Maintaining a Clean House While Homeschooling

Before homeschooling my children ever crossed my mind, I day dreamed -over the noise of a crying baby and a busy toddler- of one day enjoying a silent and clean house after shuffling children out the door and into a traditional school building for hours a day.

Call it a selfish vision or not, it isn’t reality for me today. Since I made the very selfless decision to homeschool my girls, I’ve had to reconsider how to maintain a clean home. I don’t get hours of free time a day to spend however I choose (and to be honest, I probably wouldn’t even spend the time cleaning if I did have it) and my guess is you don’t either. So, let’s look at a few ways we could maintain clean homes while educating our kids from home.

Create and Keep a Schedule or Routine

It helps to know what needs to get accomplished in your homeschool each day and it helps to know what areas of your home need attention each day. If keeping to a schedule would be a help to you, then develop one or print one out (they are super easy to find online). If you find sticking to a schedule difficult, then try a routine. Make a check list of household things to do each day or as often as needed and complete them as you have the time. Cleaning up as you go is a great routine to develop, especially in the midst of homeschooling experiments. 

Let Little Hands Help

It’s important that our children learn to help around the house and care for their things. Make a game of it, whistle while you work and don’t forget to count your cleaning day as class time – Home Economics, anyone? 

Hire Help

If the mess is overwhelming you and your budget allows, don't feel ashamed to hire help. It could be a professional housekeeper or the teenager who lives next door. You might want help to watch your little ones while you clean or to do the cleaning for you, it’s up to you. 

Clean Up Your Attitude

Attitude is everything. When you can’t change a situation, you can change how you view it. You may have to change your idea or ideal of clean. You may have to sacrifice your dream of a spotless home to homeschool your children. Just remember it’s a season. Knock the mountain of laundry off the couch, cuddle up and read a book together and enjoy it.

So, how do you keep a clean house while homeschooling? Has your standard of clean changed since you began homeschooling? 

Del Kroemer

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

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