How to Maintain a Clean Home with Messy Toddlers is a Guest post
Cleaning up after messy toddlers can often seem like fighting a losing battle. But it’s a battle of attrition which can be easily won, until your children are old enough to take responsibility for their own mess.
How to Maintain a Clean Home with Messy Toddlers
Kids are always doing such things putting anything and everything in their mouths, or getting their hands dirty and then sucking their thumbs. It’s best to keep up with the tidying in order to prevent your toddlers from catching something. The trick is to get a bit done every day and not to let the mess build up.
At times, cleaning with toddlers around can be frustrating. You may find that, while cleaning one room, your children are making a mess of the one that you just cleaned! You have three options here:
· Distraction. As hard as it may be, try to get the kids absorbed in an activity that will keep them from hindering your cleaning.
· Cleaning is not exactly enjoyable in the evening, but is it ever? Do it while the kids are sleeping.
· If you can, get your kids out of the house for a few hours while you do the tidying. Send them outside in the summer, to a neighbour’s house or a crèche.
Tidying up games
Alternatively, you can fool your kids into doing some of the work for you by inventing simple tidying games like ‘Who can fit the most toys in one basket’. Another idea, which can double up as a learning process, is getting your kids to sort their toys by their colour. Be imaginative and the chores could even be fun.
If you can get your children used to the idea of tidying, they will hopefully grow up with a sense of responsibility toward their surroundings, and will learn the skills they will need to keep their own house clean in adult life. Make sure to use positive encouragement so they know that their efforts are appreciated.
Get the right tools for the job. Hand-held vacuum cleaners are good for quickly sucking up crumbs after mealtimes. Another good idea is to have a carpet cleaner on hand should your toddlers tamper with their “spill-proof” cups. These can quickly remove spilled liquids and are better for your carpet than soaking them up with a tea towel. Vax provide a wide range of quality carpet cleaners to suit your personal requirements.
There are many ways to keep on top of the chores if you use your imagination; designate playing areas so toys stay, for the most part, in one room, ask a family member or spouse to do their share in order to maintain a clean home while still having time to indulge fun activities with your children.
How to Maintain a Clean Home with Messy Toddlers is a collaborative post – you mihgt also like my post on how to keep your home tidy