FLY FAQ


If you have a question about FlyLady or FlyLady’s system, check the FLY FAQs first.

If you can’t find the answer here, please send us an email.

What do the Buzzzz Words (acronyms) used on FlyLady.net mean?
What are “Purple Puddles”?
How do I join FlyLady?
How do I make FlyLady.net my home page?
Why do you send emails when you have a website?
Why do I have to get dressed to my shoes?
Why do I have to shine my sink?
What does Swish and Swipe mean?
Are FlyLady’s routines posted on the website?
What is a basic weekly plan?
What are the zones?
What is a Hot Spot?
What is a 5 minute Room Rescue?
What is a 27 Fling Boogie?
What is a mission?
What is the Weekly Home Blessing Hour?
Why do I have to get up earlier than my family?
Why are you called FlyLady?
What is a SHE?
Who are Pam and Peggy and how can I find their website?
What is a Declutter Challenge?
How do I send in my totals?
Can I access the email archives?
How do I contact FlyLady?
How do I unsubscribe?
Where do I report problems with the website?
How do I stop emails while on vacation?
How to change my address?

What do the Buzzzz Words (acronyms) used on FlyLady.net mean?

Note: Many of these acronyms are general use acronyms from the internet world (this is just a start – so bear with us LOL!).

BG:Big Grin
BO: Born Organized
BTW: By the Way
CHAOS: Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome
DH: Dear Husband
DD: Dear Daughter
DS: Dear Son
FACE: Financial Awareness Continuously Empowers
FLY: Finally Loving Yourself
{{hugs}}: A cyberhug
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
LOL: Laugh Out Loud
OT: Off Topic
OTOH: On The Other Hand
PODA: Parade of Daily Adventures (To do list)
PUPA: Pick Up Put Away
ROTFLOL: Rolling on the Floor Laughing Out Loud
SHE: Side Tracked Home Executive
SAHM: Stay At Home Mom
STUFF: Something That Undermines Family Fun
WAHM: Work At Home Mom

Top of Page

What are Purple Puddles?

Well, when I first began answering all of your wonderful emails, my sweet darling would come home and catch me crying over a testimonial. That is when he would ask me why I was in puddles. Over the months, a dear member, Victoria, coined the phrase “Purple Puddles”. It just fit. So when I tell you I am in Purple Puddles, I have tears rolling down my face. – FlyLady

Top of Page

How do I join FlyLady?

Select the Join FlyLady button on the bottom of each page for instructions on how to join. Read WhyFLY? to find out what to expect when you join FlyLady.

Top of Page

How to Make FlyLady.net Your Homepage

If you use Mozilla Firefox

Navigate to the page you want set as your home page.
With that page open, go to the top of the Firefox window
Click on Tools from the menu bar, and select Options…Preferences….
Click on “Use Current Page.”
Click “OK”

If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x for Windows

Go to: Tools/ Internet Options/ General tab.
Place your cursor in the Home page/Address field.
Enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp) into the Address box.
Click OK

If you use Google Chrome Browser:

Go to three-bar (menu) button in top right corner (Customize and control Google Chrome)
Go to: Settings
Under “On Startup”, select “Open a specific page or set of pages”
Click on “set pages”, then “use current pages” (if you are currently on www.flylady.net) or type www.flylady.net into the “Add a new page” URL box…then click OK.

If you use an older Windows version, try this:

Go to View/ Options/ Navigation tab.
Select “Start Page” and enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp)
or, go to View/ Internet Options.
Select “Home Page” and enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp) in the Address text box.

If you use Netscape Navigator (4.x)

Go to: Edit/ Preferences/ Navigator.
Place your cursor in the Home Page/Location field.
Enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp)
Click OK

If you use an older Nescape version, try this

Go to: Options/ General Preferences/ Appearance tab
In “Startup”, select “Home Page Location”.
In the text box below “Home Page Location”, enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp)
Click OK

If you use America Online 6.0 (Windows):

Go to: Settings/ Preferences/ Internet Properties (WWW)
In “Home Page”, enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp) in the Address text box.
Click OK

If you use an older version of America Online, try this:

Go to: My AOL/ Preferences/ WWW
In the Home Page section, enter the web address (http://www.flylady.net/index.asp) in the Address text box. Click OK

Top of Page

Why do you send emails when you have a website?

