During the day my dining room usually looks like this.
Throughout our day we have five minute pick-ups. These clean-up times help little messes from becoming big messes. At the end of the day it only takes a few minutes to get the house put back together.
What do you do to stay on top of cleaning during the day?
Allyson says
HOW and WHY do you have carpet under the table with SEVEN kids?!?!?!?!?! You are obviously more awesome in your patience and cleaning skills than I could EVER hope to be! I tried a pretty rug under our table once. That decorating arrangement lasted for two meals. I then found another place for the rug.
TheHappyHousewife says
Allyson-
Carpet in the dining room is not my choice. 🙂 We are renting this house so I put a big carpet remnant on top of the WHITE carpet that was there. I told my husband the first thing I will do when we own a home is put wood/ tile in the dining room. Such a pain to vacuum every night!
Toni
Allison says
We have a carpeting dining area (rent too) and I totally don’t care for it. Next place, YES, wood or linoleum. Only thing is that I DON’T vacuum every night! By the end of the day, all I want to do is sit down with the hubster and relax.
Carol says
I have white carpet throughout my rental apartment as well. I am so sick of cleaning carpets every 2 weeks. Just bought a huge area rug for the living room and plan to for the dining. UGH! WHY would ANYONE think white carpet is a good choice? Then they just have to replace them.. hello! 😉
Tonya says
With young kids, that’s wonderful! I still use one end of my dining room table to work from quite often since I love the window and view from there. (I can see the birdbath and flowers.) I keep everything on a healing mat which can be moved in a couple of minutes to clear the table for a meal if needed. Generally we eat at the kitchen table though.
Kim says
Actually, I don’t seem to stay on top of things. I did, however just do a room rescue and it does make the home much nicer.
Monica says
This is great! I really need to do more five-minute clean-ups throughout our day.
bette at Frugalmomx3 says
we eliminated our kitchen table and replaced it with a large kitchen island and now we use our dining table for most of our meals. I do the end of day cleaning, so that we have a clean place to eat. I really should do more of the five-minute clean-ups as well!.
Stephanie says
We do timer cleanup’s and then when DH is on his way home we do what we call the “60 Minute Daddy Dash” we go around and try to make the house as tidy as we can before he gets home!
Sarah says
We do the Daddy Dash as well. With a 16 month old and a 3 year old and 3 older kids it seem pointless to pick up throughout the day. If I do it my work will just be undone, so instead of stressing out….. I enjoy the day with the kids and then we all pick up before daddy comes home 🙂
Carmen @ Natural and Nourished Family says
We have a couple “ten minute tidy” times during the day. We set the timer and work hard until it beeps, and then we’re done. It’s amazing how a couple of short tidy sessions keep the house in great shape.
Kelly says
My husband and I have 3 kiddos 9, 6, and 2 with one on the way 🙂 We spend about 15 minutes cleaning up at the end of the day as part of our bedtime routine. We start showering and/or picking up at about 7:00. Next we brush teeth and have devotions and everyone (ideally) should be in bed by 8:00 and sleeping by 8:30. Then, when I get done wrestling with the 2 year old, the house is at least decent enough that I can shower and relax and start all over in the morning 🙂