A question that arises many times from parents is should you make your teenager clean their room?
It seems like it shouldn’t even be a question but sadly, many teenagers don’t take the time to clean their own room and we have to get involved for them to do so.
The short answer to that question is yes, you should make your teenagers clean their room because there are many positives that come with doing this task.
The Reason why Someone Might Have a Messy Room
The first and most common reason why a teenager might have a messy room and does not take the time to clean it would be because of laziness.
If someone lacks the motivation to keep their own personal space clean, they are also most likely not clean in other aspects of life which can cause many problems.
Another reason why someone can be less motivated to clean their room would be because they might be dealing with depression and those symptoms are not allowing them to have the urge to clean. If you notice a teenager who has a messy room and their mood seems down, there can be a bigger problem at hand than just a messy room. For more details on the coloration between depression and messy rooms, click here.
A third reason why they might not have their room cleaned would be because of their environment around the home. If they can see that other parts of their home are messy, they will adapt to the messiness and will not take the effort to clean their own room.
If you are a parent that thinks you should make your teenager clean their room, make sure that the other parts of the house are also clean so you can set an example for them. The reason that they might have kept their room messy would be because they have been used to being around a messy environment their whole lives so It is essential that you set an example for them so they can follow.
Effects of Having a Messy Room
1. Bad Environment
Having a clean room creates a better environment for the person that is staying in it. A messy or dirty room will make the person in there feel cluttered and it is not a great feeling to have.
It can also make the person in there feel claustrophobic and that is the last feeling you want to feel when you come home after a long day. The room that someone sleeps in at night should be a place of cleanliness and tidiness.
2. Losing Things
The second reason why having a messy room isn’t the best idea is because many times, things are lost in the clutter of the room and that can cause issues when you need something desperately and it’s lost.
Things like your wallet, keys, or just random items you might be miss-place in the mess will drive anyone crazy trying to find it.
3. Safety Hazard
Another big issue with a messy room is that it can be a safety hazard for the teenager or others when in the room.
Someone can slip or trip over the clutter and injure themselves. There can also be hidden sharp objects that can potentially hurt someone as they are walking through the room.
Another big concern to have would be falling objects that are piled high over cabinets or shelves. In a worst-case scenario, a fire can happen in the building and it can be hard to navigate and get essential items when rushing out.
These reasons are already enough to concern someone with a messy room to make sure that they make the best effort to have a clean room as much as possible.
4. Bugs
A big issue that might arise over time from having a messy room would be bugs starting to appear in the room. A messy area attracts bugs especially if there are any drinks or food around.
The last thing we want is to have bugs crawling on the floor where we sleep. A good way to avoid this problem is to have a garbage can with a lid that gets taken out every week.
The reason why the lid is important would be because the trash will be blocked from the outside. Many times, people will have garbage cans with open lids and they would still have bugs appear.
That is because their can is still exposed to the outside so, with a lid, bugs will not be able to get to the trash so that will cause them not to come around that area.
Check out this closed lid garbage can that blocks out bugs and insects so you can keep your room as clean as possible!
Why You Should Make your Teenager Clean their Room
1. Builds Discipline
The first reason is that cleaning your room builds discipline and as you do it more, it will teach you how to have discipline in other areas of life like work, school, or relationships.
William H. McRaven once said “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another…”
What he is essentially saying is that the small task of cleaning your room can make your day better from the start.
2. Better Mental Health
Another reason why you should make your teenager clean their room is because having a clean room promotes good mental health. Having your room organized and tidy will make the environment more appealing and welcoming witch, in turn, will help your mind de-stress.
Having a de-stressed mind when you wake up or go sleep is something that we should all strive for so if having a clean room helps with that, then it should be done.
3. To Build a Habit
Since your teenager will become an adult soon and will have to transition into the real world, they will have to start building a habit of being clean in every aspect of their life.
What better time to do that than your teenage years. Explain to them that buildings a habit of cleaning their room will transition with them through the adult years and this will have a better effect when they move out and start living on their own or with their partner.
How to Make your Teenager Clean Their Room
Once they understand why having a clean room matters, it is time for them to take the action and clean but in many cases, the teenager still does not want to.
This is when you as a parent should step in and enforce some form of incentive or punishment to make the process happen.
1. Incentive
The first step you can take in making your teenager clean their room is to offer incentives or rewards.
Depending on how old the teen is will be what type of reward they will get.
Many parents might think that they should not get an incentive in the first place but it is very beneficial to do so because it gets the ball rolling.
If the teenager knows that they will get something after cleaning their room, they will most likely do it in anticipation for their reward.
As time passes on and the habit builds up, they will do it regardless of getting an incentive because once someone experiences a clean environment, they will not want to go back.
3. Punishment
If the incentives are not working, it is time to discipline them by giving them punishments. That can mean their game system be taken away or they can’t use their phone until the room is cleaned. Things like that will force them to start cleaning.
As much as it sucks as a parent to punish your kids, it is needed when it comes to something like cleaning a room.
They need to understand that they are not the ones paying the bills and it is still the parent’s place so they need to respect that.
Final Thought
The question of should you make your teenager clean their room comes up a lot and the answer is yes, they should for multiple reasons.
There are many good pros that come with having a clean room that translates to the outside world. As much as it is a hassle to have a room clean for a long period of time, it is something that still needs to be done.
With that being said, making your teenager clean their room is a must.