Flylady's 31 Babysteps - Day 21 (Adding to our Control Journal, Procrastination)

[@ChanDeereGreen]

I *love* the fact that just as you said "get some brightness into our lives" a white bird fluttered up past your window. I know you didn't plan that but I bet FlyLady would call it a "God Breeze." Thank you so much for these videos, I look forward to them every morning and they really are helping me keep on track and not skip over steps. It does help so much to know that I am not alone in this :)

[@DianeinDenmark]

+C. S. Rambo Glad you are on our Team!

[@deeh5048]

Thanks for pointing out the birds! What a wonderful sign!

[@PhoenixGirlAu]

You know the truly amazing thing about your videos? I’m watching them 3 years after you’ve posted them, and they’re inspiring me every time! Talk about a timeless gift to your viewers ❤️ Thank you !!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Wow, thank you - it's fun to know people are still watching!

[@lindabyrne3353]

In my group here in the UK these baby steps are being linked for newbies or anyone wanting to redo them, so 3 years on in 2024 I have been revisiting the baby steps ❤ & I’ve still learned new things. Thank You Diane for all you do 👏🏻

[@RobinRPeterson]

Diane, I live in the state of Iowa in the USA. And you will be my cleaning buddy so I will not procrastinate. fingers crossed😉

[@kathypuzic921]

My sink for past 21 days has never been more clean. I love it when I come into the kitchen in the morning and see a clean sink and of course my counters and my stove is super clean.

[@eileenalix8265]

I think I’m going to go back to day 6. I have been really good at getting up and getting dressed but I’m still spending a lot of time doing things besides the 2 minute hot spots, 5 min room rescue and 15 min decluttering. I was feeling bad about it this morning but I realized I am doing something about it and not just giving up.

[@victoriaoliver9958]

“We’re not cleaning all day.” Lightbulb moment for me. Thank you!

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

Sometimes, i can't get started, because i don't know how. But i am learning that it does not matter if i don't do it perfectly, as long as i make progress. As you say, anything is better thsn nothing.

[@big.fan.of.justice5754]

You know what Diane, you've just helped me a whole lot of decisions about my clothes! In the past, if I found a T-shirt had a small hole, or slight mark on it, I would tell myself "I'll wear that when I'm cleaning or painting (Really Lisa? When do you EVER paint?!) or just for 'lounging' around the house. And more often than I care to admit, I've put on those t-shirts and then been called by the children's school to come pick one of them up, or had to run an errand at the groceries and I ALWAYS run into someone I know, wearing that awful t-shirt because I forgot about the hole or the stain! I don't have to worry about where to keep my 'not-so-good' t-shirts, because I since starting Fylady I no longer have any excuse to wear them :) P.S. When you lay out your clothes the night before, you NEVER select the holey/stained items either :) Thanks to FlyLady and her system, and Thanks Diane for another lightbulb moment! xox

[@deeh5048]

Lisa .Always.Learning. Hahaha! Your comment made me laugh! I can totally relate! I recently tossed my “holey” paint and garden t-shirts, too! 😅

[@MellefontT]

**So far, I think this is your most important and poignant video. Thank you for all that you do for complete strangers!!!

[@PhoenixGirlAu]

I felt this too !!! It’s been almost a month since I watched the last videos (did a marathon view/listen while I decluttered our back yard for around 2 hours straight, with my little ones in tow). I’ve been keeping up with the baby steps I’ve seen, but with things being a little crazy in the world right now (=“coronavirus”), I’ve been focused on keeping our home entertained and babystepped with my current fly baby tools. Today, I listened to this video to keep me company while I decluttered for 15 minutes (made snacks and drinks for my little ones etc) and then I replayed this video, because it really spoke to me !

[@roseandviolet.]

You are so lovely and helping SO many people who just don’t know where to start. You don’t just make it simple and easy you make it FUN! Thank you for keeping me company!! You’re my new best friend x

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

I'm watching this on Sunday night. I keep looking about for my load of laundry (there is almost always at least one!) But no! I washed, line dried, folded and put it away yesterday! This is just marvellous! Love and hugs from Australia 🇦🇺

[@clairashburn4258]

Continuing to love these videos. I look forward to them daily. My house is completely different from doing the baby steps starting this month. Cannot thank you enough.

