simple tips for quick cleaning

Don't want to clean? Don't make it dirty to begin with. If only it could be that easy. First things first: get your kids in the habit of taking off their shoes before entering the house. When you are tracking in less dirt and germs into your home, you can save your cleaning time for tackling other problem areas.

Whether your home is big or small, the thought of cleaning after a long day of work and taking care of kids can be overwhelming. Be realistic, set daily, weekly, and monthly schedules that are achievable for you and your kids to get your house spic-and-span in no time.

Even your preschoolers can help! Get 'em while they are young. Make it a habit for your kids to put away books, toys, and crayons back to where they belong each time after use. They can even help sort mail and learn the spelling of everyone's name at the same time. When every member at home pitches in, you feel less stressed and exhausted about maintaining a clean household.

Check out our age-appropriate chores for kids.

Get a multi-pocket organizer tote from your local craft store. Fill it with your must-have cleaning products, such as paper towels, rubber gloves, and cleaning sprays, so that they can be easily carried from one room to the next. You can speed up your cleaning process when your cleaning supplies are within reach and right at your fingertips!

It's important to keep your cleaning kit and all cleaning products out of the reach of children. Also make sure to teach your kids which types of supplies are safe and which are not.

Make safety lessons stick with our Play It Safe Stickers

Are your kids having a hard time picking up after themselves? Get rid of their obstacles like high shelves or difficult to open containers and you may be surprised how tidy your children can be.

Designating a wicker basket or a plastic laundry hamper as a depository for the day's toys, library books, or other popular item makes it easy for kids to take a first step towards putting things away and keeps your carpets from looking like a landfill. Part of your nightly or weekly routine can be emptying the collection basket with your child and working together to put the items away neatly.

It may seem like a simple suggestion, but separating your whites, bright colors, dark colors, and the delicates can save a lot of time on laundry day. Plus, it's a great opportunity to teach your little ones about colors.

An organized and clean home makes everyone happy and healthy. And when you and your children are working together, you won't need to sacrifice cleanliness to reclaim your sanity. You might even be able to sneak in a little me-time! Now wouldn't that be nice?