Weekly Flylady Thread 18th September 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 - Make an entrance

hall, stairs, landing, porch etc

level 1

Open the windows
Take any doormats outside and whack them against a wall or vacuum them thoroughly.
Wash net curtains and/or wipe blinds
Clean any windows

Level 2

Vacuum all upholstery/curtains/fabric lampshades
Check smoke alarms and/or CO alarms
Polish mirrors
dust all furniture

Level 3
Dust banisters/skirtings etc
Vacuum carpets/mop floor/sweep floor
Clear coat rack/shoe rack of anything not in use
Water plants
use a long duster and shove in into corners where spiders lurk

EXTRAS


Check you have spare bulbs for lamps and lights.
Check your torch is fully functional - and that you could find it in the dark if you have to.
HHI
Make sure your emergency phone number list is up-to-date - plumber, spark, Bob the Builder, insurance co. etc



Tuesday kitchen dining

level 1
open windows
wipe/polish table change cloth or wipe mats. Dont forget table legs
polish/wipe chairs
clear sides
wipe small appliances and caddies - wash them out if empty
wipes sides and replace what should be there

level 2
empty bins
wipe cupboard fronts and don't forget handles
wipe sockets and switches
dust dining room furniture

Level 3

wipe fascia boards
clean windows and sills
clean catflap
sweep floors and mop or vacuum

Extras
S&S bathroom
empty filters - DW TD WM
clean UNDERSIDE of draining racks (eww)
HHI
empty cutlery tray and wipe out
Fridge/freezer inventory MAD task? - need to create freezer space ready for the bi ho ho ho





Wednesday Wonders bedroom

Level 1
Strip bed
open window
empty waste bin
clear floordrobe/chairdrobe
remake bed with clean, fresh linen

Level 2

Clean window
Dust everywhere

Level 3

Vacuum/sweep floor MOVING SMALLER FURNITURE ITEMS EG BEDSIDE TABLES
Check all lighting fully functional
Get a damp cloth and wipe door handles and light switches - do the whole floor if you have time
If you've an en-suite vacuum in there too

Extras
S&S bathrooms
S&S kitchen
Rehome anything that has migrated
Peg out washing
HHI



Thursday Thrills - bathrooms/w.c.s en suites

Level 1
Open windows
empty bins
flush loos and slug whatever you scrub them with down them
take toothglasses etc down to be washed
put towels in wash

Level 2
scrub loo bowl
wipe down outside of loo
wipe out bath
wipe/scrub sink
polish all brightwork (shiny taps)
dust shelves
polish mirrors

Level 3
scrub shower cubicles
dust towel rails
sweep/mop floor
slug bleach down loo and plugholes and in overflows
put out clean fluffy towels
clean window

Extras
S&S kitchen
HHI
MAD half hour - nibble away at a big job


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Friday - lounge time - make it lovely

Level 1

Open widows
empty bins
clear coffee table
plump cushions
water plants
deal with flowers

Level 2
dust - even if just around everything
duster-onna-stci on lightshades
Wipe sockets and switches

Level 3
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor
lift rugs and vacuum under them
lict chair pads and vacuum under them - swap round

extras

washing on the line
HHI
plan something nice for hte weekend