Friday, December 21, 2007

The note

If you've followed my journal long, you've probably noticed that my relationship with Flylady is on-again, off-again.   I get lazy and put her aside.  Then something will get hold of me and I invite her back into my house.

When you start with Flylady, she tells you that the most important thing you can do is establish a before-bed routine.  A crucial part of this is shining your kitchen sink.  People (like me) who don't have a dishwasher are supposed to have a dishpan below the sink where dirty dishes can be kept until they're washed.  I am NEVER to put them in my sink.

I am not a night-time person.  The last thing I want to do just before I go to bed is shine my sink; I've usually been dozing in my Lazy-boy since 7 P.M., for heaven's sake.  But now that I don't babysit, and now that the grandson is working second shift, it occurred to me that I can do my before-bed routine at 2:30 in the afternoon.  Nobody else is going to be in my house to mess up my clean, shiny sink!

The only minor problem I've had is with the grandson; he comes in around 10:30 P.M. and, like any healthy, red-blooded young man after a hard day's work, he eats.  He usually only dirties up two or three items, but when I get up in the morning, there they are in my shiny sink!  I've told him to put them under the sink, to no avail.

So I printed out a note in huge letters this morning, which I plan to leave in the sink when I go to bed:

"Do not put dirty dishes in this sink when it’s shining-clean. 

Beneath the sink, on the right-hand side, is a plastic dish-pan for dirty dishes.  You don’t even have to worry about rinsing, because that messes up my sink; just put them there.

When Cliff gets home, I want the sink to be spotless and empty.  It’s his reward for working hard.  When I get up in the morning, I want to see the sink sparkling.  It’s my reward for getting it to look like that."

Now you might think Flylady is nuts with this sink thing, but let me tell you how well it works:  The other day when I decided to hook back up with Flylady, I cleaned my sink like she says to when you first start her "babysteps", and I put away the ever-present dish drainer.  I cleared off the area around the sink and wiped the counters, and made sure the kitchen table was clear.  That's all.  The floors were a mess because of all the snow and mud we've had lately.  I hadn't dusted.

Cliff came in after midnight, thought I'd totally cleaned house, and took his shoes off.  When he woke up the next morning, he said, "I see the lady from Good Housekeeping was here!"

"Cliff," I said, "All I did was shine the sink, clear off the counter around it, and clear off the table."

"Really?  It felt so clean in here.  You didn't mop the floors?"

"Look at them," I said.  "See Sadie's muddy tracks?"

He couldn't believe it.

So that, my friends, is the magic of a shiny sink.  It makes the whole house look better.

At the bottom of several of the pages of my control journal is this little message:  "Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family!"

Which reminds me of the old saying, "Do something, lest ye do nothing!"

It may not last long, but I'm flying again.  



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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhh.. this is the 3rd time lol I posted in someones journal this morning and they updated it at the same time.  Anyways I posted in your other entry hope your doing good this morning!

Anonymous said...

I had not heard of the Flylady site before.  Very interesting.  I'm glad your Grandson got the hint with the big note and Cliff got to see a shining sink as he entered the house.  I'll have to investigate Flylady some more.
Sam

Anonymous said...

I need to start being a Flybaby too.  Linda

Anonymous said...

I need to to learn to fly too.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

Good for you!  I've not been flying for quite some time, but it is on my New Year resolution list !  It does work if you keep with it.  She not only gives us a method to overcome the hurdles, but makes us feel good about it too!  Thanks for the reminder !  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna! I, too, have a love-hate relationship with Ms. Fly. Currently my sink is not shining. But since Debra, Larry, and Maxine will be visiting my house this weekend I hope to have it shining soon. Along with the bathrooms, floors, and children, too. Hope you and Cliff enjoy the holidays...
-Heather

Anonymous said...

Bravo!  Bravo!  Bravo!  I just  recently started back cleaning my sink.  After I gain a little strength in my wings I'll soar up to swishing my toilet every morning as I did at one time.  Maybe we can Fly through this winter!

Anonymous said...

You are so right! I just recently cleaned nothing but my sink, countertop, and table and it made it look like I'd cleaned the whole house.
My mom used to say if you do nothing else, you should vacuum the rugs. She said it makes the whole house seem clean. I think she was right about that, too.
Pam

Anonymous said...

I 'fly' like a duck.....I go along nicely at first, then I QUACK UP !!!  LOL....the sink and clean countertop thing is key I think. Good job Donna ! Thanks for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

Two words -- paper plates.  LOL

Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

What does FlyLady say about the paperwork explosion?  I'm about ready to have a big bonfire in my back yard....

~Amy

Anonymous said...

LOL...this is neat....and I might add....the same thing happens in the bedroom....make the bed up...right away...makes the whole room look cleaner LOLOL....this is a good way to start the new year LOLOL....Hugs and merry christmas....Ora

Anonymous said...

Hello and Merry Christmas~
I am going to have to check out this FlyLady thing. Funny how I've never heard of it. I also don't have a dishwasher, well if you count me...LOL

Thanks for the tip on FlyLady!
Hugs,
Gayla

Anonymous said...

Well you know I LOVE this entry!  And that is the shiniest sink I have ever seen.  I've let mine go some.  I keep it sortof clean and mostly with dishes put up but it always has water stains.  Yep, I need to get out the bleach tomorrow.  LOL

I always say that a made bed makes the bed room look clean too.  I use my weekly plan faithfully.  Especially my Saturday routine and mid week Wednesday routine.  It's great.  And fun.  Still do my 15 minute clean ups and a lot gets done just knowing I only have 15 minutes.  LOL