I’ve been doing this daily for years!! My family thinks I’m nuts but it works for me. I start in the kitchen (worst room by far) and work for 5 minutes, just as you said. When the timer goes off, I move on to the next room. Because 5 minutes is never enough for my kitchen, I’m “allowed” to run back in there if I’ve finished another room with time left. Then when the timer goes off, on to the next room, and so on. I include my laundry room so while I’m in there I’ll change out a load if possible, to keep that going as well. I always end up in my kitchen; by that time the rest of the main floor is picked up and I’m happy to spend whatever time I need to finish the kitchen. This “game” I play works for me, gets me started without worrying about burning out halfway through. I’m glad to know there’s others out there like me lol!
Omg! That is hands down the best advice ever ! Just did my house in 25 mins. I mean not ‘perfect’ but good enough for hubby coming home and stuff not to bother me. Utterly brilliant!!!
Great job!! A few extra tricks - since you have the vacuum out vacuum the kitchen instead of sweeping - carry a box as you clean the rooms instead of leaving the room to put something away or just leave them by the door And take them on your way back -clean the bathroom if you have guests come over a 2 min wipe - light a nice candle
Very inspiring. I love your tip. It shows how 25 minutes of time can be so worth the effort and dedication. When my kids were young and many rooms were messy with all sorts of items, I would call a work party and grab a laundry basket. We could all clean the room fast and anything that didn’t belong in the room went in the basket. Then a few minutes later we were in another room doing the same and depositing items from the basket that belonged in that room. It took such a short time, maybe 3 minutes with all working and we were racing so it was not browning but fun. Years later when I had chores divided up by week, one child did the dishwasher, one swept and cleaned the table etc, it went fast. I noticed groans when someone would get the dishwasher and while I tired to convince them it was an easier task than it seemed so we timed it. Sure enough it was the shortest task so then they wished for it. We learned that nothing takes more time than dread and that by the time the dread would depress us the job could have been done. My youngest is 25 and chores are not worth the procrastination. It’s just part of living.
Love that you got them started young and working together! That is my goal for our kids, they are just little now so they help me, but my oldest can start doing a few more things I think.
It looks like you leave the room you are cleaning to put things away and come back to finish cleaning. I honestly done know if I learned this from Flylady or came to the conclusion myself but I ALWAYS set a laundry basket or a round snow disk in the door way of the room I'm going to clean, set the timer and anything that doesn't belong in the that room goes on the disk, this could be shoes, clothes, magazines, paper wrappers, a flash light no one put away etc... I do not leave the room until the timer goes off or I'm satisfied the task is done. I carry the basket to the next zone/room and anything in the basket that belongs in the room I put away or fill the basket with things to put/throw away. The timer per task method works for me for everything from cleaning a room to purging my closet etc.. Finding a system that works for you is the key to sanity. You go girl.
This idea actually does work. Another trick I taught my daughter when she needs to tackle a pile of clutter: deal with/remove/put away 5 things. Or 10 things. Or 7 things. It's your game, so it's your rules. Strangely, removing a specific number of things will not only whittle down the pile of clutter, but it will also, in most cases, get you going on tackling the entire pile. Thanks for the "5 minute" advice.
Sandy Taylor I’ve decluttered a whole room using a similar method. Like pick one part that is not overwhelming and focus on one at a time. Then its like each part you do motivates to do another
Lol, I have a set list of music and I know EXACTLY where I need to be at the end of each song. I started when I was a kid. I had to make my bed neatly or my mother made me do it again. I put Cat's in the Cradle on and at the end of it I was popping my plumped up pillows on the perfect, hospital cornered bed.
I've done "commercial cleaning" too! Jump up during the commercial. Have the dust mitt/Pledge sitting there ready. See how many living room surfaces you can get done before your show comes back on.
Love the 5x5 trick. After being gone for two weeks leaving my hubs and grandson to fend for themselves I procrastinate the routines! One of my favorite memories when my kids were small was my husband coming home from work entering the back door where a mess of toys were scattered everywhere. He say,( I’m thinking oh boy here it comes) “ I’ve been thinking you should take $20 bucks and go enjoy yourself!”. I guess that’s why I’m still married for thirty- eight years! TFS❤️
I developed a similar rule. I call it "Give it 15." Just 15 minutes in each room. My only rule is: I don't have to do the task perfect or fast....I just can't STOP. Not once. Depending on the activity, sometimes it goes by quickly, and then other times, I'm wondering when the alarm is going to go off. But it's good either way, because I know stop time is just a few minutes away. Not too long, not too short. In my first couple of years on my own, I used to be one of those people you would see on that old British show "How Clean Is Your House?" Nobody ever taught me to clean and I never had chores. This is the only way to clean that has ever worked for me in my adult life. Any other way overwhelms me. Thanks for posting it. Everyone should play with the clock and find the time that works for them. I can see where some people would like 5 minutes. It's like a little "marathon run."
I turn the kettle on and see what can get done before it boils. It could be putting away the dishes/ tidying the bathroom/ making the bed... As the sound gets louder, my speed of tidying increases. Then my cuppa is all the more enjoyable, looking around at the clean space.
Hi! I think you have really great ideas for how to complement the flylady system to make it easier to adapt for newbies like me. I also struggle with keeping up with daily routines and feeling like I did not make a dent in my mountains of housework ( can’t think of it as a home blessing yet lol!) when I’m finished. I tried your 5x5 today and it worked great for me to get started. Then I continued with paper, laundry and evening routines and it has been a good day! I haven’t had one in awhile! I feel like I got a lot accomplished and am looking forward to getting to bed ontime so I can be prepared for tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas! I also agree with you that when pressed for time if we just do the 6 main things you talked about then that will be good enough!
lol love your channel name. I was called a slob as a child and took it to heart a little too hard! Now you’ve reminded me I can have a sense of humor about it. Love the 5x5 idea it creates the perfect focus/distraction from overthinking when picking up!! I’ve also now made it a thing where we have guests or friends come twice a week which motivates me to pick up like nothing else does !
