Day Three Complete, On to Day Four

Well I was a busy bee on Monday and I'd started my entry way last Friday - the closet anyway, so day three was rather lax.  I apologize for not getting a very good before picture on the entry way, I completely forgot to take one so I did it when I remembered and it doesn't look half bad - which was not the case prior.  Think: eight more coats (some winter), a backpack and purse I wasn't using that did not need to be on the hooks; a large box with a new pot in it and two bags of socks by the front door and; one bag of other clothes, a bike helmet, belt, two stuffies and a book bag on the bench,.  There were also about six random toys, a shirt and a single shoe of Geoff's on the floor.

Obviously, the picture does not capture that and I can't help but wonder WHY those things were there in the first place. Oh right, because my entry way is dumping ground number one.  The bench is such a great idea; it holds mitts and hats and scarves.  It gives you a place to sit and put your shoes on or take them off - but it's a "hot spot" as FlyLady would say. 

It took much less than fifteen minutes to declutter this area and I attribute that to the fact that at the entryway, most of the stuff has been recently used or soon to be used and just needs to go to its proper place.  I added the pot that had been sitting, unopened, to the dishwasher and turned it on.  I took the box out to the garage and folded it up with the recycling right away.  I opened the closet and hauled stuff out; made three piles; stuff going upstairs, stuff going down, and skates and helmets (yes winter ones) to the garage.  Easy peasy.

When we were moving into this house I knew my first purchase would be a closet organizer for the front closet. I think it cost about $40. Four kids means at least twelve jackets (though there could be more) that they need to be able to reach.  I bought the one with the shelving set too because I thought of the school backpacks and shoes. That is what I decluttered today because the shelves were being misused. 

The other side of the closet got that way from the tidy session on Friday and I didn't do anything else with it.  Until I get the kids' closets and possibly my own cleaned out, everything will just have to stay in this one.  They're hung up and out of the way for now.

All in all, this area took incredibly little time.  It was seriously a matter or putting the stuff away.  The skates and helmets did not need to be in the closet.  That was easy.  And the shelves were not really as full of stuff as they originally looked.  In my fifteen minutes, I had time to hang up the extra jackets, sort the bench stuff, clear the shelves, pile it, put it away,  AND sweep the inside of the closet and the main area before the timer went off.  Plus I took a picture of it mid-way.  Really, not so bad.

As I was reading through all of the emails I get from FlyLady, and there are a few, one thing sticks out.  First of all, this "system" is not especially designed for someone who has time to do everything; in fact, it's designed for those who don't.  Sure my entry way looks great but what else did I do today?  In all honesty, around my house... not much.  My sink was shiny when I got up in the morning because it was shined before I went to bed.  I tidied my counters right after the kids had breakfast and made sure they brought their bowls to the sink.  I rinsed them and put them straight into the dishwasher - shining my sink right after (this could become obsessive).  I tidied the living room which wasn't really all that untidy because I'd completely cleaned it the day before and maybe I tidied it again before bed. I say maybe because this is the other thing FlyLady does for me - I go on auto-pilot and grab something here or there that looks out of place in my uber-tidy space.  It's miraculous that it happened once and I feel incredibly blessed that it appears to be happening twice.

Today marked the second day in a row that the main areas were completely tidy when Geoff came home.  For me, that is freaking amazing.  And I took all the other "before" pictures of the other rooms just in case I get going on those and forget to show the absolute shambles they are in before hand. It is possible as well that the other rooms are actually becoming less tidy as I move things out of the other areas.  But the goal is not to get everything at once - it's about working on one (and only one) area at a time so you can see the fruits of your labour.  I can honestly say that I'm not looking forward to the other rooms at all.  But I will set my timers for fifteen minutes over the next few days and get into them.  Although I'm not really looking forward to the work, I am so incredibly looking forward to the end result - it's about focus.

