Keeping the House Clean

When was the last time you mopped the floor? If it’s been within the last week then you’re doing something right. How old are your kids? How many of them do you have? Likely only one kid, or else all of your kids are older (or still babies) if you’re cleaning the house to a degree that you’re able to actually mop the floor. After having kids, don’t expect to be able to keep the house as clean as it was before.

Realistically, some people will have more time and energy to clean the house than other parents. For some, a clean house is a top priority and they’ll make sure that it gets done no matter what. For the rest of us, keeping the house semi-reasonable is an accomplishment. Getting the dishes washed and the toys picked up means that the house has been cleaned for the day.

You’re not a failure if your house isn’t spotless. Anyone who is judging you because of the way your house looks needs to sit down and check themselves. They have too much time on their hands and simply need to mind their own business. Taking care of kids and making sure the house is somewhat in order is a big job. Not having a spotless house really isn’t the end of the world.

Perhaps the easiest way to keep your house clean is to do chores slowly throughout the day. Rather than letting all of the dishes stack up throughout the day, put them away as you can. Of course, if you have to hand wash the dishes then that likely won’t work as well, but do your best to keep the sink clear of dishes. Are your floors spotless? Probably not, but at least you can use the sink.

Using technology to entertain kids for a few minutes isn’t the end of the world either. Turn a TV show on for your child for a few minutes while you clean up after a meal or while you work to sweep up the crumbs that have gathered throughout the day. Put your headphones on for a few minutes while you do so and catch up on a little bit of reading as well. Audiobooks are great to listen to while cleaning.

As your children grow older, make sure that they are helping out around the house as well. It’s much easier to keep the house clean as kids get older. That’s because kids can be asked to do chores around the house and to clean up after themselves. Putting dishes into the sink, cleaning up the area that they were in, and putting their toys away are all things they can do. They can help with bigger jobs as well.

There are some jobs that are more important than others. Sweeping the floor is important as you don’t want mice or other rodents in the house. Mopping is nice, but not necessary. Washing the clothes and dishes are needed so that you have dishes to eat off of, and so that you have clothes to wear. Make sure to prioritize the jobs that are needed around the house that actually need to be done first.

Keep your house as clean as you can with kids, but don’t get down on yourself if the house isn’t as clean as you’d like it to be - the time will come where you’ll have plenty of time to clean.