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Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:38 pm
by citychik
Hi everyone,
New here (introduced myself in the cafe section) and trying to come up with a weekly plan. I don't have the book "Get Your Act Together" anymore, but I've been referring to CEO's website, and looked at GYAT online to jolt my memory. I also have the old sheets I set up when I was into FLYlady's notebook method (but then didn't use it much). My apartment's changed a bit since then (different furniture) and Hubby & I have different lifestyles now, so I need to revamp. Spoke to Hubby about the card system and he thinks it's a great idea.

Looking at the original BWP from Pam and Peggy, and CEO's site, there is a Play Day, Desk Day, Full (Heavy) Cleaning Day, Half (Moderate) Cleaning Day, Errand/Shopping Day, AND a Family Work Day and Family Play Day.

For me, the Family Days will be Couple Days. And these are the days I think will need the most tweaking for me and Hubby. But what's the diff between that Couple Play Day and a Free Day? Is there anyone else here with no kids who can share how they use those "Family" days? Any other suggestions on how to change up those days to think of them in different ways? Thanks!


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Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:27 pm
by Nancy
During Empty Nest our Family day on Sat. /Sun. went to fishing, boating, camping, motor cycling, ATV-ing for us. Getting some couple time was great. We do community events too like old car shows, county fair, what ever your interests are.

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:38 am
by citychik
Thanks! My question might not've been clear. I don't mean that I want suggestions on what to do on those days - there's always plenty of stuff going on in the city. My question is more about divvying up the week, and the issue of a Couple Work Day and a Couple Play day.

What would we do on a Couple Work Day since both of us will participate in the Cleaning Days? And how is a Free Day different from a Play Day?

I think I might split the one Heavy Cleaning Day into two, so essentially I'll have three Moderate Cleaning Days, One Free Day and One Couple Day. I "get" that the Play Day is for me, and the Couple Play Day is for us. But if I have a Play Day, what's the Free Day for? The Couple Work Day also confused me - is it for cleaning or for work other than cleaning?

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:07 am
by BookSaver
Hi, citychik, glad you could join us.

Please don't get too bogged down in "rules" - the system is meant to be customized for what you need. We all do it a little differently.

The fact that your DH will do some of the cleaning gives you more options than some of us.

For example: Maybe couple work day is for larger projects that need both of you -- cleaning out the garage, prepping and painting a room, shopping for furniture, moving heavy objects -- and maybe only once a month or seasonal rather than every week. On the other hand, if your DH is the type that will only do his cleaning chores when you're cleaning at the same time, then that's a couple work day together every week even if you aren't in the same room.

Are free time and play time the same thing? Seems to me that depends on if you're talking about individuals or couples/families.

Couple play day might be going to the movies but could also be visiting out of town family or church or volunteer activities. Fun things you plan to do together.

My interpretation of free time is my time alone, not a couple thing. Some of us use free time for an artist date with ourselves or to have coffee with friends, but for others free time is going to get a haircut. Maybe your DH's free time gets combined with yours sometimes, but it's important that you each have some time to do your own thing.

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:40 pm
by Nancy
City I agree with Booksaver.
When H. goes fishing some times I go with a book or pick berries I like to do that
other times not.
Some times we have a work day at home like last fall we did yard clean up.
H. is currently retired so we are more flexable than most and do groc. shopping together.
Not really my preference but had to make some changes.
I had to learn to adjust and to say this is not working for me when something was not working.
Good luck I'm sure you will figure it out as you go and tweak it to fit
you guys.

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:22 pm
by citychik
Hi and thanks again for your responses ~
I'm not looking for "rules" - no way! Haha, I'm not into rules at all - in fact, you can be sure if it is a rule, I will want to break it. I'm just trying to get ideas and inspiration to help me customize these concepts my way and figure out how to apportion my week and come up with a weekly plan that doesn't seem too restrictive.

My weekly plan will change each semester, anyway, because I'm in school and my schedule's different every few months. I'm looking for ways to designate the days that will be switched around.

Also, I'm a natural researcher - I love researching and gathering opinions. I like learning how differently people interpret things and make them fit into their lives. That's why I want to know other ways I can look at the "Days" in the BWP. The more responses from others, the more ideas I can take and bend around for me and Hubby.

Giving myself a Free Day AND a Play Day (by myself) seems redundant to me. I'm also leaning toward designating two days simply as Couple Days (neither specifically "work" or "play") to do whatever we need/want to get done. I have perused the long thread in this section which includes various BWPs, and although I just can't relate much to the family stuff nor all the specific chores (looking for more general ideas), I'll review it again. Seeing as many examples as possible helps me tweak my own, so please keep 'em coming.

BookSaver, what is an artist date?

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:57 pm
by Nancy

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:06 pm
by citychik
Nancy wrote:http://theartistswayblog.wordpress.com/artists-date-ideas/

Hmm, lots of things on her list are not specific to art or artists. Read Cameron's book years ago - eh, didn't care for it. I'm in a creative field, so number of the items on that blogger's list are part of my life already. Thanks for the link, though. Now I know I don't need a separately designated Artist Date, hahaha.

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:36 pm
by Nancy
I used to do art dates on my free days before hubby retired early.

Re: Free days, Family days ???

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 8:16 pm
by Harriet
Hi there, citychik, nice to meet you.

I have definitely heard of the solution of 3 moderate cleaning days to take the place of one heavy, one light. I think I've heard mostly good things about it - don't remember any problem coming up. So I think that's smart and definitely recommend it - I would like to hear how it works out for you.

Like you, I have to adapt to a changeable lifestyle, but also like you, I want to firm up what I'm going to do each day. So I understand how you want to have a good concept of the days/plan.

In my opinion, time left available within the Basic Weekly Plan automatically becomes project time. That's one point of P and P's vision, I think - become organized to create time so that you can become and do what you desire. So you can get to the projects you've been dreaming of. And project time depends upon priorities you set that week. If you plan, and then realize that you've provided plenty of free time to share for the two of you yet have extra, then I would plug in project time, either couple-projects or your own.

P and P suggested that we think of 5 reasons why we want to be organized and 10 things we love to do. These were to be our inspiration for our efforts. So then, every time we get to work on one of those dreams, we can know our basic weekly plan has been a success.

For instance, for me, that might include things as varied as creative time for sewing, a photo-organizing effort, home repair, long-neglected attention to wardrobe, visiting extended family.

I used to have time for projects every weekday - usually about 2 hours midday. That worked out beautifully. Right now, I put in a great deal of eldercare time, so it hasn't worked out, but I'm trying to tweak my plans so that I can get back to it.