About the tidy up timer
Turn clean-up time into a race against the clock. Put the timer full screen on the board, press start and let the class beat it. The ring turns yellow in the last minute, red for the final 15 seconds, and beeps through the last 10 seconds so everyone knows to finish up.
Five minutes is the sweet spot for most classrooms: long enough to put everything away, short enough that nobody drifts. Use 3 minutes for a quick reset between activities and 10 minutes for end-of-day deep cleans.
Recommended times
| Quick Tidy | 3 minutes |
|---|---|
| Standard | 5 minutes |
| Deep Clean | 10 minutes |
Ideas that make tidy-up time work
- Beat the timer: if the room is clean before zero, the class earns a point towards a reward.
- Jobs, not chaos: give each table one job (floor, books, supplies, bins).
- Mystery item: secretly pick one item; whoever puts it away gets a shout-out.
- Music: play one clean-up song that fits inside the timer.
- At home: the same 5-minute tidy works for kids' bedrooms and playrooms.
How to use the tidy up timer
- Choose Quick Tidy (3 min), Standard (5 min) or Deep Clean (10 min).
- Press Full screen so the whole room can see the countdown.
- Say what 'tidy' means today: chairs in, floor clear, supplies back in bins.
- Press Start. When the alarm goes off, do a quick check and celebrate if the room is ready.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space start / pause
- R reset
- F full screen
- M mute
Frequently asked questions
How long should classroom clean-up take?
Most teachers use 3–5 minutes for a routine tidy and up to 10 minutes at the end of the day or after art and science activities.
Can I show the tidy up timer on a smartboard or projector?
Yes. Open the page on the classroom computer and press Full screen (or the F key). The countdown fills the screen and the colour changes are visible from the back of the room.
Does it make a sound at the end?
It beeps each second for the last 10 seconds and plays an alarm at zero. Use the Sound button to mute it if you prefer a silent, visual-only timer.
Is it free for teachers?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up. You can also embed it on a class website or LMS page from the Embed page.
Is it free, and do I need an app?
It is completely free with no sign-up or download. It works in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers.