Flylady for single people?

Lara44

bluemoon wrote:

I think the biggest thing I got/get from flylady is the mental adjustment (what she calls 'flywashing'). It's so simple. No Whining. No Being A Martyr. Don't Overthink It - just set your timer and go.

I think I need this tip most of all... I'm on unofficial strike at home at the minute. I live with OH and another friend. OH is generally bad at cleaning but good at tidying up, where I am the reverse. Friend does NOTHING, wouldn't even wash a cup if he hadn't dirtied it.

ATM, OH is working so much I end up doing everything. I get it all done but I really resent having to do the washing up from the meal I shopped for, paid for and cooked, while the two of them always have time to spend on their computers. :mad:

This year for our house Christmas dinner they all promised to help and then OH had to work and friend and partner went off shopping promising to be back in time to help me. Nobody bothered and I tidied the whole house and cooked a chicken, ham, veg, stuffing, the works for them all. I definitely won't be doing it next year....

Sorry for my rant

miggy

Toxic_Lemon wrote:

The book isn't in stock on Amazon so I've ordered the one Flylady was inspired by 'SHE' - Sidetracked House Executive, or something.

It's no good people saying to me to 'do my paperwork'. If it was that easy, I'd have done it months ago instead of growing my own personal paper-made Mount Versuvius! To me, it's completely over-whelming.

I need to be able to 'get' something to be able to keep doing it. I 'get' shining sinks. I 'get' getting dressed and wearing shoes (although mine are staying slippers).

I definitely 'get' wearing a bra (brilliant suggestion, BTW) and will start doing that in the house.

Oh, and single people can't load the WM every day!

Paper is my worst thing too... I think actually getting started is phenomenally hard.
The Flylady thing there is just to do something, and don't go for it being 'perfect'. For instance, you don't have to set aside a week and get all your bills filed - maybe just do one or two from the top of the pile then do something nice to reward yourself!
(If you are like me, you won't necessarily be able to pick them off a pile - they will be put somewhere 'just till I get round to it'!)
After a while you can do some more - or even one more. It all helps, even if it doesn't show immediately. It will eventually.
And there's no point doing the washing every day if you haven't got enough to make a load. You could substitute twice a week or 'check if there's enough laundry and do a wash if necessary'. Make up your own according to your needs.

miggy

ocemeer wrote:

hmm keep trying to dip my toe into flylady but scares the hell out of me.
Single, currently renovating a cottage which brings its own clutter and mess to the fold and work quite long hours. How do you all juggle it? Especially with families or OH to clear up after too?

Wow, that sounds like a challenge and worth its own thread!
If I were you I'd start with building a short basic routine - a morning routine could be something like - get dressed, breakfast, wash dishes, clean loo, and an evening thing could be clear sink, lock up, get ready for bed.
Once you have these up and running, the rest will be easier because you'll be in more of a state to cope. The shiny sink is vital in any situation with kids and/or DIY (though I don't do too well at it). It's incredible how often I have needed sink space for anything like holding a burn under the tap, washing an injury, or even boiling the kettle.
Mind you I have had kids for quite a while

miggy

LaraHoust wrote:

I think I need this tip most of all... I'm on unofficial strike at home at the minute................

Sorry for my rant

Can't say I blame you! I would go with the 'not being a martyr' thing but also set some boundaries - e.g. do the things you feel are necessary for your own comfort/safety/hygiene, don't pick up after the others as if they are toddlers. (Maybe stuff their junk in carrier bags and dump it where they sleep?)
We found it helped to clarify what is actually expected of people - amazingly people just literally don't see the same things as needing to be done. In our house one sees clutter, another sees dirt - so we both get frustrated.
For things that take a lot of doing, like holidays, a list goes up on the kitchen door to which anyone can add - and anyone can take away if they've done the job. Otherwise I was forever wondering why I was the only one working on jobs and why was DH concentrating on mowing the lawn when he needed to be ironing/buying pet food/checking oil in the car/whatever.
Sorry, I seem to be hijacking this thread - will try to shut up for a bit now!

MushyPeas

Toxic_Lemon wrote:

It was that link that caused me to start this thread.

I give up! Flylady SUCKS! :mad:

Oh no Toxic Lemon, that's not good I subscribed to Flylady but was overwhelmed by the emails, so many came through. Also my sink is white so no point in shining it, if YKWIM. Maybe we could start an alternative Fly Lady thread where we make it up as we go along? But, could we get Crimbo out of the way first?

Don't get down, you're doing a fab thing wanting to get more organised!

Craftyscholar

FlyLady for single people sounds a great idea.

I had looked at the FlyLady site but most of it seemed to be aimed at mothers with hubby and kids to cope with. Not singles with no-one to blame but themselves

I'm retiring at the end of the month so need to get some new good habits before I fall into bad ones IYSWIM.

Maybe I need to have another look at FlyLady and pick the bits that apply.

tawnyowls

luckylukey wrote:

I dont have lace up shoes - I think she says that so people dont walk around all day in their slippers!

Can't see what's wrong with that myself - I take my shoes off and change into slippers when I walk into the house. Much more hygienic, IMO, than wearing shoes in the house (and a great deal better for my very nice wooden floors).

Not the only thing I don't agree with. If you have a stainless steel sink, having bleach sitting in it isn't actually very good for it. Still, she presumably doesn't have Stardrops, so I can forgive that one.

I find it less easy to forgive the 'making your bed each morning' one. Granted, it does make the room look much tidier, but just think of the wild, swinging time those dust mites must be having!_party_ What better for them than pulling the duvet over a nice warm, sweaty bed?:eek: Me, I prefer to fold the duvet back, open the window, and let it all dry out.

However, I have got better at multitasking - for instance, folding clothes or mending while I'm watching the TV. Doing something for 15 minutes is easier if you don't need to have your whole attention on it (and a lot of things don't need it).

Slinky

Been reading this thread with interest. I'm 'single' during the week as my husband works away from home. I work from home and can spend days on end not getting outside the front door, so trying to keep a handle on all the clutter can be a struggle. I'm getting a bit better at attacking the 'hotspots' - although I manage to clear one and find another has developed somewhere else!

I find the house gets very cluttered very quickly when my husband comes home bringing his weeks washing (no washing machine in the flat), his recycling (no locatable recycling facilities near the flat) and all his 'stuff'

Things have been a bit quieter in my business since last week, so have finally managed to do things like give the bathroom a good clean, got somebody in to clean the oven (not very MSE but did such a good job, I'll pay in future to get it done) and today I gave all the woodwork around the front door a clean (hadn't done it since we moved in 2 years ago!). Its amazing what you can do in 15 mins when you put your mind to it, just got to keep picking away at it all.

CAFCGirl

So we're all agreed there should be a fly lady for beginners/singletons/ lazy people?

I say lazy people so that it covers myself lol!!!

Are we following the same sort of principles as Fly, i.e taking it in turns to name the chore for that week, then next week its that plus something else?

luckylukey

Isn't it supposed to only be try pick up one new habit a month? Why dont we have a list of say three and then you can pick the one you like the sound of the most for the month?