Play room blues

I have mostly after school children (ages 6 -9). My play room is upstairs in my bonus room and this is where I keep most of the toys. I bought two large wall units from Ikea and labelled the toy bins to help keep the toys organized. I keep telling the kids that if they take dump out a toy bin, they need to pick the toys up when they are done. BUT THEY DON"T!! I need to stay on the main floor with the two year old and because I have other kids dropped off at different times after school. I keep trying to look over the playroom before the kids get picked up, but I never seem to have the time to do this and before I know it, the kids are gone and the playroom is a mess! When I send the kids up to clean up the toys, they just throw stuff in any old toy bin, despite the labels (they can read the label, plus the labels have pictures)
is this just part of the job? Is it normal to feel overwhelmed when I clean up the mess?

Personally, I'd just be happy if they cleaned everything off the floor and put it in the buckets. I have a saying with my kids - "I don't expect you to clean like I clean". They should be cleaning up after themselves, but I wouldn't necessarily expect them to organize.

this is where I would not let them take out any toys that day. I had to do this. And when they go home I inspect the room, while their parents are there so the parents usually make them go and clean too.

I have those same Ikea organizing toy bins too! In the beginning I would stand there and order what toys into what labelled bin...now I just settle for get them cleaned up! I also don't let them go home until the toys are cleaned up! I use the phrase..."if I have to clean them up, it will be with a garbage bag!" A tough love lesson I brought from my own childhood! :yes: hahaha

I am anal and have labelled toy boxes, too. Although, I have stopped hovering over the kids to gt them to put the toys away in the right spots. If they ask where a toy is, then I will say its in its labelled box. If they say it is not there, then I say its wherever you put it last. It sounds harsh, but this way I am not stressed about where they are putting toys and they learn that toys are easier to find if they are put away in their place.

If they are going to leave the playroom as a disastrous mess... then they don't get to play there. They stay with you and the "babies". Playing unsupervised is a privilege, not a right!
They get one last warning about your expectation, and after that, I would go check in on them. If it's getting crazy in there, they come down with you and have to make do with baby toys.
I am guessing they will catch on pretty quick! :)