All In A Days Work

Every parent knows that kids don’t want to clean, it is their sole desire to have fun and enjoy childhood but as a parent we need to instill some organization and cleaning skills within our children as a means to help them grow into well rounded adults. Today we will discuss how to have your kids help with Spring cleaning as a means for you to get the chore of Spring cleaning completed faster.

Index Cards

Using one index card per child with a list of their assigned tasks during Spring cleaning will alleviate the flack to you as the parent. Every child learns to tune out their parents at some point, using index cards sets a clear instruction of what you expect from each child and allows them to learn how to prioritize their tasks. One card might say, “Help daddy change the furnace filter,” while another might be as simple as cleaning out the refrigerator. Sit down and discuss that Spring cleaning is in full bloom and that you will all be working together as a family to get that chore done so that you can have more time to do other things afterward.

Uplift the Environment

Are you a family who works best when there is music playing? Turn on some tunes to have in the background so that the children will focus on that wonderful music instead of the mundane tasks that they are required to complete. Having an uplifting environment through background music makes Spring cleaning fly by faster for both parents and children, as it sets the mood to be positive and in turn encourages a little motivation without saying a word.

Get Creative

Creativity always wins with children and Spring cleaning, let your children wear old socks and slip slide all over the hardwood floors to help dust the home. You can also use this sock method for dusting of furniture by allowing the children to wear old socks on their hands; this is way more fun to a child than the regular dusting methods. Have a child who is OCD? Let them alphabetize the spices while they organize them in your spice rack or cupboard. Let your child pretend to be a detective while they clean your pantry in search of expired items.

Reward, Reward, Reward

Much like adults, children just want to feel appreciated for their efforts. Once your children have put in the hard day’s work of Spring cleaning with you, reward them with something fun. The reward for having kids help with Spring cleaning doesn’t have to cost you a dime! Use a little creativity to find ways to make your children feel appreciated for helping with Spring cleaning. Maybe you can designate some one on one time or after you are all done working together to Spring clean you can take them to their favorite park and let loose to be a kid with them!

How to Have Your Kids Help with Spring Cleaning

Overall, the best methods on how to have your kids help with Spring cleaning comes down to not nagging, use index cards to assign their tasks, make the environment encouraging with music in background, use creativity in both methods of Spring cleaning as well as with the rewards afterward. If you follow these few tips on how to get kids to help with Spring cleaning, you are sure to have success and a clean home!

This post is sponsored by Kimberly-Clark and The Motherhood.

I know the concept of Spring Cleaning. It’s a new start from the dreary winter, time to open the windows and let the fresh air in – but if you are like me you always wonder, “how in the world am I going to manage that?” Spring to my family means baseball and soccer practices every waking moment (OK every moment I’m not at work), my allergies are usually doing a number on me – and when they aren’t, well honestly I want to be outside. I want to work on my yard, or take a hike or a bike ride and enjoy not being coped up in the house.

So though most of my Spring hours are already accounted for, I know that in order for me to really enjoy my summer that I need to get my house into shape. The long winter makes my old house smell a bit musty (no matter how many candles I light), and let’s face it, the holidays really keep most of us too busy to get any real cleaning done anyway.  So here it is: Your Spring Cleaning Survival Guide for Those Who Wish They Could be Anywhere Else (almost).

Step 1. Be Prepared

If you don’t have what you need when you need it, you are going to be spending a really, really long time on this Spring Cleaning project. You need to write out your shopping list and have everything you need ready to go for when you start. Below is a really great list to get you going- (everything you need can be found for great prices at Walmart). I pick up great products like Viva®, Scott®, Cottonelle® – which is great that I can find them all in one convenient location.

Step 2. Make a Game Plan. Now being prepared not only means making sure you have all the products you need, but also having a game plan. Whether you are a CEO or a student, a game plan is the most successful way to accomplish your goals in an efficient, timely manner. My goal when Spring Cleaning is to get the most done in the least amount of time as possible. So if I have a game plan set up and ready to go – I know what to do after each task is completed, I’m not going to get as easily distracted and waste precious time. My Spring Cleaning Game Plan is something as simple as this Checklist. I know what needs done in each room and I don’t leave that room until everything is checked off. This printable checklist makes it super easy to stay on task.

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Step 3. Get to Work. Honestly we could all spend hours make the list just right, buying a ton of products to use for this or that – but if you want to survive Spring Cleaning this year – without spending the entire season well, cleaning – you need to get to work. Make sure you have everything you need (CHECK!) make your game plan (CHECK!) and get down to business! The quicker you get it done – the faster you can go outside and enjoy that beautiful weather!