hhmh....fact is, in our house, DH is the messy one, not toddler!!!
If she takes after her dad, however, we're in reaaaalll trouble!!!
) but DH is the one who leaves a trail wherever he goes... 
No, I'm doing better, but I just don't like cleaning. I try to stay caught up on the dishes and sweeping the kitchen floor. Every couple of days we pick up the toys and put them all away. I vacuum occasionally. I clean the bathroom once a week. But on a daily basis, it's pretty messy. I just don't care. I think I could become a neat person if I cared much about the mess, but as long as I can walk without tripping over things, it just doesn't bother me. It's only me and my son, and I work out of our home, so it's all my work stuff (I'm not even talking about my wood and sawdust covered basement :)), plus his toys, and he's always playing with his toys and I'm always working throughout the day, so I'm relaxed about keeping stuff picked up all the time.
I have a 2 year old and a newborn and a 40 lb dog...oh yes and a hubby who is famous for leaving a trail of things behind him and then getting grouchy that he can't find something. MEN! Anyhoo...
DS likes to rearrange things (aka play with something then leave it blah blah). He is very good at picking up blocks, not always good with putting books on shelves.
Currently my house is cleaner and neater than usual because I've been taking the time to do it because otherwise it annoys me. However, I haven't figured out how to juggle that, taking care of the kids/hubby, cooking (I cook everything from scratch) and practicing (I am a concert violinist) consistently. I'll get a good month or 2 in and then a dry spell. Hmmm...any ideas?
OOh since I had the baby a few weeks ago my MIL (LOVE HER!) comes over every other week and does a basic deep clean. Then I'll go over and get stuff that she missed etc. 
Nope, and not likely to be for some years.
This is my life as well. My kids are 7, 3.5, 1.5, and I babysit a 5yo. If/when I manage to get one room clean, they've gone and destroyed another. It's a vicious cycle, and I see no end in sight...lol. I also freak out sometimes, and that's when DH will step in and do some real cleaning. However, he's starting a second job soon, so I'll be even more on my own. Scary!
I really don't think I could spend less than 3 hours a day cleaning, and have a clean house. I don't get it.
Wow...I have a 26 month old, a 6 month old, an 80 lb dog and 2 cats and I honestly don't think I could find 3 hours a day worth of cleaning to do! I guess maybe my standard of "clean" is low, but I consider my house pretty clean and tidy. I spend about an hour each day doing basic maintenance cleaning (dishes, laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping and picking up) and then maybe one "deep clean" (windows, fridge, sweeping and mopping the stairs). Most of which I do with my 26 month old son "helping" when my 6 month old daughter is sleeping or in the ergo on my back. We'll wash dishes together, he'll help switch the laundry and put away his clothes, he has a dust buster he vacuums with when I vacuum, and he'll help pick up his toys before nap and bedtime. I sometimes do a few things when they're both napping in the afternoon, but usually I try to make that me time, where I can sit on the internet or read or journal in peace. Sometimes the tandem nap doesn't work so I don't get much me time those days. But both kids also go to bed really early (7ish), so my husband and I spend quality time together at night, and I can also finish any major cleaning that needs to get done then.
I also don't have a lot of stuff though. We don't even have that much furniture or anything, so it's pretty easy to pick up and clean everywhere in the house. Bsides some toys strewn around and dog hair all over, our house doesn't really get that messy. My husband also helps out a lot with kitchen duty, so he'll wipe counters, do dishes, clean the stove, sweep and mop, and do deep clean stuff in the kitchen, which helps a ton.
At any given time a small portion of my house is clean. Whichever room is the 'clean room' varies from day to day. But the whole house clean, nope, no, no way, no how.
Since my 7-month old's arrival home, our house has been totally spic and span clean ONE time (when we had an important visitor - it wasn't even for us to enjoy! :) ). I'm pretty good about doing dishes and a load of laundry everyday (we cd and hand wash dishes). Other than that, we do what we can when we have the time to do it. Our bed hasn't been made in FOREVER, the dust bunnies have stayed for weeks, etc. I just vacuumed every corner and the windowsills today and that won't happen again probably for *months*. Oh well! :)
This is our schedule for the week,
Get out of bed at 8
Make breakfast, get DD up so she can eat as well.
Bath and dress.
Clean for an hour while both of my toddlers have imagination time (they can choose to color, build blocks, or get into dress up clothes)
Clean up time (children clean their toys, I usually help my 13 month old)
Playroom/Workout time (The small place I go to workout has a room for the kids to play in with windows so I can watch them. They enjoy it)
They have snack time in the playroom
Swim time
At 12:30 we come home, I make my husband lunch and take it to him (kids eat lunch while I make dad's lunch)
Kids take naps as soon as we get back.
I do my hard core cleaning during nap time (washing baseboards, mopping, dusting ceiling fans, etc)
When kids wake up we have snack time then head outside.
