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I clean and tidy, but the kids and husband
mess it up. What can I do?
by Maria Gracia
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Question:
Dear Maria,
I spend a few hours cleaning and tidying up our home only to have it all messed
up again once the kids and hubby get home. I like an organized home, but it
seems the more I work at it, the messier the house becomes. What can I do?
Thanks Maria,
--Robin from San Diego, CA
Maria’s Response
Dear Robin,
I know how frustrating it could be when you spend tons of time cleaning, and then
you see those clean areas messed up. But there are some things you can do to
help make this challenge a bit less stressful and more effective. Here are a few:
1.
Get your husband on board. One thing that’s very important is getting your
husband on-board. If you’re on board, and he’s on board…it’s much easier
to get the kids on board with keeping the house as clean as possible. Have a
heart-to-heart with him and ask him to do what he can to help you keep
things neat and tidy, even if it’s as simple as helping to enforce that the kids
put their belongings away, and for them to wipe up after their messes.
2.
Cut down on volume. The more stuff you have, the more work you’ll be doing
to keep everything clean and put away. Take on a more minimalist approach
in your home.
3.
Make some rules. Schedule a 15-minute family pick-up and clean-up time
every single night…no TV, electronics, friends, phone calls, etc. until every
family member has participated and handled his/her chores. If everyone
works together, the house gets picked up and cleaned up quicker.
4.
Keep it outside. When I was a kid, there were no shoes allowed on in the
house. Have a drop-off area, like the laundry room, where muddy shoes, wet
umbrellas, dusty backpacks previously thrown on the school playground,
etc. get placed and stored. That room can get messy, but at least it won’t be
trailed through the entire home.
5.
Institute a “no temporary places” policy. Have a home for everything
(incoming mail, jackets, school papers, etc.) and be sure each person puts
whatever they have in that home…not in a temporary place, like tossed on
the kitchen table. Yes, you will have to work to enforce this. Use
consequences and rewards as needed.
6.
Create a “you made the mess, you clean it” policy. There is no reason why a
family a member who eats on a plate can’t rinse it and put it in the
dishwasher. A family member who drips toothpaste in the sink, can rinse that
out and dry the sink before he or she leaves. Everybody has to work together
to make this work, and only you and your husband can make sure it
happens.
Hope this gives you some ideas!
Maria
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