Here’s how to keep a tidy house with small kids. It ain’t easy, but it’s possible!
First of all, I don’t think it’s imperative that the house be tidy all the time.
As a general rule. However, for some reason, an untidy and messy house really drives me nuts.
I find it difficult to relax or work in a chaotic environment and pretty much would lose sleep over the fact that the house was a wreck.
If it was a constant wreck, that is.
Each of us grew up in houses that had a certain level of clutter, mess and organization. We got used to that.
More than likely, that is the standard to which we’d like our homes to be kept now. If your mother was very clean and tidy (as mine is) then a mess may be very noticeable to you.
If you grew up in a home where clutter, toys, or messes were common and not a big deal, then perhaps you don’t stress about the state of the house.
Whatever works for your family and you, keep at it.
How to keep a tidy house with small kids
If you are like me (God help you) then having children only means that keeping the house clean will be more challenging. It doesn’t mean it can be forgotten for a few years.
Here are some tips for those of us who won’t let the idea that we can still keep a tidy house die. Perseverance and endurance to us all!
Read: Easy routines to help keep a house tidy with kids
(1) Revisit your definition of tidy.
First and foremost, we mothers need to revisit what it means to be tidy. Tidy used to mean everything where we put it since the last time we moved it.
It used to mean that surfaces were clear, things were in proper boxes and the house was almost always ready for visitors.
Tidy now will mean something different. It may mean there are a few baskets filled with visible toys. The toys are in the baskets, but still. You can see the baskets.
Here are some super cute baskets for kids rooms.
It may mean that throughout the day there will be times when the house is in full play mode which means, obviously, that the house isn’t always “company ready.”
Of course, most company we keep wouldn’t even notice anyway. Tidy will still look as though the house is in order and picked up.
But it will be a different picked up order than before.
(2) Work with your children not against them.
After my first child started crawling and pulling things around I was personally offended.
Does she not know that I want the house to look neat?
Is she doing this to pop my forehead vein?!?
After a while I realized that was not the case, and that I needed to figure out some good systems that let the kids be kids and let the house be neat and orderly, but still be home.
I let them throw around their toys, games and blocks while they are playing. When they are finished we all pick them up together.
Of course, some days this is me standing over them handing them a block telling them to put it in the basket. Some days they do it happily, some days they run away.
That’s life.
However, if I let them run wild with things then I make them put it back later.
Win win.
Here are some printable chore cards you can use to help you teach the kids to tidy up. These will teach responsibility, hard work, and contribution.
(3) Downsize the knickknacks.
One way that I’ve managed to keep the house from looking like an indoor yard sale is to minimize the sit-abouts, tchotkes, and knick knacks.
If I want to put sentimental and decorative items on display I do so where they are above arms reach.
Not because I don’t want to teach my children to avoid certain things, but simply because the little ones only have so much willpower and 4,356 picture frames, candles and coasters are too much for them to resist day in and day out.
Plus, we can’t very well have them touch nothing in the house.
On lower surfaces I keep the bare minimum to be pleasing to my eye and it means there are less things strewn about the house.
Is it just me or can a child somehow manage to dislocate about 35 things in one trip to the bathroom?
Want some 15 minute projects that you and the kids can do to get the house in order quickly? Download and print here!
(4) Make daily sweeps.
We clean up after playtime and I do a major sweep after the children are in bed. That’s it. Those two things means that almost every evening (unless it is a particularly busy evening) the house looks neat and tidy before bed. And it really only takes around 10 minutes max each time to do it.
I put things back where they came from and that’s it. Two or three days of messes make cleaning and tidying longer so I try to do it every single day so that it doesn’t build up. Remember, it’s much easier to maintain.
(5) Organize well.
If things don’t have a place they end up on the kitchen counter. Or so it is at our house. And if toys don’t have a place they end up hiding where my foot finds them in the dark tempting me to yell bad words that I would forbid my children to say.
I have baskets and places for everything. I’m not saying they’re beautiful. I’m not saying everything is labeled – although I love my label maker – but simply everything has a place.
This makes tidying easy because each evening as you do a sweep (or as you have your children clean up after themselves with you) you can put up a pile of things quickly when you know where each belong.
Sometimes the house looks fabulous. Sometimes the house looks awful. Sometimes I see spider webs I ignore. Sometimes I have all the kids wiping down surfaces with me. It comes and goes. I don’t feel like a failure if it looks “lived in” but I do think that teaching our children to clean after themselves and tidy isn’t some form of child abuse.
It won’t kill them to clean up. It won’t kill me to clean up. While a perfectly tidy house won’t make all our dreams come true, I think it will help us not get too down in the dumps when we are nursing the “I’m-so-frumpy-all-I-do-is-the-dishes” syndrome.
Get Your Tidy Routines Printable Checklist
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You are NOT lazy, disorganized, or unmotivated. The fact is, if your home feels chaotic,it’s your systems. With easy efficient systems, habits, and routines you can start to have the home (and home atmosphere) you crave without working yourself into a frenzy.
Take this quiz to see how well your home systems work then get free and easy hacks to help make your home more tidy, peaceful, and organized.
