Diary of an Unlikely Housewife: Do You Fly?

However many people swear by it, and through the years I tried another couple of times, to no avail. The last time, I decided maybe buying the book was a better way to go, so I got my copy of Sink Reflections, by Marla Cilley, the FLYLady. The book is much more helpful than the e-mails IMO, and I definitely got something out of it. Plus it’s always there so you can always give it another go.

There were some things I didn’t like, i.e. the somewhat abundant religious references, which are an instant turnoff for me generally speaking, but overall the book is helpful so I’m not disappointed.

This is the stuff I got out of it that I think I can use:

• Make a list of daily chores: the bare minimum to do every day.
• Make a list of weekly chores: this list should include things like dusting, vacuuming, and changing the bed sheets, but no in-depth cleaning.
• Divide the house in areas and dedicate one week a month to each area; every day spend a little time in that area (in addition to the daily chores).
• Make checklists of things that need to be done in the area so you have a guideline and can spend your little time there constructively.
• Keep all your lists, checklists, areas etc in a binder, somewhere that’s easily accessible.
• Use a timer to help you do things faster: for instance give yourself fifteen minutes to unload and re-load the dishwasher.
• When you need to do “emergency cleaning” (like when you are expecting visitors and the place is a mess) work for forty-five minutes, using your timer and making mini-projects, and rest for fifteen minutes every hour; also, change area every so often to avoid “area burnout” and to make sure you spend some time everywhere.
• Don’t hold on to stuff: make sure you regularly get rid of anything that is broken or simply not being used.

The daily vs. weekly, zones, checklists, binder, and de-cluttering I already had from my “feng shui period,” but the rest is new to me and very good IMO. My favorite thing I think is the concept of “hot spot”—you know those pesky areas that just seem to attract clutter? Come on, think, every house has them. For us it’s the coffee table, the office desk, and the pillows under the bay window in the kitchen. Marla recommends that you hit your hot spots regularly to make sure they are clutter-free.