Need Cleaning and Organizing Ideas!!!

Schedule... schedule...schedule! That said, it's never going to be perfect! A schedule really helped me, I have one for the day (that has time blocks for chores)as well as a daily cleaning schedule,it gave me direction and I did what was on the schedule (plus the little things like cleaning up after meals and picking up) but I only did what was on the schedule for that day in the way of sweeping, mopping, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, etc. That way I didn't keep cleaning everything and took time out with my kids, otherwise I would go from one cleaning to the next and feel like I was spinning my wheels and never really getting anything done! I have a day designated to a "special project" and I have a list to refer to: cleaning out fridge, dusting ceiling fans, etc. I do my grocery shopping on one day of the week. I have on my schedule 2 loads of laundry each day, some of those days it's designated to sheets/towels. Otherwise, like you, I waited until baskets were full (and overflowing) and it was an all day major project! This is what worked for me and I hope it helps at least give you some ideas. Good luck!

sounds just like my kids. (almost 4 and almost 2--so 3 and 1). climbs in dishwasher, pulls dirty dishes out and scatters them around house, food on floor and table, laundry piles and piles. I'm glad to know i'm not the only one! The only thing that works for me is to invite people over for playdates, etc. every week or every other week, and if I know they are coming ahead of time I pace myself and work on one room per day, leaving vacuuming or little things for that morning (ideally, although usually I'm rushing around cleaning as fast as I can!). But it forces me to have the house clean once a week, and from there it's pick-up, until it all falls apart again, and I do it all over again.
There's also this website called Fly-Lady that has a whole system for keeping a clean house. It's good advice.

Wow I totally understand about the dishwasher thing. I have a 3 1/2 and a 18 month both boys. I just realized that the best time for me to do the dishes is when they are eating breakfast and the laundry is nap time. I have a lot of laundry baskets so if I can't finish I put what I have done in the basket and put it in my room for after they go to bed. I do eat dinner with them and sometimes lunch but when they are busy eating is the best time to get things done.

Hello C.,

Being a mom does settle down as your kids get older. There's no magic that will lighten the load but I would suggest to you that time management and using a calendar might be your problem.

I am a Professional Organizing and Family Manager and help families like you all the time. Even if you don't need my services, I do offer advice and solutions at consulations. If you are interested you can visit my site for more information.

Thanks,

L. B.

www.GetOrganized.ws

try motivatedmoms.com. They have a great program that breaks things up into daily tasks.

Wow! I can so relate - although my kids are grown now. One thing that helped: food is for tables. I never let them walk around with food = cleaner that way. Also safer - kids that are walking around with food in their mouth can choke on it.

Get a routine/schedule.

Make rules about how many toys can be pulled out at one time.

Teach the kids to help clean up toys.

Early on, teach them to fold laundry, etc.

Certain toys are for table use only. (Play dough, crayons, paint)

Other toys are for blanket play
(blocks and later on Legos) so the blanket could be picked up and dumped into the right bin. Also: Legos can be swept up if the floor is clean at the beginning of play.

All toys have a specific "home" or bin

Books live on shelves or in baskets unless you are looking at one. no books on floor.

=========

Check out how kindergarten and/or first grade teachers set up their classrooms

If you need to, then put away most of the toys until your kids get used to the idea of putting one set of toys away before getting out another type (ex - put away the blocks before getting out the trucks and cars)

Even with the guidelines/rules, keeping it clean is tough. Too many toys can be part of the problem! Rotate them!

Good luck!

For chores: Flylady.net or .com or books:
The Side-tracked Home Executives (S.H.E.)
The Messies Manual
any book by Don Aslet
or any number of other books!
It can be fun reading these books because most use humor to get across their ideas.

PS I just glanced at your post again and remembered that I used to put a washable tablecloth under my oldest. We were in a carpeted apartment and didn't want to trash the floor. I would shake it outside daily and wash it when it got too bad. Again, I didn't let the kids walk around with food.

Sink Reflections**
Total Mom Makeover**
Created to Be His Helpmeet (is also helpful)

Great Books! They have coinciding interactive websites and newsletters, too!

God bless you!
~A.

C., just some ideas that I've adopted. You can't do it all in one day so set a schedule. If the best time for you to get something done is the afternoon when your son is taking his nap use that time of day every day to do some chore. I pick a specific day of the week for dusting and then another day for mopping the floors, another day for laundry, etc., and I stick that schedule every week. If you know ahead of time Monday is your day to dust the house and run the sweeper than do that every Monday. With regard to their toys, if you buys bins (you can get clear ones at Wal-mart) that are flat enough to go under the bed - I would buy some of those. Let the kids play with one bin of toys a day - when the day ends slide that bin back under the bed. The next day pick a different bin - that way they never get tired of their toys. With regard to dishes - I would do that first thing in the morning before the kiddo's are up - it always makes the day better when there are no dishes in the sink or in the dishwasher.

