If only the words to the kids song were true:Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere.

Clean up, clean up, everybody do their share.

Clean up, dammit, Im not picking up all this shit.

This primer runs the gamut.

Feel free to choose based on your mood or current level of frustration in your own personal picking-up-my-kids-crap journey.

But in my house, where none of those conditions exist, it wouldnotwork.

In my house, competition leads to crying 100% of the time.

Somealsosay creating a playlist of your kids favorite songs can make kids more eager to pick-up.

Well have to take their word for it.

(Including bins labeled with pictures for pre-readers.)

Set a timeframe with a distinct end timeand tell them to put away specific objects.

Again, this requires a level of organization and supervision that may not work for everyone.

But when we say, Its time to pick up, okay?

that leaves ample room for kids to say no.

It also normalizes effort through modeling.

It argues that when you kindly convey your disappointment, theyll be motivated to change their behavior.

Were not sure if this is manipulative and guilt-trippy, or honest and effective.

Now for more drastic measures…

As kids get older, cute games will no longer work.

(This is where those atomic methods come into play.)

When Iasked on TikTokhow parents deal with the never-ending mess, the responses ranged from amusing to practical.

This lends itself to everyone thinking theyre getting some kind of break because there isnt their responsibility.

However, I charge them.

Either money or an immediate chore.

Charging people for the clean-up work weve always been expected to give out for free.

What a novel concept!

(This applies to the bins we just mentioned.

Put them high up where they can seebut not reachtheir stuff.

Tell them they need to clean a toilet to get it back.)

She got it out of her way, but never ours.

Chuck it

And the most extreme measure of them all…Throwing.

(Or donating.)

Let them know if the item is not picked up by then, it will be gone forever.

Note: Be sure youre willing to commit to enforcing this consequence.

Then, by all means proceed.

And enjoy what are hopefully better days of less kid clutter ahead.