Mom life- 75+ tips for a beautiful tidy home

As a mom, especially with my four, keeping a tidy home often feels impossible.

You see those moms Instagram who have it all and you wonder, “how do they do it?” Spoiler alert – they really don’t.

Their mom life involves toys scattered across the living room, dishes piling up in the sink, and laundry that multiplies overnight – just like yours.

It can be overwhelming, even to the most tidy of us all. However, with the right plan and mindset, you can conquer the clutter and create an organized space for your family.

Here, we explore practical tips, organization hacks, and storage solutions that will help you keep a tidy home while navigating the challenges of motherhood. Let’s just go.

How do you simplify your mom life?

Let’s get to it.

1. The power of decluttering

One of the key steps to maintaining an organized home is decluttering. With children, stuff tends to accumulate fast, but by embracing a minimalist mindset and dejunking, you can reclaim your space.

There are many benefits of purging, like reduced stress, improved focus, and more usable living areas. Involve your kids in the process, and make decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard. Make sure to schedule regular decluttering sessions.

2. Empower the daily routine

Making and sticking to daily routines can massively contribute to an organized household. Discuss the importance of implementing routines for yourself and your kids, emphasizing the predictability and structure they bring. Offer suggestions for morning and evening routines, including tasks like making beds, tidying up toys, and setting the table for breakfast. Also, create age-appropriate chores, teaching kids responsibility and contributing to the household.

3. Use efficient storage options

• Utilize that vertical space: Don’t forget to look up! Use vertical storage, like installing wall shelves or utilizing over-the-door organizers.
• My family loves to use clear storage bins so we can throw items in there and see what we’ve got

3. Create a command center

• Command centers and family calendars: pick a spot for a centralized command center or family calendar to keep track of appointments, school events, and other important information. My family uses a dry erase white board system.

4. Create an incoming/outgoing space

• Create a designated space for incoming and outgoing items, such as an inbox for mail and an outbox for items to be returned or donated.

5. Labels, labels, labels

• Sorting and labeling: Putting items into categories and labeling containers maintains order and allows you to easily locate belongings.

6. Utilize a toy rotation system

• Toy rotation: that’s where a number of toys are kept out while the rest are stored away where the kids can’t see them. This strategy helps cut clutter and keeps kids interested in their toys because you’re regularly bringing out items they haven’t seen in a while.

7. Create functional kid-friendly spaces

To create a calm mom life, consider the needs of your children. Create functional and kid-friendly spaces to foster independence and encourage their help in maintaining an organized environment.

• Designated play areas: Use specific areas for play, such as a playroom or a corner in the living room, where toys can be easily accessed and put away
• Child-sized storage solutions: Incorporate low shelves, cubbies, or bins that are reachable for kids to independently store and access their belongings.

8. No lid, no problem

If you’re kids are like mine, the spill – a lot. Lids get lost frequently in my house. If you’ve got a drink you’re child is destined to spill and no lid in sight. No worries. Grab a cupcake liner and place top of the drink. Poke a straw through the liner and the day is saved!

9. Display their artwork

• Displaying artwork: Showcase your children’s art by using clipboards, frames, or a dedicated art display wall. This helps prevent paper clutter while celebrating their creativity. It also instills a sense of pride that you appreciate their work.

10. Create designated homework stations

• Homework stations: Set up designated spaces for older children to focus on homework or crafts, equipped with supplies and organizers to keep everything where it belongs.

11. Streamline your chores – for you and your family

Keeping up with household chores can be overwhelming for moms. Streamline your cleaning routines and involve your children in age-appropriate tasks.

• Daily quick cleanups: Set aside a few minutes each day for a quick tidying session. Encourage your children to pick up their belongings or put away their toys. Set a 5-minute timer and do as much as you can quickly

12. Utilize Family Chore charts

• Chore charts and rewards: Implement a chore chart system to track tasks and provide incentives or rewards to motivate your children. This helps instill responsibility and accountability.

