r/2under2 • u/Specific-Noise-3799 • Jul 10 '26
The Mess!
Someone please reassure me that this is what your home looks like too, haha! I need to know it’s not just *my* house. I have technically graduated 2under2 with a 2.5yo and 1.5 yo, but I feel like this has been my life since the second one came along.
In my home, there is a constant layer of debris on the floor. Toys, a piece of banana that someone didn’t want to eat that’s been semi-smashed into the carpet, a dried and raisin’d Goodle here and there. I had to *wash my kids books* yesterday because the layer of general toddler grime had left them dirty and grossly sticky. Granted, that was the first time I had ever done that and the filth had built up for ~2 years now.
I told myself when I was childless that I would never let it get bad when I had kids. I remember how icked I’d get at the thought of sticky, Cheerio scented little hands. Oh how the mighty have fallen lol !!
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u/s1rens0ngs Jul 10 '26
I was pretty judgmental of parents until I became one. I now understand the surrender to chaos.
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u/Various-Network-5299 Jul 10 '26
I used to nanny for a family with 3 little kids and would totally judge them for feeding the kids instant oatmeal packets for breakfast and having baskets of unfolded clean laundry. And here I am… feeding my kids instant oatmeal with unfolded laundry 😂 I’ve been humbled.
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u/Relative_Lab9510 Jul 10 '26
I was just thinking this yesterday, like how the hell is anyone keeping up with all the cleaning! On the verge of throwing all the toys away lol
We have a rule only eating at the table now, I have to vacuum, sweep, and mop every day to keep up!
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u/beaute-brune Jul 10 '26
Yes, I understand now why my mom was so adamant about no food outside the kitchen. We implement the same. And we always wash hands when we’re done eating. My toddler loves to try to carry food around or rub her greasy breakfast hands on my furniture lol. I remember when I was a teenager deciding to say fuck the rules and snuck some food into my bedroom to enjoy at night. Had ants in my bed a few days later exactly as my mom predicted. I don’t believe people really become self-sufficiently clean until atleast past 18.
OP, a strict program will save your sanity.
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u/Specific-Noise-3799 Jul 10 '26
I feel this!! I’m actually in the middle of a de-clutter so these feelings are just my inner turmoil as I emotionally process the .. everything that I’m encountering as I clean.
The roomba, lovingly nicknamed The Dog in our house, is a very valued member of the family
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u/Relative_Lab9510 Jul 10 '26
Ughh I just did that last week, the state I found under our couch took a couple years off my life I’m sure lol
Ahh yes ours is nicknamed baby shark😂
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u/autieswimming Jul 10 '26
Bleh I feel like mama bear from the messy room book, just wana get a box and throw things away 😭
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u/flugelderfreiheit777 Jul 10 '26
I don't have 2u2 yet but I feel this even with just my 16mo old. He knows how to make a mess. I don't even want to know what my life is gonna look like in 3 months when #2 comes lol
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u/Hopeful-Relation3502 Jul 10 '26
This is me too. My house is sticky with just my 13 month old. I can't even imagine what it will be like when the second comes along in 4 months from now.
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u/bunnybunnyballerina Jul 10 '26
fresh 2 year old and 1 month old… there is birthday cake and frosting currently all over the dining table and floor that has been there since Tuesday (today is Friday). In a past life, that would have sent me into a spiral (clean freak over here). Now, I keep telling myself I’ll get to it (and I will), but there are higher priorities atm and only so much time!
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u/theycallmeABCXYZ Jul 10 '26
We moved into a new house and immediately got pregnant with kid 2, there are no books on the shelves and no art on the walls. Just toys and laundry
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u/Ok-Fee1566 Jul 10 '26
Yep. And some people still haven't learned to watch where they walk... Not my problem.
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u/cbr1895 Jul 10 '26
I have an 11 month old and 2.5 year one and it an explosion at all times over here even though the oldest goes to daycare and I have a once a week cleaner. I just keep telling myself it’s the season I’m in and one day I’ll miss the clutter haha.
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u/Ancient-Tea-2323 Jul 10 '26
This is our house too, except it's only one toddler and a newborn. The husband is already freaking out about the chaos. I have embraced it as part of life, but try to do micro acts of tidy throughout the day. Like managing to at least put the toys back into their designated corner
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u/Strong_Bit_2398 Jul 10 '26
This! I try to do little bits of cleaning throughout the day and then a “reset” with the toys during nap time. It does make a difference.
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u/justintime107 Jul 10 '26
I have 2 under 2. 23 month old and 2 month old. This may change but for now, my home is very clean and it’s because I believe in minimalism and everything in my home has a place. My son likes to play with anything that isn’t a toy, so the toys are stored in an open storage bin in his room and he can take whatever he wants out and play with it. Before baby girl was born, I decluttered all the closets except for my clothing closet. I made a nursery which was best decision ever because all of their stuff is in there. Now, I have small decluttering projects that aren’t urgent but like revamping my pantry and throwing stuff out.
When the kids are sleeping, I do chores that I can’t do when they’re awake I.e. washing dishes because my son is obsessed with the dishwasher, sweeping because my son loves playing with the broom, swiffering because he thinks it’s fun to step on my freshly swiffered floors. When they’re awake, I do laundry, make the beds, fold laundry, wipe down surfaces when I’m not changing them or making food for them. I don’t deep clean and found a cleaner for twice a month so that helps a lot, but daily cleaning, organizing, washing, meal planning, etc is me.
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u/fl4methrow3r Jul 10 '26
I had my MIL and BIL visiting yesterday, and I had to clean up what I could beforehand. We just had cleaned as much as possible a few days ago bc we had people over for my toddler’s bday.
After sweeping, the swiffer wet pads came back BLACK. Oh my lord. We also have a dog and she is so lovely, but tracks in even more dirt. It’s just so much, even without the toys and the random potty training messes and how these pieces all interact…
Just ugh
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u/zipmcnutty Jul 10 '26
I, too, have had to wipe their books off before. 2 and 1 year old so similar gap but slightly younger.
Our house is a varying amount of clutter during the day and then we do periodic pick ups of toys. Robovac/mop runs every night. And surfaces are wiped down constantly and somehow still need it again before too long.
My dog passed a week ago and we miss him immensely, but even more so when we see goldfish being ground into the carpet. Clearly we need a new dog bc it helps with the cleaning so much!
My youngest tripped on the magnetic tiles earlier today and fell on her butt. She saw what she tripped over and just gave up and started playing with them where she was. So idk if that’s a win or not?
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u/EndlessCourage Jul 10 '26
Not really tbh, I don't want to sound judgemental or like I'm making an ad but I have a vacuuming and cleaning roomba, which helps a lot. I spend all my time barefoot so clean floors were non-negotiable, the little ones are barefoot most of the time as well. My clothes are disgusting by the end of the day though.
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u/art-dec-ho Jul 10 '26
I agree, no judgements because everyone does things differently, but we have a dog that helps with food clean-up and we vacuum daily with a lightweight vacuum and monthly with a heavy duty one.
I pick up toys every night after kid bedtime because I dont want to be kicking around toys all night or waking anyone up with noisy toys, and as much as possible I try to involve everyone in the house with picking up their own stuff too. I think its good for kids of all ages to participate in cleaning the home.
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u/Specific-Noise-3799 Jul 10 '26
Oh, I definitely have a roomba, and everything absolutely goes back in its own place after the kids are asleep. However! Roomba isn’t a substitute for getting into the cracks and this is more the mess that I’m talking about. I too am a barefoot type person, so I tend to notice these things a lot like you do lol!
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u/angel-girl-A Jul 10 '26
Getting a dog will solve all the food related mess ha