The FlyLady Cleaning Technique Booklet

Ultimately, whether the FlyLady Technique is the right cleaning method for you depends on your personal preferences and lifestyle.

The organizing world has been dominated by Marie Kondo and her joy-sparking KonMari method for quite some time.

However, there is another cleaning and organizing method gaining popularity, and it revolves around simple daily routines. This method is known as the FlyLady Technique.

Interestingly, in the past year, Pinterest searches for “fly lady cleaning schedule” have seen a significant 40% increase, while searches for “Marie Kondo” have experienced an 80% decline.

Marla Cilley, an expert in cleaning and organizing from North Carolina, is the mastermind behind the FlyLady Technique.

Over twenty years ago, she founded the FlyLady mentoring group, drawing inspiration from her passion for fly fishing. Her goal was to provide a practical approach to organizing that prevents individuals from feeling overwhelmed by their cleaning tasks.

Now, the question remains: Is the FlyLady Technique the right cleaning method for you? Continue reading to discover more about it.

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Photo: The FlyLady Cleaning Technique Booklet

The FlyLady Technique offers a different perspective on organizing, focusing on daily routines rather than the once-in-a-lifetime decluttering event advocated by Marie Kondo.

This approach aims to break down cleaning and organizing tasks into smaller, manageable steps that can be integrated into your daily life. By establishing simple routines and dedicating short amounts of time each day, the FlyLady Technique offers a practical solution for maintaining a clean and organized home.

One of the key aspects of the FlyLady Technique is the use of email reminders and checklists.

By signing up for FlyLady’s emails, you receive daily messages with checklists, cleaning routines, weekly projects, and testimonials from other FlyLady users. This helps keep you on track and provides the guidance needed to establish consistent cleaning habits.

The FlyLady Technique also emphasizes the concept of cleaning zones.

Each week, you focus on a specific area of your home for 15 minutes a day, rotating through different zones each month. This systematic approach ensures that every area of your home receives regular attention and prevents overwhelming cleaning sessions.

What sets the FlyLady Technique apart is its emphasis on simplicity and adaptability.

Marla Cilley understands that not everyone has the luxury of dedicating hours to cleaning and organizing. Instead, she offers practical solutions that fit into busy lifestyles.

The goal is to create routines that become second nature, allowing you to maintain a clean and organized home without feeling overwhelmed.

If you appreciate a straightforward, Daily Routine-based approach and prefer ongoing maintenance over intense decluttering events, then the FlyLady Technique might be a perfect fit.

It offers a practical and sustainable way to keep your home clean and organized without feeling overwhelmed by the process.

What Is the FlyLady Technique?

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Photo: What Is the FlyLady Technique?

The FlyLady Technique is a household cleaning and organizing system that breaks tasks down into focused 15-minute increments.

Developed by Marla Cilley, also known as the FlyLady, this method aims to make cleaning and organizing more manageable by providing daily guidance and routines. To follow the FlyLady system, you can sign up for free emails on the FlyLady website, which include a daily checklist, cleaning routines, weekly projects, and testimonials from other users.

Alternatively, you can access FlyLady’s content through the FlyLadyPlus app, available for iOS devices.

The app offers basic routines and cleaning tasks. For a subscription-based option, there is also the FlyLady Messenger app, which delivers daily messages, testimonials, and behavior reminders as push notifications instead of emails.

The FlyLady Messenger app costs $29. 95 per year and is available only for iOS devices.

The FlyLady cleaning schedule is based on the concept that it takes 28 days to form a habit.

It starts with four weeks of small daily tasks called BabySteps, which help establish consistent routines. Afterward, subscribers receive daily emails to support their cleaning and organizing efforts.

FlyLady Technique Cleaning Zones

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Photo: FlyLady Technique Cleaning Zones

In the FlyLady system, the home is divided into five cleaning zones, and each week focuses on one specific zone for 15 minutes a day.

The zones include the front porch, entryway, dining room (Zone 1), kitchen (Zone 2), primary bathroom and another room (Zone 3), primary bedroom, bathrooms, closets (Zone 4), and Living Room (Zone 5). The zones are rotated each month, with Zone 1 always starting on the first of the month.

Over time, this schedule helps maintain cleanliness and organization throughout the home.

Within the 15-minute periods, FlyLady recommends rapid-fire organizing projects like the “27 Fling Boogie,” where you quickly gather and throw away 27 household items, and the “Hot Spot Fire Drill,” which involves tackling specific clutter-prone areas.

These short bursts of activity aim to break down overwhelming tasks into more manageable steps.

According to FlyLady’s Facebook followers, the method has proven to be effective in helping individuals maintain their homes and declutter.

The FlyLady system emphasizes the importance of taking small actions consistently rather than expecting instant results.

By implementing the FlyLady Technique, you can make progress on your to-do list and create a more organized and manageable living environment, one step at a time.

*The information is for reference only.