How to Keep a “Toddler Run Home” Ready for Guests

I am so tired of making excuses for my home looking like a disaster. Show of hands if you’ve ever given an excuse to the neighborhood mom club so they wouldn’t schedule a playdate at your house. Or sat on the couch mortified because unexpected guests showed up. I have never been the perfect housewife, but I want my house to be clean. I don’t want to work hard for it, because frankly I don’t have the time when juggling the toddler. And speaking of the toddler, how is such a small child so messy? Damnit, Mama, can’t you keep your house clean? Don’t worry because I’ve got tips to keep your toddler run home ready for guests.

Seven tips for keeping your “toddler run home” ready for guests

1. Make the bed. This is so simple, and makes such a difference. I know the excuse is “but no one will be in the bedroom,” but fact of the matter is that a made bed sets the tone for the room. I’m not suggesting you pull taunt a hospital corner on your flat sheet, just straighten the blanket and pick the pillows up off the floor.
   
2. Designate a toy area. Ideally all of your toddler’s toys are in their room, but we know that’s not the case. They want their toys where they are most, which is in the living area. First and foremost, allow them to have two or three staple toys in the public area. Something they play with every day. We have her activity desk, toy kitchen, and her big colorful blocks. Then, designate an area where those toys must stay. When in a rush, shove them all into that corner. Organized chaos.
3. The Big Three. When all else fails, I focus on what I call the big three: dishes, garbage, and laundry. If all the dishes are in the sink (or dishwasher), all the garbage is in the can, and all the laundry is in the hamper, the house suddenly looks less dirty. Even if it’s cluttered.
4. Absolutely no “junk drawers”. This was a hard one for my husband. By allowing a junk drawer, or a catch-all basket, you are setting your self up for collecting junk. Just say no. If it doesn’t have a place, it means you don’t need it, so it goes in the trash.
5. Put all toys away before bed. When Sassy was in her early tot stages, we spent five minutes before bed to tuck away all of her toys. Now as a toddler, we are very strict with her play room and she knows that everything goes in her bins before she’s allowed to go to sleep. (And no, she’s not allowed to stay awake either.)
   
6. Purge. Purge. Purge. Point blank, a house with less stuff has less to clutter. Humans are naturally hoarders. We save things because they were gifts, or expensive. We hold on to items that remind us of happiness, but the item itself does not spark joy. So many items in our house are not there because we like them, they’re there because we feel guilty throwing them away.
7. Designate a Cleaning Day. This could be weekly, or it could be monthly, or it could be both. We have a list of things we do each week on Sunday while we meal prep for the week. Then once each month we go through and do some of the deeper tasks. By setting the date and sticking to it consistently, it isn’t as daunting because you know it is coming.

If you spend 15 minutes each day tidying, and an hour or so on the weekend, you too can take control of your castle. You won’t panic if the in-laws call to say they just took your exit on the interstate. Thanks to these #MomHacks, you can quickly eliminate the Big Three (dishes, laundry, and garbage), wipe the counters and tables, and still have time to dig out that sweater your sweet mother-in-law picked out. You probably even have time to wipe the toddlers face to avoid the “is that chocolate” question at the door.

I can’t promise you that a photographer could come in on any given day and document your home for the latest edition of a lifestyle magazine. But I can assure you that if you follow these seven steps you will no longer bow your head in shame when unexpected guests arrive. You will no longer point the blame on the toddler who is busy making memories.

So tell me, toddler moms… What hacks do you have to share? I want to know how you keep your house ready for unexpected guests.