Day 5

Dear Fly Lady,

You might not be able to see your reflection in my sink, but it's pretty darn close.

Mama Cross

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I do love a clean kitchen. I try to never leave dishes in the sink because it just irks me. I learned the other day at work (well, I already KNEW it, but I got to see it in print via a fancy test) that my top value is "order." (Everyone who knows me just sighed a collective, "duh.") See, when things are in order, I feel that I can focus on more important issues without the constant nag of the little things that have to be done. When I come home I'm greeted with a clean house most of the time, so I can deal with dinner, the puppy, and the kids.

For instance, today Chloe threw a colossus of a tantrum - but I could stay calm and collected and deal with the problem without losing my cool, too. When she realized I wasn't getting frazzled, she eventually (and this was a massive blow-up - over an hour of wailing and gnashing of teeth) cooled down and we talked. I know that if I had a huge mess to clean, laundry to fold, etc, I would have been really out of sorts with the addition of a thrashing child. As it was, I could sit and crochet and ignore her while she moshed about the floor.

I manage my house by doing little things every day. I do small loads of laundry throughout the week so I don't have Mount Dirty to deal with on the weekends. As we use dishes, they go in the dish washer - and either Mike or I empty it the second everything is clean. Scooba and Roomba do help with my carpets and floors (I love to vacuum, though, and usually do every other day or so). The kids have chores and know our routines.

As the Fly Lady says, it just takes baby steps - but you, too, can remove some of your stress. Because some how I can go to grad school, teach, raise two kids and puppy, love my husband, stamp, sew, and craft, take pictures, blog and still have a clean house. I'm certainly not gifted - just organized. Order is your friend! So, take 5 minutes and clean your sink - you'll be thankful tomorrow!