Be a Little Bitter

Originally published September 27, 2005

I have a friend whom I've known for about 16 years, and when I first met her, she would come over to visit and end up cleaning my house! I was embarrassed, but I was also mystified by how she kept her own house so clean. One day I asked her how she kept her house so clean, and she said, "I clean house every day!" Now, that brought to my mind images of furniture polish, mop and bucket, and hours of time every day, and I totally rejected that idea, because I didn't want to spend hours cleaning my house every day - and I didn't think it was necessary to deep clean every day (which it isn't - that's obsessive). She never explained what she meant by cleaning house every day, but now I understand what she meant - she did some cleaning every day. She made beds, picked up clutter, kept the dishes washed, wiped down the bathroom, swept, and maybe did one or two deeper cleaning jobs each day. She didn't clean it all up on Saturday and then let it go till the next Saturday. She understood the principle of doing a little bit every day, maintaining the order and cleanliness. She was a little bitter! This is what FlyLady calls "routines." I've now learned to be a little bitter myself, and I finally understand how my friend keeps her home clean. So learn to be a little bitter!