How do you keep your house clean with little ones under foot????

Question

I'm a stay at home mom of a 3 1/2 yr old and a 16 month old. Recently my husband commented that our house was "such a mess" compared to some of our friends homes. Don't get me wrong our house isn't immaculant, but its definetly not a dump by any means. There may be a few toys on the living room floor and a few dishes in the sink but not nasty or dirty, all in all its kept straightned up. My husband wants the house even cleaner. I practically go crazy now trying to keep up with the house and laundry and the kids. My 3 1/2 yr old is active and destroys EVERYTHING I clean up. She had gotton so bad about tearing her clothes of the hangers in her closet on a daily basis that we had to put a lock on the door so she can't go in and do it. My 16 month old is at the stage that everything mommy puts up is so much fun to tear back down. Just wondering how other moms with younger active kids keet the house clean with out going out of your mind LOL??????

Husband works about 80 hrs a week and is only home on Sundays so him helping isnt an option. (Just thought I'd throw that in because I'm sure I' get a lot of "Tell him to help" answers)

Answer 1

Just hire a maid and give him the bill. I bet you it shuts him up in a hurry!

Answer 2

I have a 9 year old, 7 year old, 1 1/2 year old and a 3 month old. I stay at home and really have no problem about my house being tidy..the reason is that the older children have a playroom and so do the younger children (the younger ones is in my office). All toys stay in their playrooms and are picked up before nap, before afternoon snack and before bath time. We use separate Rubbermaid containers for each type of toy (ie.blocks/cars/dolls, etc.) And you don't open one unless one is cleaned up. Your children are at an age where they can be taught where toys stay or go..after all whom is running you home the adults or children. It really sounds like there should be some structure and this should really help.

As to the overall cleaning: Swiffer vac is my best friend..it gets ran after all meals and well as a quick mop with the Clorox ready mop. They are wonderful quick clean up tools in my thoughts.
And the dishes.. from use right into the dishwasher until the dishwasher is done and then they get put away..right away.

You also may think about enlisting your 3 year old to help with dishes, like putting away spoons or plastic ware. It's a great age to want to help momma.

Hope this helps!
Good Luck!

Answer 3

I to have trouble keeping our home, clean and it isnt even that big. My kids are 4 and 2. I wouldnt make them play in their room with the door closed like someone else suggested. what if something would happen? In our living-room is where the kids play most, since their rooms are not that big, so i keep a playpen out there and when they go down for a nap I throw all the toys in there. play pens are much bigger than a toy box. I dont have a dishwasher so I do all my dishes at night time, I vaccum before my husband gets home and before I go to bed. I do laundry all day long. I think its more important to spend time with your children then worry about keeping your house spotless. All the hard cleaning like washing floors and walls I do on the weekend while my kids are out with my husband, it makes it much easier, and I clean the bathrooms 3 times a week while the children are napping, that way I still have time to relax. Once in awhile if I slack my husband will say something, but I just ask him to help me out then. Just let your husband know that keeping the house clean isnt the most important thing in the world and a couple toys laying on the floor isnt going to hurt anything, let your kids be kids. and if he does have a problem ask him to help out, having two kids at home is a fulltime job, you have to keep a constant eye on them. good luck, hope everything works out

Answer 4

You should designate an area for them to play in, like their room. No playing in the living room. Your 3 1/ 2 year old is old enough to start learning where where things go. Such as toys in the toy box. Have her help you out when you clean. They usually like to do that at that age. She'll be less likely do destroy things afterward. Don't let them have too many toys at once. It's hard to keep it clean when kids want to be so messy. My daugher has been putting up her toys for about a year now. Don't get me wrong it gets to be a mess if I don't constantly go behind her, but she's learning that is what she has to do if she wants to play with her toys. It's all just part of being a mom.

Answer 5

If your husband wants the house cleaner, perhaps he should start doing the cleaning. As far as I'm concerned, once a working parent is home from work, you should share the evening responsibilities equally. Being a stay-at-home mom with little ones is FAR harder physically and emotionally than going to the office every day.

