Keeping your house clean with kids around can feel like an impossible feat. The more kids there are, the more junk seems to pile up. From the day a baby is born, they come equipped with all sorts of toys, equipment, and clothing, filling your house with extra stuff that wasn’t there before. The more that your child starts to grow, the more things they begin to accumulate.
In addition to coming with lots of stuff, kids are also known for being less than tidy. Anyone with a toddler knows what it’s like to leave a room for only a few moments only to find that they’ve gotten into something that is now covered over the walls.
If you’re starting to feel like your house with kids is overflowing with messes you’d like to see less of, then take a look at some of the best tips for keeping a tidy house with kids.
Declutter
The more things that you have, the harder it is to clean it all. It’s that simple. Before you tackle cleaning, you should tackle your clutter. Get rid of everything that you haven’t used in over six months.
Start in your kid’s rooms, and move on to the living room, bathrooms, and everywhere else. If there are certain items that you absolutely can’t bear to part with, then consider putting it in storage.
Assign Everything A Place
When your belongings don’t have a home, then your house can quickly become a free-for-all. Therefore, it’s important that everything has a place. Assign a basket or shelf where things should be placed every time they’re put away.
Having designated places for everything avoids junk getting piled up throughout the house.
Teach Your Kids To Clean
It’s important to teach your children how to clean up after themselves. Letting them get away with leaving things all over the house will only instill bad habits that will last their whole life.
Instead, get them involved in tidying up. Creating a cleaning routine which they are required to participate in is essential. Teaching them more responsibility is never a bad thing for anyone. Kids as young as 1 can start to understand basic tidying skills!
Create Designated Play Areas
It helps if you limit areas of the house where the kids can bring their toys. Allowing toys into your main living space is inviting clutter into your home. The majority of your kid’s toys should be in their room with a small amount in the main living space, perhaps on a shelf or in a basket. If you allow your children to overrun the house with toys, their room will spill over to the rest of your home, resulting in an explosion of toys!