Many years ago, when I was pregnant with a precious baby-girl, I was impatiently waiting for her arrival and browsed internet making plans for the perfect parenthood: I looked forward to raising my little princess in the organic recycling upcycling world and I knew it would be magical. Who was I kidding? I have a full-time job, not enough money, and I am way too busy to properly recycle (psst, don’t tell the neighbors)! My house is far from being a picture perfect family home, because we cannot afford the cleaning lady and I am certainly not one – I have a job, I spend as much time in the house as everybody else does, and my old vacuum cleaner makes me cry.
From my perspective, you have the right to be messy in your own house. However, I have rules for my kids:
- Absolutely no food in the bedroom.
- You have to clean your room at least once a week.
- You cannot invite friends over if you have a mess in the room.
The kids get sidetracked easily (duh!) when it comes to cleaning and, needless to say, we don’t have play dates at our house often (Sorry neighbors’ kids).
However, with a third bundle of joy joining our family a few months ago, I knew it was the time to get back to the drawing board and come up with a different cleaning strategy. Soon enough, the little guy will be crawling around, chasing dust bunnies, snacking on Legos, and chewing his older siblings’ crayons – we don’t want that, do we?
- Pick up your toys and store in them in your play bins
- Collect and store your dirty clothes into the laundry baskets
My Recipe for a Successful Cleaning of the Kids’ Room
Step 1 Preparation
A day before the official cleaning day of the kids bedroom, my kids SHOULD clean their room on Sunday, I place this hanger on their doorknob. I don’t want to maneuver around toys and socks and why wouldn’t I want to minimize my workload? The key is to make it as big as possible – kids have a selective vision in addition to the selective hearing.
Step 2 Last Minute Prep
In the morning of the cleaning day I place the last warning sign some place they can’t miss, because in the addition to selective hearing and selective vision, the kids also also blessed with a selective memory – they will remember that you promised them an ice cream, but will conveniently forget that they need to eat their dinner first. My sign this week goes onto the closet doors:
Today is SUNDAY – your cleaning day.
You have until 10 AM to:
OR ELSE
Step 3 Cleaning
This place is pretty clean by my standard and now it is the time for my easy cleaning. Turn on my trusty vacuum cleaner and here we go…
By the way,
Why do you think my kids actually cleaned the room and what would of happened if they didn’t?
Which one of your rooms could use this technology the most?
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
Oh how I hate cleaning my kids rooms. LOL. This is perfect for me 🙂
Dawn says
This is exactly how I do this. I’ve been making my son clean his room since he was five. He’s gotten really good at it.
Mama to 5 BLessings says
I love your rules! I need to put my good down more, with 5 kids soon 6 it seems impossible to keep things clean!
Amy Desrosiers says
This vacuum works awesome because I actually own it! I’d take all my kids stuff and donate it! I am at that point now and they don’t mess around!
Amber Edwards says
I love your signs for your kids! My kids also have the rule of no food in rooms, clean once a week and no friends over if the room is a mess. It works amazing. I have now started making them vacuum their own room once a week, since we have this awesome Eureka Vacuum!
Dee Mauser says
I’m certainly glad my kids are young adults now and can do this on their own. I spent way too much time cleaning their rooms when they were young and now enjoy the break.
Shauna says
Those are my rules, as well… My kids have a family sleep-over every weekend when I allow the kids to bunk together. I won’t even let them do that when their rooms are messy. LOL
Ann Bacciaglia says
These are great tips. I like the reminder notices for the kids. I will have to share this with my friends with kids.
Allie D. says
Love your rules. We are already teaching our daughter to clean and pick up her toys before she leaves her room and gets breakfast. I’m hoping to get her in the habit of picking up after herself.
Autumn @Mamachallenge says
I love the warning signs! I will have to try those out with my son!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I could use this too! My long hair is constantly on the floor and everywhere. It takes a heck of a vacuum to handle that. It looks like you found one!
Vera says
I love your rules for the room!! This sounds like an amazing vacuum for cleaning the house!
Amanda says
I need these signs for my kids!! The vacuum looks great and very easy to use,
ellen beck says
Ha! I LOVE the sign that their stuff will get sucked up and there is an ‘or else’ room. Mine would have figured out to lleve trash and what she didnt want on the floor so it got sucked up or put in the or else room 🙂
ellen beck says
I still get a kick out of this and showed it to my sister in law who is having quite the problem with my niece. The door hangers and the ‘day of’ reminders are great! I also like how it is handled- no arguments, it is all matter of fact and either gets done ‘or else’/