How can I get my family to help me clean the house?

Buy a very large sword and call a family meeting.

Offer them money…LOLOL…to get my son to do chores around the house, I offer him a allowance. This may not be the best idea. but it works.
Hope it helps.

pay them handsomely…

Well, I told my kids if they didn’t clean out their stuff that Santa wouldn’t bring them anything. It worked on my 14 year old and my 5 year old. For adults – guilt works. I have pretended to put my back out moving the garbage.
Other tatics I have used are hiding video game controllers, going on strike, taking cell phones and bribes. Money works very well. $1 a chore. The 5 year old always makes the most money because she works the hardest. LOL!
Another thing they hate is if I threaten to go into their room and clean it out. I will throw out EVERYTHING. Nothing gets them whimpering and moving faster to see me on the way to their room with a garbage bag.
For adults, this works too. Go for what they like the most and start putting it in boxes. Hunting and sporting goods. Fishing poles. Sneakers. Whatever it is. Then set it on the table and grab another box. Don’t say anything. When they ask tell them that you asked for help but now have to go through all this junk yourself!

if it was tv the problem would be solved by the time they show that buggy target commercial. who are those freaks! you got a house of real folks. if you want them to know what you feel you better say it as plainly as you told us computer hobbits.

You could try a points system. Have a main prize, monetary or otherwise, the person who helps clean the most gets the most points and gets the biggest prize.

Or you could go the route of No Cleaning? No presents. I would try to use positive rewards before threatening them, though.

I have the same problem…. they call me lazy… EHEM??!! Ok, I can get lazy… then when they start missing their clean or misplaced items… and I don’t know where it is… then they can’t blame me anymore than they already do… so GEE, they have to clean or find whatever they want to use!
WHAT? Did I say that they would have to clean it? yep, that’s what I said… When they start pitching in, then I start to resume some of my chores until it is ‘more’ of what it looks like on TV.
Can you survive doing it my way??? Now my kids clean up more.. and if they start slacking off.. then so do I. <evil grin>

~Give em money!!! h@ @ h@ h@!!!!~
And for the adults guilt might work?!
~Good Luck~

I have "contests" with my children. I set the oven timer for 5 minutes (you can go longer if they’re older), give them a bag and challenge them to fill the bags with their stuff before the timer goes off. When they’re done, the bags go into their room to be put away at bedtime. I do the same thing with the bathroom, dusting, etc. The kids are in a hurry to "beat the clock" and the house gets clean in record time!

Beat their asses, that should help.

I know, I know, I know!! It seems like the older they get the less helpful they are. My boys are 15 and 13 and I find that making a list for each of them works best. They don’t want to be nagged or watched while they are doing their jobs, so I leave them a note telling them what I want done. My older son gets home from school about an hour before I do; I put a note on the computer keyboard each day with a few simple things to do. Add a little praise (boys love strokes… just like men!) I call him from work when he gets home and tell him that until those are done, he won’t eat!! Most kids are generous hearted and want to help the needy. Give them a bag or box and tell them to fill it with anything they don’t want or need for a child who has nothing. It works best if you can give it to someone they know like a younger child in the neighborhood , cousin, or friend. Tell them they need to make room for all the new stuff they will be getting. Use guilt. Mine went to Catholic school so that usually works!! LOL.