Any flyladies/flymen here?

[Hilary B]

There are some people for whom there is no such thing as enough storage space. I think I come near the top of that list. I also have to take my time deciding where something 'new' should be when 'put away', and if it isn't in its proper place, I tend to get a bit OTT about ''can't find things when they are put away in the wrong place."
The result of this is Clutter, and while there are no doubt things I could clear out, I would have to find them first!
The biggest problem is the books. There is NEVER enough bookshelf space (I suspect that if I had a library as big as this house, I'd soon fill every shelf, and OH is nearly as bad as me.)
I automatically keep everything as clean as the clutter allows. I LIKE cleaning, but working around the clutter is always going to be an uphill struggle.
(washing up gets done as soon as we have eaten, washing up is not finished until the sink is clean as well, except when OH does it, as he doesn't see it my way... we sometimes have disagreements about such details.........)

[northmaid]

When I first read this thread I thought 'whatever floats your boat but it's not for me'. Then I looked at the FlyLady site and my blood pressure started rising, so sorry folks, time for a rant. The rant is aimed at the site NOT at those who do find it helpful.
a) the advice is patronising and almost evangelical; "shining my sink changed my life" "have a weekly home blessing hour" a WHAT!!!!
b) it's spooky; the vision of thousands of women (or men) all shining their sinks at the same time is creepy. As binley100 said, so Stepford Wives.
c) clutter ISN'T IMPORTANT. As I get older and grumpier I realise we all spend so much time worrying ourselves on things which don't matter. The yardstick I try to use is if I were to die tomorrow what would I regret not doing. You can bet your last dollar that on my deathbed I won't be saying "I wish I had spent more time shining my sink" If I do my family has advance permission to finish me off there and then.
Rant over!

[zazen999]

Which is why I posted the link to the MSE version...it's much more user friendly.

[Alison]

Which is why I posted the link to the MSE version...it's much more user friendly.

Have only just had the time to read your link and it's made me even more certain (already was pretty certain ) that I would rather live with my clutter than have such a regimented life of lists and stars Come on, stars, we're fully grown adults! The language was better but it was still my idea of hell.

On a related but similar note, remember watching an episode of Life Laundry or whatever it's called with that really patronising woman (can't remember her name), the point at which I had to switch off was when she told some poor householder that she should throw away a box of old (and much loved photos and letters) from her now deceased mum as they were just clutter, loved posessions are not clutter they are loved posessions. Rant over!

[zazen999]

I remember watching Life Laundry once; and only once.

I tuned into the bit when they were putting records into the crusher. One record that was going in was a rare Scott Walker LP; I screamed and cried and it's making me tearful now!!!

However, I think people just use the list, not the actual star system.

As I said, I printed it out and never used it. I haven't got a cleaner at the moment, but I think a little of it sunk in as I do stuff round the house as I'm going round - so when we do clean it isn't that much of a problem. Never go upstairs empty handed; wipe stuff over when you wait for pots to come to the boil....that sort of thing.

Now, I must go and get a tissue; I'm welling up.

[Rhona]

Well I still don't 'get' this site and it's still not for me, but it did have a phrase somewhere that inspired me today - "you can't tidy clutter." Simple, but true. I'm guilty often of trying to tidy what is essentially, clutter. It's clutter, so throw it, don't tidy it (and I do mean clutter; not, as Alison rightly says, loved possessions).

Tiachica, I think you started an interesting thread...

p.s. I cleaned the spare bathroom today, which I wasn't planning to do and I SHINED THE SINK *twilight zone music*

Maybe I've been Stepforded and don't knows it.

[Rhona]

I tuned into the bit when they were putting records into the crusher. One record that was going in was a rare Scott Walker LP;

I love Scott Walker. I would have cried too. Bravely though, dabbing at the corner of an eye whilst muttering the words to 'Jackie.'

[its hilly]

One persons 'clutter' is anothers treasure.
OH and I share housework in a haphazard way, but he NEVER (pain of chopped off fingers) touches the desk. He thinks its clutter but I can lay my hand on any papers within seconds, if I cant then I have a clearout.
I dont touch the kitchen table cos thats his paperwork pile, and yes he knows whats in it. But we both shove dishes straight in the dishwasher and always leave the kitchen tidy last thing at night, and both stick dirty washing straight in the laundry basket. And stuff for upstairs gets dumped on the bottom step, and stuff for downstairs get dumped at the head of the stairs..sometimes we both ignore it but usually it gets taken by the next one past.
Our worst clutter are books and magazines and seed/tool/horsey catalogues which cover every spare surface....