I have other helpful hints if you need them. I actually have a business called L.'s Clean Sweep and would be more than happy to give you some additional ideas. Check out my website at www.lisascleansweep.com.

Time is something that travels so fast and you really need time to spend with your kiddos so that you can enjoy their early years.

Take care

L. D.

It can be a tough task when you have two little ones. I own a cleaning business out of Dallas and would love to help you out with your cleaning/organizing needs if you need it. Visit my website at www.maidforcleaningtexas.com to request a quote. Hope you find a way to make it easier on yourself.

Definitely check out FlyLady. She has saved my sanity, and my house, while my husband is in Afghanistan, and he is so excited to be coming back to a clean house!

www.flylady.net

Check out the tab on the left for Beginner BabySteps. They work wonders!

Yes..this is a very common issue most of us share with you. Personally, laundry is the bane of my existence--lol! I completely understand where you're coming from on that one. I have to and like to keep my house looking presentable. I also like for my son to think that clean is the norm. He is still a young toddler, but I have him help me put his things away. He learned to do this at Little Gym by putting the balls away! Usually, it is just one easy thing, like his blocks. He and I clean after he is done playing with the toys. Understand that we or I may clean up toys several times a day.

Also, I do dishes right after we eat every meal. I don't keep dishes in my sink, but it may take me a full day to accumulate enough to turn the dishwasher on. I unload in the morning while my son eats breakfast.

My biggest tip is to take care of things as they happen--if possible. I clean up spills as they occur and use a steam mop to sanitize floors. It is super easy to use and pull out. Organize so that your cleaning supplies are easy to get to and buy supplies to help you spot clean if you don't have them (steam mop, swifter/vac combo is great, hand or small vac, etc.) Have a place for everything--even dirty stuff. That way stuff won't pile up in places it doesn't belong. I use labels, baskets , hooks, added shelving and clear storage buckets.

I spend time reading, playing and creating with my son. He is involved in Little Gym and a mom's group. So, the few minutes I spend cleaning are no big deal. I think it is good for him to see me cleaning and I certainly don't spend all day doing it. I am still working on my organization, but at least I'm not going crazy! It is a completely different world when children come along! HTH!

I also have a 3 year old and one year old. I am lucky enough (just for the past month) to have mine in a Mother's Day Out program twice a week. I get ALOT done then. But, I know that is not always affordable for all. Before MDO, I had the same issues. I would suggest putting your one year old in his/her crib for a bit while your other naps. The 1 year old should have some kind of resting period even if they don't sleep. I also do the dishes while my 1 year old is eating in her highchair. Mine also likes to climb into the dishwasher. I have also been known to quickly mop my floor while my two are eating. I just use the swiffer mop thing. Quick and drys quickly, too! You can buy them at Sam's much cheaper. I try to clean the bathrooms once a week while the kids are napping/resting. Vacumming is the challenge! I usually try to vacuum while I put my 1 year old in the pac n play or crib w/ toys. She likes to chew on the wire, so I can't do it while she's out and about. Gosh, I feel your pain. I also use the Lysol wipes to spot clean the mess on the floor around the highchair. I can do the dusting while the kids play or watch a quick show on PBS. Honestly, daily..I do the dishes and clean the counters, pick up at the end of the day (what's the point any earlier). I usually do the other stuff bit by bit through the week. My house is rarely clean from top to bottom at once. Sometimes, we just have to realize our house has to be let go a bit to enjoy our children. They won't be this little forever! Hope this helps and good luck!

Boy do I understand where you are coming from! As a mother to 4 very active kids who all play competitive soccer and wife to a soccer nut as well as a full time student I face the same delimas everyday. As a distance learning student I am able to stay at home with my youngest who is almost 3. My plan for the past several years has been the 30 minute plan daily with one day where I spend about an hour to an hour and a half. I never worry about the base boards blinds, windows or things of that sort (maybe yearly) and focus on laundry, dishes bathrooms and floors. I am also a big fan of using the 30 minute tv shows as a distraction. These shows keep the little ones busy just long enough for you to get one or two items knocked off your list and then you feel so much better. So decide what days you want to do what and go from there. One day you may do dishes and vacuum and another day you might do dishes and bathrooms. As your kids grow they can chip in as well and a lot more can be done in 30 minutes. I also do laundry multiple days a week as it seems to go faster when I do not have 10 loads starring at me. Your 3 year old is also old enough to help put toys in buckets. Putting music on also makes it fun. Just remember that your kids are the most important, but a calm healthy living environment is important too. When you are calm then they benefit. Breaking everything down into smaller tasks makes it easier to manage and not so overwhelming to you. Hope this helps, good luck!

