# Where do you all start???



## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

I would love to live up to my resolution this year, and actually clean every nook and cranny in my house from top to bottom at some point during the year, cleaning and organizing as I go, and hopefully leaving my family and myself a wonderful, clean, organized, easy to live in home when I reach the end. A pretty lofty goal, I know, and one I have wanted to attempt for several years now.

My problem is trying to decide where to start. 

I would love to clear out my kitchen, but to do that, my utility room storage needs to be organized..... To do that, the gym equip that DS & DH have in utility room would need to go to an upstairs bedroom....... The "spare" upstairs bedroom is currently occupied by DS, who is living at home "part time" while he works 2 jobs trying to get out from under some unfortunate bills...... Some of the furniture from that room needs to be swapped out with some currently in the Office/Gun room to make it more useable ... but no way it will fit in bedroom now ..... 

Seems like for every thing I would like to do to improve our living space, there are 2 things that need to be done first, and 3 reasons we can't do either of those. It's a might depressing.

Where do you start?


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

I can really relate! Can't offer much help, but is there somewhere you can store a few things temporarily- a relative's, friend's, rent a space? You need a little room to be able to work while you're cleaning and organizing. Getting a few things out of a single space will inspire you. I know this from experience! I have the same goal and am working on it. I've dejunked and cleaned a lot in the past month. Gotta get it done before mid Feb. That's when I start the greenhouse up and don't have time for much of anything else after work. If you can't store it, just move it somewhere for a day or two until you can straighten one area, then if necessary, bring it back. It will still make you feel better to get even one space dejunked, cleaned and organized. Good luck and post your progress!


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## blue gecko (Jun 14, 2006)

Give some thought to where you want things to end up as you reorganize. For example if you need a sewing space where everything sewing related lives then clear that space completely and organize your sewing center. Now as you clean other areas and find sewing items you'll have a place for them to go. 

Don't put ANYTHING back into that space that doesn't belong there. That's why you think about this ahead of time. Put the things that have been ousted into the space you have predesignated. Once you start it will seem like a domino effect so don't get caught up in doing it all at one time. Put yourself on a schedule of say an hour a day max or you'll get burned out and you'll end up with lots of unfinished jobs. 

Something else that you may find useful is to start a regular cleaning schedule that over the course of 2 weeks covers everything in the house. Of course there are daily and weekly chores but the in-betweens like reorganizing under sinks or wiping down the laundry room or washing trash cans etc can be spread out a little more.

Like pinemead, I've been working on this project myself....I've come to the conclusion that it's rather neverending LOL but each time I get an area in shape like I want it and can use it practically I'm overjoyed!


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I've found the book, "It's Here . . .Somewhere" to be very useful in organizing. Don Aslett also has one, and his also deals with low maintenance housekeeping along with organization.

I'm currently reading a book from Rodale Press called "Speed Cleaning," and it's just getting into cleaning and organizing before your can do the weekly cleaning. Seems to be really good.

And no, my house isn't spotless with everything in its place -- far from it! That's one of the reasons I read . . .


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## susieM (Apr 23, 2006)

A box of matches might do the trick.


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## LizinNH (Feb 2, 2003)

www.flylady.net

Try looking into to her website. 

Liz


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## Patsy (Apr 16, 2007)

I have the same issues, and at this point about all I can do is get rid of stuff that I don't use/need, etc. Some goes to the garbage, some goes into a rubbermaid for the upcoming garage sale. I know there is a lot of stuff that is taking up valuable space, and the mess is so stressful! I ask myself why am I keeping this? Do I need it? Would I miss it if it were gone? If I keep it, I keep it and move on to something else.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Take a quick trip through your house looking specifically for things you DON'T love or DON'T use - these are the things to get rid of first. Make a few trips to resale shops or charities to send the good stuff on to new homes, and plan on filling your trashcans or making a dump trip. Flylady says you can't organize clutter, you have to get rid of it.

After you've cleared out some space by decluttering, then you can start organizing what's left. What will make you feel really good - having one room that is clean, organized and peaceful, or just generally having the surfaces clean throughout the house? Think about what you would most like. If it's a restful space, maybe having your bedroom done first would be best for you. If it's a useful and useable space, maybe tackling the kitchen first? If it's a space that guests can enter without making you blush, maybe the living room? And, for all of the above, the bathroom(s) may be first on the list - and may be the easiest for you to clean and organize, giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Take a good look at whichever room you've chosen. Make it a critical look, like you were looking at it for the first time, as a buyer. Do you see dirty walls and a scuffed, fingerprint marked door? Missing trim? Stained carpet? Shabby rugs, bedding or furniture? Take the time to make a list - a really good list, complete with needed repair items, wish list items, and what you would like to change.

While you are doing all the above things, start developing your daily cleaning routines. Daily dishes and laundry, quick pickups several times a day, deal with the daily mail and file it the same day (get a new file box and start fresh here if you need to), and a quick wipe down of counters and sinks (kitchen and bath) every day. Daily scooping of the cat litter if you have an indoor cat, a quick sweep and vacuum every few days, and at least 15 minutes a day of general cleaning and straightening of the main areas of the house, as well as taking out the garbage daily. These are the things that will keep your house reasonably clean and odor-free, and make it fairly presentable to drop-in company. It will also make you feel better to have these things done each day, rather than having everything stack up and then have to be "dug out" over and over.

