Please Help with Housecleaning Tips and Tricks -- especially if done with older kids

[Dcclerk]

I will admit that we have not been great models for our kids in chores and housekeeping. I didn't grow up doing it, and I really hate it. My DH did, but we both work, and we have always had a housecleaner since we've had kids. The kids are older (8-14), and we just lost our latest housekeeper. This coincides with me reading several articles/studies suggesting that kids who have chores are happier college students, have a greater sense of mastery overall, and are the type of workers that we generally want in the workplace, and I have decided that we are going to start being our own cleaning crew.

I honestly think that part of why I hate doing housework is that I never had to do it, and I don't want my kids to be saddled with that baggage. One of my biggest mantras is that I want to launch them well. They aren't going to go to college with a cleaning lady, and they probably won't have one for quite a while after college. I want them to just see housework and work in general matter-of-factly. I don't want them to think they are above any job. (That said, if they do an excellent job with us, they will get paid as much as we paid the housecleaners, based on 80% mastery of the work and 20% attitude. We will also all contribute part of the money that each makes toward a family goal like extra vacation/special dinner, etc.)

We have started training in the housework, and we have done the kitchen/bathroom/floors, so far. Once each kid is "certified" that they can do a job well, we will either give each other a weekend once a month that they are in charge of the cleaning. Or, we they will divide up the jobs each week with a rotational schedule (e.g. One kid has the kitchen, one all the bathrooms, one all the trash and floors, and one dust and wipe the walls). We were going to give the kids the choice as to whether they want to do it once a month but much longer (in the way that our cleaning lady would do it-- 5-7 hours) or smaller chunks but every week. I don't think I care which one, but I would love suggestions from those of you who have done this before. The kids are really active, and there is no way that we can do what my DH had growing up which was every Saturday morning you did your chores, and couldn't go anywhere until they were accomplished. We need more flex on the timing than that.

We were going to have them each be responsible for their own rooms and own laundry. I sincerely do not care if they choose not to fold their laundry, and just live out of the clean laundry basket. But, I do want them to clean up their room better than we have traditionally had them clean. I would love hints to make that more doable. I hate being the nag on this one, and truthfully, I have not really been an enforcer for bedrooms.

Our general rules that I am trying to sink in so far have been the following:

1. Get all of your supplies ready first. Choose the right ones for the job. Put on music, book on tape, or whatever makes it a more pleasurable experience for you.
2. Clear your flat surfaces so it is easier to work with. The less crap you have, the less crap you have to move to be prepared.
3. Do like with like (e.g. If you are doing the bathrooms, do all of the toilets at once).
4. Start top to bottom so anything that is going to fall down doesn't make a mess of your work.
5. Have your cleaning products do the work for you. So spray your horizontal surfaces and let it sit while you work on your vertical surfaces. Soak your burner grates while you are washing the rest of the kitchen, etc.
6. Spray the glass cleaner directly on the rag, not the mirrors/windows to prevent streaking.
7. Start at one end of the room and systematically go around until you get to the start point.

I would love any other hints/tips that you have. If you have any method that you have found worked with incorporating kids into the cleaning process, I would really love to hear them. TIA!

[hillview]

everything should have a home (place it gets put)
work as a team so if you pick up your shoes, grab your brother's too

Honestly it sounds like a lot to go from 0 to everything. Can you start smaller? Good luck!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I don’t know. You have good ideas but you don’t really need them to be as skilled and effective as a professional.

1 room at a time vs the clean all the toilets sounds better to me. Obviously if it’s working for you, rock on. I don’t have a cleaning person and only have a few times in my life. Unless prepping for a party, I only clean what needs to be cleaned- deep cleans aren’t an every time thing. Maybe your glass, for example, doesn’t really need to be done every single time. Maybe just counters need to be wiped and the floor needs to be swept not mopped. You have high standards because you have always paid people. I know you’re paying your kids but there’s a less intense approach you could take.

But, your ideas are good and what I do when deep cleaning. My kids can clean but I frequently put them on picking up and putting away duty. Plus cleaning baseboards and dusting. I usually make them a list of things that have been driving me crazy then they divvy it up to do. I teach if needed.

Switch to vinegar for glass and other natural cleaning products, if you haven’t already. The fewer harmful cleaning chemicals they’re breathing, the better.


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[jgenie]

I started teaching my kids to clean this year. They’re 10 and 8. We’re tackling one chore per month. I put a dollar for each day of the month in a jar in their room. If they don’t do their daily task I take a dollar out of their jar. They get to keep whatever is left at the end of the month. They don’t get allowance or cash from relatives so this is their only source of income. The first month was clearing floors in their rooms and making their beds. Second month was cleaning their bathroom counters and floors. We haven’t tackled toilets and tubs yet. Responsibilities build on each other. They are responsible for prior months’ tasks and the current month tasks. They’ll be learning to dust, do laundry, cook, etc. It has been great for us. Good luck!!

I make my own cleaners so I know they’re safe for them to use.


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[specialp]

I don’t know. You have good ideas but you don’t really need them to be as skilled and effective as a professional.

