If you’re at your wits ends and the house is still a mess, it’s time to get serious about house cleaning. We all want a clean, comfortable home. It causes us to feel rewarded and gives other people who visit our home a good impression of our family. Clean homes also keep germs and pests away. Maintaining a home to a high standard is important, but nonetheless difficult, especially when young children who are full of life run around the place day in and day out. It is time to set some rules and boundaries. Keeping a house clean and tidy is a family's job, even the kids need to help.

Rather than continue to endure stress over a clean home, it’s time to put your foot down and mean what you say and say what you mean. We can all live in a clean, comfortable home, no matter how many children are in the home or how busy our lives get. The key is knowing how to achieve this clean home with your sanity intact. The following tips ease the stress that we oftentimes feel when it’s time to keep the house clean. Use them in your home and enjoy the benefits of an aesthetically appealing, safe home space.

Tip One: Set Boundaries 

Doors and walls are two commonly damaged fixtures in homes with kids. Little ones perceive these items as toys or large coloring sheets and when mom and dad turn their head, use their newfound plaything like there is no tomorrow. Obviously, marks on the wall are easy to spot and hopefully, easy to remove. Kids oftentimes enjoy swinging on doors which may damage them severely. You might be at a point where you need to design a custom door and replace it.

While paint and doors are affordable, set boundaries to keep repairs and replacements few and far between. Children must know what is expected of them and what isn't allowed under any circumstances. Establish consequences in the event the rules are broken.

Tip Two: Establish Playtime Rules 

Establish playtime rules and stick to them. Kids won’t understand what’s expected of them if the rules change daily or weekly. A good playtime rule is that kids take out only one or two toys at a time and return them to the toy bin before removing other toys. When children know the rules they’re expected to follow, playtime goes smoother for them as well as for parents.

Tip Three: Assign Everything a Place 

A clutter-free home is more likely when everything has a place. No matter what the item, give it a designated home and place it back in this spot when it is not in use. This works wonders for toys and other kids' items and for many of the things adults used every day as well. Labeling systems help kids remember where things go when they're done.

Tip Four: Toy Earn Back 

Little ones can be devious sometimes. When they throw tantrums or refuse to pick up their toys, let them know they’ll lose the items until they pick up their stuff themselves. Allow the child to earn back the toy by completing a chore of your choice. If the box fills up, donate it to a local charity.

Tip Five: Pick Your Battles 

A cluttered home simply means that the family is living life to the fullest. Sometimes, a little clutter adds a lot of heart to the home. The dishes can sometimes wait, just as you can always wait until tomorrow to tackle the refrigerator. Pick your battles wisely and ensure that you assign age-appropriate chores and expectations to your kids. Not everything is worth an argument or an uproar when there is always tomorrow.

Maintaining a clean house is a challenge for many families. Never feel like you are alone in this battle. While it may seem like it's a never-ending task, you can win the battle. Use the above tips and get a headstart on winning the battle against a dirty home. With patience, effort, and trial and error, you can achieve the beautiful, clean home that you want and deserve.