I've always enjoyed a clean sink, but I do leave a dinner pot soaking at night -- easier to clean after soaking.(It's a deep sink, so it doesn't 'show'!)

I once knew a very nice woman whose house overwhelmed her. There was no place to sit down and no place to set anything down on her kitchen countertops. The day she told me she'd spent a whole afternoon cleaning one bathroom, I decided her problem was perfection. Nothing could be merely presentable; it had to be operating room clean.

I do best when I just start in without overthinking how much I must accomplish right then. It helps to have a house that I can vacuum in an hour -- all hardwood floors with area rugs. Even more help is a DH who is a neat person (who helps), and no kids at home!

I know people LOVE FlyLady... and it is great that they found something that works for them.

But I don't get it.
I don't need to be nagged as FlyLady does with the numerous emails.
I don't need to be told what to do... I know what need to be done in my home.
And the sink thing? You make a mess; you clean it up. Just seems like common sense to me.I am stunned that someone has been making big bucks for over a decade telling people to wash their dirty dishes....

LuAnn, I would agree the emails can be a little annoying.

In my case it has never been about not knowing how to clean or being told it needs done....I am a procrastinator.
I know that.
I was raised in a very well-kept home with 6 children, so I have no one to blame my bad habits on but me.

It's just something has clicked with me from FlyLady's site. The short daily routines has helped me immensely.

I dont think I will follow everything forever, but is has gotten me moving and for that I am grateful.

GOOD for you, salgal. I'm proud of you and glad you found the right 'push' that fits your needs.

I've got some closets and cabinets that are calling my name and I sure have been putting it off, lol.

I've been thinking of trying her out too. I will bookmark it.

I joined and followed Flylady for a while, maybe 2 years, and her program did really work for me, but I stopped reading, quit reading her daily assignments, and my house quickly got messy. I didn't like the tons of emails she sends, and her constant hyping of her own products. So I "dropped out" and let things go. I never rejoined but I did start assigning myself daily missions. Every morning I clean my kitchen and main bathroom, and I keep my cats' litter box scrupulously scooped. ,I don't feel the need to re-join as a little self-discipline is all I needed. And I never liked her rule that you have to put on lace up shoes. I can clean my entire house in barefeet.

Have any of you ever read 'Side Track Home Executives'? I read it in the 80's~~~they have you make note cards for daily, weekly. monthly, biweekly, bimonthly~~all colored coded that you pull out as stated and do the chores then put them back in order for the next time. It was a funny book and talked about how you start cleaning one room, get side tracked by carrying things from that room to another room~~and so on and nothing gets done;)

I loved the book, but did not need so much structure as to make the cards~~~I do have dailies that I do and have since the book~~~~for me the biggest take away was~a neglected room is a messy room~~~I spend at least 5 minutes a day in every room just making sure it is straightened up.

I also live by the rule a place for everything and everything in it's place.

I am now de cluttering my house, If I truely do not love something or need it to live, it is being donated;)

Please! Just don't EVER sign up for her e-mails. You'll never have time to do anything else - deleting the several times a day e-mails much less reading them. I opted out several years ago and she recently found me again!!!! AAGGGGH. I blocked them but they still go into my deleted e-mails that I have to delete every day.

I think you can set it up so that you only get one email a day from her, if you want.

I did it for a while and my house was the cleanest and tidiest it has ever been. I never was really "taught" how to clean a house and her system helped me a lot. I don't like to clean if anyone is home, it's hard to vacuum if someone is watching TV or reading, so I need quiet, home-alone time to really do it. I was home alone today and got so much done, it felt great. Woody's retirement really messed me up. LOL

I think I learned this from her website... could be wrong. Seems like she said if you do nothing else, give yourself a time limit, something you can handle, like just clean for 10 minutes (pick up things sitting out and wipe things clean). You can get a lot done in 10 minutes. She was right. I can do the dinner dishes during a commercial break, the next one clean the counters off, the next one pick up shoes, socks, papers, and put them in the bedroom... makes it easier if I can let it sit knowing I'll just leave it until the next commercial break. I relax for the rest of the time knowing it's in the bag.

But I've learned that I don't mind cleaning for 30 minutes and my son can handle it too. One can clean an entire room in 30 minutes. And if my son does one room while I do another, we can clean the whole house back to complete order (polished and disinfected) in a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday. Then we just keep it picked up and mostly wiped down all week long. But it's my limit. I won't clean, clean all week long. That's too much after working all day long.

I loved her suggestion of merely biting off what you can actually do, not wishful thinking. I'm no Martha Stewart. I just look at her lovely picutres and wish. I'm not sure I'd like to live in a house like that, but it'd be nice to come home to that.

Since my divorce I downsized a WHOLE bunch.

I also don't like to come home to a messy house. Thus, I make my bed, and wash/rinse my dishes before leaving.

