Assign Your Kids to Do the Spring Cleaning Chores

If you’re anything like me, spring cleaning can be a bit of a domino situation. I could start by cleaning the baseboards, but when I get to the stairs I think, wow , those handrails are dirty. And so on. By the time I’m done, I’ve also discovered coffee splatters on the walls, cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling and the dustiest blinds you’ve ever seen – and I’m disgusted with myself. I also feel pain because my back is not what it used to be and the worst dirt seems to be either too low or too high. You know who else has good backs? Our children, that’s who.

I believe spring cleaning should be a family affair. From the inside of the house to the outside, there is still a lot to be done. And children (at least when they are little) are usually ready – even happy – to help. You could ask them to help you move from task to task, but sometimes this just slows you down. Instead, if your kids are old enough, I suggest you try delegating some of the work this year: divide up what needs to be done and assign them full responsibility for certain responsibilities.

If you’re not sure what chores children are typically able to do, a good place to start is this age-appropriate guide to chores for kids . But spring cleaning goes beyond the usual making the bed and folding towels, so this list will include some larger, rarer projects you can delegate.

The Best Spring Cleaning Tasks for Young Children

You’ll likely get the most excitement and agreement from young children when you announce that it’s time for spring cleaning. Of course, for all their enthusiasm, young children will also be the least independent (and thorough) when it comes to solving their problems. If your children are under six years old and you want to involve them, they will need supervision and assistance, so plan for this.

But by the time they reach the age where you trust them to feed the pets and sweep the floor on their own, you can probably show them what to do and then send them off on their own. In my experience, this happens somewhere between the ages of six and eight. However, you should still think about a few things, namely what kind of chores they like to do and how careful you need to do something. Any job that you’re happy to say is “good enough” is better suited for this age. These may include:

• Vacuum or sweep areas that are usually overlooked during regular weekly cleaning, such as basements, porches, vehicle floorboards and garages.

• We vacuum the living room furniture, remove the pillows, and remove any hidden crumbs.

• Rake up old dried leaves that are still littering the yard from last fall.

• Pulling weeds.

• Cleaning the aforementioned baseboards – be gentle on your back and let them bend.

The Best Spring Cleaning Tasks for Teens

Teens will be more independent than their younger peers, which means you can put their slightly more developed critical thinking skills to good use here. Teens are old enough to do what is often a major component of spring cleaning—sorting and recycling or donating items you no longer need or need.

Here’s how teens can get involved during spring cleaning:

• Going through their clothes, collecting a bunch of things that no longer fit them or that they don’t wear, to pass them down, give them as gifts, or sell them to another family.

• Sorting books and toys for items they no longer read or play with.

• Cleaning out the closet and rearranging or reorganizing the bedroom (by moving furniture if necessary).

• Cleaning kitchen or bathroom floors with steam.

• Emptying kitchen drawers to wipe them down.

• Plus any tasks you would assign to the younger group.

The Best Spring Cleaning Tasks for Teens

This group may be the least interested in helping, but they also have the greatest potential to be thorough and put a little more effort into their efforts. Here are a few tasks that teenagers can be assigned:

• I’ll help you organize your garage.

• Car wash.

• Electric waste bin washer.

• Moving household furniture for more thorough vacuuming.

• Help with planting or mulching.

• Washing windows or mirrors.

• Bathroom cleaning.

• Helping younger children complete tasks.

• Plus any tasks you would assign to younger groups.

I used to call this a “spring cleaning party,” and it was only half a joke—when all is said and done and the winter grime has been wiped off all the windows, celebrate your efforts and reap the benefits of your refreshed space. Order pizza and relax with a family movie or fire up the fire pit to toast marshmallows and enjoy your newly decorated backyard.

I would also be willing to provide a small monetary incentive, especially for older children, to help ensure their cooperation in this process.

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