Best tip for a cleaner/tidier home with toddlers ?

[LetMeBubble]

Hi all,

I have 2 under 3, both toddler and running around. I’m surprised how much I assumed the 2 under 2 stage would be hard. This is much more harder to manage for me due to the mess being constantly created.

So can I please ask you fir your best tips ? It doesn’t come naturally to me to stay on top of things so using my maternal drive to better myself.

DH does help and tries to pull his weight but works long shifts.

Thanks !

Dishwasher - acts as dirty dishes cupboard as well as actually cleaning the dishes
Go out as much as possible (obviously this is a million times harder than usual, but if you're not in the house then they can't mess it up)
Get rid of excess toys and baby/toddler kit ruthlessly - anything they've grown out of, never play with, have too many of, etc
Toy rotation - keeps them interested and stops them having every toy out at once
A clear place for everything, and make it really easy to put away. If you have too much stuff in general, declutter it. The Kondo method is good for this.
Regular tidy-up sessions during the day - after breakfast, before nap time, before bed etc. Get the toddlers involved if you can. It stops it getting completely overwhelming by nighttime, when you will be exhausted and not in the mood to tackle total pandemonium. Try not to save all the tidying or cleaning up for when they are in bed if at all possible, otherwise you spend your life as a children's entertainer when they're awake and a drudge while they're asleep.
And remember that this stage will pass!

Robovac

Agree with getting out as much as possible, they can wreck the house if they're not home.

Have you discovered the Organised Mum Method? It helps me to try and instil some order.

Mine are toddlers less than a year apart.
Not amazingly tidy but when I have had better phases it’s been by doing the following things:

• having an ongoing task in each room so that I immediately pick it up when we rampage in that direction. So I might only fold one t-shirt while in the lounge but in the course of the day it will all be folded.
• Just basically always be tidying around them while you are watching them and when you are not interacting with them. This one’s a bit boring and I often don’t do it, but they do seem to appreciate having me around but not too close.
• as much time outside as possible (or legal) because no mess is being made.
• as many toys as possible on shelves they can’t reach in crates. When they finish playing they have to tidy before we get another crate down. We always sing the same tidying song and there’s a fairly pavlovian response by now.
• Get them to help. Mine unload the dishwasher, put the washing machine on etc. It also entertains them. They can also make coffee because we run out of things to do during lockdown.

-When I do have time home alone and don’t have to work I set a timer and do 5 minutes in each room, it’s amazing what you can get done.

• Don’t sort washing, use colour catchers.
• Robot hoover.

Get a cleaner

If you wait a few years they grow up and the mess vanishes. Thats how i dealt with it.

I have 2 that are less than a year apart and I have (somewhat) got it under control...

I have a bit ottoman with toys in so it means toys go out then toys go back in at the end of the day, no organising involved

Craft stuff is kept in a box away from them and I have a washable mat to put on the table for those activities

I vacuum daily so it doesn’t get gross and it means it only takes 5 minutes (I also have 6 cats so it needs doing anyway)

I taught my kids to sit at the table to eat from about 2 so they got used to eat rather than booster seats etc and to clean their own plates away into the kitchen

I get their cereal ready the morning before (without the milk obv) with spoons so I can drag myself into the kitchen and it’s all ready for me

I do washing up when they’re in bed so everything is clean for the next day rather than leaving it for me to face tomorrow

A washing basket in their room that they put their dirty clothes in themselves- start training them now!

I fill up a big bottle of water, put it in the fridge over night then get it out in the morning so if the kids say ‘I’m thirsty’ I can just grab the bottle from beside me and fill their cups up rather than run to the tap every time while I’m doing work/on laptop etc

I wipe down table surface with homemade spray mixture of liquid washing detergent and water- it’s great at cleaning tough stains from your table and leaves the room smelling good (I have a cheap table though, if you have a wood/glazed table I’m not sure what would work better)

We make their beds first thing so it’s done for the night

Mattress pee pads under sheets on mattresses are a life saver!

I have candles, and Reed diffusers around the house to make it smell nice and look nice- it takes away the ‘Theres kids running riot’ look away from certain corners of the house (there are some gorgeous ones at Asda atm half price if you’re after a reed diffuser that’s really fancy!)

I organise all their clothes by tops in one drawer, trousers in another and pants and socks in another so I can just grab and go (being so close in age they wear the same clothes- younger one is a chonker!)

Also dusting- it makes things look tidy and looked after and it’s minimal effort- I just use the extension hose on my vacuum to get to the corners

Also I regularly go through their toys and throw away. If it can’t fit in certain boxes (a big box in their room and the big ottoman) then it goes (this doesn’t count books btw I keep them separate)

I live in a small house so have to be smart about storage- also Ikea do great cheap under bed storage for stuff like winter clothes when you don’t need them and summer clothes so you can rotate them

Overall I’d say if you’re overwhelmed, don’t beat yourself up. My house was a mess when my two were that age. It took me a long time to get a grip on it. Just do one thing a day, even if it’s just wiping down a table or tidying up some toys- it’ll make you feel much better.

You’re doing great op :)

Agree with above posters- once they get to 3/4/5, the mess gets less and they can do so much more for themselves- you’re just at a difficult bit- you’ll get through it op, keep going!

Have less stuff.
Ditch the toys that are incomplete, not played with, duplicates, too young etc.

Then have maybe a dozen they have access to, and rotate every few days/week.

Arty crafty stuff kept to a minimum, and then adult supervision only. My DS never had poster paints at home, no PVA glue, no glitter or any kind of sequin type shit that gets everywhere.

Clean the bathroom while they are in the bath.

Never go to bed unless everything is 're-set' back in its place and the dishes are done.

Always insist that they eat at the table or breakfast bar. Don't allow them to walk around with food.

Mine practically lived outside.( Middle East so warm or hot or boiling. We had a shade covered paved area behind the kitchen.
Fed them breakfast, lunch, dinner on a picnic table. All toys in boxes under shade outdoors. Paddling pool, plastic play house and all ride on crud was out there. Art wise they had buckets of water and big paint brushes and jumbo chalks.
It looked like a nursery but all hoseable and out of the way.
Unless we went out they were only in a nappy, minimal clothes or naked
I never let them have food in the car only water. Kept spare clothes in the car boot.
Dont buy too many clothes and gift everything outgrown.
Ikea is your.friend for storage.