When you have your basic daily routines going, then it's time to tackle the deep cleaning in your chosen room. I start in one corner of the room and work my way around the perimeter until I've come back to the starting point. I use several bins - one for keep in room, one for laundry, one for trash, one for recycling, one for donations, and either one for things to keep elsewhere, or a series of bins for each room. As I work my way around the room, I put items into the bins and clear out everything. In the bedroom, that includes the dresser drawers and all surfaces, saving the closet for last, as that is a whole cleaning project all by itself. When the room is cleared and all that is left is the furniture, it's time to scrub. I work from top to bottom, sweeping cobwebs, washing ceiling, light fixtures, walls, door, window and frame, and finishing with the floor. Vacuum the mattress and put fresh, clean linens on the bed, wash the curtains and rehang them, and only put the clothes you use and love back into the dresser drawers. After I finish cleaning the room, mopping the floor (or steam cleaning the carpet if you have one), and really having everything scrubbed, I look at the room again. Did the scrubbing take care of the grubby door and the dingy walls? It often does. If not, maybe it's time to paint, now that the room is cleared and the remaining furniture can be moved out of the way easily. Paint is a cheap way to make the whole room look fresh. If money is tight, look for mis-tint paint or ask on Freecycle for leftover paint. You can mix paints together to get a shade you like, and I'd recommend you use at least an eggshell or satin finish for washability. Flat and semigloss mix together to give you a nice satin finish.

Now, what about all the bins....take them to the appropriate room, the trash, or to the car to be donated on your next trip to town. Light a few candles in your beautiful, fresh, peaceful bedroom retreat, and plan your next room attack. Remember, I just gave you the short version of what can be a big project - break it down into manageable bits and quit each day BEFORE you reach burnout. Maybe one day, all you will do is sort out the dresser drawer contents and decide what is just taking up room, and what you really wear. Another day, clean out the bedside table drawers and clear off the top. If you do something each day, you will get it done eventually.  There are 365 days in a year (and you get an extra day this year) - so pace yourself. Just make sure that once you've cleaned an area, you add it to your daily straightening routine so it stays the way you put it. 

That's just what works for me - there are as many methods to clean as there are people cleaning their homes. You'll find what works for you over time. Good luck, and keep us posted on how you're doing.


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## moongirl (May 19, 2006)

I've given up on the major projects. Instead I have started to pull one book at a time out of the shelves etc. It only takes a few seconds. I keep a container just outside my apartment door to be given away. My only vow this year is to actually get the receipts for my donation to claim on next years taxes. I figure that a little bit cleaned is better than none at all


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

*Lickcreek* - Baby steps! It can be done. Sorry I don't have much to add, *Manygoatsnmore* covered the big points, LOL. It has taken a few months, but after I got into a routine of first managing the day to day chores, it has made it much easier to tackle the big projects. And I've also learned that I don't have to "get it all done" right away - sometimes it takes a few days of an hour, or two (or three!) to work on the big stuff. But I know that the end result is helping to declutter and organize the house, so it helps keep me motivated. Hang in there, keep us posted!


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## susieM (Apr 23, 2006)

If the box of matches idea is too....strong, you could always just go back to bed and pull the covers up over your head.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Wow, never expected such a response! Thanks, all, for your suggestions and motivation!

susieM - I HAVE thought how much easier it would be just to build a new house and only move what I want to keep to it, planning for "special" rooms, allowing space for all DH's hobby possessions, and designated rooms for mine as well. Oh well, a great dream, but never going to happen in reality.

SO, here I am trying to make a plan to deal with it. I truly appreciate the support and ideas. I am still trying to decide where best to start. I may start with the bathroom, which is something I can do in short spurts in the evenings. Maybe getting it organized (purging the old worn towels that drive me crazy!! etc.) would help me want to get the rest of the laundry under control, which would help with the utility room problems.

Next would have to be the bedroom to get the rest of the laundry organized. But should probably be the office, since I cannot even bring myself to begin getting our tax info together, and that NEEDS to be done!!

WOW! I just realized I know that some things NEED to be done, and there are certain things that I WANT to get done. Since I feel guilty doing what I want to, when there are things I need to do, I find I've been putting EVERYTHING off. Wonder if I can convince myself to spend "X" amount of time working on the bathroom/bedroom, and then "X" amount of time organizing tax info in the office every night? Maybe splitting the "wants" and "needs" I can actually get something accomplished?

Okay, again, I admit, not really a "plan", but what a realization!! Does anyone else find themselves doing this? And, how do you deal with it?


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

lickcreek said:


> I may start with the bathroom, which is something I can do in short spurts in the evenings. Maybe getting it organized (purging the old worn towels that drive me crazy!! etc.) would help me want to get the rest of the laundry under control, which would help with the utility room problems.


Bingo! You just found what works for you!!! :dance: It really does have a domino effect, huh?  

The want vs need thing is such a great approach, too. Sheesh, I've always called it awful or fun project. Your perspective helps! Last week we *needed* to do something about our closet. (Awful!) So that was a "big project". And when the dust settled, I *wanted* to straighten up the laundry room (Fun!!) and tidy up after the day of flinging clothes around with DH. Maybe the balancing of the two so as not to be overwhelmed will help. 

I just keep telling myself, each day "Look at all the wonderful progress that's being made!" 

When all else fails me on some days, I do what FlyLady and Manygoatsnmore suggest: 

I turn the stove timer on for fifteen minutes, and get as much done in the area of choice that I can! Ding!  

But then again, some days I just sit there and hope the vacuum will magically suck all the clutter right outta the house...


