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Weekly Flylady Thread 2 March 2020
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Valli
Posts: 25,479 Forumite
Welcome to the weekly Flylady 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.
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!
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.
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 content! (i.e. it should be on-topic)
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- that’s 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 former Flylady 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 stopping, 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!
Frog (or other amphibian) ~ google 'eat that frog'
Spoons ~ google 'but you don't look sick' and/or 'The Spoon Theory'.
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.
Manic Monday Kitchen/Dining Room
Level 1
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too
Empty out caddies/storage jars or tins and wash them out.
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth
Check fruit and wash bowl
Throw away your manky dish cloth or sponge and replace with a new one!
Level 2
Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts, not forgetting handles and tops and bottom as well as fronts!
Clean hob
Clean microwave
Sort fridge and wipe seals; weave stuff that needs using up into your meal plan
Wash out shelves and baskets.
Dust dining area/room
Descale kettle if needed
Clean WM , TD and DW filters; remove WM detergent drawer and wash it out.
Level 3
Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seat where sticky fingers linger.
Clean windows in both rooms.
Go round the whole house wiping door handles, light switches and banisters - we WILL be germ-free!
EXTRAS
HHI
S&S bathroom
Meal plan for the week.
List cards needed for the new month.
Tuesday Thrills - Brighten that bathroom
Level 1
Fling open the windows
Clear the bins, remove empties
Flush the loo and squirt something down it to start the cleaning process
Fling the towels in the WM
Vacuum extractor cover and/or wipe
Clean windows and mirrors
Level 2
Clear lotions and potions from around bath and scrub inside and out.
Prod a brush down the plughole to remove the ratty tails
Polish the taps
Slug of bleach down the drain
Scrub the loo inside and out - and bleach it
Thoroughly clean bath taps and plugs - especially hair traps
Wipe shower head
Wash shower curtain/wipe screens
Level 3
Scrub the sink
Polish the taps
Dust sills and shelves
Wipe anywhere fingers linger with a clean cloth or an anti-bac wipe - don't forget the loo roll holder!
Mop the floor
Polish mirrors
Extras
HHI
S&S kitchen
Wipy Wednesday - Master Bedroom/Boudoir
Level 1
Open windows
Clear the floordrobe/chairdrobe
Strip the bed and leave to air
Take out the rubbish
Bedding in WM
Level 2 (after breakfast/a period of time)
Remake the bed with clean, fresh linen
Dust/clear bedside tables
Clean windows, frames and sills (and wipe the open frames to clear dust and debris)
Level 3
Vacuum any soft furnishings - don't forget the headboard if it's fabric!
Dust everywhere else; as you remove lotions and potions from dressing tables wipe them over with a damp cloth. Make sure perfumes are stored in their boxes or in dark drawers. Minimise clutter/organise essentials.
Vacuum/mop floors
Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms
Pick'n'Mix THURSDAY
- pick a room - any room
Conservatory, dining room, kids room, spare room,...
Level 1
Open the windows
If there's a bed in here strip it and wash the bedding
If it's other soft furnishings vacuum
Throw out any obvious rubbish
Clear the floor
level 2
Wipe the windows/frames/sills
Remake the bed (if there is one)
plump cushions
Level 3
dust and vacuum
Extras
Buy fresh flowers and put them somewhere you will see them, often
Wipe and water houseplants
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
MAD half hour - Toots list reduction? addition?
make sure you've got your preferred tipple chilling for the weekend
HHI
Friday Flourish
- Living room, hall, stairs and porch
Level One
Declutter ALL the floors!!
Clear the mantle of junk
Fling any rubbbish
Straighten cushions, curtains and throws
Tidy coffee/side tables
Empty bin
Level Two
Vacuum/sweep all the floors.. stairs too!
Vacuum/sweep under furniture you can safely move!
Vacuum sofas
Clean mirrors
Level Three
Wash the windows
Dust and polish furniture and ornaments
Water/wipe plants. Deal with any flowers.
Extras
Dust all the electricals.. carefully.. don't want any frazzled flybodies
Binbag dance around the house
HHI
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
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.
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!
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.
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 content! (i.e. it should be on-topic)
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- that’s 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 former Flylady 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 stopping, 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!
Frog (or other amphibian) ~ google 'eat that frog'
Spoons ~ google 'but you don't look sick' and/or 'The Spoon Theory'.
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.
Manic Monday Kitchen/Dining Room
Level 1
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too
Empty out caddies/storage jars or tins and wash them out.
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth
Check fruit and wash bowl
Throw away your manky dish cloth or sponge and replace with a new one!
Level 2
Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts, not forgetting handles and tops and bottom as well as fronts!
Clean hob
Clean microwave
Sort fridge and wipe seals; weave stuff that needs using up into your meal plan
Wash out shelves and baskets.
Dust dining area/room
Descale kettle if needed
Clean WM , TD and DW filters; remove WM detergent drawer and wash it out.
Level 3
Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seat where sticky fingers linger.
Clean windows in both rooms.
Go round the whole house wiping door handles, light switches and banisters - we WILL be germ-free!
EXTRAS
HHI
S&S bathroom
Meal plan for the week.
List cards needed for the new month.
Tuesday Thrills - Brighten that bathroom
Level 1
Fling open the windows
Clear the bins, remove empties
Flush the loo and squirt something down it to start the cleaning process
Fling the towels in the WM
Vacuum extractor cover and/or wipe
Clean windows and mirrors
Level 2
Clear lotions and potions from around bath and scrub inside and out.
