Need Cleaning Tips - Buckholts,TX

I set the kitchen timer for fifteen minutes in the evenning and everyone pitches in to see how much we can get done in that time. It helps declutter and get small things like loading or unloading a dishwasher and putting away toys and art supplies out of the way. I even set a timer sometimes just to challenge myself when I'm cleaning on my own. It's like a game!

Hi Shae, I don't have time to read all the responses below so sorry if I'm repeating advice. Here are 2 of the best pieces of advice I received for keeping up. My kids are almost 6 and almost 3 so they still like to do most playing where we are (as opposed to in their rooms) so I always had a lot of toys in the living area. I went to Garden ridge and bought a nice chest and put in the living room and it is full of toys. It's decorative so it looks nice in the living room but it hides all their smaller toys that they play with often. The other thing is for the laundry. My mother-in-law raised 5 boys so all her chores were non-stop for years. She does one load of laundry everynight so she is always keeping up with it. It's a hard habit to get into but it will be much easier than doing 3-4 loads at once if you only do laundry once a week. The only part that really takes anytime is folding/hanging the laundry...most of the time the laundry is washing/drying so you can spend time with kids and hubby! Goodluck

My lifesaving device is sterilite stackem' up drawers from Target. They are fairly expensive to buy several large stacks, but they have 2 size drawers and I put pix of what goes in them so my kids (4,2) can pick up their own stuff and put them away correctly (so I don't spend the rest of my day looking for things). If you can afford them, get them, they are better than buckets with lids by far. Good luck and get a crockpot receipe book, this will help with stress too!

I feel your pain! But honestly the truth is your just going to have to keep on cleaning regularly. But there are some things you can do for example if you have a gameroom/family room you can buy one of those open toy storage shelves with bins and place a picture in the front of each bin according to what they will place in them (blocks, barbies, puzzles, etc.)You can find some very cheap on Craig's list, for the bedroom I bought a storage system from Ikea for my daughter's room to keep everything neat "a place for everything, and everything in it's place". About the living room if they already have an area to play freely such as their room or the gameroom, you can make a rule that toys are not allowed in the living room or if that is too harsh, then limit the amount of toys they can play in the living room to one or two per child and make it a point for them to place them back where they go before they move to another activity. Now if the living room is the only place for them to play or if you like to keep them very close to you, just buy a toy box for the living room I bought one that looks like bench they can seat on it and also has storage underneath the lid, and matches my living room decor. The toy box is better for quick clean ups since they just throw everything in, but for keeping things neat and in their right place the bins are better. Hope this helps you out!

I love the under the bed rolling containers. They can take one out and it has everything thtat they want to paly with together. (cars, tracks, trucks would go together/dolls, bottles, clothes, and strollers would go together/blocks in another, ect.) They take one out at a time and have to put it all away before they get out another one. You can usually use 3 under a twin bed. you can use the same concept with shoes box sized containers too. take pictures of what belongs in there and then they know what they are getting and don't pull out everything to find what they want and also can put it back without help.
Clothes. I do a load a day and everyone puts their own clothes up at least 2x a week. I have a basket under the bathroom sink that my daughter knows to put her dirty clothes in when she changes. I hang all of her clothes and use her dresser for dress up clothes that don't have to be folded. She can hang clothes but still struggles with folding. They are also at her hight so she can dress herself.
We take10 min 2x a day (once before naptime and once at bed time) to pick everything up and put it in it's place.
Doing dishes as they are dirtied is much less daunting than doing a whole bunch at one time. I would wash them and set them in the drainer. Empty the drainer when they are dry or when you need the extra space.
Maybe getting baskets for each person and putting them in your living room could help with tyour living room issue. Then have them empty the basket at the same times that they are picking up everything.
MAIL! This has been a hige issue for us. We don't set it down. When you get the mail, go through it then. Take care of the bills and get it back in the mail and toss everything else. Same with the childrne's artwork. Take care of it daily. Kee and display what you want, mail some to grandparents (We have preaddressed envelpoes for this) and toss everything else. You can't possibly keep it all.
I come from the school of thoutht that if you do little bursts of cleaning here and there, you won't ever have a whole day of cleaning.
Start now teaching your children. My daughter was dressing herself and picking up after herself when she was 16 months old. Once the kids are pulling their own weight, it will make your life much easier. You aren't asking them to do anything that they are not capable of and should feel pride for doing "like big kids." We know that you are not running a sweat shop, but just teaching them what they need to do to be responcible at their age.
I did cheat since I had an in-home daycare, it was my job to teach the kids to do this stuff. Sticker charts work well when you are beinging to teach them. I have sticker charts for mommy and daddy too, just because it makes it more fun for the kids. Then it is a competition instead of a chore.
Good luck. You just need to find what will work for your family.