13. Manage the paperwork clutter immediately

With children in school, paperwork and school-related clutter can quickly pile. Manage and organize paperwork effectively by:

• Sorting and categorizing: Establish a system for sorting and categorizing important documents, such as school notices, permission slips, and artwork. Use folders, binders, or digital organization tools to keep everything organized and easily accessible.

14. Utilize digital organization

• Digital organization: Explore digital alternatives for storing and organizing paperwork, such as scanning important documents or using digital apps specifically designed for managing school-related information. You can always snap a picture of it with your phone and create a separate album for schoolwork.

15. Manage the email/online clutter regularly

The emails and online messaging can accumulate quickly. Set a time each day or twice weekly to go through, respond and delete emails. Also take advantage of setting up filters, utilizing folders and labels, and unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters or subscriptions.

16. Be consisitent and yet flexible

While it’s crucial to establish systems and routines, it’s equally important to stay flexible and adapt as your family’s needs change. Encourage moms to find a balance between maintaining consistency and embracing the ebb and flow of family life.

• Regular check-ins: Schedule regular evaluations of your organization systems and routines to assess their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
• Evolving with age and stages: Recognize that their needs and belongings will change as your children grow. Be open to changing your organization strategies accordingly.

17. Embrace imperfection

• Embracing imperfection: Understand that maintaining a perfectly organized home all the time may not be realistic. Embrace imperfections and focus on progress rather than perfection.

18. Maximize small spaces

Small spaces can still be super useful.

• Consider investing in multifunctional furniture: Seek out furniture pieces that serve multiple purposes, such as storage ottomans or beds with built-in drawers.
• Creative storage solutions: In my house we utilize under-bed clear storage bins for gift bags and wrapping paper.
• Also consider hanging organizers on the back of doors, or using tension rods to create extra shelf space inside cabinets.

19. Seek out support and accountability

Seek out like minded mom who share the same goals and desires. Maintaining an organized home can be a team effort. Look for support and accountability from family members, friends, or online communities.

Consider partnering with a friend who also wants to create an organized home. Schedule regular organizing sessions together and provide encouragement and support to each other.

20. Try to make tidying up fun or challenging

• Participate in organizing challenges or join online communities where moms share their organizing journeys, exchange tips, and provide support and motivation.

21. Utilize technology so kids can show the finished chore

If you’re busy and don’t have time to check that you’re child has cleaned their room or the basement or they’ve done the chore you asked them, use your phone. Hand them your phone to take a picture of their work and show you while you’re doing other things.

22. Delegate Tasks to get the most out of your mom life

• Delegate Tasks: Don’t try to do everything yourself. Assign age-appropriate tasks to your children and enlist your partner’s help. Sharing the tidying responsibilities teaches valuable life skills and reduces your workload.

23. Make the bed daily

• Encourage everyone in the family to make their beds each morning. It’s a small and simple task, but it instantly makes a room look neater. It also sets a positive tone for the day

24. Designate an area for school supplies

Designate a specific spot for storing school supples, backpacks and lunchboxes. Hooks or cubbies near the entrance or in a mudroom can keep these belongings organized and easily accessible.

25. Utilize drawer dividers

Use drawer dividers in kitchen drawers, bathroom cabinets, and dresser drawers to keep items neatly separated and easy to find. This prevents items from getting jumbled together and makes it easier to stay tidy.

26. Clear those countertops

• Clear Countertops: Keep kitchen and bathroom countertops clutter-free by only leaving out essential items. Store appliances, toiletries, and other non-essential items in cabinets or drawers to create a clean and organized look.

27. Establish clean up rules

• Establish a Toy Cleanup Routine: Teach your children to clean up their toys before moving on to a new activity or before bedtime. Make it a fun game by setting a timer or playing music while they clean up. This instills a sense of responsibility and keeps toys from accumulating throughout the house.

28. Create a drop Zone

• Create a Drop Zone: Designate a specific area near the entrance of your home as a drop zone for keys, wallets, bags, and other items that tend to create clutter. Use hooks, a small table, or a wall organizer to keep everything organized and easily accessible.

