My teen who is 13 and my tween who is 11 share a room and their room is so unorganized! It seems like a disaster every time I walk in the room. We have bunk beds and a day bed, which is suppose to be for their little sister, however she just sleeps in my room. My oldest uses the day bed for her throw everything on. It seems like there is no room to move around. They just throw everything on the floor. I'm at the point of gathering everything on the floor into black garbage bags and just getting rid of everything that's not put away. Help please! Any advice as what to do or how to get them to clean their room?
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If you have a little money to invest here is what I would suggest.
First, get rid of the bunk bed. They need their own "space", even if it's in the same room. Two twin beds would be better.
After you have each girl a twin bed, (could you use part of the bunk bed for a twin?) go to the dollar store or Wal Mart and buy two sets of bed risers (those hard plastic things that lift a bed off the floor about 8 inches). Then you can put those rolling under-bed storage drawers underneath the beds.
Backpacks could/should have their own "spot" in the girls room...as in on the floor at the foot of the bed or just inside the closet door, not just tossed on the floor at the entryway door of the house.
Each girl could help you find economical ways to decorate her part of the room. If they feel like they have some say in the matter they are more likely to take ownership for it and at least try to keep it nicer. That said, teens are teens. They won't change overnight.
After you have their room nice set up a schedule. As in, no-one leaves the house on Saturday until their part of the room is at least tidy and the bed is made, clothing either hung or folded.
Also, and in our house this rule is hard and fast, NO food in the bedroom, unless it is cleared with Mom first and any dishes come downstairs to the sink immediately after it is consumed. That way she can have her friends over for a snack or tea, but she knows I expect her to be responsible for the aftermath.
You can set your own rules, but they should be few, and they should be enforced, but not pounded into, the girls.
These are my suggestions...
Those are excellent ideas. Here is one that might help, too. If you have the space and money my sister found this to really help.
She bought two matching book cases. You can still get them in kits that are pressboard and ugly but a few coats of "I choose this color" paint can improve their looks.
They then sat them between the beds each facing one way for each girl. Then, the back of one is covered with cork or dollar tree foam board for tacking things up, the other for storage/pretties. Each girl gets the same amount of space and it gives them a "wall" between them for some privacy. I sure hope this helps. PBP
First of all, they need to learn some rules and some manners. They've been getting away with way too much.
Get rid of the day bed. Three kids sharing one average room isn't going to work out anyway. I think the twin bed idea is a great suggestion if you can swing it.
Next, donation time. Your kids can't have the amount of stuff they want to keep and also keep it clean, so everything except necessities have to go. They need to keep one season's clothes, hair supplies, a box of jewelry, one bookcase of books between them, a few very favorite toys (they are getting older- time to grow up a bit), their school stuff, and one change of bedsheets each. Not much else.
There needs to be a hamper in their room and one in the bathroom. Dirty clothes go there immediately. They never hit the floor.
Make sure they have enough hangers for their clothes. When clothes are folded they go straight into the drawers (the kids do this, not you) and whatever needs to be hung, they hang them.
Anything that is out on the floor or bed they have to put away when bedtime comes around.
Don't keep any of the youngest child's stuff in this room anymore. If they're going to keep it up it's only fair that it's their own things they're taking care of.
My neighbor had a real problem with her eldest teen dumping clothes on the floor so Mom gathered them up into a garbage bag and daughter had to take them to the Laundromat, a good mile distant, and carry them home. That solved the problem. If we, as kids, failed to hang our coats/jackets in the closet on a hanger, we'd find it outside on the hedge, sometimes damp and sometimes -25*. That worked well too.
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