>FlyLady
>I decided to try FlyLady and might just write a column about it. Some of her suggestions are good, but some seem a little wacky. For example when I told my husband that he needed to wipe down the sink after every use because keeping my sink clean was my way of saying, “I love me,” he laughed like a loon. On the other hand, I know that lots of you out there swear by her organizational techniques.
So here’s the deal… If you’ve tried FlyLady, would you mind e-mailing me and letting me know if it worked for you? How long did you stick with it? What were the funniest parts of following the program? Send your e-mails to Lucindathemom@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
>could i just say that the Flylady’s web page is a freakin’ mess of clutter? I’m really wasn’t planning to look to her for help with my mess, but i’ve gotta say that my initial impression is crazy cat woman making doilies.
>Be careful with Fly Lady. Some of the suggestions are awesome, as in the quick “hot spot” clean-up and the 27-Fling Boogie. But if you sign up, you will get about 7 e-mails a day from her prompting you to stop what you are doing and activate one of the Fly Lady principles, as in “Now it’s time to clean the room of the day, the Living Room!” and stuff like that. I couldn’t take the constant reminders, but four years after I signed off, I still live by a lot of the tips.
>I think she has good suggestions on some things, but, I REF– USE to sing “Release Me” while I declutter. Ain’t gonna.I tell ya when the Fly lost me. She goes on and on about “No whining”…well, one time, she had been to a radio or tv show or something and had a bad experience and that MF’er whined and moaned about how horrible it was.
>I’ve been trying to use flylady for about 3 years. I do get her mails (there are about 30 a day I think.) I often do a mass delete on Flylady mails. Often, most of the testimonals are ads to buy her products. There are some good ideas – but it’s always been too much. I like Kelly’s Missions. I do them for about 3 weeks and then stop. We recently got a service to come and clean the house (I’m a WOHM) – and it’s SO MUCH BETTER! However, as I type this, I sit with my counters piled high with papers and bills and shit. Next to me on my computer desk are piles of papers, computer games and random patches I need to sew on the taekwondo uniform. I don’t have this when following the flylady program. But, there is so much to do that I give up after a few weeks. It has worked awesome for some other folks I know though.
>Don’t sign up for her emails.Do her zones.Her zones are awesome. I cleaned my entire house in three weeks just using her zones and Kelly’s missions. The moment I stopped doing zones, the house got messy and my husband was sad. He liked fly lady. A Lot. Her website is messy though.also, I thought “how silly, to get up an hour before everyone else, and get dressed.” but i did it, and you know what? Getting dressed, and getting up an hour earlier was awesome. In fact, the only reason I’m not doing flylady now is because we’ve got some major house projects going on.and don’t doubt the power of a clean sink. For some reason the clean sink is inspirational (maybe it’s just me) and it motivates me to clean everything else.the 27 fling boogie is awesome.
>I’m going to second just doing the Zones. But really, my clean sink says “Beck, I love you. I really, really love you.” And then I drink tequila straight from the bottle.
>I signed up for her e-mails a few years ago and was turned off by the sheer VOLUME of stuff…that turned me off very quickly and I unsubscribed as I already get enough crap e-mail thank you very much. However, I do think the get up and get dressed first thing in the morning philosophy works. I was working from home last year with a new baby and I swear on the days I just lounged/never showered/attempted to work in my stained sweats I was just mentally not all there. Not that I’m mentally all there when I do get ready for the day on my days home it does help. ;)I need to do the 27 fling boogy right now! And I need to check out the zones…we have some very stubborn zones at our house. Sigh…
>I used the Fly Lady as motivation for my move (She has an excellent section on packing.)This alone saved my sanity as I single-handedly packed our entire abode and prepared the house for sale. Every day I packed X no. boxes and donated belongings for donation. She kept me going.After the house went on the market while we were still living there (2 Kids), she kept me on the path of cleanliness.Since the move, we’re dirtier and more sane!
>I too have to say…..DON’T SIGN UP FOR HER EMAILS!!!!Unless you want your inbox to be full of the same messages every day.That said, it isn’t all bad.
