“A cluttered space is a cluttered mind” – a quote I can definitely relate to. Since I was younger, I always felt I could focus on living in the moment when the space around me was organized and clean. I love being organized, because it allows me to truly be present and relax when needed. My organization has even rubbed off on my husband. Being a new Mom has made organization and finding time to clean a bit harder, but I have adjusted and adapted and come up with some tips to help stay on track instead of feeling overwhelmed.
- Start each day by making the bed. You have already accomplished something! It puts you in the right mindset for the day and is one last thing on your agenda.
- Put everything away after use. Of course this is a challenge with children. But, I ensure I put all plates, food and even toys away after being used. There may be other things that take priority, but afterwards I go back and clean up what has been left out and feel so much better.
- Tackle one room at a time. This is in regards to cleaning. If you feel like your house is getting messy, focus on one room and clean that first. You don’t have a lot of time as a parent, so even just splitting the room into sections will help you feel accomplished.
- Clean up messes as they happen. This is a big one! If you clean up messes as they occur, they tend not to get overwhelming at the end of the day when all you want to do is put your feet up.
- Know how to delegate tasks/chores. Whether you are a working parent or a stay at home parent, time is precious. No parent has time to do everything. Don’t overwork yourself, you still need to enjoy time with your children, as well as have some time with your partner and some “me” time. Delegate tasks or chores to your children or partner to assist you in this. It is also important to teach your children the significance of cleaning up after themselves.
- Get creative with storage. You can never have enough storage, especially with children and the amount of things that come with them – it can get overwhelming. Don’t just throw things in a closet and be done with it. Organize closets or spaces into certain functions (i.e. one closet is for sports, one closet for toys, etc.) Buy items that help you keep things in those spaces organized: shoe racks, coat hangers, organization bins and label them so you can keep track of what is what!
- Come up with a cleaning schedule. Currently, my husband and I do a full house clean on Sunday’s. Throughout the week my “clean as I go” method keeps the house quite manageable, which makes the big clean on Sunday’s easier. On Sunday’s I wash everyone’s sheets, dust, clean out the fridge/pantry, do laundry and clean the bathrooms. My husband then vacuums once I have finished. We do this clean and vacuum routine around our son’s naps and it works out pretty well. We will probably adjust it as he gets older, but it works for our current schedule.
- “Power Clean”. This relates back to the “clean as I go” and clean up messes as they happen. When my son is down for his naps during the day, or if I have some time between play sessions and feeds, I will pick a room to “power clean” – it’s usually the kitchen as it has the most traffic and mess. I do a quick sanitize of the counters, do any dishes in the sink, unload/reload the dishwasher and anything else that needs to be done. We also have a robot vacuum which helps me to keep the floors clean throughout the week as well!
- Prioritize. You may have something on your list to clean or organize today, but as every parent knows – life happens. Things change and that’s OK! Prioritize what is important and what needs to be done, sometimes cleaning needs to take a back seat. You may need to relax and focus solely on your child/children for the day – or even yourself! Prioritize what is essential and when you’re up for it, make a list of what needs to be addressed when you get back on track.
- Get rid of things you haven’t used recently and that won’t be needed in the near future. We all have things that we no longer need/use – one of my favourite things to do is purge! If your child no longer needs something, see if you know a parent who could use it, or donate it. Do you have a lot of clothes you no longer wear? There are many people in need who would love them. Another rule of thumb you can apply: when buying something new, throw out an item you no longer use so that you don’t add clutter. If something is no longer needed, but has sentimental value, obviously keep that – but don’t overdue it!
“Keep the corners clean and the middle will take care of itself” is something my Grandma used to always tell me. Ensure you are prioritizing what is most important and don’t stress on the fact that you didn’t manage to vacuum today. You did what you had to, whether that was one on one time with your child/children or some much needed relaxation. Your list of things “to do” will be there tomorrow, because you are a parent after all and that list will continue to grow, but so will your love.
