Keeping a house clean when you have kids can seem like an impossible task. Between toys, snacks, and endless messes, maintaining order can feel like a constant battle. However, with a few thoughtful strategies and a bit of planning, it’s possible to keep things organized without sacrificing your sanity. So whether you own a home in Las Vegas, NV, live in an apartment in Jacksonville, FL, or a rental in Boise, ID, our child and cleaning experts have shared their best tips for how to keep a house clean with kids by focusing on decluttering, routines, and involving children in the process.
The basics: Declutter, establish routines, use child-friendly products
While there are many tips and tricks that can be utilized when exploring how to keep a house clean with kids, there are some basic yet effective ways to keep mess at bay that all parents should consider. The team at MEIDE notes that “Keeping a house clean with kids is easier with the right strategies and support. At MEIDE, we recommend decluttering regularly, setting up routines, and using child-friendly cleaning products.” These fundamental practices can help to keep the mess in your home manageable when life gets hectic.
Declutter:
Decluttering is a crucial first step in maintaining a clean home with kids. Without regular purging of unused or outgrown items, clutter can quickly accumulate. Decluttering not only keeps your home in order but teaches the importance of getting rid of unnecessary clutter and maintaining a clean home.
Lizzy Horrocks from Why Bother Cleaning shares that “A clutter-free environment makes it much easier to clean and keeps your home looking tidy. Help your kids develop the habit of putting things away by designating specific zones for toys, books, and other items. Encourage your children to clean up after themselves by making it a simple process with clearly labelled storage solutions.” with Nicole Sachiko, professional organizer and coach at Tidy Lifestyle adding that “Starting small and focusing on one area at a time will make the task manageable and achievable. Select a focus area such as a toy bin, bookshelf, or closet, and declutter first by having your child choose items that they no longer use or need. From there, donate or recycle the items together to showcase the value of giving.”
Routines:
Children thrive on routine, and the same applies to cleaning. Establish a set cleaning schedule to help everyone know when chores need to be done. Ranjit Takhar, president of Evergreen Building Maintenance Inc., advises that “Professional cleaning can optimize human health in almost all environments. At Evergreen, we recommend keeping a consistent schedule, with daily or weekly duties set in place. We also suggest using green cleaning products as they are healthier for us and better for the planet.”
Breaking down tasks into manageable chunks – perhaps one day a week for deep cleaning, and daily quick clean-ups – can provide a sense of accomplishment and can make the cleaning process feel less overwhelming.
Child-friendly products:
When cleaning with kids around, it’s essential to choose products that are safe and non-toxic. Many conventional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to young children. Joy Mangano, co-founder and CEO of CleanBoss, shares that “At CleanBoss, we understand the importance of keeping our homes clean and our kids safe. That’s why we created a lab-proven, powerful botanical disinfectant as a safer alternative to traditional chemical-laden products.
CleanBoss Multi-Surface Disinfectant & Cleaner effectively kills 99.9% of household germs, harmful bacteria, and viruses, without toxic ingredients like bleach or ammonia. Powered by Thymol, a component of Thyme Oil, for a faster, better, smarter clean, our botanical solution offers a gentler approach to cleaning that doesn’t compromise on effectiveness. When it comes to protecting our loved ones, opting for a botanical disinfectant like CleanBoss is a no-brainer.”
Involve kids in cleaning
Involving kids in the cleaning process not only teaches responsibility but also helps them feel like active participants in maintaining the home. The team at Steele Canvas Basket Corp shares that “Keeping a clean home with kids starts by creating simple, kid-friendly routines. Encourage children to do their part in tidying up by assigning age-appropriate tasks, like putting toys in baskets or sorting laundry into designated bins. Small steps like these can go a long way in keeping clutter at bay in a full home.”
Lizzy Horrocks from Why Bother Cleaning added that you should strive to make cleaning a habit and “Encourage kids to pick up toys before moving on to another activity. If you start this habit early, it becomes second nature. In addition, consider regular decluttering sessions: Every few weeks, go through toys, clothes, and other items that may have accumulated. Donate or discard things that are no longer used or needed.”
