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Payroll SHE Tips, Ideas, and Routines from our Members
"I used to say, "I've got two kids, a dog, and a full time job. I CAN'T keep a clean house!" Now I know that's stinking thinking, and I don't need those excuses any more." - Working and Flying in KY
"Being able to take care of my home is a
reward to me, I don't have to wait until I retire or can be a SAHM to have a
clean home!" - Flybaby Event Planner in Chicago
Note from Us
This list is long and will take you more than 15 minutes to read. So please, set your timer, you do not want to get sidetracked. Each tip is numbered so you can keep track of where you are. I promise to leave this list up until later in June, so you will not miss any of it.
Also, before you begin, grab a piece of paper and a pen. There are some wonderful ideas here that you will want to try. Write down a few of them. Remember, BabySteps, BabySteps.
Thank-you to all the PayRoll SHES who sent in their tips, ideas, and testimonials. You are wonderful! I wish I could have posted them all.
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1. My life, work, family, and house are no longer in a
state of CHAOS!
Hi there,
I am a SHE on payroll and I have to tell you that I have lived in knee
deep filth until learning about the FLYlady system. I have often heard
that those who work out of the home say that this is just for SAHMs but
I must tell you when I first read about your site I thought it was for
those of us who work out of the home.
How do I make it work? I have 3 sets of routines that enable me to keep
my house and sanity in check. I totally believe that each person has to
find the routine that works for them but I have taken the principles of
the FLYlady to make them work. I have 3 small children who have also
been given routines and it has provided them with well set out
guidelines, goals, and success.
I do my home blessing WITH my children. 1 hour/week on Saturday a.m.
gives us the chance to spend an afternoon enjoying family fun. As I
type this my house sparkles and we are ready to enjoy time together at
the swimming pool!
Thank-you FLYlady! My life, work, family, and house are no longer in a
state of CHAOS!
-
FLYing in Edmonton, Alberta!
2. I let go of the "stinkin' thinkin'...
I am a payroll SHE. I work as a physician assistant, and also am director of an adult day health center. I have two teenage sons at home and my husband and 2 cats and a dog. The best thing about my routines with flylady, that I can offer, is the embracing of the "no whining, no pity party" I think at times I felt overwhelmed with home and career, but the babysteps and gradual decluttering is the way to go. Also the thought of blessing your home and family, of gratitude, of dissolving the "stinkin' thinkin" just makes the routines easier, and it's easier to get the whole family involved. I calmly ask for help with specific tasks, instead of yelling and being nasty, and feeling like a martyr as I used to do. I do laundry almost every day, a load or two when I get up in the morning. I walk with a friend and our dogs before work to get my exercise (6am) and I start the day so positively. I keep a shining sink and the kitchen clean. We remodelled it last year and I'm determined to keep it looking nice. We live in an old house.I do the bathroom quickie cleanups to keep them maintained. I plan meals for the week--this was a breakthrough for me, and use the crockpot a lot, so that meals are pretty much ready when I get home. I insist on us all sitting down and holding hands and having silence (we're Quaker) before our meal togeher, to keep us connected. For my 50th birthday a friend gave me a gift of a day of decluttering with me. She wouln't leave until we had at least 5 trashbags of stuff!! Anyway, I feel I'm still fluttering as a flybaby, but getting there. My upstairs really needs work, but it has started. I still need to work on evening routines. I've gotten better with financial and paper decluttering. I feel great. My house is filled with my sons and their friends and other friends and I am grateful and unashamed. Thank you Flybaby in NY
3. My Routines Are Working Alongside Me ALL DAY!
Thanks for addressing issues that concern us specifically...I'm a teacher of
20+ years and a mom of five and Pam, Peggy and Flylady are SOOOO important
in my life...my greatest movement toward peace and freedom from CHAOS has
come since it finally sank in that I don't want to organize my home, or my
classroom...I want to organize MYSELF...I was getting really frustrated
trying to carry out routines and having to leave and then pick up a new set
at the other place...then I got Flywashed and realized that my routines are
wherever I am and that my whole day is composed of one small babystep after
another no matter where I happen to be...since that moment I have felt a
sense of pride that my routines are working alongside of me ALL DAY and that
I can let go of the guilt that was riding me all the time...I can accomplish
a full day's worth of work ; it just happens to be in two places...I am a
Flybaby all the time; my pedometer is hooked on my waist all day and I don't
have to take a special time for walking since I've covered my miles during
the work day; I do what I can when I can where I can and count myself a
success...I love my family, my life, my routines, and me and if it takes a
little longer to get the clutter gone or the zone work done, so be it! I'm
doing the best I can...would we ask more of anyoneelse?
4. It has taken a year for the whole family to become involved...
DH leaves at 7, home by 6; kids on the bus at 7 home by 4; I leave for
work at 7:30 home by 5:30. We are a blended family, with his kids and my
kids, so our lives are hectic and fast paced and we are often headed in
different directions. Flying has become a very enjoyable addition to our
routines. Before flying, I would spend all day Saturday cleaning, because we
would neglect the house all week!
Morning and evening routines are so important. With the exception, I
spend an hour on Sunday afternoon, getting my clothes together for the week,
(pantyhose, slips and shoes included) I purchased an over the door hanger to
hang them on so they won't get mussed in the closet, I get up in the morning
and there they are! First thing in the morning, I run dish water and everyone
washes their dishes when they are finished with breakfast, I put them away
before leaving for work and Shine the Sink with the dish towel they drained
on. (it only takes a minute) We all take turns doing dishes in the evening,
we put them away just before bed and set up the coffee pot.
Clothes? I put a load in every evening before bed and in the dryer in
the morning! I pull it out and fold it right away. I fold them at the table,
it is the most central part of the house. They are put away by their
respective owners. (again this only takes a few minutes)
The weekly house blessing has become my favorite, it is not always
done on the same night, but we do it every week! I have two DD's and we
split the six task's that we have - Vacuum, Comet, Windex, Sweep, Mop and
Dust, we can knock the whole house out in 40 minutes! Our goal is 30!
The kids are responsible for their rooms, I don't go there! I share
Kelly's missions with them and we have a good time with that. The kids work
on their rooms in Zones 3 & 4, otherwise I don't bother them. During those
two weeks they clean under their bed one night, desk the next, closet the
next then a drawer each evening. (They have some neat rooms!!)
It has taken a year for the whole family to become involved, but they
like neat, clean spaces as well! I think that they have seen that I am more
relaxed and happy with a clean house. It was a hard beginning, I was obsessed
and the family was not cooperating, with time and patience we are Flying.
- Banking in Texas
5. Stop making long
lists of to-do's for days off and weekends
Hi Fellow Flybabies, What I find to be helpful is to stop making long
lists of to do's for days off and weekends. In the past I would tell
myself, "Oh I'll just wait until my day off and do that, or til Saturday".
Well, then I would spend my entire day trying to get everything done and
would feel so depressed because I wasted my whole day and didn't even come
close to finishing my list. NOW, I try to force myself to keep working a
little bit everyday on things. Where have we heard that?? Babysteps!!
The other reason for no lists is because I would procrastinate doing my
daily routines by saying I'll just do them on Saturday. That leaves no
family or fun time. Everyone needs a little time to get the juices flowing
again. - an Illinois teacher
6. PAYROLLs can do it....use your time management skills!
I am a full time payroll SHE, girl scout leader and newly graduated from an
MBA program. My house was absolutely embarrassing....my sister steered me
towards FLY lady a year ago.
My advice is to take one night a week and do the home blessing....mark it
on the calendar and follow it. In my house, it has become a family
affair...DH (if home), 13 yr DD and 9 yr DD. We set the timer and go in
different directions! I only do it for three 10 minute segments (because
of the extra help). While the 9 year old sweep and washes the kitchen
floor in that time, the rest of us have multiple tasks....the work seems to
get done and we all have fun together! PAYROLLs can do it....use your time management skills!
