How to Avoid Hours of Cleaning Up After Your Kids

After you become a parent strange things happen: you start seeing your kids as the centre of your universe, you worry about them more than you ever thought possible, and you end up cleaning up after them for what feels like 25 hours a day. Successful people have a saying: “work smarter, not harder”, and it’s applicable to working at home too. Here’s how you can finish cleaning up after your kids in no time.

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Embrace routine

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Routine is amazing and patterns are going to become your best friends. Just like babies like predictability, you are going to find it easier to do chores if you make a habit out of them. It might take a while for kids to understand that half an hour after lunch or dinner is for cleaning up, and after a while, they’ll leave you alone and won’t ask you to entertain them. On the other hand, if you have a baby, you can achieve a lot if you use a baby swaddle because it leaves your arms free.

Rise and shine

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When your children are very young it’s going to be virtually impossible to wake up before them as they will usually be the one waking you up. Still, if your children are able to sleep through the night and already have a routine on their own, it’s always a good idea to wake up a bit before they do and do some work around the house. Sometimes just unloading the dishwasher and folding out laundry in complete silence will be therapeutic, and even if you’re only able to do one or two things before they wake up, it’ll mean a lot to you.

Demand assistance

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Just because you fall under the ‘supermom’ category, it doesn’t mean you have to be one. Working around the house, preparing meals, taking care of your kids, cleaning, shopping, and working (in an office or from home) is too much for everyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: a cleaner, your spouse, your kids (you can easily find age-appropriate chores for kids), and even your friends. Asking for help when it comes to cleaning doesn’t make you a bad mom, and you should rely on others the same way they’re relying on you.

Make a game out of it

Let’s face it – kids will do anything as long as they think it’s fun, so why not use it to your advantage and turn some of the chores into a game for them. For example, they can compete to see who can put the most toys in the box, or who will be the first to make their bed. As they age, they can do the dishes, the laundry, or clean their own room, but in the beginning, chores should be a game for them.

Be flexible

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You’ll learn this sooner or later, but it’s better to remind yourself of it every day: be flexible! Just because you have come up with the perfect plan that will allow you to finish everything in a reasonable time, it doesn’t mean your baby will cooperate. Some days children get sick, other times they’re fussy and cranky and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Other times you’ll just be dead tired and won’t feel like vacuuming or dusting even though you have the time, and that’s okay. The days might be long but the years are very short, and if you need a break or your kids need your attention, well, dishes can wait.

At the end

The work of a parent is never done, but that doesn’t mean that you should lose precious hours on cleaning your home. While it’s amiable to be able to do everything on your own, it’s often better to ask for help when things seem to be getting out of your hands. Don’t hesitate to include other family members in cleanup routine, it’s going to save you a lot of time and effort.