Involving kids in cleaning by assigning age-appropriate tasks, putting effort into making cleaning fun, and offering positive reinforcement to give them a sense of responsibility can be great practices when learning how to keep a clean house with kids. Take a look below to learn more from our experts.
Age-appropriate tasks
Involving kids in cleaning is a great way to both maintain your home and engage and educate your children, and ensuring that the tasks they complete are age-appropriate will ensure a smooth and effective cleaning experience for the whole family. Jackie Cook, CEO of Popins, shared that you can “Engage your kids early with small tasks that they can do consistently and expand on over time. For example, if your baby can crawl and grasp, they can put their shirt in a low laundry basket. When your toddler can walk, they can bring their cup from the table over to the dishwasher. As they get older, this can naturally progress to keeping dirty laundry in a basket, putting away clean laundry, helping fold, clearing dishes, emptying the dishwasher, etc.”
Innes Vautier from aboderie chimed in, sharing that “The best way I’ve found to stay on top of the chaos with four small children is to get them involved in the chores. They love to be helpful, and giving them age-appropriate tasks gets them working with you rather than against you. After dinner each day we have a big family tidy-up where everyone has a job. We put fun music on and find that we can clean up the mess of the day in no time at all!” Be mindful to make tasks age-appropriate when assigning cleaning tasks to your children, this will make the cleaning process more efficient and allow for progression as your kids mature.
Make cleaning fun for kids
One of the biggest challenges in getting kids involved in cleaning is making it fun. The more enjoyable the task, the more likely your kids will want to pitch in. Keep reading to see recommendations from our stellar experts on the best ways to make cleaning fun for your kids:
“One of the reasons we parents get so exhausted is we think we need to do everything before we can play with our kids! But keeping a home clean is a never-ending job, which means playtime often gets shelved or rushed in between chores. Instead, we can involve our kids in the cleaning process and make housekeeping fun! For example, we can do the laundry WITH our kids and gamify it, sorting all the clothes into colors. Suddenly laundry becomes a teaching and bonding experience that is way less lonely and boring for everyone!” Abigail Wald from Mother Flipping Awesome
“Maintaining a clean home with kids can feel like a superpower, but here are a few tricks to make it manageable — and even fun! Try using colorful chore charts to visually show kids what needs to be done and make routines feel rewarding. Making your own cleaning supplies with the kids is also a great way to get buy-in – just mix 4 to 1 parts water and vinegar and let the kids smell and pick the essential oil to add – effective, worry-free, and kids LOVE using what they made. (My kids love the peppermint!)” Amanda May from Purple Fig Eco-Cleaning Co
“I always scheduled a few hours a week with my kids where we turned cleaning and organizing into an exciting activity. I’d create a cleaning song or invent a story, like pretending we were cleaning princesses. I’d give my kids dusters as “magic wands” and let them dust walls and corners, making it a magical and thrilling experience. Singing, dancing, and turning chores into an adventure not only gets the house clean but also creates wonderful bonding moments for the whole family.” Rachel Lieveld, aka The Dutch Cleaning Diva, owner of Des Moines Elite Cleaning
“The best way to clean up after your kids have turned your home upside down is by switching them from mess makers to mess erasers. Turn up the music and turn clean up into a game! Some of our favorite clean-up games are:
1. Trying to beat our clean-up time record
2. Who can get the dirtiest cloth after 10 minutes
3. Let the kids know you picked a secret item and whoever cleans up the secret item is the winner.
Don’t forget a well-deserved reward when you’re finished!” Deanna from The Clean Commitment
In addition to the above tips, you can also turn chores into a treasure hunt, where kids have to find and put away certain items. A playful approach can make even the most mundane tasks seem exciting.
