Cleaning Tips For Moms Who Are Struggling To Keep Up

Many moms struggle to find a balance. It feels like it’s impossible to do everything, including keeping our house clean. At some point, all parents struggle with keeping house. For some of us, it’s short term, but for others it feels like a life-long struggle. 

When you have kids, especially when they are little, you need to lower your expectations. There will be toys on the floor, the laundry may pile up, and there will most definitely be dust bunnies under furniture. That is fine. You need not apologize or feel embarrassed about it when someone drops by. Kids are messy and hard to keep up with. 

I get it. Having a messy house is stressful. I have anxiety and depression, so when my house is not clean, it can affect me more than it would someone else. That is why I am here to say that no matter how your house looks, it is okay. If you dislike mess, that is okay too. You can also feel conflicted about the state of your home, it is normal. One day a mess is the least of your concerns, and a few days later it can drive you nuts. 

It is ok to take shortcuts. We do not tell parents, especially moms, this enough. If that means having a junk drawer in the kitchen to keep the counters clear so you can cook, then do it. If your coat closet looks like they threw in everything there because that is what you did to get the entryway tidied up, that is okay too. Tossing all the toys quickly into a toy box just so you can walk without stepping on toys is an awesome hack.

It’s okay to hate how messy everything is, but not have the energy or time to clean. I think most moms can relate. Therefore, I wrote this post- to help you fake it till you make it. Get it done without putting in much time or effort. 

In my post that features cleaning schedules for busy moms, I told my readers I did the twice a day cleaning plan. Truth be told, sometimes I get behind, or my schedule makes it harder to stick to the plan. I have three kids and my husband works two jobs, so most days it is just me. I can get overwhelmed or behind because in all honesty, I cannot do everything. 

That is why I take shortcuts most days for keeping house. These are cleaning tips that will help you keep up with the messes without spending all day cleaning. 

Laundry

I have a post here dedicated to helping you catch up, but some days you need a break. I hate laundry. The washing is not so bad, it’s the sorting and putting away. Our laundry piles up fast! I do a special load once a week of items I know we need washed right away. I wash items my family will come looking for and let the rest of it sit for a day. Making sure those must-have items get washed can change everything. 

If the laundry is sitting in the dirty or clean hamper, it is still lying around. For some moms, one of the main concerns about laundry is not how much there is, but whether specific items are clean. We all have a kid that has a favorite clothing item or always runs out of socks or underwear. If you wash the laundry on the bottom of the basket rather than the top, this may solve that problem. Since the items at the bottom are the oldest, it is more likely you would need them sooner. 

I cannot stand it when one of my kids asks me where a specific item is at the last minute. Nine out of ten times, it was at the bottom of the dirty laundry hamper. Doing one load once a week from the bottom the hamper has solved that issue. 

If laundry is your main issue make sure you read this post, it will help. 

The Bathroom

This is the room I think you can use the laziest cleaning hacks on. Honestly, counter clutter, spots on mirrors, and toothpaste smudges are usually what stand out. Quickly put things on the counter away. Then just clean the mirror. Spot clean any spots on the counter or sink. Then give the toilet a quick wipe. That is it. I do this to save time. 

Just cleaning the mirror and putting items on the counter away can take seconds and make your bathroom look clean again. 

If your tubs look bad if not cleaned frequently, I have two recommendations. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar in the bathroom and spray the tub daily. It takes seconds and can prevent buildup. Another option is to make my Pinterest Miracle Cleaner and put it in a dish wand. I will clean the shower with it while I’m in it. The steam and hot water loosen up dirt and soap scum, and it takes literally 60 seconds to do. 

If you have great ventilation and are feeling super lazy, there is hack I use when my back goes out. I buy cheap bathroom cleaner with bleach. Never use bleach and vinegar together as it creates a toxic gas. I will spray the shower, the inside of the toilets, and the sinks. I wait 5-10 mins, then flush and rinse. 

I also recommend you use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner tablet. If you scrub the toilet bowl and then add a tablet, it will stay cleaner much longer. I hate cleaning the toilet bowl. 

The bathroom is easy to clean if you know the right shortcuts.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the room that requires a deep cleaning weekly. Sorry about that. I know you may not want to hear that. This is for a few good reasons. One, if neglected this room can get bad fast. Leaving food or dirty dishes out could lead ants or worse.  We use this room to prepare food for our children, so we want it to be clean. If a kitchen is not clean food-borne illnesses can spread. Last, if it is not clean, you cannot use the kitchen properly. 

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Do not neglect the kitchen. This room should take priority. When I am sick or behind, I take a few minutes to tidy the kitchen. A few simple tasks daily will keep the kitchen ship shape.

Quickly return misplaced items on the counter to their proper place. Then spray and wipe the counters. Do not worry about moving stuff, just wipe the counter quickly. Then wipe the stove/cooktop. You should wipe the sink out too. 

If your microwave is dirty and hard to clean, there is a trick that will get it clean easily. Place a glass bowl or measuring cup in the microwave that contains 1 cup vinegar and one cup water. I run the microwave 3-5 minutes. Using an oven mitt, remove the cup or bowl and wipe the microwave with a wet rag. 

Honestly, it’s easier to keep up the kitchen once you stash the items that do not belong on the counter. If it looks cluttered and you have nowhere to put certain items, get a cute basket from the dollar store or Wal-Mart, then stash items in there. Once you wipe the counters daily, it will take less effort to keep it clean overall. It’s easier to clean the counters when there is no clutter.

