and it ends up being harder !!
Derps breaths mummy ! This phase shall pass ! Keep doing what your doing the best you can ! Keep toys culled , keep eating to one area if you can to minimize crumb clean up , get a hand held Vaccuum for the days u donāt want to drag the big one out and try vacuuming in the late Arvo instead of morning as then once they are in bed you get to enjoy it clean for a little longer before they get up to do it all again in the morning ;)
I do the dishes once a day otherwise thatās all I do and washing well thatās just a constant ....my goal for that one is to reduce the number of clothes the kids have and MAYBE. That will at least shrink my mountain a little ??? Maybe .
I have kids the same age and exactly the same
Battle !!! I know other families in a similar situation and we all say the same our houses are ALWAYS trashed ! :(
I try so hard to get the kids to help but thereās only so much a 2 and 4 yo will help before they just make more mess and it ends up being harder !!
Derps breaths mummy ! This phase shall pass ! Keep doing what your doing the best you can ! Keep toys culled , keep eating to one area if you can to minimize crumb clean up , get a hand held Vaccuum for the days u donāt want to drag the big one out and try vacuuming in the late Arvo instead of morning as then once they are in bed you get to enjoy it clean for a little longer before they get up to do it all again in the morning ;)
I do the dishes once a day otherwise thatās all I do and washing well thatās just a constant ....my goal for that one is to reduce the number of clothes the kids have and MAYBE. That will at least shrink my mountain a little ??? Maybe .
Omg you vac every day????
If you have a partner, then itās time he/she helped out more, or get some hired help, or lower your standard and enjoy your kids while theyāre little.
Have plenty of storage for a quick easy tidy up, keep a broom or hand held vac close by for the post meal clean up.
My youngest had cancer at 2, heās now 14, that certainly put everything in perspective for me