How do I Keep up with Housework while taking care of a newborn and toddler and step child on the weekends!??

Destiny - posted on 06/11/2012

I finally figured out that my high stress levels were directly linked to my feeling like I had to have everything clean all the time. I've been a SAHM for going on five years now and I JUST figured this one out. I get the necessities (dishes, sometimes laundry lol, cleaning up spills, etc.) done during the day and get to everything else when I can. My house isn't perfect, but spending time with my babies in a happier state of mine is a good thing for both them and me. They are only this little once. I'm sad that I've lost this much time already :(

Sharon - posted on 06/11/2012

And always remember that your baby will only be your baby for a while, the deep housecleaning will wait till they grow up.

Clean the bathrooms, kitchen, living areas. Pay the bills.
Make your house a home, you live there. Live with what you can, clean what you can't live with.

Once they are a little older, the children will not need you like they do now and then you can take out your frustrations with housework.

Stifler's - posted on 06/11/2012

That's what I do Sal I don't even realise all the little chores I do on autopilot

Sal - posted on 06/11/2012

The other thing I find helps is to do extra jobs at the easiest time to do them, for example I try to clean the fridge before I do the grocery shopping, that way the fridge is at it's emptiest at I have less stuff to takeout and shuffle about, and when I bring home the shopping it is already done....and I empty all the bins on my way out to do shopping then when I'm unpacking them I put the excess bags stright into the empty bins, bins lined and bags hot rid of all at once, and One other tip Is I have small bins all over the house the kids are more likely to put tissues or wet ones or pencil shavings or snack wrappers or anything else that the little ferals would usually leave laying around if there is a bin right there to put it in

Sal - posted on 06/10/2012

What I find that works for me is to try and form habits rather than a routine or schedule as habits just almost happen without you trying, like linking a chore to something that I am going to do anyway, like before I jump I'm the shower I clean the toilet, I keep the brush and the toilet cleaner in the bathroom and it takes literally 30 seconds, I unpack the. dishwasher while the kettle boils in the morning so it is done and the dishes dont ever start piling on the sink, I Fold the washing while the girls are in the bath and as soon as I'm out of the shower I throw a load of washing In the machine. These are only suggestions of what I do my kids are a different age and the fact my laundry is outside my bathroom door makes it easy for me but the idea is the same link a job to something you are going to do and you will start doing it without thinking and have at least a few of your menial but important job done with out trying, And once a habit is established it is hard to break,

Tori - posted on 06/09/2012

there is a saying, "Cleaning house while your children are young is a lot like shoveling the sidewalk during the blizzard"

Dishes have to get done, laundry has to be washed, the rest do when you can. When my kids were to young to help out, I would put the baby in a playpen, sit the toddler down with a coloring book at the kitchen table, and wash dishes and fold laundry.

Stacey - posted on 06/09/2012

Oh and DH helps with picking up toys at the end of the night and takes the trash to the curb.He doesn't do a whole lot inside the house but he's responsible for mowing our 1/3 acre lawn, doing household repairs, car repairs(inspections, washes, oil changes) and works 50-60 hrs/week, so I don't mind taking the brunt of household stuff. That way he has time to play with and take care of the kids.

Stacey - posted on 06/09/2012

Yeah i second making a list of priorities. I swish the toilets once a week or more if needed, but the rest of the bathroom gets cleaned like once every 3 weeks to a month..usually its pretty messy by then, but it's just not a priority to me. I sweep the floors daily and mop at least once a week(we have wood and tile in most of the house). I dust every 2-3 weeks or so..dust doesn't bother me too much.Laundry is a must and washing diapers is a must, as is doing the dishes and cooking, so those things get done daily. DH doesn't notice anything dirty until it gets dirty beyond my comfort level, so he never makes comments about anything, luckily! If he did I probably would scream. I help my DS clean his room once a week or so when it's just so messy you can't walk around in there..and I don't worry about him making his bed..Maybe when he gets older, but not right now! :)

Stacey - posted on 06/09/2012

I find that getting up in the morning and making a daily list of chores...for some reason writing it down and being able to check things off as I go is a great motivator for me. But honestly, you will need to lower your expecations too! I used to try and make sure my house was picked up before leaving the house, when it was just DS and I but once DD came along...that never happened again. It frustrated the heck out of me coming home to a messy house, but I learned to live with it. Now if the house is all clean at once it feels weird!! lol

Stifler's - posted on 06/08/2012

Make it part of the routine. Get up, put laundry on, make breakfast, feed baby, put baby down for a nap or play and eat and have a cuppa, wash up, hang out laundry, do whatever chores, make beds etc. have lunch, kids nap, go to the park, come home get washing off folding as you go, tidy up house, eat dinner, baths, bed , do dishes, relax.

