How to Keep a Clean & Organized Home With Young Children & a Low Budget
- 1). Teach the children to pick up after themselves. No, it won't happen overnight, and yes, it takes time and patience. Start small. When a child has a meal or a snack, for instance, have her take her dishes to the sink and dispose of any other trash. If she spills a drink, give her a towel and have her help you clean it up. If she wants to watch television, have her clean up her belongings in the family room before she can turn it on.
- 2). Set a timer and let the children race to see who can pick up the most toys in the shortest amount of time. Play fun, energetic music to help them along.
- 3). Create a place for each kind of toy in your child's room so he knows where everything is supposed to go. For example, have a plastic container for small toys and blocks, a bookshelf and a place in the closet or along the wall to display larger toys that won't fit in the toy box. Clean the room in the same manner every time so that the children will become accustomed to the routine.
- 4). Hold a session once a month to go through every room and deep-clean. If it's easier, you can do this over a week or do one room per week. Have a trash bag, a give-away box and a storage box. Get rid of anything you don't use. It will get easier every time. Teach children the importance of giving by having them assist you in choosing toys to give to the needy. This process is especially important with children's clothes, since they grow out of them so quickly.
- 5). Purchase cleaners that can be diluted and use an empty spray bottle to hold the diluted formulas to make them go farther. Be sure to label the bottle with a permanent marker so that you don't forget the type of cleaner that's inside. Have a spray bottle with only water for small children to use on walls and appliances so they can "help" you when you clean.
- 6). Purchase plastic containers, such as storage bins and laundry baskets, at dollar and discount stores. Keep a small laundry basket in a hall closet to scoop toys and other items into during the day, and then have each child put their belongings away at bedtime. Use the storage bins to keep everything from craft supplies to important documents organized.
Source...