Keeping Your House Clean With Kids Running Amok

It happens to the best of us. We strive to make our homes a sanctuary of order, beauty, and grace, yet children often wreak havoc on our domestic utopia.

How do you control the chaos and keep the sparkling home of your dreams alive? Here are some tips.

Clean part of your house every day of the week.
This is so much easier than trying to squeeze whole-house cleaning into one day (or, more accurately, a mere fraction of that day). You’ll feel less overwhelmed by cleaning the bathroom on Monday and the kitchen on Wednesday, rather than cleaning both on Thursday.

You won’t get the entire house clean at the same time, that’s true. But like with our souls, we can focus on scrubbing a bit of grime off at a time to make substantial progress.

Don’t shy away from splitting tasks with your spouse.
Some couples create well-defined roles for their household. That’s fine, but be flexible enough to say you need help. Remember that the most rigid twigs break the easiest.

For example, if you want your spouse to cook dinner, put in a load of laundry, or drive a child to an activity, clearly express this request. You and your spouse should also regularly ask one another what they can do to shoulder more of the daily load. Marriage is about going beyond what is required, not performing the bare minimum.

It’s okay to let it all out.
Sometimes all you can do is cry, sit on the couch, and drink a glass of wine. And that’s okay! Go easy on yourself. Your house will not be completely tidy 24/7.

In fact, tying your personal happiness to a constantly clean house will chip away at that happiness. Guaranteed. That’s because you’ll feel like a failure for not meeting what are overblown expectations of yourself.

As in most things, moderation is the key to success. Try to keep your house clean on a somewhat regular basis. When it’s not, let it go. In the hierarchy of values, a clean house ranks well below more important things.

Relax. Breathe. And remember you’ll be fine!