How to Make Spring-Cleaning Fun
Cleaning out the clutter every year can be a daunting task, especially for kids. You and your family can end up feeling overwhelmed and figuring out what to keep and what to get rid of can turn into a sparring match. Here are some tips to help you turn spring-cleaning into an enjoyable experience for you and your children.
Turn Cleaning into a Game
When you're having a hard time getting family members to help clean, turn tasks into a game. A friendly competition can give kids some much needed motivation. Turn boring chores like picking up toys, organizing laundry, and finishing yardwork into a race. You also could create a scavenger hunt to help kids clean their closets and declutter other spaces around the house. You can hide chocolate, their favorite candy, or tokens that can be turned in for prizes at the end.
Offer Rewards
Kids of every age respond positively to receiving a reward for working hard and accomplishing big goals. Entice kids to clean by promising to order or make their favorite meal for dinner. Another great way to reward kids for their help is to purchase a book or video game from their wish list or a subscription to their favorite online video or gaming site. As a bonus, offer to keep the subscription longer if they keep their room clean and continue to do their chores.
Show the Value of Clutter
Spring-cleaning can be a great time to teach your kids about how much their unwanted or outgrown toys and clothes can be worth. Have them choose at least five items from their room or play area they don't use anymore and put them up for sale. When the items get bought, show your kids how much money they made. Give your kids the option to spend some of the money they made and save some money for later.
Plan a Vacation
You and your kids also could use the money earned from selling old clothes and toys for a family vacation. Pick a destination all of your kids have wanted to visit for a while or that you know would really excite them. Let each of your kids choose one or two activities they would like to do while there. Planning a vacation together will help motivate them to save money earned from spring-cleaning so they can buy a souvenir from the gift shop.
Throw a Dance Party
A great way to get your kids into spring-cleaning is to have a dance party. When tackling boring tasks, such as dusting and sweeping, make a playlist with four or five of your family's favorite high-energy songs. Have them do one task per song and let them sing and dance while they clean. This will make tasks more manageable, and they will get done faster. Add one last song at the end to inspire everyone to break into a dance party, giving a chance for a much-needed break.
When you're spring-cleaning your home, there are some spring maintenance tasks you should do to keep your HVAC system running efficiently, such as changing your air filters. This is the perfect time to have your system inspected by an expert. Contact the experts at Shumate Mechanical to schedule a maintenance appointment today.