>Darlin,I think some of the ideas are good, but I’ve decided to hire someone to clean my bathrooms. It doesn’t mean I’m spiritually evolved, just wise… I need time to recharge. NOT to reorg my freakin’ closet, man!–Rachael
>After reading her book, I realized that I was not that bad off. Her tips did NOT help me at all, but I do have some family members that could benefit from her wisdome.
>I’m a flylady drop out…couldn’t clean the sink (I need a new one!) couldn’t do shoes in my house (my mother would kill me and she lives in another state!) and I couldn’t deal with all the email.
>You can get the multiple e-mails in one digest a day. It’s not that bad, just change your preferences.It’s REALLY nice to get up early and take a small amount of time for yourself. It truly helps my day to run smoothly because I am prepared.I also like to wake up to a ShinyClean Sink.Give it a try!
>I tried Flylady and found it a bit overwhelming. There seemed to be so many bits and pieces and choices – a bit like the overwhelming chores in my home. I tried the sink thing and it looked good for one day but that was it. I’m not good at follow through. However, after reading all the comments, I will visit again and have a look at the things people mentioned they likes. Thanks for the reminder. Love your blog!
>I did FlyLady almost 2 years ago when I began blogging. It’s kind of a blur but the bottom line is – I couldn’t stick with it. I got really annoyed with all of the emails. She did make me feel good about me though 🙂
>I emailed you about this, Lindsey so you can read it in my email. I actually just blogged about this a few days ago. I signed up again and I am already hating the emails. I have about 4 or 5 different email accounts, and I only use this one that I have those sent to sparingly. BUT they are still annoying, nonetheless.There are some things that I utilize. I like the hot spot concept because I have a few of those in this house. I also like the concept of the shiny sink BUT I will not always keep it that way. I like it to be clean when I get up in the morning because having a full sink means I have to empty the dishwasher, and that colors my mood instantly. And the shoes. I don’t do laceup. At all. I wear Birks 24/7/365. No joke. Snow. Sleet. Rain. Doesn’t matter. If mama’s feet ain’t happy, nobody’s happy, especially mama. So seriously… I do what I want to do. And what I do works for me. If I had to be so militant about it all, I would probably end up being pi**ed off at Fly Lady all the time.
>Ditto the email spam. I couldn’t get past the annoyance. How is it decluttering my life to get 9485094680967 emails? I am absolutely spazztastic about having a “clean” inbox, including all folders. She gave me anxiety. HA!
>wipe down the sink for love?I can see it now, here at the playground….’hey baby, I just can’t keep my hands off of your stainless steel!’
>I third, or fourth? the warning to avoid the emails. You can easily blow your whole day reading the damn things. Also, I hated it when I’d get in a groove and get yanked off on one of her missions.With that being said, I still employ a lot of her tips. I’m a Birkie person, so lace-ups are out — but getting dressed first thing really helps my productivity. We still have SlackerJammie days, but it’s a conscious decision.Clean sink? Love it.Hot spots? Works.Zones? Yup.De-cluttering? a constant struggle, but essential.It’s like most things in life. There’s good stuff in there somewhere, so you take what you need and leave the rest.
>I totally agree with the email thing…get it in a daily digest, or don’t get it at all…I have my little morning routine (done by 9), and my little evening routine, and I do little projects, and set aside a day for errands, deep cleaning, etc…it’s the craziest thing, I do less (maybe it’s just I worry about it less), but somehow get more done…all WITHOUT shoes mind you 🙂 I think a lot of it is getting it out on paper and making habits so it’s not in your head anymore, making you crazy!Off to drink more Koolaid!
>I thought the “shine your sink” thing was crazy at first too, however, it really does make me feel better to have a nice clean (and dry) sink.
>too many emails, too much pressure, I gave up.But I do like some of her ideas. But I found I was already doing alot of them anyway. My mother is FlyLady’s sister I’m sure, so I got some of the gene’s.
>I have never posted, but love to read your blog. I have followed fly lady for years. I have a weekly routine that I follow and do a room a day. Then I have my morning routine and evening routine. That part really works for me. The emails… I could do with out. Routines are a definite though!
