if they tried any harder

Our home is pretty damn tidy at the moment.
We have spent the past 2 weeks packing up, and 'decluttering'. And now, refreshing and reinvigorating, and clean. Even the windows have been scrubbed, the cupboards have been cleared out, the junk tossed away. (Just want to say a big big big thank you to Sam for doing so much of the work to get this house looking so good; he's my hero).Our house is officially on the market now. We had our first open for inspection yesterday. And it went pretty well, just have to see what happens now. Play that waiting game.
In the mean time, we have to keep this house tidy. Not just in case someone wants to view it at short notice, or that we have another inspection scheduled for Wednesday night. But for our sanity. For Sam + me to have a few moments of enjoying the tidiest house we've ever lived in. All styled and fresh.
We almost need to kick the kids out of home to keep it looking good.
When they came home yesterday (after a sleepover at Grandma + Granddad's), they took about 2.5 seconds before they were dragging things out and pulling things over. And today, well, today hasn't been too much better.With Sam at work today, it's only me to fend them off the toys and books and the cooking stuff and the clothes (Mishi is a little fashion princess, who needs at least 4 changes of clothes a day). Only me to ask and beg and plead and moan and cry and hope hope hope. I've pretty much given up; best to let them wreak havoc and then do one big clean-up at the end of the day.
But, please can someone tell me - how do they manage to make such a mess, with nothing at all. A book :: a scarf :: an abandoned outfit :: a breakfast/snack/snack/lunch/nibble bowl/plate/cup :: ice cream container boat :: office :: library :: shop :: drawing :: broken drinking glass (okay, this one's vacuumed up) ....... all scattered and strewn from the front to the back of the house.

If they tried any harder, they really couldn't do a better job.