August 17, 2006

• Flylady to the rescue.  LOL

  
  

  I actually haven't been on her site in a long time.  But I will say that her organizational tips really helped.  a LOT.  That and watching Clean Sweep.  Its amazing what you can get clean and keep clean between the two.

  
  

  The flylady technique that helped me the most is hot spots.  The spots in the house that always collect junk.   You reach for one and quickly dung it out, and suddenly all of your life feels a little bit cleaner.

  
  

  With the kids help I did two this morning.  I can see my computer, and I can see the bottom of the magazine rack by my favorite chair.  *cheers* 

  
  

  I also had Samuel and Kaylin empty the garbage cans all through out the house, and wa-la clean house.  Okay there's still dirt, but the clutter which is the depressing part is gone.

  
  

  The clean sweep help was about evaluating each hot spot, and asking yourself  "WHY does this always get cluttered.  Why don't I put things away in this spot.  What can I do to make it easy to put things away." 

  
  

  Each time I've attacked a spot in my house with this principle and truely evaluated it.  Sometimes it will take up to a month to evaluate a spot, and come up with a organizational plan that works.  I have to identify what the problem is.  And the solution.  Both are tricky.   And when I come up with it, and fix it. Amazingly it stays clean from then on.

  
  

  With one exception--the computer desk.

  
  

  Which means I need to think through it a little bit more as its not staying junk free.   Its where everybody stacks stuff that mom needs to "decide" about.   Including mom.    It grows stuff I swear.

  
  

  Oh and the other exception is my entry-way, but that's just cause its too dang small.  The cure to that is our addition.  *beams*   Seriously each place I've truely mediated over has stayed clean.  Not a toss & clean it, and forget it technique.  Where I looked, and stared, and planned.  Toss and clean is a step, but you also need a plan to keep it that way.   One that you KNOW you'll use.

  
  

  It may be as simple as taking the lids of the boxes you keep things in.  Do you know you won't take the time to lift the lid to put it in.  Then throw the lid away.  Because its not gonna do you any good putting a HUGE stack of stuff on top of it, and it all tumbling to the floor.  *snicker*

  
  

  Then once about every 6 months you can go through the space, reevaluate it, throw stuff that needs to be thrown, and its a very palatable job that takes minutes, instead of agonizing hours.   It is soooooooo freeing.   Clean Sweep especially recommends that with collections.  I go through all of our books and videos once every 6 months, and do a Goodwill run with the rejects.  Speaking of which I need to do the videos again--just did the books a month or so ago. 

  
  

  Get rid of your clutter, your brain will thank you.

  • 2:07 pm
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