If the toys, crumbs, and sticky fingerprints never seem to stop multiplying, you’re not alone—and you’re not failing.

In this post I’ll be sharing 8 top tips to help you save time cleaning without losing your mind.

Let’s start by making peace with the reality of mess—because it’s not going anywhere.

In the first year of motherhood, I spent a considerable amount of time trying to undo or reverse every little mark, stain, or hair out of place on my son as he just waddled his way through life. Do I consider that to be time well spent?

Absolutely not!

While I most certainly got a few extra cute photos of babe looking adorable, what I didn’t get was extra time. At the end of the day, while I was trying to desperately lick off that gravy from his new shirt before the family come in, I was wasting the most precious thing of all, besides my son – TIME.

Your child will always make a mess, no doubt about that!

So you need to ask yourself a question:

If the mess is constant what needs to change?

Most of the time, it’s you.

That’s right people, you are the problem, just like I was, just like all those other parents out there. Coming into a place of acceptance and knowing that mess and dirt will come and go is the first step.

How comfortable are you at just letting go a little?

Do you have to put that teddy back in line with the other teddy’s right this minute?

Must you wipe you baby’s face after every bite or would mealtime be more beneficial and enjoyable if you did a big clean up at the end instead?

For me, I decided that I didn’t want my neurosis/obsessive patterns about cleanliness to be put onto my child. I realised I was really sucking the fun out of what should have been joyful moments and that enabled me to change my perspective on what a home is and the realities of what it should look like.

Before I delve in to the more practical tips, I’d like to share an anecdote with you.

I went to have lunch in a friend’s house a few months back. Her and her husband have 7 kids and throughout the afternoon she kept apologising about how she didn’t clean the house for our arrival. How dare she!!! Just kidding 😉 The topic of house cleaning came up at lunch and the father said:

“A house is not a museum”

And with that, it clicked.

I had been spending so much time curating and making sure everything was in its “right” place but I wasn’t creating a home. I was creating a museum. My house up until that point was not actually geared towards how we lived but my idea of how we should live and I pondered on what I was psychologically doing to myself by continually “fixing” my house. It meant I couldn’t really relax in the space.

I couldn’t just BE.

As a parent you’ll learn more than ever on what it means to prioritise. Loads of time spent on one thing generally means other things are being sacrificed. For me, I’m not going to allow my child be that sacrifice for the sake of a few clean dishes. They can wait until the time is right.

How much time do you spend cleaning or picking up after your kids?

I guess my goal for this post was to put some things into perspective. Family life has us running on automatic a lot of the time so it can be hard to find the time to sit down and assess what we’re doing day-to-day.

With all that being said however, it is ok to take pride in your home. It is good to have a clear space for your kids to play and it is important to be mindful of hygiene levels within the home, especially if you have pets.

Seeing as there’s no escaping the mess, I’ve compiled 8 super helpful ways of reducing the stress of it.

Check them out below!

1. Schedule clean ups around nap time

This makes for a more productive cleaning session. Trust me.

2. Set timers

Be sure to make time for yourself.

3. Designated areas for toys

Choosing a specific zone/room for your children’s toys can actually instil a sense of order in your child’s mind. A clear distinction between chaos and order can serve as a great example.

4. Appropriate storage

Not only will this help with clean up time but it is important for your child’s overall wellbeing. Nowadays kids receive so many presents that it can be overwhelming as well as overstimulating. Taking out a couple toys/books at a time allows your child to really explore each one and pushes them to be creative and use their imagination. Also, a lot of kids just love to help out! Why not make it fun and sing along to a song? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ9uhDzN-rA

5. Silicone Tableware

Silicone is so easy to wipe clean! I actually just have one bib for mealtimes for my son because they’re so practical. It’s never lying around dirty so I don’t need to find a spare. The silicone plates and bowls will often have a suction base which are anti-slip so no accidental spills either!

6. Donate to charity

Children can accumulate a lot of toys/clothes/books/gadgets, you name it! Help out your family while at the same time helping another by getting rid of unnecessary items in the home. I try to take an inventory at certain points of the year – holidays, birthdays, generally any time I think there’s going to be more stuff coming into the house.

7. Create a safe (clean) space

All parents should have at least one room/area where they can go to truly relax and reset. I try to make mine my bedroom and, as I’m writing this, I’m just realising that the laundry basket is in my bedroom which is always overflowing. Perhaps I should remove that so I don’t have to look at it….. it’s getting in the way of my chill.

8. Upgrading appliances

Get that dishwasher you’ve always wanted. Splurge on that dryer because it’s going to save you hours of work! How about those robot vacuums for the endless amount of crumbs you keep finding in your kitchen? There’s nothing wrong with a worthwhile investment that’s going to allow you have more time with your family.

So there you have it folks!

Those are my 8 best tips I can give you for less mess and less stress in your home with your smallies.

Please share below in the comment section if you have any time-saving cleaning tips too.