SHINE YOUR SINK

 


The first baby step you are asked to take in the FLYLADY method is to 

SHINE YOUR SINK. 

When I first heard it, I was wondering why shining the sink was pivotal to keeping my home tidy. But, I decided to OBEY.

Every night, before I reset the kitchen, I would wash up all the utensils and shine the sink. In one article, someone said to wipe it down after shining it. So I added that to the routine. 

In the morning, the first thing I got to see was that SHINY SINK!

Guess how that made me feel? 

It made me HAPPY. 

You see now why the FLYLADY asks to start with that baby step. 

FLYLADY Marla shared the reason for choosing this particular task to begin the baby steps. She was a slob so her sink was always piled high with dirty dishes. Her husband threw her a challenge. "Darling," he said, "if you will keep one half of the sink shiny always, I promise to bring you a cup of hot coffee every single morning!" Well, our fiesty FLYLADY took up the challenge and the rest is history.



So, ladies, start with this one small step every day. Soon you'll see the ripple effect of this action. 

We are deep into renovation work at our new flat. I've seen the effect of putting your hand into renovation. You get something looking pretty and something else looks faded, outdated in comparison so you decide to change that too. And soon you find yourself doing much much more than you planned or budgeted for. The same is true with tidying up. 

The trick to getting the sink shiny is to break your washing into smaller segments. I wash after breakfast, then after lunch and my last set is before reset time. This last batch sits on my table the whole night, so I get air-dried utensils in the morning. 

It is very soothing to start the day by putting away these utensils, keeping those I will need for breakfast prep on the table. I make it a point to soak my utensils for at least half hour before washing them. So, as I complete a task I put the used utensil straight into my sink. 

Then, once I have had my breakfast, I don my apron and get down to cleaning them, placing them in a drying basket and setting the basket where they get sufficient air to dry up. By evening, this set is done and I put them away. 

After lunch, I have washed my second set but allow them to drain on the table. Once the first set is back on the shelves or in the cabinets, this second set goes into the basket to dry up. By the time the third and last set is washed, these get dried up. The last set, as mentioned before is kept overnight to dry. 

After dinner picture 

Here's how my morning and evening routines look. As you see, SHINE YOUR SINK is the common element. 



The FLYLADY app helps me by giving me a digital checklist facility right here on my phone. (Yes, I am writing this blog on my mobile phone. Don't need a laptop.)

Once, you get the ball in motion, the other baby steps are easier to do. However, remember that they are baby steps so don't do too much too fast and don't cross the stipulated time limit. 

I'll be writing on ROUTINES soon. Keep an eye out for that post. Bye for now. Shalom Shanti. 

MY SHINY SINK

Not yet put in their places!

The app I use

WHEN UTENSILS DON'T DRY UP BY THE MORNING 



FLYLADY website
www.flylady.net







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