FlyLady: Complete Beginners' BabySteps

I just bought the book, and had to check if there was a 43thing for it. This one is perfect! I love the timer idea, but I don’t have a timer. However, one ep of the old time radio Superman program is fifteen minutes long, so that should do nicely!
Getting dressed to the shoes everyday is going to be the tricky part, but it does make a lot of sense.

I tried it but found that many of my existing routines were built into the FLY routines. So I was already part way there.

One good idea I got was setting a timer for tasks – I’ll keep this going. I used to go into the garden and keep spotting “just one more thing that will only take 5 mins” and end up there half the day. I’ve since started setting the alarm on my mobile phone so I do a certain amount each day I’m at home. The garden’s looking better already as I feel I can spare 30 or 60 minutes but never really have a half-day free. A little regular time makes a big difference.

So I won’t be taking this further. At least I tried.

Last night, I set the timer. I did 3 15 minutes “sessions” – cleaned kitchen, dining room and living room. All dishes put away, clothes laid out for today.

Back on track…I hope.

The steps to be done this week:

Thursday Morning – Go shine the sink
I’ll be translating this to setting my toiletries in order.

Thursday Evening – Get dressed to lace up shoes & read reminders
I’m not the home-maker kind, which means I dress up every morning (not necessarily in lace up shoes) 5 days a week. But I’m going to do this in the evening and see if that makes a difference.

Friday Morning – Do what we have already done
OK…

Friday Evening – Write these things down
Does this count as already done?

Saturday Morning – Write down what I hear
All the nagging negative voices need to go on paper

Saturday Evening – Set timer for 2mins and attack a Hot Spot
2mins? Sounds easy!

Sunday Morning – Pick out clothes for the next day
This being a holiday, I’m going to make that the ‘next week’.

Sunday Evening – Get a 3-ring binder and put some paper in it
Sounds like this is already done too…
Need to start adding the steps to the ‘Control Journal’

Monday Morning – 5 Minute Room Rescue
5 minutes? Doable!
Add to the Morning Routine

Monday Evening – 15mins to get rid of trash & 15mins to read
Hmmm… OK.

Tuesday Morning – Delete emails from FLYLady
Can that be translated as delete any newsletter that I’m not reading regularly?

Tuesday Evening – Do one Kelly’s Flight Plan Mission

Wednesday Morning – Read Kelly’s Guide to using a calendar

Wednesday Evening – Add an inspirational page to the CJ
I have moved this to here from a previous day. Basically, I need to spend 15mins to write down some inspirational phrases in my CJ.

Week 1 Over

My Control Journal… so far…

Inspirational Page
Morning Routine
- Get dressed
- Reading 2 minutes of reminders
- Recognizing the negative voices and changing them
- Put out Hot Spots for 2mins
- 5mins Room Rescue
- 15mins Declutter
Before Bed Routine
- Organize toiletries
- Lay out clothes for tomorrow
- Put out Hot Spots for 2mins

I don’t know what happened but August totally derailed me.
I wonder why it’s so hard to make these steps into habits? Bad habits aren’t so difficult to commit to memory so why are good habits so hard?!
I’m going to sit tonight to review the Steps and recommit to them.

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.

It’s been a crazy week. So many things took my focus elsewhere.
I didn’t do my routines regularly. I didn’t stay on top of the zone. BUT I’m happy to say that while stuck in the house most of the morning, I was able to do a few fly-bys and declutter. I feel good knowing that because I have been consistent until now, one week hasn’t turned my home into a disaster.
Tomorrow starts a new week and a new zone. All is well.

I finished reading “Sink Reflections”. I enjoyed it. Some of it doesn’t affect me – no hubby or kids to “train”....and the cat couldn’t care less about MY cleanliness, just his – but I definitely can use the tools she suggests.

I’m not committed enough yet for a complete Control Journal but I do see the logic in lists / reminders. Clearly, I can’t rely on my own memory to do all of these things!

I made 3 sheets – Morning / Evening routine, 5 day list (Free Day, Errand Day, House Blessing Day, etc) and Zone Cleaning lists. So far, the 2 daily routines are working well – I think I need to start my evening routine a little earlier or I end up going to bed later than I like – but I’m happy that I’m accomplishing things.

Monday night I caught up on what I said I’d take care of for Sunday and Monday. Tonight I start the Zone 5 cleaning. It seems like a lot but I’m keeping an open mind – the clean sink theory did work well. I may adjust it because I don’t have a house, only a 2 bed/bath condo, but still, these are tools for me to learn, to make into habit.

I’m still taking baby steps but I’m not falling down as much.

I haven’t progressed any further but I’m still doing 15 minute clean ups and keeping the sink/kitchen clean.
It’s so nice to know my place is in good shape before I go on vacation next week.
I plan to take Fly Lady’s book with me and read on so I can commit to a few more steps.

I’ve been doing this for 10 days now and I noticed something.
I’m becoming very conscious of habits – making new ones and breaking old ones.
It’s a conscious decision to wash, dry and put away dishes immediately – I hear a little voice saying “Don’t leave it there – nobody’s going to wash it for you”.
But when I start making a meal, I still turn to the dishrack to grab a plate or a utensil that I would have left “drying” ready for it’s next use.
I laugh out loud everytime I do it.
I wonder how long it’ll be before my sub-conscious reaches for the cabinet or the drawer automatically instead – and will I even notice?