Surviving Coronavirus at Home | FlyLady Dishes and Laundry | Building a Routine

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No, this is not my laundry room. I wish! I do my laundry in the basement, and it isn't a pretty place. But while we are stuck inside during the COVID-19 crisis, this is the kind of thing we now have time to do--get our homes clean and in order! Three days ago I wrote that all we have to do this week is get back to FlyLady's top three tools, or begin them if you never have. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so let's put this program on the fast track. 

Hopefully you are now shining your sink and choosing your next day's outfit in the evenings, and dressing to shoes each morning. Shining the sink is the last step after you either put your dishes in the dishwasher or hand wash them. The first time you shine your sink, FlyLady recommends using bleach, and during this time of hyper health vigilance, that might be a good idea. However, I don't like to use toxic chemicals in my home. Breathing them in would only make my allergies, asthma, and chronic sinus condition worse, leaving my immune system more compromised. 

Instead, I use a solution of vinegar, Mrs. Meyer's dish soap, and water for a general household cleaner. Since the novel coronavirus, I've added tea tree oil for additional disinfecting benefits. I have a spray bottle for the upstairs, and one for the downstairs. After your initial disinfecting of the kitchen sink, you simply wash it down each night and wipe it dry, which gets rid of any bits left behind. To shining the sink, we'll now add putting away those clean dishes as part of our morning routine. While I heat up my kettle and prepare my coffee in the French press, I put the clean dishes away.

When you spend the majority of your time at home, you must develop routines. Once good habits are established, they help to carry us through the difficult times. Keeping up with the dishes is at the very top of household maintenance. The second task is laundry. Generally speaking, you want to do one load per day, washed, dried, and put away. If you can't do more than this without it accumulating in baskets, then don't. But many families are large enough that one load is not enough, and many of us are likely perpetually behind on laundry. 

To get caught up, bump it up to two loads per day. The children who are now home all day should be helping with all chores. I throw the first load into the washing machine as part of my morning routine, after putting away the dishes. Clothes are easiest to fold when they are still warm, so doing this as soon as you take them out of the dryer is best. You can do smaller loads so the task is not so overwhelming. Fill the machine only 3/4 full, and do not stuff your garments in. Think of it like measuring a cup of flour. You do not pack it.

Go ahead and start writing down your morning and evening routines. There are lots of videos on this on YouTube, but as I've said before, Diane in Denmark is your gal pal. She'll get you started with your control journal. The importance of keeping our hands and homes clean at this crazy moment in history cannot be over-emphasized. Come together at home as a team and actually take advantage of the opportunity that this crisis presents. This too shall pass. And all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well...  (Blessed Julian of Norwich)