Boys bedrooms

[Iwanttoseethesea]

Bit of a discussion going on here. I have DS13 & DS 16. I want them to have tidy (ish) rooms. They maintain its their room so they should have it as they like (tip). Opinions please ...

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I've given up! I tell him to have a blitz every now and again and I'll go up and check. I hoover in there when I'm doing the rest of upstairs and he changes the sheets once a week.

I shut the door

[Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016]

Personally as long as it was hygienic (no cups /plates or manky clothes) I would leave them to it. Tell them you expect them to run a hoover over it every week to save you venturing in there!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Oh and windows need to be opened once a day at least!

[Iwanttoseethesea]

Thank you ... There seems to be a smell that never completely leaves though ....

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Burn a candle for a couple of hours,works a treat. Not a smelly one,just a normal one will do.

[whistlingtea]

I think that's just eau de adolescent boy!

[Iwanttoseethesea]

I'm so fed up with the constant reminding ...I think I'll just leave them to it. I'm not venturing in for washing though ... Picking up teenage boys pants is grim

[itmustbemyage]

I've had two teenage boys, a tip would be a polite way of describing their rooms. With my oldest we painted the walls bought new furniture and said we would replace the carpet if he managed to keep the floor clear, says a lot that he never got a new carpet!
I just keep the door closed, refuse to wash clothes unless they are put in the laundry basket and just do regular raids to collect cups and plates. My eldest has now left home and his whole flat is a tip. Neither of them were embarrassed when friends or girlfriends came round so I figure most teenage boys are the same. I save my energy for dealing with other issues.

[Wolfiefan]

It's your house. Your rules. Mine is only 13. Rule is no food and drink up there. Clean clothes put away and dirty in the wash. Floor clear. (Or I can't Hoover!)

[Haffdonga]

I don't go in. But nor do I do any of their washing, ironing or putting away. I supply clean bedclothes and expect them to change and make their own beds.They can live in their own squalor as long as they shut the door and I don't see it.

Then they get girlfriends and miraculously they start tidying and cleaning without any nagging.

[Iwanttoseethesea]

We already say no food or drink upstairs and yet I still find things lurking. They will be delighted to have messy rooms and I guess it is their own space ... I just need to remember that every time I go past their rooms on the way to my own (very tidy) bedroom

[bloomburger]

DS's room has an underlying smell of eau de teenage boy. Doesn't matter what I do, new carpet, new linen, bathroom scrubbed, diffuser, candles, windows open. It just has a low level rank smell.

He has to bring his washing down if he wants it washed and if it's not tidy the night before the cleaner comes it doesn't get done but past that it's his shit to deal with.

At some point they realise it's rank and get their act together, normally when girls come into the picture.

Just don't sweat it.

[Iwanttoseethesea]

I will leave them to it then I guess ! I'm so bored of moaning ...

[specialsubject]

Not to the.point of damage - that is entitlement. So no food or drink, room ventilated properly and kept so doesnt get mouldy.

Breaking of these rules should have consequences.

[HoppityFrogs]

I don't get mine to tidy their room any more, they have to bring down dirty plate/cups daily and I expect them to clear up the rubbish daily (usually sweet wrappers - I'm just glad it's not foil!) but if they have dirty laundry all over the room then that is their problem.
I don't go in to clean their rooms, that is their responsibility once they are teens.

[Squirrills]

There are more important things to nag about IMO. I loathe the mess but try to ignore it.
I think it's nice for them to have their own bit of territory and privacy and if they don't mind wading through the floordrobe it's no big deal.
I don't have any rules about food and drink in rooms as long as they eat with us at the table in the evening.

[bigbluebus]

My DS leaves clothes all over the floor, rubbish next to the bin and crockery with festering leftovers all over his desk. He went to Uni and I thought it would be the last we would see of the £300 deposit we paid for his halls - but amazingly we got it refunded at the end of the year. I suspect that he only cleared up just before he left although I warned him to ensure all food waste was cleared away before he came home at the end of each term. It did make me wonder if some sort of annual deposit scheme might work at home too

[Mummydummy]

Similar problem with DD (and to a lesser degree DS - but yeah his room has that musty smell and window needs to be opened a lot). My DDs room used to drive me bonkers, waterfall chest of drawers, floor covered, cups, plates and sweet wrappers.. But you do get used to it. And shut the door.

I havent done this but my Mum used to just put everything on my bed when she hoovered so you had to tidy up before you went to bed.

[TheresAJaffaCakeInMyPocket]

At wha going do you leave them to it? My mum made us have tidy rooms until we moved out. I am sick of nagging!

[Claramarion]

Do you have wifi i find threatening to turn it off if there rooms not tidy works my boys are a lot tidier that girls. I've given up with the girls like !!!

[Sparklingbrook]

Two DSs 14 and 17. I just say all laundry in the basket, and any crockery/glasses/cups/rubbish to be brought down.

I don't go in and move stuff about as I get all the 'MUUUUM!! were's my ...' then.

[Bumperstickers]

Ds's bedroom was not too bad, dd17 on the other hand, a total tip.
Had to laugh mummydummy at waterfall chest of drawers . Every drawer in the room seems to be hanging out! And as for piling everything on the bed, dd would just get in and it would be all over the floor again.
I'm sick of nagging her about it and I don't know why I do coz she takes no notice.
About anything

[Moussaka1]

DS is 13 and would not tidy/clean without prompts (of course).... I use his love of the Xbox as a lever. "Can I go on the Xbox now?" "Yes of course, as soon as you have...." ( hoovered your carpet/changed your bed linen) It's not every day and can include: take the recycling out/take the gas meter reading for me/clean bathroom sinks..... Daily I have to remind him to hang towels up, flush and clean loo after number 2s. I tell him consideration and responsibility are life skills needed to share with other people one day. He grumbles a bit but doesn't take him long then has hours on the Xbox.

[nooka]

My two are 16 and 17. We don't go into their rooms. dd's room is the most amazing mess and ds's which used not to be so bad is smelly. I make rude comments about them both but generally leave them be.

They are responsible for their own cleaning, washing, bed making etc. We tidy and clean the communal areas of the house once a week as a family (we each do our own rooms) and they cook at least one evening each so I'm not really complaining.