I’ve been making a big mess this week hand-making invitations to my sister’s upcoming baby shower. It’s been quite the project, and the remaining clippings of paper and ribbon are still covering my coffee table. (I don’t know why I don’t just buy invitations!)
Perhaps these tips, from Mother’s Own Book, will help me keep a little bit of my house in order. The Forfeit Box could come in handy for the dog toys. I also like the “tie on his toys” tip, though I don’t know how it could help me exactly. I’ll make sure to pass these on to my sister and her husband so she can keep a handle on their little one’s “projects.”
1928: First Aid to Orderliness
My problem of keeping the children’s toys picked up, especially in the living-room, has been solved by establishing a Forfeit Box. At the end of the day I gather all the playthings which have been forgotten, such as paper dolls, pencils, beads, balls, hockey sticks, and so forth, and put them in the Forfeit Box until the owner can redeem them. This may be done by performing some task, errand or job which helps Mother or Dad. ~ Mrs. D. W. G., Mass.
How to Make Them Pick Up Scraps
Like all children, our boy enjoys working with his scissors, but does not enjoy picking up the scraps and clippings after he has finished. Recently we discovered how much easier it would be to keep things picked up as he worked. Now he places a pasteboard shoe-box nearby, as he cuts he drops all scraps into his waste-paper basket. When through for the day he has no picking up to take the joy out of his life. ~ Mrs. C. B., Wellington, Ohio.
Tie on His Toys
When the baby gets to the high-chair stage, and you get tired of picking up the toys that he throws to the floor, tie a few of his favorite toys to the sides of the chair. When he throws them overboard they are not hard to pick up, and what is more, they keep clean. Different lengths of string on the various toys help to prevent them from tangling. ~ Mrs. B. E. Y., St. Peters, Minn. 
Source: Parents’ Publishing Association. Mother’s Own Book. New York: Parents’ Publishing Association,1928.
~ pp. 223, 247, 251 ~