How Do You Keep Your House Clean?

[pootmcgoot]

The paranoia I have about parents thinking I am a slob is killing me. I am a neat freak by nature and daycare clean is 10x more clean than my normal deep clean and it has to be maintained at all times in case a parent comes by early etc. I feel a constant looming of, "what if they come by and see the peanut butter thrown on the ground" or "my house is a mess and I am trying to clean it...what if they come by and see me cleaning while the kids are trashing my living room?!"

I don't know how y'all do it. I feel incredible pressure to keep my house clean and I am embarrassed when normal kid mess is all over my house and parents come by the pick up. Sort of like they are judging my ability to take care of kids by the mess that my house is.

And I am not talking filthy floors, stuff splattered on cabinets or dust an inch thick. I'm not talking hoarders filth and my house is relatively clutter free, orderly and most things have a space. I'm mostly talking about kids strewing stuff all over my house, crumbs on the floor from lunch (that I sweep but can't vacuum til kids leave for the day) and just general disarray from playing with kids and not picking up after them 3-4 times a day.

[Country Kids]

I know what you mean! Then they just look at you like "what" when you ask them to help you clean up (the kids). It kills me when I have parents that have the day off, drop kids off and then say "I'm going home to clean the house!"

It just is part of the territory. What kills me is doing all the cooking, cleaning, teaching, etc. and then the state wonders why home childcares would like a break once in awhile. We do it all without any help like a center.

[SilverSabre25]

If the parents see that stuff and can't understand that sometimes it won't be spic and span, well, ya know, they have unreal expectations. Their houses are probably messier at the cleanest than yours is at it's messiest and they have a fraction of the kids for a fraction of the time.

RELAX.

Clean up before lunch (make them help!), tidy some more during nap, and clean up before everyone goes home (make them help!) with your final clean after they leave. That should be plenty...and anyone who says otherwise is crazy.

[WDW]

If it helps, I have had daycare parents tell me they don't mind if the house is a bit cluttered because they see it as a sign of me doing things with the kids and not cleaning all day while the children are here....

[cheerfuldom]

do you have a separate space for your daycare or is it all in one space that is shared by your family?

[Country Kids]

If it helps, I have had daycare parents tell me they don't mind if the house is a bit cluttered because they see it as a sign of me doing things with the kids and not cleaning all day while the children are here....

Reminds me of a time when a interviewer asked me if I cleaned house during the day. Seemed like a loaded question-they either wanted to make sure I was or didnt want me to. Ended up they didn't want me to but I do clean during the day within reason.

[EchoMom]

I agree, it is SOOO hard to keep the house clean while watching all the kids when you work ALONE. My house also is pretty clean, I vacuum multiple times a day, wipe everything down, mop often, pick up toys all day long, run dishwasher twice a day, everything has a home, etc.

But still, sometimes the house just EXPLODES. I make sure to always lock the door if I'm not ready to be "surprised" by a parent walking in. But even then, sometimes a parent asks to use my bathroom and it's not really presentable, and parents put their baby food in my fridge so that's another thing I want to always look nice inside, and then they might need to change a random diaper at drop off so the nap/diaper room, on and on, ah!

It literally does make me crazy but I've just had to let it go recently and if parents think it's too messy/dirty then they're too high maintenance for me. I'm doing the absolute best I can while working ALONE. I THINK most parents understand that and all seem to say, "I don't know how you do it!"

Sometimes I even intentionally LET the toys be left all over the floor at pick up just so they know the toys do get used. Sometimes I get paranoid that the house is so clean maybe they think I don't let the kids actually play with toys and it's just there as a front! LOL The things we get paranoid about! :P

[EchoMom]

I clean during the day alot, I just have to!

[WDW]

Reminds me of a time when a interviewer asked me if I cleaned house during the day. Seemed like a loaded question-they either wanted to make sure I was or didnt want me to. Ended up they didn't want me to but I do clean during the day within reason.

That is a loaded question! I do too, somewhat.

[Breezy]

I try to clean as I go during the day. I vacuum during breakfast when they are off the floor. Wipe down you.ters when I can. Toss toys that need to be sanitized into the sink so I can get to them later.

On Friday I had a dad come by and drop something off for his daughter in the middle of the day and he asked to use the bathroom. I said yes of course but excuse the mess as it was Friday and I deep clean on the weekends and maintain throughout the week. He said oh its no big deal at all!! The whole time i was frwaking out though.

