Any suggestions on how to get my kids to clean their rooms and keep up on it?

Question

I have three kids and it is such a hassle to keep their rooms clean, the girls share a room and there is not a lot of space for everything, we've bought organizers but to get the younger one to help is like pulling teeth, my son has his own room but throws clothes anywhere. Help

Answer 1

well im going thru the same thing, What I learned growing up you can't give money or a gift for cleaning their own room, unlike chores like mowing the lawn or somthing that is actually helping you out they should be cleaning their rooms no matter what. Try talking to them and tell them if they do not start to pick up their rooms then you will either donate their stuff or thow it away, Tell them to go clean their room, they will have 1 chance if you then go past their room and see somthing on the floor, take it and put it in a bucket to donate or toss.. Thats what Im doing with my girl, so far its been 2 weeks and seems to be working.

Answer 2

Take a look at Flylady.net. This is a wonderful site, where they teach us about working on our housework a bit at a time. One tool that I thought was good for kids, was hula hoop. Put the hula hoop on the floor and ask the child to clean up everything inside of it. You can use a timer. This way cleaning up the entire room does not seem overwhelming. Good luck.

Answer 3

Tough love. If they leave things on their floor throw it in a hefty bag and stick it in a hiding place. When they get home, tell them you threw everything they had thrown on the floor away.
If they want it they will put it up. At th end of the week, show them how much cleaner the room is since you threw away their things. When they complain that you have to buy some things new to replace all that was thrown away. Say , "Sorry I can't afford it and I will never be able to afford things for you just to throw on the floor anymore." Then, after they hee and haw about it. Just dump their individual garbage bags on their floor for them to dig out what they need. You will find they will keep some stuff in the bag to throw away. Then, tell them to straighten the rest of their room. With the bag in hand already,they will do it. They will see that , indeed, they do not need that extra junk they have accumulated. Then, after they have cleaned their room,give them allowance to keep it that way. Even, if it's five dollars a week, or 3 dollars a week, it's better than nothing a week. It's their job and they should see the responsibility that hard work pays off. Bathe and brush teeth before bed always. A designated week day, for everyone to wash their own clothes and sheets;with mom's supervision of course. :)

Answer 4

My son hates to clean his room. The best I can do is put him in his room twice a week and tell him he can't come out until it's tidy. I don't nag - but he's only allowed to come out to use the bathroom. Of course, he plays for a while, lies on the bed for a while, looks at comic books for a while but eventually he gets bored and hungry and starts cleaning. It won't work if you have a busy schedule or if the child has a tv in his room. My son will sometimes hang out in his room for 2 hours before he even *starts* cleaning. Once he gets going the actual cleaning rarely takes more than 15 minutes. He's 6.

Answer 5

I cause them to sparkling it each and every time it gets messy, that's standard for my daughter, no longer lots with my son. My daughter is likewise a hoarder, and that i'm the astonishing opposite. she would be waiting to incredibly shop a chew of trash to beautify her room with. i visit throw something away that isn't used many times. I hate muddle and do o.k. residing without it. I in basic terms permit her do her destruction and then i bypass in there an tell her to scrub her room, frequently in the previous or top after dinner.

Answer 6

Make up some kind of system. Example: If Jane cleans her room and Jane's mom likes what she has done, Jane gets a sticker. If Jane gets 5 stickers she gets to get a trip to any store she wants.

Since I don't know your financial circumstances, and it really doesn't matter - you should probably stick with No Chore of their choice for a week or something. I don't know what your schedule is so its a little harder to help...

Hope I helped!

Answer 7

Help them go through their room and get rid of the junk and help them get it clean the first time. Then set up the rule that for every day it is not clean, they lose a privilege for that week. My boys know that is their one chore they have to do daily, and if it's not done, then no TV, computer or Xbox.

Answer 8

I don't know how old your children are but is an everyday routine at my house. They just know that before dinner there is to be picked up. Then they wake up to a clean room to play in and mommy isn't going nuts everytime she walks by them. I have found that mine play in their rooms better when they are clean.

Answer 9

Consistency. Do it with them, regularly, and show them how some good ways are to keep it nice. Let them give input on how THEY would like things organized in their rooms.

Here are a few links:
http://utut.essortment.com/roomcleaning_rxmx.htm
http://sd.essortment.com/oranizingandge_rwob.htm
http://www.pantley.publisherspal.com/web/advice/0071471596.php?nid=94
http://www.aboutourkids.org/aboutour/articles/discipline.html

Answer 10

keep having them clean their rooms but every time you have to tell them to do it remove something from the room, start with toys. One or two at a time. when they start to realize that their favorite things are no longer there. they start to try to pick up a little better. When you see that they are trying return something. as long as they keep trying keep returning items. So far this has worked for us.