Kari,
I’m so encouraged by this. I just started FlyLady after reading one of your other blog posts. How long did it take before you really started to see a difference in your home and were able to have extra time to spend doing other things?

This subject is exactly what I’m trying to hone in on right now. We are just starting homeschool this fall with a five year and a four year old (we also have a one year old). On the positive side, everything has a place in our home, and if it doesn’t it, it soon will, or it is out. General tidying is going well and keeping up with the laundry. We are eating in most of the time instead of often eating out (this was a goal of mine a few years ago), and we are eating things made more from recipes instead of quick, processed things that require you to just heat up (a huge improvement from two years ago before I knew how to cook much).

There are three areas that I am really trying to refine–the dishes, the bathroom, and the floors. I probably spend the same amount of time on the dishes as I would if I was doing them *after* cooking and eating rather than *before*, in order to have things to use. BAD! I know. It has been an ongoing challenge to the point where my husband is just used to seeing a sink full of dishes. I poured in and got the dishes caught up this morning. I procrastinate on the bathroom to the point that it is a little gross in my opinion. I pretty much do a good job of sweeping the floors, but other than the bathroom floor, no cleaning with water and soap! BAD!

I have a sense of what it would feel like to have these three target areas on track, and it almost hurts to compare it to what has been. I just don’t know WHEN to do the bathroom and the floors. Simple reflection and a decision is a huge next step on this. As far as the dishes, I NEED to reflect upon the fact that if I let them sit after using them, the time required to catch up is simply going to accumulate like debt. If I don’t have time now, when will I have time later? And it will only be more dishes. We don’t have a dishwasher, so it is all by hand. I like our dishes very much, and it is inspiring to me when I see them clean, shiny, and put away. A little reflection on the logic of the situation is what I need to do. I would love to have every dish that we need in the morning to be ready for the morning. It would be nice to have all the measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and baking pans ready to go when we’re baking something.

Bedtimes are another aspect we are honing in upon, but that is a subject for another comment!

Oh my goodness, I can relate. I actually heard about FlyLady years ago but it wasn’t until this time when I felt the same way you did, “Somebody tell me what to do!” that it really stuck.

Oh my, me neither! I definitely don’t have her standards but I love that she constantly emphasizes “even housework done poorly blesses your family” — it’s not about perfection but about being a blessing. I’m glad you’ve found a rhythm that works for you, that’s awesome!

Oh good, so glad it can be encouraging!