Cleaned my upstairs..took forever!

[mcphlips]

Morning all!
I just spent the last few days cleaning all the rooms in my upstairs.
It took me 1 1/2 hrs to clean DD6's room. I threw out 3 bags of garbage. I can't believe the messes in there.
I had 2 bathrooms to clean and then DS5's room as well as my own. What a project.

I need a system for keeping organized upstairs. I have read about the flylady, but there is just too much there for me.

Does anyone else have younger kids that are responsible for their rooms and bathroom. What do you have them do? If I could get them to clean their rooms and keep up with the bathroom, my life would be a lot easier.

[LexTysMommy]

Good job getting it all done!

My advice is to get some rolling carts with 3 or 4 drawers for soem of their toys. Each drawer a different thing. Lego in one puzzles in another. That makes it easier for the kids to pick up and put away in right spot. Most of time!

Also a basket of some sort of things that the kids dont know where it goes they throw in there and tackle that on weekly basis. You all go through it and decide where the things go.

As far as the bathroom. Maybe give them squirt bottle filled with water and some rags to use only for bathroom and have them tidy up as needed. Just keep out on back of toilet to remind them. My kids love to squirt it and i just remind them to wipe up whatever they squirt.
Also as far as supplies they leave out in bathroom, maybe get small bin for them to keep their stuff and store so they can pull out when needed or put back when done.
I put small bag in bathroom garbage and remind them to take out on garbage day and with it already in bag it makes it way easier.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck keeping it clean!!

[baxjul]

My dd is 7, and it is like pulling teeth to get her to keep her room picked up! I have to threaten to ground her and take away toys. She does love to dust and clean with a watered down cleaner though.

[mommy4ever]

For school age kids, I do recommend flylady. I find it's too much for me, but she has ones that are pretty much made up for the kids/teens(My 8 yo just just fine with it). It breaks down their room to have 1 job a day, besides general tidy up. They have done soooo well on it. It covers under the bed, the closet, the floor, the dresser, etc. It's very manageable for them. http://www.flylady.net/pages/control_journals.asp

For myself, I struggle more. I have to care for my family, plus childcare kids, there is often not enough days in the week or hours in the day. I follow the 3D's religiously. Dinner, Dishes and Duds. I chip away at the rest as I have time. No my home isn't disgusting by any means, but it isn't the tidiest thing out there. BUt with the kids keeping up with their rooms, they also do 2 of the bathrooms, ds13 does his own laundry. It lightens my load.

There's no perfect way to do it. So many options out there that it's hard.

If I could be organized, it would be easier over all, however, I lack in that area making everything challenging.