Congratulations on bringing your new baby home! It’s a life-changing experience, so don’t worry too much about how to get housework done with a baby. But we will show you some great tips to help.
As new parents, you now have to juggle taking care of your baby and keeping up with daily life chores. You might even have a toddler to take care of, too. The struggle is real!
Let’s start with tips on doing chores with a baby, followed by some for toddlers who will soon be crawling around your home.
The biggest tip I can give you right now is to sleep when the baby sleeps and don’t stress about the house.
If you are well-rested and your baby sleeps through the night, then it’s okay to clean during their nap time. However, the chances are you might be exhausted, so it’s better to take naps when your baby is napping. This way, you can regain your energy to complete your day’s tasks.
You should love and enjoy your baby, as they grow up too fast. Make sure to get enough sleep to be a good parent.
Tips: How To Get Housework Done With A Baby
Yes, I do understand the house doesn’t clean itself so figure out what needs to be done each day.
- It would be helpful to create a chart that separates the tasks that need to be done daily from those that can be done on a weekly or monthly basis. Having a visual chart of all the chores and their frequency can help you organize and plan your cleaning routine more effectively.
- If you have a spouse, you can ask them to help with the household chores or babysitting. For instance, they could look after the baby while you finish the chores in the evening. Alternatively, you could do the chores together in the evening while the baby is sleeping before going to bed.
- Do you have older children? If so you can have them help you out with small jobs or little things around the house that would help. Start a whole family cleaning chart so other members of the household can all contribute to house work.
- Consider having a family member or friend come over to provide love and attention to your baby while you clean. If you have a lot of family or friends nearby, they would likely enjoy cuddling and spending time with your baby while you take care of some necessary chores.
- Remember to not feel bad about asking for help! Your world has changed and it is difficult to establish a new routine while also taking care of a baby. Your to-do list will significantly expand. All parents out there should understand the struggle.
- If you don’t have anyone to help, consider hiring a cleaning service for assistance.
- Hire a babysitter to cuddle and play with your baby while you clean. You can stay close by if you’re not comfortable leaving them yet.
- Team up with another parent and take turns watching each other’s babies while one is cleaning.
- Do chores with the baby – I will give suggestions on how down below. You can easily do a few simple chores a day to help tidy the house.
There are chores that you can do with the baby and ways that can make life easier while doing them.
When cleaning, doing chores, or even just getting a shower or bath these items below can help you out.
Where do you put your baby when doing housework?
These items can help you out while doing chores around the house.
- Baby carrier/baby sling – Wear a baby carrier/sling and carry the baby with you when you are doing easy chores like laundry, dusting, sweeping, and mopping. Just make sure you aren’t having the baby breathe in dust or chemicals. This is a great way for the baby to feel and be close to you and get cuddled while you clean.
- Baby car seat carrier – Easy way to buckle baby up and move them from room to room while you clean.
- Baby swing – Great for baby to swing in while you are doing chores around them like folding laundry.
- Bouncy seats – Easy to move around and put wherever you need to clean, or while cooking.
- Playpen – Baby can stay in a safe place near you while you do some chores. Good for those babies that need to move around or roll over and play with toys.
- Portable/folding stroller – Easy to move baby around from room to room. They might like it when you are moving them from room to room putting up laundry or cleaning.
- Baby Bed – When your baby is sleeping in the baby bed whether it is a nap or at bed time, you can get some cleaning done. Just turn on your baby monitor unit and carry it around with you while you do some cleaning tasks.
As your baby gets older and develops strong head control and sits up you can try these items
- Johnny jumper or something similar – This type of jumper goes in a doorway and attaches to the door frame. These are fun for your small ones who have full control of their head and can sit up by themselves.
- You know your baby and what they can or can not do so use that info along with recommendations on age.
- Make sure that you put the jumper at a height where the babies can rest their flat feet on the ground (read the instructions carefully).
- Put a mat or something cushioned under the baby if not on the carpet. Only do it for short periods.
- High Chair – They can sit in there and play with toys while you clean or cook near them.
- Baby Walker – Can keep your little one entertained while they are near you.
There are many pros and cons to a lot of those baby items. I will list some of the cons or tips to help you keep your baby safe.
- Make sure that you do your research and figure out what items you might like to use.
- Look at the recommended age and baby’s ability before using.
- Make sure that you are safely using the item and that your baby is secure in it.
- It is very important that you only use these items when you are near them and can see them while in it.
- Always supervise your baby. Those items are NOT meant for you to put your baby in and leave them unattended. So many unfortunate accidents do happen but most can be avoided or if you are near could be less life-threatening if you help them fast.
- With any of these items make sure that your baby is not staying in them for long periods. And especially not in them all day.
- Babies require a lot of time lying down, rolling over, and supervised tummy time. This tummy time is essential for developing and strengthening their neck muscles to hold their head up. As babies grow, they need to be able to lift their heavy heads and move around. Eventually, they will learn to roll over back and forth, and then on to crawling.
Here are some good tips on how to get housework done with a baby, a toddler, or both
Cooking Tips
- I wouldn’t recommend cooking with a baby in a sling since you don’t want to burn them. So find an alternative place for your baby like a baby swing or bouncy seat.
- It’s a great idea to use this time in the kitchen to bond with your baby. You can read the recipe aloud or talk to your little one as if you’re teaching them how to cook. Even though they may not understand what you’re saying, they’ll enjoy hearing your voice. And while we’re on the topic, it’s never too early to start reading to your baby, so go ahead and do it!
- You can use a baby gate to enclose toddlers within the area or kitchen where you are cooking, allowing them to stay close to you. To keep them entertained for longer, have a new or different toy available for them to play with, and you can alternate the toys they play with.
