quote:

Originally posted by Sandy:
Sheri,
For whatever it is worth, I have read your process over time and it seems to me like you are really evolving in this area- sort of making it part of who you are and how you operate. In my experience, that sort of change takes loads of time, practice and mistakes.
The stuff you discuss here seems much more postive and less overwhelmed than it did before.

Thank you, Sandy. I was moving forward early last year but then took a backwards turn in the last few months so I'm trying to get back to that earlier place. It makes me very happy that you see me evolving. My disappointment in myself these past few months (falling off the Fly Wagon, if you will) have made it hard for me to acknowledge those positive changes so it helps to hear it.

quote:

Originally posted by Bee:
The biggest thing that helps me is that everything has a place in my home. I don't buy anything if I don't know where I'm going to put it. We also purge and give away/throw away regularly.

Before I leave a room, everything needs to be where it belongs. Basically it helps keeping everything clutter free and even if the house isn't clean per se, it looks neat and tidy none the less (unless you look really hard ; ).

I did not know we were so much alike, Brie.
Even dd knows that her stuff has to go into her room.

Keeping my kitchen island clear makes the house seem cleaner.

Regarding real cleaning- not just clutter stuff- we have a weekly schedule that is on the calender. We do the cleaning on the weekends so that I know that during the week I do not clean- just pick up and laundry and kitchen cleanup- no deeper clean.

Sheri,
For whatever it is worth, I have read your process over time and it seems to me like you are really evolving in this area- sort of making it part of who you are and how you operate. In my experience, that sort of change takes loads of time, practice and mistakes.

The stuff you discuss here seems much more postive and less overwhelmed than it did before.

P.S. I am a BO (not sure I like the acronym) and I sometimes lament the fact that I can't get lost in process with myself or dd or DH. I am always on task and aware of the outcome. There is something significant to be said for being able to be less efficeint and more involved in pleasure and process.

The biggest thing that helps me is that everything has a place in my home. I don't buy anything if I don't know where I'm going to put it. We also purge and give away/throw away regularly.

Before I leave a room, everything needs to be where it belongs. Basically it helps keeping everything clutter free and even if the house isn't clean per se, it looks neat and tidy none the less (unless you look really hard ; ).

quote:

Originally posted by Melstruck:
Sheri - I like to commit to cleaning/organizing one room an evening (an idea my grandmother gave me).

Thanks, Mel! Two questions for clarification:
1. Are we talking a full-out cleaning of that room each week or just a pass-through to do the obvious stuff. Like, if Tuesday is the bathroom, would you mop the floor, wipe down the tile and scrub the tub as well as "swipe and swish" (as FlyLady would say) the toilet and sink? Or not quite as thorough as that?
2. About how long do you devote to your room-per-evening cleaning/organizing?

Sheri - I like to commit to cleaning/organizing one room an evening (an idea my grandmother gave me). It makes keeping things clean easier and it takes a lot of pressure off of having one big cleaning day. And, let's face it, we can do one room a day - sometimes I pick a small or easy room just to get one done, but at least I feel like I still did something!

Mel