7. My home is not perfect, but we've decluttered for 4 months and it's neat and welcoming...
I'm a FlyBaby since January 18, 2003 (the day I hit bottom). I simply follow my routines. My feet hit the floor at 5:30 a.m. DH & I make the bed and I finish making his lunch (all but sandwich done night before). After I kiss him goodbye, I shower, dress, makeup, hair, etc. I make my breakfast and empty dishwasher. I eat and review control journal for daily (lunchtime) errands and dinner (defrosted night before). I stroll thru main level to discover any hot spots. Then I'm off to 9 hours at the office. When I return home I follow my evening routine: make dinner, clean kitchen and defrost dinner for tomorrow. I spend 15-minutes on desk time and prepare clothes for next day. I then head for upper level where I layout tomorrow's clothes and accessories, remove make-up, bath and read or snuggle w/DH.
I set my timer for 15 minutes each evening to do one of several things: a load of laundry, hot spot, zone cleaning, paying bills, etc.
I must confess that what has really helped me is NOT watching TV during the week. If there is a show I really want to view, DH tapes it and we watch together on the weekend. The we can scan thru the commercials and waste little time.
I have time for exercise, date night, visiting friends, have family fun days, entertaining, all without loosing control of my home. My home is not perfect, but we've decluttered for 4 months and it's neat and welcoming.
Everyone (including myself) has noticed a difference in me. I'm not overwhelmed, overtired, overdrawn, or overbooked...just fluttering away in Northern Virginia (50.5 lbs lighter) and finally loving myself.
8. Fast forward through nine months of Flywashing.....
I am an early riser. I'm up by 4:30am and at work by 6:30am. My DH gets our
3 ds's off to school each morning. The nice part of starting my work day so
early is I get home at 4:00pm.
Prior to FlyLady....I would come home and park my franny on the couch with a
poor me, I'm so tired I get up early and deserve to park my franny for a
couple of hours of mindless TV. (Serious stinkin thinkin) Needless to say
about 15 minutes before DH would get home from work I would be frantic,
yelling at the boys to do their homework, and in a state of panic trying to
figure out "what's for dinner". By Friday, the house looked like we had
experienced a tornado, you couldn't walk through the place....you get the
idea.
Fast forward through nine months of Flywashing.....
Now my routine is:
Pull into drive way....scan inside of car for garbage and items that belong
in the house.remove and throw away those items. (30 seconds)
Grab mail.....scan for bills on the way to the trash can to throw away junk
(10 seconds)
Walk in door...put away anything....in my hands....place keys and purse on
hook hung inside closet door (1 minute)
Go straight upstairs....make bed....swish and swipe bathrooms.....grab a
load of laundry....say hello to ds's ask about their day.....get a homework
update (how much when due)(10 minutes tops)
Back down stairs.....start laundry......
Spend 15-20 minutes getting boys started on homework.....reviewing their
papers etc
Start dinner......while it is baking, simmering, or whatever.....do a 10
minute room rescue of living and dining....wash whatever dishes are in the
sink from breakfast and meal prep
Dinner on the table at 5:30 when dh is scheduled to be home.....get up after
dinner and do dishes........Everything is finished by 6:30......and guess
what I still have time for 2 hours of mindless TV if I wanted it! (or take a
walk or a bath, or anything I want just for me!!! :-))
In bed usually by 9-9:30......lay out clothes for next day just before I hop
between the sheets......
BTW-Come Friday......no more tornado......and no more spending an entire day
on the weekend "cleaning, and yelling!" I actually have MORE free time
now....all because
I have an evening routine that is specially designed just for me :-)
9. Just do something, do your best, and do it with love!!
NOTHING can be accomplished at my house if the evening routines don't get done! Yes, I said routines with an "s." I have one, and my 6yo DD has one. Sometimes even my DH helps, but I'm trying to be patient and stamp out martyrdom in our home. (Martyrdom does not usually occur in peaceful times and places.) After all, he is trying to work full time and go to school, too.
Evening routines consist of laying out all clothes for the morning, laying out breakfast, baths for me, DD 6 yrs, and DS
3 mos, packing all lunches, including bottles for daycare and leftovers for DH. (That is done when the kitchen is cleaned up!) School bags are packed, my bag is packed and my house/car keys, work keys, watch and glasses are placed with my bag. Dinner for the next night is prepared in advance if at all possible, via crockpot or casserole dish. Then at most, it has to be warmed. Usually it only has to be served. If any of these things are skipped, it usually spells disaster in the morning.
Mornings I nurse DS, dress, then feed, water and walk the dog. DD has her own alarm clock, gets herself up, dressed, and bed made. She actually does pretty well most days! My bed is made, hopefully a swish 'n swipe in the bathroom, too. I hope to eventually have the supper table set in the morning, or even better, make that part of DD's afternoon routine! Up at 6:00, out at 7:00, and here we go!!
My office is micro-organized, and always has been (I'm a serious Type A with traces of OCD). I never could understand before why I couldn't get my house that way, too. Within my work schedule, there must now be time to express milk twice each day, along with my regular job. Depending on our schedules, either DH or I pick up the kids. Then there must be homework time, play time, supper, and back around to getting things ready for the next day.
The best thing I can think of besides having everything possible ready the night before is, give your children responsibilities in the home. It makes them feel important, it helps you, it enables you to spend more time with them, it teaches them responsibility and accountability... I could go on and on. But a little work isn't going to hurt anyone. It didn't hurt any of us when we were little. I'm learning that a meal is NOT a disaster if DD doesn't have the flatware perfectly straight on the table. People are just going to pick it up to use it anyway. I praise her for the 6yo job she's done, and leave the flatware crooked.
God bless the FlyCrew for helping millions to see that it DOESN'T have to be perfect. Just do something, do your best, and do it with love!!
Bank Operations Manager -
Northeast TN
10. Deleting the emails that I really do not have time for has been the key for
me.
I work two jobs, so I guess I am a double Payroll SHE. I work as a
substitute teacher in southwest Michigan for five separate school districts,
plus I teach at a national chain's teaching center in the evening and on
Saturday mornings.
Many days I'm up at 5:30 am (ok, 5:45--love that snooze button! LOL). I
teach for an absent teacher all day then proceed to my second job, where I
continue teaching often until 8:30 at night. By the time I reach the
comfort of my favorite chair at home, it's close to 10 pm.
As you can imagine, I am usually quite tired, so I've had to adapt the
FlyLady routine to meet my physically demanding schedule. On my very full
days, I simply do the bare minimum--just the morning and evening routines.
Reading the emails is my relaxation, and I simply delete the ones I have no
energy to do. Piling on guilt on top of being very tired is not good for
me.
One week I was so busy I didn't even read my emails for 4 days. But, I had
loads of energy that Sunday, so I just deleted all the duplicates, then
started on the list from the bottom up. The emails that directed me to do
something, I did. The testimonials I sat and enjoyed. Reading, doing, then
deleting them one by one gave me a balance of "doing" and "resting." I
managed to get almost everything done, and felt terrific!! Then I deleted
the rest to eliminate any residual guilt!
Deleting the emails that I really do not have time for has been the key for
me. I've only been FLYing since January, but already my house is clean
enough that I do not worry when there's a knock at the door--I can open it
wide with a smile on my face, knowing my house is presentable enough for the
gas meter reader and quick-cleanable enough for guests!
Thank you, Marla and crew. I love you guys.
FLYing in Kalamazoo (yes, there really is a Kalamazoo), Michigan
11. We Split the Home Blessing Hour
I've been a Flybaby for almost a year now.
I'm a Merchandise Category Planner from Florida. Although my DH and I
don't have kids, between cycling classes, Yoga, Bell Choir, Book Club
and Bible Classes, we have activities every night of the week.
My DH is a big help in making the Flylady system work.
Morning routines include swishing an swiping the bathroom toilet and
sinks... I do ours and DH does the guest bath (which he uses a lot).
Also, morning routine includes putting away clean dishes from night
before.
