The new school year is fast approaching, and I'm on a mission to be more organized this year! One of my biggest challenges is getting the kids to clean up. Today I'm tackling that challenge with Ten-Minute Tidy Lists. Keep reading to find out how to get kids to clean up!
RELATED: How to Teach Children to Clean Their Rooms, Cleaning Tips and Tricks
How to Get Kids to Clean Up with Ten-Minute Tidy Lists
My kids love lists. There's just something about checking things off that really motivates them. So, I'm combining their love of lists with a daily clean-up plan. I'm setting up Ten-Minute Tidy lists for each day. One (a bedroom tidy list) to do right when they wake up, and the second (for the rest of the house) to do in the evening before bedtime.
To make it even more fun, they'll be checking off their lists with the new Sharpie Clearview Highlighters (affiliate link)! Tell me what kid doesn't love to play with color. My kids will be motivated to complete their tasks just so that they can use the highlighters. I love how a cool set of highlighters is so motivating! (To keep it exciting--and to keep them from fighting--they'll get to rotate colors each day or week.)
On a side note -- am I the only adult who gets excited about school supplies? I'm telling you, there's nothing like a new colored gel pen or a set of markers. All of a sudden, I just want to doodle all over stuff. (Perhaps my youngest gets that from me. I recently found her name carved on a side table, written on the center console in the minivan, and doodled on the piano keys! I see lots of conversations about art versus graffiti in our future!)
Ten-Minute Tidy Lists
Want to make some 10-Minute Tidy Lists of your own? I thought you might! I've created two sets of downloads. If you like my lists and want to use them "as is" you can download the pdf files. If you want to change your up to fit your kids and home, you can download the printable and editable Excel spreadsheet version. (Each list comes in color or black and white.)
Click the link below to go to my Ten-Minute Tidy Printables download page.
Thanks for stopping by today. Want more cleaning tips and printables? Check out some of my favorites by clicking on the images below. The images are linked to posts, so click to pay a visit.
Have a great week!
Melanie
Thank you for the printable! These are really cute and a great idea for helping kids stay on track.
Heidi Fowler
You're welcome, Melanie. I'm crossing my fingers that they will make a big difference at my house! Hope they work for you, too. (I guess the triplets might not quite be ready for them yet!)
Heather
Love this 10-minute Tidy printable Heidi! We just started having the kids help clean the dishes and load the dishwasher, it's been great! Any bit to help mama, never hurt and teaching more responsibility.
Heidi Fowler
Thanks so much, Heather. I'm trying to get my kids to help out (we started with the dishwasher, too), but I definitely need them to pitch in more. I hope this makes a big difference!
Carie Spence
Our kids are list oriented too so these would be very handy! Thank you for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest board.
Heidi Fowler
You're welcom, Carie. I hope they work for you if you decide to give them a try. Thanks for the pin!
Barb @ A Life in Balance
When I saw your lists with the Sharpie markers, I had to click over and look at them! Did you laminate the lists so you could reuse them?
Heidi Fowler
I'm not sure if I will laminate them or not, Barb. Part of the fun is getting to use the highlighters. I think they will work like wet erase markers on the lamination, but I haven't tried it yet. I hope so!
Jess
Such great tips!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
Heidi Fowler
You're welcome, Jess. Thanks for a great party every week!
Shana
This is such a great idea! I'm in love with those little charts and can't wait to try it out on my boys! Thanks for linking up at Wake Up Wednesday! Stopping by as a co-host!
Heidi Fowler
Thanks for stopping by, Shana. I hope your boys like the charts!
Mitzi
10 Minute Tidy is such a great idea-love it!!
Heidi Fowler
Thanks, Mitzi. I think some of my kids will take longer than ten minutes, but ten-minute tidy has such a good ring to it!
Jill
Love this idea! Pinned to use!
Heidi Fowler
So glad, Jill! I hope it works well for you.
Clare
This is such a brilliant idea - my kids aren't old enough for chores yet so I might have to make one of these for my hubby!
Heidi Fowler
Wouldn't that be great if we could get our husbands to use chore charts, Clare? That would be awesome!
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above
Thanks so much for sharing with Wednesday's Adorned From Above Link Party.
Debi @ Adorned From Above