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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that fly lady is a crock of shit.

72 replies

Nooneelseisallowedafergus · 02/01/2013 17:14

For many a reason.

  1. Surely if your house is a real mess the best thing to do is pull on your trackie bottoms, scrape back your hair and blitz as much as you can. Not get dressed for dinner and spend half an hour shining your sink.
  2. The best way to keep your house clean is to invent your own schedule that works well for you and your home and stick to that.
  3. The only hotspot that needs a regular swish and swipe is my husband's job. Iykwim.
OP posts:
HappyNewBleurgh · 02/01/2013 18:13

Well if it works for some that's good.

I must admit I'm more of the outlook of Nooneelseisallowedafergus. If it's got to be done then shining up one sink wouldn't help me one bit. It'd be a blitz job.

MrsKeithRichards · 02/01/2013 18:23

The sink thing is quite good. My kitchen only 'works' when the sink is empty and giving it a quick shine makes it easier to keep that way. And it does make me smile, sad as that may be.

Seabright · 02/01/2013 18:35

It has helped me and I just tune out the bits I don't like (a bit too American & often way to Christian/Evangelical for my taste).

I like the feeling of the jobs for today being done (I love crossing stuff off a list) and I like the periodic reminders to do stuff like check the batteries in smoke alarms.

spookysal · 02/01/2013 18:46

I would look but I don't want 40 emails

E320 · 02/01/2013 18:46

Great, so what do you do if you do not have a stainless steel sink?

TameGaloot · 02/01/2013 18:51

I found it didn't work for me as when I was working my way through the first few days the place was falling into absolute chaos around me.
And I have to spend ages working through the crap in the emails

MrsKeithRichards · 02/01/2013 18:57

You can clean any sink!

Original poster
Nooneelseisallowedafergus · 02/01/2013 19:01

Yes tamegaloot.
Day 1 shine your sink (forget about the fact of you have no clean plates, no clean pants and your child is lost in the chaos of what should be the lounge)
Day 2 shine your sink again and write a post it note to remind yourself to get dressed. Oooookaaay then.
WTAF?
And this is helpful?

OP posts:
Original poster
Nooneelseisallowedafergus · 02/01/2013 19:02

Btw the bit in brackets does not refer to my house. I have located both my children.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nooneelseisallowedafergus · 02/01/2013 19:06

Ha! Jus read babysteps day 3.
Guess what. Keep getting dressed and keep shining yor sink!
Hows about do some frickin cleaning!
In 3 days all you've done is get dressed and shine your sink 3 times? You need to see a dr.

OP posts:
MrsKeithRichards · 02/01/2013 19:06

The baby steps are about instilling habits, laying the foundations of a good routine, not all you ever have to do!

HellesBelles396 · 02/01/2013 19:08

Hiya. I'm two days in and it's good so far. I have chronic depression and am easily overwhelmed but bitesize tasks - with clear instructions - work for me.

Re the sink: I am livid having a shiny sink and it's making me wash up as I go along rather than leaving it all til the next time I cook and need a pan the next morning.

I think, for people who are more motivated than me and less all-or-nothing, it would seem patronising but it's just right for me.

MrsKeithRichards · 02/01/2013 19:10

It works for people that want it all, go all out at full pelt and spend 3 days doing nothing but cleaning only for it all to fall apart a week later.

RyleDup · 02/01/2013 19:13

I like fly lady. But I'm too lazy to follow her instructions, I did try and stuck at it for a week. My husband has solved the problem though and we're getting a cleaner Grin

libelulle · 02/01/2013 19:18

She lost me at the 'put your shoes on' bit and the 'you don't wear shoes in the house? Well you do now, sister.' I don't think so - it's my sodding house and I don't wear shoes in it. Sister.

And I'm all for starting with a baby step, but making it shining the sink is just odd. But then I have a brushed steel sink because I hate shiny steel...

HellesBelles396 · 02/01/2013 19:25

I haven't put shoes on - or make-up - so I agree on that. Wearing shoes in the house is gross.

SolidGoldFrankensteinandmurgh · 02/01/2013 19:26

I don't think much of it. But then I think that housework is predominantly a way to waste women's time: as long as you can find a clean plate and a clean pair of pants when you need them, it's fine. And if you live with a man who thinks the house is messy, tell him to fucking well clean it.

Viviennemary · 02/01/2013 19:28

I've got the book. Can't think where it is though. I did try it for a while but didn't keep it up. But basically there is nothing wrong with it. Some people find it very motivational. Even if people know what they have to do they don't get on with it. Like they sit typing away on the internet while chaos reigns. Xmas Grin

suburbophobe · 02/01/2013 19:28

Helles - invest in a dishwasher, the best present I ever gave myself. Grin

...no more yuck on the sideboard/in the sink either

except for teenage+ DS's stuff

Original poster
Nooneelseisallowedafergus · 02/01/2013 19:29

Right. Another read of her website. She makes cleaning seem more complicated than it actually is, she is making you reliant on her silly convoluted website.
I will summarise and cut through all her crap.

  • keep on top of the kitchen and laundry each and every day
  • Hoover and dust all rooms at least weekly
  • clean bathrooms weekly
  • mop the kitchen floor a couple of times a week
  • do any other jobs as and when required
The End.
OP posts:
IceNoSlice · 02/01/2013 19:35

libelulle. I'm with you. Slippers are far superior indoor wear. Sister.

suburbophobe · 02/01/2013 19:36

I do enough housework to keep it all together
hygienic standards

But truthfully, I do the minimum cos I'd rather be the best mum to my DS/read a book/surf/be on MN..

One of my favourite reminders is:

As the Buddhist monk said: "No-one on their death bed is going to be saying "Wish I'd spent more time in the office/kept a cleaner house"!!

HappyNewBleurgh · 02/01/2013 19:36

'She lost me at the 'put your shoes on' bit and the 'you don't wear shoes in the house? Well you do now, sister.' I don't think so - it's my sodding house and I don't wear shoes in it. Sister.' ROFLGrin

I don't get it eitherConfused. But I don't respond well to being micro-managed. What's shoes on/off got to do with anything anywayConfused.

DillyTante · 02/01/2013 19:40

It's a bit like couch to 5k, in that it starts of slow to make it sustainable. It's all too easy to go all out & beast the house then a) you are exhausted and b) it lasts for about 3 hours then you are too demoralised to do it again. This forces you to go slow & create a routine. I don't do it myself but I like the idea

FrillyMilly · 02/01/2013 19:43

I was put off by the get dressed including your shoes. Why would I want to wear my shoes all day especially if I don't pln on leaving the house. I also don't want to shine my sink. I have a water meter and if I washed up every time there was a dirty dish it would cost me a fortune