My morning routine also includes a 5 minute room rescue, which at the
moment is going through 6 drawers of files... I've shredded and tossed
about 5 tall kitchen bags worth of paperwork already. Also, my morning
routine includes checking e-mails and writing one... this keeps the in
box clean and helps me keep in touch with friends... doing one a day
keeps me off the web for too long of a time.
My hot spot is the mail everyday, to make sure it is taken care of and
not piled on the kitchen table.
We split the hour blessing of the home into 10 minutes each on Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday. I take out garbage from all the rooms and
clean mirrors and windows on Tuesday, dust on Wed, and Vaccuum on Thurs.
DH sweeps and mops all the rooms on the three days.
Bedtime routine includes washing all the dishes, shining the sink and
cleaning the counters and table.
Sometimes with all our activities, we only get 3 or 4 days of Zone
cleaning (but, this is more than we used to do!). DH used to help in
the Zones with me, but now, with the other Zones just maintenance now,
his sole concentration is the garage (lots of time needed there...but
it's improving).
I've had to alter the paperwork routine and have finally reached a
solution... I take care of one item in the morning and one at night.
This includes paying a bill, or writing a note, or balancing a
checkbook, or making a grocery list. One item in the morning and one at
night keeps me updated.
This system has been absolutely wonderful and I thank God for finding
you all! We have people over all the time for dinner and welcome those
that will call at the last minute to come over. I'm not stressed like I
used to be and the house is definitely in much better shape than it used
to be.
Apologies for being so long, but hopefully some of our routines will
help some other Payroll She's!
12. ... you were helping women clear clutter and boy do I have clutter...
I am very new and just getting started, but in 2 short weeks have made great progress. I've made 4 trips to the Salvation Army in 2 weeks and I'm just getting started! I am a CPA and found your web site from a financial article in our paper regarding the dollar amount of credit card debt paid off. But what really caught my eye was that you were helping women clear clutter and boy do I have clutter. I was beginning to think I had an illness, but after reading your website I found that it simply takes organized baby steps. Right now, I am still in the de-clutter stage and I am maintaining my main hot spot (there are a couple of others that aren't yet under control). I have 2 of those rooms you shut the door on when you have company. I was amazed at how uncluttered the first room became after only 3 5-minute decluttering sessions. My priorities at this point are:
1. Shiny kitchen sink
2. Hot spot maintenance
3. 5 minute decluttering the "junk rooms"
4. 27 fling boogies (I love those!!!)
5. 15 minute zone cleaning
If I don't have time to do all that I would like, I pretty much resort to the above priority and pick up in the zone where everybody is for the day without trying to catch up. I love this website. Thank you Marla for doing this! It's changed my life. - Fresno, California
13. My routines NEVER slip!
I'm a single Payroll SHE with no kids, who lives alone. I'm an architect,
part-owner of a busy firm, and travel often for work. I am also in a
"commuter" long distance relationship with my dear sweetie, so I'm not even
at my home a lot of nights and weekends, and spend some of my "free" time
helping with his house, too.
At first I had trouble adjusting the FLYing ideas to my inconsistent
schedule... I kept saying "this won't work for me." But after a year of
Flywashing, I am learning to use what works for me, and pass up the rest.
For example I REALLY struggled with trying to do a home blessing hour -
starting at 8 pm in the evening! Then I tried breaking the eight parts (my
list is a little different from FLYlady's) and doing one or two each day.
But I'd miss a day, get further behind and beat myself up. "It didn't work
AGAIN this week!!!" Definitely NOT flying!
Finally I realized those eight things didn't really need to be done within a
week. Now I just follow the list, and do the next item on it when I have ten
minutes to spare. Sometimes I get through all of them in a week, sometimes
it takes three weeks before I come back around. But they get done. I try
to do "a little something" in each zone when we are in it - maybe it's just a
5-minute fire drill, but it's something.
The one thing that NEVER slips (ok, almost never) is my routines. I had to
change a lot of things I was trying to do, to make them functional for me,
but now I have about 30 minutes maximum of "stuff" that needs to happen - If
I won't be home overnight, my routine is the "before leaving the house"
instead of the "before bed" routine, but it is still the same - dishwasher,
laundry, bird cage, etc.
We all just need to learn to adapt or create our own Flight Plans while
taking advantage of the wonderful support and gentle prodding of Flylady, the
Fly Crew, and our family of fly babies.
Sorry this is so long, but I am so proud of me! LOL! - Flybaby in Washington State
14. The house rule is one club/sport/activity each per
year...
I work as a receptionist in a middle school in Florida, and I have two DDs in
elementary school. I've been FLYing for a few months now, by adapting the
system to my home. (I've been reading the e-mail for longer than that, but
took a while to really get off my Franny). I keep my before bed and morning
routines simple, and since I don't have time yet during the week for the zone
missions, what I do is keep them to do on Saturday. They only take just over
an hour at the most, and usually it's only about 30 minutes for all 5 of
them. Then I can continue with the weekly home blessing. I do bills on
Saturday, too, and food shopping on Sunday. Fridays after school/work, we
have Fun Friday. This works for my family, and allows us time together every
day for daily/routine things, and fun time, too. My DDs also have morning and
evening routines, and the house rule is one club/sport/activity each per
year, which helps us all FLY together. Thanks, FLYlady & Crew for inspiring
us each day!
~ Fluttering in Florida
15. I took a survey within the house of favourite meals...
I am a payroll flybaby SHE from Vancouver, Canada. I work evenings as an air traffic controller, go to college two days a week, and I love the FlyLady website. I have been a member for three weeks, and my house is coming into terrific order (no mean feat with three teenagers and a DH who works in the home!).
My favourite tip for payroll SHEs is one I figured out on my own last fall. I took a survey within the house of favourite meals, then made up a four-week rotating menu schedule that included no meals that didn't score at least a seven out of ten with everyone in the family. Evenings when I'm working have the simplest meals that my DH can make, and I no longer have to leave detailed instructions or pre-cook meals before work! I recently re-vamped the menus to accomodate summer - more barbeques and salad, fewer casseroles, soups and stews. - Thanks for all your wonderful work!
16. Morning Routine
My morning routine is like clockwork. I get up, read the paper with my coffee (Time for Myself), pack the kid's lunches (already put together for the week except the sandwich), go on the treadmill for 20 mins. which is located in the garage next to the washer. Put a load of clothes in the washer. Feed the dog, shine the sink, shower, then go to work. The dog knows the routine so well, that she gets confused when I leave out a step! -
Administrative Assistant in Oregon
17. 15 Minutes at a Time!
I am still a Flybaby, too. Since January. I live in Idaho. I work mornings from my home doing medical transcription for a doctor's office. Then I go off to work at my second job as a Special Education Filing clerk for our school district (noon to 4:00 p.m.) We are rural here and I live about six miles from my p.m. job. I have only one child left at home; he is graduating in a couple of weeks from high school. We also care for my 87 year old mother-in-law in our home. I have six grandchildren who often come to visit for entire weekends. Hence, time is short. I used to be bitter because I just could not get anything done. But now I devide up my time at home into 15 minute sections and it is amazing what I get done. I transcribe medical notes for 15 minutes and then get up and go boogie somewhere or put out a hot spot fire somewhere for 15 minutes. If I don't have anything to boogie, (rare occasion, still) I work on my routines for 15 minutes. By the time I leave for my p.m. job at 11:30, I have my transcription done for the day and I have spent at the very least an hour and a half on my home. When I get home from work I do the same thing focusing on routines. Always my bed is made, my sink is shined and I am ready to go. I keep reminding myself "I do not have to be perfect and neither does my system; just think of this process as a blessing and keep going." IT WORKS!! - Flybaby in Idaho
