No matter how hard I try to keep every room in order, our home can look like a war zone when the kids are done playing for the day. With numerous mishaps in the kitchen and bathroom as well, this fact keeps moms perpetually busy with cleaning, scrubbing, collecting and dusting, and for the longest time, I was no exception.

As impossible as it may sound, every mom can design her own trusty system to make the most of her time and keep the house clean and tidy even with a few lively kids running around making a mess. Here’s a list of tried and tested tips by expert moms who have mastered the fine art of tidiness around kids!

Rethink your buying habits

Of course, you want to provide the best for your kids, and give them everything they would enjoy playing with because moms know that playtime is a perfect learning opportunity. However, this leads to an overflow of both useless and temporarily fun toys, knickknacks and clothes, which will only take up space and steal your time.

That is why every time before I go shopping, I ask myself if these things are really necessary, how much care and maintenance they will require, and how useful they will be. Instead of buying them material gifts, switch to providing them meaningful family experiences, such as a picnic, a walk in the park, a volleyball game, or a trip to the zoo. That will be even more educational and it will give you a bountiful of memories you will all cherish forever.

Delegate

This approach will not only teach your kids responsibility, but help them develop discipline and appreciation for their home. When it’s time to study, go to bed or to school, always have a quick run-down of all the things that need to be done to make the house presentable. Don’t be surprised if your kids actually have fun participating in house chores! Because when you turn them into a fun habit, they will no longer perceive them as a dull chore.

Five minutes will be more than enough for your kids to pick up and put away the toys, books and clothes, and start preparing for their dinner or bedtime. They need to realize that once they are done playing, floors need to be tidy, and every morning, they should learn to make the bed before they leave the room and have breakfast.

Smart up your home

Although less truly is more in terms of material things, there are a few useful items that should be on your must-have list if you want to have a tidy home. For example, no matter how much time you spend vacuuming, dusting, cleaning windows, floors and furniture, your kids are in all likelihood still exposed to too much dust, mites, mould, pollen, pet dander and other allergy-inducing irritants and pollutants.

A single high-quality air purifier for dust as well as other airborne microscopic elements is your perfect sidekick that will keep your indoor air fresh, clean and odour-free, as well as protect your kids from potential allergens and health issues. A low-maintenance plant or two is also a great addition to your home décor, and they will aid in keeping your home air clean as well.

Be a chess player

Think ahead and beat clutter at its own sneaky game! I’ve noticed that a few times a year, our home becomes a hamster den filled with hoarded things that we either received as presents or bought on sale, collected, inherited, etc.

When you pinpoint those critical moments, you can get rid of the old items you expect to replace or at least prepare for a sale of the gifts you have no use for and the old, forgotten gadgets that lie somewhere in the garage. Decluttering is a process that will help you keep your home much cleaner and easier to manage all year round.

Although it’s almost impossible to keep the house spotless with little rascals running around, you can make the most of your time with a few simple hacks and include the kids in your cleaning rituals, which will benefit your entire family and help you stay sane while juggling all of your mom-related duties!

Zara Lewis (Twitter: @ZaraELewis) is a mom, fitness & yoga enthusiast and a regular writer for High Style Life. She is devoted to implementing healthy life habits in every aspect of life of her family and friends. She loves to share her parenting tips and is always open to learning some new skills, because she sees her parenthood as going to school forever. She enjoys traveling, hiking, cycling and baking.