First off, I don’t think it’s imperative that the house be tidy all the time. As a general rule. However, for some reason, an untidy and messy house really drives me mad. I find it difficult to relax or work in a chaotic environment and pretty much would lose sleep over the fact that the house was a wreck. If it was constant, that is. If you are like me then having children only means that keeping the house clean will be more challenging. It doesn’t mean it can be forgotten for a few years. Here are some tips for those of us who won’t let the idea that we can still keep a tidy house die. Perseverance and endurance to us all!
(1) Revisit your definition of tidy.
First and foremost, we mothers need to revisit what it means to be tidy. Tidy used to mean everything, it used to mean that surfaces were clear, things were in proper boxes and the house was almost always ready for visitors. Tidy now will mean something different. It may mean there are a few baskets filled with visible toys, it may mean that throughout the day there will be times when the house is in full play mode which means, obviously, that the house isn’t always “company ready.” Of course, most company we keep wouldn’t even notice anyway. Tidy will still look as though the house is in order and picked up. But it will be a different picked up order than before.
(2) Work with your children not against them.
After my child started crawling and pulling things around I was personally offended. Does he not know that I want the house to look neat? After a while I realized that was not the case, and that I needed to figure out some good systems that let the kids be kids and let the house be neat and orderly, but still be home. Dedicate an area of the house or room you spend the most time in as an area for play, and let them throw around their toys and games while they are playing, then when they are finished you can all pick them up together. Of course, some days this may mean standing over them handing them a Lego brick telling them to put it in the basket. Some days they do it happily, some days they run away. That’s life, but whether they do as they’re told or not you can still rest easy knowing the mess is confined to just the one area. A win win in my book!
(3) Downsize the knickknacks.
One way that I’ve managed to keep the house from looking like an indoor yard sale is to minimize the knick knacks. If I want to put sentimental and decorative items on display I do so where they are above arms reach. Not because I don’t want to teach my children to avoid certain things, but simply because the little ones only have so much willpower and several picture frames, candles and coasters are too much for them to resist day in and day out. Plus, we can’t very well have them touch nothing in the house. On lower surfaces I keep the bare minimum to be pleasing to my eye and it means there are less things strewn about the house.
(4) Breathe.
Probably the most important of tips I have for you today, remember that the cleaning can always wait but our children wont remain small for long.
(1) Revisit your definition of tidy.
First and foremost, we mothers need to revisit what it means to be tidy. Tidy used to mean everything, it used to mean that surfaces were clear, things were in proper boxes and the house was almost always ready for visitors. Tidy now will mean something different. It may mean there are a few baskets filled with visible toys, it may mean that throughout the day there will be times when the house is in full play mode which means, obviously, that the house isn’t always “company ready.” Of course, most company we keep wouldn’t even notice anyway. Tidy will still look as though the house is in order and picked up. But it will be a different picked up order than before.
(2) Work with your children not against them.
After my child started crawling and pulling things around I was personally offended. Does he not know that I want the house to look neat? After a while I realized that was not the case, and that I needed to figure out some good systems that let the kids be kids and let the house be neat and orderly, but still be home. Dedicate an area of the house or room you spend the most time in as an area for play, and let them throw around their toys and games while they are playing, then when they are finished you can all pick them up together. Of course, some days this may mean standing over them handing them a Lego brick telling them to put it in the basket. Some days they do it happily, some days they run away. That’s life, but whether they do as they’re told or not you can still rest easy knowing the mess is confined to just the one area. A win win in my book!
(3) Downsize the knickknacks.
One way that I’ve managed to keep the house from looking like an indoor yard sale is to minimize the knick knacks. If I want to put sentimental and decorative items on display I do so where they are above arms reach. Not because I don’t want to teach my children to avoid certain things, but simply because the little ones only have so much willpower and several picture frames, candles and coasters are too much for them to resist day in and day out. Plus, we can’t very well have them touch nothing in the house. On lower surfaces I keep the bare minimum to be pleasing to my eye and it means there are less things strewn about the house.
(4) Breathe.
Probably the most important of tips I have for you today, remember that the cleaning can always wait but our children wont remain small for long.