I have to mention one last thing: FlyLady is adamant that you are not looking at what you haven't done, only what you have.  Even if you can keep one area completely lovely for yourself for a week until you can complete the next challenge, that is the best you can do as you move forward.  Keep in mind that you have a reason for doing this for yourself.  So far, I am surprisingly on track and feeling extremely proud of my accomplishments.  You have no idea yet the focus it takes for me to ignore the shape the rest of the rooms are in and feel this good. :)

Today we are still doing the entry way and dining room and since I have completed both, I am going to spend some time in Hunter's room. There is a lot of decluttering to be done in that room (but it's not as bad as my ten year old's room). Baby steps.  Fifteen minutes a shot.  I can do it.  The most difficult part is starting.  Deep breaths. GO!

Happy Organizing!

Day Two Complete, Day Three Begins

Motivated?  Not overly at the beginning of the day but that changed once I set my timer.  I had said I would do it before lunch and I managed it - even getting a little help from Hunter since half the living room mess was his anyway.  When I first asked him, he said "no way".  Then I mentioned that we couldn't go to the park until it was tidied up and he said "okay!".  Live and learn.

I set the timer for fifteen minutes. The greatest thing about the timer is that I move a lot faster for it.  I also focus the entire fifteen minutes on the one room which is something I don't normally do - usually I'm moving around between rooms because there's so much to do in each. The before picture, and then the after is below.  I took the picture directly upon finishing the fifteen minutes.  I did not declutter this room so to speak - sure I removed stuff that shouldn't have been there, but that was just basic tidying.

Onto the matter of decluttering.  Fifteen minutes per day in the Zone. Since we are on the living room, family room or den, and I am working in the living area, I did the bookshelf.  Since I am at home with the kids, I have other things to attend to that just come up.  Like the additional laundry I had to do today because Hunter crawled into bed (mine) without a diaper. 

The bookshelf.  That area is often a dumping site and it is overflowing.  I actually removed one shelf of books and brought them to another shelf in my office because I had an empty one there.  I realize that makes a huge difference - to have had somewhere else to put those books.  However, that allowed me the room for the ever-increasing kids books upstairs.

The whole process took about 5 minutes from pile to restocking downstairs.  Then a quick wipe of the shelf.  I admit, I did not remove all of the books from shelves and wipe it down super proper.  That would have taken more than fifteen minutes.  I was aiming for mostly complete so I quickly wiped down around the books and pushed them up and over while wiping underneath.

Since the main goal was declutter, not clean, I'm ahead anyway.  I also got a chair and checked the top of the shelf.  I was not impressed.  Votive candles, a flashlight, sewing kit stuff that never made it to the kit and a bit of banana peel.  Expletives were silently running through my head and I showed Aaron the peel. "I didn't do it" came the not unexpected reply.  Be that as it may, how gross.

Now one thing I was aware of while doing the bookshelf is that I couldn't just put that extra stuff (minus the banana peel which had an obvious destination) anywhere.  I put it where there is a bunch of other sewing stuff; my dresser.  Yes, I will have to put it somewhere better in the future, but right now I'm putting it in the same place until I find something to put the sewing stuff into.  Maybe it will be some unused Tupperware, maybe I will find a drawer or a basket as I get through the other rooms. Whenever I get to that spot or find that perfect container, I will know where everything is.  The votive candles?  Why do I even have those?? Garbage.  Done.

 Again, a fifteen minute process and one more item off my list.  The fifteen minute intervals are working well and I am more motivated than I was this morning to do a few more spurts in other rooms.  I did not make it into any other rooms however, just kept up with the living room and kitchen.  A swish and swipe in the bathroom, and laundry for sure, but only the main rooms I've been working on. 

Today we are doing another living room declutter but can also move to the entry way and dining room if there's nothing more to do.  Hah.  I imagine that a cursory look behind the furniture will take care of another fifteen minutes anyway.

Remember when I said that a spouse "may" help out?  Well I actually got a whack of help last night after he got home and I was thrilled.  I noticed something though.  He wasn't in the rooms to declutter, he just tidied up.  Sure I don't have to tidy up those areas now, but they still need to be decluttered.  That's where the mess comes from, having too much stuff in one spot that makes it's way to another.  So I now see how all the help in the world will not get us where we're going if we don't get rid of the extra stuff.   It will still need to be done but the help is much appreciated anyway :)

I woke up to a shiny sink again and this is now four days in the running.  I know the greater challenges lie ahead because I've had the organized looking house many times before - it just doesn't stay that way.  Do check out FlyLady.net if you're struggling with organization yourself - I'm only telling you my story and there are many other parts to the help they give: motivation, Q and A, plus other helpful hints like the Swish and Swipe habits.  I like to think that the past four days of keeping my kitchen counters clear are a tribute to this habit.  In my house, that's about three days more than I've managed it before.  Happy Organizing!

