Coming out of the closet

Hi. My name is Jennifer and I am organizationally challenged. Further, I am the reigning queen of procrastination (watch the crown, eh) and I am highly distractable (who else can play hours of solitaire when you're supposed to be doing laundry or writing or sleeping even...)

Several years ago I realized I needed help. You could hardly walk in my house and to be honest, I had no idea how in the world to keep a house clean and organized. Nor did I have a clue how to cook meals and keep up with the demands of having a husband and kids.

I complained constantly that no one ever helped and the reason my house was such a mess was because no one cared. I pouted and whined until I made everyone - myself included - miserable.

But I found help.

A wonderful lady in North Carolina had started a website and yahoo list called FlyLady. You can visit her website at FlyLady.com.

I have flutter and stumbled and twittered my way along over the years. But only rarely have I have spoken of my deficiency and nor the antidote I found.

FlyLady doesn't tolerate my whining or stinkin' thinkin' as she calls it. She teaches that the most effective way of showing our families how to manage a household is to be an example. She encourages babysteps and not one day life makeovers. Real change takes time and babysteps. Babysteps are principle that can apply in almost every area of life.

I love the system. Even though my inner brat sometimes rebels and things get a little ragged around the edges, for the most part, my house is never more than fifteen minutes worth of messy. My meals are planned, bills paid on time, and usually I can tell you the last time I vacuumed. My dishes are always done and put away and my kitchen sink sparkles almost all the time.

I've discovered through using her system that without an external routine placed on me, I am terrible at establishing my own schedule. I just can't do it. I find myself aimlessly wandering the internet or watching tv or vainly scrubbing a tiny spot of my house while the rest of it falls down in shambles around me.

Slowly I am getting better. I still have yet to master aspects of her system but it's worth the effort. Besides housework done incorrectly still blesses my family (another FlyLady-ism).

And to keep me from getting distracted FlyLady uses a timer. I could write a book on the virtues of timers - especially for distractable kids! God bless timers! For one thing, without them I could never do a load of laundry.

FlyLady also has a wonderful member of her team named Leanne who talks nutrition and food. Leanne's website (savingdinner.com) offers a menu mailer. Each week a new menu is emailed to me with a six complete meals and a shopping list to go with it. I love it. It has forever changed the way I cook and plan meals. No more macaroni and cheese, unless it's a special treat. (how cool is it that my kids think KD is a special occasion? It costs like what? $.50 a box?)

Leanne has menu mailers for all kinds of special diets - including heart healthy or low carb or her latest body clutter (for those who are looking to lose weight). The cost is minimal when compared with how much of my sanity is saved every week. And I never face that dreaded question: What's for supper? without knowing the answer ahead of time. It's like a pop quiz and I've got a cheat sheet in front of me!

Now I look forward to planning meals and cooking each night. I see it as a way to protect my family and bless them.

The best part of FlyLady is the insistence that members love and respect themselves. Fly = Finally Loving Yourself. The best reason to have a clean, tidy home isn't so your neighbours will like you, it's because we deserve it. We deserve to have a house that sparkles because it's our own private retreat - our family's oasis from the world.

I know for some organizing and managing a household can be done with their eyes closed. But not me. I need the encouragement of FlyLady's sage wisdom. And I thank God for her every day.

I just wanted to say how thankful I am that God brought me to FlyLady's website.

Check out FlyLady's and Leanne's websites. You might find something that helps you truly FLY.