The emails are a motivational tool. They contain the daily messages of encouragement and advice. They are proven to have a major effect on thousands of peoples’ lives.

Top of Page

Why do I have to get dressed to my shoes?

Several years ago I worked for a direct sales cosmetics company. One main rule for that company was that you could not make a single phone call in the morning unless you were totally dressed all the way to dress shoes. The reason behind this duty was that you act differently when you have clothes and shoes on. You are more professional. The customer can tell when you don’t feel good about the way you look. So, if getting dressed makes that big of an impression on someone that can’t even see you, then what is it going to do to those who can see you. Mainly yourself.

Many stay at home moms (SAHM’s) are guilty of not seeing the need to get dressed all the way to the shoes. They figure, since only their children will be seeing them, why bother? Well, I am here to tell you, that you will be amazed at the difference in your attitude about yourself, your children, and your home when you feel good about how you look. I don’t want to hear, “I don’t wear shoes in my house”. Well you do now. Buy or clean up a pair just for that reason. – FlyLady

Top of Page

Why do I have to shine my sink?

This is your first household chore. Many of you can’t understand why I want you to empty your sink of your dirty dishes and clean and shine it, when there is so much more to do. It is so simple. I want you to have a sense of accomplishment. You have struggled for years with a cluttered home and you are so beaten down. I just want to put a smile on your face. When you get up the next morning, your sink will greet you and a smile will come across your lovely face. I can’t be there to give you a big hug, but I know how good it feels to see yourself in your kitchen sink. So each morning this is my gift to you. Even though I can’t be there to pat you on the back, I want you to know that I am very proud of you. Go Shine your Sink. – FlyLady

Top of Page

What does Swish and Swipe mean?

As part of my morning routine I clean my bathroom. Now this is not the crisis cleaning because company is coming and you have not touched the bathroom in months. This is a daily maintenance that keeps it company ready all the time! I know many of you don’t think that this needs to be done but I assure you that you deserve to clean and fresh smelling bathroom all the time too.

It doesn’t take much time to do this either. This is why I called it a swish and a swipe. Doesn’t that sound like a lick and a promise! Quick and easy! Here is how it works and once you establish this habit, your bathroom will never look and smell dirty again.

To accomplish this you need a couple of things to keep in your bathroom. I have my favorite window cleaner in each bathroom just for this purpose along with a roll of paper towels or old wash cloths. You can use what ever you like just so you don’t have to leave the room to swish and swipe. You will have no excuse to get sidetracked if you will do this.

Here is the swipe part. I take the window cleaner and a rag and wipe off the mirror and then the counter, faucets and sink. Bam it is just that fast. Now I do this as I am getting dressed and I put my things away. Do you hear me! put your stuff away as you use them this keeps your counter clear and easy to wipe down. Then I take that same paper towel or rag and head toward the toilet. I keep a toilet bowl brush beside each toilet in our home. They are kept in a crock (one like you put kitchen utensils in). I keep an all-purpose cleaner like old shampoo in it (not bathroom caustic cleaner). Soap is soap as far as I am concerned. You could use old shampoo that you hate or what ever you have. They are even making some great new toilet bowl brushes that are kept in cylinders that have lids. Now don’t do this if you have little children or pets that will get into this. Each take take the brush and let the excess cleaner drip off; if it is thick you may have to water down the solution a bit so it will drain well. Then take the toilet bowl brush and swish it around in the toilet. Even if you don’t use any soap; you will keep stuff from growing in there. Then wipe off the back of the toilet with the used paper towel or rag, then the seat, the rim and lastly the sides and floor. If you have little boys you know how they miss. Then toss the rag in the laundry or the paper towel in the trash. When you do this once a day you will find that your toilet is always fresh as a daisy.

There you have it Swish and Swipe! This takes all of about 1 minute from start to finish but you have to have everything in the bathroom so you have no excuses to not do this.

Now go gather up some window cleaner for the bathroom and look in the bathroom closet for some shampoo or some cleaner that will work for swishing the toilet. Nothing says I LOVE YOU like a Clean toilet to throw up in when you are sick! – FlyLady

Top of Page

Are FlyLady’s routines posted on the website?

