Keeping living room tidy

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Started 2 years ago by Pawn
Latest reply from Julia
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Pawn
Member

My biggest problem area is our living room. We have two girls, who are 3 and 5, and they play a lot in the living room. The result is craft materials all over the place, mixed with dolls' clothes, books and miscellaneous items.

What I would like to do is have a set time for tidying up, but I haven't been able to work out what time would be best. Just before dinner means that they have to do it all by themselves, as I'm cooking dinner. Just after dinner works on some days, but on other days we just run out of time and they have to go upstairs to get ready for bed very soon after dinner. Doing it in the middle of the day just gives them time to play again and re-create the mess they just packed away.

I haven't been able to teach them to first put away craft materials when they want to play with their dolls, and putting away the dolls' things when they want to read a book. I probably need to work on that one, but I'm not with them all the time (I spend time in the study doing work or admin stuff, or I'm in the kitchen for example) so I can't keep an eye on them fulltime.

What doesn't help is that my kids are pretty normal, meaning they don't like tidying up at all... My husband comes home from work around 5pm, and tidying up anything is NOT on his mind then, which I totally understand. Actually, I would like thim to come home to a welcoming place that's not littered with anything and everything that can be played with.

I would really appreciate any ideas, comments, etc.

Edit: As I was reading this post, I realised that I can of course do it all by myself when the girls are in bed, but I think what I find important is that they learn some good habits, including tidying up after themselves!

Many thanks!
Pawn

P.S. I tried to add this to the Living Spaces part of the forum, but I can't open a new 'chapter' called Living room there to add this topic to.

Posted 2 years ago #
finney1
Member

The 2 best ways I've ever found to get these things done are:

1) Involve them in the problem solving part. Have them use a timer for clean up and maybe their favorite music.

2) Involve them, as said above. Use a point system, where they can earn points for cleaning toward other fun activities or privileges.

Would like to know how you eventually solve it.

Posted 2 years ago #
EraserGirl
Member

i know this is an unreasonable question (i live in 3.5 rooms) but perhaps the family living room isn't the best place for 3 & 5 years olds to play with craft materials? at that age they aren't yet mindful of caring for furniture, carpets and such..i don't really think that comes until much later in life - some times never. I certaily wouldn't want to come home from work and walk straight into a messy playroom. In lieu of a designated play room, I think at that age, craft materials are kitchen table appropriate. Even at that age, it is very clear to them that the kitchen table has to be completely cleaned up when they are finished. Then you segue right into setting the table. At least that's how my mom ran the house - and I still clean up my work area before setting the table.

IMHO this is a personal opinion and reflects on NO ONE, least of all the PAWN (my hat goes off to you..a 3 and a 5? you have more stamina than i do!) : I have noticed that in the last 20+ years we have slid away from ADULT appropriate areas and KIDS play areas. I am not saying the the living room has to be company read 24/7 but it should not take an unreasonable amount of time to make it so. I think kids will make as much mess as they are given the room to do so. When we were kids...our room was our province we had free rein in their and still had to clean it up now and again, but the rest of the home was FAMILY property and only one project at a time was allowed in community areas and those obviously had to return to your room when you were done. I feel badly when I enter a home and the owner has to spend the entire time apologizing for its condition instead of enjoying the company.

Posted 2 years ago #
Pawn
Member

@ Finney1: Those are great ideas, thank you. I will definitely incorporate them in the solution!

@EraserGirl: Our kitchen table is in the living room (we don't have a separate dining room or play room), but it does make sense what you say. We need an empty table before it can be set for dinner, so we need to clean up before we have dinner. Even at this age my girls should see the logic behind that!

It's true what you say about family areas and kids play areas, but again, we don't have a lot of space. I will try to slowly make them understand that the living room/ dinner table doesn't only belong to them, and that we all enjoy a tidy house.

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate it very much. You have given me fresh ideas that I will use as I try to find a system that works for us.

Pawn

Posted 2 years ago #
EraserGirl
Member

I hope i was a little helpful. I live in 3 rooms myself and my living room doubles as my dining room and my office and my tv room and the place i fix my bike.
so i wish it could be company ready more often.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lori Paximadis
Member

I grew up in a small house, and our rule was that when you were done playing with one thing, you had to put it away before you could take out the next thing. No Barbies until the Legos were put away -- unless you were using the Legos to make a Barbie house or something. No crayons until the puzzles were put away. That way, the mess never gets out of control in the first place, and at any given time you're only a few minutes away from everything being put away.

I know you said you've tried this before, but it really is worth the effort to make this a habit. And if they don't learn it now, when will they learn it?

Another way to approach it is to make 4:00 or 4:30 cleanup time (so that you get the neat house you want by 5:00), and maybe limit what they can play with after that time to certain things that don't make a ton of mess, or make it book reading and coloring time between that time and when Daddy gets home.

Posted 2 years ago #
Pawn
Member

Thanks Lori, it makes total sense what you are saying. Having a cleanup time before I need to start cooking and then limit what they can play with after that sounds like a brilliant idea to me!

Pawn

Posted 2 years ago #
zchristy
Member

I kept a small hope chest in my living room. One drawer was games and the chest was for toys. My kids toys were put in there and every day or two, they would be removed and put in their proper place in their rooms. That way the room was uncluttered, but if they were playing with something that day, it didn't have to be hauled out again.

For crafts, I kept a small caddy on wheels from ikea to store craft/drawing supplies in my kitchen - the kids did the artistry on the kitchen table (not formal, and well-worn so there was no worries about the furniture). It could then be wheeled back into the corner of my walk-in pantry when they were done. Always at hand, but not out in the open.

Posted 2 years ago #
Pawn
Member

Hi, just wanted to give you a short update. Yesterday, my girls started earning stickers. Before lunch (it's still Christmas holiday) and diner, they have to tidy up the living room. If they do well, they both earn a sticker. If not, no sticker. To give them a good incentive, I promised them we will go to the giraffe centre (we live in Nairobi) on Monday if they get stickers twice a day until Sunday.

My living room has never been as tidy as it is now for two days in a row, thank you all so much for your comments and help!
Pawn

Posted 2 years ago #
Lori Paximadis
Member

So glad to hear you've found a system that works for you! (Can I go to the Giraffe Center, too?!?!?! That sounds like so much fun, and I *love* giraffes...)

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

WOW! You live in Nairobi! I want to go to the Giraffe Center, too! What an incentive!

Posted 2 years ago #
Julia
Member

This is *absolutely not advice* because I'm childless and therefore clueless to the challenges. I just wanted to say I really love the idea of a set reading time before Daddy comes home - not only would it allow everyone to "simmer down," so to speak, but might help solidify a lifetime reading habit.

Whether it's workable or not I have no idea and would not begin to guess.

Posted 2 years ago #

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