Household cleaning is a big topic for every mom, especially if she has more children at home. The same thing every day, it feels like an endless story, and sometimes it is better to give up on cleaning because the next day the house will look the same again. So how do we clean without going crazy or getting exhausted?
Ask for help
For some people, it is the easiest way; for others, the hardest. If you have someone in the family who could help you with cleaning, definitely take advantage of it. Whether it is a younger childless sister, grandma, or aunt, ask them and you may find a solution together. They might come just once a week and help with what burdens you most (ironing, cleaning the bathroom and toilet, vacuuming, etc.). However, that does not mean they will clean for you for free; you can agree on some financial reward or exchange for your surplus items.
If you have enough financial means, you can hire someone for professional cleaning and spend the time you gain fully with the children.
When we are on our own with the cleaning
Often we are left to fend for ourselves and, for financial reasons, cannot afford cleaning help. And many times the family lives farther away than would be convenient. In this case, you can try the following.
Clean by sectors/rooms
Set aside one room or part of a room for each day that you will clean. You will still be cleaning every day, but it will not take as long, the children will appreciate it, and you will be less tired. For example:
- Monday: kitchen,
- Tuesday: toilet and bathroom,
- Wednesday: living room,
- Thursday: bedroom,
- Friday: children's room.
Just one task per day
If cleaning by room does not suit you, you can try cleaning by tasks. One day you can dust the whole apartment/house, the next day vacuum, the next day mop the floor, etc. For example:
- Monday: tidy up scattered things,
- Tuesday: clean the toilet and sink
- Wednesday: clean the bathtub/shower enclosure
- Thursday: dust,
- Friday: vacuum/mop.
Clean gently
Since small children like to get involved in cleaning, sweep, mop, help with laundry, the dishwasher, in short, copy what we do, it is a good idea to clean with gentler cleaning products. You do not have to worry that if you are mopping and your child dips a hand into the bucket of water and then touches their eye or mouth, it will somehow harm them. Of course, that does not mean these products are edible, but they will make you calmer, and they are more natural for the household. Too much of anything is harmful, and that applies to various disinfectants and conventional products for cleaning, washing, and dishwashing as well. You can get by with very little and even save a few bucks.
Don't overdo cleaning
Cleaning during maternity leave will never be easy, and if the children are still little and mostly make a mess, we recommend lowering your expectations and making peace with bearable mess. Children will not remember the mess in the house, but they will remember an exhausted mom. So do not make such a big deal of it; it will bother you less, and you will have more energy for the children and your partner. And when someone comes to visit once in a while, you can tidy up a bit more or honestly tell them that you have children and little energy to scrub the apartment just for the few minutes before it gets messy again.
Don't worry, it won't last forever. If you teach children to clean up after themselves, then things at home will go smoothly together and you will save yourself a lot of stress.
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