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Ah, the magical vacuum.... Sure wish it was that easy, lol! I don't always get enthused about cleaning and de-cluttering either and there are the days when I just pull the covers back up over my head. :help: The timer thing really does help - if I can convince myself that I can do *anything* for just 15 minutes, then once I get started, I'll usually find myself doing more than the 15 minutes.

I think you're onto something with the needs vs wants and splitting the time between them. 15 minutes on the needs and then a reward of 15 minutes on the wants, then a break for a cup of coffee or something, will eventually get a lot done.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Well, thought I should report back. I think my plan worked, well, kind of, sort of. LOL!

When I got home I threw a load of laundry in - towels (NEED) and did the dishes left by DKids during the day (NEED). Then I chose to cut some soap I made over the weekend (a WANT really!). Then I dug some paperwork out of the heap, and while it wasn't really tax related, it was part of the huge pile of papers that need taken care of, and at least these are out of the way for when I am ready to start (so, NEED).
I got the towels folded, but didn't have the time to go through and purge the old ones like I wanted. But they are there ready and waiting! After that I lost my momentum for the night! LOL!!

BUT, I'm thinking tonight that I can start in with the bathroom like originally planned. Declutter the towel cabinet, maybe some more. DH unknowingly helped me out this morning by voluntarily throwing out a bunch of old razor handles. There were so many in the cupboard that I didn't know which one he was using and bought him the wrong blades by mistake! SO, he decluttered one shelf for me already!

SO, the plan is, some time in the bathroom, some additional laundry, some time filing the paperwork that I took care of today and hopefully that will lead to some more sorting and organizing in the office. (See, I NEED to get the filing/tax stuff around, but I really WANT to quit living out of laundry baskets!)

Wish me luck!!!


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

I never thought about splitting it like that. Great idea! I might try it this way, thanks!


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Reporting back: I did get some things done in the bathroom... old towels have been sorted out and some of them kept for use as rags (hoping everyone will quit using the good towels since that seems to be all they can find at the time!) and some have been trashed. I cleaned out 4 of the 5 cabinets, and 1 of the 2 drawers getting rid of accumulated unnecessary things. Had 3/4 of a trash bag when I got done! It didn't take long, and now I have room for the good towels that will be in the next load of laundry. :dance: Of course, all my work is "hidden" inside the cupboards and drawers, so the bathroom still looks the same every time I walk in. But I think there is still enough motivation to continue with the things I can see now! Baby steps, right?!

As for the paperwork, still couldn't bring myself to even go in there. I am REALLY dragging my feet here, and I can't really say why. Other than this is the most unorganized I've been for YEARS. I keep telling myself that it is a weekend job. I am very much a morning person, so I plan to dive right in Sat AM and get things started. I need to go to the bank and get some printouts, and I can't do that until Sat. anyway. And, I will have to pay bills Sat (DH gets paid Fri) so there is really no avoiding going in there this weekend. 

I am hoping I can get enough other things spiffed up during the week that I will feel better about devoting the weekend to paperwork. Now that I've cleaned out the towel cabinet and everything fits so nice, I'm excited about going through our dressers and the closet so that there is a home for all our clothes. This has definitely become a WANT.  My only concern is that I'm using this to distract myself from what I NEED to do, and that is my taxes!!

Sorry so long and rambling. Thanks all for the great advice and support!!


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

*lickcreek* - You go girl!! You have inspired me to de-clutter my bathroom linen closet today! Now that's a *need*! LOL! There are just so many shower gels and lotions a woman can actually use, right? Well, maybe not, but I have a bunch of never used ones I can mail to my sis. Not to mention there have got to be a few expired "somethings" in there, too...

Good to hear too that you are getting those papers together and filed. I think a lot of us fall behind there, too. I know I do. I recently did the "opt out" thing for pre-approved credit card offers, and I am actually getting less junk mail as a result. Less paper in, less paper out, less clutter! Woo hoo! 

Keep us posted!! You rock! :dance:


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## menollyrj (Mar 15, 2006)

I've found that if the whole family digs in on a room, it gets fairly clean fairly quickly. For example, we had my family (16 total) at our home this weekend for a belated Christmas celebration. We desperately needed to clean before they arrived, so one evening after supper, we promised the kids popcorn & a movie once the living room was cleaned. They put away toys and threw away paper/debris while DH & I dusted, put away our things, put away DVDs/videos, and vacuumed. It took less than 40 minutes when we all pitched in, and the kids really responded to the "cleaning spirit" because they proceeded to go clean their rooms... :dance: 

We also have them help with the bathroom and their bedrooms are their responsibilities.

-Joy


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

*Joy*, yeah, never pass up free labor if ya have it! I used to tell the kids that since the slave traffic was outlawed, I was reduced to growing my own.  When we could all pitch in as a family, it really helped. Now, my youngest dd is a little harder to motivate than the other 3 were, so I do find myself sometimes just going in and DOING something myself when it really should have been her job, just because it bothers me more than it does her. I'm so bad - I should be making her do it, but sometimes I just need it clean more than I need it cleaned by her. Does that make me a bad mom?

*lickcreek*, woohoo! Baby steps underway.  Isn't it nice to be able to open a cabinet and know that nothing is going to fall out on you? I know you NEED to get the taxes done, but I must say, I've accomplished some of my best organizing while I was avoiding sorting paperwork, lol. It's amazing what you can get done while you're still working up the courage to tackle that pile. So, you've set your schedule to hit the paperwork on Saturday - you now have a "date" with yourself for that and you can put it to the side until Friday night without guilt, because you know that Saturday is THE day you will work on it. So you have the next few days to work on other things. 

