Being a mom is a full-time job that requires you to be on your toes at all times. This means always looking out for the wellbeing of your little ones.
If they’re barely old enough to know the importance of a clean room, it’s all on you. This is quite involved, right? No worries, you can make this easier by coming up with a kids room cleaning checklist. Kids are always so messy that you have to be a few steps ahead of them.
Why the Checklist?
A checklist helps your kids navigate through the various areas in their room. Your kids are growing up so fast and need to be trained on basic chores such as cleaning their rooms.
It also enables your kids to be organized. They’ll know where to start and certainly what is to be done. Their rooms are a training ground on how to handle the rest of the house when the need arises.
It doesn’t matter if they’ve seen you clean up lots of times. Be present during the entire exercise to supervise, so they get things done the right way.
Cleaning Cloth
These are meant to wipe any kind of spillages on the surfaces. The mirror is a basic part of your child’s room and must be kept spotless at all times. Teach your child how to spray the mirror and wipe from top to bottom.
They become perfect at this chore when they do it more often. The load of cleaning your child’s room will be off your back.
Organize Their Stuff
It’s quite normal to find your kids’ stuff strewn all over. They love to explore and discover new things and they don’t get to clean up right away. Get them two boxes or bags and have them sort things out.
Those that belong in your kid’s room should remain while the displaced ones should be transferred immediately.
Make Their Beds
This is where your child finds warmth and comfort after a long day. Their beds have to be clean, fresh and made up for them to enjoy their sleep. If they are past the bed wetting stage, teach them the importance of changing the sheets often.
Let them know that the dirty covers and sheets go to the laundry room to get cleaned up. Afterwards, your kids should learn how to make their beds even when they wake up.
Clear Up the Floor
It’s not just the floor that needs to be cleared up, check their drawers and dressers as well. There might be items that they don’t need and only take up so much space. The importance of this particular exercise is just so they make up space for new items.
This should be the very first thing to do when your kids begin to clean up their room. It makes the whole exercise easier and quicker to embark on.
Do the Dusting
Dust mites will not give your kids a break simply because they are kids. Nature has to take its course and this is definitely it. Open surfaces such as the furniture need to be dusted frequently.
The windowsills need not be neglected as they are carriers of dust as well. Get a cotton piece of cloth since it absorbs moisture easily compared to other fabrics. It shouldn’t be too soggy as this will only make a mess everywhere.
Make it damp enough to clean up dust from the target surfaces.
Trap the Cobwebs
Let’s not forget the ceiling and other cobweb prone areas. This might be slightly risky to have your kids embark on alone. To make this chore more fun and engaging, carry them as they aim the cobweb remover on the target corners.
As they grow older, they learn to stand on furniture and do it on their own. This chore can be done at least once or twice in a month depending on whether the cobwebs are visible.
Put Away the Toys
Your kids should understand that leaving toys lying around is dangerous. They might trip over them, fall and hurt themselves. Get them a box that’s big enough to fit all their toys including the stuffed ones.
As soon as they are done playing with them, they pick them up and put them in their box. It will be easier even for the toddlers to follow this rule from their tender age.
Draw the Curtains
Your child needs clean, fresh air to breathe as it’s healthy for them. Train them on the importance of drawing the curtains when they wake up in the morning. A lot of stuffy air is trapped inside and must be let out.
This is not only a part of the cleaning routine, but a daily routine as well. When darkness sets in, shut the windows and close the curtains to avoid the room getting too cold.
Vacuum Time
Bear in mind that this should be the very last part of the room cleaning process. A vacuum cleaner is not designed to pick up solid tiny objects. This will only lead to its premature destruction.
Ensure that your vacuum cleaner is only ready for dust bunnies, tiny dirt particles and pet hair. Anything that goes beyond this will only be a recipe for destruction. There’s no harm in vacuuming every single day.
Last But Not Least
After all is said and done, your kids’ rooms need to look the part. Remember those bags and boxes we mentioned earlier? It’s time for them to either go or placed where they belong in the kids’ room.
Take out the trash, dirty sheets and laundry should find their way to the laundry room and washed soonest possible. Hair brushes should be placed neatly on the dresser while toys go into their respective box.
Printable Routine
A Printing a weekly routine is an effective way to help your kids remember what their duties are. Make it colorful and use a larger font that they will find easy to read and understand.
With time, you won’t have to follow your kids around on what they are supposed to do. You’ll even take those vacations you’ve been putting on hold for so long.
More Tips on Chores
How to Create Your Child’s Perfect Bedroom
How to Get Your Children Involved in Household Chores
A Guide to Age-Appropriate Chores for Kids
Age-Appropriate Chores For Kids by Age
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