Expert Tips To Keep Your Crafty Family Home Clean & Orderly

Above: Perfect craft for spring, tutorial here.

Kids who participate in arts and crafts have better motor skills, more confidence, math skills and self-esteem than those who don’t, according to studies. As such, creating a crafty family home environment is crucial for your child’s development. As we all know, craft activities can be messy, however, that should not deter you from giving your kids every opportunity for creative growth. Follow these tips, and your crafty home can be a clean and orderly home as well!

It’s all about proper storage

69% of people say that they do creative activities to build their self-esteem and inner strength. If you regularly do arts and crafts to improve your family’s mood, you’ll likely have piles of paper, paint, ribbon, markers and more hanging around your house. This clutter can make your home look untidy, and drive you a bit crazy, so it’s worth investing in multiple storage boxes, drawers or bins so that you can easily put everything away. These boxes can range from large floor containers to pretty tabletop boxes for storing small, delicate items. You could even get your kids to decorate their own for some extra creative fun. Another idea is to simply use cardboard boxes that are all the same size and have a convenient storage spot. And of course a rolling metal cart with three tiers to hold all the basics like paints, markers, scissors, paper, etc is a must!

Floor hygiene

Research shows that kitchen floors harbor as much as 830 bacteria per square inch, while carpet contains an average of 200,000 bacteria per square inch. When you factor in spilled glue, ripped up pieces of tissue paper and sequins, your floor is sure to be one of the most unhygienic parts of your home. After every craft session, make sure to vacuum and mop all hard floors. Deep cleaning your carpets regularly is also wise. This can be done using a carpet cleaner and shampoo, which will draw out deep-rooted dirt and grime and remove any glue, clay or even plasticine that may have found its way deep into the carpet.

Wipe down surfaces immediately

When items such as glue and paint splatter onto your kitchen table or other pieces of furniture, it can leave unsightly stains that you’ll have difficulty removing later. To keep your furniture looking its best, wipe down these surfaces as soon as any drips, splatters or spill happen. You should also give them a thorough cleaning after you’ve put away all your arts and crafts for the day. Acetone is particularly good for removing glue stains, and denatured alcohol works wonders on stubborn paint stains. After using either of these products, clean with disinfectant and a new cloth.

A creative family home is a great environment for kids, and the benefits are endless.  Ensure that your art and craft materials don’t ruin the cleanliness or hygiene of your home, by following the cleaning tips above, and you’ll never have any regrets, promise!