7 tips on how to keep the house clean while the kids are on school holidays

21 Nov 16

The school holidays come around quickly.

It means you can spend time with you kids, but also means having a clean house goes out the window.

Your kids may be at you to entertain them and all you can see is your house becoming a bigger mess and your daily chores being left behind.

It can be difficult to find time and keep your house tidy while your kids are at home.

We know what it’s like trying to juggle it all – these simple tips should help you feel like you are staying on top of it throughout the holidays.

1. Wake before the kids

Sometimes you don’t feel like waking up before the kids, especially if you have had a restless night yourself but this is a great time to get stuck into those jobs you can’t do when your kids are up.

This also frees up time for you to be able to spend with your kids when they are awake and wanting to play.

2. 2 tasks each day
Build a habit with your kids. Choose two daily tasks for your kids to do which helps to reduces the load on you.

These may include:

• Making their beds
• Putting away their clean clothes
• Making sure their dirty clothes are in the washing basket
• Having all the toys away at the end of the day

3. Get outside

The more time they spend outside the house the more time you have for yourself and ultimately there’s less mess being created inside the house.

Encourage them to play outside in the mud, climb trees and explore the great outdoors as part of nature play learning.

Enjoy the weather with them. Play outside, go to the pool, the park or have a picnic outside for lunch. Create memories and moments after all they grow up so quick.

4. One thing at a time

This can be one of the hardest things to master, when you are finished with one thing you put it away before you play with another.



It is easy to clutter the lounge room or toy room with all their toys. They pull out one toy and another, and another until you find your child surround by all the toys they own. Remind them to put away the blocks before they get out the craft tools for example.

This is a good habit to teach your kids and it will keep things tidier and make it easier to clean up later.

5. Have a routine

Try to implement a routine for when they are home.

Build in one daily chore into your routine that your kids can get used to.

This could be cleaning the toilets or shower while they are having lunch or teach them that the 30 minutes after lunch is mums time to clean and they will get used to you not entertaining them during that time.

6. Involve the kids
Bring some fun into cleaning.

Choose age appropriate cleaning tasks that your children can be involved in. Give them a mini broom, their own microfibre cloth and a spray bottle of water so they can ‘clean with you’.

It can be more of an interruption than a help at times but it gets them involved and teaches them that cleaning can be fun.

Create games that involve cleaning. Tape a square using plumping tape and see who can fill their square with the most dirt from the hallway or see who can pick up the most toys from the play room in two minutes.

You can always get more creative and dress up as Cinderella or sing songs from their favourite Disney movie while you work together.

7. Be flexible
Remember some days it is okay to let the dishes pile up, and let your laundry look like a mess.

The days may feel long but the years are very short and your kids aren’t always going to want to play with you in their school holidays, but dishes and laundry will always be there.

Remember what is important – there is always tomorrow for the chores.