Taming the Tornado: Housecleaning Tips With Toddlers Around


I have a confession to make. My house frequently looks like footage from houses after natural disasters hit small towns.

I have never been a good housekeeper. I have a number of talents, but cleaning is not one of them. My home will never look like anything you see in Better Homes and Gardens or even as neat as your average sitcom living room. To be blunt, I suck at it!

However, nobody else ever steps up to do it and when you have two small children and a messy husband you have to learn how to at least put a dent in it so nobody calls the news crew. Here's some ways I get things less zoo-like.


Remember that as much as you cringe at the idea of anybody seeing your chaotic house some days, your kids aren't going to look back on their childhoods and ever say "Man, I wish my mom had kept the house cleaner." Some things just aren't priorities right now. Sometimes the best thing to do is shove it all in a closet and go play horsie.

And if you ever come to our house, please don't open the closets!


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All works on this site Alicia Bayer unless otherwise noted.
Don't take it - that would be rude.