Dear FlyLady,

I have been following you for many, many years. I’m sure it’s over ten.

My parents were hoarders. The generations of my family before me passed down lots and lots of good, useful things. Stuff…. ok, clutter…. has been a millstone around my neck all my life. As a kid, there was so much stuff that we really couldn’t clean anything, just vacuum around the edges a little, and I couldn’t invite friends over.

I got married and didn’t know how to keep a house clean. Yes, I could clean my house, but keeping it clean is different.

Dear Flylady, you have slowly, at my snail-pace, been teaching me how to keep my home clean. Daily routines were the first gift that I received from you. Thank you for that gift!

Recently I have been intrigued by bullet journals and found one that showed me how to use your zones and the journal. I know you’ve been trying to explain it to me for a long time, but seeing how she put hers together made the light bulb come on. I’ve tried for years to set up and use a control journal but the format I was using wasn’t working. New format and most of the old stuff I tried to organize is now reformatted and working.

NOW I have figured it out and boy is it fun! I have not allowed clutter to keep people out of my home. My house is generally company ready because of the years of flywashing. In the past month I have deep-cleaned several rooms using your zones. There are little things stuffed away, taking up space, that are historic and truly have value but how do I appropriately “get rid” of them? I am slowly figuring it out. It has been addictive. When I am done in my zone for the day, I find myself looking at something in another zone that needs to be cleaned and I “do it now.” Then I play for a bit. Then my eyes spy something else that “needs” and I “do it now.” I’m not stressing and it doesn’t have to be perfect, but boy does it feel good! Yesterday I took all the sewing stuff I have inherited (a sewing cabinet and three boxes full) and sorted it all out, threw out the bits and pieces, and put like things together in the same place. Now I know that no one in my life will ever have to buy sewing needles or buttons again. I may even start handing them out to strangers on the street. Ok, just kidding.

Thank you so much for all you have taught me. As my husband’s retirement is coming up soon, I am feeling the urgency to get my stuff in order. I had to clean out my parents home and I refuse to burden those who clean out my home with what I went through.

For the first time in my life I feel like I am in control of the stuff instead of it controlling me. It no longer whispers, “I’m valuable so you must keep me.” While cleaning out my parent’s home of their “valuables” I came to the realization that things are valuable because of who owns them. If it has no value to me I will set it free.

May all the blessings you have given others come back to you ten-fold.
Fly baby in New Hampshire

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