Ask Lemmy

That’s the neat part, you don’t. I have three kids myself and have to act like a drill instructor at times. Food and toys are the biggest issues for me.

• I have to set rules and stay on their asses constantly, even then it’s a struggle. Biggest one is kids must eat at the dinner table, no exceptions, they’re just terrible with food and can’t be trusted.
• I’ve tried to mostly lay out my furniture such that nothing is against the walls. Kids love throwing shit behind stuff where you’ll never see it. Leaving a buffer space from the walls at least makes it easier to spot.
• Check underneath stuff often, they like sneaking food and hiding it, where it will rot and get gross.
• Telling them to clean up themselves gives mixed results, but we still try to do it often to make it a learned behavior. My sons don’t like cleaning and do a piss-poor job of it, my daughter actually likes cleaning/organizing and helps out.
• I have a bunch of storage bench/seats around for loose toys, so no matter which room we’re in, toys have a place to go, plus you can sit on them when they’re closed. We don’t have a basement, so I had to adjust to not being able just toss stuff in a basement.
• Kids can spot hypocrisy. Keep your own bedroom clean before you expect them to keep themselves clean. Lead by example.
• Once a year or so, throw out or donate old toys that nobody plays with. That stuff builds up and it’s just cluttering your house.