Basic housekeeping for a SAHM with a 2, 3 and 5 yo

[ISaySteadyOn]

My parents always thought of housekeeping as beneath them so I grew up not knowing how to do much. I taught myself to cook and do laundry and had a vague idea about sweeping and mopping.

I've been learning more and more about what needs doing as I've been a SAHM which is good, but my DC are at the age where they want to help but their help is not actually very helpful. So I have 2 questions for the knowledgeable MNers, 1) What are the things that absolutely need doing? and 2) How do you do them without children interfering? I tend to let them have a bit of telly and then do as much as I can in that time, but I'd rather not do the telly parking.

Thank you!

[mamamermaid]

I'm also in the process of working on this. We have a daily task list (most of it done after kids in bed) and also a weekly task a night iyswim.
So daily is dishwasher, laundry (a load a day), surfaces, floors of hall/kitchen/dining room which is sweep and mop.
Today's weekly task was clean toilets, yesterday's was Hoover living room.
I have no idea if this is right or wrong and the list sort of evolves. I have a 6mo and a 3yo.
The 3yo has a task list too, hers is water house plants (Friday), clean kitchen sink (Tuesday) she uses bicarb and vinegar all safe stuff and dusting (Saturday)
We have a 'house journal' which is open on the kitchen worktop it's a diary and a to do it/shopping list/meal plan and also evolves

[Philoslothy]

I have two at home of a similar age as well as older children. The older children have chores which makes life easier.

I have daily tasks:

1. Hoover a set room (s) each day
   
2. steam mop kitchen and bathrooms
   
3. dust set room(s) the ones I hoovered
   
4. load of washing and iron previous day's washing
   
5. dishwashers needs filling and refilling a few times a day
   
   I then have weekly tasks and tasks that get done in each school holiday.
   
   The children just sort of follow me round, I give them something linked with what I am doing to do.

[Philoslothy]

Forgot bathrooms, family bathroom gets done during and after bath time.

Our bathroom gets a wipe probably every other day with a thorough clean once a week.

[ISaySteadyOn]

Thank you all, that's helpful. I was trying to figure out daily v weekly. I don't really iron and we don't have a dishwasher (tiny kitchen), but it sounds from what you say as though am on right track. Laundry daily, sweeping daily, mopping daily, toilets weekly. I also like the idea of giving specific tasks to DC.

Anyone got any tips on teaching them to tidy? I spend my life picking up toys so no one falls over anything. It would be nice if it weren't just me.

[Twinklefuck]

Mine are 2&3, I think when it comes to toys it's best to make sure they know where things go, eg we have a ottoman in the lounge and all their toys that live downstairs go in that so we have tidy up time before we leave for nursery and before bed, in their rooms they have kallax boxes so just tidy toys into whichever one they're using. My best advice is just set the example and encourage.