1. Make a schedule and stick to it
Create your cleaning schedule before you even start your week. With little ones it feels like the weeks fly by, so making a schedule is key. Every Monday morning I sit down with my coffee and write out a big to-do list. Then, I choose tasks from the list and plug them into my calendar. Our phone is a perfect place to set calendar reminders or make lists because it’s usually with us. I also appreciate a good old pen and paper. Whiteboard calendars make a great visual for the whole family.
2. Set realistic expectations
When I’ve done my own search for cleaning tips for moms, I’ve found that most of the lists out there are unrealistic. The expectations you set for yourself are for YOURSELF. I noticed that expectations changed for me at different points in my life. When my daughter was born, my cleaning expectations were very unrealistic and needed to change. Expectations may also change week to week. After creating your cleaning schedule ask yourself if the tasks are actually attainable.
3. Prioritize what’s important
If you take away anything from this list of cleaning tips for moms, this is it! I clean for me, myself and I. My husband could care less what the house looks like, but having an organized, tidy house is important to me. Being present with my daughter is also important to me. Being social in my community of moms is important to me. Writing this blog is important to me. There’s not enough time in the week to do it all which ties back to setting realistic expectations. Confession- I don’t dust the surfaces in my house every week or even every two weeks. The shelves haven’t tattled on me yet.
4. Choose your trade-off
Is the cleaning list piling up, but you can’t find the time to accomplish this list along with all of your other responsibilities? I get this 100%! The title “mom” comes with a lot of responsibilities, and many moms have job titles in addition to being a mom. After you’ve set realistic expectations and prioritized what’s most important to you, remember there will still be trade-offs. A mother once told me the only way she is able to cook a homemade meal every night is by allowing her kids some screen time while she prepped dinner. Once we accept that there will be a trade-off, it’s easier to let go of any guilt you may be feeling.
5. Create your own routines
Just like I’ve had to teach myself to make self-care part of my routine, I have created my own little cleaning routines over the years. Every Friday I turn on some music and clean the entire kitchen top to bottom. It’s the best way to start the weekend and I love when the common area in our house is sparkling. When I clean something that requires maintenance every few months, I set calendar reminders in my phone, so I won’t forget.
6. Involve the whole family in cleaning
You’d be surprised what a toddler can do independently with consistent modeling and reinforcement. Teaching your kids to clean up after themselves when they’re younger is well worth your time. It will become part of their routine just like we make it part of ours. The dollar store sells the cutest kid-sized cleaning supplies. Once they get older, delegate chores to your children to help teach responsibility and life skills.
7. Take it one room at a time
I used to be the planner, scheduler and had all my ducks in a row. Now that I’m a mom my ducks are swimming all over the pond. What I’ve found most helpful in this new phase of life is breaking up cleaning tasks. Whether that’s one bathroom at a time or one toilet at a time. I write out my realistic goal for the day, and I keep my big list on my phone if I’m looking for more to do.
8. Clean as you go
If you follow this tip, you’ll actually make your life easier. When I’m cooking, I clean surfaces as I go. If a blob of toothpaste lands on the edge of the sink, I wipe it off right then. I put things back where they belong when I’m done using them. I teach my daughter (and husband) to do the same.
9. Take the pressure off!
Before becoming a mom I could not leave tasks unfinished. Now my entire day is just starting a bunch of projects and getting interrupted every 10 minutes. The good thing about this is I’ve learned to take the pressure off. Turn on some music or a podcast while you mop, and remember that sometimes your free time is better spent on you!
10. Outsource if you can
I saw a mom post on a community group that she was looking to hire someone to do her family’s laundry. Confession- I quickly judged her wondering why should couldn’t do her own laundry. I mean don’t get me wrong, laundry is the bane of my existence, but I’ve never heard of anyone hiring help for laundry. I read further and she explained that she’s a single mom with 3 kids and works a very demanding job. Instead of spending time with her kids on the weekend, her time was often spent doing everyone’s laundry. Yes, I’m my eating words. I share this story because I think it’s a perfect example of a mom prioritizing what’s important and understanding the trade-off.
If it’s in your budget, hire services to help you with some of the cleaning. If you have a big cleaning project to accomplish, consider asking friends or family to help with childcare so you can focus your attention on the big task. If these aren’t options, go back to setting realistic expectations for yourself and prioritizing what’s important. The days are long, but the years are short. Your kids may tattle on you but your dusty shelves won’t.