Teach responsibility and establish rewards:
When exploring how to keep a clean house with kids, aim to use cleaning as a chance to teach them responsibility and offer positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage them to own these responsibilities. Find more information from our experts below:
“Involving children in cleaning a home can be exciting and fun! Create a structure where everyone is assigned chores yet make it a little quirky. For example, have it as a tag competition where there is a timer for the tasks or reward those who complete the tasks. Making children assist in such tasks, even when they are still young, not only reduces the time taken in the activity but also instills in them a sense of responsibility.” Nagendra from 01Webdirectory
“Maintaining a clean house when you have young kids can be difficult. There’s always a mess of some kind in every room. One thing that I have found helpful when trying to get some cleaning done around the house is to turn on some fun music and include your kids in the tasks somehow. If you have an infant, you can put them in a carrier or a bouncer nearby and if you have a toddler or older child you can ask them to do some of the simple tasks with you! Kids love having a responsibility so it’s a great way to teach them about household tasks and give them a sense of self esteem.” Megan from League of Friends
“At Elite Nanny League, we’ve discovered that the secret to maintaining a pristine home with children lies in turning cleanup into an engaging family activity. Transform daily tidying into a game where kids earn points or small rewards for completing age-appropriate tasks like putting toys in bins or helping to dust low surfaces. We recommend creating a colorful chore chart with stickers or magnets that makes routine cleaning exciting and gives children a sense of accomplishment.” Nikita Bourn, director of operations at Elite Nanny League
Involving your children in the cleaning process is more than just a strategy to keep your home clean, it is an opportunity to teach them valuable life skills. So don’t just keep your home in mind when taking part in the above cleaning practices, think of your child’s development as well.
Implement organization strategies
A well-organized space is key to maintaining a clean home, especially with kids. Implementing organization strategies such as labeling can make tidying up easier for everyone. Luckily, Our experts have detailed some of their top tips for organizing your home when you have kids:
“As a mom of five, including two children with autism, I know how hard it can be to keep your house clean next to being a working mother. Having over 30 years of experience in the cleaning industry, my top recommendation for maintaining a clean home with kids is to use the E.N.A.H. rule: Everything Needs A Home.
Ensuring every toy and item has a designated spot makes it easier for children, no matter their age or abilities, to clean up and stay organized. Color-coded baskets, labeled boxes with stickers, or fun storage cabinets can help make tidying up more manageable and even enjoyable for kids. A structured system like this not only fosters independence but also reduces chaos in the home, making it easier for everyone to maintain cleanliness.” Rachel Lieveld, aka The Dutch Cleaning Diva, owner of Des Moines Elite Cleaning
“Keeping a clean home with kids can feel like a challenge, but personalized name labels can make it easier and even fun! Label storage bins, toy boxes, and drawers to create clear, kid-friendly organization zones that encourage responsibility. Turn cleanup into a game by setting a timer and seeing who can match the most items to their labeled spots. With everything in its place, your home stays tidier, and your kids learn helpful habits early on!” Stricterkid
“Maintaining a clean home with kids is all about setting yourself up for success. If your kids love to draw and paint, you will undoubtedly find yourself cleaning ink or paint off walls, a table, the couch, and maybe even your dog. The secret here is to make sure all your kids’ markers and paints are washable, this means the color will come out of whatever your kid decides is their canvas today.
Also, having kids means you will have toys, and having kids and toys means your home will be covered in toys on a weekly basis if not daily. This is where discrete storage bins can be a shortcut to keeping your home clean. Keep one in each room the kids play in and when they are done, it’s just a quick sweep of toys into the bin, and order will be restored.” The team at The Honest Maid
Consider labeling bins, drawers, and shelves with pictures or words to help kids know where things go. This is especially helpful for younger children who may not yet be able to read. Clear storage containers allow kids to easily find and return items, keeping clutter to a minimum.
Set realistic cleaning goals
Setting a clear plan and realistic goals is essential when juggling household chores with kids. While you shouldn’t hesitate to get the whole family involved, it’s possible that a group effort may not be the most effective way to maintain your home’s cleanliness. Laetitia Woue from Coming to Spain notes that “Maintaining a clean home with kids, especially in a small space, is all about finding balance and working smarter, not harder. As a working parent of an 8-month-old crawler, I’ve found that embracing the mess and setting realistic goals is key.
During the week, I use pockets of time in the evening for light cleaning — washing dishes, light dusting, and sweeping — after my baby is asleep. On weekends, my partner and I tackle deeper cleaning during nap time. I usually try to make it enjoyable by listening to a great podcast. Remember, it’s about keeping your space clean enough to be comfortable, not perfect!”