- Consider creating a play bin dedicated to cooking activities. For very young children, you can fill it with simple toys such as plastic food, plates, bowls, and utensils, allowing them to pretend to cook. Once they are around 2 years old, using play dough to create play food can be an enjoyable activity that keeps them occupied and out of trouble. This can also be considered a type of messy play, which is great for their development.
- If you have a small play kitchen for your toddlers, you can bring it into the kitchen when it’s time to cook. This way, they can cook using their equipment while you cook on yours. In case you don’t have a play kitchen, you can make one out of a big box or multiple boxes. You can check out my blog on how to make a kitchen stovetop or refrigerator from cardboard. If you don’t have play food, you could laminate drawings of some or be creative and find things they could use for pretend food.
Various Cleaning Tips On How To Get Housework Done With A Baby
- Make a bin for young toddlers – Have items in there that they can play with while you clean. Only get this bin out when you clean so the toys are fun and exciting to play with.
- Have a cleaning supply kit for toddlers – When your toddler is old enough and wants to mimic you then they can. Have some sponges, cleaning cloths, duster, and whatever else you have that they can pretend clean with you. Give them small tasks to do so they feel like they are helping out.
- You can create different cleaning kits for different ages – Change out or add some new items when your child gets older. Maybe add a small water bottle with just a little bit of water and they can clean the floor or door.
- Add a dust buster where they can help clean the floor or table. When they make messes you can have them help clean up.
- Having them help out at a young age is teaching them how to clean. You can just keep adding items and they can eventually help clean up for real and not just pretend. My blog on cleaning with family is good for tips to get kids involved too so they can help take care of household chores.
Laundry Tips
Laundry is one of those things that is endless and needs to be done. A load of laundry can be started whenever you have the chance.
- If your washing machine isn’t loud then you shouldn’t have a problem getting some loads done in between taking care of your baby.
- With Babies and young toddlers you can play peek-a-boo while folding laundry. You might get in some laughs and some laundry folded all at the same time.
- Toddlers can help you sort and match laundry items which is great if you let them help. As they get older you can teach them how to fold and they can help out more effectively.
- Laundry baskets make fun play toys. While you are folding and doing laundry you can let your child play in the empty laundry basket. A laundry basket can become a fun thing to crawl into or a fun basket to throw balls into. Make cleaning fun and entertaining for both of you.
Dusting tips
- Dusting can be easily done with a baby in a sling or a toddler with a duster. With a toddler, you might want to have them dust easy things so they don’t break anything.
Vacuuming Tips
- Vacuuming can be a hard chore to do with kids. It’s a top question in how to get housework done with a baby. The noise itself is the hard part. I’d suggest doing the vacuuming when the baby is in another room asleep or with someone else. The noise is pretty loud for their little ears.
- If the vacuum cleaner isn’t too loud with the baby in another room that would work and is good for a baby to be able to sleep through some noise. I also think some white noise to help drown out other noises is great to use. I just wouldn’t suggest having the baby in the same room with the loud vacuum cleaner.
- When your toddler is older I suggest having them wear ear muffs or over-the-head earphones to help mute the noise a little if the noise bothers them.
- My kids didn’t like the sound of the vacuum at first till we turned it into our Loud Time.
- Whenever I would vacuum it was ” Loud Time” They could then run around and scream and holler and make as much noise as they wanted. I’d get out pots and pans for them to bang. It became a fun time for them and I could always get the vacuuming done. They would even parade around the room like a marching band.
- If you have one of those robotic vacuum cleaners then your worry is over on that chore. That is if it really does a good job and works correctly.
Sweeping/Mopping Tips
- Sweeping/Mopping is another chore that needs to be done and this one I’d say is a good chore to do with a baby in a sling. This is another one of those easier how to get housework done with a newborn baby chores, in my opinion. That is if your baby enjoys the sling time with you.
- You can sing songs to them and talk to them while you are mopping/sweeping all the while being cuddled next to you.
- With a toddler you can give them a small mop and a small area to clean with just water unless your cleaning supplies are okay for kids as well.
Washing Dishes Tips
- I wouldn’t recommend washing dishes with a baby in a sling since you will be using hot water. You don’t want to burn your baby. So find an alternative place for your baby like a car seat carrier to sit near you.
- Have a bin with plastic dishes and utensils for your toddler to play with. They can wash their dishes while you wash yours.
- Make a sink out of a cardboard box and a bin or Tupperware bowl. They can pretend to wash dishes. If/When old enough add a little water to the bin and let them have fun hand washing their dishes. You could even add in a little soap when older and they could even wash some of their little toys.
If you haven’t figured out how to get housework done with a baby I’m hoping that some of my tips will help you.
Don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help.
Everyone needs help here and there especially new busy parents. Sometimes you just need simple tips that can help you with time management or a simple cleaning schedule.
Don’t feel embarrassed if family or friends come over and your house isn’t the way you want them to see it. If you are worried then just keep up with the main areas of the home and don’t worry about the whole house.
They should understand and if they don’t it’s their problem, not yours. If they are parents ask them how they got housework done with a baby. Maybe they have great tips to share or might offer to help you out.
Hopefully, now you know how to get housework done with a baby and or toddler and you can be a little less stressed.
The most important thing is to enjoy being a new parent and enjoy your new life.
At the end of the day know that keeping a tidy house isn’t the most important job you have. Do smaller tasks each day that need to be done and get help with deep cleaning.
Also, be aware that you may have a fussy baby and can’t get anything done that day besides taking care of them. So don’t be hard on yourself when you have those days.
Good Luck with making new routines and schedules on how to get housework done with a baby.
And above all enjoy your new baby!