Well, I only have one child so I am not totally in your situation -- and I struggle with this a lot like you do -- but here are a few things that I have done.

I have bins in every room. In the living room they are more colorful (but still cheap - I bought them on clearance one day). All the other rooms just have some generic white bins. Every time we leave a room all toys go in a bin. I make my two year old put her stuff up (I help of course) and since we do it as we go, it doesn't really take that much time. And if someone is coming over that I don’t want to see my bins – I just move them to a different room.

I usually unload the dishwasher during lunch every day. My daughter and I sit down and eat together and then when we are done, I get up and unload the dishwasher while she stays in her high chair. I put some music on and give her some sort of treat (usually fruit) while I unload. Sometimes I have to wash dishes twice in one day ;-) so I will let her help me with one unload. I give her nonbreakable things and ask her to carry them for me or put them up. (I mostly give her a cup and then I usually have to put that one back in then dishwasher because she puts her mouth on it -- but it keeps her busy. She has now figured out how to actually put something up so I give her small Tupperware bowls to put up in an easy to reach cabinet). In your case -- maybe let the 3 year old help and leave the one year old in the high chair.

When I clean I let me 2 year old "help". I let her dust with a dusting cloth. She thinks it is totally fun. I also let her "wipe" the floor with a wet paper towel when she spills milk. She doesn't do a great job but again she thinks it is fun and I can do the rest.

I usually clean my bathroom while my daughter is in the bathtub playing toys. I can usually clean the toilet and the sinks while she plays. Then after I put her to bed, I can clean the shower and bathtub.

I try to have a house cleaner come once a month to do a good job of cleaning. I thought at first I couldn’t afford it. So what I did was look at our budget and see how much I could spend. I found $40 a month of stuff that I could do without – it wasn’t hard actually – I canceled the call waiting and long distance on our home phone – since we never used it and have cell phones – and a few other things and quickly found $40 of savings. Then I asked around and found an independent house cleaner (she isn’t bonded but I was okay with that because I am always home and I don’t care all that much if she breaks anything). I called and asked her to come out. I told her I wanted to spend $40 1x a month and what she would clean for that. She cleans my downstairs and 2 rooms upstairs. Which works for me because those are the rooms people go in/my daughter’s bedroom. The rest of the time I just clean things sporadically – usually just one room a day.

I agree that laundry sucks. I end up having laundry day too. I tell myself each time that I am going to do one small load here and there --- but I never do. That is the one day that I actually let my daughter watch tv. She likes laundry day. I make my husband take all the laundry downstairs and put it in the laundry room before he goes to work. Then my daughter and I sort the laundry together. Well she unsorts – and I sort. But eventually it gets done. Then I wash. I let my daughter help me put stuff in the dryer and then in a basket after it is dry. After the first load is dry, I bring the clothes in the living room and we fold. I let my daughter help. I have been trying to teach her to match socks – but mostly she just throws things around. By the end of the second load – she is usually bored with this – so that is when I let her watch a cartoon. Since she doesn’t get to watch tv much, she likes that. With the tv on and her toys she will usually sit and play beside me while I fold. When I fold I sort as I fold so that when I am done I have all my shirts in a pile, my husband’s shirts in a pile, etc. I find it is easy to put them up that way.

Hope these ideas help. But really I wouldn’t worry to much about having a clean house – kids and dirty houses go together ;-)

As a mom with 8 children who homeschooled too, the one thing that kept me able to stay on top of things was the realization that a small amount of work now meant there was not a large amount later.

When dishes are done promptly, they take about 10 minutes (family of 10!). But if I let them sit it could take over an hour to get all the stuck on stuff off of everything. Do jobs immediately.

Another thing is that most tasks take under 20 minutes to complete. It's the "idea" of the job that seems daunting, not the actual time it takes. If you set aside 3 - 20 minute times per day, your home will likely stay pretty clean. Mopping was not something I was good at doing. My floor was always sticky. But when I did mop, I did it after the kids were in bed or when I laid them down for naps (usually I needed a nap too though).

Before I became a single mom, we would have a 15 minute clean-up time right before Daddy came home. This ensured that at least all the toys were picked up so he come come in and relax and not be stressed out by stepping on the Legos.

Relax and don't try for perfection.