Fun vid! When I was a kid, my mom at some point in the day would yell out "Speedy Wheels!" and wherever you were in the house you raced like mad to tidy up 😂I still do it!
I use a term from one of my girls favorite afternoon shows, Big Comfy Couch, with a small change. Instead of ten second tidy, I do a ten minute tidy....lol
How are you getting on Salima? If youre still struggling, maybe try th-cam.com/video/OxmoTkTgtgE/w-d-xo.html She also does a video EVERYDAY to talk you through it.
I have just found your channel and am now binge watching episodes as I do dishes and laundry in New Zealand. I love your personality, you are so kind and funny with an awesome smile and just hearing a fellow mum be honest about her sticky floor boosts my self confidence! Thank you for making a difference to my day ♥️
You're doing great! If your house is tidy enough for someone else to come and do the deep cleaning, your house is under pretty good control. If the house is a disaster, no one else can clean it for you. So don't be so hard on yourself. This is as good as it gets for most of us.
I know you are saying this isn’t your “routine”, but this video changed my life. I do this every day as my morning tidy up. 5 minutes on living room, 5 minutes on kids room, 3 minutes on kitchen and dining, 7 minutes on bathroom with swish and swipe, 3 minutes on master bedroom and 7 minutes vacuuming entire upstairs. I combine this with 15 minutes per day doing 1 load of laundry and 15 minutes doing 1 load of dishes. And for dishes, I put away dishes in the morning, then through the day rinse and load dishes and at night run the dishwasher. My house usually looks pretty tidy and I no longer have mountains of dishes or laundry. As far as cleaning, my routine is to spend 30 minutes a day on it. M=dusting +polish, T=vacuum with baseboards/cracks, W=mop, Th=Scrub kitchen, F=Scrub bathrooms, S=Declutter/deep clean, S=Wash bedding.
What a great trick, thank you. I'll be using that one in my little house. You are an inspiration and I love that life gets in your way, because 'perfection is unattainable'. Your kids will never be this age again, enjoy each and every moment with them and then get to the cleaning. No one ever grew up and said "I wish my floor was tidier when I was 3", no, but many say, I wish my parents payed with me more. You are doing great!
Thank you for the video 🌷 Having a basket by the stairs to put whatever goes up stairs And taking it with you every time you go upstairs could save you so much time and effort , that what I did .
That's what I was going to suggest, it's very helpful and a timesaver. Then you can just take it or the stuff in it with you when you make a trip up or down instead of making extraneous trips. Also, a laundry bag or tote that you can put your dirty clothes in upstairs and take downstairs with you when it's full or laundry time instead of throwing stuff down would be quicker and easier. And, instead of leaving the room to put something in another room when you're doing your 5x5, have a tote, basket, or whatever to collect items that are in the wrong room to take along and use to then redistribute those items to their correct location, instead of getting up and leaving the room each time you find something that doesn't belong, would save some time and effort. Thanks for being so honest about your struggles and sharing what's worked for you and all of your helpful tips. Also found Diane thanks to you, she's wonderful, too!
When I was younger 2 girlfriends & I would call an emergency clean if one of our in-laws were coming to visit. Had so much fun in those days! Don't sweat it hon. I always had a sparkling house & 2 kids & a husband. Good home cooked meals every night. No wonder I'm so worn out now at only 60. Do what you can but enjoy your family while u have them.
I've just started watching your videos. Thank you so much. I did flylady years ago and it was great. Now the kids are raised and left home but I am much slower and have permanent pain from a car accident. I find it hard to clean but I also hate getting in a cleaner. I must get my timer out and set it for 5 minutes 3 times a day. That way I can keep on top of things again. I might be slower but I can still get it done, with a bit more time. Thanks from Australia.
Great job! I had someone come in to clean the bathrooms, vacuum and dust when my kids were little. I had to clean up junk in front of the cleaners just so that they could get to the surface of things. I was exhausted by the time they left!
Dang! That was fast! Great job. My ADD usually gets the best of me. So I'm likely going to need a lot of practice at doing a 5x5 cleaning. And from one female to another, I respectfully say, you are the cutest and have a great presence on camera. Keep up the good work!
Very helpful. Who cares what people think. Do it for yourself and people living in the house. People who come over can leave; you are stuck in your house 😝 clean it. Thanks!!!! I’m a messy person 🙃
Still one of my favorite motivational youtube videos!! I have to laugh because I see I commented on this last year and the year before. LOL, I really do love this one!
Maybe add a cute basket at the bottom of the stairs to pitch the laundry throughout the day! Also Ikea Kallex system really helped my mudroom. Each kid had 1 cubby for shoes, 1 for personal and 1 for activities. Then I have a cubby for the dog and another for sun screen/bug spray and stuff like that.
I absolutely LOVE this method!! Usually I only have about 15min or shorter time before mom and dad show up at the last minute so this would totally work. Thank you
I really needed this today. I get so bummed when I get busy with life and fall behind but your channel helps me to realize its normal and a never ending process of discovery and adapting to make it work for our family. You are amazing. Thank you for your content ❤
Hi! Love your realness. Yes, we fail or we fall (I prefer). We accept that our babies are excellent at learning, often by failing /falling. They pick up their little butt and start over, time and time again until they conquer with a joyful grin. It matters not how much we fall but how often we get back up and try again. Kids teach me how to get joy in little things, even stuff that's repetitious. Congratulations on your efforts and thanks for your encouragement. 🙋
This method may just ease my anxiety and procrastination regarding house cleaning! I will try this. It is very manageable and I think it would be help implement a day where you spend 30 min in each space doing the hard cleaning. Thank you for sharing.
