Body Clutter

[Sara1000]

Use the daily digest option and you will get one email a day you can scan through. Otherwise it's outrageous!

[suegy3]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

Well I was a member many years ago as homeschooling mom, and don't recall the digest option back then, but I do recall getting emails practically every 15 minutes:
- "Hot spots!"
- "15-minute challenge!"
- "Are you wearing shoes?"
- "Laundry challenge!"
- "Is your sink shining?"
etc. I was exhausted just reading them, forget about doing them!

LOL! What's the deal with the shiny sink? And why should we wear shoes in the house?

[Jane P.]

I belonged for a while and got overwhelmed by all the emails. I used certain aspects of the system and made it work for me. I generally don't wear shoes in the house unless I'm doing heavy housework. I've stubbed my toes a few times, and now realize that it's best to have shoes on while vacuuming.

As for the Body Clutter book, I bought it, read it and sold it. I didn't think it was worth keeping.

I think it's important to get in the habit of cooking healthy meals and then tweak things from there.

[Lucky Star]

Originally Posted by suegy3

LOL! What's the deal with the shiny sink? And why should we wear shoes in the house?

OMG she was *obsessed* with shining sinks! Her goal is for them to always be not just clean, but polished and gleaming. (Too bad, mine always had something that needed washing in it. )
And the shoes... well she wanted to make sure you got properly dressed when up, not frowsing around in a nightie or something. Okay I get that, but I will ALWAYS be barefoot in my house. And any guests who drop by know that about me.

Her 'bible', Sink Reflections: http://www.flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_Sink.asp

[Demeris]

One thing that I have taken from flylady and used faithfully every day is to clean the kitchen before I go to bed. Regardless of how wild my day has been or how horrid the mess in the kitchen is, I clean the kitchen before I go to bed.

That single effort has changed my life so much for the better. No, I don't shine the sink, but I do make sure it's clean.

[kirov2]

The point of the shiny sink is more symbolic than anything else, IMO.

IIRC, it was the first thing that Marla did to make her home look better. It was easy, it was do-able, and it got her sparkling results. Then, regardless of how much clutter there still was in her home, the sink was a sparkling reminder of what she had done and what potential there was for the rest of the house in the future. It was a new standard, a new baseline for her.

There are lots of people for whom the shiny sink just doesn't cut it. Those people might prefer focusing on a made-up bed or a cleared-off dining room table, or an uncluttered hallway----kept up that way daily and all the time.

[hotncmom]

Yeah, no one who has ever visited my house cares if there are a few dishes in the sink. I get a lot of compliments on my house - people tell me it's clean. It's pretty crazy because I am terrible at cleaning IMO. I think what people notice is that it is neat and things are put away and we don't have a lot of clutter. If someone is coming over I will vacuum the dog fur tumbleweeds off the hardwoods because that's just embarrassing. But I expend an enormous amount of energy just keeping things put away...it takes away from my actual cleaning time! Like I said, it doesn't seem to make a difference...people think if it's neat, it's clean. Little do they know (muuuhahaha).

But as for clutter, they're not looking in the garage or storage area next the bonus room...that's where all our crap is.

Instead of focusing on the sink, I make the beds every day. IMO that's the best thing you can do to make your house look good. Plus, I use the top of the bed for folding laundry!

[rhbrand]

I'm sorry, but if its my freaking day off of work I might just stay in my jammies all day long and she can stuff it!

[topfitmama]

Originally Posted by Demeris

One thing that I have taken from flylady and used faithfully every day is to clean the kitchen before I go to bed. Regardless of how wild my day has been or how horrid the mess in the kitchen is, I clean the kitchen before I go to bed.

That single effort has changed my life so much for the better. No, I don't shine the sink, but I do make sure it's clean.

A dirty kitchen will make me depressed as soon as I see it in the morning. And I have to go through the kitchen to get anywhere else in the house but the bathroom. Dh and anyone who has lived with me know that. I HATE finding a dirty stove, crumbs, food smeared on the counter, and dishes in the sink.
I don't shine my sink, but I do take a microfiber cloth and wipe it down when I'm done my mom taught me to clean up the sink when I was done with the dishes

Originally Posted by kirov2

The point of the shiny sink is more symbolic than anything else, IMO.

IIRC, it was the first thing that Marla did to make her home look better. It was easy, it was do-able, and it got her sparkling results. Then, regardless of how much clutter there still was in her home, the sink was a sparkling reminder of what she had done and what potential there was for the rest of the house in the future. It was a new standard, a new baseline for her.

There are lots of people for whom the shiny sink just doesn't cut it. Those people might prefer focusing on a made-up bed or a cleared-off dining room table, or an uncluttered hallway----kept up that way daily and all the time.

I agree. And I think the Flylady, like any system, will only work if you personalize it and make it yours.
I intend to try out her zones and her morning and evening routine idea loosely. I checked her baby steps and IMO I don't need them. But I do need some help organizing my cleaning and decluttering so my house feels good to me.

[FirmDancer]

Originally Posted by FitBoop

I'll save you a bunch of money. Here are my tips:

1. Wear what you want in your house.
2. Vacuum and dust your house once a week.
3. Donate stuff you haven't used in a long time.
4. Don't leave things on the floor.
5. Hang up your clothes or put them in drawers.
6. Work out every day.


I won't even send you any e-mails.

Have you thought about writing a book.