Everyone wishes for their homes to be nice and clean. But as a popular internet meme goes, having a kid is like having a blender with its top taken off. Not only are kids super active, and therefore need to keep themselves with an assortment of things, they also tend to accumulate a lot of accessories as they grow up. Here are ten simple ways to keep a clean home with children.
Ways To Keep A Hassle-Free Home
1. Don’t Accumulate Too Much Stuff
Kids and their memorabilia can take up quite a bit of space, from their first clothes to their now-unused prams. However, consider giving at least 90 percent of that stuff away, or selling it where appropriate. Someone else will benefit from it and you won’t go on accumulating clutter as they outgrow each phase.1
2. Keep Cleaning Caddies Around The House
It may be painful to carry a mop upstairs just to clean a spill. Have a separate set of cleaning essentials for each room based on the purpose it serves.2
3. Store Everything As Digital Copies
Scan all those mountains of photo albums, artwork from preschool and assignments you want to preserve. Store digital copies of these in a trusted cloud platform. Throw the actuals away. It is a painful prospect, but decluttering always is.3
4. Get The Kids Involved In Household Chores
Kids as young as three can and should be made a part of household chores that are age-appropriate. Get the older ones to help with wiping clean dishes while the younger ones put all the toys away.Kids love cleaning to the tune of their favorite songs.4
5. Inculcate Personal Hygiene Into Your Children
A lot of people, young ones included, actually thrive in order and cleanliness. The key is to get them to love it as much as you do. Make brushing their job, and hand the older ones a hand sanitizer that they can use whenever they get their hands dirty. Make it their responsibility to keep themselves clean.5
6. Get Rid Of The Old Toys
This is going to be another tricky step, especially for the kids more than you. The local community can make great use of toys that your kids have outgrown but are still usable. Explain to your kids the importance of sharing with the community, and get them to decide what they are ready to give away. Just maybe, do not watch toy story 2 while you are at it.
7. Set An Example For Your Kids
Since they time they are born, kids observe a lot of things. Let them see the adults working around the house to keep it clean and in order. Kids love growing up, so they’ll be more likely to help when they are ready.
8. Develop A Consistent Routine
While you are completely justified in wanting the house cleaned now, kids are less likely to want to get out of a routine. Instead, assign small tasks through the day. For example, after they get home, they need to put their bags away properly. You can demonstrate this by doing it yourself.6
9. Store Almost Everything You Have
If your home isn’t already equipped for this, make arrangements for smart storage everywhere. Look for multipurpose furniture, storage cabinets and kids storage bins that can hold a variety of toys. Place them in every room so that at they end of the day, every single object goes into a drawer or inside a door.
10. Don’t Freak Out And Add To The Stress
Inevitably, there will be days when you cannot keep the home clean, no matter what you do. On such days, just take a deep breath. The kids will grow up before you realize it, and then you’ll wonder where all the mess went.
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