No, there isn't paper all over the house. But the additional stuff hasn't made it's way into bedrooms and closets yet. Also, us both being home for more days added to the dishes, clothes and general mess. On top of that, we really like to hang out together and watch movies more than cleaning so there was a lot of movie watching and not much cleaning.
Then I was talking to a friend online and exasperated that the house was a mess and I couldn't afford a maid. Yep, it had gotten to the point where I didn't know where to start...plus, I was just too tired and the though of cleaning made me more tired. She stopped me and reminded me about something that changed my life in 2003 - FlyLady.
FlyLady is a wonderful woman who has come up with a great process for keeping your house in order. I found her right before I got married and move to Okinawa. I knew I needed to declutter my efficiency apartment before we moved because I didn't want to move junk. Then I made a Control Journal once on the island and continued to declutter and keep a VERY tidy home.
There a number of reasons it's harder now to keep a tidy home than then, but reading over the site again I saw there were other working single moms with more children than I have doing it, so I could too. I wouldn't use the excuses of "takes too much time," "if only we didn't have the basement," "I'm too tired," or "my daughter will just make it a mess again in 5 minutes." So, I shined my sink.
Shining the kitchen sink is the cornerstone of the FlyLady program. She walks you through a few steps to get your sink sparkling. I have an itsy-bitsy white sink in the kitchen that I love to hate - this is one instance that bigger really would be better. I shined it one night and for the first time in a long time I was happy with the sink.
You might say this is crazy talk, but really it made me smile to do that one little thing in my kitchen. I made me feel like I had a handle on things.
"Our routines give us structure; even if it is just a little bit; it is more than we have ever had in our lives. That tiny bit of routine is going to keep us on the right track." ~FlyLady
That one shiny sink on Monday, led to a 15 minute decluttering session and Hot Spot rescue on Tuesday. On Wednesday we watched a movie, and while that took up most of the evening I still kept my sink shiny and even helped my daughter clean her room for less than 10 minutes. While Thursday and Friday I didn't really do extra cleaning - I kept that sink shiny. It made me happy to see it in the morning and have it cleaned after we ate breakfast.
Today is Saturday, and I toyed with the idea of not putting my shoes on in the house this morning. FlyLady says as part of your morning routine - even if you are staying home - you need to get "dressed to the shoes." Not only does this make you more apt to do something other than sit in front of the TV or computer, but if there is an emergency you are ready to go.
I put the shoes on. In turn, I didn't just curl up on the couch and zone out to TV with the cats. I am in the process of doing a load of laundry, cleaned the cat litter, vacuumed the couches upstairs, ate breakfast, and - you guessed it - made sure my sink was shiny.
Is my house spotless? Not even close. Is it better? Yes. Will it get even better? Yes. Will I spend my whole weekend cleaning again? Maybe, but taking Baby Steps every day is much more practical. So, even if no one else notices - I see the difference and know what I've accomplished in just 15 minutes, with my shoes on and my shiny sink.
For more information about FlyLady, visit flylady.net.
