Cleaning Hacks For Busy Parents
One area of life which seems impossible as a parent is keeping a clean a tidy house. Children are born to be messy. They like to haul every toy they have out to play with and in most cases aren't too bothered about putting them away again. They will leave mud all over your freshly washed floors, make for never-ending loads of laundry and will have your kitchen floor looking as though they were trying to feed it instead of themselves... all while they're busy having fun and enjoying their childhoods.
This is part of the life of being a parent, after all, if your house was pristine clean all the time it wouldn't be a lived in and well-loved family home, but what can parents do to keep on top of all the household cleaning jobs, as well as making sure their children are well cared for and happy?
Here are some fab cleaning hacks for busy parents that are sure to keep you on top of all you need to do to have an organised, tidy and most of the time clean house.
1. Deep clean your rooms once a month. If you can manage to do this that's 12 big cleans you'll do throughout the year that should make the daily tasks much more manageable. We deep clean the bathroom by taking everything out of it so we can clean it from top to bottom and it makes this most used room easier to manage when it comes to keeping it clean - which is needed in a house full of boys!
2. Invest in storage. When it comes to kids bedrooms and playrooms, storage is a must! When everything has a place your home will be easier to keep tidy, so invest in some good and easily accessible storage. Cubed units with pull out boxes are great for toys. Large plastic drawer units are great for toys with small parts such as LEGO.
3. Use a laundry service. Feel like your laundry pile breeds when you're not looking? Why not take use of a 24 hour laundry service that will wash and dry your clothes before delivering them back to you the next day? You don't even need to leave your home to available for the service either, you can schedule a collection time, a driver will pick up your laundry and when it's all done they'll deliver it back to you - amazing, right?!
4. Make the beds each morning. This is such a simple thing to do but honestly, making your beds each morning is proven to make you more motivated throughout the day. It's the first task of keeping your home clean and tidy throughout the day and will set you off on the right foot. Also, having your beds made instantly makes bedrooms look cleaner and tidier.
5. Don't let things pile up. No one wants to see piles and piles of ironing left to be done, mountains of things to put away and mess everywhere because it looks like a mammoth task and a right chore to do. If you don't let things pile up the cleaning and tidying of your home will be easier to manage. We have a new rule that if a wash basket is ready to put away, it has to be done there and then because I was sick of baskets being left in my bedroom!
6. Clean up each night before bed. Before the kids go to bed get them to clean up their room, either with you or without, depending on their age. This means that when you and they wake up in the morning you're waking up to a clean and tidy bedroom and not a load of chaos. This means that your day will run smoother, you won't be tripping over toys or clothes left on the floor and they will have space to play.
7. Have a cleaning schedule. If you're someone who works better by writing things down or having a set schedule for things then having a cleaning schedule is a great way of keeping on top of the housework. Even if you allocate a maximum of 30 minutes a day to cleaning your home, that effort will really help in keeping on top of everything and allowing you to spend time doing other fun things with your family. A little bit each day goes a long way!
If you're in need of even more inspiration on cleaning you can read my guide on how to keep your home tidy and organised, or, with the spring coming up, read my spring cleaning checklist for busy parents to help you keep your home clean and organised - even with kids in tow!