American parents spend about 23 hours and 36 minutes on cleaning every month (5 hours and 54 minutes a week). About 69% feel like they’re missing out on quality time with their family due to housework. Encouraging your kids to help with the housekeeping could put that time back into your schedule.
Here are a few easy housekeeping tips you can use to keep your home spotless with help from your kids. With this housekeeping guide, you can go from messy to cleansing without stress.
Read on to start cleaning with your kids today!
Declutter and Donate
About 50% of Americans admit to being cluttered on some level. However, not many people realize that allowing possessions to build up can affect their mental health. For example, clutter can:
- Bombard our minds with excessive stimuli
- Inhibit creativity and productivity
- Cause frustration
- Lead to social isolation
- Create feelings of guilt and embarrassment
- Increase anxiety
- Make it difficult for us to physically or mentally relax
- Signal to our brains that work is never done
- Make it difficult to focus
Before clutter begins to accumulate throughout your home, start using the latest housekeeping tips for clutter.
First, walk through every room within your home. Have your kids help by asking them what toys or items they no longer use. Then, organize unwanted items into three piles: keep, donate, and toss.
Removing unneeded items throughout your home will help you minimize clutter. You and your kids will find it’s easier to clean up when there are fewer items to worry about.
Give Everything a Place
You can also minimize messes and clutter by giving every belonging in your home a designated spot.
Ask your children to assign every toy or possession a designated place. Each time they use that toy or item, make sure they put it right back. Get them into the habit of keeping everything where it belongs.
Make Organizing Kid-Accessible
Your kids will have an easier time applying these housekeeping tips if they can reach certain tools. For example, your child might not feel inclined to hang up their coat if they can’t reach the hook. They’ll struggle to help you put away the dishes if they don’t have access to a stool.
Consider putting your child’s dishes in a lower cabinet so they can help when it’s time to clean up the kitchen.
Otherwise, buy kid-height hooks and toy bins. Make sure everything is within their reach.
Rotate Toys
Your child doesn’t need all of their toys out at once. Consider developing a toy checkout system. Have them rotate their toys so only the ones they’re currently playing with are visible.
Then, have them keep the rest of their toys organized and put away.
Establish a Routine
Consider establishing a cleaning routine with your family to keep everyone on the same page. You can develop a morning and evening routine to help your kids form the habit of remaining organized.
For example, their daily morning routine might involve making the bed and putting their pajamas away. Their evening routine might involve putting away their shoes and toys.
Help your child develop their own daily cleaning routine to ensure they help you stay organized.
Once you start developing this system, try to keep it as simple as possible. For example, using 15 different colored bins for organizing toys by type can get confusing. Your child might not know where to put anything if the system is complicated.
Instead, make cleaning fast and efficient by simplifying your process.
Don’t forget to write your daily cleaning tasks down! Creating a fun chart can help provide your child with a visual reminder of what needs to get done. Reward them with stickers for all their hard work.
Make It Fun
Your kids will likely feel more inclined to clean if they find it fun. Try to find ways to make cleaning up a fun activity.
For example, you can see “who can clean their rooms the fastest” or find other ways to gamify cleaning.
Remain Realistic
As you work through these housekeeping tips, remember to maintain realistic expectations.
For example, if you have younger kids, they might not be ready to help as much as you’d like them to. A stay-at-home mom will have more time to clean during the day, giving her kids fewer tasks to complete before bed. Meanwhile, a working mom might require more help from her children.
Managing your expectations can help you avoid disappointment and unnecessary stress.
Trying keeping things in perspective as well. The photos of homes you see on Pinterest were likely organized by professional organizers and cleaners. You can hire a housekeeper to meet that standard of cleanliness.
Trying to hold yourself to the same standard of perfection, especially if you’re cleaning alone, could put unnecessary stress on your shoulders.
Communicate, too!
Everyone has a different threshold for cleanliness. Try communicating your expectations with your family. Then, you can ensure everyone remains on the same page and understands exactly how your home should look.
Request Help
You don’t have to start using these tips alone. For more housekeeping advice, consider hiring a professional cleaning company. You can have them arrive on a recurring schedule to ensure your home remains clean throughout the year.
Hiring a cleaning company can also minimize how much you’ll need to rely on your kids for help. You can still hold your kids responsible for cleaning their rooms, putting away their toys, and decluttering. Meanwhile, you’ll have peace of mind knowing other areas of your home are thoroughly cleaned.
Housekeeping With Kids: Keep Your Home Clean With These Tips
Housekeeping with kids is easier once you have a plan in place. Use these easy tips to get your kids involved this year. Then, consider hiring a professional company for additional help.
With maid services, you can minimize both stress and clutter for an organized, dust-free home.
Eager to get started? We can’t wait to help.
Request a free house cleaning quote from our team today.
