FlyLady.net: Testimonial: OH! You Meant Shine the Sink!

Testimonial: OH! You Meant "Shine the Sink!"

Hi, Marla:),

Oh! You meant "Shine the Sink!"

I just read the note from the reformed lady and had to laugh. I uploaded the toolbar, which I love, a week ago and clicked for the first time on the video of shining your sink. Now I started with Flylady about four years ago after the birth of my first bbg (beauuuutiful baby girl) and successfully found the joys of putting on my shoes each day. I glanced at the "Shine Your Sink" part, but said, "no, way, not going to happen." I bounced in and out of the system and took what I could use and was happy with the bits of things changing here and there.

Once, about 8 months ago, I attempted to shine the sink and stayed up until 1 am to do it. Ok, you guessed it. I'm a SHE and a "P," and you will forgive this, but it serves me well in my talent, which is music. I adore perfecting and have concluded it's something I really like to do, so I do attempt to do it (now that I have two kids) in at least one thing every day - and forgive myself when the other 99 things needed done are barely touched. :) In four years, until I saw the video this past week, it NEVER dawned on me, you meant JUST "Shine the Sink." LOL - I'm serious!

To me, "Shine the Sink" was the symbol of the perfectly cleaned kitchen, which meant catching up the four loads scattered around the dishwasher, sink, stove and every available counter, wash and dry, wash and dry, wash and dry - then run the one full load left in the dishwasher. THEN put them all away, making sure, of course, that the silverware is polished and free from hard water stains (if not they need to be re-rinsed and shined....) Clean the counters with disinfectant, run over them once with windex so they're pretty, don't forget the top of the fridge which gets covered in grime and dust every three days, make sure all pantry items are put in their place, sweep and mop the floors THEN - the ultimate reward: SHINE THE SINK. On a good day this takes me two hours. LOL, honestly I am getting better, but you can imagine what a dunce I felt like when I realized from the video - you meant, "Shine the Sink."

I have recruited the help of two professional kitchen cleaners, Hannah Rose (age 4 1/2) and Bethany (age 3 1/2) and we have come up with a plan. In addition to their point chart for keeping their room clean (with pennies per point for reward at the end of each week,) we have started a third chart which HR kindly drew for me. Mommy gets five points each night for JUST (this is exceedingly hard for me) shining the sink each night. Ten points if the dishes are also done and 15 points if I've perfected the kitchen. Hannah Rose lovingly stops me from my creative tasks promptly at 8:00pm and lets me know "It's time to shine the sink." (...and reminds me, "No whining or complaining." if I say, "Wait, just a few more minutes, I've got to finish this....;)) and we three now have started the new habit of SHINING THE SINK. (They shine while I try to perfect....) Sigh, oh, well, it's getting there. I may just need to check through your tasks again with new eyes.

Thanks, Marla, for your immense patience with us (don't scold me, please, I've had enough of that to last me the rest of my life....) and for saying "I'm proud of you." which I've learned from you to say to my bbgs and my beloved as well. You are changing lives - one shiny sink at a time. Cool.

Thanks and hugs. Christa

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FlyLady here: I don't care how long it takes you to realize the Hope that is in that SHINY SINK. Just as long as you do! I am so proud of you! Please give your babies a hug from me for helping you to get over your perfectionism! The words, "Just a few more minutes!" is a sign of perfectionism. "Just one more thing" is another one!

If you have not watched the Shiny Sink Video then please go see for yourself. You can see it if you have the new Benefitbar FlyLady toolbar by clicking on Getting Started.

http://www.flylady.net/pages/flylady_benefit_bar.asp

We also made one for a different resolution on your computer of 1024.

FLYLADY 1024 Link: This was made for 15 inch screens.

http://www.benefitbar.com/benefitbar/subscribe/toolbar.php?toolbarId=668

Here is a direct link to the SHINY SINK VIDEO

http://www.flylady.net/pages/jumpcut_video1.asp

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