I personally like to put a podcast or in general a TH-cam video that i wont miss much out on by just listening and clean. I can do whatever cleaning needs done and it barely feels like work as long as I have that or music on in the background
Just found you & subbed. This was very cool! 👏🏻 Back in the day, when soap operas were on from noon till 4p.m., I used to clean my house during commercials! 🤪
Haha, I was pissed when it went down to only ONE. Now, I plan my stationary chores (and everyone knows not to call me) between 2&3 here, when General Hospital is on! And I recently lost my k-9 “Hoover” furbaby (she was 15, went to The Rainbow Bridge), so now I have to pick up all crumbs on my own! We need a puppy! 😝🤪🤣
You are so real! Thank you, thank you, thank you. New sub here. I'm looking forward to binge watching your videos because you're so easy to relate to.Also, if you haven't found her already, you might like Clutterbug. She's very real, like you, and has great systems for us messy at heart people.
U are amazing! Getting the house ready for your husband to come home after a tiring day is a gesture too rare these days.. Your kids are very small right now, however you can make them part of ur toys cleaning routine so that they pick up the discipline to clean after themselves too.. It would go a long way for them when they are young.. Once again, you are amazingly simple and honest in your content, it truly inspires your viewers to follow the routines with your lil tweaks here n there..👍🏼👍🏼
A version of crisis cleaning. Frankly, a lot of the time, I clean (a variation of ) this way because I can't get motivated to do it any other way. This gets me going, at least.
Crisis cleaning! I had forgotten that term. (Returning flybaby here.) The thing is it gives such a jolt of progress in short time. That's what I love about it.
Clean as you go. If the office was straighten before bed, it would be clean in the morning. Load all your dishes in the dishwasher that you can and leave all other is soapy sink. They can just be rinsed in morning. Pick Up. Do not let things stay out once done with them. Nightly sweep of clutter. You do this in the morning, yet 15 min. before bed would give you a nicer start to the day.
An add-on if short on time before company arrives: make sure bathroom mirrors, toilet and sinks/counters are neat and wiped down; floors are swept/vacuumed; table, stovetop and fridge doors are wiped down. Those are the most noticeable! If worse comes to worse, you wouldn't believe what a difference a clean mirror, faucets and toilet makes! 👍😺
I like your method! I’m trying to do this with my gardening, keeping inside vehicles tidy... staying intentional is hard for me but a little bit every day sure makes life easier.
This saved my life omg.. I'm far from a slob I just have ADD so I can't focus on one thing EVER.. So it gets junky fast but this just made me focus on how fast I can get stuff done in 5 mins. It was more a race against the clock so i mentally wasn't over thinking it I just started doing something, anything..
Thank you very much for this idea!! So need this today. Just gonna modify a little😊 30 minutes kitchen-baked yesterday so got a lot of dishes and no dishwasher- 10 m bedroom(includes folding) 5 m bathroom 5 m school room 5 m girls room 5 m garage
I just did the 5 by 5 as I watched your video and I love it. I guess I procrastinate because I have a short attention span?? But your system doesn't allow me to get bored trying to be detailed and immaculate. Thanks so much!
Glad to see you back. My daughter is struggling with two children under three. She finds it so frustrating that her house is topsy turvy all the time. Going to suggest 5x5 for her. Only other thing I would suggest is to have a laundry basket to put things that belong in other rooms, then take it with you. Hope to see you soon.
I have been doing this method for years and I notice that when I only have five minutes I am able to do what would normally take me twenty minutes. I got the idea from the kids show "big comfy couch" she would always do a two minute tidy. A fun game when the kids were little was to get them to help by putting their toys in a basket. You can make it into a game. Even two year olds can play and there can be a prize for the kid that picks up the most stuff. My neighbour would bring her entire day home over once a week and the place was always cleaner after the kids left. A prize could be something as simple as picking a favourite snack.
Great tip and good job;) A tip from youtubers I’ve seen with a upstairs: keep a container in or near the bottom and top of the stairs for everything that needs to go up and down. Save you time from picking up things scattered at the floor. And the hassles of taking a thing at a time where it belongs.
I’ve just found your channel by searching for ‘fly lady’ - also used by kimmy at she’s in her apron. You’re doing a great job. I find you very friendly and motivating. Very real. Great tips too! Thank you for taking the time to do this:)
So you just did what I call my Dailey Dash. Because I am still so confused with the difference between "Weekly Blessing Hours" etc... I have changed it for how it works for me. I've Incorporated it into my bedtime routine where I just spend 5 minutes in each room and quickly straighten things up. And since I don't have family room or dining room, I only do the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. So it only actually takes me 15 minutes. Since the first thing on my bedtime routine is to wash my dishes, I do that room first, (and by the way I don't have a dishwasher so I just let the dishes sit out all night to dry) Then I go into my living room and then I go into the bathroom and straighten up in there right after I wash my face and brush my teeth. Then I can go into my room and get ready for bed set up my clothes and stuff like that I'm ready for bed. Then the next morning I put my dishes away as part of my morning routine and I wake up to what feels like a clean house. I do my weekly home blessing hour in the zone area. So I have a list of things that or more deep cleaning things that I work on each day in the zone only I just spent 15 minutes doing it. Like on Mondays I do vertical surfaces like walls and cabinet doors and sides and Tuesdays I clean all the shiny things like Windows and mirrors and knick-knacks. Wednesday's I wipe down knobs and switches. Thursdays I clean the floors and Friday is my planning day so I pay bills and plan menus so that Saturday I can go shopping for food for the next week. I'm still a Flybaby too and sometimes I feel like a maggot but at least we're both trying, right?! I don't always do my routines the way I know that I should , but I know when I do them life goes much smoother. Happy FLYING and thank you for your videos. I think you're awesome!
Check out laundry dividers. It's a metal rack that holds 4 different hanging bags. I write on the bags whites, darks, jeans, lights... Or however you separate... And then you can just carry up the bag and throw it in the washer. No pile of clothes. No extra separating.