My boyfriend thought much the same thing for the first 6 months after our son was born. I had "all this free time" why shouldn't everything get done? He stayed home with our son for the second 6 months and it was a real eye-opener.

Answer 6

I'm going through the same thing right now with my 2 and 3 year old girls. They share a room and before naps it will be sparkling clean. When they wake, it takes less than five minutes for it to be chaotic! I think it is the age. My son's room can be clean and if they (the girls) go in there - five minutes later, it is a mess! I have started holding my girls accountable and making them help to clean up. It has not helped at all, but I still make them help.

One thing that has helped is that I make them (and most toys) stay in their rooms when they are playing, that way my living, dining and all other areas always stay clean. With my best friend's suggestion, we started using paper products for lunch and breakfast. Only real dishes at dinner and my husband washes them after they go to sleep. Fortunately, if I put the laundry in, my husband will fold and put them away. He helps where he can. Regardless of how much of a super mom that we are, we still need some help. Regardless if you are stay at home, your husband still has to step up to wash dishes or fold clothes or help with something. Talk to him.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

I agree with the person that mentioned having fewer toys. This really works in my home (2 kids, 5 and 2).

I also use child gates. If I'm cleaning in the kitchen or just finished the kitchen, I have it blocked off with a gate or kitchen chairs.

I sometimes put the gate in my kids room and ask them to play there. But it isn't like I lock them in there, I let them out if they really want out.

The best thing I can do is "maintain." My husband was frustrated with me as well ... but he has learned that maintaining a fairly messy house is a great accomplishment (compared to letting the house get messier). Once I changed my goals from cleaning to maintaining my sanity level improved. My husband is adapting.

Answer 9

Oh, I wish I had better news for you, but I have a 6 year old daughter just like yours and she is still up to the same things. There is a bright side though, my daughter is now in first grade and her being in school until 3 pm helps so much. I do feel your frustration. I clean one room then move on to the next as they move on to the room I just finished. By the time I am done with the house I have one clean room, the one I have just finished.

Answer 10

You need to talk to your husband. Let him know you are doing the best you can and that your kids need your attention more than the house needs to be cleaner. Let him know you want to spend your time with your kids while they are little and right now, it is good enough for you. If he wants it even cleaner, let him fix it.
I think at three and a half, she shouldn't still be trashing the house. At two, that's developementally appropriate. At three, it isn't really. She needs to be outgrowing it. Good thinking to lock the door and remove that habit now. Work with her to help get her things picked up, even if you have to "help her". My three year old knows that he can't get out any new toys until his previous mess is clean. He asks for my help and we do it together. Just don't let it get so bad that it takes more than a few minutes at a time.
Make sure the toys are sorted in an easy to get out and easy to clean manner. Seriously, being a parent means that your house needs to look like kids live there too. Let them spread out and feel like it is their home as well, without being slobs.
I am a single mom and my house is a little messy, not dirty. I make sure it is totally clean at bedtime, or as close as I can manage on any given day, so we are starting fresh. I don't try to keep up all day. You just can't. I have friends whose living room is spotless but I wouldn't walk in their kids rooms with rubber boots on. None of my house is immaculate and none of it is disgusting.
If you have to, ask your husband which areas are most important (toys out of the living area, dirty dishes?) and which areas you can let slide to focus on his areas. Keeping up with kids those ages is hard and he needs to know it is a joint effort to keep things "perfect" with them around.

Answer 11

we don't the house is clean it's just not tidy. There is a saying...
Cleaning the house while the children are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. (Phyllis Diller) we are trying to get in the habit of the kids putting their stuff away before bed...say about 1/2 before bed get them to pick up their stuff and we make it fun by seeing how much stuff they can put away in a minute and then repeat!!! it won't be perfect until they are out of the house then make way for grand kids LOL!!!!!!