Tips for Not Getting Sidetracked

--More helpful hints from FlyLady's Website...
Are you getting sidetracked? Do you feel like you are not making progress? This is required reading - once per week! Have you read this? - FlyLady

Did you do your "Before Bed Routine"?
The beauty of the Before Bedtime Routine is that you are one step ahead on the day.

Did you do your "Good Morning Routine"?
Our happiness depends on getting proper rest. Get up 15 minutes early and give yourself a good start with the "Good Morning Routine"!

Kitchen Tips:
If the kitchen is clean, the rest of the house is clean.
Empty dishwasher first thing upon entering the kitchen.
Always keep the sink spotless and shining.
Throw trash and recyclables away as you empty the container.
Keep a can of Comet, bottle of Windex, and cleaning towels handy
Make table clearing everyone's job.

Menu planning:
This is tough! Try this: take a calendar and list every meal you cook for a month. At the end of a month you will have a journal of what to fix. From this journal you can make out menu cards and a grocery list. Don't forget to list what you ate at the restaurants, too; that is a menu as well. Once you have the right food in your house, you are more apt to cook it. Knowing what is planned for the day helps to keep you on track.

Keep a grocery list and hi-lighter on your refrigerator. The grocery list is a list of everything you buy for the home. When you are running low just hi-light it on your list, then take the list to the grocery on your shopping day.

Paper pile ups:
Mail - often a big pile up problem! This works - the "DO IT NOW PRINCIPLE"
Go through the mail as soon as you bring it in the house.
Only open it with your calendar, cards, and garbage can at your side.
Have one place for bills. And put them there!
Have a day for paying them and stick to it.

The Laundry: Do You Know Where Your Laundry Is?
Go! Give your laundry the attention it deserves. If not you will pay later. It will grow up and get out of hand. Here are some tips:
Sorting: If we have to sort the dirty clothes it may take longer to put a load in the washer.
Washing: Only do a load if you have time to do everything: wash, dry, fold, and put away.
Drying: Always take the clothes out of the dryer the minute you hear the buzzer. This saves you from ironing.
Folding: Fold up the clothes as soon as you get them from the dryer.
Putting the clothes away: Have a place for everything.
Buy low maintenance clothing.
Buy several pair of socks that are the same color. They will match easier.
When you take off socks make sure they are right side out.

Bathroom tips:
Keep a toilet bowl brush beside the toilet
Keep Windex bottle, paper towels, and Comet handy. This means one for each bathroom.
Polish bathroom sink daily.

Bedroom Tips (for cleaning - LOL):
Get in the habit of making up the bed as soon as possible. This will keep you from going back to bed.
Feather Dust daily.

Living room / Dining room / Family room Hints:
Throw newspaper away daily.
Feather dust daily.
Straighten Cushions on the couch.
Put things away when you finish with them.
Don't take your shoes off in the livingroom.

The Car:
Keep it empty. This is hard - unload it every time you get out.
Don't eat in the car. This way you don't have trash to throw away.
Always fill up with gas.

Staying with this system.
Establish a goal and work toward it. Set a timer if you have to.
Establish a routine to your daily chores. By the time you get to the kitchen, half of your work may be done. The routine keeps you from having to think about what to do next.
Establish a new habit each month. It takes 21 day to form a habit. But for SHEs it takes 28 days.