This is great! So inspiring and a great reminder how much we can get done when we use the timer to keep ourselves honest and focused. I'm stealing this ... as a returning flybaby. Thanks so much for sharing/showing!
Sweetness! Give yourself a break!! I know you posted this last year. But this piece of information will give you perspective. I'm old. When I was a child we were POOR. Yet my Momma still had a lady come help her at least once a month. When I was a young woman I had friends and family that came just to help me. Then I went to their place to help them. We didn't call it a co-op but I guess it was. We wanted to visit and let the kids play together and we got things done while we socialized. We were close friends so I knew where to put stuff in their place as they did in mine. About kids. Have a place where plastic things live that small ones can get to. Make sure the visiting kids know where that is. Ask your friends to do the same for when you come with your wee ones. I did this with cloth diapers and a wringer type washer, but I did have a Solar Powered Clothes Dryer. [AKA Clothes Line] Ha Ha Ha! You can do this. Aunt B
Yes..I agree..you can make videos to share your experience with women and girls all around the world, AUNT B. then collaborations too!!!😊 Awesome thinking from lovely lady who suggested it... aka clothes line. I WILL NEVER LOOK AT IT THE SAME.😁😊LOL...
Yes, we all helped each other. I didn't have kids, but even as a teen, I'd help my friends clean their rooms so they could go out and they'd help me. If I went to a friends home and the dishes needed done, they'd do mine and I'd do theirs. Two people working together makes work fun. With my husband, I insisted on cleaning together so that he'd participate and I wouldn't end up being his mother--besides two people make work go quickly. We cleaned on Thursday night (doing laundry as we were doing that) so that the weekend would be totally free and our house would be in great shape for entertaining. Later, when no longer married, I came up with another easier system.
I've often wished I had someone to call and help me. Several times when I felt that way I'd hire someone. Most of the time I was sorry and just wanted them to leave. I would be working right beside them and they still couldn't get anything done. Most of the time they just visited. It's not any better when I leave and let them clean on their own. I usually can't even tell they were here. I think the biggest problem is they don't know where anything goes so they just leave it. They don't even really pick up. Women are a lot more isolated today than they were in the 50's and 60's. Being a stay at home mom is coming back into fashion, after we figured out someone needs to raise the kids, so maybe things will change a little. Having someone to just give you hand once in a while makes a world of difference!
Very impressive! because my house is big, I´ll put 10 minutes per room. ;-) Thanks so much for sharing your super fast method! You are a good example to follow.
I’ve been doing this daily for years!! My family thinks I’m nuts but it works for me. I start in the kitchen (worst room by far) and work for 5 minutes, just as you said. When the timer goes off, I move on to the next room. Because 5 minutes is never enough for my kitchen, I’m “allowed” to run back in there if I’ve finished another room with time left. Then when the timer goes off, on to the next room, and so on. I include my laundry room so while I’m in there I’ll change out a load if possible, to keep that going as well. I always end up in my kitchen; by that time the rest of the main floor is picked up and I’m happy to spend whatever time I need to finish the kitchen. This “game” I play works for me, gets me started without worrying about burning out halfway through. I’m glad to know there’s others out there like me lol!
Wow! Great minds think alike :) It's just like Mary Poppins says - "You find the fun, and snap! The job's a game". Glad it is working for you too!
I love the idea of including Laundry 👍❤
I just did this! I’m sweating but it took me less than 30 minutes to get my duplex cleaner than it’s been in weeks. Thanks!
"Do not be distracted by a different room or a different mess" Wise advice!
Omg! That is hands down the best advice ever ! Just did my house in 25 mins. I mean not ‘perfect’ but good enough for hubby coming home and stuff not to bother me. Utterly brilliant!!!
Thanks Nic! Good enough is good enough! :) :)
Great job!!
A few extra tricks
- since you have the vacuum out vacuum the kitchen instead of sweeping
- carry a box as you clean the rooms instead of leaving the room to put something away or just leave them by the door And take them on your way back
-clean the bathroom if you have guests come over a 2 min wipe
- light a nice candle
I like that idea !
👍🏽
Very inspiring. I love your tip. It shows how 25 minutes of time can be so worth the effort and dedication.
When my kids were young and many rooms were messy with all sorts of items, I would call a work party and grab a laundry basket. We could all clean the room fast and anything that didn’t belong in the room went in the basket. Then a few minutes later we were in another room doing the same and depositing items from the basket that belonged in that room. It took such a short time, maybe 3 minutes with all working and we were racing so it was not browning but fun. Years later when I had chores divided up by week, one child did the dishwasher, one swept and cleaned the table etc, it went fast. I noticed groans when someone would get the dishwasher and while I tired to convince them it was an easier task than it seemed so we timed it. Sure enough it was the shortest task so then they wished for it. We learned that nothing takes more time than dread and that by the time the dread would depress us the job could have been done. My youngest is 25 and chores are not worth the procrastination. It’s just part of living.
Love that you got them started young and working together! That is my goal for our kids, they are just little now so they help me, but my oldest can start doing a few more things I think.
It looks like you leave the room you are cleaning to put things away and come back to finish cleaning. I honestly done know if I learned this from Flylady or came to the conclusion myself but I ALWAYS set a laundry basket or a round snow disk in the door way of the room I'm going to clean, set the timer and anything that doesn't belong in the that room goes on the disk, this could be shoes, clothes, magazines, paper wrappers, a flash light no one put away etc... I do not leave the room until the timer goes off or I'm satisfied the task is done. I carry the basket to the next zone/room and anything in the basket that belongs in the room I put away or fill the basket with things to put/throw away. The timer per task method works for me for everything from cleaning a room to purging my closet etc.. Finding a system that works for you is the key to sanity. You go girl.
