Cleaning often isn’t most people’s idea of a great time, and for many, finding the motivation when you’ve got a new baby in the house becomes even more difficult. We’re going to have a look at a few things – less hacks, more general advice – you can do to help keep on top of things and hopefully make life a little bit easier for you.
Prioritise
Almost beyond anything else, the ability to prioritise is the most important. When there’s a newborn in the house, you’re often tired and overwhelmed, and looking at a basket of laundry that needs folding and putting away can just feel like too much. And that is absolutely fine! Think about what is important to be done – clean dishes and clothing, especially for baby, are probably the things you need most. As long as you have those, does it matter that things aren’t put away? They’ll be safe in the basket or the dishrack, out of the way but easily accessible when you need them. Putting it away can wait until later. Dusting the top of the light shade? That can probably also wait until you’ve got the energy back. You’ll be able to decide what it is that you actually need to do now and what you can afford to leave until later.
Clean as You Go
Sometimes, it can be a lot easier to wipe things down or put them away as you’re going rather than leaving it to do all at once later. Wipe down the kitchen bench as you’re walking past, or quickly wash the cup and plate you used for lunch as soon as you’re done with them. You can even do the same with the shower. Get yourself a fillable dish sponge – the sort you can put dishwashing liquid into. Put your cleaner of choice into it, then at the end of your shower, give the walls and floor a quick wash and rinse. It makes bathroom cleaning time so much faster. Exciting? Not really, but if you’re up to it, you’ll thank yourself later.
Accept Help
This is another hugely important thing to keep in mind. It’s not unusual to feel like we have to do everything ourselves – but that’s not true. If someone is offering to do the dishes, say yes! They wouldn’t be offering if they didn’t want to help out, and it means it’s just one less thing you need to worry about. Likewise, if they’re willing to tidy up after older children or any of the multitude of bits and pieces that need doing around the house, let them. It can be difficult to let someone else do what we feel we’re responsible for, but relieving some of the burden is what support is – and if your loved ones are trying to support you, then again – let them. Your energy levels will be grateful.
And related to this is making sure you and your partner – or any other adults or older children in the house, for that matter – split the chores between you. For all that this topic is entitled "Mum Hacks", there is absolutely no rule that says mum is solely responsible for keeping the house clean. If everyone does their own bit, it all becomes much more manageable. You might like to take turns each day, or have specific jobs you each take responsibility for. In those early days especially, when the sheer exhaustion of having just delivered a baby is at its greatest, partners, family, friends and loved ones can pitch in to keep things ticking along.
Make Your Own
Did you know you can make disinfectant at home? Haakaa’s Hypoclean Go Natural Disinfectant System lets you make your own natural disinfectant at home using nothing but salt and clean water. This device uses an electrolysing system to create a mild hypochlorous acid, a gentle cleanser that is safe on skin but harsh on bacteria, making it perfect for household use. And because all you need is salt and water, it’s cheap and quick to make. This system makes the disinfectant right in the bottle, so there’s no need to transfer it somewhere else. It even works as a deodoriser, making it a truly handy little gadget to have on hand!
Use a Baby Sling or Playpen
Once baby starts getting a bit older, they can be carried with you in a sling while cleaning or placed in a playpen with a play gym – just make sure nothing small is left in their reach and that you’re not working with things that could be dangerous for babywearing. This gives you more time to quickly do what needs to be done, with the peace of mind that bubs is either right there with you or in a safe space where you can easily hear and see them.
Break it into Chunks
There is absolutely no rule that says everything needs to be cleaned at once. If all you have the time or energy for is one task, then just do that one task. You can do another one later, as and when you can. A little bit each day is just as effective – and sometimes more so – than a whole day’s dedicated work and a lot more manageable to boot. Of course, if your preference is for one good long tidy, then not thinking about it until it’s due again, then do that! Ultimately, this is all about making things easier for you, so whichever method works for you is the one you should go for.
Give Yourself a Break
You can have all the most well-intentioned plans in the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen exactly as you envisioned – and that’s true for everything, not just tidying the house. If it doesn’t end up happening? That’s ok. Interruptions happen, and if there’s one thing that babies are known for, it’s making things unpredictable. You can always go back to what you were doing at another point. And you never know – that same unpredictability may end up giving you unexpected time later! It’s all about being flexible and cutting yourself some slack when things don’t go according to plan. It’ll get done eventually; as long as the important stuff is done, the rest will follow when you’re ready.
What about those of you who have already been through this? What worked for you, and what tips would you give to brand-new parents now?