Book Review: Sink Reflections

Book Review: Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley

FANTASTIC Book!!  I LOVED, loved this book.  I immediately went and washed and shined my sink as she suggested and I swear the rest of my kitchen almost cleaned itself.  It was amazing. 
I would have to say that my kitchen is where I struggle for organization the most.  This seems to be the only place I haven't mastered the HOTSPOT's (a term that author Marla Cilley uses to refer to clutter piles that take over an area) and even though my kitchen may be clean it never feels clean because of its hotspots.  I generally have a little area at the end of my counter that collects all of the miscellaneous things (todays example: medicine for Baby's thumb, Big Sis's haircomb and extra rubberband, scissors, string, Big Sis's ring, Baby's sippy cup, Big Sis's broken magnet to-be-fixed-at-some-future-time...possibly a few more things), the dishtowel where I place clean dishes next to my sink is always full of clean dishes, and my sink, though wiped out and clean, is never dried and shined.   
Following her suggestions, I immediately cleaned, washed, dried, and shined my stainless steel sink.  I didn't follow her method with exactness (I detest bleach and Windex, but I love cleaning with toothbrushes and steel wool), and my sink sparkled when I was done.  This lead to admiration of my abilities, giving me the boost I needed to quickly dry and put away all of the clean dishes to the left of my kitchen sink, and hang up the towel.  This remarkable change gave me the last little burst of energy I needed to put away all of the little items that had collected at the end of my counter.  I stepped back and admired my kitchen for the first time in weeks, and realized it took all of 15 minutes to accomplish.
I have used the timer method for years, and love it.  She has a different way of using it, which I have to admire her ingenuity (she sets it for 15 minutes to work on a certain area and moves on regardless of whether or not the task is accomplished).  I use the timer by knowing approximately how fast my fastest time of accomplishing a certain task is, then set the timer and try to beat it.  It makes it a bit of a game, and also comes in very handy when planning my day.  I know approximately how fast I can do something, so when I look at my task list it helps me better arrange my day to make sure I can accomplish everything I hope to.
Marla Cilley also insists on starting your day by making your bed (also have found this to be the best way to start the day over the years) and immediately grooming yourself for the day.  She insists on dressing for the day from head to toe in regular clothing (no sweats or frumpy clothes), doing your make-up and hair, and putting on your SHOES.  I was agreeing with her until I read "SHOES."  I am a no-shoes-in-the-house gal because it keeps my floors cleaner, but she is very insistant that this makes you more productive.  I haven't tested this portion of her theory yet, but I pondered on how many times I've delayed taking out the trash or feeding the animals or running out to the car because I would have to put shoes on, and I wonder how much guilt I could have avoided by taking care of those things right away if I'd had my shoes on to do so.
Marla Cilley's plan also fits quite well with Betty's plan.  They compliment each other, filling in each other's gaps.  I still prefer Betty's plan for the skeleton of organizing my home, but Marla has some fantastic additions that will help me fine-tune my routines.
This is a relatively new read, but the way she attacks our emotional attitudes toward cleaning was spot on for me, and I love how she attacked the guilt, where it comes from, the desire for perfectionism that holds us back, the acts of martyrdom...and more!  Something she said that I loved was, "Marriage is not a 50-50 proposition, as many of you think.  I believe that this perception is hurting many families...When we feel we are doing our half of the work, we automatically feel slighted because we don't feel our mate is doing his or her fair share...Marriage is a 100% proposition for both people.  Each person giving their all to the family.  When you do all you can, you have done your best...As you set the example...you are going to be so surprised at the changes in your family."
Again, I loved this book and would highly recommend it to everyone!  Even Born Organizers (another of Marla Cilley's terms) would find something in here to make their organizing more efficient and rewarding.
(And no, I am not being compensated for my review...I truly loved it that much!)