What are some good ways to get kids to clean up their rooms.?

Question

I don't expect perfection, but I would like to be able to walk across the room without stepping on stuff.

I have tried the rewards game and it only worked sparingly, also the punishment works, but I hate to be so negative. Having friends come over is a thought.

these are young kids, preteen.

with the exception of Colleens advice, which I found to be irresponsible, I have got some good ideas. Thanks

Answer 1

I have found out what works for me is that I plan out during the week, one day that my daugher will clean up her room. So, for instance, we will both sit down and agree that on Wednesday night, we have nothing going on so, right after supper is the time we will clean her room. Or, if there is something fun going on on Saturday afternoon, I will tell her that her room has to be cleaned up before we go. That will usually get her going, especially if you plan it before it is something she wants to do. Otherwise, if she starts playing when she is supposed to be cleaning, I tell her I will pick it up and put it somewhere that she cannot reach it for a week, and actually follow throught with it. Or else just go grab a garbage bag and tell her you will take care of it. I usually don't even have to get the bag open, she moves pretty fast after I get it out. Another tried and true technique is if you want them to, say, pick up one area of the house, or they're legos or something and they are dilly dallying around, set a timer for, say, 3 minutes, and warn them that if they do not have the legos picked up before the timer goes off, you will then dump out the box of legos, ALL of the legos, and they will then start over with another 3 minutes, and if, again, they don't have them picked up, you just keep restarting the timer until they get them picked up before the timer goes off. This usually does the trick and gets the toys picked up in a timely manner. My daycare provider does this and once they hear the timer is started, they usually get them toys picked up pretty fast. And, yes, they will cry when you have to dump out the toys they have already picked up, but, they will learn that the toys need to be picked up now and not in 20 minutes. It may sound harsh, but it works. Good luck.

Answer 2

We have a 5 yr old, 4 yr old and 2 yr old. The two elder kids are asked to make their beds in the morning when they get dressed and tidy their rooms. The 2 year old is asked to do specific small tasks eg please put these shoes in your cupboard. We don't expect perfection, we do expect effort.

They are sometimes given loose change when they do a good job without complaining and the rule is that this is their money that they can spend on whatever they choose.

This has been working well for most of this year and the kids have been able to take two trips to the shops so far to spend their own money. They love being in control and making the decisions, they are also learning about the value of money and the effort that goes into obtaining it.

Now we have graduated to them picking their toys up in the lounge at the end of each day. Two weeks ago their Dad asked them to clean up and when they didnt they were given a specific timeframe and told that any toys remaining on the floor would be thrown away. When he went back, the kids had lost interest and had left several toys laying about. Dad promptly threw them in the rubbish bin and the kids watched the big rubbish truck take the rubbish away that same day.

Whilst I was initially annoyed with my Husband for the waste of money throwing such good toys away, the kids now clean up the lounge every evening before dinner. When they get slack, I ask them what will happen if they have not finished in the allocated time. They answer with "our toys will be thrown in the rubbish bin"and then quickly go and finish up.

So, a good lesson for them and me, and the best $50 (approx. value of toys thrown away) that my Husband has ever spent. I think that often kids are far more capable than we all given them credit for.

Just remember don't ever make a threat that you won't follow through on.

Answer 3

I am a nanny to three kids, i started this rule when they were 8,10 and 12 years old, I got sick of telling them to pick up their dirty clothes and toys off the floor so we cleaned all their rooms from top to bottom and they were told for every item (like clothing) left on the floor or 'out of its place' they got a chore, the youngest one got 9 chores one day... the chores were things like, unloading/loading the dishwasher, taking out the rubbish, setting the dinner table etc... it took about 2 weeks ( i am with them 5 days a week on school days) for them to really 'get it' and they are tidy little kids now (aged 12,14 and 16 now) a couple of years ago, i did up a chore chart, so even though their rooms are now clean and they are in the habit of it, the chores still get done. Good luck...

Answer 4

I told my daughter after we spring cleaned her room that if an item(s) were on the floor that was my signal that she no longer wanted that paraticular item. She did not take me seriously at first, but after a few of her DS games disappeared into a black trash bag and she had to buy them back with her allowance she got the picture pretty quick. By the way, she had to buy the items back at market value. So, she went without her stuff for quite awhile!!

Answer 5

declutter, then find a home for each thing then give them a set time to do it if they don't take it. or make it a game of pick up10 things or how fast u can do it. flylady.com has some good ideas with my kids its do it or don't come out of your room til it is done but i only expect it picked up and put on the bed then i finish the room. it's easier for me to go do it then to fight with them so i made it where there is very few things in the room and a home for everything and space to grow. it use to take me an hour in my daughters room just picking up and sweeping now its 20 minutes tops including making the bed. but once a week i make them do it. they r still kinda little just started grade school. but before i would hear a lot of whining but now they go in whine pick up toys and back out in 10 minutes or so. in fact today i found my daughter trying to make her bed like mommy does so it is teaching them some. just add more after each task is done easy. like now i know she can make her bed pretty good i will tell her to pick up toys and make her bed before coming out. or the timer goes off. or how ever u want to do it.

Answer 6

I hear you there. Used to be that I could give the kids 1/2 hour to get their rooms cleaned up before I either gave them positive reinforcement if done (let's go to Cold Stone Creamery), or negative (no. you didn't do your job, so you can't go to the pool).

Now, however, I have a teenage daughter about to go to college and I seriously worry about the board of healt finding the mess in there. There's no path through the room, remnants of past lunches, bags and cans of junk food she buys herself .... So, I question my own methods...

Answer 7

Stop obsessing over a messy bedroom, Why do YOU need to walk across their bedroom anyway? You shouldn't need to go in there unless you're one of those mother's who snoop. If you don't want to look at the messy room shut the door. That's what I did and on occasion I would hear strange noises comeing from behind the door, when I knocked and peeked in I was shocked to find her actually straightening up. Leave them alone they will clean the room when it gets intolerable to them.

Answer 8

BIG square see through plastic buckets with labels on them, then all they have to do is put all there items in there designated buckets. easy & fast. Also a gabage can lined with a big plastic bag for there garbage. Hope that helps.

Answer 9

it depends on how old the kid is if the kid is young then give them ice cream after they clean it but if it is an older child give them a little bit of money! I hope that I helped

Answer 10

Start collecting the things that mean something to him/her like favorite clothes, music, anything that you know they like and dont tell him/her what your doing till they come asking for it then explain until they straighten up the room it's yours; also don't wash their clothes and see it that gets their attention but please don't reward them for anything and don't get upset during this test of wills.