29. Utilize the one in, one out rule

• The “One In, One Out” Rule: For every new item that comes into your home, make it a habit to remove one item that you no longer need or use. This helps prevent clutter from accumulating over time.

30. Use color coded binders

• Use color-coded folders or binders to organize important documents. In my house, I have one for each child. We put friends’ birthday invitations in there as well as flyers and such for upcoming events and papers that need to be dealt with in the near future.

31. Store seasonal clothing

This can be helpful especially if you don’t have large closets. Seasonal clothing can be stored in vaccume sealed bags especially to save space.

32. Keep a master shopping list

• Keep it in a place that accessible like on the fridge or a drawer everyone regularly uses. Everyone in the family can add items as you run out of them.

33. Keep cleaning supplies handy

• Keep a supply of basic cleaning products and tools in each bathroom for quick cleanups. That way if tooth paste gets smeared on the counter, there’s no excuse for it not to be cleaned up immediately.

34. Include kids in the laundry

Assign each family member a specific laundry basket or hamper for sorting clothes. Make sure they know they’re responsible for taking their clothes to their room and putting them away if they’re old enough.

35. Use pegs in the garage

Use hooks or pegboards in the garage or entryway to hang frequently used items like bags, coats, tennis rackets and regularly used sports equipment

36. Store cleaning supplies in a caddy

Store quality cleaning supplies in a portable caddy for easy access when moving from room to room.

37. Assign specific days for cleaning

Assign specific days for certain household tasks to maintain a consistent cleaning routine.

38. Meal plan

Keep a weekly or monthly meal plan posted on the fridge for easy reference. That way the kids will know what’s for dinner and it makes grocery shopping easier and more budget friendly

39. Designate a charging station

Keep a designated area for charging devices, with labeled cables for each family member.

40. Put an ice pack sponge in your child’s lunch box

Freeze a clean wet sponge overnight and throw in a ziplock bag in the morning. Put it in with your child’s lunch box to keep items cold during the day. Then your child can use it to clean up their own lunch space after eating solidifying them as a favorite student by their teacher!

41. Appreciate the tidy space

Take time to notice the cleaned up space and appreciate it. Many kids thrive on affirmation so let them know they’ve done a great job and you’re grateful for them.

42. Explain why cleaning is important when it comes to hygiene

Talk to your kids about why it’s better for everyone’s health to live in a clean house. Cutting down on germs and keeping spaces in order benefits everyone.

43. Prep the night before and save time

Get backpacks and bags prepped the night before so save time and cut stress in the mornings. I make my kids set out their shoes and socks in their cubbies the night before so we’re not searching for them as we’re trying to get out the door.

44. Start with “pretending to clean”

Young kids often want to be involved in the activity especially when they watch their older siblings doing something. Start them young and engrain in them early the art of tidying and keeping up with their stuff. My 3 year-old has a toy vacuum she loves to use when I’m utilizing the deal and cleaning the house.

45. Don’t clean while they nap

It seems counterintuitive, right? I mean, why not clean while the’re sleeping to maximize productivity? If you clean while they nap, your kids may wake up and think things are tidied magically. They need to see you working and they need to know it’s their job to work at keeping the house sorted as well.

46. Give kids choices

Giving kids a a choice about what they clean or organize can help them to feel empowered. Also, most of us have chores we prefer not to do, but others may not mind. If one child likes to vaccumm out the car, while the other prefers wiping windows, allow them to pick the one they prefer.

47. Organize like with like

It seems obvious but it doesn’t always happen this way. Put like items together when you’re putting them away. All the stuffed animals go in the stuffed animal bin, while all the baby dolls and baby doll clothes go together in a seperate bin. That way, when I child is looking for a specific outfit for a baby, it “should” be a quick search to locate it.

48. Everything has a place, and everyone knows the place

You’ve probably heard the saying, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”

It actually does work but you’ve got to have everyone on the same page. Everyone has to know the place where the items goes and that place has to make the most sense for your family.