I usually have mostly free play all day for DS as he is currently the oldest but I clean up as he goes from when area to another and takes toys out. He gets overwhelmed otherwise and so do I. DH never understands why I am always picking up if he is just going to make a mess again.

One thing I can never fully finish is laundry!! I cant fold if he is up so I wait til bedtime and then I'm too tired. It's a never ending battle. I'm determined to get it all folded today

[Lianne]

I clean when I feel like cleaning. On Sunday evenings I tidy enough to be presentable but Mondays are usually my cleaning days. The kids are tired from their busy weekend and are happy to simply play. That gives me a chance to get housework done. I live in my house so it's never pristine because, well, life goes on in here. My clients never seem to notice and if they do, it's to tell me their houses look worse.

Heck, I pulled every toy & bin out today to rotate toys and reorganize my storage system. I have rubbermaid bins and boxes stacked in my kitchen so deep I couldn't use the kitchen for lunch or snacks, . My clients just laughed and the house will be back to normal by tomorrow morning.

[Daycarelady1979]

First I just have to say I love, love this forum! I have never felt so completely "at home"...its wonderful to have a group of people to chat with who actually understand what I go through every day! Some of you have described EXACTLY how I feel about my house being clean. My usual routine is to have everything clean, organized & ready to go for Monday morning before I go to bed Sunday night.

*I'm sorry, I don't know why that posted before I was finished?? LOL

[daycarediva]

I feel the same way as daycarelady about this forum. It's very real!



I deep clean on Sundays (sanitize all toys, clean out cubbies and prep for the following week.etc) Monday -Friday I tidy up after breakfast, before lunch and after pick up. I also quick spray down toys shelves and tables, clean the bathroom, vacuum and mop. If parents pick up early, they see us in our regular day. Atleast they know that their child us having fun! I had a parent stop by at 10 this morning unannounced and tell me that my house was still cleaner then hers. Lol!

[Daycarelady1979]

First I just have to say I love, love this forum! I have never felt so completely "at home"...its wonderful to have a group of people to chat with who actually understand what I go through every day! Some of you have described EXACTLY how I feel about my house being clean. I don't think many other people have to think about a clean home the way we childcare providers do...they probably don't stress if their fridge isn't clean or if their bathroom is a bit messy or if the front yard didn't get mowed or if there's dog poo in the back yard, the list goes on & on! Like right now, I have a huge pile of boxes & stuff piled up (somewhat neatly) in my back room because I'm preparing for a yard sale in 2 weeks. I don't have anywhere else to put it & I'm soooo nervous about what people may think about my pile of "junk"...

My usual routine is to have everything clean, organized & ready to go for Monday morning before I go to bed Sunday night. That includes grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, trash, etc. Monday morning I start fresh. I have the kids help me clean up a little in between each transition, for example they have to do a quick clean up of whatever toys are out before we go outside to play. At the end of the day I try to make sure most of the daycare stuff is put away, with the kids' help, before they leave. Then every night before I go to bed I do another quick clean of whatever needs it, loading the dishwasher, sweeping the floors, etc. I try to get up 30 mins early in the morning to take care of any last minute things. I make sure my front porch & front door are clean. Also I think it's really important to have a couple minutes to myself each morning before I begin my job. I drink my coffee, balance my checkbook, watch the news, check my facebook...just whatever I can for MYSELF before the chaos begins

It seems like a lot of cleaning, but really it's not too bad. It's just a quick clean at night & a quick clean in the morning & a good clean on Sundays. During daycare hours, have the kids help you!! There's nothing wrong with teaching them a little responsibility

Also my older son & my husband help with some things too...they know if mom is going to work from home, we all have to be in this together. I don't ask them to help with my actual daycare stuff, but they do help with household things. If they want me to have a good job, they know we have to have a nice home

[Crazy8]

what??? we are supposed to have a clean house???? :: ::

My house is relatively clean but I don't fret if there are some toys on the floor or some dishes in the sink when a parent walks in. I do basic cleaning (sweep, vacuum, dust, laundry) whenever I get a chance during the days and wipe down bathrooms every night, etc.

Of course for an interview I try to clean a little more but again, I want them to know I spend my days with their kids, not scrubbing my kitchen floor.