T. Camp
www.tadahmom.com
www.terricamp.com

put away all the toys in a closet on a high shelf. only remove two-three toys and have your older one put these toys away each evening. load the dishwasher as you go... and do a full load. have four-five laundry baskets: towels/jeans/tee shirts, husband's work clothes, children's clothing, white items, and miscellaneous items. when that particular basket gets full, wash/dry/fold put away. load the washer the night before with detergent and set washer to start. when you get up in the morning, start the washer and by the time you are through with breakfast, it will be time to put the clothes in the dryer. your husband can mop in the evenings/weekends... pick up as you go... is it necessary for you husband to take 15 hours per semester? is he trying to finish has bachelor's quickly? can he do courses on-line ie at the house? cook meals and freeze them ahead of time. get up at the same time every day like an hour prior to your children getting up and do a few household chores. good luck.

I agree with the other posts! Let the kids help you! They are not too young. Allow a few toys out at a time, teach them when they are done with some, to put them away before getting out others. They can help fold and put away clothes and vaccuum. My grandson LOVES to mop and does a really good job. As for the dishes - make sure you put them in the dishwasher as they are being used! Then they are also out of sight. I have never understood putting dishes in the sink just to have to go back and "load" the dishwasher. Make the kids have a designated eating area and while they are eating you can work on the kitchen or fold some laundry. Our rule at our house was that everyone spent 10 minutes at night picking up and putting away their stuff. That way you don't have to face it in the morning either. See if there is a mothers day out program in your area that will keep the kids for a few hours a week and take that time to go home and do the really big cleaning stuff that is hard to do when they are around, or to get the entire house cleaned all at once. You can even work on cleaning the bathroom while they are playing in the tub since you have to supervise anyway. And don't let the laundry pile up after it comes out of the dryer! As it comes out, take the 5 or 10 minutes to do that load right then. That way, it is not as overwhelming! You can do it, just take one thing at a time and don't let it overwhelm you!

I only have one child (15 mo son) but I also work at home and keeping my house clean and organized is a constant battle as well. Here's what has worked for me.

A)Make sure everything has a place. Catch-all drawers, cabinets and closets don't help. They become additional disaster areas. When everything BELONGS somewhere, it is easier to begin the clean up process. Make sure your husband and older kids respect the everything has a place rule so you don't find things crammed where they don't belong.

B)If you need a starting place. Clean your kitchen first. I scrub my shower about once a month. But I clean the bathroom every week. And wipe down counters every few days.

C)As you clean a room, make piles of the things that belong in other rooms. Use a laundry basket(s) if you need to keep those piles contained. That way, if you get interrupted you can get back to where you left off.

D)My son wants to get into everything when he is awake. I clean before he wakes up, when he is napping and when he goes down at night. I "sneak" in cleaning when he is eating or occupied with toys.

E)Mess happens so quickly that I've started to use a 30 second rule. Which means if I can take care of the problem in 30 seconds or less, I do it right then. For example, as I unpack groceries, I toss old food out of the fridge and grab a disenfecting wipe to clean fridge shelves. Of course, my son can do awful things in 30 seconds so sometimes this rule just doesn't work.

F)I've learned that mess breeds mess. So I try to pick up as I go. Every little bit helps. And when I play with my son, I often plot my cleaning strategies for the next moment I have free. I'm also a list person so I have daily cleaning chores that I set for myself and try to get done.

G)TV is sometimes the answer. I've also hired babysitters when I really need to do an overall clean or organizing.

H)Toy bins and baskets are the only way to keep toys under control. I have a nice basket in my living room and multiple canvas bins and baskets in the bedroom and play area. It makes it easier to clean those spaces every day...especially when you know you will be doing the same thing the next day.

I) I vacuum kitchen and living floors daily and have rugs in high traffic areas. This cuts down on the dirt tracked into other rooms.

Everyone I know with kids has a messy house at some point during the day or week. And they all understand if they drop by my house on one of those days. I hope this helps! It is a constant battle to balance raising happy kids and keeping your house under control. When my house depresses me, I know that I have lost the balance. In the same way, when I don't want to let my son play with his toys or go outside because I've just cleaned, I know that I have lost perspective on what is important and what matters in the long run.

Hi C.,

Have some of these suggestions worked for you? If not please give me a call. I'm a Mom in the McKinney looking for some extra money for her family. I currently clean and help organize a home. Please call me if you are interested. I would love to see your home.

