CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) is going to keep you from enjoying the process. We are going to focus on our homes right now. Don't skip this part. It is the foundation to being able to get the rest done. Put on a relaxing holiday CD and light a scented candle.

Let's get started. Grab a timer — the most important part of Crisis Cleaning 101. We can do anything for 15 minutes, and that is how this works: After you get dressed to your lace-up shoes, start in your kitchen. When the timer goes off, move to the living room, then to the bathroom. After three 15-minute sessions it is time to sit down and rest for 15 minutes. You cannot let your perfectionism take over. You have to rest, or you will crash and burn. Then you can do three more 15 minute sessions of crisis cleaning. Remember this is surface cleaning and not the time to dig deeply or clean out a closet. For more details on keeping your home looking nice, go to my Web site: www.flylady.net or my book "Sink Reflections." We teach you to FLY (Finally Love Yourself) by using baby step routines.

Are you ready to cruise through the holidays? We can help you with our Holiday Control Journal that you can download for free or follow these directions and build one for yourself: www.flylady.net/images/HCJ2003.pdf

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For more help getting rid of your CHAOS; check out: www.FlyLady.net or "Sink Reflections" published by Bantam and "Body Clutter" published by Fireside. Copyright 2007 Marla Cilley. Used by permission in this publication.