Keeping the house clean can be overwhelming, especially if you have young children. Cleaning the entire house every day is daunting and cleaning it only once a week can make for a very long day. In this article, you will find tips on how to keep your house clean by doing a little bit every day and how to get the kids involved.
Step 1: Make a list
The first thing you should do is go through your house and make a list of the different places and types of cleaning that need to be done. For example, the kitchen sink, kitchen floor, dining room floor, laundry, vacuuming, toilets, etc. If something can be combined, do so. Maybe your kitchen and dining room floor are connected and have the same flooring. Put them down together and in the next step, you will be sweeping and mopping your kitchen and dining room floors.
Step 2: Make a schedule
Once you have your list, figure out what days you should do each. One hint: The floors should probably be done at least twice a week depending on how much you are at home and how many kids you have. Here is an example schedule:
Everyday: Tidy up each room, pick up the toys, do dishes as needed
Monday: Sweep and mop all floors
Tuesday: Laundry, Clean kitchen sink
Wednesday: Dust, Vacuum all carpeted floors
Thursday: Clean toilets and bathroom sink(s)
Friday: Laundry, sweep, and mop
Saturday: Vacuum all carpeted floors
Once a month: Dust tops of ceiling fan blades, window sills, and picture frames
Once a quarter: Wash windows and baseboards
Remember, this is only an example. Maybe you have a dust allergy and need to dust everything more often or you have only a few people in your family and do laundry once a week instead of twice. Make the schedule and get started on it!
Step 3: Try your new schedule and reevaluate as needed
Once you figure out a schedule that works for you, try it out for at least two weeks, then reevaluate. If something just isn’t working, try something new. You might have to try a new schedule a few times to find the perfect fit or even change it up every few months or years as things change.
Get your Children to Help!
One of the biggest tips to help ease some of the overwhelm is to start teaching your children how to help you clean. If you don’t have children, you can recruit your family member's children or neighborhood kids. Children are capable of helping at young ages, even as toddlers. By showing your children how to clean, they will eventually mimic what you do.
Tip #1:
Start by modeling the tasks to your children. Instead of doing them alone after bedtime, do them while your children are around. It might take longer in the short term, but eventually, they will be able to take over for you.
Tip #2:
Start giving them small and easy things to do. Maybe they can spray the floor while you mop or scrub the sink using a stool. They can also put dishes on the drying rack after rinsing.
Tip #3:
As your children get older, start giving them a chore that is their responsibility. Depending on the child and the task, most children can start helping with a chore by the age of 8, if not younger. If nothing else, they can be completely responsible for their own bedroom, including making the bed.
These tips can help ease your mind and give you more control over your home cleaning schedule. Be sure to start this week and if it works for you share this article with your family and friends!
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