It is NOT POSSIBLE to have a tidy house when you have two pre-schoolers at home with you all day

[MaMight]

While I am cleaning up the carnage cornflakes after breakfast they are getting every single shoe of every single family member out of the shoe cupboard.

While I tidy away the shoes they make like andrex puppies with the loo roll.

I rewind the loo roll (and fish the rubber gloves out of the loo) while they thoughtfully decorate the stairs with the contents of my handbag.

I hunt down my credit cards and that fiver I am sure was in there while they 'play dominos'.

I am busy retrieving dominos from the light shade, behind the television, under the sofa, on the curtain pelmet when I hear the soft and sinister sound of the fridge door opening...

Honestly. It's like living with two little gremlins. Savages!

I have turned them loose in the garden in order to drink tea and mumsnet get a jump on the tidying. (Don't worry, we're not in Europe, I'm not so cruel as to turn them out into a freezing November morning.) I can hear them "making soup".

Where's the broom?

And HOW do some people live in relative tidyness?

Good grief!

I was taking a sneaky look to see if anyone has answered my thread when I heard a damp sound from the kitchen.

One of them has upended half a bowl of cornflakes all over the floor. I sent them out in the garden while I scoop and mop the mess, and quickly whip off the little one's night nappy for a bit of bare bum time before baths and dressed...

... only I didn't realise there was a big fat poo in the nappy which landed on my foot and rolled under the oven.

Cornflakes.
Milk.
Poo.
Sand.
Everywhere.

Rofl

I'm a student so don't quite grasp the oncept of tidiness to begin with, but wow, your post reads likes Victoria Wood's description of the pre-school run.
Highly amusing to read- although I realise not as much fun to live. Perhaps a nanny is the answer?? I hear Mary Poppins and Maria von Trapp have a magical musical way about them...

lol! I empathise and sympathise and must learn not to take it all too seriously myself! Thanks for making me smile!

Oh phew, was beginning to think it was just me!

I have a 3yo and 1yo and its exactly the same. All I do is try and minimise the carnage, settle arguments, pick up the bigger trip hazards and keep them safe.

I can't wait for next summer when they will be turfed outside all day, the mess doesn't seem too bad in the garden.

I have a two year old and a one year old and I have resigned myslef to the fact that my house will never be tidy until they have grown up and left home!

I have a just turned 4yo and a 7 month old baby. It's been eyeopening how much more mess adding one tiny baby has created even with the 4yo doing many hours at preschool.

It may or may not be possible to have a tidy house with small children. IMO it is not necessary

Went to a house with slightly older children in it. All the toys were tidied away and everything was immaculate. I felt weird.

My house won't even be tidy then- I have incredibly low standards which have been lowered further still by the addition of a 2 year old. We sometimes idly wonder what type of floor covering we have, but there's no chance of finding out for years.

same here SantasKinkyKnickers0nMaHe...! I have given up trying to be tidy in the home, I get out as much as possible, then it seems bearable!

You need to turn the tidying into play and get the children to help.

Who can find the most dominoes?

Who can find the shoe to match this one?

It still won't be tidy, but it might be a bit better.

Had to employ a cleaner 3hrs once a week, even though home all day with 4 yr old and 8 monther. The whole constant cleaning thing was getting me down and leaving the house became a fear of loosing control of my routine!

An untidy home is a happy home!!! My home will never be a "show house" like some of my friends!

Yes, life's too short. Maybe contain the kids while you tidy the first mess, so that they don't make the second.

I read a quote out of that "Best book for Mums'" which said "Tidying the house while you have small children is like shovelling the sidewalk (must've been American) while it's still snowing."

I've had 3 preschoolers now just the two

I worked out the more I tidied the more mess they made so in fact to keep it at its best it was better for me to do as little as possible

santa..its not even tidy when they have left home...i was hoping it would be,but DS1 just brings his whole house back with him when he comes home each term end.

And DS2 has spread out into two rooms and the hallway looks like a sports shoe shop.

All i ever get is'no point in putting them away because i will need them tomorrow'
WTH

If i worked on that theory all the pots and pans would be left out,ironing board would be up in lounge,might as well leave salt and pepper on the table and glasses too.

sorry,when he comes home from uni,i meant to say

It's like that in our house too. I find it helpful to focus on keeping clutter off the floor.

its stray socks and under pants under the bed from DS2 ,i have so many odd pairs.

why do they all seem to have so many bags when they are at school,(DS2 is 17)
sportsbag,swimming bag,badminton,football boots,rucksack,laptop bag,

There isnt enough space for one more bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!