Yes, FlyLady’s basic routines are posted under FLYing Lessons. Remember, these are an outline, it is up to you to make your routines match your home and lifestyle!

Top of Page

What is a basic weekly plan?

You are not going to get your home totally decluttered in one month! It is an ongoing process. We have to work at it in small quantities of time and area. We must not pull out more than we can put back in a few minutes. We are an all or nothing group of ladies. I am the one of the worst. I want what I want and I want it NOW! Well it is not going to happen with our homes. The problem we have had in the past is that we get it clean and we can’t keep it that way. How many times have you spent days cleaning, only to find yourself up to our eyeballs in clutter the next week? I don’t want to know! My main goal with this one list is to instill in you the tools to keep it clean. Routines are those tools This is why I reinforce them every day. With routines, the Do-it-Now Principle, and keeping your sink clean you can maintain the areas that you are decluttering. It is important that the routines become automatic. The routines work to keep the house from piling high, In your homes we are trying to find a place for everything and put it there. That is what we are doing with the Basic weekly plan., deciding on a day to do things and sticking to it. I never knew how much this would help my lack of organization. Knowing that I do my shopping on Thursday, my cleaning on Monday and my desk day on Friday allows me the freedom to schedule things according to the day. When you know what the day is, you know what has to be done. It is another way to be on autopilot.

Top of Page

What are Zones?

FlyLady has divided the home up into 5 different zones. Don’t worry if you think you have more than 5 zones in your own home (we all do LOL – Laugh out Loud), follow FlyLady’s Zones. Her zones will hit on all the major living areas of your home. Each week, we work in a different zone. Each month, we repeat all the zones. In a few months, you will notice that the main parts of your home will look great. Then you will be ready to tackle some of the “other” areas of your home!

Top of Page

What is a Hotspot?

A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended will gradually take over. My favorite analogy is of a hot spot in a forest fire, if left alone it will eventually get out of hand and burn up the whole forest.

This is what happens in our homes. If left unattended, the hot spot will grow and take over the whole room as well as making the house look awful. When you walk into a room, the hot spot is the first thing you see. Your eyes are locked on it. Over the years my hot spot has migrated.

As a child it was a chair in my bedroom. I would pile it to the ceiling. Right now I have two hot spots in my home: the dining room table and the bed in the extra bedroom. The dining room table is a staging area. We put the unopened mail there, as well as any thing that needs to go to the basement. Some times you cannot see the top of the table. This is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen. Granted, the pile has only been there since last night, but if I don’t deal with it first thing in the morning, it will collect many more items by evening. CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER. The Bed in the extra bed room is just the same. I use it as a place to put things that don’t have a home.

Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? It is our job to NIP this in the bud. Get rid of that pile, find the surface underneath, and stop the Hot Spot from becoming a raging Clutter inferno! – FlyLady

Top of Page

What is a 5 minute Room Rescue?

This is a reminder to spend just 5 minutes clearing a path in your worst room. You know this area of your home: the place you would never allow anyone to see. Just 5 minutes a day for the next 27 days and you will have a place you can be proud to take anyone.

Top of Page

What is a 27 Fling Boogie?

This is a tool to help you declutter your home. Do this assignment as fast as you can. Take a garbage bag and walk through your home and throw away 27 items. Do not stop until you have collected all 27 items. Then close the garbage bag and pitch it. DO NOT LOOK IN IT!!! Just do it. Next, take an empty box and go through your home collecting 27 items to give away. As soon as you finish filling the box, take it to the car. You are less tempted to rescue the items. If you have two of any item and you only need one, get rid of the least desirable.

Top of Page

What is a mission?

A daily email announcing the mission of the day. The missions are a fun 10-minute mini-project in the current zone. It might be a treasure hunt through the pillows on your sofa, it may be an opportunity to visit the spider family that has taken up residence in the dining room chandelier, or perhaps you will conduct a science experiment in that green goo growing in the back of the fridge. Who knows where you will end up when you are doing one the missions! Check out the FLY Zone for more information about the latest mission.