For the toys, I have a few low shelves and a bookshelf I've laid on it's side to create 8 cubbies. Each toy has it's own spot either in a cubbie or in a basket on a shelf. This serves two purposes, it helps me limit the number of toys that are out and available for them at any one time (too many choices can be overwhelming)and the kids know where to put things away when it's time to clean up.

A few other suggestions for general organization with kids... have a shoe basket, small bench and hooks for jackets by the door. Make it a habit when you come home to say "shoes in the basket, jackets on the hook" This way you eliminate having to search for shoes and coats when it's time to go out. I also use the hooks for backpacks and lunch kits.

I do my laundry on the weekend and make sure I have five outfits ready for each child for the week. That way it's grab and go and the kids still have some say as to which outfit they want to wear.

You can also teach the kids to take their own plates to the sink after meals.

Look I'm 42 with twin boys age 3 and have the same problem... What I have found is that if I pick up as I go to put stuff back in its place. Also storage container really help, especially for kids toys. You can find them anywhere these days. Make a place for everything, then you will have a place to put things. Getting little ones to help clean, yeah, HA!!! I try to incent them with anything from playing in the backyard to a piece of candy, to maybe even a trip to McDonalds, (depending on how desparate I am). The one thing I had to come to terms with though was while you have little ones, your house will never stay clean. There will always be something that needs to be done. Just let it go. And if someone comes over and comments on the fact that your rug looks like it needs vacuuming, hand them the vacuum.

well I can't seem to keep my house clean, and I'm a SAHM =P so don't feel too bad! here are a few suggestions though:
laundry...if at all possible, put one load in the washer first thing in the morning. when you get home from work, put that load in the dryer and then put another in the washer. by the time the kids are in bed and you are relaxing with your hubby, take the one out of the dryer and fold while watching TV and put the wet one in to dry. doing just those 2 loads a day and then doing a little catch-up on weekends will help you stay on top of it! (a little personal note, i HATE laundry b/c it just never ends! LOL)
cooking/dishes...try to find one-pot or one-pan recipes...less cooking time and fewer dishes to wash =) try looking up Kraft Foods online, they have awesome recipe ideas! also, make a deal with your hubby where if you cook, he washes the dishes after dinner and vice versa. then the one who's washing dishes can give the kids their bath and get them ready for bed
toys...#1 go through their room sometime when they aren't home and ask yourself with each toy "do they really NEED this?" i think it's harder for us moms to get rid of toys than for our kids to say good-bye LOL i try to limit my kids' toys to SETS, like mega blocks, little people, dress-up, music, etc. which brings me to my next point...go to the dollar store and get a bunch of baskets or plastic containers and put each set of toys in one container. then teach your kids that they may only get ONE container out at a time. if they want something different, have them pick up that set of toys and put it on the shelf first! (target has a great little shelf that comes with 9 colored plastic bins for toy storage...it's a little pricey, but a great idea! if you don't want to spend the money, get an old low bookshelf from a thrift store and just buy the containers yourself)
hope i've given you some ideas you can use =) just remember that coming home after a long day, spending time with your kids and hubby should come first, cleaning 2nd =) if your house isn't spotless, i'm sure people who see it will understand that you have a very busy life!

