How can I convince my parents that my room is MY room, and It doesn't need to be spotless?

Question

I think that it is unfair that they call it MY room, but cancel my plans when it's not spotless. I'll admit that it is not the cleanest, and I am as messy as any other teenager, but I feel like I have no freedom to have MY room how I like it! I don't like it spotless, and I feel like I am renting an apartment, like I am just renting my room. I mean, yea, it's their house, but I just need a spot to...be me.

How can I convince them that I will keep the rest of the house clean, but I want my room just to be me?!

Answer 1

You've answered your own question, you can't convince them to allow you to have your "space" the way you like it, because it's their house, so they can ask you (or tell you) to make it look any way that they want.

They want your room to look nice, because they want their entire place to look nice, its really understandable! I had a friend in highschool, who's parents wouldn't even allow her to move the furniture around or put things up on her walls!

So just asking you to have your clothes and other things picked up off the floor is not that bad.

Just tell yourself, when you have your own house, you can have it as messy or as clean as you want it, but until then you live with them and you'll have to do as they ask.

Answer 2

Until you turn 18 or start paying some rent, you don't have a room. I have 2 children, and I tell them all of the time. Every room in this house is mine. I just let you stay there. If I want that room spotless, then your job is to make it spotless. That room isn't yours. If you want your own room, get your own apartment or get a job and pay some rent.

Answer 3

You're going to have to put out a strong argument.. try this:

Tell your parents you'll make them a deal - that you'll do whatever chores they ask of you, as long as you can keep your room any way you like.. within reason, of course. Agree to keeping dirty clothes in the hamper, clean clothes in the drawer, and food out of your room.. that you'll keep your room at least semi-organized, but that you really don't like the sterility of a spotless room - that it's un-lived-in.

They're not likely to go for it, but it's worth a try. If you want, you can add on the idea that you'll do chores that are otherwise not assigned to you as a way of paying rent - paying for the right to keep your room "lived in."

If you approach them as if this is a business proposal, and be willing to make concessions, they might -- MIGHT -- go for it.

Otherwise, you're just going to have to live out the rest of your time there with the expectation of having a clean room. And trust me - every teenager has this problem.. unless they have parents who don't really care. Just be happy your parents pay attention to you and care about your life.

Good luck.

Answer 4

You are only a kid for so long then you move out on your own. It is their house and it's their room. They have provided it to you as a place to sleep, play, study, and just hang out but that doesn't mean they don't have a right to want it kept clean. Anyway, you must be getting close to 18... within a few years I'll guess. Just accept that this is the way it is until you move out. Then you can leave all your stuff anywhere you like in your place.

Answer 5

Let me tell you why I insist that my two teenage sons clean their room.....and remember, it's just the three of us at the house, I am a single parent.

When I run out of dishes, especially regular drinking glasses, forks bowls and plates, I have to search their rooms, and usually find 90% of the missing items, the other 10% I find somewhere near the couches.

Reason #1, I want my dishes back

When they have somewhere important to go, or it's time for school and there are no clean cothes especially socks, I find the missing ones where? Yep, you guessed it!! In their rooms.

Reason # 2, I don't want to have to chase down your dirty clothes so we know where they are.

I don't mind if you take a snack in there to eat, but get the trash and food out after you are done.

Reason #3, I don't want to have to track down the smell, nor pay the exterminator

Take away the dirty dishes and the dirty clothes, and I bet your room is close enough to clean to gt away with it....:)

Answer 6

1. It is your room but their house.

2. You've been asked to keep that room of yours decent in their home. Parents are in charge of teaching right from wrong. Instead of being defiant why not look at it in a positive manner? After all, when good behavior becomes habit who is the squeaky wheel that get's the grease?

Think it might be your parents? If ya do I'd think about that a bit longer because it's no different than a teacher teaching math. Since you accept that a teacher teaches you for your benefit all that is required for you to learn good habits is respect for your parents also.

Answer 7

It's YOUR room but it's still in THEIR house, for which they pay the mortgage, insurance, etc. When you're the head of a household one day, you'll understand.

Answer 8

i know this is weird but i think clean rooms are a good thing. just try to clean your room for yourself it'll make you have a sense of pride and completion.

Answer 9

It's their roof baby!