Sunday
30Nov2008
FlyLady Alternatives, Join Me in My Quest to Being a Better Home Manager
Sunday, November 30, 2008 at 4:28AM
UPDATE!!! Those who join me this week will have the opportunity to win a one-year membership to Clutter Diet! Whoever signs up through Jessica Knows and loses the most clutter pounds by New Year's Eve will win an ENTIRE YEAR'S SUBSCRIPTION (valued at $119.40).
Domesticated I'm not. However, it's getting to the point where I need to seek outside help. The business aspect of my life is in great order. But my home? Not so much. I'm very fortunate to have a husband that pitches in around the house. Scratch that. My husband does the majority of the housework plus he spends time with my son so I can work. Oh yeah, and he works full-time. He's amazing. But I know deep down he feels taken for granted.
It's not that I don't want to have a better handle on keeping our home in order. I'm just not good at motivating myself to get it done. Plus, growing up, when I got punished, that punishment was usually cleaning something in the house. So I think part of me avoids cleaning or organizing because subconsciously I feel like I've done something wrong when engaging in the activity.
This is nothing new, I've tried the FlyLady system three times over the past four years and failed everytime. I'd start slow and follow the system but the emails got to be too much. I'd start deleting them without reading because of the sheer number of emails in my inbox.
So this time around, I'm on a quest to find a viable FlyLady alternative. So I did some exploring over the past 24 hours and these are the FlyLady alternatives I found.
- Get Organized Wizard for Smart Women-The author, Michele Connolly, sent me a review copy of her system. If you are looking to overhaul your whole lifestyle then this solution is for you. With over 340 pages of worksheets, goal setting, and how-to modules, no stone is left unturned. Everything from family to household to children, even wardrobe (!) is covered in the Get Organized Wizard. For me though, even though the process is eye-opening, simple, and easy to follow, I'm really focused on getting organized and getting a cleaning routine in place. And at the $197 price tag, it's a little too steep an expense with the economy the way it is.
- Motivated Moms - This program provides printables in a weekly planner format with tasks that need to be completed on a daily basis to keep yourself organized and your home in order. At the price of $8 for all of 2009, this is an affordable solution. Plus, if you purchase now, you'll get the rest of 2008 too (according to the website). For me, I'd print this out, put it in a binder and it would get lost in the shuffle in my house. But for those that prefer something they can keep in a centralized location, this is an easy and affordable solution.
- ListPlanIt- If you are a person driven by lists then this is the resource for you. Whether you are planning for a specific event or milestone or simply want to manage your household tasks, ListPlanIt has a list for you. There are two options for using this service. You can choose a membership, for $9.95 every quarter or $29.95 a year with access to all the lists ListPlanIt has to offer or you can simply purchase the ePlanner(s) you need at $4.95 a pop. I love lists, however, if I've got to print out something to keep track of everything, I end up contributing to my clutter problem versus resolving it.
- Clutter Diet- Scott, a fellow Washingtonian, from Declutter You told me about this resource. I checked it out and there is an interactive and online component with lots of tutorials. The Clutter Diet takes the same approach as a weight loss plan. Members are assigned a Main Course, two sides dishes, and sensible snack and a dessert (reward) each week...these terms correlating with different tasks to get your home organized. Now, with FlyLady I got all the concepts, it was the avalanche of emails that turned me off every time. With the Clutter Diet you set your own email alerts for what you know you need. Your "diet" for the week is sent every Thursday and at that point in time you also calculate your clutter "pounds" lost for the week prior. I found this system immediately resonate with me. It does cost money. The first month is $4.95 to try it out and then $14.95 for the following months. If it does work for me, $15 a month is worth it to me. It costs a heck of a lot less than a cleaning lady and is a small price to pay to know I've got the cleaning/organizing aspect of my life under control. Plus, the direct access to professional organizers is worth it's weight in gold.
So, after reviewing all of the options, I've decided to move forward with the Clutter Diet. I know that just like a regular diet, I can't do this alone, so it is my hope that if you check it out and it looks good to you, you'll join me. I'll be including my progress in my newsletter as well as those who lose the most clutter pounds too. So with that said...
Who's with me?
I signed up for the Clutter Diet and am going through all the tutorials today. Since I have access to last week's diet I'm going to jump right in and get us much as I can done before the new diet comes out on Thursday.
If you want to join in and be apart of my Jessica Knows Clutter Diet Club, please leave a comment below with your Twitter handle if you have one and we'll all support each other. Please also sign up for my newsletter so, along with other announcements, giveaways, and news, you can celebrate the success of the top clutter pound shedders every week.
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Reader Comments (11)
I tried Flylady and Get Organized before, but my problem is that I am not a self-motivator. I need support and help from others to keep myself going. If anyone wants to jab me a little to get going, tweet me @mama4kids.
Hi Jessica,
Another ex-Fly Lady member here, too...way too many emails, felt like she was stalking me...and couldn't get past the 'put your shoes on' in the house thing either...no shoes in our house! ;)
I don't know if this program is in my budget right now, but I still would like to follow your progress (and others), it may motivate me...and maybe I will join if things change in our budget and I see that many of you are doing well with it.
Thanks!
