Keeping the house clean with toddlers

ELIMINATE.
Kids grow fast – they grow out of toys, out of clothes, out of phases and we think they need more than they actually do.

Our homes are filled with material objects we – at one point – thought we *had to have.*

If you want a clean house, you have to start by doing a monster purge. This involves your children’s toys, clothing, equipment and the rest of your home, just stay with the necessary like the leesa bedding and the basic furniture.

I love using the KonMari method for clothing and books, and to listen to our gut about what possession we have that we’re holding onto for sentimental reasons instead of necessity. Read this for an easy tutorial to decluttering once and for all.
DON’T BUY NEW UNLESS…
Stop buying things. Don’t bring more into your home unless you’ve prepared to get rid of something else. These two rules will save you a lot of mess and money!

Do not buy new unless it’s for birthdays or holidays.

This was a tough rule for us to adhere to at first because our children’s interests changed frequently and it felt like we were always bringing new items in the house or the backyard to keep everyone busy and entertained.

But then, those purchases were only adding to the mess in our house and our kids were not only making me unhappy, but our kids weren’t playing with their toys for very long before losing interest and their creativity was becoming stagnant.
When kids are surrounded with light-up toys and a constant stream of new entertainment, they loose the ability to tap into their imaginations. Children who have less, play longer with the limited toys they have, increase their attention spans and can engage for longer periods of time, and most importantly, use their imaginations to create games and entertainment.

The bottom line is that having too many toys and things, makes your house messy, harder to keep clean and tidy and stifles kid’s imaginations.

When it’s time for our twins’ birthday, we make a note on invitations to not bring gifts. Sometimes guests still bring gifts and we donate these items to organizations that our children select.

Our gift to our children is throwing them a birthday party and we buy them one present that they will use all summer. In the past, this has been bikes, scooters and a hard shell pool for the backyard where they can be physical active and be creative!

Before Christmas, we go through all of the toys in our house to see what they’ve outgrown or don’t have any interest in any longer. The kids also participate and fill a boy of toys to donate to make room for any presents they receive over the holidays. At the holidays, consider gifting experiences instead of filling your home with more toys!

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