How do I stop DS2 emptying the contents of his drawers all over his bedroom floor?

[Pinkchampagne]

He is four years old, and takes it upon himself to change his outfit, but on doing this he pulls the contents of his drawers all over the bedroom floor!
I have told him he must not do this, and I always make him tidy the clothes away, but he doesn't do a great job, which leads to more work for me.

While they were at my mum's house after school today, I sorted through their drawers as they had got all the clothes so mixed up.

I put DS2 to bed tonight, and when I went up to check him 10 minutes later, he had decided to change his pyjamas & emptied the bottom two drawers all over the floor while searching for the right pair! I could have cried after spending so long sorting the drawers out this afternoon, and I got quite cross with him.
How do I put a stop to this?

Think I'll give the door catches a try!!

PinkC, either fit child locks, move the clothes elsewhere or tie a rope around the chest of drawers. The last is somewhat annoying when you want access, but less annoying than constantly mess.

I am at dyslexia being an excuse for untidiness. If a person still has a problem at 23 that she had when 2yo then there's something rather remiss. It's all very well saying the cleaner will tidy it up - what happens when a skivvie isn't available, such as when backpacking round the world or some similar mind-broadening experience? And heaven help anyone who has to work with someone who can't even organise a cupboard.......

I had thought of maybe trying that, thegardener.

The stay at home mothers love it - it's their life martyrdom role anyway, nothing they like better than a good moan about how difficult men are to live with etc but it justifies their role that their men are incompetent domestically and having the children and husbands to tidy up after gives them something in life to feel good about etc. Anyway that's one view point. And anyway it's unfair to pick on my daughter - loads of mumsnetters will be really messy. A certain % of all adults and teenagers and small children are. The dysorganisation which goes with dyslexia and related conditions is very real but she can find ways around it, pick work which means she has people who look after her, clean up for her etc.

Xenia - leave it, your defence is going to pot and not worthy of your lawyer self .

Xenia, i don't do lawyer speak, i don't do pretentious times reading speak, probably because i am the bottom of the food chain and have to cow tow to people like you who are clearly so much better than me, but my dear lady, you are an offensive cow sometimes. You are clearly an intelligent woman, i mean, you must be - but your posts are one sided and ill thought out, you only have one argument and you constantly repeat it, often regardless of the counter argument, the response is like a broken record. I would have thought they would have taught you in your lovely private school and law school to analyse and present both sides of the argument. Are you capable of this?

I am sorry if this seems like a personal attack but my god, this lady was after some practical, constructive advice and you saw the opportunity to denegrate the domestic role of many women, working or otherwise and pounced. Leave it, its boring, we've all made our choices, you do not need to be a feminist campaigner, i like my bra thankyou very much and im not about to burn it (i'd get back ache!).

Regarding the OP - if he pulls his pjs out, would it be the end of the world to leave them on the floor? sometimes i dont even bother putting the clothes away as they just get messed up in the drawers and they easier to find on top tbh. Saying that my house is a pit of untidyness and im ok with that, some people dont like mess and i can appreciate that.

suedomin, i've not read all the posts, i dont know about dyslexia, but my cupboards are ina terrible state, i can't even organise a sock drawer, my clothes often find themselves on the bedroom floor in a big fat mess. So what? heaven help me if i can't organise a cupboard???? I can't, but i did manage to organise a degree and PhD with two small children.

That's the trouble with some housewives today - they can't even keep house to the standards their husbands require.

It's not just a few clothes, it is a huge pile of them, and their room constantly looks a total tip. Fast as I tidy their bedroom up, they trash it again.

I'm not the tidiest of people, but the constant state of their room does get me down.

Pinkchampagne, is he very particular about what he wears?
Would it help if you were to leave his room as he leaves it most of the time so that he realises that it isn't easy to find the favourite t-shirt when the floor is covered in clothes? It might be worth leaving the unbearable mess for a week or two until he works this out for himself.

Message withdrawn

Particularly when they get to be teenagers. Let their room be their territory. They soon find if it's a complete mess nothing can be found which sometimes stirs them into being tidy. Also children differ. My second daughter at 2 or 3 was noted for the way she'd fold clothes like a professional packer in a suitcase and drawers.

Xenia, sometimes you talk a lot of sense, especially re the teens. You just have to let them get on with it - i tend not to go into my DD1s room for fear of what might be growing in thee. What is the point of constant battles over tidyness.

As for housewife bashing - its finally dawned on me, i was a bit slow there - you are ugly and hairy and live under a bridge, go on admit it, all that trip trapping over your bridge really does your head in doesnt it Ms troll!