How do you make a teenage boy keep his room tidy and clean?

Answer 1

Ha-ha! This is a joke, right?

When my DAUGHTERS were teenagers they never kept their rooms clean! (Come to think of it, they're not much better now either.)

The only suggestion I have is to lay down a few rules...
-No eating in your room, because there is no way I'm going in there to collect the plates and cutlery.
-All garbage has to ABSOLUTELY be shovelled out every week. If not YOU get to pay for the exterminator for all the bugs you've attracted into the house.
-No friends allowed to visit, unless and until your room is clean. (I'm currently trying this one on my 11 year old grandson, but it doesn't seem to be working too well.)

Don't bother getting uptight and upset when they don't comply. And don't ever, EVER clean it yourself. This just encourages them to look on you as their personal slave.

Get used to keeping the door shut. (Hhheeeeyyyy, maybe if you put a padlock on the outside of the door, and didn't let him in the room at all until he promised to clean it??????)

Answer 2

Well I am glad you came to us for the answer! First of all you don't "make" a boy clean his room. It is his responibilty to clean his room. And he knows that if he doesn't clean his room then their will be a punishment. Make sure that the rest of your house is picked up so he has a "model" of what his should look like and he knows your exspectations of what it should look like. Don't bribe him with video games, toys, or extra items that he will probably just leave lying around as well. It is best that he doesn't eat in his room. Don't let him go anywhere, see his friends, have tv, phone, or computer priviledges untill he has completed his job correctly. (that means not shoving everything in the closet or under the bed). Once he gets his room picked up, make sure he keeps it like that. I would suggest taking away all of his priviledges and when he get his room clean give 1 back to him. For each week he keeps his room tidy and clean, give him another privledge back. If his room gets messy and dirty again, take back a privledge that you gave to him. Make sure he has the materials needed to clean his room. Make sure he has a trash can, dirty clothes hamper, and any other thing he might have. Help him be pround of his romm and keep it tidy. (that does not mean helping him clean it). Make sure he is also organized at school. Makesure his locker is clean and organized and his papers are in the write place. Remember don't break down and clean his room for him. It is his responibilty to clean it. I hope you found this information helpful and resourcful to use so that he will get his room cleaned up. Thanks again for asking us to help you with your problem.

Sincerely,
[e-mail]

Answer 3

I commend you for wanting to do this. As a parent, it is your responsibility to teach your teenager how to clean and keep things clean.

First you should keep the rest of the house tidy and clean.
Second, you should teach him how to do it.
Third, you should lower your expectations.

I ask for 15 minutes a day worth of cleaning. When the fifteen minutes are up, he is done for the day.
I ask for specific things, like put all your dirty laundry down the laundry chute. Change your bedsheets and make your bed. Sweep the floor.

You should be consistent. Do an inspection regularly - once a week or so. It isn't fair if you let something go for months, and then yell at him to clean it up.

Another thing you could do is make the room cleaning contingent on something he wants to do. As in, your friend can come over after your room has been picked up. You can go to the movie after your room has been cleaned.

Answer 4

Make his room as easy to take care of as possible.

A place for everything and less stuff to put away.

Help him to get it this way by having him work with a professional organizer to get his room where he wants it to be.

Check out pbteen for some great ideas to use.

Stipulate that there are consequences for not following through.

Lastly, Hire a house cleaner who will clean his room and move his stuff. If he doesn't get his stuff put away first, he is out of luck.

I have a teenage pack rat and the top bunk of her bed is covered with bins (no mattress) that have hidden treasures. But, she basically lives on her bed and does everything from there. It used to be a bed and everything else was a big trash pit. Now, I can leave the doors open on some days.

Answer 5

I know exactly how you fell!. When my son's were teens,each had their own bedroom,and this was "double trouble" for me!. Once they were old enough to choose their own decor,I told them how important it was to have their own space; have the things in their room that belonged only to them,and how they should charish their belongings. I told them that keeping a clean,neat bedroom shows they care about their belongings and can proudly "show off" their stuff to their friends. I also told them,that there would be no problem looking for things,if they always knew where they were kept. This eliminates scrambling around looking for a pair of socks in the morning,before going to school. (And last but not least), I told them that if I have to clean it,I may find something they don't want a "mother" to see! (Like a picture of their skinny little girlfriend in a Bikini). Hope this method works for you! (Good Luck!)

Answer 6

Set them down & tell them that it is their responsabilty of having a roof over their head.
A clean room is a sighn of growing up

Answer 7

Take away something from him that he really enjoys until he cleans the room.

Answer 8

Every time my teenage son cleans up his room he has been up to something. I'd rather it stay dirty and he stay out of trouble.

Answer 9

ONE SUGGESTION IF ALL ELSE FAILS........

YOU COULD GO IN AN JUST CLEAN IT OUT YOURSELF AND LEAVE THE BARE MIMINAL THINGS. SUCH AS A BED, PILLOW, BLANKET. THERE IS NO ABUSE IN THIS AND MAYBE AS HE LEARNS TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT HE HAS, HE CAN GAIN BACK OTHER ITEMS. BUT GIVE HIM A WARNING OR TWO PRIOR TO THIS EXTREME MOVE.

Answer 10

i gotta say that if you want him to "keep" it clean- he's gonna have to be organized in all other areas- school, emotionally, etc.
try throwing the stuff away (he wont have any thing to leave laying around-eventually)- if he wont pick it up- and don't buy him more stuff- until he gets his stuff together in all areas.
sounds mean- but it works