Flylady Control Journal

The FlyLady Control Journal: your home management companion

Welcome to Clean With Kate! If you’re looking for a simple yet effective way to organise your home and daily routines, the FlyLady Control Journal is your new best friend. This powerful tool is at the heart of the FlyLady system, helping you keep track of cleaning routines, household tasks, and personal goals—all in one place.

What is the FlyLady Control Journal?

The Control Journal is a personalised home management guide that helps you stay on top of your daily, weekly, and monthly routines. Think of it as a command centre for your household, giving you a structured way to manage cleaning, decluttering, meal planning, and self-care without feeling overwhelmed.

Why you need a Control Journal

Life is busy, and keeping up with household tasks can feel like a never-ending battle. The FlyLady Control Journal helps to break everything down into manageable steps, giving you:

  • A clear morning and evening routine to start and end your day smoothly.
  • A structured weekly plan so you always know what needs doing and when.
  • A Zone Cleaning system to ensure your whole home gets regular attention without deep cleaning panic.
  • A space for meal planning, reminders, and motivational notes to keep you on track.

How to set up your Control Journal

Setting up your Control Journal is easy and can be tailored to fit your lifestyle. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Choose a format – Whether it’s a notebook, a folder, or a digital planner, pick something you’ll enjoy using.
  2. Add your daily routines – List your morning and evening routines to create consistency in your day.
  3. Set up your weekly plan – Assign tasks to specific days (like 'Weekly Home Blessing Hour' on a Monday).
  4. Break down your Zone Cleaning – Divide your home into zones and list detailed cleaning tasks for each area.
  5. Include meal planning and self-care – Keep a section for meal ideas and personal care to keep everything balanced.

Example Routine Pages

Morning Routine

  • Make the bed
  • Get dressed to shoes
  • Swish & swipe the bathroom
  • Start a load of laundry
  • Empty the dishwasher
  • Plan dinner
  • Check your calendar
  • Quick tidy-up

Afternoon Routine

  • Switch laundry over
  • Prep for dinner
  • Take a break and recharge
  • Declutter a small area (10 minutes)
  • Check emails/messages
  • Water plants
  • Quick sweep or vacuum

Evening Routine

  • Shine the sink
  • Lay out clothes for tomorrow
  • Review your to-do list
  • Load and run the dishwasher
  • Fold and put away laundry
  • Relax and unwind
  • Get to bed at a decent time

Before Bed Routine

  • Unwind with a book or calming activity
  • Floss and brush teeth
  • Bed lights off. 

How to store your Flylady Control Journal

Your FlyLady Control Journal can be kept in a format that best suits your needs. Here are a few popular options:

  • A4 or A5 Binder – use it with plastic sheet protectors to keep the pages clean. Ideal for adding printables, using dividers, and updating sections easily. This is my preferred option 💜 as I can leave it open on my kitchen counter. 
  • Notebook or Bullet Journal – A handwritten approach for flexibility and personalisation.
  • Digital Planner – Use apps like Notion, OneNote, or Google Keep for easy access on your phone or tablet.
  • Accordion File or Folder – A simple way to store printed sheets in an organised manner.

Choose the option that makes it easiest for you to stay consistent! As with most things consistency is key to making these Flylady routines become habits.

Making your control journal work for you

Your Control Journal should evolve with you. It’s a living document that can be updated as your routines change. Some FlyLady followers like to decorate theirs with inspiring quotes, stickers, or colour-coded sections to make it more enjoyable to use.

Start small, build up

If this all sounds like a lot, don’t worry! Start with a basic daily routine and add sections as you get comfortable. As Flylady says the goal is progress, not perfection! 💜

Would you like some free printable templates to get started? Keep an eye on the Clean With Kate website for helpful downloads and extra resources.

Happy Flying! ✨