We go to the park, then return home
When we return home we do whatever activity I have planned (gardening, painting, or dance and gymnastics on tues and thurs)
Start dinner
When cooking dinner the kids either can "help" or are allowed to play with anything in their rooms. (I also allow tv time if they choose it during this time).
If they are able to help with the meal , they join in.
If not then I allow them to help "make cookies" by giving them flour, bowls, and spoons and playing on the kitchen floor.
As soon as dinner is done I clean up our messes and the kids clean their rooms.
We either wait for daddy or eat without him (we hold off as long as the kids are able. While waiting we usually dance with music.)
Once daddy comes home cleaning stops until bedtime.
We play with the kids, read to them, or if they are playing alone we will watch a movie, get on the internet, just relax.
Do bedtime routines, which include the kids picking up their rooms.
Once the kids are in bed I do a quick clean up of the house, fold any laundry I didn't get to, throw diapers in the wash if they need it, anything I missed.
Then I shower, get all of the next days activities ready for the next day and get in bed with hunny.
During the weekend, our plans are always different.
We still have meals and snacks at the same time, but our activities center around spending time with daddy...unless he's golfing then I'm on the internet (like now, while the kids are napping lol)
This is our summer schedule, but if I didn't follow it our house would fall apart. lol
I pretty much keep the house spotless though, always ready for company.
Of course, I'm not completely anal.
If we need to step over a pile of clean clothes to get out the door for family time, we're doing it.
Wow...I have a 26 month old, a 6 month old, an 80 lb dog and 2 cats and I honestly don't think I could find 3 hours a day worth of cleaning to do!
Oh, me neither! I'm just estimating that it would take 3 hours a day to get/keep my house clean (what I consider "clean"). It's not completely clean right now, because I don't have that much time!! It is, however, clean enough. I spent 2 hours yesterday, and I did get all the basics done (dishes, laundry, sweep the kitchen, counters, pick up toys, bathroom, etc), but that didn't give me any time to do any extras, like my room (which is a disaster), clean off cluttered surfaces, change the sheets, etc etc etc.
I guess, what I got done was enough to make the house look fine for guests (which means it's enough for me to feel good in it).
AE is 2 yrs 3 mnths old and our home is pretty clean. Considering we are waldorf inspired, minimalism is the key.
Don't feel bad. We live in a developing country and can afford here to have someone help clean our 800 sq ft apartment 3 mornings a week, me cleaning the other days of the week, and it's still a mess so much of the time.There's a lot of dust where we live and it's truly impossible to keep things dust-free. Our water occasionally turns off as well as our electricity so that doesn't really help. I have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. In the states it drove me crazy if my kitchen was a mess and it still drives me crazy here but hospitality is a huge value where we live so every day I first make sure that our living room is presentable for welcoming any drop-by guests, that my teafal is full of water to make tea, and then choose one other thing that I MUST get done. Everything after that is a bonus. I also try to take an hour (right now) while my 2 yr old is napping to read, email, whatever - I set up my 4 yr old with an activity and sit in the same room as her - just resigned to being interrupted but it's better than nothing. Then I let her do another activity or help me with food prep or cleaning - her choice. Good job moms! Just reading your posts is both comforting and inspiring :)
nope! My house currently is "clean enough" meaning, it's picked up, but far from clean. If I spent every moment cleaning, I'd never sit down, so no. I don't think it's possible unless you have a live-in housekeeper. Who does that!?
amen to that! DH is a borderline horder and leaves a trail as well. My house probably would be pretty clean if his priorities for a clean house were the same as mine!
I have a 2 year old and a newborn and a 40 lb dog...oh yes and a hubby who is famous for leaving a trail of things behind him and then getting grouchy that he can't find something. MEN! Anyhoo...
DS likes to rearrange things (aka play with something then leave it blah blah). He is very good at picking up blocks, not always good with putting books on shelves.
Currently my house is cleaner and neater than usual because I've been taking the time to do it because otherwise it annoys me. However, I haven't figured out how to juggle that, taking care of the kids/hubby, cooking (I cook everything from scratch) and practicing (I am a concert violinist) consistently. I'll get a good month or 2 in and then a dry spell. Hmmm...any ideas?
