Dear FlyLady,

You are an over-the-top genius; I love your system and I love you!  When I started out, your main motivator for me was setting the timer.  Too often I would think of a particular task that I knew I had to do, but would put it off because in my mind, at least, it would take too long.  Forever, in fact!  Hopeless!  So why even start?

Your encouragement to set the timer to accomplish projects in manageable spurts was so, so helpful in and of itself, and then it led to a breakthrough realization for me that has vastly improved my life.   First, I learned that so often the various things I needed/wanted to do could actually be accomplished in very little time–or at least a lot less time than I first imagined.  Second, and even more important for me, I started really paying attention to the actual time various chores took, and consciously started timing them for myself.

As just one life-changing example that simple process led to, I have kind of problem hair that I need to put up in rollers every day.  I’m retired now and live alone, so far too often I would procrastinate on that one thing, which felt like such a chore that it would often lead to just not doing it, which led just to schlepping around the house all day, often still in my housecoat–not going out at all because, hey, my hair was a mess, no makeup, so how could I?

So I timed that process.  It only takes FIVE minutes to roll my hair, another five minutes to blow dry and brush out, and three minutes to put on makeup.  Well, now that my hair and makeup are done (in 13 minutes), I might as well get dressed, right? (Including shoes.)   (I also timed making the bed.  It takes between one and two minutes.  So the bed is made every morning.)   When I decide I need to run to the store, or a friend calls and suggests lunch, I am ready to go!  As silly as this sounds, simply timing these chores has vastly improved my life–as well as my general outlook!

Your “shiny sink” thing is also really pure genius as well–and very sneaky!  Because often in order to shine the sink you have to take the dishes out and either wash them or put them in the dishwasher.  And now that you are going to run the dishwasher, you have to clear the counter and other spots in the house of stray dishes, glasses, cups etc. and put them in the dishwasher too. (That takes about two minutes.)  So pretty soon the countertops are cleared off and you might as well wipe them down. (Less than one minute.)   In order to do that, you have to first put away cereal boxes, put the butter back in the fridge, etc. (Also less than one minute.)  Now that the countertops are clean and clear, you might as well wipe down the stove and maybe a few fingerprints on the cabinet doors (30 seconds.)   And before you know it, voila!  The kitchen is clean, or at least presentable, in what feels like very little or no time and effort on your part!

Thank you for all that you do to improve the lives of so many of us–and our families!

Lori in Texas