"He Is Probably Overwhelmed" — Teen’s Ambitious Garage Clean Up Turns Into a Full-on Family Affair

It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving is the true kick-off to the holiday season—the guests are coming, the turkey is in the oven, and if you have kids, you’re making them help clean up the house for the get-together.

That’s what TikToker and mom Kaylla (@kayllaspencer14) did when she asked her 13-year-old son Maddox to “pick up the garage a little.” What followed was shockingly unexpected and left other users who saw the clip on the app begging for updates.

Kaylla’s first video, with over 1.5M views, had her monologuing about her son's well-meaning intentions in taking up his mother's ask. “I asked my son to help clean out the garage… just do like a little pick up, you know, little shoes, little bit of toys,” she told viewers.

But when she looked outside, she realized the scope of what Maddox had done: “This is my straight-A, super-smart, super-loving 13-year-old son. I don’t think he realizes what he got himself into.”

What she encountered was the aftermath of someone who was clearly in over their head when it came to a big cleaning job. Maddox bit off more than he could chew.

Maddox had gutted the entire garage. He pulled out bicycles, boxes, lawn chairs, and even all the countless pieces of wood. Some items ended up outside; others were scattered into piles strewn about the property.

Despite the magnitude of the job, he seemed hopeful about getting everything properly cleaned and organized.

“He just asked if we can move the pool table,” Kaylla couldn’t help but laugh. “Maddox, son, I mean, it’s great, but there’s no way you’re gonna be done in time. We’re not moving the pool table—it’s extremely heavy and… that’s just where it goes.”

Nightfall was coming, and Maddox was clearly fighting an uphill battle. So, the family did what all good families do– came together. Kaylla, her husband, and the rest of the crew jumped in to help. The follow-up video, also with over 1M views, captures them working together to finish what Maddox started via montage.

The family sorted everything into piles for trash, donation, or storage and Kaylla’s husband rented a truck to do some hauling. “We were working on other house projects, and I looked out the window… it’s safe to say this is now a family event,” Kaylla admitted.

“We’re working against daylight. It’s literally going to be dark in about 30 minutes.” Maddox must’ve been a big fan of the book Finish What You Start by Peter Hollins.

By 9:30 p.m., the garage was mostly done, though Kaylla admitted her back was killing her. “We hauled off a whole truckload full of stuff. Tons of trash, but it’s organized,” she said, proudly.

Maddox, who was dubbed “the project manager,” managed himself a reward: a garage TV for his room. Kaylla wrapped it all up in reflection, “Honestly, it needed it anyway. Let’s be real, we needed to get rid of a lot of stuff. We just weren’t gonna do it today because Thanksgiving is this week.”

Commenters found the precocious dedication very impressive. One wrote, “He SAW the need and started to do it to the full extent that it needed to be done. Good job, parents!” Another found him to be a plotter, “He’s been waiting to do that; he has a plan for the space.”

Some called out how sweet it was that Kaylla didn’t get angry. “Weird to say, but it’s healing to me that you recognized his good intentions,” one gushed. Another summed it up succinctly “He just started an entire family event.”

Having kids help around the house is a longstanding tradition that crosses multiple cultures. Historically, farmers had large families partly so the children could help with the workload, tending to chickens, cleaning, and peeling potatoes.

But in 2024, to absolutely no one’s surprise, studies show kids are spending less time on household chores, with one report finding a 25% drop in children’s participation between 1981 and 2003 and it’s only gotten worse. Another study showed a lack of chores equals a lack of success later in life.

Maddox, conversely, demonstrated to the internet what can happen when kids take extreme ownership — even if they go overboard. His high energy and follow-through turned a simple job into a family project that brought the whole family together — now that’s something to be thankful for this Thursday.

As one commenter said, “I bet you all woke up the next morning and just went to admire the garage…” Just like that moment in those cold and flu commercials when the person can finally breathe again.

While there are plenty of folks lambasting younger generations for having an overall lack of initiative, Maddox proves that swooping generalizations are usually just that.