K. Shumway
###-###-####
____@____.com

I have a 3year old and one on the way. I have to admit that for the first two years, I had the exact same issue you are having with cleaning. My baby came first and I felt like a horrible mom if I did anything that I thought deprived him of learning or bonding. I cleaned while he napped (which he stopped doing at 21 months). Then I realized a little while later that I could clean with him. I vacummed with him, which got him used to vacumming, and just recently I began folding clothes with him He started helping me "sweep" with his own broom about a year ago. And he actually helps me do loads of laundry. I strat by handing him clothes out of the dryer which he takes piece by piece to my bed. Then we work on unloading the washer together. He puts in the dryer sheet and turns on the dryer. then we work on sorting (rather he does with my guidance while I fold).

Now don't get me wrong. He's not really getting anything done, BUT I can feel like he and I are together,. As long as he's getting someting out of it or seems to be enjoying it, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.

Now that's with one. Maybe you could do something similar with your one year old, but obviously MUCH more simple

DK, just htought I'ddrop my two cents worth...

While you have gotten some great ideas, don't forget the goal: To bring the kids up so they survive and thrive. I just picked up a Dr. Laura book In Praise of SAHM's. One of her ideas was turn on some dance music and have the kids help you while you dance and clean to the music. Enjoy them while you can, teach them while you can. You want a happy home over a clean one - balance.

I know a few people suggested flylady.com, but I wanted to encourage you with that site also. She helps you take baby steps so you are not overwhelmed with the big picture. She also has help for moms with little ones. When you sign up, be sure to have the emails sent in one email once a day. Otherwise you're overwhelmed with a ton of separate emails. There is a mission for each day and constant encouragement and tips.

Your laundry dilemma - I have a solution and it saved my life!! I used to spend all day Saturday and Sunday doing mountains of laundry - it would take forever and it seemed such a waste.

I got an idea from a website on doing one load of laundry per day and it has worked great. I have a basket for whites, colors, jeans and towels and for the kiddo. I make it a part of my routine to put a load in the washer, dry it and fold it before i go to bed. It does not matter if the basket only has a handful of items in it - I still follow the routine. It has worked and I don't stress about laundry because I get a little bit done everyday.

Hope that helps.
L.

Check out flylady.net - I fell out of the routine, but there are a lot of good suggestions there, for adults, and for kids. Good luck!

Hi C.,

You sound overwhelmed and you have a lot on your plate with basically being a SAH single Mom! :)

First, please enlist your kiddos. They are plenty old to be picking up 2-3 times a day with your help. The earlier you start with them, the sooner you will have their quality help. You don't need to be cleaning up all of their toys, they can do it, especially the 3 year old. She will also enjoy that time with you if you make it a positive experience. She can also help fold washclothes, match her own socks, put away her socks and panties, etc. I also agree that food and drinks stay at the table only. As for your 1 year old climbing in the dishwasher, etc., it sounds like he needs some boundaries. He needs to go to timeout or into his crib if he can't stay out of the dishwasher. I have a son who is 3 years older than my twin girls and boundaries are necessary for all kids so you can enjoy them.

Also, your kiddos need to nap at the same time in the afternoon (12-2 or 1-3 or 2-4)whichever works best for their bedtime. Then you can spend 1 hour cleaning and getting done what you can and 1 hour to have to yourself or two hours cleaning, whatever works for you. You need that two hours to yourself.

Good luck. I hope at least one of these suggetions is helpful!

When I work I usually do a drawer here and there. When I had all my time to dedicate to our home I had rooms I hardly cleaned. I always load the and do dishes at night then unload in the morning. I do laundry as is needed. I do have trouble getting to ironing but as soon as the drier shuts off, I hang the clothes. I vac every day or every other day. I try to wash windows on a routine of once a week or month depends. Now that I am single and have the yard as well as the house. I go to the car wash either wash myself or have it done every week. I have trouble with keeping the garage clean as it seems to be a dump but right now I am redoing closets and putting in necessary shelves for extra pillows and shoes and purses and sleeping bags and blow up mattresses will all that organized in my huge walk in closet. I found the biggest house I had was easier to clean but there were no children or dogs there. Now I have a dog to wash and maintain and child to cook for and I own a Home Day Care with people coming every day so I can not leave my mess out unless it is in my bedroom or garage. I had painted the garage and floor and now I have outside to paint the sofets. I would get a cleaning service as my neighbors did who had three children. But if you can not afford it you need to teach the children to pick up. My Day Care children know which bends to put the toy in. It was suggested to take a picture of the toys and laminate them, tape them to the front of the bends where the toys go. Children need to be shown how to pick up. I use dish tubs for the toys. I spot the carpets as soon as there is a spot. Kids do not eat any place but the table. We take of our shoes at the door. Good luck there is no easy way but do a closet at a time a room at a time and simple is better then clutter and the kids need to help and learn. I always took my kid out side when I worked in the yard. My granddaughter helps mow the yard as I get asthma doing all of it but I do all the edging. Oranize and keep record keeping in order another time consuming deal is paper work. File it then have a master paper that tells where and what is in the files. I started to have a note book for bills but soon there were just to many but if you can keep it organized that is the best. I put receipts in the same box until I can record them and get them put in a box or envelope for taxes. But I am finding all the bills can be printed online for one page a bill and then throw away all those paid monthly bills. I am working on it. So do not get into the mess of having 60 yrs of receipts in boxes like I have. Take care. G. W

