If you’re like many other animal lovers around the world, you may have a household with more than one type of pet. For pets that get around a lot, like cats and dogs, you need to have some order in the house, or things can quickly turn into chaos. This guide will advise how to give your furry friends their own space and keep your house clean and organized along the way.
Keep Everything In Its Place
When living with multiple pets, you must have a system in place to retain order. There are many organization hacks you can implement around the house. For instance, consider keeping dog leashes, poop bags, cat sweaters, and anything else that would be used outside near the front door. You can use a coat or tie rack to hang them.
Care is also necessary when it comes to pet food. Create a feeding station inside an empty cabinet near the floor where you store sealed food and treat containers. That way, everything is in one spot. If you know your pet will try to get into them, put them on a high shelf. When it comes to actually feeding your pets, consider placing food and water bowls for different pets on opposite sides of the room. Pets can be territorial, and you don’t want a fight to break out.
If there’s no room inside, create an organized space using the garage walls. You can add custom shelving that will be the perfect size for unused dog beds, toys, and crates. Wall-based pegboard systems allow you to hang leashes and your dog house-building tools. There’s also the option to hang baskets from the ceiling joists if you run out of room.
Keep Pets Under Control
When you have multiple pets, everything must have a place. Give each pet their own room or part of a room. While cats can make a home anywhere, you may need to create a designated dog zone. This area should have less human foot traffic where your dog can play with toys or nap.
Another way to keep dogs and cats safe and away from valuables is to use pet gates. These are especially helpful for dogs who may be tempted to chew on furniture or get into the trash. Cats may find a way to climb over gates, so keep anything you don’t want damaged out of reach entirely.
There are also considerations to make when it comes to litter boxes. Cats like it when litter boxes are clean, so if you have multiple cats, they may want one for themselves. It’s wise to keep dogs away from litter boxes because they tend to want to chew up what’s inside, and you don’t want that mess, so keep them out of reach.
Keep The Space Clean
Perhaps the largest struggle of having a multi-pet home is the difficulty of keeping your house clean. Your carpets will likely take the most abuse. Muddy paws will become a reality. Use water and a spray bottle to clean up dirty prints. Investing in pet-friendly rugs that are machine washable and easy-to-clean is an even better idea.
If you have a busy lifestyle, there are other house cleaning tips to consider, including investing in a robot vacuum. You can set it on a timer, and it will vacuum your spaces throughout the day. The vacuum can be essential when it comes to pet hair. Families with kids can create a chore chart you post on the fridge. Fill it with necessary tasks, from vacuuming to taking the dog on walks, so they don’t make a mess inside.
Keeping your house clean is good for orderliness and your mental health. However, a sanitary dwelling is also essential for your pet’s health, and that’s just as true for your indoor air quality. Toxins and germs in the air are harmful to everyone in the house, so consider purchasing both a media and a HEPA filter and changing it out annually. Both filters will take out the detrimental aspects of your air. A dehumidifier is a great idea as well because it can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. Get a dehumidifier that’s built for the square footage of your home and put those fears at ease.
Conclusion
It can get hectic in a home with multiple different pets. By having a plan for sanitation and organization, you and your furry friends can easily coexist. Consider these tips and make it a happy home for all.
