Collaborative post by another author. Does it wind you up everyday coming home after a long day at the office to a messy home? Or maybe you collapse on the sofa after putting the kids to bed only to be faced with mess everywhere. You are not the only one. Our lives are so bust that it feels like there are not  enough hours in the day. The good news is, there are things you can do to make your home appear tidier and clutter free. Check out the helpful list below for some useful ideas. 

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More Storage

The answer to your cleaning woes might be more storage. It's a good idea to have a clear out first and get rid of anything you no longer want, but then the best way to keep your home clear from clutter is to have enough storage to have a home for everything. There are thousands of storage solutions, but if you have a smaller home then you may need to think outside the box here. You can even get a carpenter to build storage into gaps in the the walls or under the stairs in your home. Bespoke designs can be great as they make use of otherwise unused space without making your home feel crowded.  In children’s bedrooms or a playroom then a bookcase with storage will be helpful so the kids can still have access to their books and toys, but can also tidy them away neatly.

Housework Schedule With The Kids

If your children are old enough then get them helping out around the house. It's important that they know how to do housework when they have their own home, so why not get them used to it from a young age? While children often hate tidying up after themselves, they often like to get involved in the more grown up jobs they see adults doing. Commonly young children enjoy helping with the hoovering, sweeping and even mopping the floor. You could make an age appropriate list for each child and maybe motivate them by working towards rewards when they complete tasks. You could even turn chores into a fun game and put a selection of tasks into a bowl or hat and the children have to pick at random or time them to see how quickly they can complete everything.  

Make It Easier To Maintain 

Making your home easier to maintain isn’t as hard as it sounds. You might be wondering how you can do this. Having less items is one way that makes a big difference, if your children have less toys for instance they can't make as many toys. Another idea is to normalise not walking past mess. Encourage everyone in the house that if they see something on the floor then they should pick it up and put it away (regardless of who put it there). This means it is not all on you doing it all, which can become stressful after a while. Doing simple bits here and there each day will hopefully result in your home not becoming unmanageable. 

Trust The Pros 

If you simply find you don’t have the time to clean your home then you can always enlist the help from professionals. This might be due to you running out of time during the week, or wanting to spend time with your family rather than cleaning. Make sure that if you do decide to hire a cleaner that they are reputable. This means checking out reviews and not choosing the first one you come across. Be sure to interview all prospective cleaners and check any references they provide. You want to make sure that the person you are letting into your home is trustworthy and that they will do a good job.