18. Do it Now!
I am a payroll Flybaby who works as an independent contractor from home, but
I have lots of meetings at various locations. Believe me, I'm not totally
flying yet, but several things have really helped me. My new motto is "Do
it now!" If I do what I need to do when I think about it, it saves a lot of
stress. For example, putting the dishes in the dishwasher right after
dinner...wiping down the shower walls while I'm in the shower, and doing a
bathroom "swish and swipe" as I dry myself...filing and putting away papers
when I am concluding work for the day...emptying the washer, dryer and
dishwasher as soon as possible...etc. If I wait for any of these things,
they become major chores, but if I "Do it now!" it gets accomplished without
my having to worry when I'll find the time! Sounds dumb, but it works for
me. -
Flying (not soaring) in Maryland
19. Wardrobe set for week!
I am a new flybaby (3 weeks old) and am thrilled with flylady routines. I am
a school teacher in West Palm Beach, Florida. There is one thing that I have
been doing through out the entire school year that helps me with both my
morning and evening routines. Every Saturday (or Sunday if more convenient)
I lay out and iron my entire wardrobe for the WEEK. That way, my wardrobe is
set and I don't have to think about it again. Try it. It really helps out
leaving you more time for other tasks whether it be morning or evening. - Flying in Florida
20. My house is on autopilot.
I am a family physician in private practice. I own my practice and
manage all of it by myself with a lot of help from my DH flyhubby. I work
ungodly long and usually unpredictable hours. No matter what I plan,
something will happen to derail it, like if I end up at the hospital all
night or something. Nonetheless, I have a control journal, though primitive.
It tells me what to do when I am too tired or rushed to think about it.
Since I found your site in June 2002 (referred by one of my pharmaceutical
representatives), my life has changed in ways that before I could only
ascribe to my love of Jesus. I am sure that God sent you into my life.
Even if I get home late and need to get to bed, my after work routine and
bedtime routine can be modified for quickness. Other days, I might get home
for lunch and do something else on the list that can be done quickly. I
usually do my Weekly Home Blessing hour on Monday night, but if I don't
finish then I try to do each 10 minute task on each of the next several
nights. I'm great at doing more that one thing at a time, like starting
dinner and sweeping the kitchen floor while something is cooking, or doing a
27 fling boogie in our home office while reading e-mail. Also, from having
done all of my routines and tasks for almost a year now, I know how long
things take, so I know what I can get done if I have a minute or two.
Sometimes I worry that if I start something I won't have time to finish, then
my DH flyhubby reminds me to time the task for future reference. Then next
time it comes up we know that it only takes five minutes to empty the
dishwasher (for example).
So my advise to other Payroll SHE's is to know how long things take, do a
little each day, stick to routines, be flexible and write it all down.
There's nothing like coming home late after a long stressful day, feeling
like just sitting in front of the TV, when you see your brightly colored
Control Journal. You can open it and be told what to do, no thinking
involved. The last thing I want when I am tired after work is more thinking.
My house is on autopilot.
Thank you FlyLady and Crew for all that you do.
- Dr. Flybaby in DE
21. My DH calls it "FLY Time!
I'm a 3 month old flybaby and a Payroll SHE. I own a salon and work 3 days a week and luckily just 1 saturday a month. I can't stress enough how important the evening routine is to our family - loving DH, 9 yr old DS, 5 yr old DD. Our mornings go so smoothly; what a great way to start the day!I'm able to bless our home on mondays, so the whole family helps on Sunday evening emptying trash cans, kids completely picking up their rooms and DH cleaning toilets. It takes everyone to make it happen! DH shines the sink every evening. DS & DD do Hot Spot Fire Preventions every evening. I've never seen kids have so much fun with a timer set for 5 minutes. My DS calls it "flytime"! We're slowly de-cluttering. No obsessing allowed! My advise for frustrated PAYROLL SHE's - start by doing your evening routines faithfully, take care of your hotspots, make your bed every morning and shine those sinks! SLOW AND EASY WINS THE RACE! - flybaby turtle in tulsa, ok p.s. I'm starting to fly at work, too.
22. Staging Area at the Door
In order to get everyone out the door WITH all the stuff they need, but
not turn the front entry into a toxic waste dump, I replaced the table there
with my favorite "bedroom" piece of furniture: a small antique dresser, the
kind with curved arms that hold a tall mirror. The top of the dresser has
only a pretty cotton napkin as a "topper," with a big vase of fresh flowers
(replenished regularly by my thoughtful DH). However, the drawers are the
staging area for everything we need on our way out: completed papers for
school, anything we've picked up at the pharmacy or grocery store during the
week for Grandma and need to take to her on Saturday, coupons and cash for
pizza delivery, tape player/tapes for walking, videos and library books to
return, etc. Everyone has permission to use the drawers this way -- but
nothing can be left there permanently, and I clean it out regularly. And one
more thing -- a cute napkin flaps on the inside of the front door as a
reminder to "check the dresser" before we leave. I change the napkin
occasionally, using greeting cards, neon sticky notes, or cartoons; they all
mean the same thing, but the changes keep us from tuning out the reminder.
23. FLYing through the Morning!
I am a new flybaby just a month old and have been amazed by the changes in my life and home since flylady was recommended to me. I am a payroll SHE, a special education teacher in the state of Washington. The routine that I am working to establish has me rising at 5 AM getting dressed (in work out clothing) to my toes, grabbing a quick breakfast and doing my household routines until 5:50, when I leave for Curves and workout for thirty plus minutes. After Curves I dash home, shower, get dressed and try to be at my building by 7:15. It's a good thing I don't wear a lot of makeup or I'd never make it. I can't tell you how nice it is to come home to an orderly house each night. I seem to have more time with my husband. We have even begun taking long evening bicycle rides together. Most importantly I don't worry that someone may drop in without prior notice because on the whole everything is in it's place. In 1980 I took a SHE class but unfortunately wasn't ready or able to embrace it, today I am older and wiser. Thank you Flylady you have helped bring my home into control.
24. I condense FlyLady's Reminders...
I'm a lawyer in El Paso, Texas. I'm gone from home at least 10 hours a day. I still use all of FlyLady's reminders, I just condense them into the time I have at home. I get up early and walk. While I'm walking, laundry is going. I reboot laundry when I finish my walk and take a shower. While I'm showering, the veggies are defrosting for the birds. That forces me to remember to take out meat for the evening dinner as well.
At work, it's the same principle. It's all about routines. I make a list of things that need to be done. If it's a task I have been putting off because I don't like it, I apply the principle of "I can do anything for 15 minutes." 10 minutes before I leave the office I start tidying up my desk (I consider that to be shining my sink at work). I make sure things are organized so I can find them the next day.
After work, I fluff the laundry that's in the dryer while I shower again. I like to "wash the day off of me." Then I hang up the clothes and work in my zone for 15 minutes. I cook dinner, eat and do the dishes. Then I do a fire drill. I feed birds, dogs, etc while my girls are in the tub. I also wash my face and brush my teeth while they are in there. Then I do my before bedtime routine.
I think my main tip is multi-tasking. I try to manage to do as many things at once as I can. That's the only way to accomplish things with such limited time. Laundry is my favorite. It makes me feel like I've really accoomplished something, and it's so easy to do that while you are doing something else. Also, do as much advance preparation of meals as you can on the weekends. I try to grill some chicken breasts on Sunday so that I'll have it already done for the week. - in TX
25. Flying works for me both at work and home.
I am a nurse practitioner in rural south Georgia. I am also a single mom of
two teenage boys. My life was utter chaos a couple of years ago -- I had been
a full-time grad student as well as working full time for two years! I gave
up everything in my life except for work, school, and my kids for that two
years. But now with FlyLady and routines, my life is getting in order and I
have time for my boys.
Flying works for me both at work and home. In fact, there are some direct
correlations. When I examine a patient, I have a routine so I don't miss
anything. I start at the top and work through all the major body systems,
either examining or at least asking about them. If I find a positive, I jot
down a note and go on -- if I get distracted, I won't get the whole exam
done! THEN I go back and probe deeper into what I have found.
At home I follow the routines. If I see something that needs to be done, but
isn't part of my current routine, I make a mental note of it and go back -- I
don't stop what I am doing! Things get finished that way! It is funny how it
took FlyLady to show me that what works at work will work at home too!