Kelina - posted on 06/08/2012

strap baby to your chest! Once they're old enough for a jolly jumper or something of that sort you can usually get an hour or so with that. I'm so glad we have a dishwasher this time around, when my daughter was born, that hour was spent completely washing dishes and putting my son back into the toy box every time I made the mistake of making eye contract. It's not always particularly comfortable or easy to do things with baby strapped to you but some things are easier than others like vacuuming or doing the floors. And while difficult, dishes are possible too! I'd save the bathroom for ten minutes of naptime one day though.

Nikki - posted on 06/08/2012

I have 3 children 5 yo boy 3 yo boy 4mth girl, and it isnt easy do what u can dont stress about what u cant.

Erin - posted on 06/08/2012

Well first with the toddler you just have to get up and do the work and if the toddler gets in the way you correct the toddler to do something else witht newborn you just have to work around the baby's feeding time sometimes unfortunatley you have to just let the baby cry while you do some stuff. Just comfort the baby every 20 minutes if they cry while you perform tasks. Also don't let yourself do too much, if you don't have time for everything just do the absolutley important things. I also learned to be the master of doing eight things at once, but that's if you have washer dryer, dishwasher etc. Idk how old the step child is, but if the child is old enough to do chores I suggest assigning some chores to that child as well.

I have a 14 yo, 12 yo, 3 yo and a baby on the way so I know how hard it is, I have used plain paper and written chores for the older kids. I do chores when I want them done and don't let any of the kids get in the way. On my third child I learned that you just have to let baby cry sometimes and get things done. I know it's hard to do.

I do things in this order which helps:
1.Laundry in washer, clear all trash from surfaces/floor, now empty all trash cans and put new ones in
2. Clean all nontrash clutter, stack dishes in sink, clean all surfaces with Lysol
3. change laundry to dryer
4.vaccum
5. once a load of laundry is done, put dishes in washer

I reccomend with the time restraints and young kids you do no more than two loads of laundry per day, same with dishes. Let some stuff go, don't seek perfection. If anyone complains tell them to clean it themselves.

Carrie - posted on 06/06/2012

My kids are older now but when my youngest was a newborn, my oldest was 3. I had a schedule for every day. besides the normal laundry, dishes and bathroom cleaning I had one thing a day I wanted to get to. Mopping the floors, dusting, vacuuming just one thing that usually didn't take me any longer than 30 minutes to accomplish. something I could do during nap time or after both boys went to bed. I agree if you do a load of laundry at 2 in the morning because that's when you're awake, hey--at least it's getting done!!

Good luck and I promise it does get easier. My boys are now 6 and 9 and wanted to help so much they now have a chore chart!

Jessica - posted on 06/06/2012

It is very tough, i've been through it, it does get better. Just do what you can when you can. If that means throwing a load of laundry in at 2am b/c you are up with the baby then do it. I made a cleaning schedule, say monday you clean the bathroom, tuesday the kitchen, after dinner each night i tidy the living room (5minutes). that kind of thing.

Happy - posted on 06/06/2012

From what I have seen, most household management books are pretty pages that list a schedule and a list of chores. I can do that on notebook paper for free.

I am in somewhat of a similar situation as I have a 6yo, 2 yo and a 5 week old and my house is a mess right now! LOL My opinion is that I don't need someone to tell me how to do it. I know how. I just don't have the energy to do it all! And I have no expectations of getting it all done. I concntrate on the important stuff to me: dishes, food, floors, laundry. Everything else: dusting, toy cleanup, clean bedroom/made beds, yada, yada, yada....all that can wait!

Try making a list of the three or four things that are important to you and concentrate on those and your kiddos. They are only young for such a short time and the dust and laundry just keeps coming back, right? :)