Half Pint Peeps

Parenting, Kids, and mom life. All about life with littles. Free ideas to help your child develop in life. Get tips and tricks for raising kids.

Cleaning

Cleaning Car Seats: Must-See Hacks

by Leave a Comment

Half-pint peeps need car seats for safety. And the bad thing about that is what happens to kids’ car seats–in spite of your best intentions! Whether you encounter a diaper blow out, spilled milk, cracker crumbs or spit-up, it’s all pretty far down on the list of things parents enjoy cleaning up. Since cleaning car seats is hard enough, today I want to tell you about some hacks to make it as easy as possible. That way, you can get it done and move onto the more fun parts of parenthood.

Have you ever used a car seat protector to keep your babies car seat clean? They are a game changer! Check out this list of baby car seat cleaning hacks to keep your babies car seat clean! #babycarseatcleaninghacks #carseatproctorbabycarseatcleaninghacks #babycarseatcleaninghacksminigarbagebasket #babycarseatcleaninghacksbabywipes #babycarseatcleaninghacksdeodorizing

Create Unity With A Family Chore Chart

by Leave a Comment

Don’t struggle to do everything your house needs doing by yourself. Instead, make your life easier and create unity with a family chore chart. When everyone works together, children learn valuable lessons, the family is happier and the home is cleaner.

Create Unity With A Family Chore Chart

Should parents involve the kids in doing all the various chores there are to do around the house? Isn’t it the parents’ job to take care of all that stuff? The truth is, it’s also the parents’ responsibility to teach their kids how to work. Home is the best place to teach that, and a family chore chart is a great way to start.

Kids who learn how to do chores learn a greater sense of responsibility, they learn how to work, and they learn to feel that they’re a valued member of your home.

Having a family chore chart will help bring your family closer together and keep your house clean

How To Include Your Kids In A Family Chore Chart

Kids as young as preschool age should be included in your family chore chart. Make one chart for everyone, divided by specific jobs, or make separate charts for each member of the family. There are a lot of ways to organize your family chore chart. Here are suggested chores for different age groups.

  • Preschool age children are capable of doing things like picking up after themselves, putting away their toys, and putting their dishes in the sink after a meal.
  • School-age children, in addition to the chores they began doing as preschoolers, can load and unload the dishwasher, run the vacuum or sweep the floor.
  • Preteens can help prepare meals, learn to run the dishwasher, and assist with yard work.
  • Teenagers are ready for even more family responsibility. Give them chores that include cleaning a bathroom, changing the sheets on their bed, mowing the lawn, and preparing family meals.

For more ideas, see age-appropriate chore charts for kids.

Family Chore Charts are an important thing to have. It will bring everyone closer together and keep your house squeaky clean.

Easy Ways To Create A Family Chore Chart

Don’t let the chore chart become a chore! Some families love a fancy and involved chore chart, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some easy ideas.

  • Get a large chalkboard and hang it in a central location {the kitchen works well}. Give everyone a different color of chalk to use. List all the chores that need to be done that week, and as a family member completes that specific chore they get to check it off with their own chalk.
  • Use a smaller chalkboard for each family member and list their assigned chores for the week. Before a chore can be checked off, it must be approved by mom or dad.
  • Print up chores on cardstock, like a stack of cards. Laminate them for durability. Give cards to each family member for the chores they need to do that day or that week. When a chore is done, the card needs to be returned to mom and dad and approved by them.
  • Not feeling creative? Purchase a family chore chart you like at Amazon!

Fast Ways To Make Your Kids Bedrooms SPOTLESS

by Leave a Comment

I’ve tried many ways to help my boys keep their rooms clean.  Some work for awhile, but, in the end, we wind up with foot-high piles of clothes and who knows what else on the floor.  That was all before I got serious about storage space.  Now, a few DIY projects and careful trips to the store later, those rooms are so well stocked with storage space now that it’s almost a talent to make a mess.  Here are fast ways to make your kids bedrooms spotless.

Why is it that most kids live in bedrooms that look like pig pens. Clothes all over the place, the bed not made and on and on. One might describe it looking like a bomb went off. Kids don't care, but my guess is the parents do. If you want to learn ways to make your kids bedrooms spotless, keep on reading. These time saving hacks will save you from many headaches. #cleaningtips #cleankidsbedroom

Fast Ways To Make Your Kids Bedrooms SPOTLESS

 1. Cube Shelf

Cube shelves are definitely an “in” thing right now, but for good reason.  You can find quality cube shelves for low prices (hello Target and IKEA!), it’s versatile, and it can changed up as often as you’d like.  The easy access shelves and storage boxes make for very easy clean up!  Source.

2. Crate Shelving

Use crate boxes to create shelving for books.  Simply cut the boxes in half, add some paint if you’d like, and mount them on the wall.  Keep them lower to the floor so little hands can reach the boxes for easy clean up.  Source.

3. Wall Mounted Crates

Aside from using crates to make bookshelves, you can also use them for other storage and display purposes. Source.

4. Toy Totes

Use tote bags to store toys on a wall or door.  I love this idea for quick clean-ups because the totes can come down off the wall and be right there near the mess.  Clean-up is as simple as tossing toys into the bag and hanging the bag on a hook on your way out.  Source.

5. Toy Storage Table 

Invest in or make a storage table for toys.  Having the storage bins or baskets right by all the fun action makes for very quick clean up.  Source. Trust me, this will totally help keep your kids bedrooms cleaner.

6. Fabric Baskets

Fabric baskets should become one of your organizational best friends if they aren’t already.  They both declutter and add some fun pops of style and color to any room.  They are so handy for holding small toys and other lose items.  Find yours at stores like Target and Kohl’s.  Vanilla Joy also shares a tutorial for how to make your own basket liner.

7. Shoe Organizer Storage

This is another idea I see around a lot of places but it makes sense considering how practical it is!  Use a show organizer to store stuffed animals and other toys.  I prefer to keep ours on the inside of the closet instead of on the door for more of a clean cut look.  Check out Mommo Design for this and other stuffed animal storage ideas.

8. Small Toy Bins 

I have three very creative and imaginative boys.  They are naturals at being Lego engineers.  Needless to say, we own a lot (!!!) of Legos in our home.  I have found that storage bins with drawers are the perfect way to keep track of all those tiny pieces.  Place the bins in cube shelving so you can also use some of the shelves to display the Lego creations.  Get this and more ideas from One Mile Home Style.

9. Storage Beds

All three of my boys have some kind of storage bed or loft bed and I don’t plan to change that.  Each bed brings such a unique style to my boys’ rooms and has made clean up and decor display super easy.  My favorite loft beds are from Pottery Barn (of course!), but vendors such as Wayfair have very similar options for half the cost or less.  Source.

10. Under the Bed Drawers

Purchase a bed with pull out drawers or invest in a rolling drawer to add under the bed you already own.  It’s no different than putting things under the bed to keep them off the floor except that your items aren’t showing for everyone to see.  Much more display-worthy!  Source.

11. Storage Cube

Convert cube shelving into a hidden storage cube.  I especially love how they used the cube to make a reading nook.  Can’t go wrong with making a special place to read with your children!!  Learn how to make your own storage cube from IKEA Hackers.

12. Closet Organizer

Re-purpose a hanging closet organizer for toy control instead of shoes and clothes.  Boxes fit so snuggly into the shelves that they’ll have no room to tip over and make messes of their own.  What an easy way to put games and puzzles away after you’re done playing with them! Source. I hope these help keep your kids bedrooms spotless!