How to Get Your Teen to Keep His Room Clean
If your teen can’t seem to keep her room clean, no matter how much you nag her, we’ve got expert tips to help!
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Tackle the Mess Before It Gets Worse
The first rule of thumb when organizing is everything needs a home. “It’s really that simple,” Josel says. “No matter what your organizing style, if you don’t know where something lives in your room, you’re more apt to let it sit wherever it lands. That partially explains the landmine that is their floor!” Josel offers 10 steps to get the cleanup underway.
Before organizing begins, purge. Is the room loaded with empty water bottles, food wrappers, cords to electronics he doesn’t own anymore? Grab a garbage bag and out everything goes.
Start designating specific “homes” for all her belongings. And make sure these spaces are clearly labeled. When your teen is tired after a long day, visual reminders make cleaning up that much easier.
If your teen needs to see his stuff, remove the closet door. If you hate looking at his crowded closet, hang curtains above the opening so he can close it off when friends come over.
Replace her dresser with bins lined against a wall to store shirts, jeans, socks, and underwear. This gives her an easy and simple way to get and stay organized.
Hang hooks if he can’t seem to grasp the concept of putting clothes on hangers.
Put all essentials in your teen’s “prime real estate,” which means these items should be stored between his shoulders and knees for easy access. If you have to reach high or move several items out of the way in the closet to put something away, then the likelihood of your teen doing it is super slim.
Leverage the walls. If there’s ample wall space in your teen’s room, hang a bulletin board, cork squares, or even a peg board. They all come in fun colors, are easy to hang, and provide space for notes, invites, and anything else that is hard to organize.
Maximize space with a clear shoe bag. Hang one in her closet or behind the bedroom door and stash small items, like device chargers, jewelry, socks and underwear, belts, and toiletries, for an instant catch-all.
Clear is king: If your teen can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. Don’t stop at clear shoe bags! Consider purchasing transparent bins to help your teen remember what he owns and strategize where it goes.
Pair like with like. This means storing printer paper, ink, toner, and even batteries together. The fewer places your teen needs to look for things, the more likely she will be able to find what she’s looking for quickly and efficiently.