Deal with each day's paperwork as it comes in, so you're not adding to the pile, and if you do get a wild hair and want to work on a little of the paper pile, follow it! Just grabbing a handful here and there and purging the junk out of it will decrease the amount of sheer volume facing you on Saturday. If you have a bin or box that you can toss any tax related paperwork into as you come across it, so much the better. You're not actually "working on the taxes", but you're gathering them into one area, which will make the actual taxes easier to work on when Saturday gets here. Okay, maybe that's playing mind games with yourself, but if it works, who cares, lol! Sometimes I really find that by making that paper sorting an "option" instead of a "mandatory", I can find myself just grabbing something to sort while I'm watching TV or visiting with family.

So, what else would you like to get done today, tomorrow and Friday? Keep us updated!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Oh, one more thing that I thought of...can you go on-line to get those bank print-outs? Is it something where you need to have hubby's Friday check included, or could you get on-line now and access the needed paperwork, then print it out at home? I've found that I'm doing more and more of my financial stuff on line, and saving a lot of time and effort in the process. With a 40 minute one way commute to town, I save a LOT of time when I can do things from home.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Okay, I got a few things done last night, but not what I started out to do. My plan was to start in the bedroom to get clothes organized. What I ended up doing was putting away Christmas boxes that were in there, which lead to getting the Christmas totes out of the livingroom, which lead to cleaning and straightening the livingroom instead. A bit sidetracked, yes. But I guess the boxes had to be moved before I could get to the dressers and closet anyhow. So, maybe I can count this as a NEED? HA HA.

*manygoatsnmore*: Thanks for the encouragement, and the "permission" to put off my paperwork until Saturday. I was feeling a little guilty about this. But, I keep repeating to myself "It will all get done this weekend", trying not to feel like I am still procrastinating! What I need from the bank is end of year totals on loans and interest payments. Don't know if I could get those online or not. Never really looked into it, but maybe I should. It would save me a 15 mile run to the main bank, since our local branch (3 miles away) is no longer open on Saturdays! :Bawling: 

*Joy*: My DKids aren't so easily motivated any more. DD, 22, moved home after divorce, works late night shifts, so don't see much of her during the week. Sleeps alot on weekends, so same then. DS, 20, is currently working 2 jobs to catch up on bills, so stays with DH's Aunt in town during the week and some weekends, depending on work schedule. But, when he is home, since his room became storage for DD, the livingroom becomes his bedroom. They are working towards getting him back in the bedroom, though.


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## Terry W (Mar 10, 2006)

The flylady thing works-- and she does have some 'rescue' cleaning tips, as well. FLylady tells YOU what area to concentrate on each day, there are 5 minute room rescues, Boogie days, (purse, car) time sceduled in for bill paying, etc. And your best friend is a timer!!!


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## sage_morgan (Dec 18, 2005)

I break my giant lists into many small items, so I get to check one or three things off when I'm done.
drawer at a time.
portion of the counter at a time.
No area too small to be singly listed.
and the gratification of checking things off. Remember to keep the old lists so you see how much you have already accomplished!
Use the timer. Quit at (whatever time you choose) to avoid resentment.

If I can do it (I have real resentment issues to do being the only one who cleans), it can be done.

Start anywhere. I start on my launch pad because I can see it from my chair. It's ugly and it bothers me the most.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Another flylady fan here. 

I adapted the flylady system to fit my style. If you try to keep up with all the emails they send out it's overwhelming. I limit myself to 15 min. zone work and Kelly's missions. Every now and then I do a Fling to clear out any junk that I've been hanging on to. I used that system for a few years and it worked great.

I quit doing it when my kids and grandkids came to stay. I REALLY need to get back to it and get control of this place again.


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## moongirl (May 19, 2006)

tried cleaning the kitchen cabinets just like my bookshelves. one item at a time into the giveaway box or the trash. once I got the cabinets reorganized it was great. I can't see it immediately but I was able to put some appliances away etc. Now I can actually see the counters. I have learned that 5 minutes is better than no minutes!!


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## Christine in OK (May 10, 2002)

Lickcreek, I hate paperwork too. It doesn't have anything to do with organized or unorganized, but more with a love/hate relationship with the papers. I used to do a lot of filing, and so I get the feeling that I need those files, but I used to do a lot of filing, and I just don't ever want to see another file again, much less actually sort through and do anything with it!

I hope you were able to jump in and get things done. We did our taxes last week, and I'm trying hard to stay motivated to finish the filing. Ick. Not too bad.


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## dragonfly65 (Sep 29, 2002)

Well, I tell you, there is nothing like being FORCED by circumstances to get you cleaning. I've been meaning to get my laundry room cleaned and painted for more than 6 months. It seems to be where all the junk gets dumped. I have 4 kids at home (17-22) and Hubby (worse than the kids put together) and that adds up to a lot of stuff. 

Last Tuesday our washer started leaking and I had to call someone to fix it. We keep the warranty up (it's a Maytag) so it took until today for them to get here to fix it. There was no way I was going to let anyone see that room the way it looked! So, I had my 19 year old clean out the side of the room where the chest freezer is (something really stunk over there. I thought it was a dead mouse, turns out it was half a basket of my 22 year old daughter's clothes that got washed and never dried - ewwww!). I cleaned the outside wall where the storage shelves and cat litter are (I won't even go there!) and my 17 year old cleaned behind and under the washer and dryer. I had to mop that floor 3 times to get it clean! Painting will still have to wait.

