Have you started watching the new Netflix show, Tidying up with Marie Kondo? If you have, you are probably already decluttering your house like a madman but if you haven’t, it’s time for you to start binge watching. You are sure to get an idea or two that will help you to keep your home neat and tidy but don’t leave out this little hack that is causing mothers everywhere to cheer out loud. It’s the best thing you can do to ensure that your kids are on board with your new, uncluttered ways.
When you think about children and toys, you probably think about the big mess that they tend to leave around. Most kids are not very eager to put their toys away and it can quickly get out of control. You might try to manipulate the children in some way or another to pick the toys up but sometimes, it really just comes down to doing a simple thing that will do more than have them cleaning, it will change their attitude toward cleaning.
If your children aren’t following any of your current techniques and you hate picking up their toys for them, why not try this simple solution?
Before I tell you about the ingenious hack, I do want to tell you that you will still be picking up your kid’s toys while doing it. The difference is, you will probably only have to do it one time.
Purchase a large storage bin, making sure that it is clear so your children can see what is inside. Buy one that is big enough to put all of the toys that your kids usually leave laying around the home inside. Use a permanent marker and perhaps even a lock, if your kids are overly determined.
Now that you have your basic supplies together, you’re going to make a ‘Toy Jail’ just like one woman did. She wrote those words on top of the plastic lid on the bin and then wrote this explanation on the side: “You left it out and I picked it up, I’ve got your stuff, you’re out of luck, To get it back please do a chore, Then it’s yours just like before. Mummy.”
That’s really all there is to it. When your children leave the toys laying around the house, pick them up and put them in the toy jail until they do the chores necessary to earn them back.
Parents are in love with the idea and are leaving comments, such as: “This is brilliant!!” and “This is the solution to my problems!!!”