You Poor thing! I think it's terrible that you felt the need to ask people not to be rude to you! what i mean by that is shame on anyone who would try to judge you rather than help!Working full time and two kids is alot to deal with! one thing that helped me, was to go around with a laundry basket every day and throw everything that is out of place in there, and then carry it around putting those things away! If you organize their toys in toy boxes, shelves, or baskets, they are old enough to pick up their own toys, just be firm with them, that they will be doing this on a regular basis, don't wait till it would be overwhelming to them. As far as dishes, that can be a constant chore, but one thing I would do, is have individual personal cups, maybe put their names on them, or they each get a certain color, you and hubby too, and then everyone uses the same personal cup all day, and don't get a new clean one till tomorrow! then there is only one cup per person per day! You can keep one sink with a little soapy water in it, and just add more hot water, and wash a few dishes at a time as they are created, rather than at the end of the night, when there is a big pile.( Or wash as you cook).I think that a picked up house appears cleaner than a clean house that has clutter strewn about, so keep the clutter down, and things picked up , and it will appear cleaner than it actually is. If you live in a 2 story, always keep a catch all basket at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top, and then anytime you are going up or down, take the basket with you and unload the items on the proper level where they belong. Microfiber cloths are great for a quick touch up in the kitchen or bath, in between really cleaning, just a little water, and they clean really well ( color coded for which room they clean so you don't end up wiping the kitchen counter with the rag you wiped the toilet bowl with).A quick easy stick vac for quick touch ups, in between bringing out the big bulky vac. Swiffer wet, or clorox wet broom, is so much easier than the old mop and bucket too. try changing your sheets every other week, less laundry, and unless you go to bed really dirty, it's really not a big deal. I keep a shelf in my closet for gently worn, not really dirty clothes, that I don't want to mix back in with my clean clothes. That way I know they have been worn , but aren't really dirty, so i'll wear them again.( My secret, i pull from the bottom, I know it's been more days since anyone has seen that item on me!) Hubby wears his jeans a couple of times before washing too. and bath towels, we hang them to dry and use them several times before washing. He has his towel rod, and I have mine, that way we don't swap them at some point. your kids could do the same. Hope these ideas help you out a little bit! Blessings, S.

My house stays tidy (not always truly clean,of course) because I pick up stuff in each room if it does not belong there as I go through the day. My kids do the same. At least the clutter ends up back in the bedrooms and the doors can be closed! I also get all the toys put away at the end of each day. If I'm too tired my oldest son does it for me to earn computer time. I can't relax in a messy house (we have toys in our family room, too!), so everyone does just a little and it stays manageable. The "do it as you go" method makes each task take longer, maybe, but then you don't have huge messes everywhere that take much longer to clean later. For example, as you make a sandwich, wipe the counter and put everything away as you are putting the food on the plates. Half of your clean up is done before you even start eating. I also put out a fresh hand towel in the bathroom each day, and as I am taking the old one out I wipe off the counter with it and shine the faucet a bit.
I will admit to you that we also ignore some piles and have a garage full of junk! ha ha
If you have a pretty box or basket you can pile your mail or bills or whatever in to clean up for today and deal with when you have time, that method might work for you. Just be sure you eventually get to that stuff before your box overflows. Bring your laundry basket to the tv and fold clothes during commercials if you watch tv at night after the kids are in bed.
My all time best tip is to go to a friend's house, someone you love dearly but who keeps a messier house than you, and when you come back home your house will instantly seem much better than when you left it! :)

First of all, my hat is off to you for doing it all without a dishwasher! I'm a SAHM mom of twin boys (18 mos.) and I don't think I could do it without the dishwasher.

I'm sure others have made great suggestions, so in the hopes of not being too repetitive, here's what we do:

1. Crockpot/bulk cooking - we make a lot of things like stews, gumbos, etc. that have meat, veggies and a grain cooked right in. It saves time, money and dishes. Sunday is cooking day for us. We keep some in the fridge for during the week and freeze the rest so it doesn't go bad. We like spicy, so we cook things to the boys comfort level and spice it up for ourselves. One of our favorite cookbooks is One Pot.

2. Bins - we sort toys in clear plastic bins. They can be stacked and put in a closet or left out. The kids can see what is in them and it's easier to put things back at the end of the day. We've started making it part of our bedtime ritual to put up the day's toys. Frankly, the boys are too young to be much of a help, but they get a kick out of it.

