I want to be as tidy as my friend but it seems impossible!

[Mamabear04]

Just been round to my friend's house for a play date with the kids. We both have x2 young children under 5. Her house is spotless! No clutter, everything neat and tidy even the bath toys all ordered by colour or toy type. How is this even possible??? I don't have an untidy house but I feel my house is just cluttered with toys, x47488484949 kids drawings, piles of washing constantly on rotation, endless dishes on the rack. I clean all the time and try to keep things tidy but the clutter always wins. How is she doing this??? How can I make my house like this??? I try to put everything back in it's place but somehow with DH and the kids it's always so chaotic...

I have 3 all primary school aged and under.
single and work full time - this tends to work regarding the house staying tidy 🤣
no one is ever in it apart from a Sunday 🙈

My house was always spotless when I knew someone was coming to visit!

Shockingly my kids will remember that alongside the fact they lived in a clean and tidy home.I have always done the majority of the cleaning before they even woke up in the morning (before going to work full time) so we all come home to a lovely clean house and evenings are free for homework/extra curriculars/reading etc.
The story that anyone living in a clean, tidy home is doing nothing but cleaning all day every day is getting old now - perhaps it makes people with lower standards feel better if they can convince themselves clean families are neglecting their children by not reading to them or baking with them🙄
If you have a decent routine and keep on top of things it really isn't difficult to keep your home clean and tidy, little and often is the key.

I had a friend like this and she said she just gathered everything up and put it in her car when someone was coming.
Bit weird but whatever.

I'm the same, and was when my children were small (and my exH was untidy and did nothing). I think it's just a natural trait, rather than I spend all my time tidying! Because I really don't! I'm quite efficient, and put things away rather than just any old where when I've finished with them.

I now work with someone who leaves a trail of mess in her wake. It wouldn't take her any more time not to do that, but it's just not natural to her.

I find it much easier and quicker to do little bits of cleaning as I go.

Yes, it means I'm technically cleaning several times a day but overall it takes me less time than if I left it as it never gets the chance to build up.

I'm also naturally quite organised so if I leave a room, dirty plates go with me and when they're put in the sink they get washed right away. Like a PP, while the kettle boils in the morning I'll be doing other jobs too - vacuuming or putting dishes away, or doing a load of laundry.

DH is the total opposite and then finds himself stressing on a Sunday night because he hasn't sorted his work van or washed his clothes or sorted anything out. He never learns though!

Check out Clutter Bug too!

Agree with others, when your house is already clean it's easy to keep on top of. Nothing to put away because it's already put away. Thus a quick wipe, a quick hoover, in 1/2 an hour the whole house is tidy again.

And I don't mean spotless. Or the extreme misery of Football in-laws hoovering crisps, I just mean basically tidy so you don't die of embarrassment if someone pops round unannounced.

x47488484949 kids drawings

Well surely this one is a no-brainer. Bin!

I don’t really find it a chore tbh. If you have less clutter it’s usually far quicker to clean as you aren’t moving stuff around first.

My brother was complaining recently his house was too small and two children share one bedroom so there’s clothes everywhere. The room isn’t small and there’s plenty of room for stuff. Turns out his 1 year old had over 60 T-shirts, and nearly 30 pairs of pjs! It’s not a house size problem, it’s that no normal house would ever fit 30 pairs of pjs without it being cluttered.
My Ds has 3 in comparison (wear, wash, spare).