How do you get your kids to keep their rooms clean?

Question

I was at my cousin's house the other day and, of course, it was spotless. Her kid's rooms are always clean and organized too and the youngest is 5. They keep their rooms clean on their own and they do it voluntarily.

Her secret is (she says this to her kids): "If I find any toys on the floor that you're not playing with, they're going in the Yard Sale." "The toys you're not playing with enough are going in the Yard Sale."

When I was over there, she found a toy on the floor and she really put it in the yard sale bin, so it could be sold the following Saturday in her annual yard sale. I laughed so hard when son was begging for his toy and she wouldn't give it back. She just said, "you heard what I said and it disappeared."

I was just wondering if you thought this was a good idea to get your kids to stay tidy and neat.

Answer 1

that is a really really good idea!

tehe i just HATE mess with a passion

it is almost gross on how clean i am

Answer 2

My mother used to say "If you leave this toy on the floor I will donate it to Goodwill." It is definitely effective! A good way to teach your children responsibility for their actions and keep the house tidy.

Answer 3

I think that threatening to sell something of your child's if they do not take care of it is a good idea because it will teach them to be more responsible with there things.  However, make sure you are not being unreasonable with your child.  My mom used to tell me to clean my room, and I had no idea what she expected.  A child will have an easier time cleaning their room if they have bins or something to organize things so that everything has a place.  My problem was I had no place to put all my toys, so they were always out which always made my room look dirty.

Answer 4

My mom threw out our stuff even clothes if it was no  the floor. She would not replace it either. If you got down to one pair of undewear that was your fault.  you got nothing till you were in the next size and she got all new ones.  it made you keep it clean

As an adult i am not clean though maybe little rebellion for what happned way bac when. Or i did not learn how to keep it clean because i wanted to  Who knows

Answer 5

Yes of course. My mom used to throw my toys out when she got mad at me.

Answer 6

Yes, i think kids should be tidy. I tell my kids the same thing. But I say i  will throw it away. I give them a chance though. When I'm sweeping or straightening up and i find toys I say" if someone doesn't come and get it its going in the trash" usually one of my kids will run to pick up their stuff. If not it goes into the trash. their rooms are not spotless but they are clean enough and doesn't smell.

Answer 7

What a waste of money throwing out(or selling for a quarter) toys you paid for!! LOL.. I wouldn't do that. I'd tell them they will be taken away if you find them on the floor and they will have to earn them back by keeping their rooms clean. Take things away that they enjoy most if they don't keep it clean like video games or TV time. Try using positive reinforcement.... "If you keep your room clean all week we will go _____ on the weekend" ....things like that work for my kids... but throwing out toys I paid for with my hard earned money?? Nope!! Also remember all kids are different and being a little messy never killed anyone... good luck to ya!

Answer 8

shid beat they *** and they'll learn when you u yell at them while whoopin them

Answer 9

i m a mother of four 3 boys and 1 girl,9,3,4 and my daughter is  2 years old. i do the same thing also with there clothes if they don't hang it or fold it and put it away it out and I'm putting it in the yard sale box also the toys ,my three younger one help out with laundry on there own they fold there pants and help put away clothes,if ask them to pick up something and put away, they will do it and they also try and sometimes succeed in hanging up d clothes on the hanger correctly, they see me do it so they want to do want u do and help out,my kids know if they want some thing or want to go some where they must help out ,i was raised the same .

Answer 10

That is a good idea my other thing is I don't really sale the toy but I do put them away for a bit.  My daughter is 5 and has to clean her own room.  Its good that they have responsibility.  Also the more she cleans her room the more time mommy has to play with her.  God Bless!

Answer 11

haha I just cleaned my room today xD my mom tells me to clean it and threatens me to throw away any stuff that's on the floor but she never does anything xD but I cleaned it today coz it was due for it's anual cleaning :D  xD

Answer 12

I am not that bad!!! but I have taken many toys and given it to the garbage or thrift store. The above seems abit overboard to me, personally. People are not things. Kids forget things and cannot be expected to have a long term memory or attention span of an adult. I do what she does to a small extent, but not to that extreme. But if it works for her... great.

Answer 13

My daughter is 4 and keeps her room tidy. I have all her toys in plastic boxes with lids stacked up in a cupboard, if she wants to play she has to ask me to get a box out

Answer 14

I think thats an awesome idea!

Maybe sneak the toy back into their toy bin when they're not looking.

But I do believe it works!