I Have Two Pets and a Toddler—Here's How I Actually Keep My Home Clean

Parents and pet owners everywhere can likely agree that keeping your home clean amongst the daily chaos children and pets bring is a constant struggle. Households with both kids and pets feel this even more so—trust me, I know.

With a dog, cat, and toddler at home (plus a baby on the way), some days, I feel as if I’m in a near-constant state of cleaning just to keep the house looking presentable. While a certain amount of mess is inevitable in any busy household, keeping my house somewhat clean is important to me. Not just for sanitary reasons but for my own mental health and well-being, too.

After several years of tackling this mom-and-pet owner thing, I’ve developed a few tricks that help me keep my home clean with kids and pets around. While every household is different, maybe some of these tricks can help you out, too.

Washable Everything. Period.

Having furniture with washable covers and rugs that are washable is my top recommendation for households with kids and pets. I seriously can’t imagine trying to keep my home clean without being able to throw these kinds of things in the washing machine when stains and messes inevitably happen.

Right now, IKEA is our go-to for sofas and chairs because the covers are so easy to remove and wash. I love that you can also buy replacement covers for the entire sofa or chair if the worst happens and a simple wash won’t cut it anymore.

Plus, they’re affordable, which we need to prioritize in our lives right now. One day, we’ll be a household with a high-end sofa with amazing performance fabric, but right now, that isn’t practical for us.

As for rugs, I’m a die-hard Ruggable fan. The initial splurge on our 8x10’ living room rug felt daunting, but it’s already paid for itself several times over. Whenever my toddler accidentally grinds a raspberry into the rug or spills her drink all over it, I’m grateful that I can easily wash it out rather than replace it. Plus, the low-pile Ruggable rugs are hardy and withstand being vacuumed daily, which is absolutely essential in our house.

Daily To-Do Lists Are a Must

Creating a to-do list of tasks is a daily part of my routine, and I genuinely don’t think I’d be as productive without it. There’s actually research behind the fact that to-do lists can help you be more productive and get things done.

A few things go on the list daily, including emptying and loading the dishwasher, vacuuming, tidying the house, etc. Then, I add some less regular tasks as needed (like washing the windows or cleaning the bathroom).

As someone who is self-employed and works from home (while also being a stay-at-home mom), I’ll add a disclaimer here that being home every day undoubtedly helps me get around to more household cleaning than if I worked outside of the home.

However, I still think to-do lists can help everyone be more productive around the house. There’s something so satisfying about checking something off the list, and it genuinely helps me remember what I need to get done.

I Always Do an ‘Evening Close’

I saw someone use the term ‘evening close’ on TikTok to describe her evening cleaning routine (like when you work at a restaurant), and I think it perfectly describes the process. Every night after my toddler is asleep and before I head to bed, I ensure the house is tidy, and things are ready for the next day. I hate nothing more than waking up to a messy house, so while inconvenient and exhausting at times, it’s always worth it.

This usually includes loading and starting the dishwasher with all of the dinner dishes, tidying up the last of my toddler’s things from the day, giving the house a quick sweep or vacuum, and wiping down the kitchen counters.

Weekends Are for Deep Cleans

Lastly, deep cleans exclusively happen on the weekend when my husband and I are both home. This includes things like mopping all the floors, deep cleaning the bathrooms, thoroughly dusting, doing all of our laundry from the week (yes, this usually happens all at once on the weekend), and more. Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t necessarily doing extensive deep cleans of the house every weekend, but Saturdays and Sundays are the days when these types of cleaning tasks usually happen.

Read Next: The Dirtiest Places in Your House (and How to Clean Them)

Read the original article on The Spruce.