Little kids can bring joy and light into your home, but they also come with their fair share of messes. If you are a parent to a toddler, you may be at wit’s end trying to keep up with your home. These tips can help you avoid constantly cleaning, even when your home has toddlers.
Adjust Your Expectations
If you were a neatnik before having children, cleaning up after toddlers can make you feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle. No one expects parents of little children to have a constantly pristine home, and it may be time to adjust your expectations to evaluate what’s truly achievable and reasonable for your family. Remember, they’re only this little for a short time. Keep things tidy and safe, but remember that; it’s reasonable to relax your expectations for this age of life.
Rotate Toys
Play is crucial to growing and developing young minds. Parents know this, and it’s no wonder parents are constantly looking for new and interesting toys to stimulate learning. After all, what if the space-themed blocks spur a lifelong interest in science? Your future astronaut actually may benefit more from having fewer toys. A smaller selection allows for more creative play and makes clean-up a breeze. Rotate your children’s toys to keep things fresh and keep only a small portion available at playtime.
Keep Crumbs Contained
Toddlers love to be mobile, and it’s easy to give them a bag of goldfish and let them roam. If you truly want to keep your home clean, it is best to keep mealtimes (and snack times) contained in a designated area. This can also promote mindful eating habits in the future since eating while on the move or watching a show can promote mindless eating over time.
Get the Kids Involved
Kids love to be involved! While working with little kids often is more work than doing it by yourself, there are a few jobs that they can easily accomplish with little help, depending on their developmental age. Have your youngest toddlers pretend to join to provide entertainment while you can get some work done, provide a dust cloth or play broom. For older toddlers, have them put away silverware or plasticware–it’s like a real-life sorting game! Just be certain you are keeping any sharp objects away from their access.
Commit to Ten Minutes
Sometimes an overwhelming mess just needs a ten-minute tidy to become manageable again. If you’re feeling particularly exhausted, don’t feel bad simply committing to a ten-minute cleanup and calling it a day.
