Cleaning Book Review #1: Sidetracked Home Executives

[smeddley]

"No self-respecting businesswoman would go to her office devoid of make-up"

If that line makes your blood boil as much as it made mine, I would suggest staying far, far, far away from this book. I picked it up because I heard it was the jumping-off point FlyLady used for her system, and I am doing some research/blogging about cleaning/organizational systems. What I found here was a book written in the late 70s that's so sexist it feels like it was written in the 50s.

The basis of the system - a home 'tickler file' for chores - is sound enough and is what many executives use in their offices. The problem is that they spend very few pages even talking about the system, and give very little guidance on setting it up. Frankly, a tweet that said 'set up a tickler file for your chores' would have been just as helpful. And a lot less aggravating to read.

And, yes, obviously the book is written for housewives, and not so much for people working outside the home, though the tickler file system can work for anyone - you just set up your times different. For instance, their rule "Never leave the house before you've done all of the duties in the everyday card file" is a bit unrealistic for someone who has to be at work at 7 am (or earlier!). Unless you enjoy getting up at 3 in the morning, in which case... okay. Otherwise, modifications are certainly in order.

Ah, but they don't seem too keen on you making any tweaks to their system, as they say "It is important you make up the cards exactly like the examples we have for you." Why? Why shouldn't I make them the way it makes sense for me? Is the entire system going to collapse if I like to write the time I estimate it'll take me in the upper *left* corner of the card under the frequency? Really? Of maybe I want to put the description on the *back* of the card so I have more room? Is this going to render the whole thing moot?

I would not read this book to really get organizational tips. I also wouldn't read this book if you're the type who doesn't like the 1950s housewife schtick and might be offended that someone would expect you to get yourself up before your family, make yourself *all puuuuurdy* for the day, and them putter about with your feather duster being the 'perfect wife'.

* * *

Like I said, FlyLady fully credits Pam and Peggy as being the jumping-off point for her own system, and since I decided to 'give it another try', I thought learning about it might be good. Or maybe I just knew it'd give me more to bitch about. I don't know. The only good thing to be said about it is that it's a blessedly short book.

Mostly it's filled with heart-warming (aaawwwwwww) stories about how horrible their lives were before becoming organized (she embarrassed her husband in front of his boss! Of the horror!) and how wonderful they are now (she was then able to offer coffee and pie to his boss the next time, and he admits his boss assumed he'd remarried! Tee-hee!). It's just as sappy and gag-worthy as is sounds.

And not at all helpful when it comes to, you know, getting you organized. Heart-warming stories are all well and good (not really, but I'm trying to be generous) if that's what you're after. But if that's what I wanted, I'd have picked up one of those "Chicken Soup"-type books (here's a hint, no, that's not what I want, and I've never read a Chicken Soup book). This is supposed to be a book on organization and cleaning. There was very little of that in the book, but let's go over what there was.

There were 9 Habits they told you to establish.

1. Put things where they belong when you are through with them.
This one I really agree with. It's one of my big problems! And, yes, I know I should do it, but the reason I don't is a whole other story...

2. Set the standard for orderliness yourself.
Wha...? Is that the whole 'if I'm neat and clean little Johnny will want to pick up his toys' idea, or am I missing something else? Anyway, I don't really believe that will work, and, frankly, it sounds so 1950s housewife manual it made me a little nauseous.

3. Never leave the room before closing closets, cupboards, and drawers.
Okay, sure. There's nothing really wrong with that advice, except the part about most of my closets not having doors, but that's serious nitpicking.

4. Pick up, don't pass up, and put away.
Basically, stop stepping over the vacuum cleaner and put it up. I agree with this one, as well.

5. When you fix anything to eat, put the ingredients away before you eat.
I do agree with cleaning up as much as you can as you go, but there are times when this will just result in you eating cold food. Obviously, if you use milk or anything perishable, you need to put it back right away, and, actually, if you follow rule #1 this is kind of a non-issue. Still, I would rather leave some spices littering my counter top than eat cold eggs.

6. Dress, hair, and make-up before ANYTHING.
Screw you. There's no way in hell I'm getting dressed up to work in the yard, clean the attic, sand drywall, etc. Yes, I get dressed to go to work (otherwise it might be a little teeny tiny bit awkward). And I usually brush my hair. But the antiquated notion of all women having to wear make-up is out of line. There is nothing wrong with my face. Yes, I (and everyone else... this would include men) can look better with the skillful application of make-up. Doesn't mean we should be expected to do it. So take your 1950s made-up, heel and pearl-wearing notion of a 'proper woman' and shove it, okay?