Great suggestions so far. I suggest to kickstart things off, call in Pop In Maids or another maid service (Plz keep reading, it's affordable). I used pop in maids to get the house ready for a birthday party last Nov. They had a coupon in the Value Pak, that was $64.00 for 2 1/2 hours of cleaning. The offer was for me to make a list of items I wanted her to do during her time here, and she worked through it during her time.So I picked up everything b/4 she came, and then she cleaned the floors, bath rooms, etc. From there, I have managed to keep it pretty clean by useing the suggestions from this site and flylady.com. Having the service just helped me get started and took the stress off me. Hope that helps.

One thing not already addressed is the subject of food. It should be taken at the kitchen bar or dining table only...wherever you eat your meals. Food and drinks should not be taken throughout the house by children....there is no way to keep up with the mess that makes.

First off -- WOW!!! You do have your hands full! Your best bet is to not expect perfection, it won't happen.

You have gotten some good advice and here is my 2 cents worth:

As far as the problem with loading/unloading the dishwasher -- do it while your son is in his highchair.

I understand the mess you are talking about from your kids eating, so give the room they eat in a quick sweep, but don't worry about perfection.

As far as laundry, start a load before they wake up, switch it out at nap time, and again at bed time. This should be enough to get your caught up. Fold everything while you watch TV (your shows or theirs) and put it up as you can. I do love the woman's suggestion of just putting it in laundry baskets in the correct room until you have time to put it up. I do this, too. I bought the smaller round baskets at Wally (I think for $1) and have one for each load that I wash (hubbys' work clothes, colored towel, white towels, delicates, every day darks, etc.). I keep these in the floor of my laundry room and when they are full I know that is what a load in my washing machine is.

As far as sacraficing "play time" with your kiddos to clean... There are some tasks that you can make "play time" with them. For the other taks, don't look at it as sacraficing time with them, view it as setting a good example on how a house should be run. View it as keeping their surroundings healthy. It is important that they have independant play time and this will be just the opportunity for that.

Good Luck and God Bless!

I know you've received some great advice already, but, I thought I'd throw my two cents in there anyway. I'm about to have four kids (due the 27th) two of which are a 3 year old girl and a 1 year old boy.

I don't think I'm a great housekeeper and I'm okay with that because I really do believe that this is a crazy time in our household and that sometimes, the only thing I can do is to just let some things be dirty for a while and trust myself to find an okay time to do it.

I have struggled with the same questions you have ever since I got married and started having kids. The conclusion I've come to is that ultimately there's a lot of personal preference involved in these things (what you can tolerate, live with, what you have patience for, what your priorities are) and that in some things, there are no rules! When you have a 3 yo and a 1 yo, schedules get changed all the time. Some things have to be flexible. Some things won't be black and white with a strict set of rules.

Kids go through phases and so do moms! Today, I've already swept and vacuumed the kitchen and dining room 3 times. Normally, I wouldn't ever do this but the floor was especially dirty and I had the energy to do it. Most other days, I would have waited till after dinner.

Most days, even though I know it's possible, I'm not a fan of multi-tasking. I'll take advantage of a few moments here and there of the kids playing on their own to get stuff done, but, if it's just not working out, I'm okay with leaving the mess and just paying attention to the kids. Personally, I find that less stressful even though the mess is still bothersome. I have to force myself to do it though!

There are certain things I just won't do if my 1 yo is around. My husband has a higher tolerance for certain things like loading and unloading the dishwasher with our 1 yo. I wait until he's asleep or know he'll be out of the kitchen long enough for me to get it done. I just don't care to deal with the struggle, even though I know it's possible.

My dining area and kitchen floors are small. They rarely are actually mopped. I have a set of old rags that I use to spot clean the worst spills and am okay with it not being as clean as it could be.

Right now, I prefer to save up the laundry and fold a few loads in the evening while I watch TV or a movie. I put loads in when I happen to think about it and I store the clean laundry in my room away from the kids where it'll stay clean until I can fold it.

