Dear FlyLady and Crew,

I came across your website about four years ago in a Dear Abby column and I have been a member ever since.

We were in the process of remodeling our house and even though I have never been a great housekeeper, the dirt and sheet rock dust was more than I could handle. Growing up, I could never clean house good enough to suit my mother so, when I got my own house, I would let the house get unbearable and then crash and burn. You know how the story goes. I had housekeepers during most of my working years. When I started working part time, I let the housekeeper go because, in my mind, I couldn’t justify paying someone to clean my house when I had so much free time to do it myself. Needless to say, I couldn’t stay on top of it.

Then, the remodeling started. We had completed the kitchen before I found you. You told me housework didn’t have to be done perfectly. That was probably the best thing anyone has ever told me. That and I can do anything for 15 minutes. To this day. it still amazes me what I can get done in 15 minutes.

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, dining room, den and laundry room addition later, my house is clean. I decluttered as we emptied out each room to remodel and again as I brought things back into that room after it was completed. Your feather dusters are the best when it came to the sheet rock dust. My husband completed the remodeling last Friday and my home makes me smile.

I know this long but I just wanted to let you know how much you have helped me through this upheaval. When the dining room was torn apart, I had dinner guests twice. I was able to entertain because of what you taught me. There is a lot more I could add to this, but I think I have said enough for now. Thank you FlyLady from the bottom of my heart.

Flybaby in California

FlyLady here: A remodel can be difficult at best. I know because I lived through one. I was scared to death that I was going to lose all my routines when we remodeled our home. I did not! My routines were established and I kept practicing them even when I didn’t have a sink to shine. I did dishes in my antique bathtub. My refrigerator was on my front porch. Every room in our home was touched by our remodel. It was hard, but well worth the six months we lived in remodel chaos. My bed was made every day!

This FlyBaby found a way to make life as easy as she possibly could with Babysteps and 15 minutes!! Our dusters were tested on Sheetrock dust. They passed with flying colors! LOL