School’s out for the summer and it’s a great time to create new habits and cleaning routines in the household. Here are ten simple tips to help keep your home clean and get your kids excited about cleaning!
1. Think about the chores you’d like your kids to help with. Remember, don’t overwhelm children with too much housework as summer time is their vacation from school. It is however, important to teach children to be clean and tidy, developing habits that will be important throughout their lives.
2. Keep certain cleaning products close-at-hand. Some households may decide to keep the dust pan and broom out. Others may only put their vacuum cleaner away when guests are coming over. You have to decide what items you need handy to keep things tidy. And who knows, maybe your kids will start grabbing them too!
3. Bedroom routines remain. Let children know that everyone is responsible for making their own bed and keeping their room tidy – even when they’re on summer vacation!
4. Another chore that each person can be responsible for is putting their own dishes into the dishwasher after each meal.
5. Rotate the bigger house chores like vacuuming, sweeping and dusting amongst family members. Ask younger children to help with these larger chores once a week.
6. Eat outside as often as possible. Suggest everyone take their toast and juice to the patio for breakfast. And, stay outside for dinner when you’re barbecuing burgers. There’s much less to clean up!
7. To keep the clutter down, remind everyone that everything has a place. Hang up hooks for jackets and backpacks, for example. Shoes belong on the shoe racks. Toys and electronics have a home and games belong on their shelves.
8. Everything off the floor. Make this a general rule. Nothing belongs on the floor. Everyone in the family is responsible for putting their ‘stuff’ away.
9. Have a clean kitchen at the end of every day. This is another great rule; after dinner or before bed, run the dishwasher, set up the coffee machine for the morning and set dishes and breakfast foods on the counter, ready to go.
10. Last but not least, adjust your standards a bit during the lazy days of summer. With kids home full-time and lots of activities, the house will likely not remain as tidy and clean as usual. If you really can’t stand the mess this summer, contact MOLLY MAID for some help cleaning your home.
