Dear FlyLady,

I have been following your newsletter and tips since I became a newlywed 5 years ago and was trying to figure out “how do I run a household and have a full-time job, and why hasn’t anyone taught me this stuff before???”

Well, FlyLady to the Rescue – I have been fluttering on and off ever since, and it is amazing how much FlyLady advice I have absorbed and applied over the years without even realizing it, until it just becomes second nature. And once I became a mother, your tips became even more important to helping me juggle housework, parenting, being a wife, and having a career.

This weekend, after a busy week at the office, I had unexpected visitors – my father drove in from out of town, and then later that day, my in-laws stopped by too. After the visits, I sat down and thought about it and realized: “I didn’t have to panic!”, and I could be proud of my house instead of worried about inviting people over. My house wasn’t perfect, but it was presentable, and that’s progress!

Because you have been reminding us about menu planning, I already had a nice dinner in the crockpot, and my house smelled great as it simmered all day. Because you have been reminding us about using our Holiday Control Journal and even emailed out some simple recipes, my children and I had made your mother’s cut-out sugar cookies recipe the day before and we had yummy festive snacks available for our company. I even had my father’s Christmas gift already purchased ahead of time because I wasn’t waiting until the last minute!

Because you have been reminding us to Swish & Swipe, even though I definitely don’t get to it every day, I had at least done it recently enough that I knew my guest bathroom looked and smelled nice. Because you have been reminding us to Shine Our Sink, my kitchen was already mostly clean when I got the text that company was on their way, and my Crisis Cleaning was minimal.

Because you have been reminding us to do a little laundry every day instead of tackling Mount Washmore, we all had our favorite outfits clean & ready to change into. Because you remind us to just take 10 minutes and tackle a Hot Spot, I didn’t have any piles of miscellaneous clutter in my kitchen or living room.

And because you have been reminding us to pamper ourselves, I was able to sit back and relax after my company left, and treat myself to a little down-time and give myself a pat on the back for how far I have come with my Flying progress. Following your advice is my daily gift to myself & my family. Even my husband says “I love FlyLady!”

With a grateful heart,
FLYbaby & family in Southern Delaware