The school holidays are nearly here and it’s time to starting thinking about ways to keep your littles ones occupied for the weeks ahead. As well as planning all the fun activities and days out however, it may be a good idea to plan your cleaning… Yes you heard us! After all, as much as we love them, children make a lot of mess - and that mess is amplified during the holidays.

But, you don’t have to despair. If you plan in advance, you can keep your home looking reasonably clean and presentable throughout the holidays. And if you’re really clever and want to push the boundaries a little, you can keep your children occupied at the same time…

Firstly, adopt a realistic mindset.

Expecting a home with everything put away and in it’s proper place all the time is frankly unrealistic. That expectation just leads to disappointment, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be disappointed in the state of my home. Especially when we should be enjoying the time we have with our children before they become adults and fly the nest! I try my hardest to accept that the house can never be perfect and will have little clues and reminders of all the people that are growing up and living in our house. When I feel down about the state the house is, I try to remember that the mess will get sorted eventually and that stressing about isn’t going to change anything and possibly ruin time off with your little ones.

Make it fun. 

Like you’ll see on social medias like TikTok and Instagram, there are ways of making cleaning a little bit more entertaining. For example, set a timer and race to see if you can clean up a certain area in a designated amount of time, or blast that clean-up song you love on repeat or any upbeat music for the duration of your cleaning session and have a dance in the process.

Create a cleaning schedule

Don’t micromanage cleaning and tidying during the summer. Yes, you want to keep your home as clean as possible, but you also want your kids to have fun. Create a list of the big jobs, and add them to a schedule. Everyday tasks such as vacuuming and mopping floors should be assigned to one person every day — making sure that everyone does their bit during the week.

Get the kids involved

The chances are your kids are the biggest source of mess and disruption in your home during the summer holidays. It’s only right that they should be involved in everyday cleaning tasks. Just make sure they aren’t cleaning for more than an hour a day, and that they clean before they get to enjoy fun summer activities.

Try not to exempt your younger children from household chores, as this may cause arguments. Even a toddler can help you sort socks into pairs or carry laundry from room to room. Either give each child their own cleaning responsibilities or mix things up every day.

Or, do it alone. 

On the other hand, there are days when things don’t go according to plan or it’s too busy to clean up together. Have it in your mind that you will spend a specified amount of time cleaning up alone each day (and accept that). This way, you won’t be trying to clean up while your kids are playing instead of playing with them. It’s a valuable trade-off. I like to listen to music or a podcast while I do my nightly pickup after they’re asleep. 

Make cleaning as easy as possible

The summer holidays are a time for families to spend together, and for children to play and relax. The less time you’re all cleaning, the better your summer will be. There are several ways to make cleaning easier and faster, and most of them don’t require a lot of planning or expense. For example, you could set up cleaning stations in every room to ensure the cleaning tools you need are never far away — and making cleaning as you go much simpler.

Another way to ease the burden of cleaning is to use the right tools for the right jobs. For example, look for the best vacuum cleaner for carpet if you have a lot of carpeting in your home. If you have a lot of hard floors, however, a powerful steam mop might be the answer. Cleaning little and often is the best way to stay on top of things during the school summer holidays. So consider investing in a detachable, handheld vacuum cleaner with a wide range of accessories — as you’ll be able to move around and reach awkward areas more easily.

Spend lots of time outside

The summer is a time for exploring and outdoor fun. Embrace the great outdoors, and you’ll obviously be out of the house a lot more..… The less the kids are at home, the less mess they can create — keeping your cleaning and tidying chores to a minimum.