I agree. Also, you're all kind of learning together so be a bit flexible. My old house I cleaned totally different than this house (did it all on a saturday) and it took me a while to figure out why old system didn't work in this larger house. We do a little bit everyday so our 5 day week: kitchen/pantry/laundry room one day, bathrooms & glass cleaning one, organize (get all things put up, filed in their place) and trash emptied one, dust the next, floors last. But we don't spend a lot of time on anything for a day (maybe 30 minutes) and it's never all/whole thing. Kitchen day we might clean the fridge and pantry and not do that again for a couple of months, for example. Bathroom day we tend to do upstairs baths one week, downstairs bath the next. It just keeps me from getting distracted by something if I know it's got a day one of us will get to it.

Mine are younger and my standards reflect that, but it works for us on breaking it up into days.

[mom_hanna]

My only suggestion is, if you are going to have them do the cleaning, let them do it their way, as long as they do a good job. You wouldn't tell your hired cleaners how to clean, would you? ie. your #5 and #6 in particular. You can tell them how you would do it, but don't make them do it your way if another way works for them.

[123LuckyMom]

My only suggestion is, if you are going to have them do the cleaning, let them do it their way, as long as they do a good job. You wouldn't tell your hired cleaners how to clean, would you? ie. your #5 and #6 in particular. You can tell them how you would do it, but don't make them do it your way if another way works for them.

Exactly! What you’ve got going really sounds like cleaning boot camp, and if I were your kid, I think I’d rebel! I also didn’t grow up doing any cleaning, and I think what your doing for your kids is great! I’d just give them a little leeway to do things as they’d like as long as everything’s clean in the end. I work from room to room, top first (dusting, mirrors, countertops) and bottom last (toilets, tub, floors), so I would do an entire bathroom at one time, not all the toilets and then all the sinks, but whatever works for you is best!

As far as keeping bedrooms tidy, the best thing is for everything to have a known place to be stored away and for all laundry to go in the laundry basket immediately and not make a pit stop on furniture or floors. My kids are younger, but we tidy bedrooms every night as part of our bedtime routine, so when they go to bed, everything they’re not currently working on/using is put away, all clothes are put away or in the laundry, surfaces are clear or things are where they’re supposed to be, and the room is ready, except for making the bed in the morning, for the next day. This takes maybe 10 minutes. Usually it’s much less, because it’s only one day’s mess. This works wonderfully for us, but it’s absolutely dependent on there actually being a place for things to go.


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[robinsmommy]

This list has some really good books on how to clean - a couple of these authors have Youtube videos as well, which can be a great way to teach modern kids. There might be some more good info in there to help you and the family establish routines and learn how to make the most of your efforts. Check back in and let us know how it goes and what works or doesn't work - you aren't the only one in this situation! Good on you for setting your kids up for real life.

I think that maybe finding a rotating list to break up the "deep clean" things would be good - to make sure it all gets caught, but also that you aren't doing too much work, either. I like command centers with lists in plastic sheet protectors that you can check off and reuse. I think Fly Lady taught me that one. I'd also find a few things that you do want to hire out - maybe windows? - to make things easier and achievable esp in the beginning.

https://www.thespruce.com/best-house...-books-4158241

[gatorsmom]

It sounds like you have got a great system started. Everyone is on board with it right now because it’s still new and exciting. It after a month or 2, I am guessing the newness will have worn off and everyone will be tired of it. And you will be tired of enforcing it. I’ve seen this happen over and over with habits I was trying to start. A truck recommended by StantonHyde here (thank you again, Rebecca!) is to make and use a motivational chart. If you haven’t used one for a while, this is what works for us: a large poster board from Target for each kid. Think of a big ticket item they want or ask them. Then draw 4 rows with a small award at the end. Draw in the row a star for a successful day cleaning or a successful job or whatever. At the end of 10 stars, give them a small prize. At the end of the 4 rows, they have earned the big ticket item. I like to put small pictures at the end of the row showing what they are earning. And I print out a photo of their big ticket item after the 4 rows and 4 smaller items are earned. Depending on what you award the stars for, it could take several months to earn that big ticket item. And by then, their cleaning routine should be a habit.

Let us know how it goes!

[jgenie]

This list has some really good books on how to clean - a couple of these authors have Youtube videos as well, which can be a great way to teach modern kids. There might be some more good info in there to help you and the family establish routines and learn how to make the most of your efforts. Check back in and let us know how it goes and what works or doesn't work - you aren't the only one in this situation! Good on you for setting your kids up for real life.

I think that maybe finding a rotating list to break up the "deep clean" things would be good - to make sure it all gets caught, but also that you aren't doing too much work, either. I like command centers with lists in plastic sheet protectors that you can check off and reuse. I think Fly Lady taught me that one. I'd also find a few things that you do want to hire out - maybe windows? - to make things easier and achievable esp in the beginning.

https://www.thespruce.com/best-house...-books-4158241

I follow Clean Mama’s cleaning schedule and her Facebook group. Her book Simply Clean is great!


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