Day Two

Day two has begun and I cannot tell you how much I don't want to get going on this.  We were away for the weekend so the last thing I did is everything I posted last and I only kept things up on Saturday before we left.  However, that is still an accomplishment and I am taking it as such.

One of the greatest challenges to making changes is our own negativity towards reaching a goal.  In the area of home organization this seems to me to be the easiest way to talk yourself out of further accomplishment. But take a moment to reflect on everything else you accomplish: especially what you accomplish outside of the home.

If you're working full-time, you are likely successful there.  What makes you a success?  You probably work hard with a "never stop" attitude and a singular focus on accomplishing the tasks at hand.  The fact that this attitude may not transfer to your home-work is not a complete loss.  You already have it but the drive is not there.  I get this. I have this. I have to make the changes in my thought process one day at a time.

When I received my Monday prep list yesterday, I was exhausted and I didn't feel like doing it.  One hour is all it was designated to take, but I didn't get it done.  However, rather than focus on what I wasn't getting done, I focused instead on what I did do.  I tidied my counter because it had been tidy before we got home.  I shined my sink again because there were a few cups and drips in it.  I did the same again this morning after the kids had finished their breakfast.  That is an accomplishment.

 

FlyLady only focuses on fifteen minutes of work each day.  We all have fifteen minutes even if we don't want to spend it on home-work.  I am there, this is how I got here - by not spending the time.  FlyLady is aware of the fact that we didn't get into the disorganized state in one day and it will take more than one day to get out of it.  Our battle is not so much with the work as it is with our own discipline.  Again, I am there and I am looking for ways to motivate myself. 

Number one motivator: where else are you successful?  For me, I look at my blogs because this is the most recent change that I have made and I stick to it.  On The Mom Evolution, I write every day.  Sure it takes, on average, longer than fifteen minutes but I do it, every day.  I have only been writing for a little more than a month but I have 50 segments.  I have stuck to it with little to no fanfare - at first. 

Within the past three weeks, I have been getting some encouragement.  Random people either telling me they enjoy reading them or commenting on my Facebook to let me know they "love it".  It didn't happen right away.  The same goes with the home-work and my inner voice because even if you have a spouse and kids, are they going to walk in the house and say "Wow! That looks great! How can I help?" Who knows? Maybe they will, but I'm not holding my breath.  The organization is for me; I want the house organized and they can deal with it.  I will make them.

 I made a real dent on the first day but haven't done anything amazing since.  However, I have kept up with what I did that day and am focusing on that as an accomplishment.  Creating a habit does not happen in one day but it starts with one day.  FlyLady is adamant that we do not put more time in than fifteen minutes because we are only just beginning.  Of course if you have the time, then you'll totally just keep going, but if you don't, you'll have done fifteen minutes than you would have otherwise. 

This week FlyLady is directing us to "Zone five- the living room, family room OR den".  One room only.  Declutter in this room for fifteen minutes each day over the next three days and set a timer. On the following two days we will be in "Zone 1: Front porch, entrance and dining room".  My motivation is going to come in two forms: first, I am going to blog about it and so I have to have something to say; second, I will pepper this with the pictures which I wasn't going to do, but honestly, it will help.  This will assist me two ways as well: I will be able to say, with some growing confidence, that I am doing something and I will motivate myself with before and after shots.  And even if you have no intention of posting them, you could take some for yourself and look back to remind yourself that you are indeed moving forward.

I hadn't really wanted to do the before and afters but I think that will help more than just talking about it.  Granted, even I see that it's not perfect in my kitchen after shot because the coffee is still out and I need to put that away but I will, once I finish writing.   That will take me a whole 9 seconds.  The living room, well, it looks like it might take a few minutes more, but I will set the timer for fifteen minutes because I have to get lunch ready and then I will take the kids to the park.  So I can spare fifteen minutes now. 