As for the routines -- they are short and simple -- and DOABLE -- even for a
payroll SHE. The timer is really wonderful -- it PROVES to you that most of
the things you need to do don't take very long.
And, just like at work -- routines can be broken. If someone comes in to my
office bleeding, short of breath, or with chest pain, all routines cease and
we take care of the emergency. Then we GO RIGHT BACK to our routines. Same at
home -- If I am sick, exhausted, or have other urgent things to do -- I let
the routine go. Because I keep them up most of the time, nothing ever gets
too overwhelming any more, and I get right back on track quickly and easily.
Besides, my dear sons have caught on too. I have never forced any of this on
them. But I will ask them for 15 minutes of their time. FIfteen minutes seems
like very little to them; I can get them to do anything for 15 minutes. The
first time I asked them for 15 minutes, they were amazed -- we put our
entire house in reasonable order in that time. (3x15=45 minutes of work! that
gets a lot done!)
So - daily routines during the week keeps things pretty well in shape. We do
a weekly home-blessing on Saturday. It's fun. We dedicate 2 hours, and work
for 15 minutes and break for 15 -- no one ends up exhausted or overwhelmed,
and the house looks great.
And note: we keep our house "presentable", "in reasonable order", "tidy", and
"comfortable" -- it isn't perfect. Who cares about perfect? I can find the
things I need, there is little clutter, and there is always food and clean
dishes to eat it from. I love the freedom from the Perfection Monster!
That's how I do it. I am looking forward to hearing from the other payroll
SHEs out there! - And THANK YOU MARLA AND CREW!!! Love, Flybaby in Georgia
26. I 27 Fling Boogie on Day Before Garbage Day!
I Live in San Jose, CA and work at a Hospital as a RN.
Have adapted several of the flylady techniques to fit the PAYROLL SHE
lifestyle:
Instead of daily 27 fling boogies, I wait until the day before garbage day.
Since I'll be collecting all the garbage in the house that day anyway to put
out at the curb that night, I take the extra 5 minutes to do one weekly 27
fling boogie. It probably takes longer to clear clutter this way, but it
works with my schedule.
I keep a small set of bathroom cleaning supplies under each bathroom sink,
along with a stack of cleaning rags. That way if I'm in a bathroom with the
kids, or just doing my hair, I have everything there at my fingertips to
clean up quickly if I have 5 extra minutes. This helps me JUST DO IT, since
I don't have to walk to another room to pick up cleaning supplies. Same for
the kitchen, so that when we're in that zone, the supplies are right there.
I spend my 10 minutes in the zone before work, but leave the my HOT SPOT
cleaning until after dinner. That way I'm not trying to group everything
together and block out lots of time in the morning. Psychologically, it
helps me not get overwhelmed.
27. Do a Little Bit Here and There...
Don't make cleaning a big deal. Wipe the fridge down while you are
waiting for the microwave to beep. Do a little bit here and there as you
walk around the house. Never leave things where they don't belong. Excuse
me, now, I have to go get my watch from the garage, where I left it when I
cleaned the car this morning. (I am still a SHE, after all. I've only
learned these tips since January, when I fired the cleaning service. This
year I'll be 60, so I'm not exactly BO.) - Flybaby in New Mexico
28. I know what's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Here is one tip that has helped me greatly. Putting the what's for lunch,
and what's for dinner in my morning routine every day. I also include a
what's for breakfast routine in my morning routine, because I get up very
early, and if I eat my breakfast that early then by nine or ten in the
morning I an hungry again (and I don't need to eat two breakfasts because I
am overweight) so I also take my breakfast to school. (I am at college all
day). Because of the what's for breakfast, what's for lunch, and what's for
dinner in my morning routine I take my food to school with me and this is
helping me to loose weight. (I also take two healthy pieces of fruit with me
for snacks during the day too so what's for my two snacks in in the morning
routine too.) (Also, I don't grab fast food on the way home anymore because
I have something all ready for me at home or at least have the ingredients at
home all planned out for me to use for dinner.) Putting this one thing in my
morning routine has so far helped me to loose 29 pounds this year.
from,
FLYBaby Getting Thinner in California
29. I reworked the routines to find what was best for me!
I have 5 main areas (Kitchen, Living Room, Master Bedroom/Bath, Bathroom/Laundry, My Office) and each one has it's own "15 min. Blessing" day. This is when I do my zone cleaning (usually over my lunch hour) with the exception of sweeping/vacuuming and mopping - I do all of that on Wednesday morning because the rest of my family leaves earlier than any other day of the week.
Laundry - I do one load every day - wash in the am, dry & put away in the PM. My morning & evening routines includes a quick 15 minute "sweep" of the house - general pick up, plump the cushions, check hotspots, feather dust, etc. Trash cans are emptied every night so I never have to see another overflowing trash can again, takes less than 10 minutes.
Suppers are usually bake all day on low temp with little monitoring needed or quick and easy after work or better still, crockpot! I always pull what I want to thaw for the next day's meal before going to bed as part of my evening routine. Dishes are done and sink is shining every night.
Yard work and gardening are my stress releasers, so I spend 15 minutes right after work, and before anything else, working on my garden or lawn or plants, etc. It signifies to my brain that I'm "off the clock" and allows me to vent my frustrations (great time to weed!) or celebrate my victories from the day. Helps me unwind so I can enjoy being with my family.
Thursday is my errands & bill paying day. Saturdays & Sundays are "DO WHAT YOU WANT!" Days, though they didn't used to be.
I have had to rework the routines a few times until I found what was best for me, but things are running a lot smoother and it's a great feeling to "leave" my office and step into a nice cheery and cared for home.
Flybaby in Pennsylvania
Virtual Sales Assistant
30. I Plan My Meals at Lunch
Attitude is everything. At work we experience planning all of the time,
and yet at home we try to fly by the seat of our pants. The best 15
minutes I spend all week I don't even do at home, I do on my lunch: meal
planning. There is nothing more exhausting or stressful than trying to
come up with a nutritious, easy-to-make dinner night after night. We've
all done it, the search for ingredients we "knew" we had, run out to
"pick up a few things", or worse, settled for fast food because we just
can't deal with it. - A grateful and reformed retail worker
31. I Do as Much As I Can in the Morning
I do my Home Blessing on Monday and Tuesday. On both days I get up 15 to 30
minutes earlier than I need to to get to work on time and do as much as I
can in the morning, a little bit after work. I feather-dust on both days
any chance I get between other things.
Monday: stairs (sweep) and bathrooms (shine toilets, sinks, mirrors);
change sheets
Tuesday: floors (sweep and quickly mop kitchen, bathrooms, entry; vacuum
under the dining room table and the middles in living room and bedroom)
I also try to get up on time every day to do one load of laundry before work
if necessary. How nice not to have to do it on the weekend!
It's amazing how much a weekly routine helps keep things from piling up! I
never would have believed it a year ago if someone told me I would get up
early every single Monday morning to clean three bathrooms before going to
work! Now, I can't imagine not doing it. - Geologist FlyBaby, upstate New York
32. My Favorite Weapon is the Crock Pot!
I am a payroll SHE who is also VERY involved in church (several evenings per week) and has 2 small children (4 and 18 months). I have been FLYing for almost a year, and it's definitely baby steps. One of the biggest helps for my family is planning our dinners. I plan for each week on Wednesday when the grocery ads come out. I shop for what I need on Thursday. My meals are simple, but healthy and complete. My favorite weapon is the crock pot! I love coming home to a great smelling house and dinner already finished! I can't stress enough the importance of planning ahead!! When my husband and I bring leftovers for lunch into the faculty lounge at work, my coworkers are amazed that I have time to make such wonderful meals!!
33. They Were Sneaking into My Work Day!
I'm a payroll she (I am the owner and sole employee of
a talent agency), and I've found that the routines and
ideas and encouragement that Flylady offers for us at
home, work REALLY WELL at work too!
