Kids Room Tips

housecleaning tips...OMG HELP ME!!LOL!!!?

Okay, here's the thing. I have 4 kids.... 3 boys (aged 7, 5 and 2) and a 6 week old daughter. My house looks like a tornado whipped through here... I just got a phone call from a friend of mine, and she's bored... she wants to hang out, but I don't have the car, so she's going to come over after class (college) at 3:30ish... it's almost 11:30.... I can't just clean constantly from now until then, because I have my 2 youngest kids here, and they demand a lot of attention. Can someone give me some tips on how to get my house presentable? There's nothing dangerous to kids, which is good, because she's bringing her 18month old over. Anyway, I am going to throw all the clothes into my bedroom and just shut the door, and I'll take out the garbage... but what about the kids' play room, and the fact that we have papers and all kinds of crap stacked everywhere... we don't have storage. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR BEST HOUSECLEANING TIPS! Ones that are good for cleaning in a hurry. PLEASE! LOL! I do want to add that I do clean my house, but with 3 boys, it doesn't stay clean for longer than 10 minutes. I'm going nuts living in a pig sty, and if my two older kids were home, they could help me clean. Also, we had a kitchen fire recently, and although no one was hurt and we got it all cleaned up, you can still kind of smell the fire/smoke/grease (it was a grease fire)... we have air freshener, but it doesn't seem to work. Any tips on the fire smell?

Public Comments

1. I do suggest that you check out www.flylady.com. She is amazing and will help you deal with this. Her big thing is baby steps, so it won't help you much today. But definitely check her out. For today, I suggest setting up an activity for the boys and have your oldest boy help you with the little ones. Set your timer for 15 minutes for each room and do as much as you can in those 15 minutes. It really is amazing how much you'll get done. Don't worry about deep cleaning anything, just make it presentable for your friend. You can also have your kids (even the 2 year old) help. My son loves to help and with the timer set, it feels like a game. For the fire smell....open all your windows and spray Febreze on everything. Good luck!!
2. First of all relax...your friend is coming to see you not your house. Now...I also have 4 (much older than yours) and remember those times. I would always swoop though my house with a laundry basket and throw everything in it and then put the basket in closet or wherever till later. Note...sometimes it took 2 or 3 baskets to make a dent in my mess! Good luck and try to enjoy your friend!
3. Get some sturdy boxes and put the papers in (as orderly as you can) and stack them neatly in a room. Also, instead of throwing the clothes in, put them in a box also if you can. Spend the most time on clutter, be sure there are no dirty dishes or trash, and don't worry about the kids room. Tidy up the bathroom and an area to visit, then make some tea, throw a batch of cookies in the oven (Ready dough) about 3:10, and remember she is coming to visit you, not judge your housekeeping skills. And don't apologize about the state of your house! It will only bring attention to it, and she probably deals with the same situation at her house....try to relax and enjoy the afternoon...sounds like you need a break!
4. If you don't have Febreze do this...Spray a body spray you might have all over your home. If no body spray, use any great smelling perfume in every room of the house. I would light smelly candles in your main "hanging out" area (starting NOW), for me this is my living room. (Candles everywhere because we have three smelly dogs...lol.) Open your windows and doors while you clean. As for baby and tottler...lay them down for a nap or put an tottler entertaining television show on tv, like Blues Clues or Teletubbies...if he's like mine were...you can leave town and come back and he wouldn't have moved...lol. Really though, get the 2 yr old entertained somehow, (Mommy knows best) then start stuffing drawers, boxes, closets...whatever...with all your papers and out of place (that has no place) stuff. I had to do a quick clean like that, just two weeks ago. All was well the night before, then Momma (ME) slept in and woke up to "HELL"! lol! They had a party or something in those 2 hours...there had to be more than 3 kids making that kind of disaster! lol! All this, just hours before Dad came home with the in laws. Not easy but do-able. Don't know if I helped you much but maybe it's enough to say I understand where you are right now and I sympathize. Good luck and take care! :) Heather
5. LOL been there, Okay, start from the entry door where she comes in, that is your first impression, so clean that, put on lipstick, its ok if it is a little messy, give the kids a rag and have them play FiFi the maid, its great fun and you talk with a french accent, starighten the piles, and close as many doors as possible, if its nice plan to sit and play outside, wash dishes and stuff that looks like dirty and messy at once, then at naptime - you must still have nap or quiet time - please take care of you, shower, nap do whatever you need to do to feel good. you are awesome having company after only 6 weeks is very nice.
6. Flylady.net does have crisis cleaning, for exactly your situation. Check it out quickly, then get started! Good luck!