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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

tidying their bedrooms

25 replies

vividgingerchilli · 30/07/2011 15:35

What age are your DC and what do you expect them to do in the way of keeping their bedrooms tidy? Or do you just let them get to whatever state they want them to be in.

We say no food in the bedrooms and no pets and we expect to be able to get to the desk, wardrobe, bed and windows without treading on/falling off stuff.

OP posts:

Original poster

vividgingerchilli · 30/07/2011 15:35

ooops falling over I mean

OP posts:

MummyDoIt · 30/07/2011 15:58

Mine are 7 and 8 and I expect them to keep their own things tidy, nothing left out on the floor, etc. I keep a box in their room and, if I find anything out of place, I chuck it in the box and they have to put it away from there. I do frequently have to remind them to do this and, if it's been there a few days, I threaten to empty the box into the bin!

They have to make their own beds and keep their menagerie of cuddly animals tidy. I also expect them to strip their beds for changing the sheets but not put the clean ones on yet.

gemma4d · 30/07/2011 18:48

3.5 yr old tidys her bedroom at bed time for 10p. I asked her if she thought 10p or 20p was fair and she chose 10p ... think she has a way to go with her financial awareness! I supervise though (sit on her bed making suggestions about what should go where, or it all goes horribly wrong).

Maryz · 30/07/2011 18:58

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purpleknittingmum · 30/07/2011 19:00

My daughter is 14 and have used blackmail this week! Told her she wouldn't be going on any sleepovers or have anyone over if her room isn't cleared up and kept tidy! She immediately started sorting it on Tuesday night!

Maryz · 30/07/2011 19:42

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purpleknittingmum · 30/07/2011 19:44

It is a minor victory for us as I really didn't think she would do it, I was quite gobsmacked! I am finding this kind of age the hardest to deal with, all the attitude etc

HomemadeCommunistRussia · 30/07/2011 20:54

startail · 30/07/2011 21:35

DD2 10 is relatively tidy and even makes her bed ( I don't).
DD1 13 much less so (not teenage rebellion) she is like her parents, naturally untidy.
My mum nagged continuously, I try not to.
I do like to be able to put clothes away and open and close curtains, given the layout of the girls rooms this means most of the floor needs to be clear. If you want friends to sleep the Hoover cometh and the tat under shelves, and dare I say it, desks must be picked up.
DH generally hoovers and he doesn't worry about sucking up play-mobile, pens or earrings.

onepieceofcremeegg · 30/07/2011 21:37

dd1 is 7 and cleans her room roughly once a week. She gets her pocket money £1.50 partly for doing this. Usually I am nearby to help/advise. She needs help to change her bedding. She likes to sort her own drawers out (not every week but she is tidy and likes to arrange her pants and socks etc!)

Most weeks she does a good damp dust, general tidy, and a bit of a vacuum.

usualsuspect · 30/07/2011 21:38

I belong to the shut the door on it school of parenting

ginmakesitallok · 30/07/2011 21:41

DD1 is 7 - and goes into apolpleptic shock if we ask her to tidy her room....

lillybloom · 30/07/2011 21:46

my dc
every morning-open curtains, turn off radios and put dirty washing away
Every evening -clear floors before bed and out dirty clothes away
weekend- dust and hoover room
Sounds good but i do lots of nagging

enprovence · 30/07/2011 21:46

My DS, who is 9 and autistic has boxes and boxes of lego, I got so fed up with picking up lego, finding it all over the house, on the top of the toilet, in the bath, behind his bed, in the hall, you name it, lego is there. I encourage him to use lego as it is his favourite thing and it calms him down but I got tothe point where I wanted to just get rid of the whole lot!!!.

I insist all lego is packed away before bed, any precious models can be put on his table til the morning. No intricate lego train tracks across the landing to trip over in the midle of the night!
I have what I call an 'upstairs/downstairs' bag that I keep in the kitchen and whenever I see bits lying around, they go straight in the bag. When I can be bothered I take the bag upstairs and put it all away in the right boxes.

Another trick is get loads of pretty boxes/baskets, wicker things (from boot fairs/ikea etc) and just shove any clutter inside. As long as the floor is clear, I don't mind about the rest.

Finally I insist that my eldest 2 tidy up, ALWAYS, they have tantrums and try to pass the blame and it is a constant battle, but be consistent!!

GnomeDePlume · 30/07/2011 21:48

DCs are 15, 12 & 11. They have the top floor of a three storey house. On the whole we dont go into rooms but if we have to (eg DS hasnt produced laudry for several days) and the rooms are a mess then they will be told to tidy up. They are responsible for cleaning their own bathroom (I normally get DD1 to allocate the jobs for this).

Collision · 30/07/2011 21:52

Im with you Usualsuspect!!

CreepyWeeBracketsUser · 30/07/2011 21:53

DD is 6 and can strip and make her beds, open and close curtains, fold clothes away in right drawers, put rubbish in her bin and empty it into large bin when full, she has always tidied her toys up pretty well, puts her dirty clothes and plates in the kitchen. she's actually pretty great

PurveyorOfBaloney · 30/07/2011 21:58

I believe in laying the ground work early (this is going to come back and bite me when they get older ). DD (4) and DS (nearly 2) share a room and the least I expect from them is to put their dirty clothes in the wash basket at the end of the day, to put their pajamas under their pillow in the morning, to tidy away any toys in their room after breakfast and the same again before bath time (I do help with the tidying, but make sure they are actively contributing). We have started with making their beds in the morning too - but they definitely need help with that.

I expect DD to choose her clothes in the morning and get dressed independently too. Leads to some eclectic clothing choices!

Maryz · 30/07/2011 22:07

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PurveyorOfBaloney · 30/07/2011 22:11

Thanks for the reality check Maryz

In my heart I know that is what is going to happen (I still remember being a teenager). But it doesn't stop me hoping, and at least it makes for a more pleasant environment for now!

Maryz · 30/07/2011 22:14

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

usualsuspect · 30/07/2011 22:18

My DDs had messy rooms ,now they have grown up and left home their own houses are very tidy

My Ds does occasionally tidy his room ,when its not full of his gangly great big mates

Maryz,my ds recently bought at least 10 empty glasses downstairs after a recent clean up

Cathycat · 30/07/2011 22:19

I get my 4 dc to tidy and clean their room every Saturday afternoon before I take them swimming. they are age between 4 and 11. I sit and supervise (nag) with a coffee. I dread the day when they are older and this no longer happens. throughout the week I just ask for a safe fire exit!

exoticfruits · 30/07/2011 22:22

Just close the door on it!

purpleknittingmum · 31/07/2011 08:23

Oh MaryZ! 17 mugs!! I have said to myself that if my daughter starts leaving crockery in her room, I will buy a mega cheap set that is only for her to use and clean, so when it runs out it is her problem!

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