How to clean a bedroom and keeping it clean was something I struggled with as a kid, but there was one thing that gave me some added motivation on those days that I got sent to my room with instructions not to return until it was clean. The motivation came from a friend’s mom that taught me a motivating trick for how to clean a bedroom and how to get it done quickly. I found myself still using this method when I was in college and it has made cleaning a bedroom much more delightful!
How to Clean a Bedroom (quickly) in 4 Easy Steps
First, make sure when you are cleaning a bedroom that you have a room that is easy to keep clean. This includes having space to put things, a home for all of your belongings, and a laundry system that works. Without these, keeping a clean room will be a challenging task.
STEP ONE. Make your bed, and then put everything that is on the floor onto the bed. Walking into a messy room can be discouraging, and as a kid I always felt like it was going to take me eternity to accomplish the task. Step one is all about downsizing the mess into one area so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Now, instead of feeling like you have a whole room to clean all you have to do is clean off your bed. Starting with a bed that is made completely transforms the feeling in the room and gives an added motivation to pull your sleeves up and tackle the rest. Plus, once you put everything that is on the floor onto your bed you now have a clean floor and it feels like you are almost done.
At home with the kids? Instantly access any of these printable activity bundles to keep them learning!
STEP TWO. Sort and put away laundry. Sometimes a bedroom’s mess can consist of mostly laundry so this is a good place to start. Put dirty clothes in a hamper (or wherever they go) and if there are any clean clothes put them away. Once this is done, things should already be looking bright! You are almost there.
STEP THREE. Find a home for everything else that is on the bed. If nothing has a home (or a place to go) then you will always have a mess and cleaning a bedroom will be something you have to do often. This is one of the reasons I always have a mess when I travel or stay somewhere for a longer period of time: I’m away from my “system” and because nothing has a home, it ends up everywhere! Side-note to parents: Make sure your children’s bedrooms do not have too many toys. Try to keep special toys in a bedroom and the rest for the toy room. If you absolutely have to have toys in the room because of limited space, make sure every toy has a special place where it belongs. If your kids have a bunch of books, make sure they have a bookshelf to keep them on. Even if you are tight on funds, you can usually find one at a yard sale or in the classifieds for very cheap (Just give it a paint job and make it look appealing to put things on!) Anything else that is remaining on the bed goes into the trash, to Good Will, or to its’ appropriate place in the home if it does not belong in the bedroom. Please don’t throw away your mom’s kitchen utensils, she won’t like that.
STEP FOUR. Vacuum, dust and celebrate! It can be easy to skip this last step once everything is cleared of your bed because you may feel like you are done, but don’t cheat yourself of the feeling that comes from having a truly clean room from ceiling to floor! It may be that this step is my favorite because I’m a little OCD about the pretty vacuum lines that appear on a floor after it is done, but it is an important step. Once you are done, fall back onto your bed, read a book, eat a yummy snack, or do a little victory dance; whichever suits your fancy! Celebrating is an important step, make sure you reward yourself for your hard work!
*Don’t forget to play your favorite music while you clean! I used to pretend I was a famous singer while I cleaned my room but we don’t need to get into that, just have fun!”
Here are the steps narrowed down to just a few words if you are wanting to teach one of your kids about cleaning a bedroom. And remember, for younger ages it might be appropriate to reward or praise them step by step so that they stay motivated and focused. It might also be fun to set a timer or set up competitions between siblings (“who can make their bed most like a hotel room?” or “who can find the most things on their floor that are round?”).
What are some ways that you get your kids excited to clean their room?
anita says
Kristina this is super cute! love it!!
Kim Stuffed Suitcase (@StuffedSuitcase) says
Really love this Kristina! It’s sort of what we try – I normally make them create a pile on the floor, but the bed idea seems much better! And music always makes the work go faster!! 🙂 Pinning w/ Ahalogy!
Bronwyn Joy @ Journeys Of The Fabulist says
That’s a very practical way to break it down into small steps. Thanks!
alejandra says
I really enjoyed the article, and it even put a smile con muy face, maybe because i do exactly the same!! But i’m still having trouble with muy six-years old girl, everytime i beg her to clean her room. Nos i’m going to try this tips, the same i use when i clean, to show her that cleaning it’s not only easy and necessary, but fun.
Suzanne Holt says
Great easy steps – I like how the room looks clean at the beginning. Plus obviously they have to put everything away before they can go to bed that night.
Kim says
This is generous! Trying it tomorrow with the kids. Thanks!
web site says
Wonderful advices! Thank you so much for sharing this checklist! I will definitely put it into action at home!
Kelly says
I love your idea to put everything on the bed. Not only does the room instantly less tidy (and therefore not so overwhelming), but you have to finish the job before you can go to bed. Trying this TODAY!
Shelli B says
Thank you for this!! I wish I had these steps when I was growing up! I often got so overwhelmed I’d just sit in the middle of the mess and cry. Can you imagine the battles that ensued?! I can’t wait to teach my 5 & 3 yo these simple, yet very freeing steps!! Thank you!!
Anthony heathcoe says
This will help me a lot my brother uses this but I didn’t know what he was doing