If you put the smoothie accessories far away from the smoothie maker, that doesn’t make much sense. You want the items that are used together, close together. Watch your family’s habits and organize your space so that it fits those habits.

49. Plan for events and holidays at least a month or two ahead

I’m by no means a “season pusher” but there is something to be said for getting ahead especially when it comes to holidays. They can come on your quickly so getting ahead of the shopping, and even a little decorating can make you feel more on top of your game. Just make sure you designate one specific place for putting gifts and such so you’re not looking everywhere for them when the holiday arrives.

Planning ahead is especially helpful leading up to Halloween. If you can figure out costume ideas early, it’s super helpful. Many of the popular ones sell out or get crazy expensive at the last minute. Save yourself a headache and cash by figuring preparing for Halloween costumes in the late summer if possible.

50. Embrace screen time when needed

• We try not to overdo screen time in our house but it can be a great tool. Don’t be afraid to hand the kids an ipad or turn on a fun show so you can focus for a set period of time and really get done what you need to get done.

51. Leave space

Every nook and cranny and drawer doesn’t need to be filled. It’s refreshing to have plenty of space in between items and it can also be aesthetically appealing.

52. Purge at holidays and birthdays

Right before birthdays and holidays can be a great time to schedule a toy purge. Tell your kids it’s time to make space for new fun items to come into your lives. With a new batch of toys headed their way, they likely won’t miss the old ones they didn’t play with much anyway.

53. Do laundry daily

I find when I go multiple days (or even one day sometimes) without doing laundry it can pile up quickly and become overwhelming. I try to do at least a load a day to keep it from taking over my life.

54. Don’t redo their work

• It can be tempting to “fix” the space your child just cleaned or organize but try to refrain. If it’s not perfect, it’s not perfect. So what? Remember done is always better than perfect. We don’t want to send to the message to children that what they’ve accomplished isn’t good enough.

55. Be specific

Especially with younger kids, speficity can make all the difference in setting them up for success. Instead of saying, “Go clean up the basement” it might be easier for the kids to comprehend “Go to the basement and put away all the babies in the baby doll container and all the cars need to be put up on the shelves.”

56. Request “experience” gifts as opposed to toys

You don’t have to clean up what you don’t own, right? When grandparents and relatives ask for gift ideas, I often suggest experiences my kids would enjoy. Recently my parents gave our kids a fishing excursion when we were in Cinnamon Beach Florida. The had a blast and we made incredible memories. It was so much better than a game or toy that would get stuffed in a drawer and forgotten a week alter. Other ideas include:

• Zoo memberships
• Swim lessons
• gift card to a water park
• Indoor rock climbing
• Trampoline park passes
• Round of mini-golf
• Bowling outing
• Membership to a museum they enjoy
• Afternoon at the arcade

57. Do not make kids clean as punishment

It can be tempting to send kids to vaccumm or clean the bathroom as punishment for poor behavior. This sends the wrong message and encourages kids to associate cleaning and tidying with something negative. It’s better to keep things positive and encouraging and that way, they may sometime want to do it on their own.

58. Factor clean up time into play dates

Make sure to factor in a good 10 to 15 minutes of clean-up time into play dates with friends. It can be frustrating for your child to have to pick up all by themselves after a friend has gone home especially if that friend got a bunch of items out.

When my child goes to another house I always text the parent when it’s time to head home. I message, “Could you please have them clean-up and head home in about 10 minutes?” That way it’s engrained into all the kids that clean-up is part of playing together.

59. Clean the bathroom while kids are in the bath

When your kids are little, wiping down counters and spraying the toilet can be a quick chore to knock-out when your child is in the bath. Most kids like at least a little bath play time after they’ve washed. You don’t want to leave them alone, and you also hates to waster precious time. If you keep a small caddy of cleaning supples under the sink, it makes for great quick cleaning time.

