Preparing for a baby - 5 simple tips

I meet lots of parents, usually when they're about to head back to work after having the baby and maternity leave comes to an end. I hear the same story over and over...

"I JUST CAN'T KEEP ON TOP OF IT ALL"

After I had my second daughter 8 years ago, I was exactly the same, I felt trapped in this house full of stuff and mess and I didn't have the energy or inclination to do it, It triggered a spiral of feeling not good enough and I couldn't see the wood for the trees.

I've learnt a lot since then and here are my 5 very broad tips to get you into a better space both physically and mentally before your baby arrives.

1. Start now - The earlier you start getting your house organised the better, yes you're going to be tired but you'll be even more tired after your little human arrives and this way you get to spend more time being in the moment and less time stressing about the stuff you're surrounded by.

2. Start small - Pick a draw, ideally one full of stuff you know you don't need and work through it. If its rubbish, throw it, if its valuable then put it where it belongs, don’t keep hold of stuff just for the sake of it. The sense of achievement once you've done it will be enough to motivate onto the next one.

3. Create a small cleaning basket for upstairs - As you get bigger you'll not want to be lugging a huge heavy cleaning caddy up and down the stairs (unless you're overdue and need that baby out now!!), Get a small plastic storage box and pop a couple of cloths, some bathroom spray, polish, glass cleaner and toilet cleaner and find a home for it upstairs. This works really well for after baby has arrived too, when you can snatch a couple of minutes here and there whilst they nap.

4. Little and Often - Even if you just spend 10 minutes a day tidying and cleaning areas of the house and rotate the areas throughout the week it'll never build up into the great big monster task.

5. Get Your Carpets Cleaned - You'll be spending a lot of time on the floor from here on in and so will your baby. Tummy time, nappy changes, dressing, playing. There is so much dust and other nasties hiding in the carpet.

Our homes don’t need to be perfect, they’re designed to be lived in, to make memories and to be happy.