Keeping a clean house while living with kids can be really complicated. Things get messy really fast – and you are the one who has to keep everything from falling apart. The little ones have only one thing in their minds – to have fun! And you should never keep them from enjoying themselves. Playing and creating a mess is actually proven to help kids with their mental and physical development. However, letting your entire house run amok with clutter and things scattered everywhere is also not an option. The trade-off? Making the most of the situation and doing as much as you can.
Many parents choose to go with house cleaners and hire them from time to time. This is especially true when both the parents are working. However, you can be smart about the whole situation and follow some of our suggested DIY ways to keep a clean house while dealing with kids.
Organize your house using containers and compartments
One of the best ways to deal with the never-ending action figures and legos on the carpet is to invest in small to medium sized containers. You can also buy baskets or toy bins. These are especially helpful and all the toys can be dumped into it after the end of the day. These containers or compartments can also be fitted into your furniture. You can keep your kids’ stuff such as clothes and socks in these as well.
Assign a spot for everything
If you assign a specific spot for everything, soon the kids and your other family members will get used to it. They will keep the specific items in their dedicated place after they are done using it. You can push your kids to follow this practice and even incentivise this – a candy or two after they keep everything in its appropriate place.
Make a schedule
Another tried and tested method is to follow a schedule. This is not only helpful in cleaning, by the way. You can divide your house cleaning through the regime and assign a specific day for different tasks. Mondays and Thursdays can go towards vacuuming the carpet. Every other weekend, you can change the sheets and add them to your laundry. This way, you can divide up the time that is available to you and complete the tasks according to the schedule. This way, things won’t accumulate in your to-do list and you won't have to worry about things that you aren’t supposed to do at the particular time.
Your partner and your kids can also participate in this and follow their own house cleaning routine. It is always great to involve the kids in this. It will keep them occupied for a while and will teach discipline and cleanliness.
Do your laundry smartly
Laundry is one of the most tiresome and time-taking tasks. Even with the most advanced washing machine, you still have to do a lot. If you have a large family, things can get even more tiresome. You should assign a day specifically dedicated to laundry. If there is too much for a day, you can do a little bit every day and dedicate only a specific period of time to it – say, one hour.
Doing your laundry in a smart and efficient way will save you a lot of time and effort. Stay on top of the most effective cleaning products and detergents and invest in them. You should also go for fabric specific detergents. And yes! Do not forget to separate the whites from the colours.
Multitask when you can
You can save a lot of time here by going about your daily house cleaning in a smart way. Put the dishes in the dishwasher while your coffee is getting ready. Make the beds while the clothes are in the washing machine. Clean the countertops if your cooking is almost done and the food is just simmering on the stove. There are several ways you can tackle this.
Deep clean from time to time
Deep cleaning involves getting into the most awkward and the weirdest corners of your house and your appliances. Well, it has to be done! More than often, people with busy schedules just go for house cleaners in this case. You can DIY too though. Your deep cleaning should be planned first though. There is just so much to do and doing it with kids around doesn't make it any easier.
Here are a few things that you can use just as a reminder when you are deep house cleaning:
● Tile and grout cleaning (maybe hire grout cleaners).
● Sanitizing your bathrooms and kitchen.
● Cleaning your appliances especially your fridge and your microwave (especially greasy things).
● Pulling off the curtains and washing them.
● Changing furniture blankets or covers.
● Making sure that the outdoor cleaning is also done properly – lawn mowing, barbeque cleaning, porch cleaning, etc.
● Do not forget your storage spaces and your attics.
● Glass surfaces tend to get extra dirty. Remember those!
● Carpets – hire carpet cleaners in case you have especially dirty carpets or rugs.
You see, this list can go on. This is why many people simply hire professional house cleaners and just take a few days off. It is the best way and it can even help you save money. Deep cleaning will require lots of supplies and you can save that money by hiring house cleaners.
Rule with an iron fist!
Just kidding! But your house should have rules in place. Small things such as wiping down the shower curtains and the tub after a bath can go a long way. They will keep your house clean longer and lessen the burden for you. Your kids and your partner should come on board and help you with maintaining a proper domestic decorum – as much as they can ;) .
Occasionally call in help
Finally, you can keep up with your daily routine but go for professional help from time to time. This time period can be decided by you and how dirty your house gets after a certain period of time. Many people go for professional house cleaning every year. Carpet cleaners are called in after every two or three years. For specific cleaning tasks such as tile and grout cleaning, grout cleaners can be hired every other month. It basically depends on the requirements.
If you are looking for a deep house cleaning firm, bond cleaners can do the job for you. They have experience in deep sanitizing and cleaning and can be trusted with tricky house cleaning tasks.