[tiachica]

Tiachica, I think you started an interesting thread...

p.s. I cleaned the spare bathroom today, which I wasn't planning to do and I SHINED THE SINK *twilight zone music*

Maybe I've been Stepforded and don't knows it.

Lol, it is infectious, isn't it?

Shined my sink, changed the toilet seat, got a new babychair, cleared out both (!) storage rooms and threw out 5 black bins of rubbish. Wohoo!

[zazen999]

I remember when I first left home; I moved into a room where the owner and her boyfriend and son [about 19yrs old] was living; I was 17 at the time.

I used to get grief from her as I'd cook a proper meal in the measly 1 hour that I was allowed in the kitchen [I don't know why you bother if it's just you Andrea....], and she would have a go at me for 'not buffing' her shiny sink.

*Mutter Mutter under my breath about shiny sinks juxtaposed with where the sun doesn't shine......

But now! I have a lovely buffed sink. Took me a while to get over it.

[ladylottie]

Well, I looked at the site and to be honest it really isn't for me. I'm not very houseproud and am not one to keep "clutter", which helps with the cleaning. Problem is, I prefer to be working outside than working inside the house, so I tend to have a cleaning blitz every now and then.

Incidentally, there don't seem to be many MALE grapes adding comments on this topic (except Snadger and his Fly git !) - so is that telling us all something.......?

[Two_Sheds]

stuff for upstairs gets dumped on the bottom step, and stuff for downstairs get dumped at the head of the stairs..sometimes we both ignore it but usually it gets taken by the next one past.

If only!
I think at this point I am going to out OH. He resents being told to put things away, so what he does is put things next to where they should be. It really winds me up

[binley100]

If only!
I think at this point I am going to out OH. He resents being told to put things away, so what he does is put things next to where they should be. It really winds me up

Ha I think mr T_S must be related to my OH.Then he moans about the kids not tidying their stuff away. Hmmm I wonder who they take after.

We've got laminate floors except for the kitchen which is tiled. Every morning I sweep round cos of dog hairs , nice and easy to clean up. Downside is as I've just found out. Dog comes in with wet paws. I don't realise there are wet patches and have just landed on my bum in the middle of the hall floor. Ouch

[maytreefrannie]

Just started the babysteps and my place does already look nicer. Sometimes you just need a kick up the bum with a little given structure.

I think anything that helps you got to a goal (whether learning a new language or being able to move around the house without stepping over things) is helpful - I find the idea of waking up to a clean sink very attractive, not because I'm a housework fanatic but because it would mean the mound of wash up from last night's dinner has been dealt with; whereas in our house it's piled high in the sink (if it's got as far as the sink) in the morning. Go for it, Tiachica, if it's working for you.

c) clutter ISN'T IMPORTANT. As I get older and grumpier I realise we all spend so much time worrying ourselves on things which don't matter. The yardstick I try to use is if I were to die tomorrow what would I regret not doing. You can bet your last dollar that on my deathbed I won't be saying "I wish I had spent more time shining my sink" If I do my family has advance permission to finish me off there and then.
Rant over!

I really think dying and leaving a load of clutter would be very upsetting; the
carp those left behind would have to wade through, also they'd see some of the absolutely idiotic things I hang onto!

Your post raises another interesting point - what would I regret if I died tomorrow/whenever? Food for thought and incentive to take care of the important (to us) things.

This thread has just made me decide to de-clutter some of the junk - because I know it's better and easier to live when the stuff you don't use is gone out of the way.

I've just read over this and I think it says what I want to say, apologies if it's a load of old junk!

[OverWyreGrower]

I do practice a bit of FLY-ing occasionally, and some of the practices are really good for tidying/decluttering.

I will often spend a short amount of time on a job, rather than slogging through the whole thing; and I'm definitely better at decluttering!!

I'm not a 'get dressed to lace up shoes' person, cos I get dressed once into trackies etc to deal with the animals; then into my 'work' clothes before I leave the house... and I'm not sure about 'blessing myself'; but I think a lot of the principles are sound and there are some good ideas.