How do you get some serious cleaning done...

[Kangaskippy]

with kids (in my case 2 boys) following and screaming for attention and carrying on like total pork chops???

The room in question this time is the baby's room so hard to do if bub is asleep!!!

ARRGGHHHH!

any ideas/suggestions? (also note, i have no-one available to watch them when I want to do some serious cleaning up around the house):confused:

[Roopee]

*pulls chair up close to screen and eagerly awaits answers*

Is it even possible? I dont know Mez:laughing:

I usually set them up with something (playdough/movie/food) and
power clean'- or wait until they are in bed and do it super quiet.

Or- take them to the park and pay someone to do it? Ooooohhhhhh I WISH!:laughing:

[tyler's mum]

Put a dvd on, colouring books, play in back yard, puzzels. I never can clean unless tyler is asleep or not home. Good luck:thumbsup:

[Kangaskippy]

*pulls chair up close to screen and eagerly awaits answers*

Is it even possible? I dont know Mez:laughing:

I usually set them up with something (playdough/movie/food) and
power clean'- or wait until they are in bed and do it super quiet.

Or- take them to the park and pay someone to do it? Ooooohhhhhh I WISH!:laughing:

I would soooo love someone to come and just clean up and decide for me what to chuck and what to keep...

or just light a big bonfire in the back yard and toss it all in...lol

I had the TV on, new toys out, snacks and still they track me down and hang off my legs...

I am sure there has to be a better way!! unless I get DH or someone to take them to the park one afternoon and just clean clean clean as fast as possible??? that could work...:o

[tyler's mum]

Do it when they are asleep:yes:

[JabberJaw]

I just get my kids to help me, make it like a game. My kids like wiping things so i give them a spray bottle of water and they spray the walls with 'poison'! They are very careful! LOL and i give them latex gloves to wear. the baby, well i just give her collections of things from the particular room i am cleaning and she play happily or i put her in the walker and fill the tray with water that she splashes all over the place (we have tiles so it takes like 2 seconds to wipe up)

Just delegate little things for the kids to do and make them feel 'special'!

I do a major on Sat when the kids are all home and they always either help or get bored and go amuse themselves.

[nats]

I am (was) pretty fussy about house work but decided i'd have to give it up for atleast a while (year or so) and I do mean give it up (my house is a pig sty! I just wah dishes and clothes.
We do limit the mess by playing outside all day.

[nats]

I am sure there has to be a better way!! unless I get DH or someone to take them to the park one afternoon and just clean clean clean as fast as possible??? that could work...:o

DH used to take DS for a drive when he was 4 mo upward. It only takes me about one hour to have my house spotless (yes, even now he's 2!)

[Kangaskippy]

Do it when they are asleep:yes:

I do the main part of the house whilst they are asleep, but I am trying to clean the babys room as it becomes a bit of a storage room and it's impossible whilst bub is asleep...


DH used to take DS for a drive when he was 4 mo upward. It only takes me about one hour to have my house spotless (yes, even now he's 2!)

I think this is going to be the only way to get their rooms thoroughly cleaned, as I just tried again and again they followed me in and the crying was a bit unbearable...Jack at least was better and ran around like a small tornado, but Maxi was not a happy camper...I ended up putting him in his cot with lots of lovely toys to play with, but not what he wanted!!! arrggghhh...

Maybe I will just live with a messy overstuffed house??? I am sure I would have more luck removing a whole stack of junk if I could get the time to clean it up and sort it out...then the house might not "feel" so small!!!

sorry, just having a bit of a vent, really just need a new bigger house (which I am working on) but again will need to sort the stuff out to pack etc...

catch 22 really...might have to call in a few favours with a friend or rellie...:detective: thinking thinking thinking...

[Bunnyhugs]

How old are the kids? Can you invite a friend over for them to play with? That way they're occupied and you can do something for 5 mins, then check on them?

I find sometimes that's the easiest way to get stuff done at my place - although I only have one and he's 3.5 so maybe that's why it's possible?

[sare]

I did it yesterday...

Sent the girls to my bedroom with a bowl of popcorn and a dvd. Then closed the safety gate to the back room where I was cleaning. I checked on them repeatedly and they came down to see what I was doing, but they couldn't get in because of the safety gate. I now have a back end of the house, but you should have seen the mess in my room :laughing:

[Kangaskippy]

Jack is 2.5yrs and Max is 8mths...

Jack loooooves to help, but wants everything I get out to sort, so when he can't have it he now crys/just a tantrum (hopefully only a phase he's going through) and then maxi starts crying and I feel like I am losing my mind...

I feel bad if i invite my friend over to watch the kids as I would be the other end of the house...just doesn't feel right...although she may be able to take them for an hour or so?? mmm, she is just around the corner, but is recovering from the flu this week and about 9wks preg with her 4th child (only 1 is living)...so might be a bit much of an ask...

that said, jack is now laying fully on my loungeroom floor sound asleep and Max is chatting in his cot...there goes vacumming and washing the floors...lol, I can't win today..:no::D

[Knocked_for_six]

Hire a cleaner :laughing:

I do a tidy up during ‘quite time’ which is 1-2pm Lacey has a nap and Oliver reads, does some coloring, or quite play by himself in his room, (it is just part of our daily routin that he has come to accept, persistance is key) I find it gives me enough time to give the house a good tidy up, sweep, put the dishes on and so forth.:thumbsup:

[Bunnyhugs]

I meant invite a kiddy friend around but your boys are too young for that.

Hmmm, sorry I don't have any more suggestions.

[Kangaskippy]

ooo, the baby gate is an idea...I have a spare one...

I have a gate on the kitchen so I can wash up and cook without little hands helping or clawing up my leg and it is a lifesaver!!!

Most of the other stuff like sweeping/vacumming/dusting/tidying up is ok with them around helping, but the minute I try to clean their rooms the laundry or the bathroom/toilet it becomes a major operation...I need about 50 arms!!

[Kangaskippy]

I meant invite a kiddy friend around but your boys are too young for that.

Hmmm, sorry I don't have any more suggestions.

opps, my bad...yep that's an idea...my friend has a 3.5yr old and Jack plays really well with her outside...might be an idea...

thanks ladies, I really am appreciative of your suggestions and advice...I didn't have this sort of problem when I only had the one child, but with 2 of them, I find it a bit like a mission!