A yearly clean-up of your teen’s bedroom is just as necessary as spring cleaning the rest of the house. By doing it, you are modeling this useful habit to your teen.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 4 hours
Here's How:
- Talk to your teen. Agree on a time and create a list of things that need to be done. Here are a few ideas: clean all surfaces, get rid of old clothing, organize drawers and desk, organize closet, clean out from under the bed, wipe down baseboards, sweep ceiling corners, wash blankets and comforters and as I used to say to the boys in the teen home, "Anything that is creepy or crawly needs to find a new home."
- Gather everything your teen and you will need to do the room cleaning. Include music that your teen likes to listen too. This will help motivate him/her and you get to have a taste of what your teen likes to listen to. Save any criticism for another day.
- At the agreed upon time, either begin cleaning with your teen or set up frequent check-in times. Give him/her a small specific job, think of it as a small bite. For instance, stripping the bed and start washing the linens. Then move on to the next small task until the list of tasks is completed.
- An important spring cleaning job is organizing clothing for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. Have your teen go through all of his/her clothing – including underwear. Throw or give away the old and make a list for new clothes if needed. Have your teen make the final decision of what stays and what goes.
- Rotate in new posters or pictures and rearrange. Talk about where things are located around the room and ask your teen to think through these decisions. Use questions about specific items, like “Do you think your alarm clock would work better on the other side of the bed?” But allow your teen to make the choice.
- Praise your teen for a job well done.
Tips:
- While your teen is cleaning, keep the conversation light and positive. Spring cleaning can feel like a daunting task to teens, don’t bring anything else up that may take away his/her motivation.
- If you get your spring cleaning completed before Easter and you need ideas for your teen's basket, take notes on the clothing he/she has to throw away - like an old bathing suit - and be sure to write down the sizes.
Parenting Quizzes for Parents of Teens
