New motherhood is as blessed a time as it is a stressful one. With the coming of a child there are dozens of new responsibilities, as well as the reorganization of a new mother’s daily routine around the needs of her kin. In the face of so many new tasks, keeping the household clean can often feel like an afterthought. However, there has been significant writing to suggest that maintaining a clean home is an essential factor in maintaining a calm, happy home.

Every new mother’s scenario is different, so it is important that one construct a daily schedule that responds to your specific lifestyle. However, there are some general strategies that most new mothers can apply in balancing the responsibilities of child and home.

The first thing to do is organize your time. Making a deliberate choice to scatter specific tasks throughout the day can make your routine feel both easier and more efficient. For example, make specific morning and evening routines, which will help prepare you for each day. It is a good idea to do certain household chores, correspondence, paperwork, and other tedious tasks either before your child wakes up or after he or she goes to sleep. Doing so means you won’t have to split your attention between these tasks and your child.

Many new mothers make cleaning a singular, monumental chore, but certain studies have shown that dividing cleaning into discrete, 10-15 minute tasks can greatly lessen the magnitude of the task. When planning your schedule, divide your cleaning tasks up accordingly, and stagger them throughout the day. Marla Cilley, the administrator of The Flylady website (www.flylady.net), recommends making the kitchen sink your first cleaning task, because its cleanliness is necessary for keeping the house hygienic for your child. The sink is also a good starting point for cleaning the rest of the kitchen.

One of the simplest, but most significant small tasks you can do is decluttering. Too much clutter and junk in the house can wear on anyone’s system, so it is a good idea to set a weekly goal of getting rid of a certain number of unused items. This is particularly a good task to perform during pregnancy, because it ensures your baby will be entering into a cleaner, more organized household.

Balancing a child with the rest of your life is no small feat, which is why you should make every effort to create support networks. Partners, friends, and older children can be asked to take on some of the load of the housework, which will give you more time with your newborn. While your older children may do the housework less efficiently, the tasks will convey to them a sense of responsibility that will be beneficial in their upbringing. Hiring cleaning help, if you can afford it, can also lessen the load. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the key to a clean home is a well-organized schedule.