I was feeling bummed that I couldn't work all those 15
minute zone cleans and 5 minute room rescues and such
into my "at home" day; but I noticed that they were
sneaking into my "work" day at the office. It wasn't
even intentional, but I realized I was arranging my
work into 5 and 15 minute projects and really focusing
on those, and actually accomplishing them!
I also applied the hotspot drills to my hotspot areas
and work and it's been like magic! I know where
things are; I don't have to shuffle through endless
stacks of paper to find the one thing I need. It's
great!
At home, I've got my bedtime routine down (really
small, set out my clothes, make sure the kitchen sink
and counters are clean, know what's for dinner the
next day, and brush my teeth). Now that I can handle.
I have an equally short morning routine, but it has
helped so much.
For right now, the only other thing I do at home is
keep my three hot spots clean. I'm beginning to make
my control journal, and beginning (baby baby baby
steps)to incorporate the cleaning routines.
But the neat thing is, I come home so much more
relaxed and energized from work, because I haven't
been a frazzled mess there. If the floor's a little
dirty, or there's some laundry to do, I'm not
overwhelmed. I can just decide when best to do it and
do it then.
So being a Payroll she, Flylady and gang have blessed
me in TWO ways.....at work and at home.
Thanks so much for you guidance and encouragement.
- Flybaby in St. Paul
34. The change in my thinking has been the best!
I agree, its really hard to fit stuff in during the week. I get home
pretty early, but I have a very stressful job and basically just want to
sit for a long while when I walk in the door. So doing a little "blessing"
chores each nite is not going to work for me-I tried it! But--what will
work is keeping the bathroom swished and swiped, the sink clean, an evening
routine, and a 5 minute room rescue/hot spot attack right before bed. I
honestly enjoy doing some weekly things on Saturday AM, and since the house
is pretty straight/clean anyway, its not so overwhelming to contemplate
mopping the kitchen floor.
I am "lucky" enough to have a very small house--but the down side is that
my DH and DSS (dear stepson) are messy beyond words. I used to waste tons
of energy getting angry when I got home and "no body had done
anything". Now, if I want it done, I do it. They apparently are not
bothered by a mess, and I am, so I need to clean it up!! I really learned
from FlyLady's lectures about whining--I have to work, the house has to be
done, get over it!! So--the change in my thinking has been the best "tip"
I can pass on.
Thanks to you all- a Low Country, SC Flybaby--a registered nurse who does
clinical research for pharmaceutical companies.
35. Set the Timer for 10 Minutes and Go Go Go!
Cleaning out my sink and around the counter, then the commode every morning
with a clorox wipe has made my bathroom a pleasure to be in every day. We
never go to bed with the kitchen sink not shiny and the clothes for the next
day picked out. I am lucky that my hubby is a SAHD, but he did not love
cleaning either. Now we can get the house done in 30 minutes. It is not
great, who cares? We do not resent the other one for not "helping." Set the
timer for 10 minutes and go go go. He will also empty the trash cans a few
times a week, but never puts bags back in, I don't care, I can put bags in. - PayRoll SHE Dentist
36. I giggle when I realize I've done 3 meals in 15 minutes!
I'm a full-time instructor at a community college. Doing menu planning and using the crockpot a few times a week has been a lifesaver. On the one or two nights we know we are very busy because of a night class or a meeting, I may put a frozen dinner or takeout on the menu! But otherwise, by planning the menu, we are eating healthier and going to the grocery store much less! I also ask my husband if there is a day in the week he wants to make one of his specialty items (I like to try new recipes - he likes his tried and true!) There are lots of great crockpot recipes that can be thrown together quickly, and if I have done my evening routine, it doesn't take much time or effort to eat breakfast, pack lunch, and cook dinner all in the morning! I giggle when I realize I've done 3 meals in 15 minutes! - FLYing in Central Michigan
37. If I stay in "work mode" for 15 minutes - it is amazing
how much I can accomplish ...
I find that the most important 15 minutes of my day start as soon as I walk
in the door from work. Like many SHE's - I suffer from inertia... when I'm
in motion I tend to stay in motion; when I stop, I stay stopped.
If I give in to the urge to just "relax" for a bit, the evening tends to just
slip away from me. If I stay in "work mode" for 15 minutes - it is amazing
how much I can accomplish and then I can enjoy the rest of the evening
without guilt. I do another 15 minutes in my zone before bed - including
laying out my outfit for the next day.
I no longer have to spend the weekends fretting and zooming about - I've
babystepped through the week. - - Western MA, Admin Assistant
38. There is hardly a weekend that the
washer is turned on for the occasional extra load
FlyLady's suggestions work for me, no need to re-invent the wheel!
Home blessing for this Payroll she is split over days. It takes less than
10 minutes for each morning.
Blessing - Wednesday morning dusting, Thursday morning bathroom sinks,
toilets and mirrors, Friday morning floors. DH does the vacuuming (still by
the martyr system - one big job!)
Laundry - Wednesday evening is white laundry, Thursdy evening is colored
laundry, Friday evening is Kids clothes. There is hardly a weekend that the
washer is turned on for the occasional extra load.
Meals - My plan is pretty simple and flexible. Sunday is Salmon, Monday and
Wednesday are left overs or kid cooked food as DH works late, Tuesday is
Chicken, Thursday is soup or chili (crock pot), Friday is Spagetti night,
Saturday is Chicken. When I cook I make a larger batch than needed and
freeze for extra meals or lunches at work. - Customer Service, Portland OR
39. I printed
them all out ...
Dear Flycrew,
I am a full-time university student and Payroll SHE; my schedule varies from
day to day, but I usually work 14 hour days including classes, work and
homework. I don't have a computer at home, so I am always in the computer
lab on campus when I check my email and see the reminders. So, I printed
them all out and put them in a slim, flexible binder to keep at home. One
tab contains all the reminders that get sent out every day, and I have a tab
for the special reminders that get sent out different days of the week
(divided into Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, etc.) This has really helped A
LOT!
I follow simple routines and work my 15 minutes of decluttering in every day
(sometimes I break it up into 5 minute segments). I used to have a really
long evening routine, but I was always so exhausted by bedtime that I could
never do it all, so I broke it into an afternoon list and an evening list.
The longer afternoon list is what I do as soon as I get home, and the
evening list is short and sweet. The morning list is short too, since I am
NOT a morning person! (LOL!) When I am at home doing homework, I set my
timer for 50 minute segments. I do homework or study for 50 minutes, then
set my timer for 10 minutes, flip open my binder and tackle one or two of
the reminders. Then I set my timer for another 5 minutes and do something
fun or just relax. Then I start a new cycle and keep going until my
homework is done (by that time, the house is usually sparkling too!)
I am a returning, older student, and when I was in college before, I drank
TONS of caffeine to keep going and often pulled all-nighters, procrastinated
on my assignments, and my stuff was in CHAOS! Things are SO much better
now! Flylady has been a total Godsend (or should I say God breeze?) for me!
Blessings to you! - Flybaby in Idaho
40. We reduced the clutter - 40 blessing bags!
My DH and I share a law practice, share the homeschooling of our children, and we've been FLYING together for about a month!
I turned my husband onto Flying when I told him that our anniversary and my birthday were coming up. I didn't want any stuff, but he could show his love for me through his cooperation in getting our house in order. I pointed out that MUCH of the clutter in the house was his, and he might not like what I did with it. And, I promised him that he'd appreciate the routines and would only need to spend fifteen extra minutes a day.
The rest is extraordinary. We've managed to take about 40 blessing bags and boxes to charity in the last month. We've run out of room in the trash can every week. We have a ways to go, but the routines are holding and we're loving this organized feelin'.
(And, I think my DH feels, all-in-all Flying is easier than picking out presents for his wife!)
Co-ed Flying in Dallas
41. Housework done incorrectly still blesses my
family, right?!