7. Never leave the house before you've done all of the duties in your everyday card file.
I addressed the silliness of trying to apply this to a working person above. That is just not happening.

8. Check the next day's cards at night.
Eh. Not much to say on this one. It is what you'd do in the business model, as well.

9. Finish what you start.
Another one I agree with so much. My house is littered with unfinished projects! Some (the bathroom) cannot reasonably be expected to be finished quickly. Others, well, yes, I really should go finish dusting the living room and put that vacuum cleaner away.

So there are some reasonable, valuable tips in there - but even the way some of them are phrased sets my teeth on edge. Maybe I'm just being hyper-sensitive, I don't know.

Then they have 3 rules.

This first one is that you should get yerself all gussied up every day. I think we know my feelings on that.

The second is to make the bed every day, which I (and many doctors! see my next review on "How to Cheat at Cleaning") disagree with.

The third is no soap operas. Their reasoning is that they're depressing and show harried, stressed people or some such (I can't say I paid a whole lot of attention to this part of the book) and it's not an environment you want to surround yourself with. I've never watched soaps, I don't personally like them, but I also don't think they're really the reason anyone is the way they are. In fact, if you are a soap-watcher, you could even use it to your cleaning advantage! Instead of a drinking game, turn it into a cleaning game! "If Jenny gets pregnant again, I have to clean under the 'fridge..."

There was also a section in the updated version about using a computer, but they talked about Lotus Notes, so I think you can see how helpful that whole chapter is (I do know there's a pretty decent iPhone app out there that can be used for the FlyLady program).

Then it ended with smarmy testimonials about their own marriages, and failures, blah blah blah blah blah I'd really stopped reading by that time.

To make a long story short (way too late, I know): this book sucked. Epic, black-hole style sucking, but without the slim possibility of an alternate reality on the other side.

* * *

Note: As I general rule, I'm against self-help books. Mostly because (especially in the area of cleaning and organizing, etc) if you spent the time you'd take reading the book actually doing/fixing whatever you needed help with, you'd be better off. I have made it a rule, then, because I do want to read several to help with my research, to only read these books when I can't be doing something productive, like lunchtime at work, or stuck in a queue, etc.

Comments

[oneworldvision.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I got a big laugh out of the soap opera thing. Mostly because I only used to watch one, and it was less "If Jenny gets pregnant again..." and more "If Jenny's husband shoots her in the head while she's birthing his child again..." so I can kind of see where they're coming from. But oh, the lols I had upon reading that.

The rest of it, though? Eek. I mean, I'm one of those people who puts on make-up to go get the mail, and even I'm offended by the suggestion that it has anything to do with having self-respect (sometimes I think it's just the opposite).

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I mean, I can see 'don't just spend all day sitting there watching soaps' because, obviously, then you're not getting anything done. On the other hand, if I spend 10 hours a day away from the house and can still (with this system!) keep a clean house, are you telling me a housewife can't spare 2-3 hours a day for soaps? Hmmmmm...

I put on make-up when I want to. Period. Yes, it makes me look better, and if I want to look 'prettier' I will. But I never really feel the need to do it, or am embarrassed without it. It's the same as jewelry or dressy clothes, really.

Poor Jenny! I'd think watching soaps would be uplifting, since at least your life isn't that bad (or is it? I don't actually know if you've every been shot in the head by your husband while giving birth to his - or is it his? - child... ~.^)

[alankria.livejournal.com]

My blood didn't even boil. I just laughed. I haven't worn make-up for years and, at least in the office, I don't intend that to change.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Laughing is probably a better reaction. At first I was all 'pfff, whatever', but the idea is so prevalent and the more I read into the systems/books and the comments and whatnot the sadder I get. :(

I rarely wear make-up to the office. I consider it something 'special' to make me look extra-pretty when I want to. And there's no one at work I feel the need to look pretty for.

[puppatoons.livejournal.com]

Just their using the word "make-up",with a hyphen,to me, shows an outdated view...

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I admit, that might have been me. Pen's hyphenation is wearing off on me (she hyphenated things like to-day, even).

But you'll get a kick out of the rest of that sentence, then! Because it actually finishes with:

"...and with a hairdo that had dried on the vine."

I don't even... I have no clue what the hell that means, though I can guess it's not good.

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

But how will your vacuum cleaner respect you if you don't doll up.