Coming back from work to a cluttered home is something nobody wants. Imagine you get home and your kids cleaned up their own mess. Sounds like a dream, right? Getting your children actually to clean their rooms can be a very difficult task. Kids love to leave their toys everywhere, and let’s be honest; they don’t care about leaving stains. With a few tricks, you can change this situation right away.

Tips for Getting Kids To Clean Their Rooms

 Here are a few tips to help you motivate your children to clean their rooms and the mess they leave behind:

Start when they are young

It takes a lot of time for good habits to develop. So if you start early, you will save yourself a lot of headaches. Giving your children chores will help them become successful and hardworking adults.

But there is a very important note here. Give your kids age-appropriate chores. Don’t expect your 4-year-old to vacuum the floors. Start with small tasks and gradually increase their responsibilities as they grow up. Picking up the toys is the perfect chore to start with. Make sure to be patient because good habits take time to develop. 

Discuss the importance of a clean home

If you don’t tell your kids why it’s good to make their beds or pick up their toys, how would they know, right? Talk about different ways they can help out. You can even make a weekly schedule together and help them stick to it.

Set a good example

Kids are more responsive to what we do, rather than what we say. They like to imitate the grown-ups, so be a role model. Keep your own things in order and make sure to clean up your own mess. 

Work together

Telling your children to clean their rooms is not enough. You have to show them how. If you want your kids to make their bed, show them how it’s done. Start doing chores together. Being the boss doesn’t work at the beginning.  

As they improve their cleaning and organizing skills, you can slowly leave them to it and enjoy looking at your busy bees.

Make rules and stick to them

Being a strict parent can be a great thing. Make rules and stick to them! For example, when your kids are done with playing, they need to put the toys in their place. If they don’t do that, you can hide their favorite toy for a week. Make sure you follow through; otherwise, your kids will sense your gullible nature and use it against you.

Turn cleaning into a game

Kids love games, so why don’t you turn cleaning into a game? Most children are much more willing to play “Who can pick up the most toys until I count to 10?” instead of just ordering them to pick up their toys. You can also turn cleaning into a basketball game. Place a bucket in the room and tell your kid to shoot with the toys. A few games later, and you might be surprised.

Another great idea for a cleaning game is to tell your kids to pick up just the blue toys and then the red. Sorting is a great way to work on your kid’s development. Go on YouTube and play their favorite songs. Turn “making the bed” into a morning dance routine.

The reward system

Rewards are a great way to stimulate your children to do something. When I was a kid, this worked like a charm. Tell your kids to fold their shirts, and if they do, later you will go for a walk in the park and an ice cream. 

Make a chart

Create a weekly cleaning chart and put it on the fridge. A good to-do list will help you be more organized. Make it simple and balanced (if you have more than one kid). If you plan ahead, your kids will know their chores ahead of time and will stick to the schedule.

I hope these tips help. Try them out and see what works best for your kids. Make sure to be patient. At the end of the day, you’ll be able to enjoy some quality time with your family in a clean and clutter-free home!

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Filip is a freelance graphic designer, blogger, and father of two with a passion for cleaning, organizing, and home improvement. You can find more about Filip’s work on his blog at housecleaningadvice.com

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