My Teenagers' Room Is a Danger Zone

Hi D. ;)
I have the same problem with my kids, i think that their is a release mechanism in their hands..that just isnt fully developed. And this releases things from their hands at any given moment!!

Anyway...heres a solution..

Get a cardboard box.. Label it Auction Items.

If you find something on the floor and its not supposed to be there..tell them ONE TIME to pick it up.. if it doesnt happen.. this item goes in the auction box. Twice a week you hold an auction for an item of your choice.. You have 3 teens, so this will be fun for you!!

You get to pick the one item to be auctioned.. they dont get to know about it until the minute of the auction. The highest bidder, and they have to have cash, gets the item.. yep for keeps..

You will have some torked teens for a few weeks..but guaranteed..they will start pickin up their stuff.. when you tell them too!!

This advice came from one of my very best friends..and it works..LOL

Its up to you what to do with the other items in the box. The anticipation of them not knowing what item will be auctioned is usually punishment enough..

Good Luck!!

Well you could do what my mother in law did to my husband and his brother when they wouldn't clean up...she threw ALL their stuff into the backyard! That was all it took! Or threaten to throw it in the garbage?!? Even though they should be doing it on their own, can you give them a small incentive of some sort? Maybe they need a little budge in the right direction. Good luck to you~

D.,
have you taught them how to organize their room? Perhaps the task it too daunting for them b/c they don't know where to begin. As a Professional Organizer, I've discovered most people, including teens, need help with planning and mapping out a room. Most importantly, they need to get involved in the process. Instructions on where things should go makes them want to defy and do the opposite. Instead, try having a family meeting. Talk about the benefits of getting organized, start re-arranging or adding/removing furniture to help them organize.

I always had to help my son clean his room, it would get so bad that I think he didn't know where to begin. It was never kept clean for long, so when he left for college I immediately redecorated it and it's basically no longer 'his' room. Since he had no respect for his room I didn't feel the need to keep it set up for him.
Anyway, I'm so happy to hear that his college roommate is dirtier than he is, and it actually bothers him. Yay! This is the beginning of where he learns that he really DOESN'T like living in a pigsty.

I love the auction idea! I had 5 brothers who had to share rooms in various configurations over the years. Their rooms were neat and tidy because they owned very little and valued what they had. Sometimes being poor has its advantages. The auction idea will teach them the value of their own things. I have teenagers with their own rooms and they are still a mess. I have been told they will grow out of it. One thing that has helped is to tell them if they really want something, especially something for their room; say a new bed or blanket or stereo etc. then the room must stay clean for a given period to prove they can appreciate what they get. Then if the room reverts to the mess, the item can be taken away. This is harder with 3 boys but if they all want the item(s) it might work.

3 boys in the same room is alot. I'm sure one of their issues is not enough space for their JUNK. Remember your sanity first. Make some rules, no food or drink and no wet towels from showers on the floor. Then close the door!!! There are a few good ideas from others already and they may help the issue, but with three in the same room it is pretty much a losing battle. By the way the smell is from their bodies changing and it lives in their shoes. One other idea is having hampers in the garage and have them take their shoes off out their too. Good luck and don't worry I have known many gross teenagers at home who turn into pretty clean adults when they are on their own! :)

Dear D.,

Sit them down and tell them that from now on you should be able to go into their room at any time and be able to freely walk through it. They need to step up and take responsibility for their things. Give them the weekend to get it cleaned up and make sure they know there is to be no food,or wet clothes on the floor etc. Once they know what you expect, they should be able to follow through and keep it clean. If you walk in and its a disaster- put everything that you find in a big trash can and make them earn it back. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Molly