Not long ago, I mentioned to my kids that I was finished picking up their stuff. I told them that they are responsible for putting their things back where they belong. Let’s see how that’s working for me. Shall we?
Here’s a beachball, in my kitchen.
Here’s a crumpled pajama shirt, on my desk.
Here’s a random flip-flop, nowhere near it’s mate. Instead it’s tossed next to the sub-woofer in the living room. Let me clarify. That would be the chipped and dented sub-woofer that took a beating from the ride-on toy phase.
This is my dining room, which contains one pair of dirty socks…
…not one, but TWO soccer balls…
…and an empty cardboard box, which was not allowed to be recycled because my daughter wanted, needed, had to have it, to use as a kennel for her zillion stuffed dogs.
Can you believe how well they listen? Oh wait, they don’t.
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Middle Aged Woman
On the plus side, you kitchen floor positively glows!
Melisa
And I love your dining room rug. Very pretty!
Don’t worry, they’ll learn.
Wait: who am I kidding? I have teens who do the same thing sometimes. 🙁
Stella
Ahh yes, but do you have Spiderman underroos on your dining room table?!?!?
Lisa@verybusymomwith4
It still looks cleaner than mine 🙁
Mrs. Schmitty
Looks like my house!! They lost the use of their Wii because I keep finding the controllers and game disks thrown all over their floor. I tell them daily to put it away when they are done. That stuff is expensive…disks should be in their cases!! ARRRRGH!
Jill
Looks like they’re better at picking up after themselves than my boyfriend. When you figure out how to train them, please let me know.
Maeve's Mom
Looks like my house, the other day I found a teddy bear in the bathroom. One day last week I found PJ bottoms and a pull-up under my bed?!
Kat
Your house looks blissfully cleaner than mine right now. I think my kids toy box threw up lastnight before bed.
Ed (zoesdad)
Seriously, how do you keep your grout white!!?? Mine used to be a light tan color. USED TO BE!
kaila
At least there are TWO socks in the dining room, I only ever find ONE sock. My son has to have a stash of single socks somewhere…..
A Buns Life
ah yes….and MY idea of cleaning up is to assemble all of these random articles into ONE area. Not necessarily put them away. 🙂
Misty
I live this life… by life of the world traipsing behind me to disorganize and mess up my life involves my husband too… *sigh*
Jaina
Haha, sounds exactly like something my mother would write about my dad and brothers, and occasionally the dog.
Kori
Selective hearing, baby. And the box is THE greates box ever. I can see why she wanted to keep it. Really.
Mz. Nesbit
on the bright side: it could be worse and at least you got a great blog out of it! lol
Heather
are you sure that’s not a 30 year old man’s mess? Because Curt can’t pick up his things EVER. And we don’t even HAVE children yet.
Oh boy.
chefmom
I feel so much better now! If I trip over 1 more monster truck in MY kitchen I might scream. And as for the socks, I gave up and let the dog have at them now. When they come crying about not having any socks, I’m sending them out to dig them up from the backyard.
Single Parent Dad
We should start ‘our kids don’t listen’ club.
I try to operate a box policy. All toys back in a box before the next one comes out. And I reiterate, TRY.
Strangely my son virtually gets a daily sticker for helping tidy up at nursery, and at this mornings playgroup he started the tidying, and then gave me a lift with the craft tables.
the planet of janet
i can SEE myself in your floor!!!
this too shall pass, you know … when they move out. 🙂
Tracey
Looks like you have been to my house taking pictures again… 🙂
I found you through “Mommy Always Wins”
Colleen
WOW – read that last comment. People are finding YOU through ME?!? That’s crazy!
You should make this a regular installment. “What’s on Momo’s floor today?” I just started that photo 365 project and think I could fill about 879 days with pictures of just random crap left throughout my house. Hmmm…as I sit here, I see a pair of mittens on my coffee table. We haven’t even had a frost yet!
Birdie
yep, it’s contagious I think…spreading faster than any virus fall can throw at you. Good luck Momo.
Kiera
This looks like my house…I think Birdie is right, its a global pandemic!!
Stacey @Real World Mom
LOL! Sounds WAY too familiar! Keep trying, eventually they MIGHT listen! 😉
Bean
Ok, so I’m really not the only one who feels like a mentally-ill rat in a maze, going back and forth picking up items to take to their proper spot. However, I have a child who takes …oh… say, the coaster from the family room and leaves it in the bathroom. Or a trinket from the tv room and leaves it in the foyer. Cool stuff like that, on TOP of his pjs on the kitchen floor and a crayon, airplane, paper, and book in the family room right now. Come to think of it … that’s pretty good compared to the usual!
You gotta be loving the grout comment.
ria
HOW ABOUT THAT GAME TONIGHT? I almost had to be taken to the hospital it was so nerve-wracking at times. Do you not LOVE Terrelle Pryor?!!!!!!!
Surfer Jay
Don’t trip! Isn’t it amazing how much stuff accumulates throughout the house.
Jamie E
I think I should require more of my children, suddenly.
Jo Beaufoix
But aside from all that it looks very nice. Mine do not listen at all either, unless I mention the word sweet. They hear that form a mile away even with large lumps of clay stuffed into their ears.
Missives From Suburbia
Where is your husband’s crap? My husband ALWAYS leaves a giant pile of crap in at least two rooms of the house.
Ashley
I told Lorelei the exact same thing…and my house is still a mess. Unfortunately, I can’t blame much of it on her. Luckily, I still have my husband to blame. 🙂
Jeremy (Discovering Dad)
Sometimes I feel like cleaning up toys is the most exercise I get every day 😉
LaskiGal
I’m w/ some of the other commenters. Your floor is amazingly clean. I’m a wee bit jealous. We have smushed banana and Cheerios all over ours.
My house is a total clutter zone. I’m had to take a step back and accept it for now. Otherwise, I’d go NUTS!
Kimmylyn
The socks thing drives me batty.. my kids.. and the husband do that all the time.. grrrrr..
DysFUNctional Mom
Never fear! It doesn’t get any better as they get older. Not.one.bit!
Jessica
Yeah, but your house is still cleaner than mine!
Pinky
I find shoes in the minivan ALL the time.
Ms Picket To You
i hosted a meeting today at my house. which means that i was forced to clean up. house looked great. nice lady sits down on dining room chair — right on top of girls size 8 undies. niiiiiiiice.