I used to have a higher tolerance for dirty dishes, but, now that we have a nice dishwasher, that's one thing I can't get behind on. Even still, I save up the breakfast and lunch dishes and don't load or clean until after lunch when the kids are asleep and otherwise occupied (I only put food away and dirty dishes in the sink after breakfast).

Someday, I will have more school age children than toddlers and that's when I think less-flexible schedules will have a place in my house. Until then, I try to have a running game plan in my head, take one day at a time, and keep an eye on the week as a whole. But, I also try to be at peace with the fact that sometimes, my toddlers are going to be the deciding factor of the day and that I'm going to be okay if the house is dirty for another day. There's a lot of reminding and pep talks going on in my head, but, for now, it's getting me through.

Good luck to you and try to enjoy this super adorable time with your toddlers (one of the things I have to remind myself of all the time!).

Last year my children were about these ages and it was much harder for me to keep a clean home, but it has gotten easier since my youngest is a little older now. You need a break everyday away from your children and you're not getting it because your youngest isn't napping and should be. I would work on getting him on a schedule that includes at least 30 minutes of rest time and work towards a real nap. That way you can have at least a half hour of down time to grab a bite to eat and relax.

My youngest likes to climb on the dishwahser door,too, when it it open, so I have 2 choices, let him help with the dishes or get him interested in something else while I unload and reload.

As for your floor, buy a Dirt Devil hand vaccum. Vaccum crumbs after each meal. This appliance is a life saver and I couldn't be without it!!

Do one load of laundry a day and make sure to put it away that same day. Put on a load soon after waking and you have all day to dry and fold and put away. Let your 3 year old help put clothes in drywer and help fold and put away.

Make rules about were toys may be taken. Your youngest won't understand, but your 3 year old is old enough to. We only have toys in my kids' playroom and bedrooms. I allow books and puzzles throughout the house and a toy or two if they are currently playing with it, but that's it and it must be picked up and put away when they are finished with it. If you don't have the time or energy to teach this to your kids, then invest in a basket for each room and have a clean up time before nap and before bed.

I clean a little each day and don't try to do everything all at once. I get my youngest interested in something and then do a chore or 2 and then go back and spend some time reading or playing with him. Then I do another chore and go back and spend sonme time with him. This not only teaches him to play independently, but gives me the time I need to have a clean and organized home. It, also, lets my kids know that taking some time to clean your home is important and as they get older they can help, too. If I have to mop or do something that takes longer than 20 minutes, I put a video on for my kids. I don't know what your feelings are about TV viewing, but I don't have a problem with some TV time each day. Hope this helps. Good luck with everything!

Hi there I am a SAHM too. I have one baby girl, 9 mo. and two boys, one is 5, one is 6. My advice to you is prioritize than organize. What laundry needs to be done the most? Kids darks? kids colors? your whites? than seperate into labled laundry bins in your laundry room. Whites Colors Darks. I set them into the basket by order of importance, soif my darks need to be washed before my kids' than their darks go into the hamper first so as I pull out the laod that need to be done, what is needed goes first. AS for dishes, do them while your little ones nap, you might have to sacrifice your own sleepy time. Or find a room that you can block them into with baby gates, a toy room, or room that is kid friendly, so that they will not be in your way while you load teh dish washer. Rinse off yoru dishes as you pile tehm in the sink, evenif your not ready to laod them yet, this saves time scrapping off caked on foods. vacumme holding one child while the other sits in the high vhair w/ toys or snacks., dust whenever you can, even a child will like holding a duster, you make it a game. alot of times I just have to pick one day that my hubby can watch the kids, no interruptions, while I down an energy drink, and just tackel the house, than i save laundry for the next, day, cause that can be done with kids, who love to play in the unfolded piles while you fold the rest. It can be done, I was a single mom of a 2yo, and I nannied/housekept for a lady w/a 4 yo. I got her home spotless within 5 hours, (it was a mansion), all with my son riding on my hip, and playing with both boys. If you want more details on how I did this AND kept my own home clean too you can email me . I realize I have said much and this is quite lenghthy but I would love to help1 I am an organizational clean freak! lol. Good luck! -Lysa
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I second (third, fourth whatever) flylady.net! It is awesome!

Remember that the mess was not made in a few minutes but over a period of time and it will not be cleaned up in a few minutes -- nor will it stay "picture perfect" all the time with two precious little ones around!

Check out flylady.net -- then customize it to fit you! Find the level of cleanliness/clutter that works for you and your family. Let the kids help you -- they will be so proud -- just remember they won't do it perfectly!

