Anybody Use the Flylady System for House Cleaning?

Updated on January 15, 2008
A.N. asks from Telford, PA
15 answers

I've been following the Flylady system (loosely) for cleaning my house. I'm always looking for ideas to cut my cleaning time so that I can spend more time with my family. Just wondering if anyone has used her feather duster. She raves about it, but I wonder if it really works. Thanks to anyone who might know the answer!

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L.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Flylady has helped me "know where to start" and that's helped me a lot. Evening and morning routines really work -- although my morning routine is a little too long to be consistant. I don't like the 27 fling -- I just pick a small hotspot and fling without counting. I've used the feather duster and liked it for my fan and computer, but I don't need to rave. I haven't made it completely work, but I've never followed it to the letter.

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B.J.

answers from Philadelphia on

K im am so glad to hear that im not the only flybaby out there. i honestly thought i was the only one. unfortunately i havent used the duster i was just so happy to hear it wasnt just me. if you do oreder it and it works like they say they do please let me know. thanks B. Jackson i live in Chestnut Hills Estates just so you know.

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T.M.

answers from State College on

I bought it several years ago and, honestly, it's collecting dust on top of my refrigerator. I didn't like it as I really felt that it was scattering more dust back into the air than it was retaining it. I prefer using microfiber cloths or even swiffers (the cloths can be washed, so they're cheaper than swiffers in the long run).

I know they rant & rave about the feather duster, but I didn't think it did a very good job - oh, and the feathers often got snagged on my knick-knacks and any other small, tight area. Honestly, a good dust brush on your vacuum cleaner hose and some microfiber cloths will do just as well IMHO.

I still love the Flylady, though! I have her calendar on my fridge and implement a lot of her teachings into our lives. I just wouldn't spend the $$ on the duster if I had it to do over again.

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H.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

I follow Flylady very loosely-actually I kept saying to my husband "Flylady says this, and Flylady says that" and he started doing his 15 minutes a day of cleaning/decluttering and that REALLY works to keep the house clean! I do have the feather dusters, I was also convinced by all the ravings. I don't think it works as well as a rag, but it is much easier to dust with the feather duster b/c you don't have to move stuff and bend down to get the baseboards and stand on a chair to get the tops of doors etc. I do think that any old feather duster would work just as well. Basically, a feather duster saves time, but once a month or so you'll still need a cloth and some polish.

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H.F.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I don't know anything about the Flylady system or her duster. I do know that the swiffer duster works really well. It picks up the dust and then when you are done you throw away the rag part. I love mine.

Good luck.

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S.G.

answers from Saginaw on

I have my own queastion? What is the Flylady system?

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K.T.

answers from Dover on

Never used the duster, but do follow a lot of her tips. Along with PP the e-mails drove me crazy! But I always get dressed as soon as I am up and there are never dishes in the sink overnight!
K.

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C.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I used to clean houses for a living and none of that stuff works unless you totally deep clean your house and then when you see something you touch it up. but if you just do one really big clean and touch up everything you see you can just use a cloth and don't need to spend money on all that junk. for example you deep clean everything and a couple days go by and you walk past you tv and it is dusty so just wipe and walk away and if you just do a touch here and there you will never have to really clean again

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A.R.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I have to agree with Lori S. I wont wear my shoes either. I got so bombarded with stupid reminders via email that I spent more time go through that then I did cleaning ! I think her methods are good, if you can follow them. I just dont appreciate the constant emails. I dont know that her feather duster would be any better than any other. I use a swiffer duster or a microfiber cloth when I dust. Everything else just pushes dust around.

Lori S your post really made me LOL ! :-)
A.

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R.G.

answers from York on

ETA:

A., so what did you do? Did you ever get the duster? How are you doing?

A.,

I love FlyLady. Mainly because it's NOT about keeping your house clean, and that was something I just could not do. It's about clutter!!! Clutter that's mental AND physical in your mind, body AND home. I am a born pack-rat and letting go and following the basic principles of FlyLady have helped me overcome my need to hold onto everything.

I happen to have a wonderful feather duster I bought at Target when I first moved here to York County last year and it's so great!! I can only imagine that the one she sells is even more grand. Someday I want to buy one and pass mine off to my girls who love the House Fairy, btw! (http://www.housefairy.org/)
Of course the idea behind the feather duster is to help make cleaning FLY and so yes, you'll need to do those occasional deep cleans, but what's awesome is she has it all laid out for you in your daily assignments and so your house will eventually be squeaky clean and stay that way. I love the daily task emails, they're like little HOMEwork assignments.

