Dear FlyLady,

I’ve been a FLY Baby on and (more) off for about 2 years. Your encouraging notes and the testimonials from other people have helped me to take faltering baby steps. But with last year’s catchy slogan,  I decided to try to be more consistent.

Not only have I have found that I like waking up to a shiny sink, I feel so much better going to bed knowing that my sink is shiny, and have even expounded upon the slogan to have a shiny stovetop as well. February’s habit of “DECLUTTER 15 MINUTES A DAY” has been harder to establish as a routine. BUT it is definitely A ROUTINE EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE.”

My sweet sister had bought tickets for the Cirque de Soleil and surprised me with them this past Christmas. I put them in a safe place. A week into February with the trip coming up at the beginning of March, I realized that I had no clue where I had put them. I was ashamed to let her know that even though I could still visit her at that time (we live in different states), I couldn’t participate in our girl’s trip that included my Mom, my sister-in-law, and my two nieces. I was sorry because she had wasted her money. And I was embarrassed because I was so buried in clutter that I couldn’t find what was important to me.

So I panicked, and like most people do in that state of mind, I began to pray. The concept of the February habit had thus far remained just that-a concept. And so it hit me-if I decluttered 15 minutes a day, I could find my misplaced ticket. A sense of calm came over me. I did that for two weeks, only going through papers in the dining room. It was like wading in deep water. Not finding anything, I became discouraged and quit for a few days, though I still prayed that God would please let me find the ticket. My Mom and sister (the only two I fessed up to) also must have been praying because one day out of the blue, I decided to follow your Zone of the Week. I had not been following your schedule, thinking I would do things as I saw necessary in whatever room needed work. Well, it was the Master Bedroom week. About noonish or so the other day, I realized I hadn’t gotten dressed, though I’d been working/puttering around the house in my p.j.’s.

So I went to the bedroom to change. Having my ‘work clothes’ on made me feel better about myself. And with that improved frame of mind, I looked around at all the clothes and clutter lying about and spied a bag with a mended sweater in it. I thought about you, dear FlyLady and your saying, “You can do anything for 15 minutes,” connected the dots with the February habit of ‘Declutter for 15 Minutes a Day,’ and picked up the bag to put the sweater in a drawer. . . . . Drum roll . . . . Yep, you guessed it! The envelope my sister had mailed me with her sweet note and the ticket inside was at the bottom of the bag.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart! My prayers were answered, and it was because I was inspired by you. I would never have found that ticket in time. It’d have probably shown up a year later if I hadn’t listened to you-the FlyLady Angel, hovering over my shoulder and gently nudging me from cyberspace.

With much gratitude,
A believer in Louisiana