This idea actually does work. Another trick I taught my daughter when she needs to tackle a pile of clutter: deal with/remove/put away 5 things. Or 10 things. Or 7 things. It's your game, so it's your rules. Strangely, removing a specific number of things will not only whittle down the pile of clutter, but it will also, in most cases, get you going on tackling the entire pile. Thanks for the "5 minute" advice.
Sandy Taylor I’ve decluttered a whole room using a similar method. Like pick one part that is not overwhelming and focus on one at a time. Then its like each part you do motivates to do another
Exactly. Sometimes just putting away five things at a time is less overwhelming to my brain.
This is great! when we had live TV I used to do what I called Commercial Cleaning - I clean during the commercials!
Lol, I have a set list of music and I know EXACTLY where I need to be at the end of each song. I started when I was a kid. I had to make my bed neatly or my mother made me do it again. I put Cat's in the Cradle on and at the end of it I was popping my plumped up pillows on the perfect, hospital cornered bed.
Carolynn Schwartz Black Ha! Me too!!😄
I've done "commercial cleaning" too! Jump up during the commercial. Have the dust mitt/Pledge sitting there ready. See how many living room surfaces you can get done before your show comes back on.
Oh my gosh! I do that too and call it that too. Commercial cleaning!
Carolynn Schwartz Black same !
Love the 5x5 trick. After being gone for two weeks leaving my hubs and grandson to fend for themselves I procrastinate the routines! One of my favorite memories when my kids were small was my husband coming home from work entering the back door where a mess of toys were scattered everywhere. He say,( I’m thinking oh boy here it comes) “ I’ve been thinking you should take $20 bucks and go enjoy yourself!”. I guess that’s why I’m still married for thirty- eight years! TFS❤️
Awe! ♡ He GETS you! ♡ What a great man!
He's a great man,who knew that you work hard,appreciate you.
I just used your 5 x5 speed clean and feel so much better! I see a difference and that just makes me happy! Love your channel!
I developed a similar rule. I call it "Give it 15." Just 15 minutes in each room. My only rule is: I don't have to do the task perfect or fast....I just can't STOP. Not once. Depending on the activity, sometimes it goes by quickly, and then other times, I'm wondering when the alarm is going to go off. But it's good either way, because I know stop time is just a few minutes away. Not too long, not too short. In my first couple of years on my own, I used to be one of those people you would see on that old British show "How Clean Is Your House?" Nobody ever taught me to clean and I never had chores. This is the only way to clean that has ever worked for me in my adult life. Any other way overwhelms me. Thanks for posting it. Everyone should play with the clock and find the time that works for them. I can see where some people would like 5 minutes. It's like a little "marathon run."
I do that too! Me and my husbamd both work so well do one room together and we can clean the house in an hour including bedrooms!
tygersflowerz Wow!! Awesome!! I watched that show too!
J would agree on 15 min. Five is just not enough for me.
I turn the kettle on and see what can get done before it boils. It could be putting away the dishes/ tidying the bathroom/ making the bed... As the sound gets louder, my speed of tidying increases.
Then my cuppa is all the more enjoyable, looking around at the clean space.
tygersflowerz ride out your storm
Omggggg... I am doing this every evening right after work. I’m sick of saving chores for the weekend.
Me too! I think about it every week but now have the inspiration to make it happen.
You are amazing!!! I am a senior with arthritis but this video teaches a lot about the power of 5 min.
Thank You RoseLynn, I am so glad you found it helpful!
Hi! I think you have really great ideas for how to complement the flylady system to make it easier to adapt for newbies like me. I also struggle with keeping up with daily routines and feeling like I did not make a dent in my mountains of housework ( can’t think of it as a home blessing yet lol!) when I’m finished. I tried your 5x5 today and it worked great for me to get started. Then I continued with paper, laundry and evening routines and it has been a good day! I haven’t had one in awhile! I feel like I got a lot accomplished and am looking forward to getting to bed ontime so I can be prepared for tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas! I also agree with you that when pressed for time if we just do the 6 main things you talked about then that will be good enough!
Thank you! I am so glad you were able to turn your day around. I can totally relate to that overwhelm feeling! Hope you are having a great day today!
lol love your channel name. I was called a slob as a child and took it to heart a little too hard! Now you’ve reminded me I can have a sense of humor about it. Love the 5x5 idea it creates the perfect focus/distraction from overthinking when picking up!! I’ve also now made it a thing where we have guests or friends come twice a week which motivates me to pick up like nothing else does !
Fun vid! When I was a kid, my mom at some point in the day would yell out "Speedy Wheels!" and wherever you were in the house you raced like mad to tidy up 😂I still do it!
Awesome!
I use a term from one of my girls favorite afternoon shows, Big Comfy Couch, with a small change. Instead of ten second tidy, I do a ten minute tidy....lol
I believe God had me stumble upon this video because I've been struggling. I'm going to try this tonight.
God is good!
Right! Such a blessing!
I've been struggling too
How are you getting on Salima? If youre still struggling, maybe try th-cam.com/video/OxmoTkTgtgE/w-d-xo.html She also does a video EVERYDAY to talk you through it.
😭my sentiments exactly
I have just found your channel and am now binge watching episodes as I do dishes and laundry in New Zealand.
I love your personality, you are so kind and funny with an awesome smile and just hearing a fellow mum be honest about her sticky floor boosts my self confidence! Thank you for making a difference to my day ♥️
You're doing great! If your house is tidy enough for someone else to come and do the deep cleaning, your house is under pretty good control. If the house is a disaster, no one else can clean it for you. So don't be so hard on yourself. This is as good as it gets for most of us.
I love your honesty. Houses get dirty and disorganised because we live in them. We need to be reminded of this. thank you💕.
