# Dad Got His Easily Distracted Sons to “Seriously” Clean Their Room

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/parenting/clean-your-room-please/
- Published: 2022-06-07T13:00:00+10:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _For us mere mortals, getting our kids to clean up their own mess is a daily struggle._

![This dad got his easily distracted sons to seriously clean their room | stay at
home mum](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/toys.
jpg?resize=1000%2C1334&quality=89&ssl=1 "Stay at Home Mum   Kids Playing Indoors")

[www.joliecanoli.com](https://www.joliecanoli.com/blog/the-mess)

But after probably years of picking up his sons’ clutter, this dad has finally figured
it out.

(And is generous enough to share his light bulb moment with us.)

### Reddit user_ iamonlyoneman_ shares that his youngest boys share one room and every time he asks them to put away their toys, they just end up playing with them.

![Dad got his easily distracted sons to clean their room | stay at home mum](https://
i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/boys-toys.jpg?resize=768%
2C512&quality=89&ssl=1)

**Totally productive…. Not!**

The good dad used to just let it slide because the boys were still bonding ~over
the mess~ anyway. Until he had an epiphany.

![Dad and sons having fun while cleaning their room together](https://i0.wp.com/
stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/3-1.jpg?resize=700%2C525&quality
=89&ssl=1 "Clean Room Fun with Dad and Sons")

> _“Each of you pick up 30 things and put them away where they go,” _he shares in
> his Reddit post.

His simple instruction quickly turned into a race and a competition between the 
boys. And, hallelujah, it resulted to the room _actually _getting cleaned within
just a few minutes!

### **(Bonus brownie points: it helps kids practice counting. Win-win!)**

![Young boy tidying up toys in a bright sunny room with a laundry basket nearby](
https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/boy-cleaning-room.
jpg?resize=612%2C408&quality=89&ssl=1 "Clean Room Effort by Distracted Sons")

The dad adds that their room almost looks as good as how it looks like when their
mum cleans it.

We were genuinely shocked and may or may not subject our kids to an experiment later
at home.

> **PS: For those who only have one kid (like me), get a timer and make it a race
> against time.**

**Works perfectly, too!**

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)