Happy Homemaking Tip: Keeping up on Cleanliness

One of the hardest things for me as a homemaker is to keep the house clean. It was somewhat doable with one child. A lot harder with two. And now with three, it's nearly impossible! If I spent the entire day cleaning, I would still find new messes. And when it seems like I'm cleaning all day long I get drained, physically and emotionally. On the flip side, if I let the messes build up too long, they start to seem unmanageable, and I feel a bit depressed or paralyzed. Essentially, I lose all my energy as a mom. 

So, I've been trying to find a healthy balance, and have discovered a few things that work well for me.  I admit that I don't do any of these things all of the time. So don't misread this and think I am one of those moms who has a clean house when you unexpectedly show up at the door. Believe me, I'm not! But I've found that when I do these simple things most of the time, the messes are more manageable and I have more joy in motherhood.

1. Start each day with a clean house. 

This is a big one for me, and the one that I do most often. I've discovered that if I start in the morning with a clean home, I am more likely to keep up with things all day long. I have energy to pull out fun crafts, cook something, or spend more time with the kids. I am a happier mom all around. On the other hand, when I start the day with yesterday's dirty clothes or dishes or toys on the floor, I can't seem to ever catch up or get ahead. It automatically becomes a harder day for me.

I wish there was a way to magically wake up to a clean house in the morning, but there isn't. If we want it clean, we have to clean each night. We usually do a family pick-up before bedtime snack, (mostly helping the kids with their messes) and get a little help from our kids in the kitchen. Then my husband and I finish cleaning the kitchen together after the kids are asleep. It's so much easier to clean with a partner. And it's our bonding time to talk about the day, our children, etc. Why doesn't anyone tell you when you're single and looking for a spouse, to look for someone who will be a good cleaning partner? If you plan on having kids, then just plan on cleaning...a lot! 

2. Clean up after each meal.

This might seem obvious to most, but it's taken me years to realize how important this is. My young children don't ever seem to not need me. So it's easy to go straight from a meal or snack into another activity without cleaning up the kitchen mess. However, I've found that they are usually happiest after they've eaten, and I can afford 2 or 3 extra minutes to clear off the counter and sink before I join them with our next activity. When I do this, I feel like I'm "keeping up" regardless of other messes being made by little hands. This makes a big difference the next time we are in the kitchen to prepare food. And at the end of the day, the kitchen mess is so much easier to tackle.

3. Mid-morning and Evening Pick-ups.

Some people are good at cleaning up after each activity. Not us! No matter how much I try to adopt that skill, we fail. My kids are busy. They get into one activity; then without even knowing it, they are distracted and pulled into a completely different one. When I try to get them to clean up after each one, it feels like I am constantly hounding them, and we lose the fun and spontaneity of childhood. I like to sit back and watch as they let their imaginations go, getting lost in their play. Then sometime around lunch, we try to have a quick pick-up. Sometimes we'll make it a game, by choosing an animal to act like (and then guess each others' animal after we're done), or clean up to a fun song. It only takes a couple minutes, but it makes a huge difference for how our home feels all afternoon. Afterward, I try to point out to them how nice it feels to have a clean home again. This makes our evening pick-up easier too. We have a little phrase we sing as a reminder to stick with it, "We all work together til the work is done."

4. Saturday Morning Cleaning.

What is it about doing Saturday morning jobs together as a family that just makes my heart happy? We get some fun music going, and let the kids each choose a few jobs to do (mirrors, sinks, toilets, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, etc.). We work alongside them, praising their hard work and attention to detail. They gain confidence in themselves. They feel a sense of accomplishment for contributing to the family. Often they will do more than the prescribed number of jobs, just because it looks fun. Sometimes we deal with complaints or distraction. But for the most part, they are willing to do a little work when it's a family activity.   

5. Get Help When it's Needed.

There are days and stages in our lives when we just can't do as much around the home. For whatever reason, we are limited. For example, when I am sick, I lay on the couch and watch our home become a war zone. I've realized at these times, I just have to get extra help to be able to cope. Usually I get that help from my husband. But I can't just expect him to know what help I need; I usually need to tell him specifically. And he is always so willing to help when he can. 

But I've also learned that sometimes I need to get help from others. One way I do this, is I've hired a cute pre-teen babysitter to come once a week to play with the kids while I catch up on cleaning. She gets the babysitting experience she wants with me there, in case there is a problem. And I can get a lot more done when the kids are having fun. 

Another way I've found help is by hiring a "cleaning lady" for a time. I know this might be "out of the question" for some moms! And honestly, it went against my basic instincts as a mom too. But during the first trimester of this pregnancy, I was so sick and tired, that I could hardly walk up and down the stairs, let alone clean. During this time, I heard of a cleaner who's price was reasonable. I got her number, but still couldn't bring myself to call her. Finally, in desperation, I swallowed my pride and made the call. 

She came for two hours and did what would have taken me at least five hours! And by her coming, I was completely motivated to get up off the couch to pick up some piles, so she could do the deep cleaning. When she left, the house was sparkling and I was ecstatic! I told my husband I knew a perfect gift for my Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's, and any other holiday. I just can't describe the boost it gave me to have her help. She came twice a month during that stage, and saved my life. I'm already planning to hire her again when I'm recovering with the newborn. And I'm forever sold on hiring a cleaner when it's absolutely needed!  

  

Photo found from Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net