PLEASE someone be online...this is LONG

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flutterbee

Guest
Once, when Wynter was 8 she wanted friends over and I told her that she needed to clean her room and that there could be nothing on the floor or under the bed.

She was in her room for quite a while and hadn't come down to whine to me at all. I'm thinking that YES, she finally gets it!!! About 2 hours later she tells me she's done. I go check. There is nothing on the floor, so far so good!

However, her bed was piled from headboard to footboard, side to side and 3 feet high. :rofl:
 

TypoJEnny

New Member
Here is what I did and it worked on this end.

I told my son that he had 30 min. to clean his room. Anything left would be gone to Goodwill. After 30 min. I came in with trash bags and boxes. I made him pack it up. Then we took it to Goodwill. (I cried inside at all the money lost). But this didn't work!!!

The next time he wouldn't clean his room he lost his room. I took everything out. Including the bed. He had a pallet on the floor and was allowed to keep his teddy bear and a book. Everything else went to storage. After two days I gave him back the bed, after 3 days he got one box back. I got a shoe holder that held shoe boxes. I got plastic shoe box bins from the dollar store. I made sure that every toy in the box had a place. We labeled the boxes so he would know where everything went. As time went on he would get a box back and get a labeled plastic bin to put it in. He now has all his toys back and labeled plastic bins to put them in and he keeps his room clean.

Oh- we also got rid of the laundry hamper. He now has to take his dirty close directly to the laundry room. This has helped with missing dirty clothes.

We figured out with him that he was overwhelmed. He needed structure. He needed to know what went where. With labeling the plastic bins he no longer seems lost when cleaning his room and he can't use the "mom can you help me, I don't know where this goes".

We used generic labels (i.e games, cars, McD toys, Misc, Electronics, plastic men, legos etc) and some bins have the same label. That way if one gets full he just moves to the next one. I don't check to make sure that the right thing is in the right box. I highly doubt they are, but the fact is he keeps his room clean.

We also have a new rule. If you get something new and don't have room in your plastic bins you have to get rid of old toys to make space for the new toys. I let him choose what he wants to give to Goodwill and what goes in the trash.
 

jannie

trying to survive....
I'm so glad to hear the room is finally clean. :grin: I know you have gone through all heck to get it done...I definately suggest getting rid of things now that it is more organized. I totally agree with the others about emptying out the room. I took everything out of difficult child room except for stuffed animals. I even took out his clothing because he would dump his drawers when angry. His room was empty for months and it was so much easier. I know this is hard due to lack of space, but maybe some of her things could just be given away....perhaps she's outgrown some of her toys.

I am sorry you are not feeling well these days--sending hugs.
 

Janna

New Member
I'm glad you got it clean! Good, Kitty. Now, just try to keep up with her day to day, even if you start out small and graduate.

Good for you!
 

nvts

Active Member
My easy child "congradulated" from kindergarten this year, I'll bet she'll share her diploma! :laugh:

Beth
 

On_Call

New Member
Congrats on the newly tidied-up room. Tink (and you) must be exhausted tonight!!

Hoping it stays neat for a few days, at least!! :wink:
 

Marguerite

Active Member
Wacko! She cleaned her room! OK, you were there directing (it really does work better that way when they're overwhelmed by it).

I do understand about not feeling well - I have very limited energy, I can only handle a small amount. Currently, about all I can handle is the maintenance for the main household. Sometimes it's as much as I can do to keep the routine ticking over, and to have dinner organised.

I'm glad this worked out.

Marg
 
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