Enjoy your little ones . . . they will grow up and out of the house!

Get a grocery cart and weave ribbons through it or paint it and put everything that needs to be put away in it and then it can go from room to room to put things away and your child can go along for the ride. I used to make it music time and I had a portable c.d player she coule listen to or we would just sing silly songs.

C., I can totally relate to what your going through. I know this may or may not work for you because of the ages of your kids, but when I feel overwhelmed I am up to any suggestions. I have 3 kids, 4 yr old and 2 1/2 yr old twins! I work full time and my husband also works full time. My first thought is you've got to get your husband to help out at night. My husband gets home late too, but he knows how hectic my day is because I get up at 5am so I can get myself ready, get the kids ready, get them to daycare, work all day, get the kids picked up, get them fed dinner, baths, clean up, etc...so here is what I do. I get the kids involved. I know your one year old is too young for most chores, but you can start incorporating your young one with simple things that can be made fun. My boys love helping with the laundry. We sort a basket of clean clothes into colors and each child gets a pile and they get to hang their little shirts and fold stuff, match socks, etc...ofcourse I have to re-do most of what they fold, but it is time that we are all sitting on the floor together, talking about colors and stuff like that while I am doing the real folding. They help me carry stuff to each room to put away clothes, towels, etc.

When they are eating I do some of the kitchen cleaning so that it doesn't pile up. When they nap on the weekends I do a bit more. When I put them down for bed I do a bit more. But the biggest part is I let my husband know what I can use the most help with. Example: I leave a basket of clothes in the living room and he will fold and put away late that night. If you don't ask for help, you most likely won't get it. Yes, your husband works long hours and goes to school and that is great, but he is part of the family too, and you can't be expected to do it all by yourself. So get the kids involved, ask for help. It doesn't take that long to have your husband fold one basket of laundry or wash one load of dishes when the kids are asleep and not trying to climb in the dishwasher, etc.

As for floors getting messy, use bibs with "Catch all pouches" they make a HUGE difference! I buy mine at Walmart. Its amazing how much is caught in that pouch. Yesterday I forgot to put the bibs on the kids at snack time and the floor was filthy...but when they have their bibs on, it's minimal what kids dropped on the floor, and that's with 3 little ones feeding themselves. I also sometimes use a floor mat if the meal is a particularly messy one. It's much easier to pick up the plastic mat and shake it off outside or hand wipe on the counter then it is to have to sweep or mop a large area.

As for toys all over the floor...we have that one down! We have storage ottomans in the living room, that look decorative, but yet hide all the toys inside. If the toys don't fit in the ottoman then they don't belong in the living room. We taught our boys very young that if they are gonna play with a toy then they pick it up and put it back in the ottoman. If we are gonna go from the living room to the kitchen for meal time, they dont' leave the living room till they pick up their toys. When the twins were too young to understand, our older son who is only 17 mos older than the twins would pick up all toys and it was his opportunity to be big brother and show his baby brothers how big boys clean up their toys. He enjoyed picking up and showing the babies that this is how big boys clean up. We've always kept all our baby stuff hidden. Example: when we had all 3 boys in diapers we always had extra diapers and wipes in the living room for quick changes. We got some inexpensive decorative boxes that we kept diapers and wipes in so that our living room didn't look like a daycare. The boys learned quick where the supplies were and they would go and get the diaper and wipes when it was time for changes and then would put it all away.

As for vaccuming. I bought each of the boys a little dirt devil vac that actually does pick up stuff. They love to vaccum when I am vaccuming. So we make it a group game where we each have our little space to clean and see who does it the fastest.

It's not easy to find tons of time to spend with the kids and work and clean, and cook, etc...so you have to find a balance, and for me it was getting the kids more involved and making games out of stuff that I knew needed to get done, and getting my husband involved as well. On the weekends we do more fun stuff!

Best wishes! I'm here whenever you need an online buddy! I thought I was going to lose my mind when the twins were first born and the first year was super hard having 3 little ones in diapers, but it does get easier.....J. :)

Monday is my day. I do whatever laundry needs to be done. And, yes it is a huge undertaking. This doesn't mean I don't do it other days, just that this is the day I am caught up on laundry. I also pick up and clean what I can on this day. I have "trained" my kids that this is the day mommy has to clean so I can't play with them. It sounds mean, but it really isn't. Independent play is a great skill for them to learn. Also, if I have to, I resort to TV. My kids are older now so 2 of them are in school and it gets easier. I remember the days when I couldn't keep my oldest out of the dishwasher and loading/unloading was a huge accomplishment. Good luck.