Bella
twitter: Bella_Casa
Bella Casas last blog post..http://bella1104.blogspot.com/2008/11/etsy-finds-getting-susanna-carrillos.html" rel="nofollow">Etsy Finds: Getting Susanna Carrillo's Look - Home Decor Edition
I am going to try and join you.
@cathyvon
Cathys last blog post..http://craftyncer.typepad.com/cats_crafty_corner/2008/11/check-up-on-utorn-apple.html" rel="nofollow">Check up on Utorn Apple...
Thanks so much for taking a look at Get Organized Wizard for Smart Women. :-)
You're spot on, Jessica - it's definitely designed for a total life overhaul rather than only clutter attack. Which is why, compared to say, a few life-coaching sessions, it's great value for a program you can use to organize absolutely everything!
Now - good luck with that clutter diet, everyone...
Michele
PS There's a free Personal Planning Pack for subscribers to my newsletter - which is only weekly, I promise!
Michele Connolly, Get Organized Wizards last blog post..http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GetOrganizedWizard/~3/470326202/" rel="nofollow">Business Networking: Top 5 Mistakes Made by Disorganized Networkers
Thinking it over. I really need to get my house organized and in order for 2009.
Kelly Tirmans last blog post..http://www.kellytirman.com/?p=69" rel="nofollow">Bakesale Betty is um um Good
Have you checked out Krista Colvin's program "The SHEBang"? She's fun and so darned knowledgable! Check out her program here: http://theshebang.com
I love that she gives lists and a sort of ramp up "101" program too. (Full disclosure - she's my O Myth co-host. Her program is fab, and I just wish I had thought of it first! *wink*)
Lemme know what you think...
Brandie @ The Home Office Organizers last blog post..http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHomeOfficeOrganizer/~3/467294305/" rel="nofollow">Quote of the Week: Be thankful
Hi Jessica,
As mentioned via twitter I am as domestic as a cat. Like you, my dear husband helps a lot with cleaning to childcare, whether he works 40+ hrs/week or he's home all day, he is the answer to my cleaning woes. I know he'd love it if I became more domesticated and did a lot more cleaning and cooking. I will follow your progress, wish you luck! Not sure what I'll do yet, but hope to get a handle on the cleaning/cooking more in 2009!
Patty @littlebytesnewss last blog post..http://littlebytesnews.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-10-must-follow-twitter-moms-and.html" rel="nofollow">Top 10 Must Follow Twitter Moms and Online Friends
Hi Jessica! Wanted to chime in and let the "organized women" know that I created www.theShebang.com for them!
Each month the focus is a bit different... self, home, then endeavors. My motto is 'You can do it all just not in 1 day"! It's sassy + hip and gives organized women (+ those wanting to be more organized) a plan to follow.
OH.... and only 1 email per week ;)
Cheers! Krista @kristacolvin if you tweet
I am an official member of Clutter Diet! It is exactly what I have been looking for. I need direction and accountability when it comes to home organizing! Let s hope this works. I will be tweeting my progress and blogging at http://teatimewithcarrie.blogspot.com
Carries last blog post..http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/thzh/~3/472129422/coupons.html" rel="nofollow">Coupons!
As a professional organizer, I'm always guided by Occam's Razor (i.e., "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.") I have nothing against the wonderful Fly Lady approach, but I often find that prospective clients come to me after becoming overwhelmed by the somewhat overzealous FlyLady emails. It just goes to show that as individuals, we are unique, even in our need for help organizing. You have to pick what will work for you!
The truth is that the key to getting organized is never really the system, per se, but your COMMITMENT to the system, and if a system is too complex (or the reminders to adhere to the system are too intense), you won't stick to it, no matter how well it works for someone else. Since JessicaKNOWS this, she should be applauded for acknowledging that while FlyLady.com doesn't work for her, she's willing to seek alternatives. Yay!
I'm not familiar with the first three options mentioned, but the Clutter Diet was an excellent choice, and I see lots of others (including Lorie, herself) weighed in (ouch, no pun intended!) on The Clutter Diet . Jessica (and pals) I'm sure you'll be very happy and am looking forward to hearing more about your experience using The Clutter Diet to achieve your goals.
However, I'd be remiss, since you were mentioning various alternatives, to not mention Krista Colvin's SheBang http://www.theshebang.com/ program. I like that the basic program is broken down into modules, so you have a monthly project with weekly To-Do tasks to keep you from "wandering off the ranch" and losing focus, while the deluxe (VIP) program gives you all that plus templates and discounts to move you even further towards your goal, and you can pick which level works best for you. I also like the fact that there's a "breather" from the regular projects to do "seasonal shifting". I hope I won't speak out of turn on pricing, but I know the basic program has no charge, and the monthly VIP program is slightly under $8/month, but there's a big bargain if you get a one-year subscription.
Again, yay for Jessica for acknowledging that organizing solutions are not one-size-fits-all and doing the research to find the best option for her. (And remember, for anyone who needs even more personalized help, there are always professional organizers out there, too.)
GET ORGANIZED WIZARD UPDATE:
This personal-organization and goal-setting system has changed. It’s now available as either:
- a DIY *Life & Goal Organizer* product
http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/products/life-and-goal-organizer/
- a 12-month *Design Your Life* e-program with workbooks, action planners, accountability forums, weekly e-classes and e-booklets
http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/programs/design-your-life/
Happy organizing, Jessica!
Michele :-)