Weekly Flylady Thread - 27th November 2017

What is FLYLADY? Well, it's our version of the US flylady idea - but we work on the principle that housework is not fun, it's boring, can be time-consuming, is often thankless but, unfortunately, necessary. It's here on Old Style to provide the support we all need and to make the whole task easier and quicker. We also accept that, sometimes, life just gets on top of us and we can't keep up, maybe because we're time-poor, not in the best of health and/or we have littlies who need us. We are definitely NOT control freaks aiming for perfection and utterly spotless show-homes.

Welcome to the weekly Flylady Thread. You're more than welcome to join us in the everlasting battle against dust, grime and gibble. The aim of our thread is to make those onerous tasks less daunting, and to support each other - and to make time for the finer things in life!

Right now the thread is looking very quiet...but please do remember we have to abide by MSE rules; each post should, ideally, include some mention of flying.

[/B] Thank you Natty for last week's thread.

Please follow the forum rules on this thread as Flylady has been here a LONG time and is a fabulous support and resource for lots of us. All posts should have some Flylady-related (ooh a compound adjective) content!

The idea is that even if you are really busy you don't need to fall off the wagon!

Every room comes back around next week so please don’t stress about catching up

These lists are only suggestions and not a must do list; you are more than welcome to post and follow your own lists.

Also adding a declutter mission each day will help to gradually clear the clutter and make flying easier.

A few of the basics before we start the week

Hotspots are areas where if one thing gets put there, loads of other things follow!

Daily routines are anything you need to do on a daily basis like washing, swish and swipe kitchen and bathroom, ironing, making beds, vacuuming high traffic areas, making meals etc.

Night-time routines are all things which make getting ready in the morning easier, preparing clothes for the next day, making lunches, swish & swipes of the kitchen and tidying the living room before you go to bed plus personals like shower/brush teeth etc.

Fling Boogie - stick on some loud music, grab a bin bag and whiz around the house finding items that can go out with the rubbish, recycling, for charity shop, basically anything that will stop it cluttering your home.

Swish and swipe/S&S means have a quick wipe over an area such as a sink or toilet to prevent the build up of dirt. This is usually done on a daily basis

HHE/HHC/HHI Half Hour exercise/challenge/ironing ... run around for 30 minutes to the Benny Hill music frantically cleaning exercising or ironing.. other music may be used if you prefer!
WM ~ Washing machine
TD ~ Tumble dryer
SC ~ Slowcooker
BM ~ Breadmaker
DW ~ Dishwasher
SOAADFA ~ Sit on 'bottom' and do 'nothing'
KH/XH/FW ~ Ex-husband and other not so polite versions
DH/DD/DS/DW/DP ~ Dear husband/daughter/son/wife/partner/whatever
OH/SO ~ Other half/significant other
NN ~ nice neighbour
Toxic (friend/mother/sister/whoever) ~ person in your life that seems to exist to make your life miserable
AF ~ Aunt Flo 'time of the month'.. nothing to do with flying but it comes up often.
ETA ~ Edited to add
Gibble ~ miscellaneous crap that appears forever homeless
Dot-to-dot ~ pick a small area (not a whole room) like a chair/coffee/table/shelf/worktop or wherever- thats your first 'dot' - totally clear it - clean it - and only put back what should be there - deal with what you have removed (not just move it somewhere else) then if you have time move on and do the same to another 'dot' -the idea is just like a dot to dot puzzle, you aim to join up all the dots and have a tidy room. The trick is to keep each dot tidy until you get them all joined up! All credit to AnW's Mum for this one
RoD ~ Room of Doom, the one room that feels like it is a permanent pit and cannot be used to its potential!
MAD half hour
- Mad is the abbreviation for Make A Difference.
The idea is that you have a Forth bridge (ie never-ending - or just huge) task but that you work on it in half-hour bursts. This way you know you ARE stooping, and that you won't get it finished but you will make a difference - so it might be clearing out - the garage or shed, or clothes sorting, or weeding - you get the picture - but rather than keep going until you've lost the will to live you do half an hour...but, eventually those half hours will get the job done!

Mr S/A/T/M/L/Al - supermarkets Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi. You get the picture!!

Click here to read Toots wonderful welcome guide

ok Here goes this Week...

Marvellous Monday - Christmas madness Looms - get your retreat ready - your bedroom

Level 1

Strip bed - leave to air while you have breakfast/school run etc...

then - vacuum/dust headboard and bedframe
remake bed
clear floordrobe/chairdrobe

Level 2

Dust bedside tables
Wipe sticky mats, sockets and switches
Dust any other furniture
Polish mirrors

Level 3

Clean windows and sills
Check corners for cobwebs
Dust skirtings
Vacuum floor

The plan (such as it is) is to ensure a comfortable, stress-free zone...

Extras

HHI
Write your Christmas Toots list - then you can tick bits off as you go
MAD half hour - if you can't think of one why not have half an hour wrapping presents/writing cards/sorting out online shopping - writing Xmas Toots list
For those for whom there are mixed feelings at Christmas - be kind to yourselves.
And if you're cooking squeeze something else in the oven at the same time and freeze the extra so that you can have a couple of meals to thaw when you're frazzled.
S&S kitchen and bathroom.

*Waves at atb who's snuck in mid thread construction!*

Tuesday - time to sort out the kitchen

Level 1

CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE

wash all moveable bits eg shelves, salad boxes etc
Check de-icer/drain holes are running clear
Dispose of anything that's crawled into a corner and died.
wipe down fridge innards and don't forget the seals - you want the fridge clean and fully-functional for December


Level 2

Wipe down counters/sides
wipe drawer fronts
wipe handles, sockets, switches and splashbacks

Level 3

Clean the floor

Extras

Freezer inventory. Space will be needed - what needs using up?
S&S bathroom
Make your bed and all beds in the house
Go and spend 10 minutes straightening the living room
MAD half hour - what can you tick off your ominous xmas to do list?
Have you got enough stamps?

Write a minimum of 5 cards

Wednesday Wonders - lounge

Level 1

Clear sofas - wipe/vacuum
plump cushions
tidy throws
take rubbish out
see to flowers/plants
wipe coasters
empty ashtray

Level 2

Clean coffee/lamp tables (polish and dust)
sort out newspapers/magazines into reycling
clean 'christmas tree corner' (where tree is/will be)
Check for webs

Level 3

Dust skirtings and shelves
Vacuum
wipe remotes/sockets/switches

Extras

5 cards
HHI
MAD - if you can't think of one pick a drawer or cupboard to declutter
Have you enough bulbs and batteries?
Take time out to tell someone you love them. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the last time my sister told me she loved me and gave me a kiss.:heart2: the love never dies.



Thursday bathroom

Level 1

Empty bin
Clear any rubbish
Wipe sill and polish window
Scrub sink
Polish taps
Wipe whatever sink stands in or on

Level 2
Scrub loo bowl inside and under the rim
Wipe over toilet
Scrub out bath and shower

Level 3
Polish shower screen
Deal with mould or mildew
Glue bleach down drains
Sweep and mop floor
Put out fresh towels

Extras
HHI
S&s kitchen
Mad half hour
Write 5 cards
Stay warm
[B][/B]Friday Flourish - 15 minute makeover

arm yourself with


duster, polish, damp cloth, kitchen roll, scrim (if you use one) and glass cleaner
and a binbag.

15 minutes MAX per room for as many 15 minutes as you have

stand in the doorway, look around and evaluate

straighten, tidy, fling and wipe where necessary and generally primp each room. the 15 minutes includes kitchen and bathroom swish and swipe.

Polish mirrors and remove sticky marks.

Vacuum high traffic area that need it.