Speed Clean the House (with your kids) One Song at a Time

Peace and Joy at Home, Day 12: Speed Clean the House (with your kids) One Song at a Time.

(My living room – after a tidy up)

Do you think it’s possible to get the house picked up quickly with your children, in a way that is fun, silly, and simple?

Today I’m going to share my super-secret technique for tidying up with kids, without complaint (mostly).

(So, this tip is not actually super-secret, since I have shared it on my facebook page before.)

This is what we do when we need (or want) the house picked up fast:

1. Pick a song or group of songs that are upbeat.

2. Pick a room, or area, to tidy up.

3. Tell the children that the goal is to tidy up the room or area, putting everything in its place, before the song ends.

4. Turn the song on and run around putting things away as quickly as possible.

5. Once the song is over, move on to the next area or room and repeat.

We often like to use the same song a few times because we know when it is getting close to the end. This adds some extra excitement as the closing lyrics are sung and ratchets the cleaning wildness up a notch.

This is a great way to have some fun while getting the house tidied up. We usually laugh, squeal, and run while doing this. It's a great way to build memories and bond with my kids, while accomplishing some cleaning.

I can see them laughing as adults while saying, “Remember when we would run around cleaning the house like lunatics?”

So, yes, it is possible to get the house tidy quickly while being silly and having fun. This method may be a little off-the-wall, but it works!

What fun methods do you use to get the house picked up and in order?

If you like this idea, you might also enjoy our ridiculous (but effective) laundry game.