In homeschooling homes, one of the hardest thing to do, beside the actual schooling, is to keep a tidy and clean house. I read somewhere a few years back about how a messy house is reflective of happy kids, and though I agree that this is indeed the case, one still has to keep house. So today, I would like to share some tips on how to keep the house somewhat tidy, even as we give our kids plenty of room for exploration.
Designate a place for everything. This a life saver. If something in the house does not have an assigned place, the tendency will be for it to be left laying around. In the reverse, when things have their assigned spot, it is easier to put it away and require of others to do so as well.
Involve the kids in cleaning up. In homeschooling homes, a lot of the mess comes from the school work and from the kids having fun exploring. So, it is only right that they be involved in the cleaning up process. On top of that, it is a great way to teach them important skills. In the last couple years the boys have been assigned dishes duties twice a week each (we do not have a dishwasher), along with some other chores, some for a little pay some without.
Institute a tidying time, usually night works best. As homeschooling families, the day can get really busy. Between schooling, extra-curricula outings, cooking and everything else, it is often easy to just let the house go. I found that instituting a clean-up time helps us keep things in order. I found it natural to do it before bedtime, but anytime is just as good as any other. Another favorite time for many is before dinner. It is usually refreshing to wake up to a tidy house!
De-clutter regularly. My favorite housekeeping tip for homeschooling families is to de-clutter on a regular basis. I find that homeschooling homes, we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff, be it toys, supplies, books, curriculum, you name it. I have started doing this in the last couple of years and what a difference it has made. I go through everything and get rid of what is not being used. Less things to find places for, less clutter.
Keep a cleaning schedule. This is a very effective way of getting all the house work that needs to be done from cleaning, to laundry. If you are not a schedule person it can be hard to maintain, I am one of those, but I can assure you it does make life easier. I really do this mainly for our laundry and dishes, but do realize that my house would be much cleaner if I did keep a cleaning schedule.
Today, here are 5 other blogs to check out this week
Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Latonya @ Joy in the Ordinary
Laura @ Day by Day in Our World
Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road
Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures
Lori @ At Home: where life happens
Meg @ Adventures with Jude
Megan @ My Full Heart
Melanie (Wren) @ finchnwren
Melissa @ Mom's Plans
In this Series:
Homeschooling Tips
Housekeeping Tips
Budget Tips
Family Fun Tips
Designate a place for everything. This a life saver. If something in the house does not have an assigned place, the tendency will be for it to be left laying around. In the reverse, when things have their assigned spot, it is easier to put it away and require of others to do so as well.
Involve the kids in cleaning up. In homeschooling homes, a lot of the mess comes from the school work and from the kids having fun exploring. So, it is only right that they be involved in the cleaning up process. On top of that, it is a great way to teach them important skills. In the last couple years the boys have been assigned dishes duties twice a week each (we do not have a dishwasher), along with some other chores, some for a little pay some without.
Institute a tidying time, usually night works best. As homeschooling families, the day can get really busy. Between schooling, extra-curricula outings, cooking and everything else, it is often easy to just let the house go. I found that instituting a clean-up time helps us keep things in order. I found it natural to do it before bedtime, but anytime is just as good as any other. Another favorite time for many is before dinner. It is usually refreshing to wake up to a tidy house!
De-clutter regularly. My favorite housekeeping tip for homeschooling families is to de-clutter on a regular basis. I find that homeschooling homes, we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff, be it toys, supplies, books, curriculum, you name it. I have started doing this in the last couple of years and what a difference it has made. I go through everything and get rid of what is not being used. Less things to find places for, less clutter.
Keep a cleaning schedule. This is a very effective way of getting all the house work that needs to be done from cleaning, to laundry. If you are not a schedule person it can be hard to maintain, I am one of those, but I can assure you it does make life easier. I really do this mainly for our laundry and dishes, but do realize that my house would be much cleaner if I did keep a cleaning schedule.
What are your housekeeping tips?
Today, here are 5 other blogs to check out this week
Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Latonya @ Joy in the Ordinary
Laura @ Day by Day in Our World
Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road
Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures
Lori @ At Home: where life happens
Meg @ Adventures with Jude
Megan @ My Full Heart
Melanie (Wren) @ finchnwren
Melissa @ Mom's Plans
In this Series:
Homeschooling Tips
Housekeeping Tips
Budget Tips
Family Fun Tips
Comments
I have heard people say the same about happy kids in messy houses, but I actually have a different point of view. Growing up, our home was quite messy and I remember being very embarrassed by it. By the time I was in high school, I had assumed almost all the housekeeping responsibilities and would clean up before friends came over. Our home is far from ideal, but I never want my family to feel that way.
Homeschooling definitely adds quite a challenge to home-keeping! My house would be so clean if my kids were in school all day LOL!
Thanks for stopping by!