60. Inspire decluttering by letting kids pick the charity

Whenever we purge toys, we talk about how much it’s going to mean to the next child who receives the items we’ve outgrown. This can make letting go a little easier. Consider letting your child pick the charity where her toys get donated. Hearing about the organization’s mission can often inspire them to want to give more.

61. Keep it small and manageable

When you’re tidying or decluttering, it’s often easier to start small. Looking at the massive cluttered storage room can be daunting and deflating. Start with one wall or one section and set a timer. It’s easier to tackle if you spend 15 minutes on it and then move on to something else. Looking at that small organized section can also inspire you to do more.

62. Make allowance dependent on chores being finished- including fees and bonuses

Kids can be highly motivated by the prospect of making money. You can offer and allowance for regular chores and expectations. Also, make sure to reward a child who goes above and beyond with bonuses. Likewise, a child who doesn’t fulfill her obligations may encure a fee for work not finished.

I have friends who like to use an app called Rooster Money to manage their kids allowance and teach them about money. You can set up automatic allowance payments once chores are completed and even split up payments into different pots for spending, saving, and givine.

63. Add the element of make-believe

Why not try to make tidying up a little fun. Instead of saying, “Clean up your room,” how about try, “Who do you think is faster at cleaning up? You or the fairies flying all about!”

Add some music and dance moves while putting away all the swords and Nerf guns. Imagine you’re getting everything ready for a major fashion show while hanging up all the dress-up clothes. Magic makes everything better.

64. Prioritize the kitchen

Unload the dishwaster first things in the morning. Wipe down the counters in the evening and make sure the sink is empty and wiped. Just having the kitchen itself cleaned up makes you feel more organzed immediately. The kitchen is a well trafficked space so if you only have time to clean up one space, make sure it’s the kitchen.

65. Buy less

I know it sounds simple, and it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. I think about purchases for quite a while before I buy them. Almost to a fault, as sometimes I go back and what I wanted to buy is gone. But when you have less stuff, you automatically have less to clean up.

66. Write it down

Sometimes when I rattle off a list of expectations to my kids, I feel like I sound like the teacher from Charlie Brown. “Wha, Wha, Woh, Wha, Wha, Woh.”

Then I get frustrated when they only accomplish a few of the multi-step tasks I listed. Sometimes it’s helpful to write down what needs to be done. You might even print it and put the page in a plastic sheet protector so the kids can check off what they’ve done as they go. That leads me to my next tip.

67. Make a morning checklist and an evening one

Before my kids head to school in the morning they’re expected to complete their morning checklist. The expectations grow as the kids do. But for the most part, in the morning my kids are required to:

• get dressed, brush teeth and hair
• put away bathroom toiletries
• make bed and put dirty clothes in laundry basket
• prepare school lunch
• have breakfast and clean up plate and put in the dishwasher
• grab water bottle in put in backpack
• love Jesus and be kind

Each child has their own list in a plastic sheet protector and they check off the items with a dry erase marker. That way, I’m not constantly nagging them about their to-do list.

66. Clear the counters

Stuff loves company. If you have some stuff in a pile on the counter, what the harms in adding just a little bit more? Don’t do it! Make it habit to keep the counterspace, especially in the kitchen, clean and clear.

67. Let your kids organize their own stuff

Your organizational system may not be their system and it may not make the most sense for how they use their own space. If you had another person clean up your room, you likely wouldn’t be able to find a thing.

68. Take time for yourself

How does this factor in to keeping your house tidy and clean? Your mental health matters. If you’re spending every waking hour cleaning and organizing, you’re going to start to feel frustrated and grumpy. When I feel that way, I get snappy at my kids and my house isn’t the peacefully joyful one I strive for.

If you want to go to that Taylor Swift concert (and you’re able to drop the cash) do it! If you want take an hour out of your day and have coffee with a friend, do it! Make time to work out and take care of your body. The more you take care of yourself, the better mom and wife you can be to your family. Also, a night or two away with your spouse can do wonders for your soul and your relationship. Make time for it.

