So this time around I am approaching it a little different and with a new appreciation.  I think that this task is all about what this phrase means to you each day, given the day you are having.  This is the joy in it.  Getting “dressed to shoes” doesn’t mean meeting some external expectation of yourself.  It is about feeling good and being prepared for what the day might bring you.

This hit me this morning as I got out of the shower at almost noon.  This is just how my day played out.  I woke up early, got my son off school and took care of some planning for the day.  I had a little free time so I ate my breakfast and watched a half an episode of Love Island in my jammies.  Then I got dressed to go to the gym, made my bed and put a load of laundry in.  I went to the gym and showered and got dressed for the day.  

Because I don’t really have anything going on today, I didn’t really need to dress to leave the house.  Today, my day includes some writing and website management, getting my son fed and turned around to practice, taking the dogs outside to enjoy the sunshine and do some yard work and check off a few fly lady tasks along the way.  I also will need lunch and to practice the piano.  All this before my husband gets home from work.  

So today “dressed to shoes” was sweats and a t-shirt.  Another day I might have lots of errands to run and I am trying to be a little more put together when I go out so I would put an outfit together and a little bit of daytime makeup. 

But regardless of what outfit or level of put together I choose there are a few essentials that help me feel ready to tackle whatever the day holds.  I call this clean and soft.  A shower is the best option but a good face wash can go a long way.  I like my skin clean and moisturized and my hair put together, whether that is up in a messy bun or curls defined and primped.  These few small things make me feel calm and prepared.

The point is “dressed to shoes” doesn’t need to mean you have to put shoes on, although I think the Fly Lady would argue otherwise.  “Dressed to shoes” means whatever you need to feel good, put together and ready to tackle the day that lays ahead of you, whatever that may be.

What makes you feel ready to tackle the day?

But I have also come to a point in my life where I have a little extra space in my life. My daughter is in college and my son is a junior in high school.  So motherhood at this point requires a little less of me and I am moving into the next phase of my life.  As a stay at home mom this is absolutely terrifying.  Who am I without being their mom dominating my landscape?  Well, I am not going to sit around.  I am going to figure it out.  Mid life is scary for everyone, no matter your circumstances.  I forge forward on this adventure with an open mind and heart.

There are many aspects of my life that I would like to improve and my home is one of them.  I am also trying very hard to be patient and loving with myself.  This means meeting myself where I am at in each moment.  For housekeeping, enter the Fly Lady.

I have explored many cleaning systems over the years and have several cleaning YouTubers I follow.  The one I keep coming back to is Fly Lady.  Now, the system is complicated and overwhelming if looked at as a whole.  This is likely the reason I have left it so many times.  In the past when things got overwhelming I would just bail, beat myself up as the lazy loser I was sure I was and lay down.  This behavior has led to all sorts of issues and this is the main thing I am addressing and the results of this effort are showing up in all sorts of places.

So, I am making space for the Fly Lady in my life because if you really listen, what she is saying is that it doesn’t have to be perfect, that doing something half way is better than not doing something at all and that this doesn’t have to rule your life.  I am taking it step by step, small chunks at a time and when I falter, I am just taking a moment to love on myself and then showing up for myself to keep going.