3. Wet wipes - I bow before the person who invented those things! We get the Kirkland brand at Costco (sooo cheap) and I use them to clean stovetop splatters, the front of the fridge, dropped items on the floor. They really help tide me over between house cleanings. Also, the boys love to "help" me clean. I give them wet wipes and ask them to clean off low tables and windowsills. They're not half bad!

4. Laundry - ugh. I NEVER liked doing laundry, even before kids. When I lived in NYC, I found a service that cost the same as a laundromat and managed to go years without touching a washing machine. Sigh. Those days are over. Nobody warned me that the laundry would increase the bigger the boys got. Well, my trick is to stain treat everything while dad gets the boys in their PJs. When their hamper is full, I wash it all in cold. No sorting! Then dad and I fold while the kids are either asleep or playing together and put it away asap. For my husband and me, we are each responsible for our own laundry.

5. Paper - the amount of the stuff that comes into the house is terrifying! We have a bin and a shredder. The moment mail, notices from preschool, etc. comes into the house it either goes in the bin (trash), in the shredder (promo mail), in the magazine rack, or on my desk (action items, like bills, school notices).

My best recommendation is get it all clean and then move into a tent in the backyard and have pizza delivered to your backyard for every meal and then never go back in until company comes over. Then when they show up, they will think "WOW!"

I have the same problem and have actually just given up. However, I did read in an article about getting a laundry basket and fill it with the things that don't belong in that room and then go from room to room doing that and putting stuff back in its place. We've also had a pattern a couple times of having my son pick up his toys before bedtime. He learned it was an expected thing at day care and actually fell right in line when we requested it. Now we've let it slide and he's a little harder to get to do it.

Thanks for your post. I'm anxious to implement some of the responses you've received and get back into our better routines. I'm pulling my hair out, too! It's also too cold right now to move into the backyard!

I don't know if this will help, but here's what we do... I have 2 year old twins and they have toys in the living room downstairs and the play room upstairs. Downstairs I have two of those canvas bins that the smaller toys stay in (blocks, cards), and sometimes if we sing the "clean up clean everybody clean up song" one baby will help, and maybe the other will join in. I keep their books in a drawer under the TV, and I have given up all of my lower cabinets in the kitchen to keep their bigger toys (instruments, cars, balls). Since I know all the toys have somewhere to go at the end of the day, it only takes about 15 mins to pick up. If my husbands home, after we put the boys to bed, one of us takes clean-up and one takes dishes. If it's just me it goes longer, but easier, for me, because of the system.
I suggest getting whatever shelving units (shoe racks, wine bottle storages, laundry hampers) whatever that fits in your space, looks good enough to you, and works for you and your kids toys, and go for it! If it makes your life easier and gives you more time together it's worth it.

I am pregnant with number 5 and my oldest is five, so I certainly know the feeling! I am certainly not the person to be giving advice, but this is what I've been doing:

dishes- always have a hot soapy sink going where the dishes are washed or soaking every time they are used. Just try to keep the kids out of the kitchen.

Living room- I got rid of most of the toys- I just went through after bedtime and collected everything that wasn't being played with and piled them in garbage bags and donated them. What was left I put on shelves in the kids rooms. The only toys in the living room are ride on toys, a doll house, and computer type toys. If they bring something in the living room and set it down I remind them that the toys belong in their bedrooms. You can get a storage Ottoman or other 'grown up' toy box for the living room that things can be thrown into when company is coming.

Have clean ups before mealtime. My husband takes the kids to clean their room while I'm cooking dinner, and nobody eats until it's done!

