Drew and Jonathan’s Top 10 House-Cleaning Hacks for Busy Parents
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So you have kids, but want to keep the house clean? Good luck!
We’re kidding, but we do know how difficult it is to have a sparkling space when you have little ones running around. With all the toys, stuffies, books, and everyday essentials you need as a parent, it’s tricky to stay on top of everything. No one understands this more than Drew and Jonathan—but over the years, they’ve found clever ways to control the chaos, and they’re ready to share their secrets with you.
Below, you’ll find Drew and Jonathan’s best cleaning hacks for parents and busy families who want to maintain a clean and organized home. Here’s their first tip: Don’t put too much pressure on yourself! You can only do so much in a day. But these hacks will hopefully make it even easier to check things off your to-do list.
1. Use Only What You Need
The more you have, the more you have to clean. Pare down to only what you need, while still making sure you have enough of the essentials so you don’t have to constantly wash things. There’s no sense in running half-empty dishwasher loads, so have just enough dishes to make it through a few days. —Jonathan
2. Get Outside
During the warmer months, encourage more playtime outside. They get fresh air and sunshine, and no one is cluttering up your clean living room. —Drew
3. Try Jonathan’s Golden Rule
Keep the kids motivated to clean up their play area themselves. Our rule is: When we go out or when the kids go to bed, if they leave anything on the floor of the playroom or bedrooms, that means we can throw it out or donate it. They won’t believe you the first time—trust me—so you do have to follow through. But it works! Now all I have to say is, “OK so you guys don’t want this stuff?” and they immediately run and put everything back. —Jonathan
4. Cleanup, But Make It Fun
Gameify it! We got Parker a little play vacuum when he was little and now he’s graduated to a real mini one. Cleaning is his favorite activity! Our floors have never been more spotless. With the older kids, you can make it a mini competition: Set the timer for 15 minutes and assign chores. If everyone completes theirs, they get a prize like a later bedtime or a special snack during movie night. —Drew
5. Cover Your Bases (And Your Floors)
In our playroom, we have these beautiful mats that cover our hardwood floors. They protect the floors from damage, and they’re also soft and waterproof so if the kids spill, it’s easy to clean up. They look nice, too! —Jonathan
6. Take It One Activity at a Time
This is an oldie but it really works. Clean up after their first activity before moving onto the next. So if they’re coloring, ask them to put away the crayons and paper before playing with toys. It’ll save you from a stressful hours-long sweep at the end of the day. —Drew
7. One In, One Out
We’ve trained the kids to understand the one in, one out mentality where we have to donate old toys to make room for new ones. It’s a routine they’re used to now, so they don’t get upset when it’s time to get rid of stuff. —Jonathan
8. Be Prepared for Anything (No Really, Anything)
Let’s be honest: Kids are messy. Even if you have meals and playtime relegated to specific rooms, there’s still going to be accidents. So keep all your necessary stain removers handy. I like to have Magic Erasers for things like marks on the walls or tables, plus carpet and couch sprays for your everyday spills. —Drew
9. Use Smart Storage
Storage is essential and baskets in every room are key. We also label all of our bins so it makes it easy for the kids to know where they should put their toys when they’re done. —Jonathan
10. Drew’s Best Advice
My best tip? I said it here. —Drew