Personally I do this after dinner because there is already a mess to clean up, so I’m not cleaning the same room twice. As I cook, I rinse items I am using and get them loaded into the dishwasher right away. A few times a week I run the vacuum over the floor in bare floor mode, since it’s faster than sweeping. 

If preparing meals seems to destroy your kitchen, I have two suggestions. One, try to make sandwiches a little more often. These are fast and easy to make. Also, there is less mess. Two, try meal prep. You can meal prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are so many wonderful and healthy freezer meal dump and go recipes.

Meal Prep takes a lot of the mess out of cooking. There are a ton of videos on YouTube and Pins on Pinterest. Instead of preparing a meal every day, you’re doing multiple meals once a week. Honestly, sometimes I just buy double of what I am making so I can make an extra meal to freeze. I find if I do this once or twice a week; I end up with a decent freezer stash by the end of the month. 

If you feel overwhelmed by housework and the kitchen is a mess, I suggest deep cleaning the kitchen first and ignoring everything else. If this much cleaning is daunting, I recommend doing two tasks per day until completed.

To deep clean your kitchen:

• You remove everything from the counters and wipe them down. 

• Then wipe down the outside of cabinets and appliances. 

• Then wipe down the outside, inside, and top of the fridge. Toss expired food.

• Give the dishwasher and garbage disposal some TLC too. Lemi Shine makes a cleaner for both and they are amazing. 

• Deep clean the microwave using the vinegar and water trick.

• Clean the cooktop with a cooktop cleaner. I like the one by Bar Keepers friend. You should also clean the oven if you can. If not, do not sweat it. No one sees inside the oven besides you.

• Mop the floor 

If you want to, you could purge expired food items from pantry or cabinets. Typically, I do not recommend taking everything from the cabinets and drawers and wiping them out, unless it’s been years or you have a pest issue. If you can see dust and hairs, wipe them out. If you need to wipe the cabinets out perform this step first, because you will knock dust and crumbs onto your clean counters and floors.

Honestly, so many people become overwhelmed by the kitchen because we use it frequently, but if it gets a good deep cleaning weekly (most weeks I skip cleaning the fridge) and you wipe up daily, it will stay clean. You will also get used to cleaning the kitchen, and you will do it faster. I take 5-10 minutes and thoroughly clean my kitchen weekly. Practice makes perfect- it used to take an hour to deep clean the kitchen. Now I can do it during a commercial break while watching tv. Just keep at it, and it will get easier. 

Living Room

In most living rooms, people notice the sofa first. A tidy sofa can help the room look much cleaner, so I suggest you have a decorative or hidden catchall basket. You can stash items that do not belong there and put them away later. You can also use a microfiber cloth to wipe your couch. It is faster than vacuuming and will pick up or brush off crumbs.

If toys end up all over the floor, decorative boxes/baskets or using an ottoman with storage or a trunk as a coffee table may be your solution. You can just toss them back in the box. This is especially helpful when your children are small. 

The living room is hard to keep up with because it is literally the room we live in. Be sure you have places to stash things that end up loose. This alone will help make it easier to clean the room and keep it clean. 

I will dust the living area once a week, twice if needed. Ideally, you should vacuum daily. However, these two tasks can be delegated easily. If your kids are of age, they can dust for you. I have a friend who bought a cheap cordless stick vacuum so she could get the kids to do it.

The living room is the one room I honestly think families with children should not worry about. As long as no one is tripping over things on the floor, just keep the couch and coffee table clear. 

Bedrooms

The bedroom should be low maintenance for adults. Kids bedrooms can be a nightmare to clean. 

When struggling to keep up, aim to make the bed quickly if possible and that is it. For an adult bedroom, dusting, vacuuming, and putting away items that are out of place should be done weekly.

If you keep your clean and unsorted laundry in this room, get a large but nice basket. That way, even if you cannot fold the laundry, it won’t be the focus of the room.

As for the sheets, let’s be honest, we likely do not wash them as often as we should. Try not to sweat it. I try to change them once a week. For me, having extra sets of sheets helps so I can make the bed right away. I do not have to worry about washing and drying the sheets right away.

If your kid’s room is messy, it is likely that toys and laundry are the bulk of the mess. Try moving or putting a hamper in the spot where they throw their dirty clothing. This may do the trick. As for toys making sure you have a toy box or toy organizer and have your child, take part in organizing, the toys may help a lot. 

I honestly tell my kids if you leave things on the floor you’re not taking care of them. If you have a reward/chore chart, add that they should put toys away after playing with them. You need to find what motivates them and enforce that they need to put their toys away. 

For my youngest who did not listen to me about picking up her toys, I changed my approach. I told her if I ask her to pick something up and she doesn’t, I will keep the item for a few days. That worked. 

Conclusion

If all else fails, try timing. I have a post here on speed cleaning. You can customize this method. If you only want to clean during commercials, then do it. If you want to set the timer for 10 minutes daily and do what you can, that’s fine. What matters is that you make the effort. Speed cleaning can be a total game changer for some moms.

Knowing shortcuts and getting into a routine makes speed cleaning even more effective. Over two years I went from getting barely anything done in fifteen minutes to being able to clean most of my house. 

If you feel overwhelmed, just set that timer every day, and never give up. You will get there eventually. 

I hope this post was helpful. If you have any creative or unusual cleaning hacks, I would love to hear them and try them out. Please leave those tips in the comment box below.