Cleaning and other household chores can be incredibly stressful, especially if you don’t have family members to help out. If everyone in your family has responsibilities, it can seem unfair to ask them to take on an additional task that requires both time and energy. However, by following these five steps, you can get everyone in the family to help with chores—and, who knows, they might even enjoy it.
1) Give Kids Responsibilities
When it comes to chores, it’s not just about what everyone should do, but also about how much responsibility kids should have. Encourage them to take on small tasks like dusting. If they see that you value their help and understand that they can make a difference, they’ll be more likely to pitch in when needed. Then, as they get older, give them more responsibilities such as vacuuming or de-cluttering rooms. The more responsibilities they feel ownership over at an early age, the easier time they’ll have pitching in with household duties as adults.
2) Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
As with most things in life, one of the best ways to get everyone on board is simply not sweating it. Many parents worry that their kids won’t pitch in if asked, but kids want a sense of ownership just as much as adults do. Take the time to explain why you’re asking for help, then work together to create systems that make everyone feel like they’re pitching in and pulling their weight. Do you need to clean barn door hardware? Don’t sweat it! It will be easy to accomplish when you have your whole family helping out.
3) Have a Routine
Whether you’re a mom of 10 or a teacher with 20 kids, it’s easy to get lost in all of your responsibilities. But if you’re going to get something done, make sure it gets done. Establishing a routine with your chores and other activities will help you stay on top of things. If there’s something that needs to be done daily (or at least weekly), make it happen at roughly the same time every day, like dusting around 8 p.m. or vacuuming after dinner.
4) Divide and Conquer
Some people are born leaders, but most of us aren’t. A great way to delegate chores is by dividing and conquering; each family member should be assigned at least one chore, and they should be able to do it independently. That way, you can train everyone on how to do their job and keep track of what gets done. Perhaps your spouse can vacuum every week; maybe your teenager can handle all of his or her own laundry. Try to figure out who will like doing which chores best, so that you don’t end up with three hands washing dishes.
5) Use Technology to Your Advantage
Technology has made things easier for us, but it also means we don’t have to rely on each other as much. Instead of relying on technology and household machines, learn how you can make chores fun for everyone by using them as opportunities to spend time together. Have your kids do their own laundry with a machine that washes clothes from top-to-bottom. That way they’ll be less likely to complain about having clean clothes. You can also download a chore app that will show them exactly what needs to be done around the house, so they know they are helping out.
Cleaning and other house chores can often fall by the wayside, with entire households devolving into out-of-control chaos. Getting your family members involved in helping you out around the house is a great way to keep things running smoothly and keep clutter from taking over. It will be a good experience for everyone to work together.
The five methods described above are just a few of many ways you can get your family members involved in helping with chores. Remember to set a good example by cleaning up after yourself throughout each day—even if it’s just picking up clothes or taking out the garbage.
If you feel like you want some extra guidance on how to get everyone involved in the chores, you can always speak to one of blossapp.com’s parenting experts for some advice.