Of course, in the process, I realized how dusty and dirty the dining room/my office was. It is next to the laundry room. So I started dusting and sweeping, which led to moving the furniture around, etc. It took me 3 days to do it all, but the thought of someone kneeling down on that laundry room floor and seeing how bad it REALLY was just bothered me a LOT! 

Now, don't think we are just nasty, dirty here. We kept the laundry room swept and occasionally picked it up and put stuff away, but as far as moving stuff around and really cleaning it.... 

As for groiwng your own slaves, that only works on a temporary basis. They eventually get full time jobs, married and move away. My 3 able-bodied children all have full time jobs and my oldest is getting married in September. So I am learning to do without help more and more. 

I had already cleaned the kitchen and decluttered. I gave everything I didn't want to my daughter for her soon-to-be kitchen. We did our bedroom in October when we painted and just recently did our closet. I am looking forward to getting even more closet space in September when I get my daughter's room for a sewing room! 

I feel great when I walk through those rooms. At least until I look out my back window and realize how much work needs done on the animal houses! :Bawling:


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## MamaDee (May 10, 2006)

www.flylady.net>>>

Am I the only person in the world who doesn't "get" flylady? I went to the website and could not get past the "clean kitchen sink and wear tie shoes" thing. Does she have a place on her website to help you create a chore list and schedule?

Dee


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## Christine in OK (May 10, 2002)

Nah. Flylady doesn't live with animals and dirt. Sometimes I wear shoes all day, more often I put them on when I have to leave the place. No one wears their shoes around here - we mostly take them off when we come in the door.

She has some good ideas, but I barely have time to check my email once or twice a week, there's no way I can keep up with her stuff. Nose around the site and you'll probably find some neat ideas or lists you can use, but it will be a sort-through and find what you want process.


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## Cara (May 9, 2002)

I;m with Christine. Flylady has every moment planned with house stuff with no consideration of farm chores, gardens and gravel/mud drive/walk ways. She's a city gal. The program works there, but not for many of us.  She has a great mission and is very supportive and helpful, though.

For those with kids, I'll tell you how I keep the chaos away. Bear in mind that I am far from a neat freak, I have fairly low standards, so this may not work for normal people. I write out two sets of chore cards...one for animal chores (five total) and one for home keeping (five total.) Each day each of us draws one card form each set. This way everyone knows how to do everything and no one feels like they are doing way more then everyone else every day. It's very basic stuff, so deeper cleaning needs done once or twice a month, but it keeps it at a level that if a real visitor shows up, I don't want to stay on the porch.


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

This SO sounds like my situation! The best thought I can share is to work at not getting depressed & frustrated, because then it all feels worse, & I end up tense,nervous & cranky. Not that I get much help, but if I'm "off", I get less. And get "attitude". I started with my (not-so-big) bathroom, and have kept it up 6 months now.  Somehow I'd collected a dozen new,extra toothbrushes, 20-something toothpastes, an 8x9x11" box of soaps. Etc. A fair portion of towels were thin & ratty, had half-a-dozen cleaning products I didn't really like, so wasn't using up. SO when I handed that all along (variously to ,local food pantry, men's shelter and dog pound) then I could deal with handing along more of things I MIGHT use, but had too much of. I sometimes still succumb to buying more (brushes,paste,soap) since stores here double & even triple coupons it's free-hard to resist. But it goes directly in a box for the shelter if there's plenty in the cupboard. SO my second hint is work harder at making choices about what you bring home. I have read those articles and some books voraciously, but they only help up to a point. 3rd hint is discover your own style. I CANNOT toss everything from the closet that I haven't worn this year, which people write over & over, so I don't even try. I have managed to sort out sweaters with wool now sensitive , and have handed along a number of office outfits to a group who set up women returning to work with professional interview clothes. I retired from public school and need way less. I have about 6 relatively well-worn SS tees for summer everyday and as many LS & t'neck for now, and wear only those around home. When one falls apart, out it goes, and something else joins the "use-it-up" category. Eventually, I'll be down to just a drawerful instead of two. Sue


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## wvcowpatty (Oct 27, 2005)

I do like flylady. Not everything, but the shoes in the house works well for me. I found that when I put on my shoes (a new pair of lace up tennis shoes, worn in the house only) I was less likely to curl up in a chair and read or nap. They kind of helped me mentally stay on task.

I also like the idea of doing something for 15 minutes and then taking a break. You can do about anything for 15 minutes. Then stop. reset the timer and either continue on with that particular project, or go do something entirely different for another 15 minutes. Some days I only have maybe two 15 minute periods to spend on the house, or the barn, or the yard, but it's 15 or 30 minutes that I would not have done anything at all.

The emails are overwhelming. Sign up on the sight for daily digest. That way you only get one email a day that has all the small emails together. I couldn't stand getting 15 or more each day.

Some tips I picked up that help with my organization.

In the kitchen. I had two drawers of 'stuff' - ladles, serving spoons, jar openers, graters, pizza cutters, etc. I put them ALL in one drawer. It was really jammed full. But, each time I actually USED an item from the full drawer, I would place it in the empty drawer. At the end of a month, the stuff I really used was in the drawer that was originally empty. The stuff that was left in the starting drawer, I got rid of. I found out that a LOT of the 'cute' gadgets that I owned, I didn't really need. If you don't have two drawers, you can do the same thing using a a box under the counter as your starting drawer.

