Every day I look around and it feels like my house is a mess. It’s not, it actually just looks like people live here, BUT I live in a fantasy world where I want my house to look like a model home. Completely unrealistic, I know. Not to mention waking up early Saturday morning to clean the entire house is outdated. The very thought of cleaning my whole house in one day provokes anxiety. Once again, it’s just completely unrealistic.

So what’s the solution? Never clean the house and eventually be on an episode of hoarders? Attempt to clean the house in one day until I succumbed to anxiety that I have a nervous breakdown? No and no.

Pinterest and Tik Tok are full of beneficial tips and videos on which ways can help clean and maintain a household:

• Do a little every day
• Cleaning one room every day
• Spend 1 hour each day cleaning
• Do a load of laundry every day (wash AND fold AND put up)
• Get rid of husbands, kids, & pets 😉

My personal choice mamas is just one room a day. By cleaning one room a day it will allow me to concentrate on only deep cleaning that particular room instead of stretching myself thin doing the whole house. Once a routine is established it’ll become simpler to maintain the house by just tidying up throughout the week. Here are my tips on how to get that accomplished:

1. Pick The Room

The main goal is to focus on one room and not get distracted by the “messes” in other room. In my house, the rooms are divided up by Living Room, Kitchen/Dining, Bathrooms (2), Master Bedroom, Girls’ Room, and Boys’ Room.

Generally, I have the older kids clean their rooms but at least once a month I’ll go in and clean it thoroughly.

2. Create a Cleaning Checklist

Everybody has their own routine in how they start cleaning up. For me, it’s trash in the common areas & bedding in the rooms. For example, in the bedrooms, I’ll remove all the bedding and throw it in the washer so that way by the time the room is finished, the bedding will either be drying or done. Keeping a routine while cleaning will prevent distractions and help keep the priority on individual tasks.

When focusing on one room it’s not just about picking up the floor or removing clutter. Make sure to take the time to wipe and dust all surfaces, organize, sweep, mop, and vacuum. Doing this periodically throughout the month prevents spending hours cramming it into one weekend.

3. Everything Has a Home

Lastly, and this is going to feel like a Marie Kondo moment, if it doesn’t bring joy – get rid of it. Having a ton of stuff with no place to put it add clutter to your home, adding clutter to your life. Everything should have a place. Throw blankets in a basket, toys in a bin, pencils in a container, etc.

Taking the time in each room allows you to go through things and get rid of items you may not necessarily need anymore. Not everyone wants to live a minimalist lifestyle, but the less clutter you have, the less stressed you’ll be.

So mamas take a deep breath if your house is chaotic right now. Start by taking it day by day, room by room, and you will find the best routine that works for you and your household.

XOXO – A Busy Mama