Laundry- I have shelves above my washer and dryer and labelled boxes lined up on them. As I pull things out of the dryer they are sorted and folded immediately. I also have a rack for hanging wet items and dresses ect. I have a frontloader so I had my dad install a table top surface over my washer/dryer for folding clothes and have a lockable cabinet there with all my laundry supplies. Many have 'family closets' so everything goes to one place and finds that works the best. This is kind of like that, only the clothes do migrate occasionally to the closets and chests. hehe

Hi! I feel your pain! Luckily, though, it sounds like the kiddos are old enough to help out. If you haven't already, start out with labeled bins, maybe even with pictures for now, to let the little ones know where the stuff goes. You will also need a chore chart, with pics that you can easily make using Microsoft Word and some stickers. 15 minutes before bedtime have clean up time. When they are done, let them put a sticker on their chart for that day. At the end of the week, take them to the ice cream shop, or to the park, or something special that they will want to do. I don't recommend a trip to the store, because that's just more toys to keep cleaned up. Eventually, as they get older, you can introduce monetary bonuses at the end of the week for incentive. My kiddos love this method, as we are already at the money part!!
Good luck, and trust me: no one ever put on their headstone, Wish My House Had Been Cleaner.

I was brought up in a 'bad house'........very bad...details would be TMI

My mother did not clean and was the worst clutterbug in history. I refused to live this way. I am 47 and have struggles with this because I was not 'trained' as a child to keep organized......

Go to this link and sign up for daily newsletter on e-mail.
They also sell a book for decluttering.
http://www.declutterfast.com

Shae,

Hello I'm a single mother of three - 24year old man, 21 year old daughter and an 11year old daughter. I have been a single mom since my boy was 4 years of age. I found that making a game of cleaning they found it to be fun and also they get excited that they are doing it for Mom (in your case mom and Dad).
Example: cleaning the living room have them pick up make it a race to see who can pick up the most and put it in its right spot. They will see later that it easier to keep it clean than to have to pick up later. Also have them get out one toy at a time. Have the older one read a book to the youngest one You know that he can't read but the little one doesn't. My oldest love to sing to my youngest and that stayed like that for for ever he still sing to both sisters now. Just remember that they are children and they only stay little for a little bit. I hope this helps you.

Your friend,
T. V.

Establish a "no toys in the livingroom/den" rule, or one that says all toys must be put away before bedtime. It only takes a few minutes. Each person should be responsible for their own belongings, even the baby. That should take care of the messy living area. The baby is a little young to put her dish away, but the 4 year old can learn to remove his plate from the table to the cabinet after a meal (plate,sliverware and glass). If you don't have a dishwasher, clean as you go. It's very sinple and quick to wash a pan as soon as you empty it. Then when the meal is over, run a sink full of hot soapy water and put the dishes in to soak while you get the kids in bed, then when you come back, the clean-up job is half done. I just re-read your message. Where do you keep your son's toys if not in his room? Designate a corner of the den for his things, or put a lock on his closet door so that he can't get to them at night. Believe it or not, but ADHD children DO know the meaning of the word "No".

Flylady.net will definitely help you. She even sends out emails called Riley challenges which will help you teach your children how to help you. Be prepared for lots of emails which are sent as reminders. But as flylady tells you, just read the subject line and delete most of them so you don't spend time reading the emails.
NOw is the perfect time for you and your kids to get a habit/routine before you get stuck with too many old habits to break!! lol

Hi Shae,
I get my 5 yr old to pick up after herself by putting her toys/things in time out if Mom has to pick them up. SHE does not go into time out, but the toys or whatever, is in time out for a week.
I am almost 50 yrs old with a 19 yr old messy son, and an adopted daughter that is now 5. I used to always want things perfect when my son was small and now look back and think I was crazy. Maybe it comes with age. I am more relaxed now and do not sweat the small things. I am trying to have my daughter be more responsible for her own things rather than doing it for her. We are also foster parents of infants and keeping the house picked up is hard, even when I stay home during the day. Just keep in mind that life is short, our kids are small for such a short time, and having a great family is the most important thing! Sounds like you have a good one, so enjoy!!
Good Luck!
F.

I totally understand, with 2 little kids its hard to keep the house cleaned or even looking tidy. I have a few baskets and bins that I use for the toys, so I can just gather them up and throw them in there. It helps in the living room to not have the toys everywhere. I gave each of my kids (ages 2 and 1) a hamper in their rooms so I can throw all dirty clothes in them immediatly and not have them all over the floor. It is stressfull, I know, that you can clean your house one day and in a few hours it looks trashed again. But remember it won't always be that way and enjoy the time with your kids while they're little playing on the floor with them.
Good luck this is a hard, nonstop job but the rewards are unbelievable.
L.

