Weekly Flylady Thread 18th December 2017

Natty68

:xmastree: Christmas week starts here :xmastree:

Last full week before the big day - lots of flying to be done!

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.[/COLOR]

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!

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

Because it is the last week it's a long one for the next few days I thought we would do it differently this week, and for those who were here last year will remember my lovely Christmas lists... Well guess what they are back so I want no excuse on Christmas Eve when you have stuff still to do at midnight...:rotfl:


Please don't feel you have to do EVERYTHING on the lists, they are purely a guide for you..just do what you want whether it be all of the list or just a bit of it.

Monday Mayhem..

• Make sure you have all the shopping you need to take you through to next week.. milk and bread especially! It is Christmas Day on Monday so shops are not open!!!!
• Have we located stockings?
• S&S the kitchen
• S&S the bathroom/s and loo's
• Clean the oven and hob ready for your feast!
• Clean the fridge to accommodate your bounty of food
• Change any bedding you need to get washed before the fat guy arrives.. and I do not mean the OH/parent/ etc
• Make sure your timetable for Christmas Day is sorted and everyone knows their tasks.. who is spud peeling? Who is stuffing the bird etc..? And for those who aren't spending the day at home could you do some of the help where you are?
• Catch up on the laundry .. ironing is tomorrows job!
• Phone someone you 'forgot' to post a card/present to in time.. just so they know you've not forgotten them...
• Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself.. reading.. relaxing.. goggling... remember you are important too.
• Change pet bedding and wash their blankies etc.. we don't want them putting you off your christmas sprouts!
• Dust round the whole downstairs
• do a crazy HHC decluttering downstairs
• Have a crazy HHC decluttering downstairs

Tuesday - Not long now!!!!

• Children... quick.. tidy your rooms you don't want Santa thinking you don't look after your stuff.. he might not leave any presents!
• Vacuum through downstairs.. and the stairs!
• Mop the kitchen floor!
• Get rid of the washing up.. delegation is good!
• Iron yesterdays wash mountain
• Get out any special christmas crockery and make sure it is all clean and nice to use.. placemats etc too!
• Prepare a list for that last second shopping
• Declutter your desk..
• Have a skim through the TV guide and decide what you want to watch.. it saves missing bits of stuff if you know what is on and when!! Don't forget to make time for Queenie!
• Toy boxes can be banished upstairs!
• Wash any soft furnishings in need of freshening up
• Tidy up coats and shoes and suchlike..
• WRAP WRAP WRAP!
• Make a note of when the binmen are coming!!!
• Spend half an hour doing NOTHING!!.. absolutely nothing!!!! Just sit.. and relax with a drink and a treat!

Wednesday ~Nearly here!!

• Make sure you have all the shopping you need to take you through to next week.. milk and bread especially!
• Make sure the remaining presents are nearly wrapped I will not have people sitting up until 5am on Christmas morning wrapping!
• Have we located sacks for presents?
• Mop the kitchen
• Mop the bathroom/s and loo's
• Clean the bath and shower and loo!
• Bake some mince pies and tarts etc.. yummies!!!
• Change any bedding you need to get washed before the fat guy arrives.. and I do not mean the OH/parent/ etc
• Sort out the plan for christmas eve.. shop runs, present drop offs etc
• Catch up on the laundry again.. ironing is tomorrows job!
• Phone someone you 'forgot' to post a card to in time.. just so they know you've not forgotten them...
• Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself.. reading.. relaxing.. goggling... remember you are important too.
• Vacuum the whole of the upstairs!
• Wash windows through the whole downstairs if needed
• Do a crazy HHC decluttering downstairs
• Prepare a list for that last second shopping
• Toy boxes can be banished upstairs!
• Wash any soft furnishings in need of freshening up
• Tidy up coats and shoes and suchlike
• WRAP WRAP WRAP!

Thursday ~ Almost done?

• Change any bedding that needs doing
• Spend at least half an hour doing nothing at all!
• Check when payments need to be made, if possible set them up to go on the right date through the bank.
• HHI
• Get out and wash any special crockery you might need to use
• Is your cake iced?
• Dust and deweb everywhere
• Binbag dance
• Wipe down all the worksurfaces in the kitchen
• Wipe all the units and appliances
• Sweep and mop the kitchen and dining area
• Play laundry catch up.. see if you can get it all done!
• Bring in the logs and coal you might be needing the next couple of days
• Wrap, wrap, wrap

Friday Mayhem..

