Finding the Time to Clean with a Baby!

I remember a lot of conversations that I had when I told people I was pregnant; first came the congratulations, and then came the warnings that I would be really tired when the baby was born. At the time I brushed aside all of the “tired” comments and basked in the joy that I was going to welcome a child into the world. As predicted by my friends and family, I ended up coming back to reality with a bump - they were right, tiredness is a real problem for new parents.

Unfortunately there are still tasks and jobs around the house that need to be taken care of; you don’t really want to be bringing baby up surrounded by mountains of dirty laundry and used plates. So if you are in the early stages of parenthood, or are due to give birth any day now, here are a few helpful tips about finding the time to clean when you have a baby in the house...

Ask for help

If you are lucky enough to have a network of friends and family who live nearby, they probably won’t mind if you ask for a bit of a help, especially in the early days. A lot of people don’t offer their assistance to you up front as they don’t want to intrude, but those close to you will understand if you need an extra pair of hands to get things done. Whether they spend time cuddling baby whilst you get the dishwasher sorted, or let you have a nap whilst emptying the tumble dryer, it can be really helpful.

Find the right products

Another good idea is to stick to the necessary tasks and find the right products for them. Instead of using a plethora of products to clean with, use one or two that get the job done. Two of my essential items are bleach and disinfectant. There are many disinfectant uses in the bathroom and kitchen, including surfaces, bin lids and the toilet seat. It feels reassuring to know that you are getting rid of some of the more harmful germs that exist within the household, especially when you have nappies and the like around.

Use time wisely

Getting into a routine is all part of the fun when you have a small baby, and things don’t always go to plan. However if you try and do a little bit of cleaning often, you won’t have a mountain to climb when you come round to battling the tasks. Letting things pile up can often cause you to be more stressed as you spend time worrying about getting everything done.

Pay for help

Of course, sometimes the best option just seems to be to get a cleaner for a short period of time. I have friends who had a cleaner come in for two hours every week and they found the assistance incredibly valuable. In fact, some of them loved their cleaners so much that they kept them on long past the baby stage!