Help!
My kids' bedroom is constantly filthy, and im not talking messy, im talking FILTHY!!!!! I can clean that bedroom to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine quality and you can damn well guarantee it will be absolutely filthy again within 24 hours. They're only 5 and 6 year old twins but I am at my wits end. They're also very intelligent children, especially for their ages, so they know its an atrocity.
The room is tiled, and there is aaaalways God knows what on the floor. Its like a mixture of dirt, sand, food peels, tiiiiny withered apple cores, fruit seeds, bread crust, biscuit crumbs, food wrappers, baby wipes.. You name it, its there. How does it even get there!? Not ONE other room is my house has this shit on the floor! I am literally gobsmacked as to where it all comes from. They're not allowed food in their room, but they're obviously still sneaking it in and presumably some of it is coming from lunchboxes which they have been told time and time again to empty at school. Every afternoon they have a quick bedroom tidy up before homework but im usually starting dinner so I dont often get time to check. I just have my usual Sunday house clean.
Their clothes are all nearly folded and perfectly stacked, but they're the kind of kids that feel the need to change 50 times a day, and as soon as an item of clothing hits that floor - washing machine. At the same time, they're also not allowed clothes after school. Its hot here, so undies only unless they're going outside or to bed. The clothes usually hit the floor when they're trying to take outside clothes from the pile - and the entire pile tips over. They attempt to make their bed every morning which I am happy with and leave like that because I work full time and we usually rush out the door, but on Sunday, for the first time, I pulled the blanket back (they wont sleep separately so they all share a queen) to do my weekly wash and there was food, dirt, chunks of biscuit and crumbs, a BLACK shrunken Banana peel, dirty socks, wet patches from juice and milk.. Oh my God. I wanted to rip my hair out and smash my head against the concrete wall. I had to leave the room to cool down.
I know it may seem as though im a bit full on, but dont get me wrong, I get it. Kids rooms get messy and as parents its our job to clean it, but is it just my kids or do others not know where this random filth and shit comes from? Is this a result of me slacking as a parent? Am I not spending enough time? How do I keep on top of it when I dont know where its coming from? How do I keep on top of it in general? As a single mother working full time, its hard to fit everything in mid week but its really starting to stress me out.
Please help!!!
6 Replies
It comes from their shoes! Mine can destroy a room with tiny little feet I dont know how she brings that much stuff in them but she does every day.
Stop allowing them to eat in there bedrooms. Have designated food zones. It's hard to get food rubbish in there if they don't eat in there. It takes a bit if supervision to get it established but it will be worth it. If you need to get an alarm on the fridge and pantry door. Remind them not to take food in the bedroom when you hear the alarm.
Start allocating a set number of clothes per day. Too bad too sad.
Don't be so nice. Start making them wash there own clothes when the washing basket is full. They will soon get the idea that more changes= more washing for them. And yes 5 and 6 year olds can operate washing machines.
Make them take there school shoes off at the door so they empty the sand outside. Do it on the way in from school so it's part of the routine.
Get tough.
Ban food from rooms. Food is only to be eaten at the table. Ban shoes from being inside the house. Hopefully this might help. My kids can make feral messes to, especially while I'm studying and slacking a bit. It's very frustrating.
Thanks ladies. I edited to add that they're not allowed food in their room, they can only eat at the table but they're obviously still sneaking it in and I think some is coming from lunchboxes too. Does anyone know where I can find a fridge alarm?
They're also not allowed clothes after school. Its hot here, so undies only unless they're going outside or to bed. The clothes usually hit the floor when they're trying to take outside clothes from the pile - the entire pile tips over -_-
My girls share a room, they're 6 and 7. My God are they slobs!
A few things I've taken on board over the years are.
1. No food in rooms. EVER!
2. Cull the toys, the less they have the less they need to pick up (and let's be honest most toys don't even get played with)
3. Shoes off before coming inside and wash feet if need be. After school their ties are black from the pine bark in the playground.
4. One change of clothes per day, at bed time all clothes go in hamper. Except jackets, they can be hung on bed end for next day. Have a dirty hamper in their room too then there's no excuses.
5. Keep on top of them, teach them to pack up as they go so it doesn't become an overwhelming mess, have consequences for any unacceptable mess (I.e dirty washing on floor, food etc)
6. Lower your expectations a little. Toys and general untidyness is probably as good as you'll get with slobby kids but it does get better as they get older
1. Lunch boxes straight on the bench after school, get them to empty it then if they didn't at school, it's possible they're busy being children and playing during their lunch time.
2. Let them wear clothes after school if they want to? Ask them to pick an outfit the night before and they can put it next to their school uniform- not allowed to change out of the outfit they picked until bedtime!
3. School shoes off at the front door (maybe get a shoe rack) have them empty them outside before coming inside. A shoe rack at the back door would be helpful to help eliminate dirt also.
Do they have a chest of drawers or anywhere for clothes to hang? I hang all tshirts, dresses, some pants etc, makes it soo much easier and quicker to sort clothes and the kids can easily rehang things themselves, plus they're not toppling their clothes over! Kmart has basic hanging racks for $17 and they actually fit a fair bit on them and are height adjustable.
Is your vacuum cleaner easy to use? Get the kids to vacuum a couple of times a week. Google age appropriate chores and set them a couple each for during the school week and a couple each for the weekend to help take the stress off you.
I'm sure you're doing an amazing job, try not to stress the little things and focus on finding a more manageable system. There are alot of different job charts etc that can help with structure and routine that you may find helpful also. Goodluck x