>I discovered flylady when I was 7 mos pg, expecting my super-tidy in-laws and my (then) cleaning helper called off because she was “having her period.”The emails are excessive, but I find Flylady a useful resource and motivator. I have always had a hard time finding meaning in the household chores that haunt me as a SAHM..and I could become pretty toxic while cleaning…and Flylady has helped that. I pretty much delete the emails and I haven’t followed the missions.I probably sound like a corny Kool-Aid drinker..but I like Flylady..but being the type B mess that I am I don’t follow all of her missions too closely..I just use her when I need her!
>Flylady is an excellent resource. I didn’t understand the shiny sink at first. It’s essentially a starting point. Once that single habit is established, it becomes contagious. (“Aaaah, look how clean that sink is .. might as well take a few more seconds and wipe the whole counter .. and put the coffee back where it belongs .. etc.”) Flylady doesn’t expect you to do everything at once .. just take babysteps out of CHAOS.
>Like many have said, get the digest and scroll through to the messages that interest you, like the hot spots and zones.The system is adaptable so you make it work for you. Like everything in life, if you want to make something work you will. I like her no whining philosophy because it’s true – no matter whether we like it or not, the house has to be cleaned regularly.
>My only thing – all the “testimonials” sound like the same person wrote them…
>Well, I went over to the Fly Lady’s website and decided to give it a try myself. I wrote about it on my blog and will keep updating: http://home.earthlink.net/~petracarden
>I suggest you look into the altfly group on Yahoo!It’s like flylady-light. Less of the spiritual stuff and cleaning dogmatism and more about how to use flylady principles to declutter and organize your life.
>I’ve read just about anything on flylady.net becaus I am a total organisation-addict. I never signed up – dreading the e-mails… I am a super perfectionist and it did help me, to not having to clean ALL of it inside and outside but just a little bit (with very little time spending at home that’s a good approach)I you are chronically dis-organised, it might help you to just start by 2 – 3 things, doesn’t have to be flylady-ly :-)Greetings from Cologne, Germany
>I’ve attempted the FlyLady system for a couple years… right now I’m getting emails, but filtering them into their own folder so I can read them when I have time. A good idea is to do Monday’s stuff on Tuesday, etc. The best advice I ever read from her was “Housework that isn’t done perfectly still blesses your family.” I had always skipped doing things because I didn’t have time to do them right.
>Ok first off, I like the reminders, I delete them as the chore is done, the letters are junk mail most of the time, the talk show is mainly advertising, but all said it is easy to hit the delete button on the letters, the holiday control journal is awesome I am so organized, the control journal I have fixed to work for me, I like having it all together in one place, but getting organized is not free! I have found myself purchasing plastic storage containers and in need of more, all in all I like the system, I can not say I am so crazey about the woman, after the raido show she kind of turned me off, I do not need someone telling me how to cook eaither, and as for the clothing web sight I will not pay to be a member before I ever see the product!!!!!!!! She says if you have more than one of something to throw it away, she also thinks that it is beautiful that an old woman dies and all her posessons could fit in a trunk of an old car, I find that very sad, no I am not materialistic but I do like nice things and I do collect things in good taste and have them on display in my home, so for the shoe thing I found out that came from Mary K, well I don’t want a pink car and before my illness I still didn’t ware them even at work hardly at all and guess what I was #1 in sales 17 years in a row so I kicked off the shoes big fat harry deal! I think that she has great ideas but I am not a follower, I am not a baby, and I will not ware my shoes nor will I throw good things that I emjoy away so that when I die they will say she had nothing but love in her heart, I will leave things that my family will love and reamber me by, that is my little thoughts about Madame Fly, Please don’t get me wrong here I would join again in a heart beat, I just take what I can and leave the rest and everyone should do the same, on yeah the sink, I do not fill it with hot water twice a day and pour bleach in it, every now and then I fill it with hot water and add oxy clean it actually does somehting, I clean it every day not for my faimly to love me but to have a sanitary thing to eat out of, that I always did but NEVER will I rub my sink down with car wax!!!! I just about died when I read that one, take what you can and leave the rest, delete the letters and keep the chores don’t even open them delete them as you get the job done, it is not like you don’t know what is in there right! But do do the holiday cruse I love that one!
