How to Keep a House Tidy with Children: Lifehacks from Mothers with Many Children
There is a myth that order in the house and children are incompatible. But this is not true.
Some people can't keep their home tidy with just one or two children, but mothers with many children manage to keep it clean with many more.
Their children are of different ages, with different interests, toys, school supplies and, what is most difficult in education, with different temperaments. And all this needs to be dealt with.
Therefore, mothers with many children should learn the intricacies of parenting and life hacks for maintaining order in the house, because if they can do it, then an ordinary mother can definitely do it.
How to Keep a House Tidy with Kids
1. Assign tasks.
Involve children in cleaning the house. Divide the responsibilities between all family members. For example, younger children can pick up toys, while older children clean the kitchen or bathroom. This will help reduce the time spent on cleaning and also teach children to respect the common space.
It is important to present joint cleaning as something self-evident from an early age. If the mother has always cleaned up after everyone herself, and at one point demands help from the children, resistance is inevitable.
2. Start small.
Teach your children (and yourself) habits gradually. For example, washing your own dishes. To avoid temptation, you can assign each family member “their own” dishes. If they are not washed after eating, the child will have to wash them before eating. Don’t try to clean the entire house at once. Start with small tasks, such as cleaning the kitchen table or putting toys in a basket. This will help keep the house tidy without overloading yourself and the children.
3. Use storage containers and baskets.
This will help children easily find their things and put them away.
Make sure each basket or container has a label or picture so it's clear at a glance what's inside. This will make it easy to put away toys.
4. Clean up after use.
This means that if you use something, you should put it away immediately afterwards. This approach helps to avoid the accumulation of clutter and makes cleaning easier.
5. Create a schedule.
For example, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom every day, and the whole house once a week will help you keep your home tidy and avoid the accumulation of trash and dirt.
6. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
If you have a lot to do, don't be afraid to ask your family or friends for help. Sometimes you just need a little help to get through it all.
7. Use a reward system.
After cleaning, you can treat your children to a trip to a cafe or water park, a family vacation in nature, buying a desired toy or playing on the computer.
8. Turn cleaning into a game or competition.
Draw a schedule where each chore is marked. At the end of the week, you can sum up the results and reward the winners. This way, children will be happy to help and have fun.
Don't forget about yourself. It's important to remember that you need rest and encouragement too. Take time for yourself to relax and recharge. Then washing dishes and dusting won't be an irritant.
