This conversation is sponsored by Swiffer at Sam’s Club. Opinions are my own. 

If you have small children like I do, then you know that keeping the house clean at all times can be a challenge. Though challenging, it’s not impossible to be a working mom, have small children, and keep a tidy house. The trick to keeping a tidy house when you have a million and one things going on is to have a routine and system in place. As with any household system or routine you have to find one that works for your family and your needs. This system works for us, so you may need to tweak things to your liking.   

1.      Swiffer Your Floors OFTEN  

One of the earliest memories that I have of cleaning is of my parents teaching me that if your floors are clean and free of trash it makes a world of difference to the overall look and feel of your room. Hardwood floors have a tendency of collecting dust, so I sweep each morning after breakfast and each evening after dinner. I love using Swiffer Wet multiple nights a week, because they’re so quick, easy, and convenient to use. My kids are still at the age where majority of their playtime is on the floor, so having floors free of dirt, dust, and allergens are a must. Swiffer Dry refills trap dirt, dust, hair and crumbs while Swiffer Wet has powerful dirt-dissolving cleansers that pull dirt from surfaces and lock it away. Used together, these products are perfect for making sure that your floor is ready for any and all playtime activities! Shop Sam’s Club or samsclub.com (https://tap.fit/By3EOC-rB) before September 15 and get an Instant Savings of $3 off Swiffer Dry/Wet Refills. Visit Sam’s Club or samsclub.com (https://tap.fit/By3EOC-rB) to take advantage of this great deal on Swiffer Dry/Wet refills, plus use FREE Club Pickup to save time. If you need help establishing a routine for keeping your floors free of spills and crumbs, give Swiffer a try at https://tap.fit/By3EOC-rB. You’ll be surprised at how much cleaner your room looks and feels.  

2.      Utilize Decorative Storage   

We don’t have a separate playroom for my children, so most of their toys are housed in our living room hidden in plain sight. I use two tufted storage ottomans that match the decor in my living room to store all of my kid’s toys, and I use decorative baskets to store their books. We donate toys that the kids no longer play with and immediately throw away toys with missing pieces or that are broken to minimize the excessive knick knacks that come with children’s toys. What I love most about using decorative storage is that it’s an easy way to get the kids involved when it’s time to clean. Some days my kids like to see who can put their toys and books up the fastest and other days I have to stand over them and hand them book by book to put into the basket, but regardless they know where each item goes when it’s time to clean.   

3.      Start a Load of Laundry Each Morning   

I toss a small load of laundry into the wash each morning when I wake up, and before I leave the house I toss that load in the dryer and my husband folds the laundry before bed. Laundry is absolutely my least favorite chore, but our system works because tossing one small load in the washing machine each day means that it takes less time to fold and put away. I’ve tried many times to save all laundry for the weekend and it was BRUTAL. I was starting to feel overwhelmed by the mountain of laundry that we had to tackle each weekend, but doing a little bit everyday makes it less worrisome.   

4.      Have a Power Hour Each Day  

Every day without fail I turn on my timer for an hour to go room to room and make sure that everything is tidy and in order. I usually do this while making dinner so that I can use that power hour to clean as I go in the kitchen, and walk through each room while dinner is cooking. Talk about multitasking! If you make time for a power hour each day it’s not as hard as you would think to keep your house tidy, and you develop a routine that you don’t think twice about breaking. I also make sure that all counters are cleared during the power hour, because when things don’t have a home they often end up on the kitchen counter and that makes your space appear so much more cluttered.   

Being a working mom it can get overwhelming sometimes with all the things we have to juggle, but cleaning shouldn’t be something we ever have to worry about. What are some things that you do each week to keep your house nice and tidy?