Busy mom tips to keep your house clean (& your mind clear)!
I know that my platform is mainly geared towards fitness and nutrition, but mental health is a big part of those facets and when it comes to a well-balanced mind, I need a clean house. It doesn’t matter if you are a SAHM or a career woman (or both), we all feel more stressed when our home is a mess. Here are a few tips that I practice daily to help me stay ahead with the house chores. This has worked for me for years and I hope it might keep other mamas out there from losing their marbles because they can’t find their toddler’s left shoe before running out the door!
Tip#1: commit to one chore per day
If I had all the time in the world, I would love to clean sweep my entire home in a few hours so I could have that nice, cleaning product smell in every room! Unfortunately, I do not have that much time nor does my lower back like it when I perform so many twisting and bending movements. So in order to feel less overwhelmed, I like to choose one house chore that I carry out on a specific day, every week. For example, every Tuesday, I clean the bathrooms. I like to call it “Toilet Tuesday.” For some reason, scrubbing the showers and wiping down the toilets seem to take a while, so when my kids are down for their nap, I pull up my rubber gloves and whip out the Clorox spray! As much as I believe that my kids should be hands-on and help with the house chores, I prefer that they aren’t inhaling all the chemical fumes, so this is why I choose their nap time to fulfill my uninterrupted cleaning time.
Tip#2: clean/pick things up as you go
This tip is KEY to decluttering your space and feeling less overwhelmed. I cannot function if I see items scattered about and not in their designated place. So whenever I see mail on the counter or unoccupied phone chargers hanging from the outlets, I quickly gather them up and place them in their designated home. It’ll make your space seem more organized and make it easier to find these items when you need them. I also make it a habit to clean a room before we move on to the next. My kids have two play areas that can look like a tornado ran through it after we’re done. If we are ready to move on to another activity or head outside, I have my 2 year old help me pick up the toys BEFORE leaving the room. This may take a few extra minutes and I know that it is faster if mama just does it, but it will also teach your kids to pick up after themselves when they are older so you won’t still be the one picking up their stuff.
Tip#3: frequent laundry loads
Some households prefer doing laundry once or twice a week, especially if they are separating colors. Although this may work better for big families, I personally find it more efficient to do a load of laundry once a day or every other day. Reason being is a smaller load of towels and socks feels less daunting than multiple heaps of clothes that need folded and put away. By keeping up with this schedule, my laundry room itself remains less cluttered and doesn’t get that musty smell when clothes are just sitting in there for days. Plus, you’ll never catch yourself without your work uniform still dirty in the hamper because it missed laundry day!
Tip#4: Netflix and…Fold!
Okay, I know that we all need some time in our schedule to chill and not have to think about our adult duties…but my mom had a similar rule for us kids growing up and it has just stuck with me! I make it a rule that if I am going to sit and watch a show, I have to fold a load of laundry at the same time! Laundry is a pretty mindless task, therapeutic even! And it makes completing it that much more enjoyable when I get to sit and watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show! Grab your laundry basket, plop down on the floor in front of your television and enjoy while you fold!
Tip#5: evening pick-up
This one is vital for determining my mood the following morning! Each night after the kids are down, my husband and I take 10 minutes to run through the house, straighten the couch pillows, fold the throws, wipe down the counters and put away the dried dishes and any miscellaneous items that need picked up and put in their designated spots. Along with making our bed every morning, this is another practice that I stand by. Your mornings will go that much smoother when the clutter is gone and you wake up to clean house. Do what you can today or the night before to make the next day easier!