I'm a newborn flybaby so I'm probably not the best
person to give advice but here goes. I'm a teacher in
a middle school alternative ed program. In plain
english, my students are the worst of the worst who
can't handle the regular classroom. I'm also the
mother of 4 DD's--14, 10, 5 &3. I'm away from home
10-11 hours a day and often come home VERY tired and
crabby. For the longest time I beat myself up for not
doing enough, not following all the reminders, etc. A
lightbulb moment came after reading those emails about
the flexibility of routines. It IS okay to slip!! I'm
still in the decluttering stage but instead of killing
myself over it I do 15 min of decluttering in one room
each(ok, most) weekdays. On the weekends I usually do
the hot spots and fling boogies. If it's 2 or 3 days
after the clean purse or clean car boogie, that's ok.
It doesn't matter if I follow the reminders perfectly,
after all, housework done incorrectly still blesses my
family, right?! -
Fluttering in Minnesota
42. I couldn't live without it now!
I am a middle-school teacher. I used to come home and crash on the couch from exhaustion. Every Saturday was spent cleaning but by Wednesday the house was a wreck again. I used to say, "I've got two kids, a dog, and a full time job. I CAN'T keep a clean house!" Now I know that's stinking thinking, and I don't need those excuses any more.
My evening is in two parts: upstairs and downstairs. Every afternoon when I get home, I go straight upstairs to change clothes. Then I quickly make the bed (DH was still in it when I left in the morning), hit hot spots, lay out clothes for tomorrow, and re-boot the laundry I started that morning. After supper, I do my downstairs routine: shine the sink, water flowers, take my calcium, and fix my lunch for the next day. I'm still working on making Zone Cleaning part of my daily routine.
Later, I go back upstairs to fold and put away the laundry. I also take care of myself with a work-out video in my bedroom (I use one with a great stretching segment that leaves me feeling pampered!) and a shower with good-smelling stuff.
I have a weekly plan, too, that includes just one or two things to do each day. It's listed all on one page in my control journal, so I can check it off all week. For example, Monday is when I work in the yard. On Tuesday, I empty all the garbage cans in the house (the trash goes to the curb on Wednesday) and do my workout video. Wednesdays I go to church and I also try to squeeze in some anti-procrastination! :) On Thursday, I wash hand washables. I do my Home Blessing Hour on Saturday, which I know Flylady doesn't recommend, but I'm a morning person so I usually get most of it done before my family is awake. And it's such a huge difference to spend only one hour of Saturday cleaning instead of the whole weekend! If I have early morning plans on Saturday, I just break the Blessing Hour into parts on Thursday and Friday night.
I know this is long, but I really wanted to share how Flylady's system works for me. I started it last summer and wasn't sure I could do it once school started, but I couldn't live without it now! What I've learned is to keep routines short and simple, and to constantly adjust with the seasons and other activities. It does work for Payroll SHE's! - Working and Flying in KY
43. I Use Commute Time to Pay Bills
Well, I'm not usually "company ready" but about 20-30 mintues from it. If someone popped in, the embarassment would be mild (and centered on the coffee table). For me, the night routine is absolutely the most important. The dishes are washed and drying in the drainer (no dish washer), the clothes and morning meds are set out, lunch is packed, some picking up, and stuff to mail along with anything else I need is in my commutter bag. I commute via train and bus to work daily but use that time to pay bills (that I can drop in a mailbox at the station so I don't haul it around for a week) and write out simple cards/letters. I also use it for me time - finish Sunday paper, church newsletter, book, or stare out the window with my thoughts.
44. DryCleaning and Direct Deposit
I found a drycleaner that picks up and drops off for free. Once a week I put
my husband's dirty work shirts into the drawstring laundry bag that they
provided... hang it on the back door knob and when I get home, in it's place
are the 5 washed, starched shirts from the week before.
My other tip is make sure to use direct deposit if your employer offers it.
And have direct withdrawal for bills you feel comfortable paying
automatically (electric, mortgage, cable, car payments, insurance.) No more
bank lines, no more late fees, no more worring about having enough stamps.
FlyBaby (2 months) in Hudson OH, marketing consultant
45. I Keep My Car Filled With Gas!
I must confess I have not been able to incorporate very many routines from your website (yet!), but I have taken your advice on keeping my car filled with gasoline. It is amazing how much stress that takes out of a morning, secure in the fact you can get to work without worrying if you can make it for lack of gas! Also, knowing that I have not needlessly endangered my children by stranding us on the side of the highway.
This is a tip that all payroll SHE's can use. Who hasn't been running late only to hop into the car and discover you are on fumes?!
Keep up your good work. I read your e-mail reminders and know that through repetition, I will eventually start flying. -
A" fly baby wannabe" attorney from Louisiana
46. Get a Feather Duster
At first only do flylady's basic morning and afternoon routines (make bed,
shine sink) and concentrate of decluttering by the zone of the week. After
you've got your house decluttered (may take 2 or 3 months), cleaning really
does become easier. I am now concentrating on the weekly home blessing
routine. I've found that I need to split the weekly home blessing into small
segments because if I had something else to do on the night of my weekly home
blessing, it would completely throw me off. I've also learned to keep
Saturdays and Sundays almost free. On Tuesdays, I dust and Windex, Wednesday
clean the bathrooms, Thursday vacuum, Friday's clean the kitchen. I set the
timer for 15 minutes upstairs and 15 minutes downstairs. Get a feather
duster - dusting goes much faster. Saturday morning when I get up my house
is clean, I water my plants and sit in my clean and decluttered kitchen and
pay my bills and then I'm free to do other things. -
Auditor, Virginia
47. I meet my husband in our
bedroom at 9:30 every evening.
One thing that I insist on doing, each and every day is that no matter how
frazzled I am or what does or doesn't get done, I meet my husband in our
bedroom at 9:30 every evening. This gives us time to come down from our day,
and we meet to talk, cuddle, have a warm bath, read, watch tv or just sit and
just do nothing. My husband knows that this is his special time, and I don't
feel as bad about rushing around after I get home from work to tend to the
dinner, the kids, the clean up, etc. We have really re-connected as friends
since we've started this.
Thanks,
-
Florida
48. The Flylady system is that it is absolutely adaptable, as long
I remember some rules ...
The beauty of the Flylady system is that it is absolutely adaptable, as long
I remember some rules. Baby steps. You're not behind. Jump in where you
are. Housework (and yardwork) incorrectly done is still a blessing,
especially for payroll SHEs. What has worked for me has been to break down
the weekly home blessing and assign each part to a daily routine, usually
one I do as I'm cleaning up after dinner or as my DH cooks. Years ago, my
DH and I divided up what we call "providing the meal." I provide dinner on
M, W, Sat; he does it on T, Th, Sun; Fridays we wing it (usually go out,
bring in or fend for ourselves on leftovers.) On my days I cook and make
sure I stay in the kitchen while dinner is cooking. I do all the kitchen
blessings for the week on the three days that I am watching over the dinner
preparations (clean out frig, sweep, dust and so on) - fewer burned dinners
this way. The other "blessings" around the house I do on T, Th during the
time DH is cooking. Friday after work (yes, I'm beat but I drag up a little
more energy and it's worth it) I do the floors (vacuum and mop). Things are
finished for the weekend and all I have to do are my routines, which leaves
the weekend more or less free for fun. My morning and evening routines take
only about five minutes each because I do hot spot fire prevention every
time I walk by a hot spot (and there are about five in my house). Keeping
on top of the clutter in the hot spots makes the routines very short. My
morning routine includes swishing the bathroom. I have some family issues
with the kitchen sink (they haven't quite caught on yet) so my shower stall
is my kitchen sink for now. I have an inexpensive bottle of shampoo
(lavendar scented, yum) and a nylon net poof just for cleaning. When I take
my shower I lather up the poof with the shampoo, scrub down the inside of
the doors, part of a wall and the chrome around the handle. Last thing
before I get out I rinse down the doors, then take a hand towel and dry off
the chrome. I replace the hand towel each day after this routine. Every
time I visit the bathroom, my enthusiasm is renewed by my shining shower
doors and handles. By the way, I have done more entertaining in the six
months on Flylady (and enjoyed it more) than in the previous eleven years
that I've been on payroll. Three weeks ago my husband suddenly decided to
retire after 33 years of teaching. Two days ago (on a Friday night) I very
calmly threw him a retirement party that I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, I took
a day off work to do the last minute prep stuff, but I spent most of that
time doing photography at an awards ceremony for a friend and picking up
food. What made the difference was six months of flywashing - it doesn't
have to be PERFECT. I didn't spend weeks cleaning and cooking. I spent ONE
HOUR doing a quick dusting, vacuumed and mopped, and cleaned the guest
bathroom. Because virtually everything (even hot spots) was cleared off
because of routines it took no longer than that. I've been baby stepping
through the garden all spring (a gift to myself is a fifteen-minute routine
in the garden every morning, and it's amazing what those baby steps have
produced!) so the front and back yards were, while not perfect, perfectly
presentable. I sometimes have to lecture myself, but I now know that if I
am willing to jump in somewhere and work it in baby steps, in seemingly no
time the work will be done to a point where it takes very little time to
maintain. My thanks to Flylady (and my payroll SHE sister who turned me on
to her) for the emails, testimonials and most of all, a useable system! -
Flybaby in SoCa.
