Yes, it’s possible! And here’s how…

To any parent, the phrases ‘small children’ and ‘clean house’ probably seem incompatible. Crayons on the wall, food on floor, and toys strewn every which way make cleaning an endless and thankless task. And that’s if you even have time to clean in the first place. We’ll be the first to admit your house will never be immaculate. But there are some tips and tricks you can use to keep everything a little more ordered and clean. Here are some! 

One thing at a time

The overall mess in your house at any one time can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s recommended you take things one step at a time. This can be done in different ways. You might, for example decide on one day of the weekend you’re going to sort one of the kids’ rooms. Decide what needs clearing out and be decisive. The other thing you can do is to focus on an item, such as old clothes or toys, and purge the entire house of them. Sort into bags then give to a charity shop or put on eBay. However you do it, set an obtainable goal, then take a well-earned rest. There’ll still be things to do next weekend, but at least you’re a decisive step closer to cleanliness and order.

Buy quality, not quantity

Yes, small kids quickly grow out of clothes and toys, and recycling these every now and again is a must. Still, many items end up in the skip simply because the quality wasn’t good in the first place. Rather than buying piles of cheap toys and clothes, buy fewer items of a higher quality. They will last longer, and likely be from more sustainable, ethical sources. Plenty of quality items can be found secondhand in charity shops and online too.

Multitask

The only time you can really ever let small kids out of your sight is when they’re asleep. That means you can often find yourself wondering when it’s going to be physically possible to get on with your cleaning agenda. The answer is to multitask. Bath time is a great example; while they’re splashing around in the water, you can double up on your duties by cleaning everything in there except the bath. Once they’re out of the tub and drying, that’s when it’s time to tackle the bath; clean it while it’s at its dirtiest, then enjoy a sparkling bathroom till next bath night!

Encourage them to clean

Is a child too young to learn to clean? Well, putting your two-year-old to work on the washing up is probably a bit much. But from a very young age, children can come to realize that they have a responsibility to tidy. Start them off with simple chores like putting toys back in the box, and as they get older progress them onto more useful (but of course safe) jobs around the house. It’s like training up your own personal cleaning company!

How do you manage to keep the house clean with small kids around? Or don’t you?! Let us know in the comment section!