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I clean and tidy, but the kids and my 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 is when you spend tons of time cleaning, and then
you see those clean areas messed up. But there are strategies you can do
to help make this challenge a bit less stressful and a lot 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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