49. Each of us are responsible for one of these sections
for a week.
I decided to ask for help. I sat down with DH and
my 11 yr old DD and said, "I need help! There is no
way I can do it all by myself." They then said, "What
can we do??"
I divided the house into three common area
sections- Kitchen, Bathroom, Living room/Dining room.
Each of us are responsible for one of these sections
for a week. There are five chores to be done in each
section (ex. Bathroom- scrub toilet, scrub tub, wipe
the counter and sink and mirror, shake out rug then
sweep, mop) and we have a whole week to get them done.
On Sundays we switch sections. I have the lists in
paper protectors so we can check them off as they are
done. DH and DD know what to do, when to have it done
by and if DD is in a whiney "I don't wanna do it"
mood, I tell her to argue with the list, not with me.
I also have a white board hanging up where we can
post missions for each other and ourselves. The most
wonderful surprise my DH gave me was noticing that his
mission section was empty, but mine was full (typical
SHE attitude), so he transferred some of the jobs to
his side and did them! -
A FLYing Montessori Teacher in Vancouver, WA.
50. Housework was a gift I could give myself, rather than a chore...
Ok, this got longer than I meant it to. Its turned into a testimonial,
sorry. I just feel for all the people who say they can't do this and work, I
was one of them a few years ago and quit getting the flylady emails, but
would check the site from time to time. I was drawn back by how much fun the
zone missions are, easy and do-able. It was an attitude change I needed,
that housework was a gift I could give myself, rather than a chore.
Here's my biggest tip for being a payroll SHE: leave your work at work when
you go home for the day and take your weekends OFF! Its easy to pull
yourself twenty directions and think that makes you a better employee but
that ain't true.
This is how I do flylady at work to make that happen:
* Keep your desk or workspace as shiny as your sink. This means no papers
out when you leave for the night. I give mine a weekly cleaning with a
little window cleaner as part of leaving for the weekend, what a nice thing
to see on Monday morning.
* My "bedtime" routine at work is to make a to-do list for the next day
every night before I go home and for the next week on Friday. This enables
me to leave work at work and has permitted me to be a flybaby at home.
* My "morning" routine at work is to sort my incoming mail, check my voice
mail and email and return any calls or email messages as quickly as
possible. Haven't taken the timer to work, but that wouldn't hurt! This
leaves me free for the day to get work done.
* On anti-procrastination day, I do one work thing that I've been putting
off, and one thing from home. (I take my control journal and make a nasty
phone call I've been dreading or such like during my lunch break) Use five
minutes of your lunch break once a week to schedule appointments for
yourself and family.
* Clear your "hotspots" at work daily and make appointments with yourself
for tiny pieces of longer projects.
* Clutter is the enemy at work too! Declutter your files one at a time,
donate the supplies you do not use, throw out pens that don't work, sort
junk mail right into the trash.
As far as my home: I don't think you have to adapt FlyLady's methods too
much to do them around your work schedule, you just have to remember to take
baby steps, get rid of the stuff that is in your way, and learn to take joy
in caring for what you have. Don't clean on the weekends, that is trying to
catch up instead of starting where you are. Simplify! Everything FlyLady
says about decluttering applies to everyone, its not so hard to clean your
house when you have less stuff!
I get FlyLady on digest and simply make time in the morning for the 15
minute missions as a reward to myself for doing my morning routine. (I check
email in the morning after breakfast and the dogs are walked, read the
digest, check the site if the mission is not in the digest, and GO!) Going
to bed ontime and getting up and ready to go means I have a little time for
myself in the morning, and it feels so good to go to work having spent a
little "me" time already that day. I do my weekly home blessing hour on
Friday mornings so the house is clean for the weekend. I stick to morning
and evening routines, cleaning my hotspots, doing some zone work,
decluttering a few times a week, and a weekly home blessing. Its turned my
house around. It doesn't have to be hard: I love flylady, she taught me
that. For instance, previously I was scrubbing floors on my hands and knees
like my grandmother did around all the clutter and my unfolded laundry--how
silly that was! Now I pull out my lovely new mop, and push it around my bare
floors, and it takes me 10 minutes. Being able to take care of my home is a
reward to me, I don't have to wait until I retire or can be a SAHM to have a
clean home! -
Flybaby Event Planner in Chicago
51. Call yourself at home...
If you are at work or away from the house and you need to remember to do
something, (or to bring something to work the next day) give yourself a call
and leave a message on your home answering machine. It's a simple idea that
you'd be surprised how many people have not thought to do it!
52. Children get so
excited about beating the timer!
Hey Everyone!!
I am blessed with an in-home family childcare. As you can imagine, my
home can at times resemble a demolition derby. Aside from our twin sons,
my husband and I care for 16 children in our home. Some tricks I have
learned to help with the CHAOS that comes along with SHE's and little ones
are: When it's clean up time, I pull out my timer and the children get so
excited about beating the timer. It's amazing how fast they can make a
room look litterally spotless! When naptime comes along, I like to play a
game I call find-a-home for all of the miscelleneous objects that clutter
our home. I also find that if I place ONE pair of shoes neatly in their
spot, then ALL of the children follow the example without me asking them to
straighten them out. I used to blame my messy home on the precious little
ones who bless me daily. Thanks to you, my attitude has been under some
serious construction and the shame that I used to feel when someone came
into my home is nearly gone! -
Getting ready for take off in Maine
53. One o'clock is quitting time and the rest of the weekend is mine.
I teach high school special needs students in NJ. Routines are what keep me going and on track. I get up at 5:15 AM in order to leave at 7:15. Even with some physical limitations, I can shower, makeup, hair, dress to shoes, wash a load of laundry, make and eat breakfast, help my husband dress (he's disabled), swish and swipe two bathrooms, change bathtowels, and make the bed before I walk out the door.
As soon as I get home I change clothes and do 15 - 30 minutes of chores, finish the laundry, and make lunches for the next day while dinner cooks.
After dinner, I choose tomorrow's clothes, pack my bag and purse, and set up the coffee pot and put out dishes and stuff for breakfast. The rest of the evening is mine. I go to bed when I need to, not according to what's on TV.
Weekends are catch-up, but with rules. I get up at 6:00 on Saturday morning and get stuff done 15 minutes at a time. One o'clock is quitting time and the rest of the weekend is mine.
"Your techniques work for my students too. They love it when I say, "Desk Fire Prevention-- Go!" - Teacher SHE in Vancouver (Canada)
"The best advice I can give any payroll SHE who wants to spend more time with her DH is: Shut off the TV!
Many times, we marrieds claim that we have no time together. However we can
manage to spend 2 hours daily in front of the TV, usually sitting side by
side." - RN in San Jose
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