[@DianeinDenmark]

+Clair Ashburn Wow, go you for putting in the work, Clair! 👍🏻🎉

[@elcehl]

Love it on each day ,when you show your shoes❤️😇. This was ,and still is,hard for me to do! Growing up,our shoes came off and stayed off in Mom's house, lol. Love wearing my clean sneakers indoors!! Yeah 😊

[@livininashoe]

21 days and I'm still here! looking forward to the next video everyday. I love your calm and cheery manner. I also appreciate the bit by bit approach, as it is true to try to do huge with more every day can be an overload yeilding discouragement. Thank you and thank you also for your honesty a few days ago you admitted to feeling a bit off, I was also on that day not doing well but if you are carrying on, me too! 😊👟👟

[@DianeinDenmark]

Yay, glad to hear you are still with us! I'm actually having a bit of a down day today (too much grey weather...) but lots of candles and good music is keeping me going. I also see chocolate in my future! LOL Hope you are feeling brighter!

[@WillowMurdock]

Hubby was so proud of your mention of his laundry idea, he did his load AND towels AND blankets! ;D I showed Little Miss the FlyKid Challenge on the website so she picked up 10 things AND did her laundry! Also.....SNOWDROPS!!!!!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Yes, and more snowdrops on the way!

[@elcehl]

Love the flowers, amazing in winter❄️🥶

[@rosealeehixon963]

I've been using Flylady for several years, and following you for motivation and encouragement for about four years. Your videos have helped me immensely staying consistent. However, I was not doing several of the steps...PUPA, 2 minute hotspot and room rescue, and recognized myself as someone who jumped into everything too quickly. So now I 'm continuing with the system, but watching the baby step series with breakfast to add in those things. I'm still having to work on it, but am getting there slowly with the PUPA and 2 minute hotspot...this week or next I'll add in room rescue. Happy Tuesday!🎉

[@mesharlene45]

Hello from Baltimore Maryland flylady Diane. I want to tell you how much your videos for the past 21 days has helped me to get things done. I feel like in each video you are talking to me in my kitchen and we are having a cup of coffee and like you said, "doing these things together. " I don't feel alone anymore. I thank you flylady Diane. Thank you!! 😀

[@DianeinDenmark]

+Sharlene Crites Yes! Welcome to our daily Flylady Coffee Morning! 😃☕️☕️☕️

[@candaceelizabethanne475]

Love your warmth and encouragement...You are a true blue cheerleader!!!🙆‍♀️ I am seeing improvement in our home and looking forward to being more oganized. Thank you so much!!!❤🕯

[@JW-yt7lr]

Eranthis, or Winter Aconite, are a kind of early Buttercup with a very yellow flower, but Snowdrops are so much nicer !!

[@alotus4473]

Thank you again Dianne! You are so encouraging and a wonderful role model.

[@bluejay5531]

another lovely video Diane thank you! Light is soooo vital it is true, we need it body and soul! take care xxx from Italy

[@DianeinDenmark]

+Blue Jay Grazie mille!

[@jeanettewhitson6842]

YES! I no longer am behind on laundry or have stacks every where! I was and dry and put up immediately! And I match a set of clothes for a day and hang them together for easy picking for a day! THANK YOU! You are such a blessing to me every day!!!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Go you, Jeanette, for taking the babysteps and turning things around!

[@nursen2106]

today day 21 of my 31 babysteps in March 2020. I practice my routines, except that it takes some time, till I dress up and get ready on days, I stay at home. bathroom and kitchen widely work well. I declutter and do stuff here and there, but now I get the feeling, it gets more and more important, to build and add to the control journal. being behind starts to be hindering. today I gave my binder my husband for his papers for learning German (improving rather). so now, I need another binder for me. a thicker one. not a good idea, to do such swaps at the weekend. will see, if I can find a second one. the fact, that I didn't insert real deviders makes me a bit nervous now. I still have difficulties with the meal planning. my husband and I improv a lot, when it comes to cooking, having take away, eating at work, eating with a friend... I guess, I have to look at this task differently. just, don't know how yet.

[@daisy3690]

ty x 21 I have decided that I am going to take before photos when I start baby step 1 because I'll have my phone with me as a timer all the time throughout this process. I already do my dishes daily and keep the laundry going, but strangely enough we barely have walking room here. My 30 x 30 ft garage is packed to the gills as well as 2 additional rental storage units of stuff too good to through out or give away that is holding us hostage for around $200 a month (rental fee monthly since 2001). My carport has a one foot path to get in and out of the house. all horizontal surfaces in the house including counters, dressers, and tables of various sizes and types are pyramidally stacked with tons of "Hot Spot:" stufffffff. sigh daisy from sunny Alabama... I really do mean ty when I post it. I appreciate your time and effort and most of all your loving demeanor. Like a life saver thrown to a drowning soul... ty :)

[@Jenbateman74]

I've just started babystepping in October and it has already made such a difference to my home, to my calm, to my relationships with my family and to my whole day. Thank you for this from the bottom of my laced up shoes!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Yay, go you, Jen!

