This got me thinking long and hard of a NEW strategy to maintain the appearance of a clean house even with a little one running around and getting into everything…especially with Spring in the air!

What I found was that there are a few areas a mom can focus on to achieve this appearance.

1. Clean as you go

Sometimes I wonder how moms with young ones seem to have such a tidy home.  When I look around and see how organized everything is, it makes me feel a bit inadequate and question why I can’t do the same…that was until I discovered what they were doing.  Loading the dishes and wiping down the counters, while cooking dinner. Organizing cabinets and using natural cleaners to wipe down sink while watching kids in the bath.  Call it multi-tasking or just cleaning up as you go about your daily routine, but it really is how you need to start when big chunks of time aren’t available.

2. Use storage bins

This is probably the best-kept secret of all. When you’re looking for a quick way to de-clutter, storage bins offer a great solution. Our kitchen table somehow always ends up with at least one week’s worth of accumulated mail and random objects that need to find a permanent home.

If a guest shows up on short-notice, I like to use these storage bins to at least fake the appearance of an immaculate kitchen table for the day.  It doesn’t offer the ultimate solution, but it really does help you get started in organizing things my categories — a bin for mail, a bin for magazines or a bin for random toys).

Then, of course, you just have to pick ONE day a week to sort through each bin. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to do it all. Start with one small paper bin and work your way up to the craft bin etc. You’ll accomplish much more by breaking it up into doable chunks.

3. Involve the kids

I know, I know. Sometimes involving the kids in cleaning can turn out to be more of a big mess than you need. But it’s amazing how you can actually get more done, by simply making it a game to involve kids. Give each kid a “job” in the game. For example, a 2 or 3-year-old can help pick up toys and put them in a bin to the tune of music. An older child might be able to wipe down the table — just use an all-natural spray cleaner to make it a fine-motor learning fun too!

4. Don’t put things off for too long

I know all too well how easy it is to put things off (especially cleaning) when you are exhausted from chasing a toddler all day.  But I’ve definitely learned that an essential step in actually achieving a tidy home is to avoid putting things off for too long.

Case in point: delaying laundry.  It’s so easy to keep running clothes through the dryer when you don’t feel like folding clothes. But the issue with this is it only leads to more and more clothes piling up.  Folding the clothes AND putting them away as soon as you can really does help you avoid the never-ending laundry cycle.

What I find happens a lot, is that once I am finally able to fold laundry, I leave it in the basket…which just contributes to the “things I need to do” list. Don’t let it happen. If you start the process finish as much of it as you can in one shot.

I hope these tips will help you take little steps to maintain the clean home of your dreams, even with young kids around.

Also, be sure to check out 12 additional areas to focus on for a spotless home!

If you have any other tips to add please let me know in the comments!

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

mommysbundle.com

The post Easy Tips to Keep a House Clean With Small Kids appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

Dirty dishes.

Those dreaded words any mother would like to turn a def ear to…especially me!  In fact, as a young adult I would always look for ways to get out of any type of washing dishes chores…especially since we didn’t have a dishwasher growing up! Oh yes. Made a daunting task a little more stressful!

So being blessed with a dishwasher now, it’s no wonder I want to make sure every single plate, glass and silverware is spotless when the machine beeps “CLEAN” (do I really want to spend more time washing them by hand afterwards?? N-O).

The Product

That’s where Cascade’s new product, Cascade Platinum comes to the rescue: it’s one of Cascade’s most powerful cleaning products that fights grease and grime, while at the same time maintaining the sparkling look of your machine’s interior! Pretty cool.

I’ve always been a fan of Cascade, I mean, it’s one of the most recognized dish washing brands out there. But truth be told, the regular detergent didn’t always leave my glasses and silverware spotless…so I was particularly eager to try out the premium line.

The Results

I’ve been using the newest Cascade pacs for about a week now and can see improvements in my dishes already! Not only are the glasses sparkling clean, but I’ve also noticed that those icky food particles that are always present between fork prongs are gone!  It thrills me to know that I don’t even have to use extra “gel” in the pre-wash area…because those little pacs work extra hard to fight dirt.

A few awesome FACTS to note about the new line:

• Delivers Cascade’s ultimate clean for dishes
• Scrubs away tough 24 hour stuck-on food
• Eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes
• Provides exceptional dishware shine
• Contains the Grease Fighting Power of Dawn

In today’s world where people are snapping photos of their favorite foods left and right, I’m so glad Cascade Platinum can help make those dishes look extra scrumptious.  In fact, Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, has partnered with Cascade to discuss why presentation is just as important as preparation:

“The easiest recipes pop with unexpected, gourmet presentations.  Drizzle bright sauces on sparkling white plates or layer desserts in crystal-clean glassware. Keep your presentation sparkling with Cascade Platinum, which keeps dishes perfect for anytime entertaining and impromptu guests.” – Gail Simmons

Learn more about Cascade’s partnership with Gail Simmons via Facebook or YouTube.

BONUS: #MyPlatinum Instagram Contest

So, are you one of those foodies snapping photos of all the yummy dishes you cook?  Well good thing! Cascade is in the midst of running a 4-week long Instagram contest encouraging fans to upload photos related to the weekly contest themes.  Show off how sparkly Cascade makes all your pots, pan and plates!

Contest Details:

• Visit the contest landing page (http://tinyurl.com/PlatBlog) for information on how to enter and submit images.
• The landing page will prompt users to sign up for Instagram if they are not currently users of the app
• Each week, two contestants will be selected to receive a brand new Whirlpool dishwasher. Additionally, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a Platinum kitchen makeover!

To win, users have to both register and upload a photo with the #MyPlatinum hashtag and tag @MyCascade. Participants that have not registered will be disqualified from winning.

Cascade will choose two weekly winners and one final grand prize winner after the entry period has ended.

Week 1: My Platinum Plate (Entry Period: 6/3-6/9)
Show us your best dish styled from the sparkling plate up!
Week 2: My Platinum Bite (Entry Period: 6/10-6/16)
       Show us your best bite and most creative use of sparkling silverware!
Week 3: My Platinum Clink (Entry: 6/17-6/23)
       Show us how you serve up creative concoctions in sparkling glasses. Cheers!
Week 4: My Platinum Table (Entry Period: 6/24-6/30)
       Show us your sparkling tablescape for your most special celebrations!

Good luck to all and a huge thanks to Cascade for keeping my dishes sparkling clean!

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

mommysbundle.com

The post Cascade Platinum to the Rescue + Instagram Contest appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.