Dear FlyLady,
We have family coming for a visit. I need some help. I can’t seem to get anything done.
Struggling to Get it all Done
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Dear Struggling,
We have a podcast to help keep you focused.
I did this podcast so that you would have someone coaching you through Crisis Cleaning your home! Right now many of you are in a panic. I want you to use this to help you stay focused and get ready! You can do it!
Here are the directions of how we do this. Get out your timer.
Dear Friends,
Company is coming! I can hear the panic in your voices. “In a few days, we have a ton of company coming, what am I to do?” If you want a crash marathon cleaning session, I can help you, but be warned, without the routines, your home will be trashed again in a day. So you have to listen closely.
1. GO GET DRESSED ALL THE WAY TO SHOES, HAIR FIXED AND FACE MOISTURIZED OR MAKEUP PUT ON. DON’T QUESTION ME ON THIS. JUST DO IT. Put on some good working music. Not too fast, just slow and steady. peppy, but not aerobic. Light a candle that has a good scent or put on some spices on to boil on a very low heat.
We are going to start in our kitchens. As the kitchen goes, so does the rest of the house.
2. Set a timer and spend 15 minutes in the kitchen. If your sink is not clean and shiny, then shine it first, then you can fill the sink up with hot soapy water and start to clear off the left and right counters. Empty the dishwasher, When the timer goes off. Stop what you are doing and go to the living room.
3. Set the timer again and do 15 minutes cleaning off the coffee tables or picking up toys or newspapers. Concentrate on one thing. Not all of it. When the timer goes off, then go back to the kitchen. Get a laundry basket and put the things that don’t belong in the living room in the basket. Take a garbage bag with you too. Start throwing away the trash. Don’t get caught up in the guilt we have about recycling this stuff. Just bag it up for now. 20 pounds of trash in a landfill is not going to kill you. So get over this perfectionism attitude. As you get your home in order there will be plenty of time to recycle. For now we are focusing on getting the home presentable. You can’t do this if you are hyper-focusing on sorting and recycling.
4. In the kitchen set the time for 15 more minutes, continue to work on clearing the counters. DO NOT GET SIDETRACKED AND WANT TO CLEAN OUT A CABINET. WE ARE DOING ONLY SURFACE CLEANING.
5. Now take a break and walk around and look at what you have accomplished in just 45 minutes. Set the timer for 15 minutes and drink a cup of tea or coffee or whatever you love and just relax. When the timer goes off. You are back in work mode for 15 more minutes.
6. This 15 minute session is in the bathroom. Do you have this! Clean the sink in here first, then pick up towel and dirty clothes and put them in the hamper. DO NOT GET SIDETRACKED AND START A LOAD OF LAUNDRY. I MEAN THIS. LAUNDRY WILL COME LATER!
7. When the timer goes off, you are back in the kitchen. For 15 more minutes. We can do anything in 15 minutes. Keep working till the timer goes off. Then you go to the Living room once again.
8. In the living room, continue to pick up and put away.
9. Every 45 minutes take a 15 minute break.
Adapt this schedule to fit your physical limitations and children’s needs. But you get the picture. Stay focused on one job for 15 minutes. You are going to be so surprised at how much you get done in a days time.
My timer is my best Friend.
You can do this.
Now turn off the computer and get to work!
Let’s FLY through this Crisis Cleaning, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your guests.
FlyLady
P.S. Put this in your Control Journal for future reference, just in case a friend needs your help.
