Hey, Teens… Here’s the REAL Reason You Should Clean Your Bedroom

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This post: Hey Teens… Here’s the REAL Reason You Should Clean Your Bedroom

Hey teenagers,

Raise your hand if your bedroom is a mess. Raise your hand even higher if there are clothes all over your bedroom floor, if you have dirty cups and plates stacked on your nightstand, if your closet is bursting with clothes, shoes, and random “stuff” you haven’t worn or used in years, and the entire room is such a disaster that you need to clear a path just to get from the door to your bed.

Let me start by saying, I’m not judging you.

As a mom of three big kids, I’ve certainly seen my fair share of disastrous bedrooms. 

Here’s the thing, teenagers, I get that you want freedom to do as you please in your bedroom and I understand that life can be busy with school, sports, after-school activities, your job, and chores so keeping your room spotless is an unrealistic expectation no parent should have.

But, hear me out on this… you need to STOP cleaning your room for your Mom (or anyone else) and START cleaning it for yourself. 

Yep… FOR YOURSELF.

Because little do you know that the benefits of cleaning your room are so profound that it can quite literally change your life.

Sounds hard to believe, right? 

The proven concept is simple: The easiest and most effective way to change your life for the better is to start with what is immediately in front of you. And that begins with your physical environment – your bedroom.

As we turn the corner on a brand new year, start the year off right by making one the BIGGEST positive changes in your life...  here’s the REAL reason you should clean your bedroom.

1. Messy Room = Messy Mind

Think about it… your bedroom is where you wake up, go to sleep, study, hang out with friends, and relax after a long day. You can’t relax in a nasty, chaotic environment that smells like body odor, has piles of dirty clothes on the floor, or has dirty dishes on the nightstand right next to where you sleep.

And, how are you supposed to study for a test or write that big paper when there’s clutter everywhere? When your room is a mess, SO IS YOUR MIND.

2. It Will Improve Your Mental AND Physical Health

Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed? Look around you. Is your bedroom in order or is everything, well… everywhere?

Having a clean bedroom can make you feel FAR more in control of your life, make you feel less stressed and anxious, help you stick to a better day-to-day routine (especially when you know where everything is), and improve your mood! 

A clean room is also a healthier space – less dust in the air and fewer germs, bacteria, mold, mildew, AND bugs (which is gross). A clean room can and will impact how you feel physically. (Especially those of you with allergies!)

3. It’s the First Step in Being Disciplined

Every time you make the effort to clean your room, you’re building your “self-discipline muscle.” That’s right! Self-discipline is something we all have to practice.

The more disciplined you are with the little things in life (like keeping your room picked up), the more disciplined you’ll become in other areas of your life as well like school, college applications, relationships, your health, and your job. 

4. It Prepares You for Life

I can hear you mumbling all the way over here… “How can cleaning my room prepare me for life?” Well,  because the secret to your success is found in your daily routine. And, putting a priority on keeping the space clean that you spend the most time in is a healthy habit you’ll carry over to other areas of your life. 

Remember too, that as you get older you’ll have way more responsibility on your shoulders. How are you supposed to manage those responsibilities when you can’t even master the basics? So, sit down, take a long hard look at your daily habits, priorities, and actions, and make positive changes – even tiny tweaks can make a BIG difference in your life.

5. It’s a Testament To Your Character

How do you feel when a friend or roommate walks into your dirty, cluttered, unkept bedroom or dorm? 

How you choose to live day in and day out is not only what you do, it’s who you are. It’s a testament to your character.

When you keep your room clean, (relatively – no one expects perfection), you’re saying to the world, “I have my priorities straight. I’ve got this. I care about how I live and how others perceive me.” 

6. You’ll Have a Sense of Peace Every Time You Come Home

You had a long day at school, you have tons of homework, a huge test on Friday and you have a playoff game this weekend you’re worried about. All you want to do is come home, relax, and crash on your bed for a while to decompress and listen to music. But, wait… your bed is a cluttered mess. 

Declutter your mind by creating a bedroom that’s an aesthetically pleasing place to come home to – a place that promotes a sense of calm, peace and relaxation.

7. Rewards You with More Time

When everything in your room has its own place, you won’t be wasting time frantically searching for that one top you want to wear, that one hoodie you love so much, or that one piece of paper you need for school the next day. 

Sure, it might be a bit overwhelming to clean and organize your room, but you’ll be saving yourself a ton of time in the long run which will give you more free time to do the things that matter most.

8. Less Distraction = Greater Productivity

Have you ever studied in a library where it’s quiet and peaceful and the cubicle you’re sitting at is completely free of clutter, stacks of papers, and junk?

My guess is you found it MUCH easier to concentrate, study, focus, and take in all that information you’re trying to learn or memorize. The same applies to your study area in your bedroom. 

Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that “our brains respond well to order which means an untidy desk can lead to a loss of focus.”  The study also found that removing clutter from your desk space can help you process information better and increase productivity. (Try it and see if your grades improve!)

9. Boosts Your Confidence

Nearly every teen I know suffers from a lack of self-confidence, at times. Life isn’t easy for teenagers which can leave you feeling helpless or even like you’re flat out failing, at times.

But when you take total control over your own space, YOU get to decide how to set up your desk or where YOU want your bed to be in the room, or what pictures, trophies, or trinkets YOU want to display on the shelves – it’s empowering! You start to get a sense of ownership over your life which ignites your motivation, self-esteem, and confidence.

10. Creates a Great Hangout for Friends (Minus the Embarrassment)

Ask yourself this question… “Would I care if someone took a picture of my bedroom right now and posted it on Snapchat?” If the thought borderline horrifies you, it’s time to clean your room!

Here’s the REAL reason you should clean your bedroom… You SHOULD care what others think of you. You SHOULD care how you’re perceived by others. You SHOULD care how you choose to live. Stop being embarrassed to have your friends over and create a cool, clean, inviting space YOU will be proud of. 

How to Clean Your Room: 10 Simple Steps!

1. Put clean clothes away.
2. Pick up dirty clothes and put them in the hamper.
3. Bring all dirty dishes, spoons, and containers to the kitchen. 
4. Pull all sheets and blankets off your bed and wash them (do this once a week or at least once every two weeks).
5. Clear clutter (put stuff in bins, stack neatly, or buy organizational items to store).
6. Dust dressers, desk, shelves, window sill(s), and ceiling fan blades.
7. Clean mirror(s) with Windex.
8. Empty trash.
9. Sweep or vacuum the floor/carpet/rug.
10. Make the bed with fresh sheets and blanket(s).

If you enjoyed reading, “Hey Teens… Here’s the REAL Reason You Should Clean Your Bedroom,” here are a few other posts you might like!

55 Ways to Get Your Teen Organized Now

26 Cheap Ways to Organize Your Teen’s Closet

22 Clever Ways to Organize Your Teen’s Messy Bathroom