OOh since I had the baby a few weeks ago my MIL (LOVE HER!) comes over every other week and does a basic deep clean. Then I'll go over and get stuff that she missed etc.
yes, but it took a lot of planning. my current toddler is our second, so we knew what we were in for. we moved into this house just as he was getting mobile and we set the house up babyproofed rather than doing it as we went along. there are no drawers to dump, books on low shelves, etc etc. i purge regularly, and everything that we own has a "home" where it "lives" so that there is no floating stuff in the house. im one of those people who needs a clean space in order to relax. my husband is home with the kids now and he is not a natural cleaner but we have a system that works and we manage to keep things where they go, vacuum twice a week, clean the bathroom and kitchen once a week, do the dishes after meals etc.
we have two boys, a dog, and three indoor cats and dont spend a huge amount of time on keeping it clean. have you read flylady? i think her stuff is kind of excessive but she does have some good tips. like wiping the bathroom down every morning. it takes me three minutes before i get into the shower, and that way the bathroom stays ok until its weekly cleaning.
yes, but it took a lot of planning. my current toddler is our second, so we knew what we were in for. we moved into this house just as he was getting mobile and we set the house up babyproofed rather than doing it as we went along. there are no drawers to dump, books on low shelves, etc etc. i purge regularly, and everything that we own has a "home" where it "lives" so that there is no floating stuff in the house. im one of those people who needs a clean space in order to relax. my husband is home with the kids now and he is not a natural cleaner but we have a system that works and we manage to keep things where they go, vacuum twice a week, clean the bathroom and kitchen once a week, do the dishes after meals etc.
we have two boys, a dog, and three indoor cats and dont spend a huge amount of time on keeping it clean. have you read flylady? i think her stuff is kind of excessive but she does have some good tips. like wiping the bathroom down every morning. it takes me three minutes before i get into the shower, and that way the bathroom stays ok until its weekly cleaning.
I love flylady, but I agree that it can feel like overkill. I tried starting a control journal and all that, and realized that I just don't have that much time to focus on it all...lol. I just like her tips as well... like the bathroom wipe down, and the "load a day keeps CHAOS away" thing.
We have a 3.5 yo & 16 mo old & I watch a 21 mo old M-F...and we have 2 inside only cats. Our house has been on the market almost a year & keeping it really clean has nearly killed me!!! We have frequent showings so at any point in time, I could get a call & have only an hour's notice. I do tend to be a neat/tidy person, but keeping up with the floors (whole house is wood or tile), dust, cat hair, baseboards full of dust/cat hair, ceiling fans full of dust/cat hair is tough. It has meant a little more TV time in our house than originally planned.
Finally, after 2 offers fell through, we think we may have a signed contract by tomorrow & will (fingers crossed) get our offer accepted on the new house (we are moving an hour North to my hometown to be near my whole family). The new house we hope to get is a little bit better set up for our family & I feel like I will be able to keep up with things more. And as I am packing up this house, I am going to keep in mind a game plan to keep half the toys, crafts, puzzles, books packed away for a rotation schedule going forward. I think that will help me out a little.
No matter what the situation, where I live & what stage of my life I am in...the one thing I can never keep up with is laundry. It's my kryptonite. Sometimes it all gets folded & put away but there are days we end up getting ourselves dressed from a laundry basket of clean, unfolded clothes. 
Yep. House is clean. It is pretty easy if kept under control.
I make it a point to clean the kitchen every night after dinner ... no soaking dishes, etc. Awhile back we had an ants scouting and I had to get a bit nuts about crumbs. We have a Roomba that goes off in the living room and kitchen every morning at 4am. My husband has to pick up toys at the end of the night and prepare the room for the Roomba when I'm getting our daughter down. Since it is done daily the messes don't have time to fester. I also drop it into the other rooms while we are out once every week or so.
I have this rule about everything having a place, including toys. That really helps.
During the day I do laundry and tidying with some wipe down of surfaces using seventh generation wipes. I also usually unload the dishwasher when DD is in her chair at the table eating lunch.
DD is almost 18 months and likes to clean. So I give her a vegetable cellulose sponge to help "clean". I did make the mistake of mopping the floor with a wet swiffer and DD ran into the bathroom and slid ... so I won't be doing that again. I'm thinking about getting a carpet sweeper that DD can use that is recommended by a Montessori site.
Basically, we aren't here to entertain her 24/7. DD is slowly being incorporated into our pattern and as she gets older she accepts more responsibility. Right now that is sometimes putting her clothes (and other toys) into the hamper and wiping her table off after eating. She doesn't do this every time but it is offered. She is totally into it. I reorganize closets, move stuff around ... it seems like there is always some little project to do and if it is safe for DD to be around I usually go for it and add in some time for her to tinker with.
But then again maybe I have a low maintenance kid. She is demanding sometimes but then we just go to the park. The big trick is to not expect to do any fast cleaning and be open to the possibility that it will be boring to DD or it will become a huge focal point. But it gets done, eventually. Honestly I can't imagine interacting with DD without folding or wiping or putting things away and cleaning with her ... it is one of our major activities. She loves getting into cabinets with me and pushing around the laundry basket. I'm curious now ... what do other people do?
we have one room that is for guests if they come, and it is forbidden for my kids to go into that room...so it is always tidy...
....and i like this room in the evenings in case the rest of the house is a disaster so that i can relax there, read a book, play piano and feel clean...
other than that I do clean but not much, there is a girl who comes to help once a month or so and we do Major cleaning. and also having a habit of telling the kids "first let's remove the books and stuff off the floor and then we'll do painting" does help a lot!
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