In the closet. Each time I put away my clothes, I hang them on the far right side of the closet. Throughout the entire season (summer or winter), I continue to wear my clothes and after washing, put them on the right side of the closet. At the end of the season, before I pack them away, I know that the clothes on the left side of the closet weren't worn, and I can get rid of them. I have again discovered that I didn't wear a large amount of the clothes in the closet. Many of them I gave away. Some I cut up to use for rags, which seem to always be in demand.

In my Junk Drawer. I use zip lock baggies to store stuff that is similar. If I need a button, it's in the button baggie. If I need a screwdriver, it's in the tool baggie. If I need an extension cord it's in the....well you get the idea!!

All our instruction manuals are filed together in those clear plastic holders that fit in a large three ring binder. One is for the kitchen appliances. One is for the inside appliances - washer, dryer, fireplace insert, hot water tank, etc. Another for farm machinery. Before this, they were in the filing cabinet and I would have four or five folders out trying to find a particular warranty. Now, it's easy to flip thru the plastic holders. I also staple the receipt in the front of each instruction manual, so I know when an item was purchased and from what store.

Another cluttered area was household cleaners. I used to try them all and would keep bottle after bottle of 'new' cleaners. Really, for me, it was just causing confusion. Now, I have maybe 6 or 8 cleaners and it has kept under the bathroom sink really neat. The rest, I either used and didn't repurchase again, or just threw them away. Most cleaning just takes a little elbow grease, not a new improved and usually expensive, product.

I now get out of bed about 30 minutes earlier than I need to. I get myself showered and dressed, and my work clothes ironed. (I have a day job). I wipe the bathroom sink off and swish the toilet every morning. This takes a total of less than 2 minutes. Then off to the kitchen where I put away any dishes from the night before. I spend 15 minutes on dusting, running the sweeper, straightening up the house, or whatever needs it the most. And that's pretty much it. This frees up the evenings for farm chores, cooking, visiting with friends, etc.

Laundry is done each time my clothes hamper has enough clothes for a load. I end up doing 4 or 5 loads a week. When I come in from work, before heading to the barn, I throw a load in the washer. When I come back inside, it goes in the dryer. When the buzzer goes off, it gets folded and put away right then. One step - fold and put away. Not fold now, put away never!!  
Laundry takes less than 5 minutes to put in the washer and maybe 10 minutes to fold and put away. I used to spend the better part of Saturday morning doing the laundry and hated it.

Sorry, if this is so long. Hope it gives you some ideas. Simplifying and decluttering my 'stuff' has made my life much easier!!


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## Janette (Sep 4, 2003)

Reading this advice I was motivated to tidy my bathroom drawers/cupboards and spent an hour in the bedroom going through dresser drawers and my mega stash of supplements. I'm happy to say I weeded out the expired and little used stuff and a couple of clothing dresser drawers are sorted and tidied as well. A few items were removed as no longer needed and a few items were tossed. It's a good start and very much needed. Thanks for giving me the push I needed.

Now I need a break, and I just MIGHT get back at it.


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## dancingfatcat (Jan 1, 2008)

I go on line and set up a date for the salvation army to pick stuff up and then I HAVE to get rid of stuff!!! This is great because they come right to your door and even do storage clear outs and after garage sale pick ups! I have in mind what area I will be working on before I make the appointment so I have an idea of what I'm getting rid of. This way I have a time frame, so then I make a list and depending on the area give my self 10 to 30 minutes to work on that area, unless I feel like working on it more. I do this because sometimes I get overwhelmed at the amount of junk I have to de-clutter. I used to have the three month rule of cleaning out anything I hadn't used at least once during that time. It worked very well but since we have moved I have slacked off and the clutter monster has crawled into spaces that should be nice and clean.
I happened onto this site Largefamilylongistics and she has some really good ideas on keeping on top of cleaning and has everything broke down into manageble bits. It's soooo much better thand the Flylady. I HTH's


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Wow, looks like my request motivated several other posters. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to ask here after all! *Janette,* sounds like you started much like I did. I still haven't got back in there to finish the one cupboard and drawer I have left, but I must say that when I cleaned the bathroom this weekend, it went much smoother. Being able to put away the things that were left out on the counter (DH shaving cream, deoderant, toothpaste, etc) in a cupboard that had room for it, and putting the towels away without cramming them in was quite enjoyable! Wish I could say the same for the rest of my house! But as they say, baby steps, right?

I had previously studied the flylady sight, and did find some useful tools there (setting the timer for 15 minutes seems to be a great motivator. And I'm always surprised what I can accomplish in that small amount of time!) But, like others have mentioned, I work in town full time, and it didn't seem to fit into my daily life - for example, I couldn't go check on my laundry when they asked! I wasn't even home at the moment! LOL!

I also am not very good at following her "zone" routine. I tried breaking my housework down into zones, but I couldn't bring myself to clean/declutter my porch and mudroom when it was my kitchen or laundry that were really driving me crazy. I think this might work better for me if I had all the decluttering done and was down to the basic upkeep/cleaning. 

In the meantime, I guess I can only tackle the mountains one at a time! LOL! As mentioned earlier, I made great progress in the bathroom, and cleared some room in the bedroom. I have since made quite a dent in the filing. I did put everything from 2007 in a notebook and started one for 2008. I do need to go through the file drawers and get everything not necessary out of them. And I need to store all the 2006 stuff that is still in there. But once this is done, I should be up to date once again. And I think it will be easier for me to file in the notebooks than the file drawer. It is definitely easier for me to locate necessary papers in the notebook! And, as I expect to still file some things in file folders, I need to determine what those things will be and get the files set up for it. But I think in the long run, this will be a much better system for me.

