If you are anything like me, keeping your homes clean and clutter-free is one of the constant stresses on your always busy mind. Whether you go to work or are a stay at home mom, our kids don’t take long to leave a path of disorganization and destruction in their wake; and, on top of cooking, laundry and any other household chores you need to do, the list can add up quickly. Don’t worry, the purpose of this post is not to just remind you of the never-ending to-do list! Here are some tips for keeping your house organized and clutter-free with kids.
Storage
Yes, this seems obvious. The trick is to figure out how to be organized quickly. My biggest secret? BASKETS! Baskets everywhere. Or ottomans or anywhere that toys can quickly be thrown into and hidden. We hate clutter and one of the things that have been a big adjustment to life with kids is the never-ending amount of stuff they need. The more I can easily place out of sight, the happier I am and the more organized my home looks. We have a large storage ottoman in the living room and multiple storage baskets in our son’s room. This also gives an easy way for him to start learning to help clean up because everything gets put away into his baskets when he is finished playing.
During playtime and after. This Ottoman also helps so he can not ‘dump’ all of the toys out (he used to do that with a basket we had). Now, pulling every toy out is a slower process so usually all of the toys don’t make it out anymore.
Clean throughout the day
I can not stress this enough! It is much easier to pick up after we finish each activity than it is to pick up every room all at once at the end of the day. While my son is playing, our home looks like a Category 5 hurricane swept through (because the only way to play is with ALL of our toys out of the basket of course!) But, everytime he moves to another room, or goes down for a nap, I quickly toss everything back into place or have him help before we move on to the next thing.
Do not go to sleep with a mess
There is nothing worse than waking up to a dirty house. Dishes, done. Toys, put away. Everything in its place. The longer things pile up, the worse it will be so making this a habit will definitely help in the long run.
Elicit help
My son is too young for chores, but when he is done playing, I have him help put the toys in the basket. Sometimes for every one he puts in, two come back out (he’s only a year old!) but, most of the time he does actually help and he enjoys doing it. If you have older children, have them help with tasks throughout the day or before bed. My husband is also a big help and we treat these duties as team responsibilities.
These low baskets are great – he can easily pull them out to play independently and will usually put toys back as he goes onto the next basket.
If this is a hard one for you and you don’t get a lot of help at home, I can also relate to having to do it on your own. My husband travels one-to-two times a month so very often I am the only one with the cooking, cleaning and picking up responsibilities. But, enjoying my favorite show is much more enjoyable and rewarding if I can look around and see an organized house with no toys on the ground or dishes in the sink and maintaining throughout the week keeps my clean up quick and manageable every day.
What are some ways you keep your home organized throughout the week? Share below!
