How Do You Clean?

They are limited in the number of toys they can bring out, but it can still get pretty messy. If we are going to do some sort of project or something fun, they have to clean up the front areas first. We always clean before hubby gets home. And, the playroom always gets cleaned before bed.

So, usually the front area gets cleaned twice, then the playroom once. Sometimes the front area reaches too messy and we clean (cluttered is okay, but if it gets very bad, it's clean up time, no matter what).

I don't have the energy to clean up after them as they go. That would mean I'd be cleaning all day long and getting nothing else done;-) When they are really little, they have limited amount of toys and that helps in fast clean up.

Kids pick up toys before naptime and before bedtime. The bigger ones take their dishes to the sink after mealtimes. The kids are also expected to "make" their beds to the best of their ability. I keep everything pretty organized, toys have specific places, every kid has their own laundry basket and bins for specific items so they can put their own things away. The major cleaning I do as I am able between the kids' schedules, I usually give them a duster to dust with or I have them help sort the silverware or socks so it keeps them busy.

I multi-task a lot to get my cleaning done. I clean as I am cooking dinner - wiping counters and cabinets while waiting for water to boil, doing dishes while the casserole is baking, etc. When I am giving kids their bathes, while they play for a couple minutes I wipe down the counters, clean the mirrors, scrub the toilet, etc.

A little bit of both...I have three kids so if I don't clean up after o dictate the cleaning there is a lot of work a night. Nighttime is typically for dishes and more adult cleaning in our house.

about three times a day i clean...and require them to help, or do it themselves.

oh heck no!!!

I make them clean up their mess..they are 9 and 11...the rule in my home is - if I touch it - it's GONE...if they can't pick it up and put it away - then they obviously don't care enough about it to take care of it...

This has been going on since my kids were 2 - they can pull the toy out to play it - they can put it away too...

GOOD LUCK!!

Right behind them picking up,telling them to pick up all day everyday there are days that I will let it all go because I just can't take it anymore then when that happens toys go into the donate bag & I remind that since your unable to listen to mommy when asked to help pick up be resposible for your things then it tell's me we have too much so we will donate these items now

I try to stay on top of it as much as I can, picking up little things and putting stuff away throughout the day. But some days are just survival days and then I just wait until later! :)

I work outside of the home so after me & the kiddos get home we play than they go to bed, I start dinner & clean house. On weekends I try to catch up with the heavy cleaning during nap times ( like bathrooms, dusting, windows)

As I work all day long hours. I'm most definitely to tired to run after anyone in the evening. Usually I have to spend some part of the weekend just cleaning to catch up. I make sure my daughter helps as she helped make the mess.

We have a maid that comes in every other week to clean, she also does an annual deep clean. Priceless service IMHO!

For the day to day, we have our toddler clean up her toys as she goes along all day. We don't let her get down every toy she has, she has to put some stuff up as she gets more to play with. In the evenings after she's asleep is when we straighten up our messes and clean up after dinner.

In general, we clean a little bit all the time - that way it's not overwhelming then the maid really scrubs things down well when she's here. Also, our toddler likes to dust with one of those swiffer things so we let her go to town. :)

I'm sporadic... but I do the majority of cleaning while they are asleep or elsewhere. That includes my husband LOL

My kid has a big fort with blankets as we speak. I helped build it. We will clean ot up at bed time but for now it's fun time.

With my 5 and 4 year old - they are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. I will remind them if things start getting out of control and my reminders are usually "Don't forget that I should be able to see this floor when you go to bed tonight". The baby, well I wait till the end of the day and then put her stuff away. Its only a big basket full so only takes me 5 mins.

My husband usually does a lot of the cleaning. I also try to clean after the boys are in bed at night. My home is never properly clean though. I just noticed the runners and ledges on my sliding windows are disgusting. There are also mystery splodges and splats on my walls. Sometimes you get so used to things that you become blind to them.

Nope! I clean when we get up and pick all the stuff she dragged out all day before I go to bed. It irritates the piss out of me to wake up to a mess!

Well I took off early to come home and clean. 15 minutes later Troy gets home, hey since you are home can you help me with my truck. Then Andy came home then Genna. In a perfect world I clean when they are gone. As it is my home is half cleaned. :(

I make them throw their trash away and put their dishes in the sink, they are 4 and 19 months. I do a toy pick up most days and get them to help. I clean up the table after every meal and I do the dishes in the morning and at night after dinner. I usually don't get to folding laundry until they are down for the night. As far as the messes they make, well, I do both, if it is a sticky mess then yeah it is cleaned right away if it is just toy clutter it can wait ;) The back yard is full of their toys, the slab and good part of the back of the house is covered in side walk chalk drawings and the baby pool is still full, so if it is outside it can definitely wait!! Right now I am just so happy that my hubby is bathing them so I can doodle on Mamapedia :D

my dd 4 and ds almost 2 clean up their own toys. they put back whatever they are playing w/before they start playing w/something else. started doing that w/my dd at 1 and the same w/my ds. so far so good, some days. that way at night when they are in bed, i'm off duty...kinda...lol. never off duty!!!! now when they have friends over and the house becomes a disaster, i will clean it up b/c i don't think it's fair for my kids to have to clean up someone else's mess.

my kids a little bit older now but I've been having them clean their own messes. After dinner they go around the house and clean up anything that they left (cups, bowls) or pick up toys left on tables. They do need prodding still to do because it's not something they think about, but I take money out of their allowances if it's not done. I do not do anymore. Anything left out by them will have to be taken care of first thing the next day.

Wow, I have struggled with this for years!! I have a two year old, four year old twins, and a seven year old. Boy can they make some messes. I try to keep up with it all day like you do. It seems that whenever I have a day where I decide to just let it go and clean up later, then someone shows up at our house, and I am embarrassed by the huge mess. I have tried just cleaning up at the end of the day, but then I spend the whole evening picking up because I have let it get so bad. My husband prefers to do it that way, because if he follows them around all day, he feels like he never gets anywhere with his projects or the mess!!