I know you are saying this isn’t your “routine”, but this video changed my life. I do this every day as my morning tidy up. 5 minutes on living room, 5 minutes on kids room, 3 minutes on kitchen and dining, 7 minutes on bathroom with swish and swipe, 3 minutes on master bedroom and 7 minutes vacuuming entire upstairs. I combine this with 15 minutes per day doing 1 load of laundry and 15 minutes doing 1 load of dishes. And for dishes, I put away dishes in the morning, then through the day rinse and load dishes and at night run the dishwasher. My house usually looks pretty tidy and I no longer have mountains of dishes or laundry. As far as cleaning, my routine is to spend 30 minutes a day on it. M=dusting +polish, T=vacuum with baseboards/cracks, W=mop, Th=Scrub kitchen, F=Scrub bathrooms, S=Declutter/deep clean, S=Wash bedding.
What a great trick, thank you. I'll be using that one in my little house. You are an inspiration and I love that life gets in your way, because 'perfection is unattainable'. Your kids will never be this age again, enjoy each and every moment with them and then get to the cleaning. No one ever grew up and said "I wish my floor was tidier when I was 3", no, but many say, I wish my parents payed with me more. You are doing great!
Great for people with adhd! Thank you!
Thank you for the video 🌷
Having a basket by the stairs to put whatever goes up stairs And taking it with you every time you go upstairs could save you so much time and effort , that what I did .
I will do this! Thanks :)
That's what I was going to suggest, it's very helpful and a timesaver. Then you can just take it or the stuff in it with you when you make a trip up or down instead of making extraneous trips. Also, a laundry bag or tote that you can put your dirty clothes in upstairs and take downstairs with you when it's full or laundry time instead of throwing stuff down would be quicker and easier. And, instead of leaving the room to put something in another room when you're doing your 5x5, have a tote, basket, or whatever to collect items that are in the wrong room to take along and use to then redistribute those items to their correct location, instead of getting up and leaving the room each time you find something that doesn't belong, would save some time and effort.
Thanks for being so honest about your struggles and sharing what's worked for you and all of your helpful tips. Also found Diane thanks to you, she's wonderful, too!
I agree !
When I was younger 2 girlfriends & I would call an emergency clean if one of our in-laws were coming to visit. Had so much fun in those days! Don't sweat it hon. I always had a sparkling house & 2 kids & a husband. Good home cooked meals every night. No wonder I'm so worn out now at only 60. Do what you can but enjoy your family while u have them.
omg! best system evrrrr! you are literally saving people from clutter shame!! subbing!! Thanks woman!!
This was so incredibly helpful for me, as I’m easily overwhelmed. I can do 5 minutes! Thank you! ❤️
I appreciate your honesty- getting someone to come clean is like pushing the reset button. Totally allowed.
I've just started watching your videos. Thank you so much. I did flylady years ago and it was great. Now the kids are raised and left home but I am much slower and have permanent pain from a car accident. I find it hard to clean but I also hate getting in a cleaner. I must get my timer out and set it for 5 minutes 3 times a day. That way I can keep on top of things again. I might be slower but I can still get it done, with a bit more time. Thanks from Australia.
I hope we get to hear you giving yourself more credit. You are 1 person responsible for A LOT. You're doing a great job Mom.!
Thank you
@@TheSecretSlob thats awesome, and that growth is the reason for the challenges you go through.👍
Great job! I had someone come in to clean the bathrooms, vacuum and dust when my kids were little. I had to clean up junk in front of the cleaners just so that they could get to the surface of things. I was exhausted by the time they left!
The amazing thing about Fly Lady...just jumping in where you are. LOVE IT!!!
Great idea. Amazing how much you can get done in just 5 minutes per room. So motivating!
Dang! That was fast! Great job. My ADD usually gets the best of me. So I'm likely going to need a lot of practice at doing a 5x5 cleaning. And from one female to another, I respectfully say, you are the cutest and have a great presence on camera. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much Leah :)
Very helpful.
Who cares what people think. Do it for yourself and people living in the house. People who come over can leave; you are stuck in your house 😝 clean it. Thanks!!!! I’m a messy person 🙃
I love this 5 x 5 idea. I am 77 and this works beautifully for me. Five minuets is about all I can manage. before I have to sit down!
🐦 You ROCK !!!
THANK YOU !!!!
I just get too overwhelmed & give up !
You have given me....
A FRESH OUTLOOK. 👍
Still one of my favorite motivational youtube videos!! I have to laugh because I see I commented on this last year and the year before. LOL, I really do love this one!
Maybe add a cute basket at the bottom of the stairs to pitch the laundry throughout the day! Also Ikea Kallex system really helped my mudroom. Each kid had 1 cubby for shoes, 1 for personal and 1 for activities. Then I have a cubby for the dog and another for sun screen/bug spray and stuff like that.
I just wanted to say thank you for your lovely you tube channel. It has helped me from being over whelmed with my house cleaning
I don't know why but I stumbled upon this, boy I don't regret watching her !
Love from India 🇮🇳
Your imperfection at the fly lady system got you a follow today! I love your practicality and humanity ♥️
Awesome way to clean up! Thanks for sharing! I love the FlyLady!
I absolutely LOVE this method!! Usually I only have about 15min or shorter time before mom and dad show up at the last minute so this would totally work. Thank you
I’m going to try this! It makes housework seem far less daunting and like I can manage it after all- thank you!
How can anyone dislike this?
Seriously, your amazing💟
I really needed this today. I get so bummed when I get busy with life and fall behind but your channel helps me to realize its normal and a never ending process of discovery and adapting to make it work for our family. You are amazing. Thank you for your content ❤
Thank you for sharing. I needed this!!
I love this concept! TU, TU, TU!
Shared this with my sister-in-law who started it immediately! (I've still got some minimizing to do) Thanks for the great example and tips!