Rachel
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Pipi says
An interesting blog. It’s important for children to use natural cleaning products without harmful chemicals. Since I use http://bit.ly/1f5ATC3 especially bit.ly/1fbDWsu house smells great and my kids are safe. I recommend to everyone, great clean and do not contain harmful chemicals.
Rachel Norman says
Definitely agree chemical free is the way to go. I make most of mine with natural ingredients, but when the kids help they are usually doing something that doesn’t involve either. Thanks for the input :)
seychellesmama says
Good post!! Some nice tips there :)
Rachel Norman says
I think I need to re-read it today ;)
Eva Russell says
Good article. It is a difficult job to keep a house clean if there are small kids. I teach my kids to do small cleaning jobs so that they will know the importance of cleaning when they grow up. Also if the kids are a big and know enough to do the basics like making the bed , it will be a good help for us mothers. As you said daily cleaning is a must when kids are there. Even when me or my husband are not well to do the cleaning jobs, we call for home cleaning services to keep the home clean.
Megan says
My son is 2 and have trouble keeping it clean and it’s so hard
Ali N says
Oh I sympathise with you. I have two girls, 6 and 3, and I work full time as a teacher. It is so hard focusing on work, children and then looking at the house getting untidy. Although there are so many more important things to worry about, when you see the mess it is so disheartening.
Rachel Norman says
What a great way to say it. There ARE far more important things to worry about it, but it IS discouraging!
Regina says
Pop up was quite annoying. Got off site because it wouldn’t go away.
Rachel Norman says
YES I JUST SAW THIS. I’m turning it off, some type of technical error. Sorry :(
George Garcia says
Thanks for this article – it is very helpful especially for those who are just starting a family. The guidelines are easy to follow and not only will make your house tidy but also can make your child responsible.
Rachel Norman says
Thank you, and yes!! It’s so nice to have a tidy home.
Hollie says
Need all the help I can get . Im in bad health with 4 kids, ages 1 to 15
Julia says
Thanks for this nice, down to earth article. Makes me feel like I don’t have to give up on tidy just because a baby’s on the way!
Rachel Norman says
Nah you can keep it under control, don’t worry :)
Maria says
Your blog is great, I’ve learned lots of ideas. Thanks for sharing. :-)
John says
I’m a Single Older Dad, I had to search how to keep my apartment clean. I Feel so bad. But your Blog Has help me to do things I didn’t think would ever happen.
I can see the floor again and I don’t trip on toys going to the restroom at night.
Thanks’
Rachel Norman says
ha, non tripping!
Ben says
I am a stay at home dad, my wife works full time and I am not a good house keeper. You have some great ideas, I am more than guilty of letting the mess “pile up” and the thought of only taking 10mins to clean sounds great to me, I am definitely going to use most of your ideas.
Rachel Norman says
Hi Ben, it’s SO TEMPTING to let the mess pile up. Good luck!
Rebecca says
So, so encouraging! Great tips, and best of all the advice to remember it’s a process… 🙂
amol joshi says
Cleaning house is something that we do when we decide to thoroughly clean every little portion of our house. It is absolutely necessary for us to deep clean home at least three times in an year to make it as beautiful and clean as we want it to be. It is more than just the normal dusting and sweeping of the house that we do every day; home deep cleaning involves many little things. It is easy to get confused and to miss out on one of those little things while we tackle the big problem. So, to help you tackle these things in a more organized way here are few steps that we should follow while deep cleaning house.Target this main area like kitchen, bathroom, sofa and carpet electrical appliances and furniture.
Nielsen Rosella says
Good article. It is a hard job to keep a house clean if there are small kids. I instruct my kids to do small cleaning jobs so that they will know the importance & valve of cleaning when they mature. Also if the kids are big and know as much as necessary to do the basics like making the bed, it will be a great help for us mothers.
Julie says
Great tips! It took me two year to realize I just needed to get rid of Knick knacks or just out then away for five years. When I took this off surfaces it helped. It also helps to frequently toss things including toys they aren’t that interested in
Mark William says
Rachel,
Thanks for the nice tips on – Keep a House Tidy With Kids.
Would you have any plan to give a detailed post on bathroom cleaning with time management? Bathroom cleaning very difficult for me.
Ari says
This was nice. I truly appreciate the ” you are not lazy, disorganized or unmotivated” part. Organization and positivity are key in these situations.
Sabrina Addams says
It’s so smart to do a cleanup once the kids are done playing and again after they go to bed instead of letting it build up and having to spend a lot more time than that cleaning. My husband and I went on vacation for a couple of days for our 15th wedding anniversary. Our house has now accumulated toys, leftover pizza, and other messes since we’ve been busy unpacking. I think that I will hire a home cleaning service to help clean this up and then start this habit of us and our kids picking up each day to make it easier for the future.
Rachel Norman says
Excellent idea!
Febé Meyer says
This was food for my soul! Thank you… my house is driving me nuts and I spend all day walking around picking up just to keep it at the same level of tidiness it was in the morning… somehow, the bottom line I got out of this was “keep trying, but its okay!”
Rachel Norman says
Yes, keep trying and you’re doing great!