How to Keep a Clean, Organized Home With Young Children

Involve your children in cleaning up after themselves.

Keeping your home clean and organized while you have young children at home might seem impossible, as little ones are notorious for making large messes and getting into things they shouldn't. Teach your children from an early age how important it is to pick up after themselves and put things away. This will keep your entire household running smoother, and make you feel better as your home will stay tidy and organized.

Things You'll Need

• Storage bins
• Cleaning charts

Instructions

1. Assign everything in your home a place. Your children's toys should have a specific place to go and they should know where that is. Make it a rule that no new toys come out unless the others are put away first.

2. Pick up after yourself and your family throughout the day. Encourage your partner and your children to do the same thing. If you see one of your children leaving his dirty shirt on the floor, tell him nicely -- but firmly -- that he needs to put his shirt away.

3. Involve your children in your cleaning routine, even if you have to go behind them and do it again. This will teach them that they must be involved in keeping your home clean. Teach them how to clean properly, assigning little jobs they can do.

4. Make a reward chart where you award stickers for every day your children picked up after themselves and put things away correctly. After a certain amount of stickers, such as five or 10, reward the children with an ice cream cone, special trip to the park or other small reward.

Tips & Warnings

• Be consistent. If you falter, the children won't take your plan to stay organized and keep the house clean seriously.

References

• Organized Home: 8 Great Tips to Organize Kids' Rooms
• Organized Home: Habit: The Household Wonder Worker
• Homemaking Organized: How to Have a Clean Home
• Home Ec 101: Weekly Chore Schedule