Keeping a Clean, Organized House when You Have Small Children

I am blessed to be the mother to an energetic 13-month-old daughter. While I love having her around and wouldn't change things for the world, it can be difficult and frustrating trying to keep up with the housework with a toddler in the house. Kids have a way of making messes faster than we can clean them up, and it can be frustrating. While having kids around probably means that you're not going to have a perfect, "Martha Stewart"-clean house, you also don't have to live in constant clutter. Here are four simple tips to keeping your house looking presentable and feeling comfortable.

Make a gameplan

Know ahead of time what you have to do, and stick to it. If your kids are old enough that you are able to stick to a daily or weekly routine, that may be your best option. With unpredictable babies and toddlers, though, it's not always possible to follow the same routine every day. I have developed a habit of waking in the morning, assessing my daughter's mood (as well as my own) and writing out a list for the day of things that need to be done. I list them in order of importance, with the most important tasks first, so that if I don't get to everything on the list, at least I can get the big things done. Sometimes I'm only able to do one or two things on my list -- some days I can finish the entire list and then move on to something else. But having a gameplan every day helps keep me focused and motivated, and prevents me from becoming overwhelmed.

Don't fall behind

In every house, there are certain tasks that need to be done regularly -- laundry, dishes, vacuuming, and so on. Always keep these tasks in mind so that they don't get out of control. I've found that if I let the laundry slip for just a day or two, it becomes nearly unmanageable and I need to spend an entire day catching up. That "catch-up" day means that I have to neglect other household responsibilities for the day, which causes them to pile up more. The more out of control a task becomes, the harder it is to find the motivation to get it done. Stay on top of the everyday chores to keep them from getting out of hand.

Get your child involved

Older children can get involved with daily chores. Even toddlers can "help" you as you go about your day. When I do laundry, my daughter likes to pull the clean clothes out of the basket and pile them on the floor. It's not really helping, but it's not really a problem either, so I let her do it and thank her for helping Mommy (always being sure that the folded clothes are on the couch, out of her reach). Older children sometimes balk at the idea of doing chores, so make it fun for them. Crank up some fun music and dance as you dust together. Open the lid of the toybox and "free throw" toys in as you clean up the playroom. Preschoolers will delight in helping sort laundry by showing off their knowledge of colors. Involving your children in your housework will not only be fun for both of you, but it will keep them occupied (instead of making a mess in another room) and will help them learn to appreciate the value of teamwork and a job well done.

Let the little things go

Your house will never be pristine again as long as you have children. And that's ok. Part of being a parent is learning to accept that nobody is perfect, not even ourselves. If your toddler has spilled Cheerios on the floor for the third time today, let him play with them for a little while. You can vacuum them up later. If you get busy and don't get to put away all the laundry today, do it in the morning. Be sure not to get too far behind, but sometimes we have to let the little things slide if we want to keep our sanity. Remember to take the time to enjoy your children and grab a moment for yourself each day -- don't get so wrapped up in keeping your home looking picture-perfect that you forget to have a little fun.