If you haven’t heard of flylady, visit her site. It’s a great concept, many people don’t like the million emails. I heard a rumor that there is less emails. I have recently seen multiple bloggers post about how this just didn’t work for them. And I will say I am an on and off FlyLady. Currently I’m off and in search for a new system for me.
But what are the three things that I learned and really helped me from flylady?
1. I have learned that a morning and evening routine can really help you. It can help you get around faster in the morning and feel less flustered. I still lay out my clothes and Zane’s clothes for the next day every night. And if I miss it? It makes the next morning hectic and everything is thrown off. I have even started trying to right down a routine, but I’m considering starting a series here about getting your life together.
2. I have learned the three box system. If you have a room that needs to be decluttered. Grab three boxes or bins. Have one for Goodwill, one for Garabage, and one for putting away. I know if I feel overwhelmed with cleaning that if I fill these bins once and get everything put away I feel better.
3. I have learned 15 minutes can be magic! For me to set the timer helps me not feel so overwhelmed. And it is amazing how much you can do in 15 minutes.
And that is my Sparkle Tip.
Love it… thanks for sharing! And I have to say, you break it down much more simply and DIGESTIBLY than that flylady. I subscribed for a while but her emails made me crazy! Talk about CLUTTER!
@bananas – You know I wouldn’t have minded just a few reminders through the day, but the testimonies were terrible. I got twenty in one day once. Thanks for coming by.
I’m gonna try the three box system! 🙂 I saw something like that in Oprah one time, I think, when they were doing a show on how to clean up your house if you’re a hoarder. XD A great idea, since I rather like clutter myself, lol. 😉
Thanks for reminding me abuot flylady; I’d forgotten about (or repressed)her and her gazillion emails. The only thing I remember is that she was obsessive about doing the dishes before bed – just like my husband is! I’ve got dh, so I don’t need no stinking flylady!
Hi Pepper,
I used to be heavily into Flylady for about a month straight. Signed up for the emails and everything. There are not really a lot of a emails a day but if you don’t check your email everyday it does pile up very quickly.
I learned a lot from Flylady. I still use a lot of her tips.
I stopped using Flylady because I am not very good with sticking to routines. I am better than I used to be but still have a difficult time.
Here are four things I learned from Flylady.
1.Plan for tomorrow.
2.Decluttering makes cleaner a lot easier.
3.You can get a lot done in 30 minutes if you time yourself.
4.You don’t need to be perfect.
I also learned a lot from a book called Living Organized. The main thing I took from this book was, don’t depend on someone else to change your messiness. I think when I was using Flylady I thought she could “change” me. But the change has to come from within or it won’t stick.
I am not as disorganized as I used to be but I still have a long way to go. I am a work in progress ;o)
@AI – The three box system really does help. And one thing she adds that I forgot to mention is to take the goodwill box and put it straight into your car. That way it doesn’t just sit at your house.
@Mary – Yes she is obsessed with a shiny sink. Which I guess it was supposed to be the one thing you could be proud of but it didn’t work for me.
Did I mention at one point I had DH doing this. I signed him up and he didn’t have access to shut off the emails. It actually did help him in the long run.
@monawea – Thanks for sharing what you got from Flylady, too. I don’t want people to feel I’m dissing her or her system. I just don’t know too many people that could stick to it. But I think everyone can take something from trying it.
I’m considering starting a series here about getting your life together.
I’ve considered doing something similar… A bunch of us should get together and do that. I like having a system and the support, but seriously did NOT need a million emails to clutter my mailbox. The bathroom routine I posted is adapted from what I learned on FlyLady…
I work out of the home and would come home at night to 30-40 emails sometimes. It has gotten much better now that you can get the weekly consolidated email, and I sent up a filter to send the testimonials straight to the trash folder (They were great when I first started, but after a year they started repeating, so I pitch them now)
Maybe we should just grab a month, like September, and have a get your life together month. That would be so much fun. Just get a large group of bloggers working towards organizing there lives.
Hi Pepper,
I used to follow FlyLady a lot but the emails also just got too much for me. But I did learn a lot from her also.
I always have a list for the next day and find the 15 min fling or the 3 box system a great idea. At the moment I think I need a tip truck not a box.
Great to see you over at Women Bloggers.