Hi! Love your realness. Yes, we fail or we fall (I prefer). We accept that our babies are excellent at learning, often by failing /falling. They pick up their little butt and start over, time and time again until they conquer with a joyful grin. It matters not how much we fall but how often we get back up and try again. Kids teach me how to get joy in little things, even stuff that's repetitious. Congratulations on your efforts and thanks for your encouragement. 🙋
This method may just ease my anxiety and procrastination regarding house cleaning! I will try this. It is very manageable and I think it would be help implement a day where you spend 30 min in each space doing the hard cleaning. Thank you for sharing.
LOVE your video and your personality!!
It helps..l heard this is used to help people with adhd. Many people who find house w ork boring need this method to make it more exciting.
I personally like to put a podcast or in general a TH-cam video that i wont miss much out on by just listening and clean. I can do whatever cleaning needs done and it barely feels like work as long as I have that or music on in the background
Just found you & subbed. This was very cool! 👏🏻
Back in the day, when soap operas were on from noon till 4p.m., I used to clean my house during commercials! 🤪
The original timer clean! I think I remember my mom doing this too :) haha
Haha, I was pissed when it went down to only ONE. Now, I plan my stationary chores (and everyone knows not to call me) between 2&3 here, when General Hospital is on! And I recently lost my k-9 “Hoover” furbaby (she was 15, went to The Rainbow Bridge), so now I have to pick up all crumbs on my own! We need a puppy! 😝🤪🤣
You are so real! Thank you, thank you, thank you. New sub here. I'm looking forward to binge watching your videos because you're so easy to relate to.Also, if you haven't found her already, you might like Clutterbug. She's very real, like you, and has great systems for us messy at heart people.
I just found your channel, and I enjoy your videos a lot. I started getting stuff done while listening to you. You're super likeable. :)
Thank you so much. I drive myself crazy cleaning every day cleaning. I'm going to start doing this. So happy and excited.
U are amazing!
Getting the house ready for your husband to come home after a tiring day is a gesture too rare these days..
Your kids are very small right now, however you can make them part of ur toys cleaning routine so that they pick up the discipline to clean after themselves too.. It would go a long way for them when they are young..
Once again, you are amazingly simple and honest in your content, it truly inspires your viewers to follow the routines with your lil tweaks here n there..👍🏼👍🏼
Genius idea- especially for people working outside the home.
I love this! In fact, I saw this as I was getting ready for company and did it!
This is so heartwarming seeing this video and knowing that now you are an expert fly lady!
A version of crisis cleaning. Frankly, a lot of the time, I clean (a variation of ) this way because I can't get motivated to do it any other way. This gets me going, at least.
Crisis cleaning! I had forgotten that term. (Returning flybaby here.) The thing is it gives such a jolt of progress in short time. That's what I love about it.
Good job! I was REALLY impressed with what you accomplished in that short period. You’ve inspired me to give that a try. Thanks!
I just discovered your channel this week, and I'm LOVING your videos!!
Clean as you go. If the office was straighten before bed, it would be clean in the morning. Load all your dishes in the dishwasher that you can and leave all other is soapy sink. They can just be rinsed in morning. Pick Up. Do not let things stay out once done with them. Nightly sweep of clutter. You do this in the morning, yet 15 min. before bed would give you a nicer start to the day.
Right on.
An add-on if short on time before company arrives: make sure bathroom mirrors, toilet and sinks/counters are neat and wiped down; floors are swept/vacuumed; table, stovetop and fridge doors are wiped down. Those are the most noticeable! If worse comes to worse, you wouldn't believe what a difference a clean mirror, faucets and toilet makes! 👍😺
So true!
Cooking dinner
I love that you called yourself a “fly maggot” because that is totally me ha ha!!!
Great for anyone, kids or adults, to do a timer, especially if they have ADHD. Simple 5 mins. Thank you!!
Omg I think I can do this! I'm struggling with anxiety and depression right now, but this makes it seem like I can do it. Thank you!
Stick with YOUR system-it works!!!😍
I like your method! I’m trying to do this with my gardening, keeping inside vehicles tidy... staying intentional is hard for me but a little bit every day sure makes life easier.
Yes to the vehicle! I put that off to the very last and it's always embarrassing. Going to do it in 5 minute increments!
What a great idea!!! Sending this to my daughter who had 2 under 3 and a small daycare!
This saved my life omg.. I'm far from a slob I just have ADD so I can't focus on one thing EVER.. So it gets junky fast but this just made me focus on how fast I can get stuff done in 5 mins. It was more a race against the clock so i mentally wasn't over thinking it I just started doing something, anything..
Thank you very much for this idea!! So need this today. Just gonna modify a little😊
30 minutes kitchen-baked yesterday so got a lot of dishes and no dishwasher-
10 m bedroom(includes folding)
5 m bathroom
5 m school room
5 m girls room
5 m garage
Well done! Oh baking dishes.. lol, the worst part of baking!
I just did the 5 by 5 as I watched your video and I love it. I guess I procrastinate because I have a short attention span?? But your system doesn't allow me to get bored trying to be detailed and immaculate. Thanks so much!
Glad to see you back. My daughter is struggling with two children under three. She finds it so frustrating that her house is topsy turvy all the time. Going to suggest 5x5 for her. Only other thing I would suggest is to have a laundry basket to put things that belong in other rooms, then take it with you. Hope to see you soon.
This reminds me of the flylady crisis cleaning but this is obviously much shorter! Love it! Thanks for this video
I have been doing this method for years and I notice that when I only have five minutes I am able to do what would normally take me twenty minutes.
I got the idea from the kids show "big comfy couch" she would always do a two minute tidy.
A fun game when the kids were little was to get them to help by putting their toys in a basket. You can make it into a game.
Even two year olds can play and there can be a prize for the kid that picks up the most stuff.
My neighbour would bring her entire day home over once a week and the place was always cleaner after the kids left.
A prize could be something as simple as picking a favourite snack.
I remember that show! I love that idea - especially as I am starting to get my kids interested in cleaning up too! Thanks, I will try that!
I think you just saved my life!!! I am so darn busy (like the rest of us!). This I can do!