69. Clean as you cook

Before I started dating my husband, the kitchen often looked like a bomb went off after I cooked a meal. I learned how efficient it is, to clean as you cook the dinner by watching him. That means, washing the bowls, silverware, and cutting boards immediately after you’re done using them. Then put then on the dry rack or in the dish washer. Wipe down the counters immediately. Once you try this, you’ll realize it make the meal that much more enjoyable.

70. Always have an empty sink

Do not let the dishes accumulate in the sink. It makes the entire kitchen look messy. Take the extra two minutes and rinse dishes and put them in the dishwasher immediately. Teach your kids to do this as well.

71. Edit your closet as you go

Cleaning out my closet always seems daunting to me. I feel like I need to set aside 3 hours to really do it right. I never seem to find those 3 extra hours. If you just take 10 minutes and quickly scan one section, you can easily pick out items you haven’t worn in a while, or you don’t just love. Sometimes if I’m not sure if I can part with something, I’ll take it to the basement closet. If I don’t miss it after a few months, it needs to go.

72. Group kids’ clothing together as outfits

You can hang them this way or put them in the drawers folded together. This works especially well with girls clothing. I like to hang the ideal tank top with the shorts that match it the best. That way you can grab and go in the morning and don’t have to spend time searching for something that goes together.

73. Clean out the fridge monthly

I’ll be honest. This one is a major struggle for me. It’s so much easier to ignore the fact that the olives have the tinsiest bit of fuzz on them…. Just let them be!! Or the fact that maybe the cheese isn’t the freshest, just move on and pick something else. The truth is is doesn’t have to be major undertaking – set the timer for 20 mintues and knock it out. Check experation dates and wipe things down. Also, if you have a new fridge, they make it easier for you and honestly, the food stays fresher longer.

74. Consider zip it up bedding for kids

My sister uses these zip it up blankets for her kids’ room bunk beds and I love them. It makes making the bed a “zip!” My son is always complaining that it’s hard to make his top bunk, and I agree. With the zip it up system you can literally make your bed in about 30 seconds.

75. Introduce consequences

I often tell my kids if things aren’t picked up after I’ve reminded them, those items might go away for a time. I have a trash bag I’ll often put items in and I store it in the basement. If my kids ask, I tell them those items are in a time out because they weren’t treated properly. I’ve also heard of a mom who put her pre-teens dirty dishes in his bed when he repeatedly “forgot” to clean them up. I heard he never “forgot” again after finding them as he went to bed. That one made me chuckle.

76. Use the “touch it once” rule

The basic idea here is whenever you have a task in front of you, you immediately decide what to do with it. If you pick up and item that is out, you immediately put it away where it belongs. Whether it’s a piece of mail or a toy that needs to be put away, you act on it right away. Touching it once, saves time and energy.

77. Plan ahead for birthdays

I’m good at the last minute. Like really good. I can run around the house grabbing what we already own and throw together a lovely decorated dinner table in under 10 minutes. This is great, until it isn’t. I’ll find the perfect birthday party decoration online. Then reality hits me that the party is in two hours, and that item needs two day shipping. Sigh. Try to plan that party out in advance and order those needed items ahead. It’ll save money and stress. To see my favorite birthday cake toppers click here.

Conclusion

By implementing just a few these tips and strategies, we moms can conquer the challenges of keeping a tidy home while raising children.

Don’t be a hero. Don’t try to do it all at once. Let’s baby step this thing. Together.

Creating functional and kid-friendly spaces, streamlining chores, managing paperwork, and maintaining flexibility will help you establish an organized environment that supports your family’s needs.

Remember, organizing is a journey, so be patient and celebrate small victories along the way. With consistency and adaptability, you can master the art of organizing your home as a mom, creating a space that fosters peace, harmony, and happiness for your entire family. I’m open to any other tips you’ve found in your journey. Feel free to share!

Erica Fox

Hi I’m Erica! TV news anchor and mom to 4 littles. I’m obsessed with creating those “wow” moments in life through crafting at home, cool travel adventures and special celebrations with loved ones. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!