Making 30 minutes Count: Cleaning and Parenting Time Hacks

We have been very busy with school and work, which means that some things are getting lost in the shuffle, or we have less time to do the things we usually do. Cleaning, organizing, and one-on-one parent-kid time have gotten lost in the shuffle. So we recently decided to make sure that we take a few extra minutes each day to do these things. All we really need is a few minutes. If you have limited time but want a few easy ways to make sure things get done, try these simple hacks.

Bathroom cleaning: We have been so busy this has been low on the list. When I do not have time for a deep clean, I make sure that I do little things. After the kids hop out of the shower and bath, I use a sponge and a little spray bottle of Dawn Dish Soap and water and give the shower a quick spray after the kids hop out and then wipe it down. This slows down the growth of water build-up and soap scum.

Toilet cleaning: I always keep Clorox wipes in the kids' bathroom. A few quick swipes after everyone goes to bed cleans any outside mess. I also keep a little bit of toilet cleaner in the toilet brush holder. So that the brush is always immersed in a bit of cleanser, then I just give the bowl a quick scrub, and voila, less mess!

One-on-one Kid Time: We try to make sure we get a little one-on-one time with each kid, which can be tricky. We recently started making sure that the other is getting their storytime when one is in the tub. This means one parent can do some organizing or a quick clean-up while the oldest showers. The other parent can do storytime with the younger kid. While the younger kid gets his bath (now the parents switch) and the older kid gets storytime.

All of these small little hacks have been helping us utilize small amounts of time in significant ways. Now we can get a lot of things done in a small window, usually about 30 minutes each evening. It may not seem like much, but it can help make a huge difference.