Amazing job I will try that 5 minute timer in each room. Thanks for taking the time to share. 💕💕
This Was awesome, I’m going to try this today.
Great tip and good job;)
A tip from youtubers I’ve seen with a upstairs: keep a container in or near the bottom and top of the stairs for everything that needs to go up and down. Save you time from picking up things scattered at the floor. And the hassles of taking a thing at a time where it belongs.
Thanks! I did recently buy a woven basket/hamper thingy and it does the trick!
I’ve just found your channel by searching for ‘fly lady’ - also used by kimmy at she’s in her apron. You’re doing a great job. I find you very friendly and motivating. Very real. Great tips too! Thank you for taking the time to do this:)
So you just did what I call my Dailey Dash. Because I am still so confused with the difference between "Weekly Blessing Hours" etc... I have changed it for how it works for me. I've Incorporated it into my bedtime routine where I just spend 5 minutes in each room and quickly straighten things up. And since I don't have family room or dining room, I only do the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. So it only actually takes me 15 minutes. Since the first thing on my bedtime routine is to wash my dishes, I do that room first, (and by the way I don't have a dishwasher so I just let the dishes sit out all night to dry) Then I go into my living room and then I go into the bathroom and straighten up in there right after I wash my face and brush my teeth. Then I can go into my room and get ready for bed set up my clothes and stuff like that I'm ready for bed. Then the next morning I put my dishes away as part of my morning routine and I wake up to what feels like a clean house.
I do my weekly home blessing hour in the zone area. So I have a list of things that or more deep cleaning things that I work on each day in the zone only I just spent 15 minutes doing it. Like on Mondays I do vertical surfaces like walls and cabinet doors and sides and Tuesdays I clean all the shiny things like Windows and mirrors and knick-knacks. Wednesday's I wipe down knobs and switches. Thursdays I clean the floors and Friday is my planning day so I pay bills and plan menus so that Saturday I can go shopping for food for the next week.
I'm still a Flybaby too and sometimes I feel like a maggot but at least we're both trying, right?! I don't always do my routines the way I know that I should , but I know when I do them life goes much smoother. Happy FLYING and thank you for your videos. I think you're awesome!
This is awesome! It’s amazing how much you can do in a relatively short time.
Ty for being brave enough to share your house tips. I will try your way
Check out laundry dividers. It's a metal rack that holds 4 different hanging bags. I write on the bags whites, darks, jeans, lights... Or however you separate... And then you can just carry up the bag and throw it in the washer. No pile of clothes. No extra separating.
I love mine. I added a laundry basket where my husband drops his clothes. If it's not there he drops them on the floor.
Get a Roomba!! Best thing ever!! I like the 5x5 version. Thank you.
This is great! So inspiring and a great reminder how much we can get done when we use the timer to keep ourselves honest and focused. I'm stealing this ... as a returning flybaby. Thanks so much for sharing/showing!
Love this idea! Great job and what a great cardio workout!
You are doing great! Your new mindset is the key! Give yourself kuddos - you have 3 toddlers😳.
Great way to manage clutter! Thank you!
I'm inspired! Time to try out your system! Blessings to you.
Sweetness! Give yourself a break!! I know you posted this last year. But this piece of information will give you perspective. I'm old. When I was a child we were POOR. Yet my Momma still had a lady come help her at least once a month. When I was a young woman I had friends and family that came just to help me. Then I went to their place to help them. We didn't call it a co-op but I guess it was. We wanted to visit and let the kids play together and we got things done while we socialized. We were close friends so I knew where to put stuff in their place as they did in mine.
About kids. Have a place where plastic things live that small ones can get to. Make sure the visiting kids know where that is. Ask your friends to do the same for when you come with your wee ones.
I did this with cloth diapers and a wringer type washer, but I did have a Solar Powered Clothes Dryer. [AKA Clothes Line] Ha Ha Ha!
You can do this.
Aunt B
Solar Powered Clothes Dryer aka clothing line, LOL. Thanks Aunt ab! Your comment made my day!
Aunt B you should have a TH-cam channel. I even look to see if you had one so I can subscribe 😄 and Aunt B, is perfect for the name 😉
Yes..I agree..you can make videos to share your experience with women and girls all around the world, AUNT B. then collaborations too!!!😊 Awesome thinking from lovely lady who suggested it... aka clothes line. I WILL NEVER LOOK AT IT THE SAME.😁😊LOL...
Yes, we all helped each other. I didn't have kids, but even as a teen, I'd help my friends clean their rooms so they could go out and they'd help me. If I went to a friends home and the dishes needed done, they'd do mine and I'd do theirs. Two people working together makes work fun. With my husband, I insisted on cleaning together so that he'd participate and I wouldn't end up being his mother--besides two people make work go quickly. We cleaned on Thursday night (doing laundry as we were doing that) so that the weekend would be totally free and our house would be in great shape for entertaining. Later, when no longer married, I came up with another easier system.
I've often wished I had someone to call and help me. Several times when I felt that way I'd hire someone. Most of the time I was sorry and just wanted them to leave. I would be working right beside them and they still couldn't get anything done. Most of the time they just visited. It's not any better when I leave and let them clean on their own. I usually can't even tell they were here. I think the biggest problem is they don't know where anything goes so they just leave it. They don't even really pick up. Women are a lot more isolated today than they were in the 50's and 60's. Being a stay at home mom is coming back into fashion, after we figured out someone needs to raise the kids, so maybe things will change a little. Having someone to just give you hand once in a while makes a world of difference!
So funny! I did like this before Advent. Didn’t want to put up advent-decoration’s in a messy home!! 5 minutes is so doable! 😃
This is awesome!!! I’m TOTALLY going to try this!!
This is life changing! Thank you for taking the time to share!
Very impressive! because my house is big, I´ll put 10 minutes per room. ;-)
Thanks so much for sharing your super fast method! You are a good example to follow.