Weekly Flylady Thread 17th December 2018

Natty68

:xmastree: Christmas week starts here :xmastree:

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

Thank you to Valli for last week's thread

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 Tuesday 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 after Tuesday,. milk and bread especially!
• Make sure the remaining presents are wrapped I will not have people sitting up 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

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

In. Ish.

Got four nightmare days coming up at work.

Was tired, so came to bed early.

He's come up early, immediately switched on the light, thus waking me up as I was dozing off, faffed on his phone until it made a really loud noise, waking me up again and has now started snoring. He'll likely be up again in a couple of hours. Waking me up just as I'm dozing off again.

I am wide awake. The spare room bed is again covered in crap.

I am not impressed.

roundtuit

Morning :hello:

I laid in bed and planned out my day in my head - and it's do-able

Just got up and made a cuppa; WM is swishing and I've made my bed

When I walked in to the kitchen I did not :eek:_pale_ There's a lot to do, but at least I can see my draining board and get in to the microwave without doing a dirty-pot shuffle. And, although the tree did not venture out of its box yesterday, the table by my chair in here no longer induces :eek: - the only things on there are the things that usually live there. So yesterday was productive And I took time out to watch Songs of Praise at lunch time and Elf in the evening - first time I've watched it

I've contacted everyone re: call and present deliver (maybe next year they can come here and CHAOS will be a dim memory ...maybe) and 'dates' have been arranged through the week. That's why I take this week off work - working full time and present delivering used to need military precision timing; I once went round everyone on Christmas Eve. Even though it was all my friends and family it was far too much peopling in one day

This year I'm factoring extra visits to Dad in...ooops tears. I didn't have the easiest of relationships with my Mum and I'm glad we had a few years at the end where we got on reasonably well. It just seems to be dawning that this time she's not coming home from hospital. I could do without Christmas really. But it's coming ready or not … so I'll put on my big girl knickers and pull 'em up. (At least I have a clean pair, thanks to flylady )

Right - breakfast, get dressed, then deliver last few cards that won't be going with present deliveries... I've mapped out the route in my head and will finish up at Dad's for a coffee.

All go, innit?
Rxx

Valli

I'm in. It'll be manic though...

froddington

Flip me - it's a bit nippy in this country! I may just turn around and head back to the sun!

Had an amazing time and those of you on FB will no doubt be bored with my photos sometime soon (I have hundreds to sort through before I post any!).

Thanks Natty :Aand Valli :Afor the thread.

Hugs, congrats and condolences to all who want or need them.

No flying done for the past 2 weeks but will be in this week from tomorrow (I'm posting this from the airport waiting for the M25 rush hour to ease off a bit before I head home!).

ionafan

Welcome back froddy - glad you enjoyed your dose of sunshine!

Thank you for the long list, Natty x

Tree is up, some lights are up.
Freezers are sorted, but still quite full, so trying to eat up frozen stuff and leave shopping until later in the week.
Some cards are written and will be posted today, others will have to wait until tomorrow. DH is going near the PO today so I shall give him a parcel to post, but he's not even up yet
Flying will happen at the end of this week (the house is kept acceptably tidy - apart from my RoD study, where the spare bed is covered in as yet unwrapped presents, and the Toddler Group materials are still spread all over the floor - so it shouldn't take long).

Today I have to write my last assignment for the short course that I did this term, and after that I must think about writing down the sermon for Sunday that's in my head

Other jobs this week include
- make phonecalls
- write emails
- send e-cards
- buy outstanding Christmas gifts for DGD1+2 and DDiL1
- finish sorting decorations (one of the strings of solar lights looks decidedly off colour )
- visits to housebound /hospitalised friends
- carol singing on at least 3 occasions
- food shopping

It will all get done, somehow!

Keep calm, everyone, and carry on flying in your own time.
(((Hugs))) spoons, sticks, and GWS wishes to all who need them xx

Any chance of breakfast, DH??????????

Narc0lepsy

Welcome back Froddington I should join fb for the photos.
Thanks for list; that one added to mine looks pretty formidable. However tree was partly decorated yesterday, mil just watched but seemed to enjoy it. Dessert was appreciated so the big one in the freezer will be fine for Xmas eve. A report was emailed and another started. Got silly Body Shop goodies she wanted on the supposed last day of 25-40% off.
Mr N has a cold and sounds really rough so I'm trying to get him to rest as we're in London for "Hansel and Gretel" this eve.
Today's priorities:
Finish decorating
Do a flower arrangement for friend
Collect some blue spruce from another friend's garden to make a door wreath.
Review all lists, especially present list in case we can get anything from Covent Garden.
Finish a report. Getting desperate about these now.
Looks sunny so do a load of washing.

That had better do as we're leaving at 4ish and also have neighbour's horses to bring in.

shirlgirl2004

I'm in minimally but I have a really busy week and I have bought 4 Xmas pressies so far so I need to spend time doing that. Thus far I have spent 2 hours doing the horses and I have 1 hour before I have to go visiting my relative so a quick coffee, shower and a s&s is about all I'm going to manage.

Jazee

Morning all. Thanks for the list - I am in but so far today have only washed up the breakfast dishes, fed the dogs, had a bath, checked banking (someone tried to empty account over weekend) and changed the bedding.


This is probably a good time to update on scrimpers and slinkies. Scrimpers for 2018 - really pleased on how we have managed on less income. It means I don't have to go back to full time unless I want to.
Slinkies - I weigh more than I did at the start of the year, but according to my specialist less than I did two years ago, and I'm doing ok.


It's a beautiful sunny day so I'm about to walk the dogs, posting Christmas cards on the route.


Monday Mayhem..

• [STRIKE]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 Tuesday so shops are not open!!!![/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Have we located stockings?[/STRIKE]
• 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
• [STRIKE]Change any bedding you need to get washed before the fat guy arrives.. and I do not mean the OH/parent/ etc[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]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?[/STRIKE]
• Catch up on the laundry .. ironing is tomorrows job! -ONGOING
• 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..CRAFT CLUB LATER 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 great day everyone.

Valli

Have oroned, washed up and done online banking and a bit of PTA admin

Narc0lepsy

Narc0lepsy wrote: »

Got silly Body Shop goodies she wanted on the supposed last day of 25-40% off. Ha, that was meant to be SIL and she isn't silly; she is lovely!
Mr N has a cold and sounds really rough so I'm trying to get him to rest as we're in London for "Hansel and Gretel" this eve.Knew there wouldn't be much chance of him resting. He's done some more decs with me then reluctantly decided to photo his guitar to put up for sale as his fingers don't work too well these days. It has a lovely tone so hopefully we may be in time for someone to want to buy it for Xmas. He's just gone to encourage his mum to go to the Xmas lunch in her flats which she was so keen on last month, talking about buying a new dress etc. Since then it's "I don't know who put my name down for that (she did)". She was fine at dinner last night but still adamant apparently that she won't come round over Xmas if my mum is in the house. Sigh.
Today's priorities:
Finish decoratingDone a bit more.
Do a flower arrangement for friendJust picked a load of foliage and arranged to see friend tomorrow.
[STRIKE]Collect some blue spruce from another friend's garden to make a door wreath.[/STRIKE]
Review all lists, especially present list in case we can get anything from Covent Garden. Will do over lunch
Finish a report. Getting desperate about these now. In progress over a coffee.
Looks sunny so do a load of washing.

That had better do as we're leaving at 4ish and also have neighbour's horses to bring in.

Well I guess that is a bit of progress, we haven't sat still. Lovely and sunny here but wet underfoot.