Tips for Organising and Cleaning Your Kid’s Room

There are no two ways about it – cleaning a kid’s room is a never-ending job.  Something you simply have to accept or be in for a frustrating ride, to say the least.

In this instance, let’s assume we’re talking about kids aged between two and 12. These tend to be the years when things are at their absolute messiest, with the added ‘challenge’ of your kids still learning what responsibility is all about.

On the plus side, this doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of scope for making things at least a little less chaotic. Keeping a kid’s room clean and tidy is as much about organization and routine as it is the finer details of the cleaning process.

With this in mind, here are a few helpful tips and guidelines from the experts on keeping kids’ bedrooms clean and serene:

1. Create a Checklist

Right off the bat, a routine cleaning checklist can and will make a big difference. It doesn’t matter how you go about it – what’s important is that you establish some kind of structured routine. For example, Tuesday could be the day you give the floors a deep clean, toy boxes are cleaned on Saturdays, windows are polished every other day, and so on. Not only will this make things easy for you, but it’s also one of the best ways of nurturing good habits and getting your kids to contribute to the cause.

2. All Possible Storage Solutions

The key to a clean and tidy kid’s bedroom almost always lies in strategic storage solutions. The more storage spaces, boxes, and hideaways you have about the place, the less likely it is to become cluttered and messy.  Use every square inch of space as efficiently as possible – under the bed, on top of wardrobes – anywhere you can position a storage box or two. All of which should also feature secure lids, to prevent the contents from getting dusty and dirty.

3. Invest in a Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum is by far one of the most helpful appliances you’ll ever bring into your home. Anytime your kid’s room is vacant, you can set your robot vacuum on a deep clean cycle and have it tackle every corner of the room on your behalf. It’s worth remembering that not only is a robotic vacuum automated, but it can also get into all those places that are usually hard to reach – under the bed, under and around chests of drawers, and so on. 

4. Keep Things Labelled and Categorized

Referring back to the whole thing with storage solutions, keeping things labeled and categorized is essential. Everything should have its place and that’s the only place it should be stored. While this may seem restrictive and somewhat formal at first, it’s by far the best way of preventing things from falling into disarray. Again, it’s also a great way of teaching kids how to pick up after themselves and to ensure that they are doing it right.

5. Embrace Vertical Space

For most parents, the biggest challenge in kids’ bedrooms lies in attempting to keep things off the floor. This is where making maximum use of vertical space can help, and can be as simple as putting up a series of basic shelves. If your kids are old and responsible enough to be trusted, position the shelves within reach and allow them to use them. If not, position them a little higher and use them to store anything you’d prefer to keep out of reach.

6. Reconsider Unnecessary Ornaments

It’s worth remembering that kids of most ages aren’t particularly bothered about the kinds of ornaments and trinkets you yourself may be fond of. Picture frames, random figurines, and decorative objects in general – all pretty enough, but also magnets for dust and dirt. From time to time, take a step back and consider whether there’s anything your kids could happily get by without. If it’s in there purely because you think it looks nice, it may be superfluous.

7. Seasonal Storage

If possible, think about removing anything seasonal from your kids’ bedrooms that aren’t going to be used for some time. Thick coats, snow shows, beach toys, and so on – all the kinds of things that can take up invaluable storage space for months on end. If you don’t have a more practical long-term storage space for them at home, consider renting a storage locker for a low monthly fee. A small price to pay for domestic bliss!

8. Clean while They’re Out

Getting your kids involved in the tidying process is important, but getting to grips with the deeper-cleaning aspects is better tackled when they’re away. You’ll get a lot more done in a short space of time if this particular obstacle isn’t there to slow you down!

9. Make a Tidy Guide

Kids will always have a habit of forgetting (or ignoring) instructions regarding things they’d rather not be doing. Hence, it can be useful to make and mount a tidy guide – perhaps in the form of a picture chart. Pop it on one of their walls or a wardrobe door, in order to provide them with a clear overview of what they should be doing and simplified instructions as to how to do it. Sooner or later, good habits will begin to form.

10. Reward Good Behaviour 

Last but not least, a little incentivization goes a long way with kids of all ages.  In addition to the above, you could also think about putting up a sticker chart, gradually building towards rewards for good behavior. One sticker for each day their room is clean and tidy – every 10 stickers being rewarded with something you consider appropriate. Some say this form of ‘bribing’ kids to do the right thing isn’t the way to go, but it works – no question about that!