May 23, 2016
All parents know this: it is hard and tiring to maintain a neat house with children.
With kids, there is an endless stream of their items entering the house: toys, books, supplies, etc. Every day, the mess piles up and the house looks like a tornado swept through it. The good news is, with planning and intentional effort, restoring balance to the domestic realm and regaining some floor space is possible. Here are some tips that will help.
Most kids tend to have lots of toys but only a few favourites. Observe what toys your kids play with, and donate or sell the ones they do not really care about.
If unchecked, clutter can mushroom quickly again. No time-starved parent likes to spend their free time decluttering so one way to stop this cycle is to limit the items entering your home. If doting relatives want to buy your kids gifts, ask for cash or tickets to a family experience like to the zoo, or a performance.
On your part, rationalise purchases for your kids, especially bulky ones. Do you really want a hefty Jumperoo as an ongoing fixture at home? Consider toy rental instead.
Good storage solutions are essential to an organised home.
Some parents opt to renovate and build new smart storage solutions. But if renovation is not an option, baskets, boxes or storage stools do the trick as well; better still if these fit under the bed or the sofa! Also, see if some toys can be stored at the grandparents’. This entertains the kids when they are over to visit and reduces clutter for you; a win-win move.
Store similar items together (e.g. art supplies all in the same box) so that you do not have to hunt madly next time. When tidying up, leave some space around shelves and cupboards so that everything immediately looks less cluttered; instant Zen.
Every household should have some golden rules, such as these:
Put everything back in its place. Once done, return all items to their original places so that it is easier to locate them again. This prevents mess from building up.
Clean as you go. Kids are like sponges, they absorb things fast, and so parents need to set good examples. Make beds once you wake up, wash dishes after eating, and put away clothes right after laundry. When you are consistent in your housework, they tend to emulate you.
All kids can learn how to clean. Start young and get them to keep their things in designated places when they are done. Be clear in your instructions, and have patience with them.
Nothing gets kids more excited than games so make it fun! Have a cleaning contest to see which kid does it faster, or get them to pretend they are hired cleaners for the day. Reward them when they do things well.
On weekends, a great way to clean the house fast is to organise a 30-minute clean up and get everyone on board. Turn on the music, bring out the cleaning rags, assign some age appropriate tasks for your kid, and watch the mess (and your stress) disappear.
Even if you have a helper, it is good to teach your child from young that everyone plays a part in maintaining a clean home.
If you have the space, limit toys strictly to the playroom or nursery; for those with smaller spaces, designate one area of the living room for play. This way, you will not have Spiderman creeping into your bedroom, and you are less likely to fly into bouts of rage.
Love your kids’ art pieces and craftwork but cannot bear to throw them away? Keep or frame some of their favourites and as for the rest, use apps to help you keep digital archives.
You can also take photos of their pieces and keep a collage as a memory of your little Picassos instead of storing the actual pieces that will just gather dust.
Practice makes perfect and in no time, you can have a much cleaner house while staying sane.
A spick and span home starts with having the discipline in cleaning the place. Of course, there are easier ways to make your housekeeping a little easier, when you have the right home designs. Take a cue from these 8 easy-to-maintain homes designs.
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