Hi, it’s me—the mom whose living room looks like a hurricane hit it while the baby cries in the corner and toddlers debate who gets which toy. Clean-up is not glamorous. It’s exhausting. And yet, after two toddlers and an infant, I’ve discovered hacks that keep the chaos slightly contained and my sanity just barely intact.
1. Laundry Basket Trick
Keep a laundry basket in every major room. Toys, clothes, and random socks go straight in. The magic? You can carry an entire room’s mess in one trip. Amazon sells collapsible baskets that fold away when not in use.
2. Color-Coded Toy Bins
Assign each child a color for toys and storage bins. Suddenly, toddlers know where things go, and cleaning up becomes a game instead of a lecture. Bonus: it reduces fights over “who owns what.”
3. Plastic Drawers for Small Items
Small toys, crayons, hair accessories, and pacifiers all live in clear plastic drawers. You can see everything at a glance, and it’s less like playing hide-and-seek with the floor. Amazon has stackable options perfect for playrooms.
4. Snack & Crayon Cleanup Bags
Keep a few reusable snack and crayon bags for on-the-go cleanups. Toss markers, chalk, and leftover crackers into them. Then zip, toss in the car or bag, and pretend you’re organized.
5. Over-the-Door Storage
Shoes, extra diapers, cleaning supplies, toys… over-the-door organizers hold so much. Bonus: no one has to bend down, and toddlers can reach their own items if it’s low enough.
6. “One In, One Out” Rule
Every time a new toy comes in, one goes out. It’s simple, but surprisingly effective. You’ll never feel like your home is overrun, and toddlers start learning about rotation and generosity early.
7. Label Everything
Bins, drawers, baskets—label with words or pictures. Even toddlers who can’t read yet know where to put things back. Amazon has adorable sticker sets for every kind of storage.
8. Caddies for Each Room
Keep a small cleaning caddy in each room for wipes, paper towels, and toys that wander. Quick grab, swipe, done. Mom moves like a ninja, toddlers barely notice.
9. Toy Hammocks & Netting
Stuffed animals multiply exponentially. Use a hammock or net in a corner to store them. Floor free of plush chaos = fewer tripping hazards. Amazon has ceiling- or wall-mounted options that hold dozens of toys.
10. Laundry Sorting Hack
Invest in a multi-bin laundry sorter. Each child gets a bin, plus one for whites, one for colors. Folding and sorting suddenly becomes a slightly less soul-crushing task. Bonus: toddlers love tossing their own clothes in their bin—it’s magical.
Final Mom Wisdom:
Clean-up isn’t fun, but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. With baskets, bins, caddies, and a few clever Amazon finds, you can reclaim some space, reduce chaos, and maybe even find that missing pacifier under the couch. Or at least survive long enough to have a cup of coffee in peace.