There might be some clutter, but my house is clean. Come over any time!

:)

Moni

At first I hated the emails...I still don't love them, but realize they do play a part.
I read the subject line....if it says anything about kids, i delete. (only 2 of us) If it say "this months habit"...I delete.
I browse through the days "flight plan".
If I have time, I quickly scan the testamonials. Some have been very helpful, interesting and even moving. One lady wrote about finally getting rid of a bent skillet that her exH beat her with :-(
If I happen to get all at the end of day and not interested in any, I hold my shift button down and delete them all with 2 clicks.
I figure the emails are not so much hassle compared to the personal results I am getting,
Yes, the hawking of products is a bit much, but I did buy a couple things and they do perform as promised so far. (purple rags and water bottle)

I have always gotten up about 2 hours before I need to leave for work. I used to spend most of that time drinking coffee and watching DVR'd shows. Last 4 weeks I have been turning the shows on, but getting about 45 minutes of cleaning, bill paying, laundry, etc... with TV in the background. (and with NO shoes on....gasp!?!?!)
I still have plenty of time to shower and dress.
(I honestly dont remember sticking with any discipline for 4 weeks!!)

Coming home to a clean house is very relaxing. It makes everything easier. (even a little more amorous ;)

YogaLady, I think I could have been the model used for "Side-Tracked Home Executives'. Lordy, I am easily distracted!

Sal

Yep. It was her site. Years ago. It stuck with me. I can probably add an idea or two since those have stayed with me and work for me.

â¢Declutter 15 minutes a day -" FlyLadyâÂÂs principle is that anyone can do anything for 15 minutes. Just set a timer and declutter something for 15 minutes, and then stop when the timer goes off!

â¢Take regular breaks - " Cleaning doesnâÂÂt need to be a marathon! Take 15-minute breaks after a round of decluttering to rest your mind, calm yourself, and plan what you want to do next.

I also need to remember not to 'marathon clean'. It's exhausting, and it makes you procrastinate about doing *anything*!

Does anyone here do *deep* cleaning once or twice a year? A former neighbor was a convert to Judaism and structured her household somewhat according to Kosher rules. She'd clear her calendar and just clean house for a week or more, spring and fall, reaching into every cupboard, closet and drawer. She had weekly cleaning help, but took on most of this herself.

I hired a crew of two women for a full day last November with decent results, but not this sort of DEEP cleaning in every cupboard and closet. I'd have to have them back for a second day -- and this isn't a big house! (Another rea$on to try to keep up little by little.)

The OHIO ("Only Handle It Once") system has helped with incoming mail -- pitching stuff before it gets to the kitchen desk and filing what needs to be kept -- AS it comes in.

I love FLY Lady and have been following that programme, in one form or another since about 2000-ish, long before they began selling any products or having all the helpers.

I'm not perfect; my old house is far from perfect; but without their help I'd be drowning.

I made the journal and included print outs of the parts that help me most - make the bed, daily swish and swipe, shine the sink, 'you can't organize clutter,' and the daily and weekly focus tasks. Even Wes has joined in the 27 Flings!

Today is Thursday and without even thinking about it I knew I'd spend one timed hour - and maybe more - working on my desk items...paying bills, filing or burning papers, updating address books, digital and paper, etc. It won't be my entire day, but it will be the day's special task.

I slept in today, but already I've had a quick shower; I'm dressed to the shoes; the bed is made; today's assigned load of laundry is chugging away; and dinner is set out and ready for the crock pot. As soon as I enjoy some tea and set out a few more plants, I'll set the timer and do my hour of paperwork.

I stopped the emails, but I think I'll start them up again. Just seeing the headlines keeps me focused. She encourages people to take her plan and modify it to work for them. When I was working 12-16 hour shifts at the jail in California, and had a troubled nephew living with me, the system saved my sanity.

I'm sad the programme has extended the commercial route and touts the products so much. She started out selling a feather duster, but it was seldom mentioned. She had a link and as she added a few more products they were quietly added. I still use the 10+ year old perpetual calendar and have several of the FLYLady stickers here and there as visual reminders. Nothing else.

Yes, even in an old house with no closet space, two stinky dogs, bad health, and near-constant depression, I CAN do anything for 15 minutes. It's working; my sewing room is 95 percent ready, I have free time for myself daily, and I can see improvements daily, even if they are small and insignificant to anyone else.

FlyLady's basic premise works for me! It adds time and peacefulness to my day. Makes me smile.

YogaLady, I was a BIG fan of the Sidetracked Sisters. I read all their books (I think there were three), and did the card file thing. It was a huge card file. I learned a lot from them, but not enough, apparently. LOL

I'll link their website below. I see they promote FlyLady. I don't know if there's a connection, or if they just appreciate what she does.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Sidetracked Sisters, Pam and Peggy