Weekly Flylady Thread 7th August 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.

Thank you Natty for last week's thread.

It is your responsibility to read the forum rules, please follow them 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 - Blitz those bathrooms

Level 1

Throw the windows open wide in your bathrooms, en-suites and cloakrooms
Remove any rubbish from these rooms
Flush loos and fling down some cream cleaner or loo cleaner
Clear all the gibble from round the bath and out of showers
Scrub bath and/or shower tray
Wipe down edge of bath, panels and shower screens
Wipe switched and sockets
Check lighting is all working and not acting as fly cemetry - clean out if so

Level 2

Now the loo has had a soak scrub it out - don't forget under the rim
Wipe all cistern, handles/buttons, outside of loo, seat and lid
Flush loo and pour bleach round bowl
Close lid
Wipe toilet toll holder
Check spare toilet roll stock has not mysteriously vanished

Level 3

Wipe sills and shelves
Wipe soap bottles
Polish towel rails
clean out sink and polish taps
Bleach down all drains and in all overflows
Check for cobwebs in corners
Sweep, wipe or vacuum floor as appropriate
Put out fresh towels
Dirty towels into the WM for a HOT wash

Extras

S&S kitchen
HHI
Mad half hour - what are you doing?
Eat a frog


Tuesday - YOU DAY - because you're worth it! Your BOUDOIR


Level 1

Open the windows wide
Strip the bed
Take out any rubbish
Clear the floordrobe/chairdrobe
Make the bed with fresh linen

Level 2

Dust everywhere- including curtain tracks, light fittings. lamp shades, skirting
With a just-damp cloth wipe where sticky fingers linger inc. light switches
Vacuum/wipe bedhead/frame

Level 3

Thorough vacuum/floor sweep - don't forget the edges!
Move any furniture you can and vacuum under and behind
Polish windows and mirrors

Extras

Peg out some washing IF it isn't raining. If it is, iron!
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
MAD half hour - put an alarm on your phone and spend half-an-hour on a big project BUT ONLY FOR HALF AN HOUR. Post what you're working on as inspiration!



Wipe-it-all Wednesday Kitchen and Dining
Level 1

Clear sills and wipe
Clean windows - this includes glass panels in doors
Wipe/polish tables and chairs - don't forget underneath where sticky fingers linger
Wipe mats and/or change cloth
Wipe switches and sockets
Get out a new dishcloth, handtowel and tea towel

Level 2

Empty bin, wash it and stick it outside to dry in the sun - thus de-germifying it, too - if you have any, that is!
Clear sides and wipe down
Wipe kettle and other small appliances
Empty toaster and wipe crumb tray
Check fridge and fruit bowl for anything that needs using or flinging.
Empty WM and TD filters/traps

Level 3

Wipe down cupboard fronts - and tops and bottoms of doors and drawers - to removed dried-on drips and dust
Wipe handles of cupboards and drawers
Sweep and mop floor

Extras

MAD half hour - post yours!
HHI
Freezer inventory
S&S bathroom
Plan something nice with the kidlets - what about blackberry picking?

Thursday Thrills - Hall, stairs landing/utility/grotty neglected area of your choice/conservatory

I am conscious that we all have 'different' areas/rooms

Level 1

Open windows as wide as you can
Remove any rubbish
Rehome anything that's drifted in
Clean light fittings, wipe sockets and switches. Don't forget door handles
Bang any mats OUTSIDE
Clean any windows

Level 2
Vacuum any soft furnishings
Plump any cushions
Polish any wood
If you have an outside door open it and clean the metal trap thing underneath

Level 3
Check ceilings for cobwebs
Dust pictures
Polish mirrors
Sweep/vacuum/mop floors

Extras
Clear away any coats and shoes
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom


Final Flourish Friday

Love your lounge

Level 1

Open the windows
empty the bin
deal with floppy flowers and thirsty plants
Wipe/polish coffee table and tidy it - don't forget the coasters
tidy toys

Level 2


Clean window
Vacuum soft furnishings
wipe sockets and switches
Plump cushions
wipe/vacuum sofa and chairs

Level 3
Dust everywhere
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor

Extras
Buy flowers or a new candle - make your room ready to relax in this weekend
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen


ETA our local Asda home store has a sale on, candles in glasses (with numbers on?) for 20p Don't leave candles unattended!