• Make sure you have all the shopping you need to take you through to next week.. milk and bread especially!
• Make sure the remaining presents are wrapped I will not have people sitting up while 5am on Christmas morning wrapping!
• Have we located sacks for presents?
• Mop the kitchen
• Mop the bathroom/s and loo's
• Clean the bath and shower and loo!
• Bake some mince pies and tarts etc.. yummies!!!
• Change any bedding you need to get washed before the fat guy arrives.. and I do not mean the OH/parent/ etc
• Sort out the plan for christmas eve.. shop runs, present drop offs etc
• Catch up on the laundry again.. !
• Phone someone you 'forgot' to post a card to in time.. just so they know you've not forgotten them...
• Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself.. reading.. relaxing.. goggling... remember you are important too.
• Vacuum the whole of the upstairs!
• Wash windows through the whole downstairs if needed
• Do a crazy HHC decluttering downstairs
• Straighten the tree

Natty68

November/December Challenge

Who's up for a month of decluttering, ebaying, donating and general making space (and hopefully some spare cash) before those presents arrive?

Pledge now how much space you will have cleared before 2nd week of December starts......

Pigpen pledges to remove 20 bags of stuff before Christmas
Dizzy Imp pledges to fling all useless and unwanted gibble
Lynnejk pledges to sort out the last, rather large box of paper that came out of the big cupboard
Ionafan pledges to recycle/take to CS or resell items
donnajt pledges to clear space the size of youngests room
Honey Bear’s pledge is to turn out every single drawer and cupboard in the house (other than OH's personal ones) one at a time
Fayolle is pledging to clear the unwanted gibble from the drawers and wardrobe in the spare room
Yorkshirelass pledges to continue with decluttering any cupboards that need doing.
Mrs- moneypenny pledges to clear as much clutter as she can
Narco pledges to clear her office so there are no loose unfiled pieces of paper. Also to go through all assessment resources and get rid of obsolete tests.
Lover of Lycra pledges to fling all useless and unwanted gibble from the RoD
Froddington pledges to clear the hallway of all gibble
ffp pledges to gather up all the stuff people have given me that I can't make use of and give it someone who can.
JoJo pledges to get bathrooms, kitchen, living room and bedroom all looking spick and span with not one thing out of place by the time Himself is back for Christmas.
Donna pledges to declutter every dark dingy corner of my house
Natty not ebaying or anything, but I pledge to clear my humungous ironing piles once and for all.[/b]
Valliis pledging is to prep my work bags the NIGHT BEFORE including my lunch


If I've missed anyone please yell, highlight yourself in red so I can see it..

:snow_laug:snow_laug:snow_laug

This is continuing just in case you haven't quite managed it yet.

*Jellie*

Thanks Natty. I’m in this week.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi

I am in. Have a huuge to do list but will try not to stress and will try and prioritise what really needs to be done.

Roll on Friday x

Valli

I am in esp from Wednesday.

Narc0lepsy

I'm in until Thursday and like many, I have an enormous list so trying to work through it.

froddington

I'm here - thanks Natty :A Work finishes on Thursday and it seems weird. Not sure how I'll feel come Thursday . . .

Monday Mayhem..

S&S the kitchen
S&S the bathroom
Clean the oven and hob
Change bedding
Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself..
Clean ratty cages
Dust round the whole downstairs
Have a crazy HHC decluttering downstairs

lynnejk

I'm in - thank you Natty

Will try to finish my pledge box this week - definitely
Lx

atypicalblonde

Morning all,

I'm in today's priority, once I've done the school run, is to have awkward conversation with family member. It needs to be done, and I'll feel much better when it is. I've already texted myself a to do list :rotfl:, crazy or what.

Kiddies break up on Thursday, I cannot wait, we all need a rest.

Right, ten more minutes in bed x

donnajt

atypicalblonde wrote: »

I'm in today's priority, once I've done the school run, is to have awkward conversation with family member. It needs to be done, and I'll feel much better when it is. x

good luck x

donnajt

Morning all - starting to get excited lol

Living room carpet being cleaned today so first job - clear living room of as much as possible and hoover every nook and cranny ....