Check out Fly Lady, google it.

Oh man, NO judgment here! Household management is HARD. I used Flylady for a long time.

I now do an abbreviated version of her list every day.

I do a bunch of little things that take less than five minutes and usually one bigger chore. Then once a week I'll tackle a big one, like cleaning an entire bathroom. But the big chore still takes under 30 minutes.

You've gotten some really good tips here.

Luck!

My mom used to do this and I hated it but now I do it with my daughter. I set a timer in her playroom and say "whatever isn't cleaned up when this timer goes off is going in the trash" and my mom would actually donate the toys! I've never had to do that as my daughter is apparently a more efficient cleaner then I was, but it really works. I bought storage cubes (http://www.target.com/Cubicles-8-Cube-White/dp/B0002I261Q...) and canvas drawers at target and I don't care which bins the toys go in so long as they are gone when that timer goes off. I also use the sanitizing wipes and my daughter and I tackle the surfaces. She is two and learning to be a big helper. I have found that if I ask her to do something, she's even more capable of helping then I ever imagined. The other day she started folding laundry with me without any prompting!

Just go to www.flylady.com - she haas exactly what you need...and it's FREE!

Hi Shae -

We had same problem and one time I was at my girlfriends who had one more kid that we did and their house was so clean and picked up - I asked her and she told me the best house rule with kids I have ever heard - play with one toy at-a-time and when you are done, before you can get another toy, you must put the first one away where it belongs. This changed our life! And it's reasonable.
Also good is to have baskets or bins for the kids toys so they are organized - in their room, the bathroom, and the garage for the outdoor toys - balls, roller blades, beach toys, trucks, etc...

Good luck -
Alli

I see you've received lots of tips, and without reading all of them, here are my suggestions:
- Crock pot cooking. It will save you time and money, and it's all in one pot, so less to clean. There are great cookbooks out there. One I use is all 3 ingredient recipes, even easier.
- Use paper plates, plastic cups a few days a week to cut back on how many dishes you have to wash.
- Get rid of the extra "stuff", whether it belongs to you and your husband or to the kids. If you haven't used it or worn it in a year, give it away or sell it on ebay. The less stuff you have, the less straightening and organizing you have to do, and the more room you will have to organize the things you want to keep.
- Provide both children with bins (I like the stackable ones with drawers, but the under-bed ones are good, too) and label them with the items that are supposed to go in them. That way, your kids can start to clean up after themselves. And you must insist that they do it themselves, as much as they can. Too many moms fall into the trap of cleaning their kids rooms, and never get out of it. Lower your expectations for what "clean" means, and your kids will learn to be responsible for their own area and possessions.
- Set up laundry bins near the kids' rooms, and they can pre-sort their clothes for you. I only do three loads of clothes: dark colors, light colors and whites. Label the three bins accordingly, and when they're full, you'll know it's time to do that load. You can also save time by washing sheets and towels together. The sheets get a little fuzz on them, but who cares!
- Most importantly, remember that there is no award for moms who keep a clean house. Your kids will not remember how clean the house was when they were growing up. They will remember you spending time with them and loving them, and that you and your husband always made time for your marriage, and that will set a great example for them when they are adults and starting their own relationships. Enjoy your family, and try to get comfortable with a little mess. Good luck!

I find that if I clean as I go, things don't pile up and there is not much of a huge mess once a week. Unfortunately my husband and my 14 year old do not know this (even though I have try to teach them) and my 2 year old is too young to understand. So, lots of pressure on me to keep things clean. One thing that has helped is to just "let it go". I know easier said than done. Count your blessings! Ex: If there is a huge pile of laundry, be thankful that you have clothes. If you have dirty dishes, be thankful that you have food to eat. So on and so forth. Once you have accepted (to some level) the mess you will feel so free and that burden of stress just lifts away. You obviously don't want to live in hazardous or complete unsanitary conditions, so I find that the Container Store helps with ideas for organization. I love rubber maid containers myself.

