Keeping Clean with (Or Without) Toddlers

There are a few things I swear by to keep your house clean—even with little ones around. Making small moves all day prevents tasks from becoming daunting. Tiny handprints on the fridge are the only mess I like to see. They get higher every week, and I dread the day they’ll be gone.

• Clothes shouldn’t touch the floor. Dirty goes in the hamper, clean gets hung up immediately. Exceptions can be made for afternoon delights and champagne nights.
• Do a load of laundry every day or every other day. I rotate—babies’, ours, towels, sheets, miscellaneous. Pro tip: Have your children strip off their school clothes when they walk in the door and immediately place them in a soak bucket. No more scrubbing stains!
• Make up your bed every single day. Trust me, you’ll feel better. Pro tip: Keep a throw quilt over your nice duvet. Let the dogs lie, kids jump, and coffee spill. When your guests show up, pull that ole thing off to reveal your miraculously pristine bed.
• Never let a dish sit in the sink. I was raised on the practice of cleaning the dish right after I ate. We hardly ever used our dishwasher, and I don’t to this day. But if you do use your dishwasher—no judgment here—load it as you cook and run it once it’s full. Remember, it doesn’t matter how you clean it, just get it done.
• Tuck your house in before you go to bed. I’m not talkin’ about pulling out your broom and mop. But do make yourself a clean (or at least tidy) slate to wake up to. Clear off the counters. Put all the dishes in the dishwasher. Pick up the toys. Fold that last load of clean laundry. Don’t put off for tomorrow what can be done today—chances are it won’t happen, and that’s how piles begin.
• Kids should eat sitting down at a table—with silverware and a plate. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.
• Wipe down your counters and burners after every meal or every cook. I can learn just about everything I need to know about a person by looking at their stove. To do the job, I love Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender All-Purpose Spray.
• Sweep one room plus your kitchen every day. Mop once a week and spot wipe daily.
• Remember my life motto, mise en place? I swear it’s appropriate for all the things, all the time. I keep bins on hand to put in the pantry, drawers, fridge, and other storage spots. My junk drawer is organized by cords, lip balms and lotions, and so on. You’ll be amazed at how much calmer your life feels when you have a place for everything and everything in its place.
• Realistic expectations. If you cohabitate with someone, have a convo with them about expectations and responsibilities—preferably before you move in. Keep up your end of the bargain, and hopefully they will as well. My husband and I are far from perfect, but we do a damn good job at maintaining our house, and we don’t argue about tasks. It’s because we had that convo early on and have been true to it. For example, I cook and he cleans. I water indoor plants and he handles outdoor. I do all the laundry and will not touch a diaper pail bag. Unspoken assumptions accomplish only one thing—making an ass of you and me.