How to Ease Life as a Young Mom: 9 Ways

A young mom and an ideal housekeeper don't have to spend the whole day by the stove or washing mountains of dishes. Simple tricks and smart appliances can make daily life easier and help keep your home clean.

1. Keep the refrigerator organized

Use special silicone mats for glass shelves. It's much easier to take them out and wipe them occasionally than to fully defrost the refrigerator for deep cleaning. A budget-friendly option is to protect shelves with food wrap.

To prevent unpleasant odors, buy special air fresheners – they absorb smells well. Alternatively, place a small container with baking soda on the shelf – it also works perfectly for this task. The natural air freshener lasts about 3 weeks.

Design: Oksana Tsimbalova

2. Choose the right cloths

Microfiber cloths are much better at fighting dust than budget alternatives. They also don't leave streaks and can be used not only for cleaning furniture but also windows. If you don't have microfiber cloths at hand, use a piece of 100% cotton fabric. However, towels and polyester items should not be used for these purposes.

Design: Ksenia Drapey

3. Let the dishwasher handle dirty plates

Washing dishes in a large family can take up to 6 hours a week. A dishwasher will save your time and resources: it uses almost 5 times less water than hand washing. It also effectively fights bacteria. Many housewives worry that the machine will take up too much space in the kitchen, but it's not true. Modern models are very narrow – only 45 cm wide. No major rearrangements needed.

Design: Alena and Andrey Timonins.

4. Use steam in cleaning

To clean tiles in the bathroom, use a budget-friendly method: spray cleaning product on walls and sink, turn on hot water. Close the room and come back in 10 minutes – no signs of dirt or stains will remain!

5. A squeegee for the shower

An effective way to make bathroom cleaning easier is to buy a regular squeegee, which many use for cleaning windows in cars. Periodically wipe the shower walls with it and enjoy the results.

Design: Margarita Repina, OM Design.

6. Several more cleaning tricks for the bathtub

To make plumbing shine, use toothpaste. Apply it to a sponge and wipe the surface. The same works with lemon. By the way, both products help eliminate unpleasant odors.

7. Change the vacuum filter regularly

Even the best vacuum cleaner will stop suctioning dust properly if not maintained. Replace or wash the filter periodically, depending on the model. After each cleaning, empty the dust container or replace the bag as needed.

8. Clean within a time limit

To speed up living room cleaning, set a timer: spend no more than 20 minutes on everything. Put things in their places, dust surfaces, clean mirrors and glass, vacuum. Don't forget that cleaning should be done from top to bottom.

Design: Geometrium.

9. Get rid of unnecessary items

Remember this useful rule: every day throw out 10 unnecessary things. They will definitely be found – it could be a stack of old magazines on the balcony or a broken radio. The fewer items in your home, the fewer dust collectors you need.

Design: Milla Titova

On the cover: Design project by Natalia Yashuzhakova.