Cleaning with a toddler around is like raking leaves in a hurricane.

Housework is just that, WORK. Especially with a toddler tornado. It seems like as soon as I get one mess put away, there is another ready to be cleaned up. I used to clean houses for a living, it is so much easier to clean a house when you get paid for it.

D has some toys in his room, but he mainly plays in the living room. I pick up the toys a few times a day, but normally by late afternoon I'm tired of picking up the same mess so I leave it until after dinner. Some nights it gets put away where it all belongs, and other it gets thrown into the kiddie pool that has taken up residency in our living room (ball pit). I also keep a small basket in the living room to toss things that don't belong in the living room in. I feel like a play room is a MUST when we move. I want a room I can just shut the door to and ignore the mess if I need to. 

I've been working on small chores with D. He loves to help, and of course loves the praise he gets for doing something for someone. He has an obsession with dumping small trash cans, every time we go to my parents house he is always doing it for them. So we started doing it at home, he is responsible for dumping the bathroom trash. He also helps clean up his toys (usually). He also helps sort out his laundry into a basket.

This was  a good read 

Everyone has a different "method" or "schedule" they follow. I sort of just take care of whatever needs my attention first (or catches my eye first). Usually that's unloading the dishwasher or getting to any dishes that I may have neglected the night before.  I usually wait until after lunch to vacuum, because D is always having snacks out. I try to dust a few times a week (we have 3 cats so its usually pretty hairy in here). I never clean my house the same way. Some days it all gets done, other times it can be a few days between cleaning. I'm trying to get into a good routine (I can't do a strict schedule) but I really like keeping our lives very open and have the ability to just drop everything and go do something we want to do. We live in a small apartment, so its not like there is much to clean anyways. It only takes about 30 minutes to have the place picked up.

Tips and Tricks : *As I think of more I'll try to come back and update, these were just on the top of my head*

Coffee filters and isopropyl alcohol clean mirrors and windows with no streaks.

Place a cup of vinegar in your microwave, and run for 5 minutes. This makes all the grime wipe right off.

I toss my dish sponges into the dishwasher a few times a week.