Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
It’s not always easy to keep your home clean and tidy all the time even when you don’t have any children and no pets. Adding in some children and pets into the mix can make having a clean home very tricky.
While it can be hard it is not impossible to keep your home looking good with these simple tips on how to keep a tidy home with kids and pets.
Make Vacuuming A Priority
If you have furry pets like cats or dogs then vacuuming regularly is essential. Pet hair will stick to everything and it is very unpleasant. It can also cause your home to smell.
Taking a few minutes every day to run quickly vacuum up all the pet hair will go a long way in keeping your home clean, hygienic and smelling great.
Groom Your Pets Daily
While vacuuming is important so is brushing your furry friends. The more you brush your pets the less hair they will shed all over your home. It also keeps your animals looking great and provides a fantastic bonding experience.
Clean Accidents As They Happen
Both pets and kids make a lot of mess every day. Make sure to wipe up any spills and clean up any mess as it happens.The last thing you need is any mess being spread through the house.
Give Your Kids Chores
Teaching your kids to clean up after themselves and to do their bit when it comes to taking care of the home is so important. It will help to keep the house clean and tidy as well as teach your kids responsibility.
If your child knows that he will have to clean up any mess he makes he will make less mess and be more conscientious.
If any of the pets belong to your child make sure that your child takes responsibility for his pet. If he has a hamster teach him how to clean out the cage and how to feed his hamster.
If your child has a cat make sure that all kitty duties are performed by your child, including changing the cat litter. Make sure you check out the best cat litter scoops to ensure that your child can easily clean his cat’s litter box.
Follow A Cleaning Routine
Having a cleaning routine will make it so much easier for you to stay on top of your household cleaning tasks. You can’t get everything done in one day and leaving things until they build up only makes more work in the long run.
Break up all the tasks that need to be done and when they need to be done (daily, weekly, monthly or even annually). Then allocate tasks to each member in the household and create a good routine.
Dirty Feet and Paws
One of the things that gets the dirtiest the fastest and really is an eyesore is your floor. Teach your children to wipe their feet and take off their shoes as soon as they enter the house.
Don’t leave your door open for your dogs to run in and out tracking in mud and dirt. Rather keep the door closed and keep a towel by the door specially for wiping off your dog’s feet before they come in the house.
Have A Daily Dirty Thirty
Have a set time every day when you set the timer for 30 minutes. In these thirty minutes get as much fast paced cleaning in as you can. If everyone in your household chips in at the same time and tackles a different area of the house imagine how much cleaning can be done in that 30 minute time slot every day!
Clean Up After Yourself As You Go Along
It is so much easier to pack away everything you use in it’s right place as you go about your day rather than leave a hurricane of mess behind you and then attempt to clean it up. If everyone in your home gets into the habit of cleaning up after themselves all the time there will be very little in the way of tidying up to do and even the cleaning will be greatly reduced.
Wash your dishes and clean counters as you prepare food. When you take any washing off the line or out of the dryer fold it up and pack it away immediately rather than letting it sit in a wash basket for another few days.
If you follow all of the above guidelines you should be able to get most of your tidying and cleaning up every day without too much effort or fuss. It is about creating good habits and a great routine – that’s how to keep a tidy home with kids and pets.
