The "Daddy's Coming Home!" Clean-Up

Tidiness is really not one of my strong points, so by mid-afternoon our house can look pretty chaotic!  However, I know that Andrew appreciates a tidy home and so I like to try and do a quick clean up shortly before he arrives.  It doesn't take very long (anywhere from 5-20 minutes), and the goal really is just to TIDY, not clean.

Today I put the timer on for 20 minutes to accomplish this goal and it only took me 15, even with washing the dishes.  I took some before and after photos so you could see what the state of the place was before, and the level of "tidy" we were aiming for after!

Here's a look at the kitchen:

As you can see, a big part of the quick clean-up is making this a snack-time for our toddler!  In his highchair he is much less able to undo the clean-up, and it allows me to focus for a concentrated amount of time on the task-at-hand!  

And the living room...

One of the main ways I am able to accomplish this quick clean is by having "buckets".  Pictured below you can see we have three cubbyholes in the bookshelf allotted for Jake's toys and books.  This means I can just toss them all in there, and voila - his toys are tidied!  We have a similar system for his stray clothes, shoes, and diapers with a little basket beside the couch where those things go. 

You can also see a little magazine box where I put any library books and miscellaneous notebooks, and there's a photo of raw ground beef because at this point I try to make sure I have something planned for dinner!  (That night we had one of our favourite last-minute meals!)

I try to do this clean-up close enough to when Andrew will be home that Jake won't make a big mess again, and neither will I!  Obviously there will be a few toys out, and I've usually started making dinner, but having a clean slate makes a huge difference. If I'm still wearing pajama pants at this point....I usually try and put on something a little nicer :)

And lest I make anyone feel guilty, please understand that this doesn't happen all the time, in fact I'm not sure it happens most of the time.  The day after I took these photos, we were gone all day and came home to a counter full of dishes and couches full of (clean) laundry.  I heaved a sigh, laughed about the irony of this post, and then rolled up my sleeves and got to it!  I'm just trying to help people like me! :)

What are your tips for doing a quick clean-up at the end of the day?

Additional Resources:
10 Tips for a Quick "Tidy-Up Time"
15 Quick Cleaning Fixes
Toy Storage for Small Spaces
Keeping Your Home "Company Ready" Without the Stress


Happy tidying :)

Linked up at A Mama's Story, The Modest Mom, What Joy Is Mine,  Growing Home, Above Rubies,  Deep Roots At Home, Raising Homemakers, We Are That Family, Walking Redeemed, Graced Simplicity, Raising Mighty Arrows