An Admission...

[senoritafish]

After finding out about it more than a year ago, and occasionally going back and checking it out again and thinking, "yes, I probably need to do this," I gritted my teeth last night and joined FlyLady.

I will not do anything unless I have structure, which I find difficult to create myself. I'm tired of the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). John was pretty good at the housework, but got tired of getting yelled at (and, I admit, at least some of the grumpiness was from me, not just from my dad), so he quit. My problem is that I see everything as a giant mountain that I can't possibly conquer, so a lot of the time I don't even try, unless of course I get absolutely sick of something. I think it's worse than it's ever been.

I have not shined my sink yet, but I did do The 27-Fling Boogie before I left the house, even if it was just mail litter that hadn't made it to the trash can and not the 27-items-to-give-away part. And I did throw spend five minutes after lunch, putting and throwing away papers on my desk here at work. Actually my desk is semi-neat right now (there are only two piles, but they contain everything) because the director was supposed to show up last week (but never did).

Well. Baby steps, she says.

A lot of it is based on the Sidetracked Home Executives system my mom used back in the 80's (I used it myself for a little while, but I'm obviously a backslider). There is an awful lot about "Blessing your Home" that makes me a bit uncomfortable (so does the pink and purple color scheme), but if I can take "blessing" to mean "having a place to live that is comfortable, that doesn't make others uncomfortable when come in the door, AND makes it so I can easily find everyone clean underwear in the morning" then I suppose I can handle that.

I do like the fact that FlyLady is not just a frilly pink and purple homemaker. She is FlyLady because she teaches fly-fishing as well! You can see a little fishing rod under her arm if you look closely.

*soft snort*

I will try not to whine. I acknowledge that I quite often need a kick in the pants. Where the hell is my planner?

Comments

[megthelegend.livejournal.com]

Wow, good for you. Our place ALWAYS needs copious cleaning before anyone can come over, which I hate - I know other people manage much better than we do.

Our problem is that both of us are messy; I can manage the smaller things easily enough like always taking my plates to the sink and always putting rubbish in the bin, but my husband has trouble with those sometimes and likes to fill any cleared surface with clutter. And both of us are really bad at doing bigger cleanup things like wiping down the coffee table properly to get rid of the disgusting huge stains, vacuuming, doing the dishes, tidying the place where we put papers which gets really messy after a day or two, etc. etc. Nicky tends to drop toys wherever he goes 'cos he just don't care.

Also to some extent I figure I'd rather spend half an hour with a good book or online talking to friends, than half an hour cleaning.

So, um, anyway, good luck. ::g::

[senoritafish.livejournal.com]

Oh, that sounds SO familiar.

Also to some extent I figure I'd rather spend half an hour with a good book or online talking to friends, than half an hour cleaning.

No kidding. Except I only mean it to be half an hour and it turns into all evening.

And a lot of it, with us, is sheer stubbornness. He's not doing anything so I won't either. I am not going to be hollered at for picking up a mess and disturbing whatever order you thought you had it in, or being accused of throwing something important away because now you can't find it. Damn it, I HATE that he's being so anal retentive. BEING NEAT IS STIFLING MY CREATIVITY!

But it's gotten so we don't eat together at the table, Angus and Gareth have no place to do their homework, and it's a wonder we don't have vermin.

But part of the plan is that for a lot of things, you only spend small amounts of time (like 15 minutes) so you don't get burned out.

AND you are always supposed to take the time to pamper yourself.

I really don't like the shoes thing though. And I can't make the bed first thing because John's still in it. We'll see, we'll see...

[megthelegend.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I know what you mean about stubbornness! Justin gets shitty at me if he's cleaning and I'm doing nothing, whereas it's perfectly FINE for him to sit back on his ass and watch TV (not even watch TV, just channel-surf and complain nothing's on) while I run around like an idiot trying to make the place halfway presentable because someone's visiting in 5 minutes!

I do really rational things like leaving his plates and drink bottles around the computer because I'm pissed off that he doesn't clean them up, so instead they just annoy me more & more every time I come to the computer. I hate that he always leaves his toothbrush on the other side of the sink from the cup where our toothbrushes live, with the toothpaste hanging half into the sink. I hate that he can change the toilet roll but can't go the extra 2 metres to put the old one in the bin. I hate that he can get out a new disposable razor and take the shield off, but can't take the extra STEP to put the shield in the bin.

But I do some things that seem very minor to ME but annoy the hell out of HIM too.

Whinge whinge whinge. ::g::

I do find it easier when I'm at home all the time and he's not, though. I can keep the place clean enough for ME.

It sounds to me like you're doing the right things, luvvie. I hope you get some support.

[poetpaladin.livejournal.com]

I've been considering the flylady. Tell me how it works out, okay?