Silly as it is, I feel better about our finances when I have the paperwork under control. Don't know why, since being more organized doesn't mean more money, it just feels like I am less likely to have unexpected surprises. Not that it doesn't happen, but somehow I am mentally more able to handle them when it does. Don't know if this makes sense to anyone else.

So, for now, I will continue tackling whichever "pile" is bothering me the most at the time, while trying maintain the progress I've made, and maybe soon the areas will start to overlap! Thanks everyone!


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

lickcreek said:


> Silly as it is, I feel better about our finances when I have the paperwork under control. Don't know why, since being more organized doesn't mean more money, it just feels like I am less likely to have unexpected surprises. Not that it doesn't happen, but somehow I am mentally more able to handle them when it does. Don't know if this makes sense to anyone else.


Girl, this makes complete sense to me! Now that all the filing and paperwork issues are set, it has made it so much easier to get a handle on our finances. Everything is at my fingertips! Like you, I also feel that it doesn't mean we have more money, but for some reason, I am so much more confident about things! :dance:


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Yes, Murron, that's it! Confidence  I was even able to let go of the ourtrageous check I had to write for LP (over $750!!), even knowing there are going to be more huge bills in the next 4-6 weeks (I hate February and March). But somehow I felt "in control" enough to go ahead and pay it. I guess it was because I now pretty much know what those bills should come to and when they will be due now that everything is more organized.


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## Murron (Oct 17, 2007)

lickcreek - Well, I'm on my way upstairs to do the bills and file. And I *know* it will only take a little while now! Isn't confidence great? Although I'm not feeling so confident about the credit card bills coming... LOL.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Murron - Good luck with your filing! I know you can do it!

It didn't take me as long when I got started as I thought it would. Which is all the more depressing if I think about it ~ knowing now how long I put off doing something about it!! I still have to clean out the file drawers and get them set up for my "new system", and hopefully I'll have time to devote to that this weekend. My evenings lately have been, shall I say, interrupted, and I really feel I need to be able to concentrate on the task. I've made some lists of what I think should go in it, and will look through the drawer to see if there are other "must keeps" that I've overlooked. But I don't want to "tear into it" until I know I can finish what I've started.

Just this morning I gave DH a check to pay for some steel he had ordered through work, and asked him if he needed to take the bill with him when he paid it. He wasn't sure so he took it with him. I told him he could have it ONLY if he PROMISED to return it to me tonight so I could get it filed right away!! LOL! I'm hoping I can keep this up the rest of the year. I'm great at setting up systems, but I'm also pretty great at not sticking to them  

Now if I could just get a system for our laundry!! And the dishes...and mopping the floors .... and the yardwork. Oh well, one battle at a time.

Sorry, sometimes I don't know when to quit typing!


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## Christine in OK (May 10, 2002)

Oh, lickcreek, you sound like me - I'm great at organizing things, as long as I don't have to do that maintenance thing!

Did you get your filing cleaned out? That's my problem too - not the actual filing, but the needing to clean out the files that are already there, like the old insurance policies and how long do I really need to keep those 457K statements anyway? 

I've been busy this last couple of weeks, but not a darn thing accomplished. I finally got my kitchen where I don't give a big fat disgusted hopeless sigh every time I look at it - but I still need to mop it. 

WVCowPatty, I don't like the shoes in the house thing - probably because I don't like shoes, but also because in the winter when I put on my shoes, every stupid thing I touch shocks me! I can't even sit on the couch unless I'm sock-footed! But I do so agree with you about the cleaners. I'm in the process of getting rid of a lot of mine now, and I've found some good recipes for homemade cleaners. Most of them I wrote down while watching "How Clean is Your House" on BBCAmerica last week. I sometimes put that on while I'm working in the kitchen/laundry/living room because I can listen and not really have to watch. They do a lot of homemade/simple cleaners, and one show was in a house where the woman was very concerned about environmentally friendly products, so they hardly used anything that was store-bought premixed.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

I actually adapted my system from the Clean Sweep television show that I used to watch. (back before I had a life.) I wait for warm weather, so this really irritates my neighbors, btw. But it's fun. To thoroughly clean a room, I take every single solitary piece of anything out of the house and put it in the yard. Then I scrub and repaint the room and clean the carpet. While the carpet dries, I take a nice cold drink and go outside to start the sorting process. Trash goes directly to the dumpster. It does not come back inside to go in a bag. Items that belong to others go into a box in my truck to be returned. Items for donation get the same. Things I NEED to keep go into one area of the yard, separated by what room they belong in. It's AMAZING how much of that stuff goes into another room, btw. The remainder goes out to the curb with a big FREE sign on it. 

Now comes the re-assesment of the room. Is my storage sufficient? Do I need to add shelves? All those needed components get taken care of at this time. Then, the items i kept get brought back inside, ONE AT A TIME, and put away in the nice clean room with the new home. 

This usually takes me an entire weekend for each room. It is well worth it, as alot of small projects get taken care of, many people are blessed with items I no longer need, I am blessed with a clean, pleasant space and the trash is gone. Just stock up on tarps to cover things with in case it rains. Invite your sister or someone else with no emotional attachment to your possessions to help. It's alot easier to be ruthless with your stuff that way. Grab a case and a couple of pizzas and go to town. If you like, you can even hold an on-going yardsale while you do this. I've sold alot of my "gotta keeps" that way. Guess I didn't "gotta keep" them after all, huh?

