We often get this question. Well, not every day the house is blemish-free. I think the interior design has given us the motivation to deal with mess as quick as we can. I believe it’s also a matter of perspective and a commitment to always keep it back to its look and feel that we love.
When the kids mess up, they know that they should also clean up. Even our 2-year old learned to develop that habit.
How? First, we tell them, then we show them how. And they grow even better than me. There are times my kids would call me out because I dropped a crumb on the floor, or I did not put my shoes the right way on the rack.
That just says how much they look up to us in doing things.
So I sneaked some snaps below during their play because I wanted to see how messed up the living room could be. So far…
But you see, despite the mess, it still did not ruin the design completely. That’s the beauty when you deal with the mess when it happens.
One of the benefits we’re enjoying with a good interior design is the convenience to maintain orderliness – not because there is always the urgency to tidy up, but because the way the house was designed fits well for easy cleaning. It doesn’t feel like you need to make general cleaning all the time.
And to help us keep it low-maintenance, we make sure they know these 4 things:
- Limit the number of toys they play with at a time.
- Everything has a place, and everyone knows the place, including the toddler.
- Teach them about where they should keep their toys when they’re not playing.
- Keep their toy racks within reach so they can independently do it.
Show them the way
If you noticed in the photos above, the kids play with one toy at a time most of the time. I wouldn’t take the credit for that. Aya’s influence on her younger brother is so big that he has quickly adapted her habits.
The only fight that happens between the two is when Buybuy wanted to play with more toys, but Aya doesn’t approve – because, in her words, “he will just mess up.”
To make it a habit, we need to show them the way by modeling – without them realizing they’re being trained. Here are a few small tasks that they can pick up to learn at home, other than with toys:
- Putting shoes in the right places
- Putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket
- Hanging the towels after using
- Putting their books back to the shelves
- Clearing the table after use
- Wiping their own spills on the floor
- Making their bed in the morning
Another thing I realized, when you do things cheerfully with them, they will develop an instinct to copy what you do because they see happiness in you doing them.
Proverbs 22:6 is very true, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.“
One perspective to look at
The ‘perspective’ that I mentioned at the top of this article is actually inspired by this message in the bible:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
Even in maintaining a clean and orderly house, we commit to doing it with thanksgiving in the name of the Lord. After all, we believe that God is with us at home right? So why not desire to keep it clean and well-maintained, just as how he instructed people in the bible on how to keep his house clean.
Cleanliness at home is biblical and wise, “By wisdom, a house is built, and by understanding, it is established.“
On keeping up with standards
Some people say when you have a toddler and you have a clean house, you must be spending more time cleaning rather than more time with the kids.
And I’ve heard a few people who praise moms for having a messy house because, apparently, they spend all their time with the kids, and they’re just being real.
While I partially disagree with the above statements, I understand that some parents really need to spend more time with the kids and that’s okay. How much more those with more kids. I think a personal commitment to keeping things low maintain could help.
Whatever works best for you and the family, keep at it. It’s okay to be inspired. Pick up the encouragement. BUT, remember, you don’t have to conform to the standard of others. We all have different standards and that’s okay.
