Couple Explains How They Keep the House Clean and Tidy Even With 3 Toddlers
Remember when your mother would tell you that “a clean home is a happy home.” You probably shrugged it off. Now that you have kids—especially messy toddlers—you understand what she meant.
Meet Bronte and Jordan Towns, parents to four endearing children, three being remarkably—and let's be honest, adorably—messy toddlers. Living with young kids, cleanliness is the song that never ends. Yet the Towns family has crafted a system to keep their home spruced up while enjoying the wonderful chaos of toddlerhood.
Bronte and Jordan discovered that 'unclean' could mean different things for different people. For Bronte, an unclean home was more about clutter and things being out of place, while to Jordan, unclean was a matter of unswept floors and actual dirt. After some headbutting over whose perception of cleanliness was "right," they say they both were.
Here's the game-changing strategy of the Towns' family: Spend 15 minutes cleaning every night after the kids are tucked into bed. That's it. Just 15 minutes!
Set the timer and pick up what you can. No specific plan or assignment is necessary—do what matters most to you. For instance, while Bronte tidies up, Jordan swiftly takes on the floor, sweeping away the remains of the day's toddler adventures.
The 15-minute rule works so well that they can clean up after dinner and conduct a quick tidying of the kids' toys in different parts of the house.
Related: Mom Defends Letting Toddler Boy Help Her Clean the House
Deep cleaning may not fit this window, but it isn't the goal. This habit aims to maintain a general level of cleanliness, not immaculate perfection.
Bronte vouches for the mental health benefits of waking up to an organized environment rather than succumbing to the “I’ll do it tomorrow” trap.
Consistency is the secret. It takes two weeks to establish a habit, they say, but push it for three weeks, and your house (and possibly your relationship!) will flow better.
With everyone contributing (yes! Even the older kids help tidy up and wash dinner dishes), their home is clean(ish) and peaceful every night, barring a few exceptions, which, let's face it, are just part of the parenting package.
So, fellow parents—give Bronte and Jordan's method a shot. Embrace the mess along the way, but remember, it only takes fifteen minutes of your day to reap the rewards of a tidier house! Let's keep our homes happier, one 15-minute clean-up at a time.
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