Hope this helps

Buy a book at Amazon.com called "Sidetracked Home Executives" (S.H.E.) I was your age once too! Married at 18, first child at 19 and 3 kids by age 22!!! I thought I was going to die with all the mess and clutter everywhere. Then I heard about this book.... Their motto is "WE CHANGE LIVES WITH 3 x 5's" That book literally changed my life! You will enjoy reading it! It is hilarious and makes you laugh, but the system they use is fantastic. I know how you feel....if I can help in anyway. Email me!
Good Luck....
Oh, the Authors are Pam Young and Peggy Jones (Sisters)
Hope it can help you too. If now, you have gotten alot of great advice here!
D.

You had some great suggestions. I also think flylady.net is a wonderful resource (I need to get myself back on it). Also, a couple of people suggested your 4 year old being old enough to pick up his own things. But don't underestimate the willingness of your 15-month old to help out if she is already walking. My 16-month old daughter has been helping me pick up her toys and her clothes for a couple of months now and actually gets excited to do so. She also likes "helping" me with laundry. While most of it ends up on the floor next to the basket, she is old enough to handle pulling all of the ya-ya's (socks) out of the basket and into a separate pile to be sorted. Good luck!

Hi Shae,

my son is also ADHD so i know exactly what you mean w/ the toys. Two huge lare and deep buckets in two corners of the living room helps greatly.
also, once your house is clean you can develop and routine, like mon, wed, fri are days for the bathrooms and all the laundry, tue and thu are days for the floors, kitchen, etc... something like that.
also, the small things like the dishes, do not let the sink get full, start getting others to wash their dishes as soon as they are done w/ them and put them away; never let more than 10 sit in the sink,
always put the cloths away as soon as you get them out of the dryer and foled.

good luck
L.

One bit of advice from my sister, she'll ask the kids (6 and almost 3) if they want a cookie (any kind of treat for that matter) (don't get carried away with the treats) and of course the kids want one. Well, she'll say, all the toys need to be put away. She also has bins in a corner for their toys. And those toys move faster than Superman when it comes to getting a cookie.

My sister was telling me this story on the phone and she said the word cookie and the 2 yr old, popped up and said, "OH! Want me to put away the toys?"

Hope it helps.

I use the clear plastic totes (boxes) that have lids. I organize cars, puzzles, legos they stack easily and come in different sizes. They may not look the greatest but everything is organized and has a place.

I echo the last replies! I found out about Flylady here on Mamasource and I can honestly say that it changed my life!!!! She gives you daily babysteps to clean and organize your home. There is also someone named Kelly on the site that give kids chores to help keep their rooms clean. It's so important for the little ones to learn these skills and she makes it like a game so it's fun for the kids. My home is such a clean, neat peaceful place now all thanks to the Flylady website. Good luck!!!
I think this is her website;
www.flylady.net

My kids first sentence was "Put it back where it goes". I have found that helps a whole lot-but that also means everything has to have a place to go. There is a difference in a clean house and a picked-up house. My house is clean once a week, but it is picked up every day-I do my final walk through right before I go to bed. I have bins, baskets, shelves, but I also went through and eliminated a lot of clutter. There are several organizational websites-one I have used is "Flylady". I also know I am a very visual person and if things are too cluttered I feel overwhelmed. You need to decide on what bothers you the most-and deal with that area. If you don't like the clutter it will take a little time to sort through and perhaps eliminate some of the clutter. In a realistic world there will always be a certain amount of mess that is associated with four people and busy lives in a home. Toys do geat in big baskets and bins. Dishes will have to air dry or be towel dried and put away. I have a friend who does a load of laundry every day-she doesn't worry about colors-she just does a load every day. I will tell you it's easier to kepp things organized once you have a system. Good luck!

try www.flylady.com she has great tips and a great schedule that is easy to follow. Good luck and don't feel bad if your house is not perfect, the kids will remember the time spent with you not how often laundry was done. It's also a good idea to start giving tiny chores such as after playing with toys they put them away with your help if needed, but not all done by you.