[@RobinRPeterson]

I bought my first potted flowering plants yesterday because of you Diane. I put it by my kitchen sink. It is yellow but I’m not sure what kind of flowers it is.

[@idawratzek9597]

This encourages me very much that I don't have to clean all day long nor one hour. But I have to be consistant. I am so glad that I have decided to restart with the 31 babysteps.

[@RitaWaimea]

i really love your story about the snow drop and connection with long dark winter. i should have something like that as well :) thank you so much Diane. your uploads are so helpful and uplifting. grateful Rita :)

[@rayanaasthlippmann]

Good morning, Diane! You are helping me here in Porto Alegre, South of Brazil!!!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Good morning in Brazil, Rayana!

[@nataliafritz7186]

Thanks for the tips about managing the dark winter days. Our family moved from South Africa to Canada 4 years ago and it really is a huge adjustment having the extremely long, cold winters. (Wow! Never realized how amazing sunshine was before we moved away from it! ) I definitely need to try transferring some bulbs from the garden to indoor pots, when they eventually pop up. 😅 (It is March now, but Spring really only properly starts in May here). Thanks for making these very helpful videos. I am seeing great progress in my home. 👍👏

[@DianeinDenmark]

Yay, so glad you are seeing progress, Natalie!

[@Beck243]

Thanks all the way from New Zealand. I'm working through your videos, you have been so helpful.

[@korsetmaken]

I have to admit, I tweeked the LOL; I have laundry day in the weekend. That means both machines are on at the same time, all day and I can sort everything by color in one go. I'll admit. it's a big pile and it's a lot of foldingfor one day, but I prefer sorting just once and the rest of the week not having to hear the noise of one machine at a time twice. I'm applying the Load a day to my dishes as we don't have a dishwasher and it tends to pile up, stressing for a wash before we can properly cook. I try to do that twice a day instead of the load of laundry. I read elsewhere; a day for everything. I'm adding in laundry day.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Great idea, Hepziba - I'm glad you are adjusting things to *your* family and what works best for *you*!

[@NLVStitches]

Thank You Diane, you are really inspirational to me, you make me feel as if I can do this, and keep doing it! Loved your idea for the snowdrops, I will definitely be borrowing this idea😊. Hope you are well, Nici in the UK

[@funkeyjournals3674]

I like your pep talks! I'm taking baby steps like you suggest and it's working! I also watched declutter challenge videos and I have really tackled stuff that's been stuffed in closets for years! I'm so happy that you tell it like it is! Of course we don't want to do it but just do it! You are right! Another thing you say is life is too short to wear stained or worn out stuff! Ty so much!

[@amybee40]

Funny that you should pair procrastination and laundry. I only generate 2 loads a week, but still it is something I tend to put off doing. When I do my 2 loads on Saturday morning, it's great. But when I put it off for a week or two, then I am overwhelmed. I am going to start making myself do it daily any time I need to catch up, rather than try to cram it all in one weekend.

[@creativeswedishmom]

I love your videos! I haven't manage to through the baby steps yet but I still love your videos.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Tack och heja Sverige! :-)

[@kellymckay5874]

thank you very inspiring

[@elisabethsommer3518]

Thanke you a thousand times!!!

[@DianeinDenmark]

You are very welcome, Elisabeth! 🖖

[@MrsKay-jc8ik]

I'm pre watching this and seeing the importance of doing the steps. The slow pace is a bit scary. But I really like the concept.

[@cmooshi33]

Still baby stepping! Yesterday my L O L was finished so early I wanted to announce it to everyone. Thanks for your help and encouragement, Diane! And I do have another team member, my best friend who lives states away is baby stepping with me, thanks Jessie!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Go Team Coree and Jessie!

[@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654]

Beautiful, your inspiration of snowdrops

[@fleurmp3820]

I love your snow drop idea. In Australia we are just approaching winter. I will be keeping an eye on my snow drop bulbs x

[@lilkathster]

I didn't fold and put away yesterday because it wasn't dry yet!

[@strll3048]

Good morning dear Diane, I would really like to thank you, as today seemed overwhelming... However by having you and the 31 babystep videos by my side, the basics have been accomplished so far and things are looking up.

