American culture seems to allow parents to clean their children's rooms until they reach a mature enough age to handle the responsibility themselves. This allows for them to have fun and have freedom. As we become teenagers, we have established a space that represents us. 

Of course, as children, it is understandable that our parents would clean up our own toys, but why as we are growing up and taking on more life responsibilities, are we not truly educated and disciplined to maintain cleanliness of our environment?

I remember I used to make a huge mess with my toys from the age of 5 to 12, and naturally my parents would pick up after me. However, as I became a forming adolescent, hitting thirteen years old, my parents never even entered my room, and on one occasion, when my room was a tad messy, they just stared at me. Just their unwavering stare was enough to convince me that maintaining the cleanliness of my room must be essential or else their facial expression would not have been so tense.

Since that first and only encounter, I have had the habit of keeping everything tidy, putting things away immediately, and sweeping. Now that I am transitioning to college, the importance of maintaining the organization of my room has become evident. Upcoming college students are interacting with each other on college created social apps such as Zeemee, where students post tidbits about themselves and what they are looking for in a roommate. Not surprisingly, most say they want a neat roommate. Even though we as individuals may be comfortable dwelling in our own mess, others most definitely are not. I myself want a roommate to be as organized and neat as me, if not, staying in our room will definitely be uncomfortable and stressful.

 Nevertheless, even if we choose to live in our own homes or apartments allowing us the complete freedom of being lazy, there are sacrifices we then make. According to the article “The importance and Benefits of a Clean Bedroom'' by YCS, the cleaning service, “Not only does a cluttered bedroom make you start the day on the wrong foot, but it also gives you a hard time falling asleep at night. Studies have shown that people who sleep in cluttered spaces sleep worse than those whose bedrooms are clutter‐free.” With those rewards of keeping a clean bedroom in mind, imagine how uncomfortable teens sleep if their rooms are piled with clothes to the max or dust bunnies are lurking everywhere. Teens constantly complain about how tired they constantly are when they first arrive at school and complain about how they do not receive sufficient sleep. Well, the cleanliness of their rooms has a dramatic effect.

Even though keeping our rooms clean has to be first for ourselves, we must also respect our potential roommates or spouse and children. We must have that discipline of cleaning our rooms that we then are aware of and on top of our house. Keeping a clean environment allows for everyone in it to feel relaxed, safe, and proud of their positive impact on everyone with them.

It is never too late for teens to start a schedule of keeping a tidy room. Still, it is best if parents instill the responsibility of a clean room to their pre-teens and the consequences for them if they are not keeping their rooms hygienic. If a pre-teen has clothes piled or trash lying on the floor, the parents can simply prohibit them from hanging out with their friends or watching TV until they finish cleaning their room. It is also best if parents sit down to talk with their growing children as to why cleanliness has a positive impact and what sacrifices they would make if they neglect this lifelong responsibility.

Work Cited

“Importance of a Clean Bedroom | Cleaning Services Palm Beach Gardens.” Yorleny's Cleaning Service, 22 July 2021, yorlenyscleaningservice.com/why-important-clean-bedroom-benefits/. Accessed 29 April 2022.