Erin McConaghy, co-founder of Curated Care added that “Teaching your child about the responsibility and value of cleaning and successfully cleaning your home are two very different goals. If yours is the latter, a true clean-up, the key to achieving this with kiddos in the home is to engage your child in a separate activity while you clean to free up space and ensure you don’t turn around to discover a brand new mess where you just tidied up.
Choose an activity for your child to do that ensures: they are not in the space you need to clean, they will be engaged for a decent chunk of time, and they are able to do this activity with minimal help or supervision. Bust out an arts and crafts kit, a science kit, building blocks, or a puzzle. If you really need to deep clean, purchase a new version of one of these – the newness of the activity guarantees instant interest and engagement.” Having a cleaning plan in place is a great way to maintain your home’s cleanliness, just make sure the plan is flexible and adjust tasks as needed to fit your family’s schedule.
Adapt the cleaning process to your child’s needs
Children do not all abide by the same developmental timeline and accommodations needed to make your child’s cleaning journey successful are very individual. It’s essential to adapt your cleaning approach based on your child’s needs.
Sybil Cummin from Arvada Therapy Solutions, PLLC has great advice for parents of children with ADHD: “Keeping a house clean with kids who have ADHD, especially when you’re selling, is all about scaffolding. Break tasks into manageable steps with a checklist, like ‘pick up all the dirty clothes first.’
Add visual cues and set a timer for short bursts of focus to keep them motivated and on track. Small, consistent efforts can prevent overwhelm for both you and your child. And remember children with ADHD typically really do struggle with organization. While frustrating, they are not intentionally trying to drive you crazy. Let them know you are in this together and that the skills taught now can generalize in the future.”
Tailor cleaning tasks to your child’s needs and offer assistance when necessary. Be patient and flexible, as it may take time for them to get the hang of certain chores or routines.
Explore smart appliances and hire outside help when needed
As much as you may want to tackle all home-keeping tasks yourself, in some cases, it may be helpful to look into smart cleaning appliances or hire outside help. Jackie Cook, CEO at Popins suggests that you “Hire a cleaner if you can – professional cleaning makes it so much easier to maintain your home, and forces you to straighten up before they arrive. Also consider getting a Roomba (especially if you don’t have a dog that acts as your vacuum). A friend has this programmed to run through the kitchen/main level every evening automatically, which has given her the peace of mind that comes with clean socks.”
Amanda May from Purple Fig Eco-Cleaning Co also recommended professional cleaners, saying that parents should treat themselves “by hiring a professional cleaning service for a deep clean. Sometimes, delegating is the best way to keep your home feeling fresh and your mind at ease. Raise your hand if you’d rather light a candle than scrub your baseboards! (Same.)” with Nikita Bourn from Elite Nanny League adding that for “parents seeking a truly spotless home, consider scheduling a professional cleaning service bi-weekly while dedicating those precious moments to quality time with your little ones. After all, a balanced home is about creating memories, not just maintaining order.”
Professional cleaners are an excellent choice of hired help when figuring out how to keep a clean home with kids; however, you should also consider babysitters and home coaches when looking to outsource responsibilities.
The Team at MEIDE shared that their “experienced babysitters and home coaches can help by engaging children in age-appropriate cleanup tasks and maintaining a tidy space while you focus on other priorities. Let MEIDE make family life cleaner and more manageable!” If you find it difficult to maintain a clean home due to time constraints or other challenges, consider smart appliances or hiring a cleaning service or other home help to assist with maintaining your home’s cleanliness.
How to keep a house clean with kids: Wrapping up
Learning how to keep a house clean with kids doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By decluttering regularly, establishing routines, and involving kids in the cleaning process, you can maintain a tidy and organized home. Tailoring tasks to your child’s age, using organization strategies, and making cleaning fun can help turn chores into an enjoyable activity. With a little planning and a focus on family teamwork, it’s possible to keep your house clean while nurturing your children’s sense of responsibility and independence.