Understand that while this sounds like a big job, it can be a ton of fun. Be sure you have your paint and such at the ready and really make a party of it with your spouse and kids. The energy released is amazing and kids really love to carry this over into their own rooms. Once you're done, you're done till next spring! Relax and enjoy your neater, cleaner space.


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Christine - I haven't taken care of the file cabinet completely. I have '07 stuff out and stored, but there is still '06 (and I'm sure there is probably some '05 stuff lurking in there, too) But I did start filing the '08 stuff in a notebook. I've never done this before, but I can see the advantages already: No prying more stuff in folders in overstuffed drawers and once I have the notebook open, everything will get filed in it! I'm sure there are still some rough spots to work out, but so far it seems to be doing pretty well.

The drawers will be re-vamped to hold only those things that are necessary, once I decide what those are 

Once again this past weekend life intervened, and I didn't have the time to devote to this as I had hoped. After learning of a dear family friend's passing, and calling other friends to get the word out, got word that my Great Aunt had passed away Sat afternoon. (Both funerals were of course on the same day at different times, but in different towns.) A DF dropped by Sat for several hours, during which I did some much needed laundry which is STILL in baskets in my livingroom. Sunday DD had a trip to the ER, and we ended up taking clothes in to her to stay with her DAunt in town (all she had was her work clothes). So, my uninterrupted time to "concentrate" was a bit thin!
And, since my evenings are not looking much better the rest of the week, I'm hoping the coming weekend will be less eventful!


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## dancingfatcat (Jan 1, 2008)

Ninn, the last time I did this some one came by with ( I'm guessing) a pick up truck and took my mattress, box spring, bed frame and quite a few other items. They took it so fast no one knew what happened. No one saw a thing, not the neighbors or any of my six kids. We were in and out of the house all the time cleaning and de junking ( we didn't paint) and I tell my boys ok, go get the mattresses and they came back and ask where did you put them???? I said " what do you mean? we put them out side to air out" and my oldest says "we'll, they're gone now"!

I guess I got rid of a little more than I bargined for!


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

MamaDee said:


> www.flylady.net>>>
> 
> Am I the only person in the world who doesn't "get" flylady? I went to the website and could not get past the "clean kitchen sink and wear tie shoes" thing. Does she have a place on her website to help you create a chore list and schedule?
> 
> Dee



Dee~

Yes she does! Look into the section for the household notebook and such. The sink thing really does work! It sort of bleeds over into your mindset about the kitchen. Don't you hate going to make a pot of coffee and having to move the dishes from last night's dinner? The weirdest part of flylady is how that really works. Sometimes, it's the only part of my kitchen that gets cleaned at night, but it's so nice to see a clean, empty sink in the morning. And the restful space kinds of sponges itself around. You start wanting that clear countertop and shiny stove top. You spend the extra 5 or 6 mins on that while the pans soak at night. It makes you feel good. Then you start to work on those little 15 minute segments in other rooms and it just spreads.

The tie shoes thing is not really important for everyone. It works for me because so many times I have to run in and out of the back door. Keeping shoes on makes that easier for me. But, I must admit, in the summer it's flipflops by the door and no shoes unless I am forced to. 

Flydlady is not carved in stone. Take what works for you and discard the rest. But try it. It really works and makes such a huge difference in the mindset and the way we look at cleaning (blessing) our homes.


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## Christine in OK (May 10, 2002)

dancingfatcat said:


> Ninn, the last time I did this some one came by with ( I'm guessing) a pick up truck and took my mattress, box spring, bed frame and quite a few other items. They took it so fast no one knew what happened. No one saw a thing, not the neighbors or any of my six kids. We were in and out of the house all the time cleaning and de junking ( we didn't paint) and I tell my boys ok, go get the mattresses and they came back and ask where did you put them???? I said " what do you mean? we put them out side to air out" and my oldest says "we'll, they're gone now"!
> 
> I guess I got rid of a little more than I bargined for!


OH my gosh, that's awful!


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

*dancingfatcat:* That is just too much!! Just another thing that makes me thankful we live where we do. Sure, things can "disappear" sometimes, but no one could load up something that big and get away with it that fast here. I just can't imagine it!! I'm so sorry that happened to you.

I'm going to try to find time to visit the FlyLady site again soon. I know her entire plan won't fit my life, but I think, after reading some of the other opinions here, that there is probably a lot I can use. I just need to find the time to sort it all out to see what applies. I've never been very good at working in one area for an assigned length of time. I'm more of a "tackle the mountain that is bothering me most today" kind of gal!! So one day it might be laundry, the next the filing, the next the mess in the mudroom burying my freezer, etc. But, because I bounce around like this, I can take care of the "mountain" momentarily, but I never really maintain it. This is what I need to work on, and maybe FlyLady has some pointers that will work for me.

*Ninn* is right, I think, about the shiny sink idea. I cleaned my counters off last weekend, I mean really cleaned!! Since then, I haven't been able to stand the site of dirty dishes piling on the counter or in the sink. Even last night, when DH came in late and supper was very late, I went to put things away when he was finished, thinking the old thoughts "I can do these in the morning, it's so late." Then, once the food was put away, I looked at the dishes and thought "What's this going to take me, maybe 5 minutes? Might as well do them now." And you know what? I DID! Instead of spending that 5 minutes this morning washing dishes I spent just a couple cleaning out the dish drainer and putting it all away. I don't know how long this fascination will last, but for now it's great!! I'm really hoping it will become "habit", and I will do it without the "mental argument" every time.

Here's hoping it "spills over" into the rest of my house!


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