Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to tackle spring cleaning by yourself? Here are 5 easy ways to get your kids to help with spring cleaning!
When it is time for Spring cleaning, even getting started can seem daunting to some people. With one person doing all the work, it can take weeks to get everything done, top to bottom, and have a home that is sparkling clean. You may even find that by the time you are finished, the initial rooms you worked on are already getting messy again. This takes away the great feeling of being able to sit down and relax in a home that is fully cleaned.
It’s a vicious cycle
There is a solution, though, so set your stress aside! Remember that old song, “When we all work together, how happy we’ll be”? Well, it is still true today and applies to Spring cleaning time, just like any other. Enlisting the whole family to help will get the chores done in record time. Sometimes, though, it is difficult to get children excited about housework. The following five tips can help you to get your kids to help with spring cleaning and actually be happy about it!
Here are some easy ways to get your kids to help with Spring Cleaning!
Quick Burst Speed Cleaning
You might be amazed at how much a child can get done in fifteen to twenty minute increments. Make it like a race to see who can accomplish the most work in this little time and they will almost always respond willingly. Have a list for each child prepared ahead of time with many small tasks on it, so that they can work through each one in the “Quick Bursts”. Include things like removing bedding from beds, gathering all laundry, taking out all trashes and putting cleaners in the cans, loading dishwasher, cleaning mirrors, and other things that can be done and checked off quickly. Having a list pre-made will give the child direction and by including tasks that are finished quickly, they will have a feeling of accomplishment. Do one “Quick Burst” per hour or so and you will find that the kids have contributed quite a lot by the day’s end.
Yard Sale Preparation
Spring cleaning is a great time to get things together for your yearly yard sale. It is good to get rid of things that are no longer used, no longer fit, or for some other reason, are now obsolete to your life. Make an agreement with the children that when Spring cleaning is complete, you will all work together on the yard sale and split the proceeds in whatever percentages work for you. This not only gives the kids some money to look forward to, but it will also encourage them to part with items they may not have otherwise.
Related Post- Getting Rid of Kid’s Stuff (without fighting or tears!)
Plan a Special Event to Look Forward to!
Plan a special event for all of you to do together after the cleaning is completed. Talk about it and find something that you can all agree on. It may be going to dinner or a movie, or it may be attending a sports event or going to an amusement park. If you are going to be too tired at the end of the day, be sure and let the kids know that you will be doing it the following day so that you are keeping your word.
Play Finders Keepers
Most families are richer than they know, since many of their cash assets are found in the form of change that is everywhere from between the couch cushions to behind the televisions. For younger children, especially, finding change is like finding a treasure chest. They absolutely love it! Make Spring cleaning a finder’s keepers day for change. This will get the kids cleaning in all those hidden places that they normally wouldn’t even notice. Do make sure that they are actually cleaning, though, and not just having a free for all money hunt. Make a rule that they must follow the chore lists that you hand out and finish one item before moving on to the next.
Offer Up Some Cash
Okay, if none of the above work, to get your kids to help with spring cleaning you can always resort to cold, hard cash. Adding a little “green” to your Spring cleaning deal seems to do the trick almost every time! You can even assign specific amounts to different chores.
Spring cleaning can be a fun time for family to bond through working together towards a common goal. You all live there and you can all help with the yearly deep clean, right down to the youngest toddler. When it’s done, there will be the reward of a beautifully clean place to enjoy and possibly even something more for the kids. The greatest reward, though, will be the lessons that you are teaching your children about cleanliness, hard work, and being a part of the family responsibilities.
Getting your kids to help with Spring cleaning can be easier than you think & is a great way to celebrate the start of a new season!
Roman says
Great article on an interesting topic, Krista! Maybe sometimes I’ll write my own. To summarise, my main idea is to make a game from the spring cleaning. And you can play this game with your children.