Toy pickup not happening? Solve the real problem behind the constant mess as a WAHM!

How’s the toy situation over at your house?

Mostly under control, or usually looking like a tornado just went through?

If you’ve minimized the stuff, but still have lego, duplo, and assorted hot wheels all over the floor, then we need to talk.

‘Cause kids and picking up is always a dicey proposition.

But teaching them to pick up after themselves is key to their (hopeful) metamorphosis into responsible adults.

Solve the biggest problem (not all of them)

So. Let’s jump in for a little problem solving.

What’s your biggest problem right now with the toy situation? What’s the road block keeping you stuck? Let’s chat.

Do the kids just ignore your “it’s clean-up time” reminders?
Are they doing such sloppy jobs that you have to re-organize each toy bin?
Are you overwhelmed by all the toy rotation and storage systems out there?
Are they tiny toddlers still, so you’re afraid there’s not much they can do?

See, you don’t have to fix everything all at once – you just need to get going.

Let your kids fully own the pickup process.

Here’s the real problem behind the toy issues you’re facing:

Either your kids aren’t following through, and you haven’t held the space (and stuff) boundaries for them….

Or you don’t believe you deserve to have a picked-up house, so you’re letting them get away with sloppy jobs and leaving you to do it.

One or the other.

Which of these went ding-ding-ding in your brain just now? The stuff boundaries or the I’m-not-worthy-of-being-picked-up?

Pinpoint that, and help is on the way.

‘Cause if you get the underlying problem wrong, all the minimalism fixes in the world (or matching, labeled toy bins) won’t help you.

So. Let’s look at this in more detail.

If you’re in the “my kids won’t respect my space boundaries” camp, then you’ve got a few decisions to make.

Do you still stand by your original stuff limits? (How many bookshelves have toys, how big each box is for each toy collection, that sort of thing?)
If yes, are you willing to remove the excess toys each time they overflow, and put them in a “heading to Goodwill” box? (And if your kids protest, let *them* pick the to-be-donated toys – but someone has to do it!)
If no, what expansion sounds reasonable to you? (Remember, you’ve got to hold this new stuff boundary, too – it’s not just a constantly expanding, toy free-for-all!)

All right. Now if you fall into the “I don’t know if I truly deserve a clean house” camp, let’s do a little digging.

Why don’t you think that it’s realistic for a mom to get a clean house?
Why don’t you think your kids can keep it picked up a few times a day?
What happens when you think of quitting the “I’ll fix everything for you” toy pickup rut?

See, we’ve got to fix your mental mindset issues first.

Otherwise, you’ll never be comfortable letting your kids fully own the pickup process – and you’ll backslide right into doing it.

So. Now you know which problem is you.

Either your kids have got too much stuff, or you’ve been going too soft on them about the pickup.

But you also know how to turn this thing around.

What are you committing to doing – today – so that this evening’s toy pickup actually happens? Write down 2 things you’re going to do, and do them.

Your future of a clean house depends on it.