[danielheath]

It depends on the kids, the ages, and the phase of the moon - but I've had good success making a daily habit of "kids, time to pack up" half an hour before their bedtime routine.

We go together through the house and find good places for everything, figure out what they want to do with in-progress activities, etc.

When I started this practice, it took three people and twenty minutes to do five minutes worth of cleaning, but the kids get faster as they learn (a skill they might find useful in their own home, one day).