[@nevenkatrstenjak1941]

beautiful flowers

[@ellenmoeller]

Thank you so much! Great wisdom today! Snowdrops are so pretty! I am a jeans and sweatshirt kind of mom. Thank you for helping me up my game! 💜

[@DianeinDenmark]

+ellen moeller 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@BlackDogDesigns]

Thank you again for another wonderful video🌼

[@idawratzek9597]

as I wrote two days ago, I started with a very small task every evening and morning and I have some extra points to motivate me to do a bit more

[@Danielle_nl]

Thank you Diane for another motivating video. I have been babystepping along and this really helps me to stay on track. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@DianeinDenmark]

+Danielle_nl Dank u wel, Danielle! And we're almost neighbours 😉

[@idawratzek9597]

thanks for your encouragement. As procrastination task I swished and swiped in the bathroom to make it ready for the next cleaning of the floor in the bath as the floor is this dusty that I feard to clean the floor as the water gets sooo dirty with hairs and so on and I have to change the water three times or more. So I took some moisture towels for cleaning and prepared the floor for the next floor cleaning with water and I shined the mirror in the bath.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Well done, Idi. Do you vacuum before you wash the floor? That makes the job very easy!

[@idawratzek9597]

Thanks for the good advice. I really did not think about it before. No, the vacuum cleaner is in another room where thee is a hot spot in a corner and it's a bit complicated to fetch it and it makes noise fetching it and it makes noise vacuuming - cause my DH sleeps much and does not like noises and sometimes the floor in the bath is a bit wet But principally you are right, but you see how bad habits in 7 years marriage have overtaken the job... But this all will change when I stick to Flylady and to the baby steps, I am sure.

[@jojosephinedoris4671]

it sure feels like it!!!!!! Trying to do the babysteps and get caught up with my MOUNTAIN of laundry! SO I can pick out the outfit, do just 1 load a day or every other day! Thank you for the twitter idea!~

[@serad4008]

Thank you. This makes so much sense.

[@kristalcuthill1338]

Hello from Alberta, Canada. I love your videos. You are inspiring ❤

[@rosiehoy4736]

This is so great. Thank you so much.

[@EliseD.A.]

Thank you, this video clarify something for me!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Glad it was helpful, Elise!

[@cristiaangulo7032]

I'm in Costa Rica, Central América

[@idawratzek9597]

My dear husband had a task for me and I said: that's too much. I asked: did you ever do such a big task in a day? And his answer reminded me of flylady: why don't you just begin with the first step? I did so and I will see whether I will manage every day a bit. I devided that task into seven steps. The first I have done today. Tomorrow I will keep you informed.

[@idawratzek9597]

Now I am nearly finished with everything of preparation for tomorrow (it normally takes me 2 hours) during the other time we have chatted and eaten a bit. Good night

[@idawratzek9597]

This morning I have achieved the second task of the work suggested by my husband.

[@idawratzek9597]

This morning I have achieved the third task

[@idawratzek9597]

I repeated the third task today because it hadn't been done thoroughly.

[@tempotigga]

I agree that the daily keeping up only takes 15 min. But special tasks like window cleaning oder some seasonal tasks takes longer, so I think it's okay to dress for that ocasion ;) yoga pants and old tshirts all day, yeayyyy!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Of course! I always wonder why people would think it *wouldn't* be allowed! 😁 Dress for the job! 👏

[@lauravassallo5121]

I'm in Michigan!! Hello from Michigan, USA!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hello, Laura in Michigan! :-)

[@bettinazeitler5482]

In Germany they are called "Schneeglöckchen". Is'nt this a lovely name? What a good idea to bring them into the house for a while to see spring is coming soon! In the morning I cleared up my familyroom for five minutes. It is adorable, what I could change in this time! 😊

[@EvelineUK]

In Dutch it's Sneeuwklokje, too. It's because it looks like a little bell. Love them.

[@simplyraisingarrows7369]

I started to invest in norwex and most of my products take water then you hang it up and it starts self cleaning!!!!

[@hetvrolijkepenseeltje574]

Hi from Holland 😍

[@simplyraisingarrows7369]

Here from St. Louis, Missouri in the United States 🇺🇸!

[@beckaking2757]

I have a question about the room rescue: I have been doing the room rescue on an outside room (where we store garbage cans, gas cans, and water bottles). It is far from done, but is no longer the worst room in the house. Do I switch room rescue rooms now or wait until that room is completely done?