S.,

You received some great responses - one other resource I'd like to recommend is the book Life Skills for Kids by Christine Field. She does a great job of discussing various life skills that we all need and teaching them to our children. She also has a great list of things that kids should be able to do at various ages - my poor mom was so desperate to just get it done, raising the 4 of us, that she didn't really teach us how to do it ourselves. Our children are so much more capable than we think at early ages. The book was helpful to me to see what kinds of things I could expect at certain ages, so I knew I probably wasn't asking more of them than they could handle.

God bless,
A.

Hi S., No judging here! Like you, I have a 4 yr old and a 15 month old. My advice is to sort through toys and sell what hasn't been used in months on Craig's List some weekend. Maybe it will earn you enough to hire a one time cleaning person. I have a list I keep on my refrigerator and I make sure I do the days "chores" if I have to stay up until midnight. Mondays, we do sheets...throw them in the washer before leaving for work and throw them in the dryer when you get home. We are able to do ours and our sons at the same time. Our daughter's crib sheet I do on the weekends with her laundry. Tuesdays we dust the entire house and empty all bathroom trashcans. Wednesday we do toilets, mirrors and bathroom surfaces. Thursdays are bathtubs and showers and Friday is a thorough kitchen cleaning (microwave, sinks, fridge, etc.). We save the vacuuming, mopping and laundry for weekends since they are major jobs. This might sound overwhelming but most days take no more than a half hour. Maybe while either you or your hubby are bathing the kids, the other can do the chores. Or, have one of you clean the kitchen after dinner while the other bathes the kids and then do the scheduled cleaning after they are in bed. Sometimes we are just too tired but I'd say we stick to our schedule about 90% of the time. It's really working. Another thing is to get on your kids about putting things where they belong before they are allowed to pull another item out. I will actually have my son take a time out or put the item left out in a 42 hour time out if he doens't comply. It's requiring more time and effort right now but I know it will be worth it in the long run. Good luck to you and don't feel light a failure. Life is so busy. Sometimes people like you and me make ourselves crazy because we like a clean house. It's just who we are. Good luck!

I now don't have a dishwasher either. We use cheap throw away plates. Even when we did have a dish washer that is what we used. I took half of my toddlers toys or as much as needed and put them away..locked. They really don't know and it is half as much to clean up. Keep rotating and they have a new interest for the toys again. I think it is impossible with little ones. I stay at home and do a couple of loads of laundry a day and constantly clean because I have to leave stuff unfinished because the little ones. After my hubby and me ran around for so long trying to keep things spic and span we have a level of unorganized and messy that is accepted because we do need time for each other.

Divided laundry hampers have really helped me keep up with the laundry. Ours has three compartments, which we keep for darks, whites, and reds. (I keep a seperate hamper for delicates/dry cleaner items.) This way, laundry is sorted as you take it off, and it's a snap to throw in a load whenever you have just a minute (like when walking out the door, or whatever - and husband can do laundry w/out fear that he won't sort things properly...). Plus, you can easily see which is the fullest and most in need of being done. My 2 1/2 year old helps to load the washing machine, I just point out to her which compartment we're loading today. Granted, she puts things in the washer one sock at a time sometimes, but it keeps her happily occupied for a few minutes while I get the stuff from her hamper.

Keep at it, mom! You'll get the hang of it!

My mom once told me that if you have kids you will never have a clean house. I didn't believe her until I had my own and she became mobile. My suggestion would be to have the kids pitch in. Your 4 y/o can pick up after himself and put his own clothes in the hamper and take his dishes to the sink. He might even like helping do the laundry or dishes. I would give him small tasks to help out. IE sorting the laundry, pouring in the soap after you measure it. Rinsing or drying the dishes. Your daughter can start to pick up her own toys if you make a fun game out of it. My daughter is two and she sorta picks up after herself if I get on to her about it. But there's a difference between immaculate and picked up. If you can keep their toys to one general area and keep the laundry in a hamper ( I put one down stairs just for the stuff that gets stripped off down there) it makes a huge difference in how the house looks.

I personally don't have advice but a source that has helped me is the Fly Lady mentor group. Google them because I can't remember the website.its free and all on line. They give you a plan of small daily things to do so it doesn't all pile up. Laundry is my worst enemy too

www.flylady.net has helped me with trying to keep things under control.