Share your best tips for keeping your home clean/tidy

[KristinCB]

I have NO toys in the kids rooms other than books and my daughter has her drawing/craft table and netbook (which is only allowed to be used for weekends unless she is using it during the week for schoolwork/learning)

Thankfully we have a playroom and recently I changed it so the toys are only in there.. toys are my biggest annoyance so at least they are now kept to the one room.

 

[Milmomma]

We had the no toys downstairs rule as well. They must stay in their rooms. And they must keep their rooms picked up. Or mean mommy comes in with a trash bag and picks up whatever they don't(toys, clothes, hats, etc) so I can throughly vacuum once a week. (Its my favorite chore to do)
My husband does keep his stuff picked up and does his own Army laundry. That's about all he does. But I let it go as I am the one staying home while he's at work all day and night.
For me another thing that helped was the implementing 1 toy rule for Christmas. This applies to each child from whole family, even Grandma's. Others have to find something else, storage, books, clothes, shoes, gift cards, etc. Oh, and before they can add new toy to their rooms, they must bring me two from their rooms to donate. This way toys are coming out before new ones go in.

 

[rach3975]

My best tip? Go out! LOL.

I struggle with keeping things clean, too. Like Keely said, one of our problems is that the family's schedule varies too much from one day to the next to really have a daily routine. I feel like kitchen chores (cooking, dealing with dishes, cleaning the floor under the table, lunch packing, etc.) and laundry take up so much of every day that there isn't time for real cleaning. Lately DH and my oldest DS (ie, the only 2 in the house capable of being more help than hindrance when it comes to cleaning) have been busy with Little League so I've been stuck home with the 2 mess makers who aren't very capable at cleaning up after themselves yet.

One things that helps a little is that as a family we have a 15 minute clean up every night. The kids clean up any toys that are out, clothes that didn't make it into the laundry basket, and anything else that they've messed up.

We do best when we take a weekend day every few weeks and all do it together. The kids clean their rooms with some adult assistance as needed, and DH and I switch off being on kid-duty and doing a cleaning or organizing project. Then during the week I can maintain it and focus on the never-ending kitchen and laundry chores. I'm sure our house would be cleaner if I did it in the evening, but I refuse. After the kids go to sleep is my break for the day, and if the house suffers so be it.

ETA: How could I forget to mention my real best tip? I listen to audiobooks or Kindle Text to Speech while I deal with house chores. I used to procrastinate all forms of cleaning, but when I have a good book to listen to I hardly mind spending an hour folding laundry or whatever.