And for the FlyBabies that say they can't stick with it ... how many times have you actually tried? A few days at a time? It takes minimum 28 days to make something a habit. So if you just keep at it you'll find yourself flying in no time. It takes some a year to be consistent enough to shine their sink 28 days in a row. I should know! LOL! And that's just the first step. The system is just so simple, but it's our desire to hold onto all of our clutter that keeps us from succeeding, not all the emails (which can simply be deleted) or the fact that FlyLady MAKES you do stuff. She doesn't MAKE you do anything. And no one individuals routine is a modified one from FlyLady's as she has her own routine, just as you should too.

Sorry for the long and passionate post. FlyLady has allowed me to work wonders for myself and am now completely aware of all the excuses I used to hold dear, along with all the clutter. She doesn't DO anything for us... she helps us do it for ourselves!! www.flylady.com

So I say get the feather duster and give it a try. But remember you'll need to be consistent about your weekly home blessing hour and your touch ups for it to work right and not push the dust around. Besides, if you get it and you hate it, just tell FlyLady yourself that you don't like it. She says that it's not the tools you use, but that they work for YOU and that you're consistent with them.

Blessings,
Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend AND FlyBaby!

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K.W.

answers from Scranton on

I am also a Fly baby, very dedicated flybaby, and I LOVE my FLY duster!!!! It does not push dust around, obviously if you dont dust but once a year it will push stuff around because it is too much for it to handle...just dust it w/ a rag if the dust is like inches thick and use the duster as maintenance at least weekly, it works fabulous!!! (It even says in the directions if its a LOT of dust to get rid of it w/ a rag or something first before using the fly duster) I love the flylady system if it wasn't for her my house would not be so organized and clean!!! I highly recommend her duster, her water bottle (only way i can track my water intake), timer, and everything her whole system is fabulous!!! Good luck!!!

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K.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I am also a Fly baby. I love the flylady system. Thanks to her I can clean my house 15 minutes at a time. I loved it so much that for mothers day I made my mother-in-law a Fly jounral and bought her a timer. She loves it also and said its the best gift she has recieved. I havent bought the dusters yet. I dont have the money but as soon as I do I am getting it. I made my own calendar also using the color system and it has worked wonders. I even got my kids involved, they wont start cleaning up until i start the timer. I am so glad to know I am not the only one using this system. For me it has been a lifesaver. I do get off the boat occasionally but its easy to stop up again. If it wasnt I would probably never be able to clean the house. LOL She is so forgiving.

The one thing that I do love is that you can take what you need. Yeah the emails drove me crazy but you dont have to read them all. I deleted most of them. I will be honest since I had my email address changed I didn't re-enter the email. I go to the website which has all the tasks for the day and follow it by there/

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D.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I'VE TRIED TO DO THIS SEVERAL TIMES I JUST CANT STICK WITH IT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT FEATHER DUSTERS I USE THE SWIFFER DUSTERS BUT HAVE FOUND OUT IF YOU SPRAY A LITTLE PLEDGE ON THEM THEY SEEN TO WORK BETTER. IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES LIKE I DO I DONT KNOW IF THE FEATHERS REALLY COLLECT DUST AS GOOD AS NEEDED.

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L.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

LOL! The Flylady! My friends want to see the Flylady FRY! All the constant emails and reminders to clean drove me crazy, but when I followed the hints, it did make a difference. After a while I just got mad at her for all the nagging. And I won't wear my shoes unless I have to, no matter what that sadist says!

Good luck with it. Flylady actually has a lot of good hints.

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K.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I love the Flylady system! I use a modified version -- especially the evening routines. I don't know if it's necessary to use *her* duster. I don't. I think the idea is that you use one.

I do a modified 7 blessings, where you do the floors, bathrooms, dusting, and sheets. I know there are other parts to it, but I find myself cleaning switch plates and stuff during that time as well. My house is so clean that I don't worry about surprise visitors!

One thing: I don't care what she says. I don't wear shoes in the house. But I do get dressed every day and put on makeup.

Oh, and, get the e-mails in digest form. That way you only get one e-mail a day.

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