All right moms, let’s go ahead and address the ever-present “elephant in the room.” I’m talking about never-ending chores. I know it’s probably the last thing we want to talk about, but we must. Now, I know I am about to get some crazy looks after this next sentence but hear me out: I actually really enjoy cleaning.
There, I said it. Not many moms I’ve met would actually admit to this, but that’s OK, I have your back. You don’t have to love cleaning, but we can agree that we all need to do it. Cleaning is my own personal way of de-stressing, it’s not that hard for me to just jump in. However, I understand that this may not be the same for everyone.
There’s probably a mom reading this right now who has cheerios and crumbs under the couch. A mom who probably had apple juice spill under the table and it was hurriedly sopped up with a piece of paper towel. I am here to share with you 3 easy, tested, tried and true, foolproof ways of cleaning more effectively and actually LIKING it.
3 Easy Cleaning Hacks
- Enlist Little Helpers – Delegating small tasks to your children will sometimes get the cleaning up done more quickly (in most cases) and will also give them something to do. Not only will this help them to feel like a part of the process, you’re also teaching valuable life lessons. I know little Ava may not be folding laundry the way you would like it, but remember that this activity is teaching her personal responsibility early on. And let’s face it, if they’re not helping you with cleaning, they will be off somewhere else in the house making more messes you’ll have to clean up later. I know it may feel like a chore in and of itself to have the kids help with the chores. They sometimes make a bigger mess and they may not always do things exactly they way you like, but now and then, let them help and consider it a bonding experience. After all, they live there too, they should know what it’s like to keep their space clean.
- Do A Little Bit Each Day – When you do a little bit of cleaning every day, it helps to maintain a clean space as well as to cut down on a huge mess to clean up if you put it off for once a week. It doesn’t take long to make sure all toys and clothes are put away and the floors swept at least once every day. Dishes can also be done every night–that way you won’t wake up to a sink-full in the morning. I also found that wiping down bathroom sinks and mirrors every day really helps. There won’t be any extra elbow grease needed. If you make a little bit of cleaning every day, a priority then it will cut down drastically the amount of time you will spend cleaning up on the weekends.
- Clean Only One Space At A Time – There must be some level of organization if you’re going to clean effectively. Moving from room to room in your house tossing toys, picking up clothes and sweeping . . . all the while yelling at the kids to “stop leaving stuff laying around” is definitely not the way. Stop, take a moment to develop a plan of attack, grab your little helpers and head to each room together. While you’re folding laundry, your little ones could be picking up and putting away toys. While you’re doing dishes your little could be wiping down the counter tops and taking out trash if they’re old enough.
- Crank Up The Tunes – Music makes everything better. This is especially true with cleaning. Music sets the tone and gets you in the mood to get active. Put on your favorite (kid-friendly) playlist. Turn the volume up just enough to not disrupt the neighbors and get cleaning. You’ll be surprised how fast the time goes by when you’re not too focused on the task at hand but rather on the music and the possible dancing that will ensue. Also, I know you’ve probably heard “it’s raining tacos” one too many times. But, don’t forget to NOT hog the tunes and play your kids’ favorite tracks too. This will make the cleaning experience more fun and enjoyable for them.
Cleaning up doesn’t have to feel like a chore. If you incorporate at least one of these hacks into your cleaning routine I guarantee you can cut down on a lot of the stress surrounding household chores. At the same time you’ll also be bonding with your kids while teaching them valuable life lessons.