Top of Page

What is the Weekly Home Blessing Hour?

The Weekly Home Blessing hour is the time FlyLady spends slipshod cleaning her home. No detailed cleaning required; vacuum the middle of the floors only!

FlyLady sets her timer for 10 minutes to work on each of 7 tasks:

Vacuum
Dust
Mop
Polish Mirrors and Doors
Purge magazines
Change Sheets
Empty all trash

This takes approximately one hour; some tasks take less than 10 minutes.
“Don’t obsess, set your timer for 10 minutes for each task, then QUIT!” ~ FlyLady

Top of Page

Why do I have to get up earlier than my family?

Getting up just 15 minutes earlier than the rest of your family allows you to take time to get dressed to shoes for yourself before getting into the morning rush with your families. When is the last time you have enjoyed a sunrise?

Top of Page

Why are you called FlyLady?

When Marla found the www.SHEsintouch.com website three years ago, she needed a username. When they found out that she loved to flyfish and she taught it at a local college, they came up with the username “FlyLady”. To find out more about FlyLady, go to About Us.

Top of Page

What is a SHE? Who are Pam and Peggy and how can I find their website?

The book “Sidetracked Home Executives from Pigpen to Paradise” was written in 1977 by two sisters, Pam Young and Peggy Jones. This book describes a system Pam and Peggy came up with using 3 X 5 colored index cards to gain control over their housework. Over the years, Pam and Peggy’s system has evolved to include routines and a planner. FlyLady uses their system to guide you through your path of peace. Check out Who are Pam and Peggy? for more information.

Top of Page

What is a Declutter Challenge? How do I send in my totals?

Every once in awhile, FlyLady will announce a two – week Declutter Challenge in a special email announcement. This is your opportunity to put your house on a diet and keep track of the amount of weight lost (regardless of whether you toss it, sell it, donate it, or recycle it). If you remove clutter from the house, keep track of the weight and send it in to FlyLady. She will add up all your totals and post the grand total on the website. So, keep your eyes open for the next Declutter Challenge!

Top of Page

Can I access the email archive?

Not at this time.

Top of Page

How do I contact FlyLady?

Go to Contact Us to send an email to FlyLady.

Top of Page

How can I unsubscribe?

Click on “SafeUnsubscribe” (at the very bottom in the footer of FlyLady email )
Verify your email address by entering it.
Click on the bubble beside: “Yes, unsubscribe from all mailings.”
Click “Save Changes.”
Only you can unsubscribe yourself from our emails.

Top of Page

Where do I report problems with the website?

Go to Contact Us and select the option to report problems with the website.

Top of Page

How do I stop emails while on vacation?

Click on “SafeUnsubscribe” (at the very bottom in the footer of FlyLady email )
Verify your email address by entering it.
Click on the bubble beside: “Yes, unsubscribe from all mailings.”
Click “Save Changes.”
Only you can unsubscribe yourself from our emails.

How to Receive Emails again when you return from Vacation/Holiday:
Follow the instructions below on how to change your email setting.
If you no longer have a FlyLady email to be able to click on the link at the bottom, then click on Join FlyLady’s email! Enter your email address and click continue.

4. Change your Email Setting:

“FlyLady Messages” is every email delivered throughout the day as each is posted

Click on “SafeUnsubscribe” (found at the very bottom in the footer of the FlyLady emails)
Verify your email address by entering it and click on the bubble beside:

Click “Save Changes.”

Top of Page

How to change my address?

There is a glitch that is not allowing members to change their email address for now.  To receive emails at a different email address, click on this link to re-join with your new email address: Join FlyLadys e-mail group!
Please unsubscribe your old address by clicking on “SafeUnsubscribe” (look in the footer at the bottom of every FlyLady email)

Enter your old email address. (see that email address in the same footer.)

Click on the bubble beside: “Yes, unsubscribe from all mailings.”
Click “Save Changes.”
If you have problems or questions, send an email to <email-problems@flylady.net> with “address change” on the subject line.

Top of Page

 

Like us on Facebook

Can't detect your timezone. Set your zone.

FlyLady.net: Helping women around the world get their home organized. Copyright 2001 - 2022 FlyLady and Company, Inc.