Ok ~ I have been so hard working on dolls the past few weeks that i am not sure I even know what the outside of my studio looks like. (actually I do ~ the children have taken my absence as a license to run amok!) My groceries are almost non existent, I could make chicken for breakfast but I think the kiddos would revolt. (or be revolted!) My laundry needs attention, I would like to prune my roses and spend a little time getting my flowerbeds ready to plant, and I just need to stop and take a little break.
I have been checking out a lovely little place on-line that has helped a lot in how I organize my time and my home. Its called Flylady.com. Fly lady is a wonderful site that has so many useful time-saving tips on how to de-clutter, de-stress, and reclaim your home and family.
Is it magic you say? No just a very humorous and loving reality check.
How much will it cost me you ask? Nada, Zippo, Zilch, I say! This is a free website just loaded with advice (and I mean good advice too) on everything from a to z in organizing your housework so that you never have to worry if someone is coming over unexpected, your house will slowly and surely start running itself effortlessly. (no more throwing everything in the closet, or dirty dishes in the oven!)
You say impossible!!! No it is not impossible but it is a process that will require patience. They start you out with baby-steps, a whole month of them, and if you are like me (I like instant gratification) you will try to do them all at once. Well I tried to do them all at once (a couple of times) but what I have learned in this process that the FLYlady takes us through teaches how to create habits that last, habits that make our home lives easier in just 15 to 20 minute a day steps. not marathon worthy bursts of frustrating cleaning and organizing that leave you exhausted and then since it is not a habit and you don't have methods in place that make cleaning easier, your home just goes straight back to being a mess again. Going through the site may seem a bit daunting at first. So my recommendation is to go straight to the baby-step section and follow the steps 1 thru 30, and while you are checking on your daily baby-step, take a few minutes to check out the rest of the site. (limit yourself to 5 mins or you could end up being there all day!) Also I would recommend that if you do join please read through her welcome letter thoroughly, the amount of e-mail reminders can seem like a lot at first but you do have the option to set your reminders to a daily digest so you get all of them in one e-mail. (I did not think I would like the reminders at first but now I love them!)
I am just getting through the baby-steps for the second time an I am glad that I took the time to do the steps in such a way that even though my house got messy while I was working in my studio. I know that it will only take me about a half hour to get things back in shape! I do backslide a bit still but I can hop back on the organization train and WHO-OT WHO-OT, start again! :)