[@DianeinDenmark]

+Becka King Wow, go you, Becky! Feel free to start decluttering in there for a full 15 minutes, if that room no longer scares you :-)

[@idawratzek9597]

I printed out a new motivational verse with photo for my control journal. I made my cruising through the holidays errand day. I am already looking forward to the nice and tasty cookies. I read the 11 flylady commandments. Unfortunately I did not pamper myself, but only did three and a half hours afternoon nap. The laundry we did not succeed but we want to do it tomorrow on Saturday.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hi Idi. No need to print out any more motivational verses, unless you want to.

[@idawratzek9597]

Thank you that makes me happy. But at the moment I like every new motivational verse and at the moment the verses are an alibi to not write down further numbers of electricians, emergency numbers and so on because this means a lot of time for searching and it is not that motivating for me at the moment. But I hope this will change.

[@idawratzek9597]

After having written the above comment I went and collected together with my husband all the names of the numbers that we want to add to the control journal.

[@jennyprice9105]

Diane, You made me laugh so hard. It's like you were looking through the computer at me specifically. My exact outfit today is yoga pants and an old t-shirt. My husband is a big man and I wore his old t-shirts a lot while I was pregnant. I'm in that awkward stage of weight when I would like very much to be thinner but can't seem to find the time to exercise, focus on the kids and do all other daily tasks. I feel much calmer now that I have started baby stepping but still don't dress as nicely as I would like. Do you have any suggestions for the wardrobe problem? Maybe your next set of videos could be about fashion?? I hope everyone has a fantastic day!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Thanks, Jenny! My usual advice is to wear what you have. Don't save your 'nice' clothes for a special occasion...every day is a special occasion! ;-)

[@jennyprice9105]

I found some jewelry that I have been saving back for the "perfect" outfit or day. So even though I have on a t-shirt and yoga pants, I feel like I am heading in the right direction until I can purchase some clothes that better reflect how I want to feel on the inside.-- Fabulous. I'm excited to feel better already. :D

[@daisy3690]

oh! are those snowdrops there with you? January birth flowers... so pretty.

[@mme_karen]

I downloaded the app but can’t see the benefit of the points and leveling up if I don’t either receive more tasks to do or am part of a leaderboard. Being competitive is intrinsic to not knowing when to stop I think 🤔

[@Songbirdstress]

Diane, I hope you didn't nick those snowdrops from the woods......but if they came from the garden, great idea!

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hi! I don't know if you saw my other videos in this 31 day series but I explained that the snowdrops are ones which I dig up every year from our garden 😍

[@Songbirdstress]

@@DianeinDenmark Yes finished the video afterwards, but left the comment :-) . Mine will be coming out soon and I shall ahem "borrow" your idea. I so relate to what you say about the darkness, I find this part of the year difficult. Actually the darkness is OK, especially if we can see stars, it's the no light I don't like. And when I'm working, I often work somewhere with no windows, it sometimes feels like I haven't seen daylight at all.

[@mudbeauty2004]

Hi Diane - I've binge watched a ton of your videos yesterday :-D So you mentioned that we have to stop decluttering after 15 minutes, but what if a task/area requires more than that? And we start making a visible mess? Do we resume after taking a break or find a different area to tackle? Thank you.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hi Jennifer! That's why we only take out as much as we can deal with in 15 minutes (to avoid making huge messes). We declutter, then take 5 minutes to put away items/throw away trash. It's up to you if you want to do another session in the same area...the main thing is to remember to take breaks. It's when we don't take breaks that we get tired/overwhelmed. Good luck!

[@mudbeauty2004]

Thanks, again! Love your channel :-D

[@janieansermot6000]

Bonjour! Pourriez vous faire une vidéo sur les produits eco friendly ? Merci 😊

[@yvonnedavid91]

Is there an app for androids yet?

[@beverleyforde6505]

Where will I find the missions please.

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hi Beverley! Here is the link www.flylady.net/c/sp.php#missions Remember to set your timer and stop after 15 minutes! :-)

[@beverleyforde6505]

Flylady Diane Denmark Thank You very much Diane.:)

[@thepeddler9226]

The title of the video is "adding to our CJ and procrastination". Did I miss something? I didn't add anything to my CJ. If someone picked it up, leave me a comment please! Nicole

[@Maria_O]

I was wondering the same thing!

[@72cati]

Hello! Fly baby from México

[@DianeinDenmark]

Hi Javiera!

[@disabledflybaby3601]

Virginia

[@AChosenLife]

Would you be my mentor?