With school out now (or soon for some), it’s time to get into the summer routine– and that includes cleaning! You’re probably ready to get the house in great shape for those summer activities and fun, be it the in-laws dropping by or the kids down the street dropping in without notice, summer is a chaotic time, and keeping your house clean can help you stay sane.
It’s not a task to tackle alone though; if you have kids, it’s time to put them to work. Here are five home cleaning tips to help get your kids involved with summer cleaning. Just remember to give children age-appropriate tasks and safe cleaning supplies– even if it’s just a spray bottle with water. If they’re really fantastic, they could even pretend to be their own cleaning service– one can dream, right?
Tips to Get the Kids Involved with Cleaning
- Make them a personal cleaning kit! This would be a great art project and a fun way to kick off summer cleaning. Grab a blank apron and fabric markers or you could even tie-dye a shirt. Label a “special cleaning bucket,” let them decorate it, and give each kid their own tools to tackle the jobs you want them to do this summer. Toss in a mask and cape, and you can be Super Cleaners with special superpowers, too! Plus, everything is more fun in a mask and cape– we’re even thinking about donning them for our own home cleaning service here in Columbus, GA.
- Turn it into a game! Give your kids an empty laundry basket to fill with clothes, toys, or whatever is cluttering the floor. Want a friendly challenge? Make it a competition between your children or have them compete against you! Want to make it even more exciting? Add a timer. See how many toys or articles of dirty laundry get picked up in two minutes or ten. Whatever is your biggest chore to tackle in the morning or whatever will help you get your home clean or more organized, time that activity. You may even benefit from this as well. Don’t have an hour to devote to cleaning? Set a timer for 10 minutes and just get done what you can. It might be a nice brain break for you as well.
- Establish a routine or create a chore chart. While home cleaning is a constant, there are ways to break up your cleaning tasks by day or time, or purpose. Have them check one morning chore off the list, like making their bed or starting a load of laundry, and designate one chore as an afternoon task, like doing dishes or cleaning the kitchen. Delegate jobs to your children and provide an incentive, such as allowance money or a treasure box of small knick-knacks to motivate them. If you have older children or teenagers in the house, have a certain chore or two that must be completed before you give them the WiFi password for the day or let them hang with friends at the pool. Kids crave routine and summer can offset that. Having a list of home cleaning chores or tasks that’s reasonable and fair can help you not only establish a new routine during a somewhat chaotic time, but you can keep your home in great shape at the same time.
- Add some music! Create a game with your home cleaning and kick it up a notch with music. Ask your kids to help you create a playlist. We do live in Columbus, GA, so we’re partial to country, but adding some upbeat music or a favorite jam can make your entire family more productive. This can be a game as well. You can intermittently stop the music and have everyone “freeze” in place. Then, start it up again and continue to organize, dust, or vacuum. If you have small children, there are plenty of “Clean Up” songs too that can help with the assistance. Establishing rules is always more helpful and kids remember it when there’s a melody. For example, “one out, one away,” is popular so that kids only have one toy or game out at a time. Once they’re finished, you can start the clean-up mix or simply start singing a song, providing the cue that it’s time to put the game away before they decide to start something else.
- Just add water! I don’t know about you, but putting kids in the tub when they were cranky always worked for me. You can have them give their toys a bath, either in the tub or on a water table outside. Those things could use a good disinfecting every once in a while, too. Play “car wash” with your own vehicles or their cars and bikes. Whatever you feel comfortable with them cleaning, they will have an absolute blast. Most littles just want to help, so toss some bubbles and some sponges in a bucket and let them have at it! Setting up an “assembly line” or stations for multiple children works well, too. Everyone has a designated job to start and then you can change it up!
Choose My Amazing Maid Today!
Don’t be afraid to call in reinforcements! If the thought of cleaning your house right now is overwhelming, call a professional cleaning service for help. You may not need them every month, but booking a home cleaning for your abode at the start of summer may give your family the clean slate they need to start summer off on the right foot. Then, it can be a game to keep it tidy and you can try some of the suggestions above. Contact My Amazing Maid today to schedule your summer home cleaning appointment.
