When do you get the time to clean with very small children?

[Narrowstreetsofcobblestone]

I have a 4 month old and a nearly 3 year old and struggling with housework. I generally manage to keep the kitchen looking decent and while the lounge is a struggle, especially a big clean with cleaning behind furniture and so on I do manage (open plan lounge, dining area and orangery.)

But the bathrooms … barely ever, in fact upstairs full stop rarely gets touched, probably because I’m not there much so can’t clean as children play / watch TV. I do have a couple of days with just me and baby and try to do it then but she’s so fussy and wants to be held and cries if I put her down! I’m also just about managing the laundry.

Is everyone finding it a similar struggle or just me??

Thanks for replies. Problem with slings is when you need to bend down to pick something up - she likes the sling but for fresh air on the move sort of walks rather than in the house.

DH … honestly I know I’m going to get stick for this but he just wouldn’t cope with both children unless they were in the car or something. I have on occasion taken them out myself to let him clean but he doesn’t do a very thorough job: he tidies well but doesn’t clean!

Eldest is at nursery 3 days a week so I should theoretically have time then but it’s the baby more than the 3 year old, he lets me get on with stuff but just constantly gets toys out!

Bathrooms I do piecemeal. When Ds is contained in bath having a bath I quickly clean around sink and mirror. Then bath is done when Ds gets out.

Toilets I do separate as we have 3. So I just go around all three in evening quickly and add toilet cleaner in all three, then give all three a quick clean.

You dh can 100% watch both children. Presumably he can also put baby in sling and toddler in pram or walking and take both out for a walk locally. Or toddler on trike thing. Even 30 mins

Honestly, he can’t / won’t, he can’t use the sling and we don’t have a pram for toddler - nowhere within walking distance. Ideally he should but right now this is housekeeping and I have to be realistic about what we can achieve.