It really depends on your level of tolerance. I recommend really developing tolerance for “things out of place” and learn not to confuse that with “dirty house.”

Put some baskets out to round up toys. Involve your children in picking up. If they are old enough to pick a toy up, they’re old enough to put it in the basket. But remember, toys strewn about are the sign of children who love to play, so don’t let it stress you!

Do what my mom recommended: Give your house a lick and a promise! Keep floors and surfaces reasonably clear, dust at eye level and down when you have time, dust mop the floors as often as you can. Keep Lysol wipes in the bathroom and wipe the lavatory, counters and toilet daily. Those are the areas your children will come in contact with daily, so those are the areas you try to get to. Wash dishes as you go and let them drip dry…I frequently used drip dried dishes without them ever getting put away between meals! And don’t stress! Kids really read our moods and it’s better they have a relaxed happy momma than a spotless house.

As your kids get older, normalize their participation in keeping their living space clean.

Here is the most important and vital advice I have to give: People before things. People, even little ones, always come first. Tend to your babies and enjoy them and their little messes! I am 71 so my children are grown. They do not talk about how our ceiling fans were dusty. They talk about how I would get down on the floor and play with them, how I read to them, how I let them use couch cushions, tables, chairs and blankets to build forts.

You’re in the thick of it right now, so it probably feels like this stage of your life will last forever. The days are long, but the years are short. They will be grown in a blink of your eye, so don’t miss their childhood. That ceiling fan can wait!