How do you do it?

[Scattymum101]

How do you keep up with the housework when you have young kids?

I've recently moved from a two bed flat to a four bed house and finding the logistics difficult even though we have loads more space.

I have a three year old who is great and I can leave her pottering but I also have an 11 month old who has started walking recently and is just into EVERYTHING. Dd1 never really put things in her mouth but I can't leave dd2 for a second without her putting something in her mouth or climbing on things or generally creating mayhem.

She follows me everywhere hanging onto my leg so I can't walk or do anything. It ends up that a two minute job takes 20 mins and I feel like all I do all day is pride dd2 off my leg to get on with anything.
I feel awful because then everything takes so much longer and I don't get as much proper time with her and dd1.
She does take a nap in the afternoon but I can't really go up and downstairs when she's asleep as the stairs creak and she wakes up so easily just now.

I work three days a week so don't get anything done on those days and the weekend I try and get more stuff done but I just have no idea how to keep on top of it.

Anyone any tips?

[Twinklefuck]

It gets easier!

I've a 3you and just 2yo so I know the struggle.

I get up an hour before the kids to do a 'job' ie sort washing/ironing, gut kitchen, clean bathrooms. I found when dd was younger I could sit her on a towel with a bowl of water and stuff to pour and I could get everything in that room done whilst she played. I used to hoover whilst she was finishing a meal, get her some pans and a wooden spoon to sit on the bed with whilst I hoovered upstairs, washing in before dh went to work. Everything else got done whilst the kids were asleep. It's a hard age.

Now I have a rota of things to be done each day and whilst I still need to keep a keen eye on dd, it mostly gets done with time free to play.

[Scattymum101]

Thank you.
She's just at that stage where she won't stay still for a minute. Before we moved I could still put her in the jumparoo for 15 mins to jump in for a shower or whiz round with the Hoover or start dinner etc.

The problem is I'm not getting a chance to unpack everything properly because I'm not getting a minute but then the place isn't safe to leave the little one to roam. It's that age old issue of it being easier to keep on top of things once you're on top of them lol.

[Twinklefuck]

I know that feeling! Have you got someone who could either watch her at their house or sit with her whilst you get things done? Maybe prioritise her room and lounge to be done and put a stairgate on so you can whiz around as and when you get chance knowing she's ok and you can pop your head in and hear her?

At that age for us it was little bits snatched when I had chance and her bedtime (which wasn't easy as she didn't sleep until 18 months)!

She tends to follow 'helping' now, taking washing out after I've put it in, putting dishes I've just washed back in the sink, throwing everything within reach in the bin etc. but it's much easier now she's a bit older

[Scattymum101]

I rely on my mum and mil for childcare while I work so don't feel I can als them on my days off but think on a Thursday I'm going to try and come home from work early (I'm w teacher) and do lots of housework before I pick the girls up from my mums and then do work when they're in bed. It would at least let me get everything unpacked etc.

We have no carpet upstairs just now (was meant to be fitted ydays and they've put it back to next week now argh) so I can't let her down at all upstairs at the moment. Won't be as bad once the carpets are down.

I know it won't be for long. I think it's just worse coz I haven't got the house sorted yet etc. X

[timelytess]

Fuck knows. I live alone and I can't do it. Going out now. That's even more housework time down the drain.

[Diddlydokey]

I think you need to baby proof your lounge and put stair gates up so you can leave her in the lounge for 10 minutes and know that there's not much she can get up to. I actually cleaned in the evening or during nap times and just did firefighting and quick tidy ups during the day.

[Psychmumma]

A travel cot as a playpen whilst you give the room a once over?

Also, have as much storage available to put stuff in as possible so it can be kept away from her if she instinctively puts everything in her mouth. Storage boxes can be lovely- IKEA do stylish cardboard ones/ wilkos do nice wicker ones etc and you can keep them on sides and surfaces away from her.

Rotate toy boxes so that she doesn't just empty everything and leave a trail of disaster (making it more difficult for you to keep tidy). As soon as you see she is losing interest, work with her to pack that box up and get a new one out to play with.

Have a tidy up by a certain point in the evening- otherwise you will be left doing it all night and you have no rest or break. Encourage the kids to help or set them down with one puzzle each or one crayon and paper before clean up has finished, then it's probably bedtime!

[Scattymum101]

I'm really lucky that we have a playroom with good storage downstairs so I put s tidy up song on before Jammie time and my three year old helps me put all the toys away. As awful as it sounds today was easier coz I was at work. Minimal dishes used and mess made as we weren't here!!

I could have left dd1 pottering at that age no bother if I had child proofed a room but dd2 is just crazy lol. I couldn't leave her for a second as she climbs on things even if there's nothing to put in her mouth and she's constantly falling over because she's climbing on furniture. She's a wee minx but she's amazing with it.

Think I just have to accept that until I get properly unpacked things will be hectic. Have set myself a deadline of dd2's first birthday to have the place organised so 3 weeks to go lol.

[Twinklefuck]

You'll get there she sounds a lot like my dd, ds was so easy and chilled and dd has always been a tornado but is so lovely. She posted my tablet through the bannister upstairs today and killed it when I'd taken my eyes off her for around 30 seconds but was just so curious and puzzled I couldn't get mad. My fault for leaving it lay around anyway.