Spring is a great time for a fresh, clean start, but you don’t have to do it alone this year! Spring cleaning as a family teaches kids responsibility and teamwork. To help you get more out of your yearly organizing, we’ve put together our top 8 tips for spring cleaning with kids to make spring cleaning less of a battle and more of a fun family activity.
1. Start with the Right Mindset
Before you start, explain to your family why it is important to take care of your home and how good it feels to have a clean, clutter-free home. Remind your children that they are an important part of the family and that you need and appreciate their help.
2. Make It Age-Appropriate
Give each child tasks that they can accomplish. Start with the smallest, easiest jobs that they can complete quickly to build up their confidence for harder things later. Good tasks for each age group include:
- Toddlers and Preschool: Put toys in a bin, dust large items with a sock, return books to their shelves
- Elementary: Make beds, wipe surfaces that they can reach, organize shelves or clothes
- Teens: Vacuum, clean bathrooms, organize bedrooms
3. Make it Fun
Cleaning doesn’t have to be boring. Mix it up with these fun ideas!
- Give younger children their own cleaning tools. I promise they will love them!
- Play music and have a “cleaning dance party.”
- Set a timer and see if you can complete a room together or declutter a certain space in 5 or 10 minutes.
- Create a toy scavenger hunt and find 5 things to donate, 3 things to throw away, etc.
- Allow kids to keep any coins or bills they find under cushions or furniture while they are cleaning.
- Make trying on clothes a “fashion show” to see what still fits for the upcoming season.
4. Declutter and Donate Together
Spring cleaning is a great time to teach kids about helping others. Go through their clothes, toys, and books and ask them the following questions:
- “Do you still use this?”
- “Would another child enjoy this more?”
Decide together if the family wants to have a yard sale, donate gently used items to a church or charity, or give things to younger friends or relatives.
5. Keep, Donate, and Trash Boxes
When cleaning out closets, cabinets, or the garage, using “keep,” “donate,” and “trash” boxes gives kids a simple system to stay focused and understand the goal.
6. Work as a Team
Clean together, one room at a time. Even if everyone has individual duties, they won’t feel alone and the day will be more fun.
7. Celebrate Together
Your four year old will likely not do a perfect job cleaning his room. Instead of focusing on perfection and the end goal, celebrate the little wins. Praise him for organizing his sock drawer or putting his toys away. At the end of a cleaning session, reward the family with a treat like a trip to a new park, an ice cream treat, or a pizza dinner, even if there is still more work to do tomorrow.
8. Keep It Up
Now that your children know what needs to be done to clean the house, set up expectations for daily or weekly tasks that help the results of your hard work last. Daily routines could include:
- Putting away toys
- Making their bed
- Helping clean dishes after dinner
- Placing items in the proper place when they are no longer being used
Letting kids take responsibility for keeping their space clean and orderly is so important. It may not be perfectly neat. It may take longer. So, what’s the payoff? You’ll have kids who feel capable, included, and proud of their contribution.
And that’s a win worth celebrating.
