The 45 Minute Dash

So 45 minutes seems a long time doesn't it? Not when your tidying up your crazy, mess filled house like mine.

Years ago my friend and I would band together to motivate each other and help each other out where we could with keeping our houses tidy. She practically lived and breathed Flylady and while I tried - started, kept going, failed, started again, failed again etc.... It just wasn't for me.

I like the idea behind Flylady, but because my lifestyle didn't work like her's - and my motivation was weak too (possibly) - if I fell a day behind because I had to work or go to school or was sick, I never got back into it properly - a speed bump then became an enormous mountain for me - to difficult to conquer.

So what's with the 45 minutes? I tidy up for 45 minutes - yes I have enough stuff around to keep me moving and occupied for that long! The things I'm NOT allowed to do though are things like really cleaning (like the walls, or scrubbing the floors), or unpacking cupboards to re-pack them, because I'm on a blitz - and if I start doing things like that I so easily get side-tracked....

So this morning in my 45 minutes I have changed the kitty litter, unstacked and restacked the dishwasher, put away the dishes on the sink (the ones that can't go in the dishwasher), done the dishes (that can't go in the dishwasher). Put away the folded and sorted clothes that have been sitting around since Monday, folded the newly clean washing, tidied the kitchen benches, changed the sheets and re-made our bed.... put tonnes of little bits and pieces away - those stray pieces of lego, pencils, my umbrella - you know stuff like that.

At the end of the 45 minutes I get 15 minutes to chill - read a chapter of my book, blog, knit, whatever... But when my 15 minutes is up I'll start my 45 minutes again.... There is a bath that needs cleaning, floors that need vacuuming and mopping, and cars that need cleaning.......