The following is the Welcome Letter sent to new members when they join FlyLady's e-mail list.
Dear New Member,
Many new members just delete this and have no clue what we are trying to do. As a result, when they receive all of our emails the first day, they get mad and leave. All of this anger could have been nipped in the bud if they knew about our system, instead of assuming we were a once a day tip list for cleaning your home LOL.
**** Special Note to Hotmail Users **** If after receiving your welcome letter, you have not received any other mail from us within 24 hours of your subscription, you need to check your bulk mail folder at Hotmail. Go to Hotmail. Click on "Folders." Click on "Bulk Mail" and/or "Trash" folder. You should find your FLYmail in one of those two folders.
This is the three part welcome letter. Printing it out would be a good
idea. I have combined them in one welcome letter, eventually new
members will receive them over a period of three days. Read each one
carefully. Don't delete this. When we move our email system to our new
website, they will be sent out for a few days so you will not be
overwhelmed. For now, do not delete it; read part 2 tomorrow and
part 3 the next day. Hold on to this in case you need a reference.
PART 1
Welcome to FlyLady! Are you looking for a change in your life, home,
and attitude? I am here to help you, but let me warn you: WHINING IS
NOT ALLOWED! You have to get off your "Franny" and do something! We
are here to establish new routines, set up decluttering and cleaning
zones, and build a basic weekly plan. I give hard orders and there are
few excuses that I accept. This approach has worked for thousands, but
I know it is not for everyone. You will not hurt my feelings by
leaving. Instructions on how to unsubscribe are included at the bottom
of each of my email messages (if you decide to unsubscribe, it can take Yahoo up to 24 hours to actually remove you from the list. I have no control over this, so please be patient!)
Are you ready get started? These are some of the buzzzzzzz words I
use:
- FLYBABIES: New members are called "FlyBabies". Keep in mind,
you are not behind: you are just getting started. I don't want you to
try to catch up, I just want you to jump in where you are. Always
remember: baby steps! I do not want you to be burnt out by doing too
much too fast. This is a big problem for "SHE's. We want it done now.
I am here to tell you that this process is going to take time. We will
eventually have a clean and organized home, but first we have to learn
some discipline. Do a little every day. You are not behind!
- SHE's (Sidetracked Home Executives): This is a book written
by Pam Young and Peggy Jones. In fact they came up with this system
and endorse the way I teach it. Pam & Peggy have changed my life
through their books, humor and wonderful attitude toward living. You can
access their site from FlyLady.Net.
- REMINDERS:I send out about 15 REMINDERS during the day. These are for the people who have been with the program for awhile. To a brand new member, the REMINDERS are a nuisance--just DELETE them. You will begin
to use REMINDERS when you are ready. Because I use a Yahoo email list at this time, I have to send them out to all the members, including you. This will be corrected once I move from Yahoo to my own website. So don't let the number of emails overwhelm you. Pick out the ones you want and delete the rest.
- FLY: this is a favorite. One of my dear members coined it for me: FLY: Finally Loving Yourself!
Now, here's what I want you to do today (and every day from now on,
even on the weekends!):
- Get dressed all the way to the shoes. No, I don't mean
dragging out your sloppiest sweats, and your huge fuzzy slippers! I
mean get dressed in your home-working clothes. Get your hair and face
made up and slide on some shoes, with laces! If the doorbell rings,
you are ready to answer it.
- Make up your bed, but first wait until everyone is out LOL!
(Laughing Out Loud)
- Go shine your kitchen sink until it sparkles.
That's all! When you have done these three things, you have started to
FLY!
Before I let you go, I have a little reading for you off my website,
FlyLady.Net: My personal testimony under WhyFly. Then look at the FLYing Lessons.
Tomorrow, I am going to send you your second welcome letter. It is
going to introduce you to one of the most powerful tools I have: "The
Before Bedtime Routine". So for today, get dressed to your shoes, make
your bed, and go shine the kitchen sink! Enjoy! Thank you for joining
FlyLady!
Are you ready to FLY?
FlyLady
PS: You will notice that this list is closed to open conversation; you
are only allowed to talk to me. Hit reply and the email will come
directly to me. This keeps you from being overwhelmed by millions of
e-mails from everyone.
PART 2
Dear New Member (you need to read this one too, don't delete it),
The second day of FlyLady! How is it going so far? Are you dressed? To
the shoes? Is your bed made up? Is your sink shiny? If not, don't read
any farther! Go do those three things - now! Don't worry, I will wait
for you here.
Welcome back! First, I have another apology. For those of you who are
receiving the FlyLady messages while working outside of the home: I
know it is frustrating to receive messages about organizing your home
while you are at work. But again, I am limited by the Yahoo email
list. Please use the daily messages as best you can and don't get overwhelmed by the volume. We are working on this. This can still work for you.
Two more buzzzzz words for the day!
- Hotspot: any area that, when clean, if you lay one piece of
paper on it, the paper will begin to multiply and before you know it,
the surface will be covered. I have several: my dining room table, the
end of a kitchen counter, coffee table, end table, a chair in my
bedroom, and my cedar chest. Do I have to say more? You have them too.
Take a sneak peek at "REMINDER: Hot Spot Fire Drill" the next time
this message shows up in your email.
