Tips on doing housework with a toddler around.

So a lot of people, myself included, find it can be difficult keeping up with the housework while you have a toddler who pretty much demands attention all the time! Do you let the housework slip and concentrate on the toddler? Do you try desperately to find something that will keep the toddler entertained while you do a mad rush around the house?

Well I think I may have it cracked so here are some tips that have helped me: 

1. Get your toddler involved. Michael loves helping putting washing in drawers and trying to vacumn as well as doing the shopping. It keeps him entertained and allows me to get some of the jobs done. 

2. Use your child free time wisely, when Michael is napping, I take the time to do the jobs that are impossible to do with him around. Bleaching the toilet with a kid grabbing your legs is not a great idea! Likewise when he is eating his dinner, I am doing a quick clean up of the kitchen.

3. Clean as you go. I find it much easier to do quick bursts of cleaning around Michael than doing a big weekend clean up like I used to. Now it would be difficult to keep Michael happy while I cleaned for hours, and so it is much more doable to do it in shorter bursts daily.

4. Wait for bedtime. I don't really like doing too much cleaning when Michael is in bed, that's my time to relax and catch up with uni work but I do wait until Michael is in bed to clear up his things. If I put his toys away before that, he would just get them all out again!

5. Don't worry if your home is not perfect. As long as my place is relatively tidy, you can see the carpet and the kitchen sides then I am happy and it is ok to leave it sometimes!  Yesterday we took an imprompt visit to the park. We were there all afternoon, came back and most of the housework was not done but Michael had such great fun seeing the squirrels and ducks.

If you have any other tips that help you manage housework with toddlers, then leave a comment below.

H.