It is so much frustrating to live and organize messy children, right? It can sometimes feel impossible to maintain a clean home with kids. It seems there is always a trail of mess. But be strong.
If the bedroom of your kid is filled with toys, clothes, and other items, you are one of the many people experiencing this. It is popular for children of all ages to have trouble maintaining a neat home. Some kids may like to have a messy room. Others have staged room, like a kid displaying independence or a teen that found new responsibility to be overwhelming.
And also, some children have continuous trouble with organization and require more assistance. No matter the cause, there are things you can do to manage your kids with a messy bedroom.
Below are the ways to live with messy kids:
- Be Specific on the Meaning of a Messy Room
Your kids won’t probably know they need to fix the mess in their room when you say ‘your room is a mess’ to them. Many kids need many specific instructions.
When the room of your kid is clean, you should both walk through it and point out the things that make it clean. Saying things like
‘You don’t have toys littered on the floor because they are stored away.
The bed is perfectly made.
Your clothes are well hanged in the closet, not thrown around the room.
Encourage them and commend them by saying ‘Good job.’
This will let them know what a clean room is all about, and you can as well take photos of the neat room so your kid can always check it.
- Be Specific about How Much Mess is Ok
In some cases, your kid’s room is just a bit messy and you might just overlook it. But you importantly need to let your kid know when it is beyond normal. Be clear with your child how you feel with clothes spread on the floor: ‘You need to put the Legos away as soon as you are done using them’. You can keep them in the special Legos bin.
- Explain to them why it is a Problem
Some children don’t see the need to clean up. For them, explaining the importance of cleanliness matters. You might tell them:
- You will step on the Legos and hurt your feet if you don’t pick them up
- Clothes get wrinkled and look bad when they are crumpled on your bed
- Food wrappers may attract bugs if you don’t dispose of them properly.
However, you need to be careful so as not to nag or repeat yourself more than normal as it can backfire.
- Begin to get rid of the Mess
The next thing you need to do to maintain a clean house is to dispose of every non-essential item. Kids grow quickly out of toys, clothes, and phases and we often think they need more than they do. There are many material objects in our home that we sometimes thought we had to have. If you hope to have a clean house, you have to begin by getting some thorough purge done.
This involves your kid’s clothing, toys, equipment, and the rest of your household. I so much like the KonMari method for books and clothing, and to follow your instinct about what items we have that we are keeping for sentimental reasons instead of necessity.
- Avoid Buying New Unless
Stop purchasing things you don’t need. Don’t come home with more items unless you are ready to dispose of something else. These two rules will save you so much mess and money.
- Avoid Buying unless it is for Birthdays or Holidays
This rule was a tough one to abide by at first since our kids’ interests often change and it felt like we were coming into the house or backyard with new stuff always to make sure everyone is kept busy and entertained. However, those purchases were only increasing the mess in our house and our children were not just making me sad, but they were not playing with their toys for a long time before they lose interest and their creativity was turning stagnant.
When kids have light-up toys and a continuous stream of new entertainment, they lose the ability to bring out their imaginations into life. Kids, who don’t have much, play more with the lesser toys they have, improve their focus spans and can engage for an extended period, and also, use their imaginations to come up with games and entertainment.
The bottom line is that when children have too many toys and things, it leads to mess in your house, making it more difficult to maintain a clean and tidy home; also stagnating a child’s imaginations.
- Create Rules for Picking Up Messes
In our house, we have one major rule: clean up your toys before playing with something new. It took a lot of adaptation but has been helpful as this rule is also applied in preschool, and we all understand that consistency is important. Now, we don’t have messes that need to be cleaned up all through the day and we love it. If you discover that you are having piles of toys in your house, consider the 2-minute Clean Up magic for an instant fix to a deep house clean-up.
- Dispose of Junk and Outdated Items
Disposing of clutter is one of the best ways to ensure your kid’s room is kept neat. Check the closet with your kids once a year to dispose of clothes and shoes they have outgrown. You also can dispose of old toys, school papers, as well as any item your kid is no more use. This can reduce the stress of cleaning the bedroom.
- Lead by Example
If you want kids to keep their room neat, it is only reasonable that you first keep your bedroom clean, as well. Asking your children to make their bed when yours is still scattered won’t be possible. You don’t have to make your room perfect, but endeavor to keep it on the same level you have for your child.
- Teach them Young
Teach them the path you want them to follow early. The sooner you begin to teach them how to clean and the importance of it, the easier it will become when they grow older. My children have been doing small things since they were at the age of 2. I’d have them bring me dishes from the table or fold washrags. The earlier you begin the better.
If you like, you may consider implementing a cleaning chart and stickers to bring fun into chores.
- Designate a Place for Everything
Children may find cleaning their room difficult if it is not clear where to put things. Ensure there is a home for everything your children use and that they can easily put things back there. That applies to books, toys, clothes, musical instruments, sports equipment, art supplies, and any items they often use. If things don’t have a designated home, they end up on the floor or the kitchen counter. Also, if there is no place for toys, they end up hiding under my foot in the dark.
- Designate a Room
If by any means possible, endeavor to have a little space set off that you can fall back to when you need to relax. Before it’s been one of the corners in our living room and now, it is a small front room that we referred to as the parlor. This place is a toy-free zone and it is even out of bounds for kids when eating. I guard it with my life. So even if everywhere else is a wild zoo, I sure have my little space of civilization.
- Go Paperless
Paper is the first thing that causes clutter and mess. We have it everywhere. Bills, work, mails, arts and crafts, magazines, homework, school projects, junk mail, newspapers, and so on. It takes over your drawers, countertops, and filing systems.
Convert your important documents, such as wills, life insurance, birth certificates, mortgage, taxes, investments, and so on, into digital files, and when you are set. Begin this process for all other items that you have that you need to save.
Make a digital file of the document, save it to the right folder, and create a backup (this is a bit expensive but big and a top-quality brand). What subscriptions can you let go and what can you turn to paperless so that they never come into your home? Sign up for electronic billing and convert your children’s artwork into digital files for easy storage.
Final Words
It is not easy to have a home free of a mess when raising children, but the tough work comes first during decluttering and getting rid of the mess, even before you begin to organize your home. Immediately all the non-essentials are no longer in your life, you will not only feel so much relieved but the burden of making efforts to keep your household clean will be quickly reduced.
FAQs about Home Organising:
- How can I help my child understand the importance of a clean room?
Be specific about what constitutes a messy room, showing examples of clean areas to set expectations. - How much mess is acceptable in a child’s room?
Set clear boundaries, such as toys must be put away after playtime. - Why do children struggle with organisation?
Some kids find tidiness overwhelming or don’t see mess as a problem. - How can I reduce clutter in my child’s room?
Regularly declutter toys, clothes, and items they’ve outgrown. - Should I limit the number of toys?
Yes, fewer toys encourage creativity and prevent clutter. - How do I teach my child to clean up after themselves?
Set rules like cleaning one activity before starting another, using simple, consistent instructions. - What role does parental example play in cleanliness?
Leading by example helps reinforce tidy habits in children. - Can early involvement in chores help?
Yes, starting kids young with age-appropriate chores encourages responsibility. - How can I designate spaces for children’s belongings?
Provide clear storage solutions for toys, books, and clothes to make tidying easier. - Is it helpful to make tidying fun?
Incorporating games or rewards can make cleaning up an enjoyable task for children.
However, it may seem stressful to tackle the task if you a huge messes around. This is where we can help you. Our Home Organisation service will give you a peace of mind while having your kids around.