- 27 Fling Boogie: a tool to declutter your house 27 items at a time. Take a sneak peek at "REMINDER - 27 Fling Boogie" the next time
this message shows up in your email.
Now, onto to that powerful tool I promised you yesterday! It's my
favorite! The "Before Bedtime Routine". This is the most important
routine of the whole day! It is not the only one, but it starts you in
the right direction every morning. Start creating your own Before
Bedtime Routine. Write it down! Don't worry about getting it perfect,
it will grow as you do. List just a few things and set a time to start
your Before Bed Routine. Then do it - start tonight. I start my Before
Bedtime Routine as soon as dinner is complete. Others start theirs in
the afternoon while they are getting supper ready. It is up to you.
There are three parts to the Before Bed Routine:
- Clean up the house before you go to bed. This is NOT intended
to be a huge house scrub down! Simply pick up and put away things,
shine the kitchen sink, and run the dishwasher (if you have one).
Basically get the house ready for the next day.
- Think about tomorrow before you go to bed: check your
calendar (and the kids' calendar), think about what's for breakfast,
lunch, and supper, and get your clothes ready for the next day.
- Focus on yourself: this is a "cool down" time to take care of
yourself, to reflect on the day, and to give yourself a special treat.
I like bubble baths!
Does this sound like a lot to you? Then try a smaller babystep for
your Before Bedtime Routine:
- Clean kitchen sink.
- Lay out tomorrow's clothes/put today's clothes away.
- Brush your teeth.
You can do this! Take a look at my Before Bedtime Routine as an
example. Go to: FlyLady.net and click on "FLYing Lessons". My example routines
are listed.
You know, many of us have the same fundamental problems: we don't pick
up after ourselves, we don't get dressed unless we have to, and we
procrastinate. There are many other things that make us SHEs. Most of
all we are good, willing people, and we want more for our families. We
have to get rid of the guilt that comes from living in clutter
and chaos. We are doing this. You have to be willing to change. Things
in your home got the way they are because you have been in a rut. I
can help pull you out, but I can't do it for you. Remember: whining is
not allowed!
This is something that has worked for me. With the help of Pam & Peggy's
SHE system, my life is better than I ever dreamed it could be.
Are you ready to FLY?
FlyLady
PART 3
Dear New Member (don't delete this!),
Hello again! You have made it to day three! Are you ready for the
test? Here it goes: are you dressed to the shoes? bed made up? sink
shiny? If no, don't read any further. Just go do it - now! I'll wait
for you here!
So, how did yesterday go? Did you do your Before Bedtime Routine last
night? Keep working on it and do it every night! Your mornings and
the rest of the day will run so much smoother!
I want to introduce you to Kelly. Kelly is my right hand. She
knows this system as well as I do and she helps me with the huge
number of emails I receive everyday. Look for emails from Kelly: they
are as important as mine. Also, Kelly creates wonderful MISSIONS: those extra little 5-minute things we can all do to really make our
homes really shine. Take a look the next time a MISSION email shows
up.
Hugs, laughter, and tears are just as important to us as routines. The
special buzzzzz words for this:
- {{{hugs}}} This is my way of giving you a cyber hug. We all
need a hug from time to time.
- LOL: Laughing Out Loud. This isn't my buzzzzz word. It
belongs to the internet world. But I use it a lot. I have a rule,
"Laugh everyday, even if it is at yourself!"
- Puddles: This is Robert's My DH's (Dear Husband's) way of saying,
"She is crying again." He sees me in lots of Puddles from your letters.
They are tears of joy.
Today's new tool? The "Morning Routine". And just like the Before
Bedtime Routine, I want you to create and write down your own Morning
Routine. Then do it! You have actually started it already, "get
dressed to your shoes" and "make your bed. It took me several months to
work up to a full blown morning routine. I did most of the things, but
they were not automatic. Now they are. I realize this may seem like a
lot, but if you do your "Before Bed Routine", this part is a piece of
cake. All you are really doing is getting dressed, sprucing up the
bathroom, going to the kitchen, and taking care of yourself.
Do you want to see my Morning Routine as an example? Go to:
FlyLady.net and click on "FLYing Lessons", where there is a link to my example
routines.
Guess what? You have now been introduced to the first steps of
FlyLady's system. If you want PEACE, then you have to do these things.
- Get dressed all the way to shoes.
- Make your bed.
- Keep your kitchen sink clean and shiny.
- Do your before bed routine every night.
- Do your morning routine when you first get up.
I hope that I can impress upon you that this is not an overnight fix.
We have been sidetracked all of our lives. We have to take one habit
at a time and build on what is working. What worked for me may have
to be altered to fit your family. But there are a few things that will
remain the same. You have to get up and get dressed every day, do your
morning routine and your before bed routine. All the while keeping
your kitchen clean and your sink shiny. I want for you what Pam and
Peggy's system has given to me: peace of mind, pride in my home, and a
passion for living.
Are you ready to FLY?
FlyLady
PS: Soon I will be telling you about decluttering, zones, tips for not
getting side-tracked, and what to do if you need help. For now, take
baby steps and you will be fine. You don't have to see the top of the
staircase to take the first step.
Remember, if this is not for you, the instructions to unsubscribe are
at the bottom of each email I send.
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