Bedroom Chores for Kids by Age (and How to Get Them Done)

Getting kids to clean their bedrooms is hard enough that plenty of parents are tempted to give up and close the door. (We'll get to the door.) But a kid who can take care of their own room grows into an adult who can take care of their own apartment, and their future roommates will thank you.

The secret is matching the job to the kid. A 4-year-old can't clean a whole room, but they can put the toys in the bin. A 12-year-old can change the sheets, wash the blinds and vacuum under the bed.

Here's what kids can handle in their bedrooms at every age, how often to do each job, and what to do when the room still looks like a crime scene. (For chores in every room, see Chores for Kids by Age.)

About the ages: they're a starting point. Your tidy 11-year-old who has been cleaning his room since age 2 can take on some of the teen chores. But if you've been your 13-year-old's maid since birth, start with the 6-to-8 list and work up. Kids can also do every chore listed for the younger ages.

Bedroom Chores for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)

• Put toys in bins or low drawers
• Put dirty clothes in a hamper with a low, open top
  
• Put books back in a basket
  

Bedroom Chores for Preschoolers (Ages 4 to 5)

• Carry folded clean clothes to their room and help put them away
• Pull the comforter up over the bed
  
• Dust low furniture with a sock on their hand
  
• Wipe smudges off the baseboards with a damp cloth
  

Bedroom Chores for Ages 6 to 8

• Make the bed every morning
• Keep the floor clear
  
• Shake out the area rugs
  
• Vacuum with help, or with a lightweight stick vacuum
  
• Empty the wastebasket and wipe it out
  
• Dust low furniture, shelves and lampshades
  
• Wipe smudges off the walls and the door
  

Bedroom Chores for Ages 9 to 12

Bedroom Chores for Teens (Ages 13 to 18)

• Organize the closet and dresser, and keep them that way
• Flip or rotate the mattress
  
• Vacuum the drapes
  
• Deep-clean: dust and vacuum the corners, ceiling fan and baseboards, working from top to bottom
  
• Do all their own laundry, including sheets and towels
  
• Keep the room clean, every day, without being asked (we can dream)
  

How Often Should Kids Clean Their Rooms?

For more, see daily chores, weekly chores and seasonal chores for kids by age.

Start by Defining "Clean"

Your idea of a clean room and your 9-year-old's idea of a clean room are not the same room. Write it down. A simple checklist taped inside the closet door ends the argument before it starts:

My room is clean when:

•      ☐ Bed is made

•      ☐ Dirty clothes are in the hamper

•      ☐ Clean clothes are in drawers or on hangers

•      ☐ Toys and books are put away

•      ☐ Trash is in the wastebasket

•      ☐ Desk or dresser top is clear

•      ☐ Floor is clear

Use pictures for kids who can't read yet. And when it's done, say so. A little encouragement, or a small reward like a family game or a bike ride together, goes a long way with younger kids. For more ways to get little ones cleaning up, see How to Get Kids to Clean Up.

Getting Tweens and Teens to Clean Their Rooms

Older kids need a firmer approach. A sticker chart isn't going to impress a 14-year-old. Here's what works:

• Too much stuff? Make them earn it back. One mom boxed up her daughter's doll collection, the dolls that were always on the floor, and gave back one doll for every week the room stayed clean. Why not make her work for it?
• Make them sign a lease agreement! Write up a one-page "rental agreement" for their room: what clean means, how often, and what happens if they don't. Both of you sign it. Teens love a contract, as long as they have a say in the terms.
  
• Connect it to privileges. The phone, the car keys and Friday night plans happen after the room passes inspection.
  
• Use a store-credit system. Give teens a monthly clothing or spending budget, and deduct a little for each week the room isn't clean. It's real-world money management.
  
• Make them pay for damages. If a soda left on the carpet stains it, the cleaning comes out of their allowance.
  
• Don't clean it for them. If you do it every time, they never learn, and you're stuck doing it until they leave for college. Or after.
  

And If All Else Fails

You can always close the bedroom door. Seriously. As long as there's nothing growing in there and the dishes come back to the kitchen, sometimes a closed door is the best thing for your relationship and your blood pressure.

Pick your battles, and save this one for the stuff that matters: no food, no wet towels, dirty clothes in the hamper. The rest can wait until the door opens again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bedroom chores can a 5-year-old do?

Put toys and books away, put dirty clothes in the hamper, carry folded clothes to their room, pull up the comforter, and dust low furniture.

At what age can kids change their own sheets?

Most kids can change their own sheets by 9 or 10, after you've shown them how. Younger kids can help pull off the old sheets and put on the pillowcases.

How often should a kid clean their room?

A quick tidy every day (bed made, clothes and toys put away), a bigger clean every week (sheets, vacuuming, dusting), and a deep clean every season.

How do I get my teenager to clean their room?

Write down what "clean" means, connect it to privileges like the phone or car keys, try a room "lease" they help write, and don't clean it for them. If all else fails, close the door, and hold firm on the non-negotiables like food and wet towels.

What should be on a kid's room cleaning checklist?

Bed made, dirty clothes in the hamper, clean clothes put away, toys and books put away, trash in the wastebasket, desk or dresser clear, and floor clear.

Keep Going

The bed's made and the floor's (mostly) visible. Keep the whole house running with these related guides:

•      Chores for Kids by Age: The complete guide, with a chore chart for every age.

•      How to Get Kids to Clean Up: Toys, rooms and messes, without the yelling.

•      Tips for Organizing Kids' Rooms: Storage kids can actually use, all year long.

•      Daily Chores for Kids by Age: The quick everyday jobs, by age and time of day.

•      Weekly Chores for Kids by Age: Sheets, bathrooms, vacuuming and a sibling rotation.

•      Doing Laundry With Kids: Sorting, washing, folding and putting it all away.

•      How to Clean Window Blinds: The dusty job nobody notices until it's really bad.

•      Vacuuming Secrets to Success: How to vacuum like you mean it.

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