Note: as I was heating up two different lunches, I realized I had some spare time.  I decluttered the computer desk as I was waiting for lunch to cook.  Sure I only had five or so minutes, but I put the time to use since I was standing there anyway.
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Day One

Good morning!!

Today is the first day of the rest of my organized life.  I have never been an organized individual which is somewhat surprising when you consider what I've been doing with myself for the past few years. I have a husband and four children: Ocean, 11, Ethan, 10, Aaron, 7 and Hunter, 3. In April I graduated from the University of Calgary with a BA in sociology (the math is correct, I had Hunter during my first year back at school).  I've also been working part to full time, marketing a post-secondary planning program and delivering presentations on the same to students, parents, agencies and interested adults.  Obviously I had to have some organizational skills.

However, I was only organized in some parts of my life.  Sure I had the kids doing their things and I kept up with school and work, but my house was a disaster area (let's be honest, something had to give with that kind of schedule).  It wasn't unclean, just disorganized to the point of utter frustration.  We had too much stuff and nowhere to put it.  So even after a cleaning day, I ended up stuffing things anywhere to get them out of the way. 

Now that I've graduated and lost my amazing care-giver (she decided to go back to school as well) I've had to think of plan B.  I figured, since I have four children anyway, I would be off for the summer and I knew I needed to get organized.  Last year we moved and took possession of our house at the end of August - not enough time to get things ready before school started up.  So that's essentially where I'm starting.

In my desperate need, I turned to FlyLady.net.  I'd been there before and they helped out immensely with the daily reminders and scheduled tasks (I stopped using it for some reason - probably thought I could keep up on my own, but I was nowhere near ready to fly alone).  So I am back with FlyLady and I decided to share this expected miracle with others who may be in a similarly disorganized state.

Lets get to it.  Yesterday was day one back with FlyLady.  Rule number one is to shine your sink everyday.  I got to this around noon.  There's no time limit, do everything when you can.  But OMG, once you start... well there's a reason this is the first step.  Once you see that beautiful shiny sink, you can't help but want other areas to shine as well.  Although shining my sink was the only task of the day, I will tell you what else I did. 

I cleared the clutter that had gathered around the sink.  The loose screws, the little pieces of paper from a "collect and win" thing from Co-op that ended like months ago.  Hey, while I'm at it, pull out the toaster and make sure the counter underneath is clean.  Heck, let's move the canisters away from the wall and check that too.  My fridge needs wiping, I'm there anyway.  The cupboards haven't had a wipe down recently - I'm there anyway.  That was first.

FlyLady has added a few things since I was there last.  My new favourite??? "Five minute fire drill".  Gather the kids and set the timer.  Hunter had apparently taken some Rice Krispies into the living room and they were all over the floor (stuff like this happens all the time if I'm occupied in another room - I just deal).  I showed Hunter how to use the vacuum and told the other three about the five minute fire drill.  They ran around and tidied, shocked that the time went by so fast - it was AWESOME!!!

The timer went off and I told them they were done - in the middle of something or not, you're done.  And they were thrilled.  So was I.  Since I had help from three helping - wait Hunter cleaning Hunter's mess obviously counts so four helping for five minutes, that saved me twenty minutes at least.  WOO HOO!  I did other things too.  I completed three loads of laundry, folded and put away (because the kids had tidied the living room, I didn't want to leave the clothes either in a basket or folded and sitting).  I wiped down the counters in the bathrooms and cleaned the mirrors because I was in there too. 

During the second five minute fire drill (I decided this could be done more than once a day) I directed the kids to the front entry way.  They tidied it, but later I ended up organizing the closet.  Because it was started.  Now it's done.  Of course, I ended up having the time to do all of this extra stuff in one day and because I had the time, I did it.  Today is Saturday so there are no tasks scheduled.  My sink is still shiny (or it was before I started writing, I will check on that momentarily). And I am dressed to the shoes (day two every day rule).  I'm happy to be back with FlyLady.  And looking forward to the organization of my home and life. 

I will post every day and I would love to hear your stories as well so feel free to comment!