FlyLady: Complete Beginners' BabySteps

So, I recently moved out of my old apartment and into a shared home with a friend. The moving process was rather harrowing, and I’ve vowed to never again shirk my cleaning duties. I am planning to move again after my current lease is up, and I’ll be damned if it will be as difficult as this most recent relocation!

In addition, I have a responsibility to my new roommate, given that I am living under her roof. She is neither a neat-freak nor a passive-aggressive whiner. In fact, she may be the most laid-back roomie I’ve had, to date, which may make my job a bit harder. It will be tempting to slip into being quite literally laissez-faire about cleaning.

The earlier I set up routines for this house, the more likely I will be to fall into them without a second thought.

...it doesn’t hurt that the sink was already shining when I moved in. I’ve managed to leave some dishes in there, though. As tired and distracted as I may be, I’m going to go take care of that. NOW.

Done with Day 1. I just have to stop thinking so much about doing things, and just do them. Sink is shiny, not perfect, but perfectly fine. Hooray!

Okay, so after a week of death and week of recovery from said death, I finally feel like I’m back on track again. That said, death = relatively clean apartment, so I’m not complaining. The way I see it, I’ve gotten as far as DAY 6, and I started with DAY 7. I’ve been really consistent about everything so far, despite the pressure to overdo everything. I’m sure I’ve hit other steps along the way, but I’m just going to pick it up again with DAY 7 (Pick out your clothes) tonight. Technically, I already have a control journal, and so I’ve already completed DAY 8…but it’s likely in need of an update. It’s worth doing that one again.

DAY 5: Write down what you hear.
Write down “ugly voices” and affirmations. Do everything I did yesterday.

I’m off to an extremely slow start, this morning. I have to leave for a conference in a few minutes, but I’m still going to take care of my reminders (both sets) and dressing (duh) before I leave. I’ll have to take care of the rest when I get home.

Yesterday was a success.

DAY 3: My kitchen sink is so shiny I wanna lick it. That’s a lot, considering that it was the worst it had been in a LOOOOOOONNG time. ...never did get that crab pretzel, though. My dinner was really yummy.

DAY 4: Write these things down.
So, I’m supposed to do everything I did yesterday, and then write these things down on sticky notes and put them above my kitchen sink and on my bathroom mirror. The thing is, I still have my stickies hanging up from my last attempt. I think I’ll just remind myself to stop ignoring them…er…start looking at them on a daily basis. And DUUUUUDE, why am I awake at 4:32 AM?! Argh.

Whatever…the Phillies clinched the NLCS, so I am a happy woman.

...a very good place to start….

So, I had intended to start Day 1 on Monday, but I fell asleep as soon as I finished eating dinner-which I made promptly after getting home from school and grocery shopping-at 8:30 PM. Not happy about that. Yesterday, I tried again, and I psyched myself out over the whole business, so everything BUT cleaning my sink got done. That said, now that I have all of my mechanisms/blogs/etc. in place, I have no more excuses available to me. I get dressed2shoes out of necessity for work anyway, and I’ve found my way back to the emails and the website. I really feel like I shouldn’t skip ahead, but with the exception of a shiny sink, I basically have anyway.

...so let’s call this Day 3. I have absolutely nothing to do tonight except clean my sink and prep. for my trip home this weekend, so I’m making a deal with myself. I’m allowed to watch Game 4 of the NLCS on a nice TV and go out for a crab pretzel if I can clean my sink before the opening pitch.

In summary:

Day 1: Shine your sink (failed, but moved to today)
Day 2: Dress2shoes, read 2 min. of emails, shine your sink (all but the shiny sink.
Day 3: Dress2shoes, read 2 min. of emails, SHINE YOUR SINK, read FlyLifeLines page.

I’ll update, later tonight.

UPDATE: I finally got to read the FlyLifeLines page after I got home. I definitely procrastinated at leaving from school, though. So, I’m behind. In a mere 45 minutes, I managed to start a load of dishes, start soaking the sink, pamper myself with a chocolate sugar scrub and shower, gather and toss 3 bags of trash, and put dinner in the oven. Not bad at all. Opening pitch is already over, so I’m staying in as long as I’m still working on dinner and the sink…however, if it’s still worth the trip when I’m done, I’m still going out for that crab pretzel.