Let’s be honest: trying to maintain a clean and tidy home when you have kids is much like trying to brush your teeth while simultaneously eating Oreos. It’s a noble effort, definitely well-intentioned, but ultimately feels completely pointless and almost impossible to achieve.
Raising kids and fighting clutter is my other full-time job—too bad it doesn’t come with benefits or paid time off.
The honest truth? Clutter comes with the territory when you’re raising small humans who believe every Happy Meal toy is a family heirloom. You clean one room, they destroy three. You donate a pile of clothes, they outgrow five more outfits overnight. You finally get rid of the plastic play kitchen, and somehow it reappears in grandma’s trunk next week like it’s haunted.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
You’re not failing — you’re living. A messy house with kids isn’t a sign of chaos; it’s a sign of activity, learning, and survival. But here’s the catch — clutter multiplies fast when you stop paying attention, and suddenly your hallway looks like a daycare exploded.
The Balance?
It’s not perfection. It’s maintenance.
Keep a “donation station.” Let go of the guilt with the toy purges. Involve your kids (even if they whine). And most importantly, stop trying to do it all in one day — you’ll burn out and probably cry over a broken crayon.
Kids grow fast. Stuff piles up faster. But sanity? That’s what we’re after. Minimalism with kids doesn’t mean bare floors and sad shelves — it means less stuff, more space, and a little more peace between the chaos.
Simply Sanely
So no, you’re not crazy. You’re just juggling motherhood — and the clutter is proof you’re doing the job. Sure, the clutter’s constant — but so is the love, the noise, and the wild little humans who make the mess worth managing. You’re not failing; you’re just raising people… and that’s the most badass (and messiest) job there is. Life is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.