>I was subscribed years ago… yeah email spam whore. I just took a look at the site… still cluttered and zany looking. I never followed the program, but I do have a shiny clean sink… which I love to see shining with the south sun in the morning. If I need to wash my hands or face… I prefer to do it at the kitchen sink and then I do a 1-minute dishes break. The sink is ALWAYS clean. I’m not obsessive about anything else… laundry can pile here there everywhere, and the toilets can have cobwebs… just as long as the sink sparkles.
>I have signed up for Flylady a couple of times and there are some good ideas, but overall it is like having your mom remind you to clean your room. I think these ladies are great businesswomen, they have taken this idea and turned it into a great and profitable business. I added up the books, journals, dusters, ect and it came to about $214 without shipping. And that was just the basics. Yes, you can do the program without buying anything, but people that usually need help organizing thier clutter buy lots of stuff they don’t need, such as Flylady duster.I am also really tired of hearing people say, “You just have to try Flylady, it will change your life.” Thats great for them but just because I complain about cleaning my house, doesn’t mean I don’t do it. I much prefer to spend a couple of hours cleaning with the music cranked up and then be done. So to have to have someone tell me what to do in an email seems very childish.
>I love FlyLady – I get the e-mails in a daily digest. If I don’t have time to skim through that day’s digest, I simply hit the delete button. (Actually, I think even she recommends that you don’t let the messages clutter your inbox if you aren’t using them – the whole “you are not behind, jump in where you are” thing. ) I might read one or two days worth of the daily digests a week – it keeps me on track/motivated, but not too intrusive…as long as you don’t let it be!I haven’t spent a dime on any of her products either – just follow the principles that are readily available for free. And (as much as I hate to sound like a cliche) it really has changed my life. I never learned how to tackle keeping up with everything that must be done to keep a household running. My mom was an anal retentive neat freak, so she did all of the cleaning herself rather than delegate it to any of the rest of us. (No one else could do it to her standards, I guess.) 🙂 So, I found myself married with 2 kids, a dog, and a big house, and no system for keeping up with it all. The Zone missions are wonderful for keeping up with all those little tasks that don’t need to be done daily, but that you still want to have on a regular schedule.I personally think that the key to being successful with the FlyLady system is to adhere to the baby steps principle, and not get too caught up in trying to keep up with the e-mails, etc. Do what you can, when you can do it. Add more to your plate later when you feel like you can handle it.
>I have been using Fly Lady’s system for 5 months now. Last weekend I have a party and my best friend (of 15 years) walked in and exclamined how amazing my place looked. She opened her big mouth and told everyone in the room ” This girl’ life used to be a complete mess, but this FLylady thing has completely changed her life! Her house always looks this clean, not just when people are coming over!” Very true. I am really amazed at how this happenned. The year prior to starting FL I had a housekeeper come and my place would like great fr about 2 days. I really needed help. Just picking up after myself was not soemthing I could do regularly. If you were to see my house/car/office now, you would think I was born this way. Basically I was what they call “fly washed”. There are 3 main things I got from FL:1. Maintain your morning and evening routines2. Pick up after yourself3. Get rid of the things you don’t need or love.My morning routine involves what FL calls”swich and swipe”–whiping of mirrors splatter/chrome/counter/sink/toilet with window cleaner and then a quick swish in the tilet with a brush. I was unable t do this routine with a bunch os girly crap all over the counter. So, that is where I began putting things away regularly. Same with the shiny sink in the kitchen. My evening routine involves putting clothes out for the night before–which to me seems like a whole nother level of organization–a level which did not permit me to leave 3 days of dirty clothes on the floor. I figures if I had time to put a nice outfit out for tommorow, then I also had time to put away the clothes I wore today. I don’t even do hot spots or 27 fling boogies at this point, because I always pick up my shit and put it away. This is a dramatic turnaround for me. Since I started the system, I have never burned out or fallen of the wagon. I feel like there is no turning back now that I have experiences what it feels like to have this peace. As for the emails, I opened a gmail account JUST for my FL messages, and I am ne of the people that LOVES the daily affirmations. I still need the uplifting testimonials and motivational essys. they really help me.