Last week, in the “Flash from the Past” testimonials from Flylady, there was a post called “Simple Routines Hold Us Up.” It really struck a chord with me because I continue to run across comments on other people’s blogs about searching for “alternatives to Flylady.” Usually the person posting that type of comment appears to have rejected Flylady’s routines because she thinks that Flylady’s family size/lifestyle/house size/love of lace-up shoes/sink composition/etc. is so different from hers that she can’t incorporate any of Flylady’s ideas into her own life.
The reason that I contemplate this quite a bit is because MY family size/lifestyle/house size/sink composition (okay, I do like lace-up shoes) is different from Flylady’s. Actually, very different. Yet, the underlying ideas behind her routines are solid.
Perhaps that is why the “Simple Routines Hold Us Up” testimonial caught my attention. The author writes, comparing her sculpting class experience to Flylady routines:
Though we each started out with the same materials, instructions and procedures, each finished piece was different, fun and interesting! That’s why routines fit all of us, from SAHMs, retired folks like me, singles, FlyGuys – everybody! We take the routines and design them to fit our creative lives.
She also concludes:
So I will now begin to think of my routines as part of my creativity, the first step so-to-speak.
This might possibly be the point where the people seeking “alternatives to Flylady” get sidetracked (yes, I know…). I will repeat (from an earlier post) that I don’t necessarily think that Flylady has to be the answer to everyone’s CHAOS. But, when people who have sought out her methods give up on them just because Flylady has different circumstances in her home than they do, I think they miss the chance to be creative and build their own routines, based on the solid structure that Flylady provides.
By building on the structure that Flylady provides, we can each create our own “alternative to Flylady.”
365 Days with Flylady 
November 4, 2009 at 4:57 pm |
Brilliant! I just love “create our own “alternative to Flylady.”” This is exactly how I experience it and also comparing the two of us shows that it works for very different people as I’m single, working outside the house and have no children and you are married, mother to 10 and homeschooling teacher.
November 5, 2009 at 9:13 am |
Yes! We are two perfect examples of how Flylady can be creatively adapted to fit just about anyone’s lifestyle! 🙂
August 1, 2010 at 2:44 am |
I do realize that this is a pretty old post, but I tripped across it when I was using the search phrase “alternatives to flylady”, and for some reason I felt like dropping in my two cent as to why I was searching that phrase….
I like FlyLady, I really do. I think most of her advice is pretty solid. I think she provides a great jumping off point for many of us who have been lost on how to get started. For the most part, what I’ve gotten from reading her stuff is that she’s just offering what she does as an example, and if you need help you can emulate or you can make it your own.
I guess I find myself occasionally looking for alternatives because I sometimes get mixed messages from what she writes, and it ends up making me feel discouraged. Sometimes she seems very much along the lines of “Don’t get bogged down in the details, if this doesn’t work for you, do something else.” and then there are other times where what she writes comes off very demanding, like you MUST do this or else you’re not doing it right.
Good example, shine your sink. I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to start Baby Steps from Day 1 but I have never ever felt that sense of accomplishment that she describes in her book. It never ends up bringing a smile to my face. It just ends up making me feel irritated because I spent a lot of time doing something that I just don’t feel is all that important to me. Starting off Day 1 with that much negativity doesn’t end up fairing well for me to continue on Day 2.
It honestly wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it weren’t for the fact that I want the online community that comes with FlyLady. I have drawn so much encouragement from message boards over the years, but I find myself really disappointed with the FlyLady community. While I’m sure there are lots of nice, encouraging people over there… It’s just apparently not the place to be honest about wanting to pick a chore that you find more fulfilling that shining your sink. Apparently not doing it the FlyLady way makes you not a True Believer or something like that.
August 2, 2010 at 10:09 pm |
This is interesting since I don’t participate in the community (as far as receiving encouragement there). My experience has been that I just take the basic ideas, adapt them to my needs and then receive the encouragement I need from the general posts that Flylady makes concerning perfectionism. Thanks for commenting!