Prod a brush down the plughole to remove the ratty tails
Polish the taps
Slug of bleach down the drain
Scrub the loo inside and out - and bleach it
Thoroughly clean bath taps and plugs - especially hair traps
Wipe shower head
Wash shower curtain/wipe screens
Level 3
Scrub the sink
Polish the taps
Dust sills and shelves
Wipe anywhere fingers linger with a clean cloth or an anti-bac wipe - don't forget the loo roll holder!
Mop the floor
Polish mirrors
Extras
HHI
S&S kitchen
Wipy Wednesday - Master Bedroom/Boudoir
Level 1
Open windows
Clear the floordrobe/chairdrobe
Strip the bed and leave to air
Take out the rubbish
Bedding in WM
Level 2 (after breakfast/a period of time)
Remake the bed with clean, fresh linen
Dust/clear bedside tables
Clean windows, frames and sills (and wipe the open frames to clear dust and debris)
Level 3
Vacuum any soft furnishings - don't forget the headboard if it's fabric!
Dust everywhere else; as you remove lotions and potions from dressing tables wipe them over with a damp cloth. Make sure perfumes are stored in their boxes or in dark drawers. Minimise clutter/organise essentials.
Vacuum/mop floors
Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms
Pick'n'Mix THURSDAY
- pick a room - any room
Conservatory, dining room, kids room, spare room,...
Level 1
Open the windows
If there's a bed in here strip it and wash the bedding
If it's other soft furnishings vacuum
Throw out any obvious rubbish
Clear the floor
level 2
Wipe the windows/frames/sills
Remake the bed (if there is one)
plump cushions
Level 3
dust and vacuum
Extras
Buy fresh flowers and put them somewhere you will see them, often
Wipe and water houseplants
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
MAD half hour - Toots list reduction? addition?
make sure you've got your preferred tipple chilling for the weekend
HHI
Friday Flourish
- Living room, hall, stairs and porch
Level One
Declutter ALL the floors!!
Clear the mantle of junk
Fling any rubbbish
Straighten cushions, curtains and throws
Tidy coffee/side tables
Empty bin
Level Two
Vacuum/sweep all the floors.. stairs too!
Vacuum/sweep under furniture you can safely move!
Vacuum sofas
Clean mirrors
Level Three
Wash the windows
Dust and polish furniture and ornaments
Water/wipe plants. Deal with any flowers.
Extras
Dust all the electricals.. carefully.. don't want any frazzled flybodies
Binbag dance around the house
HHI
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
Don't put it DOWN; put it AWAY
"I would like more sisters, that the taking out of one, might not leave such stillness" Emily Dickinson
Janice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear
Janice 1964-2016Thank you Honey Bear
10
Comments
-
Thanks for the thread. I’m in again. See you all in the morning x6
-
TY for Fred xxxx
Copied over from old Fred.. because of Q and Monday plans..
I'm still living..
DLA application sent in for Dot.. so I can pay for extra adults to come everywhere with us so I can supervise her... or OH can because I can't keep up with her. fingers crossed! She could do ballet with a helper/focuser/chaperone/zoo-keeper (day dependent)
This week I am making DS3 a drs appointment.. he IS getting the BD meds back.. if he doesn't start looking after himself and going out occasionally I might murder him!
Money wise.. DS3 is loaning me £200 and not giving me board in May and June.. to pay it back.. DD1 said she will loan me £250, I have £200 saved for Dots assessment (which the DLA would help towards) that still leaves me £600 down this month BUT I have 10 things flung at ebeast £105ish.. Mainly Joe Browns tunics which are too big for me and new bras.. a few other bits too and I will list more tomorrow. ooh I just remembered where I have a pile ready to go.
i have 3 binbags of Twinkles outgrown stuff so instead of gifting it I am going to try to sell it on.. 18m-3yrs.. inc. numerous coats and shoes and everything from playwear to new with tags.. £20/£25 a bag.. I shall re-sort and rebag and list that on local pages tomorrow. I WILL make a difference and an effort.
So.. Monday. (or Tuesday)
Dr's for DD3, DS3 and me..
TD repair
HMRC bellowed at.. it won't make any difference but it will make me feel better.
Bags sorted.
10 ebeasty items listed.
Ladies of a certain age and wiser... quick Q... is occasional breakthrough spotting usual? Everything is still normal this is just new.. Smear came back clear last year so not that. I'd code it but it's too much faff...
LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14Hope to be debt free until the day I dieMortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)9 -
Thanks for the thread, I am in again this week, I just need to remember that I am no longer lurking so I must post my progress! 😂'Money and good health is coming easily to Flypeople'9
-
Hi All
Not been here in years, so good to see so many familiar names about. I'd love to rejoin and try to get back on top of the house. I can't believe how long level 1 looks, thanks Valli, was I that mean with lists? It's going to be tougher than years ago as I work 4 days a week now. I tend to do most H/W at the weekends but want to get back into a little each day. I'll be back later with a modified list.The birds of sadness may fly overhead but don't let them nest in your hair11 -
Lovely to see you Dusty. Welcome back
Up early to rake DS to work en route. Tea to put in SC.
hope all have good days xDon't put it DOWN; put it AWAY"I would like more sisters, that the taking out of one, might not leave such stillness" Emily DickinsonJanice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear10 -
Morning all. Welcome back Dusty. Ooh, my iPad remembers you too!
Thanks for the list Valli. I'm in and will be working up the list, but need to sort finances for the month first.
Have a great day everyone.Spend less now, work less later.10 -
Good morning
Thank you for the lists. Welcome back Dusty! Lovely to see you again. As you can see, we are still being kept in line...and I’m still not keeping up!
Full day at work today, I would like to say that I am starting the week ahead of schedule but sadly it will be catch up as usual. Tonight’s dinner is freezer goodies, so that’s easy. It looks remarkably like the dinner that I cooked for friends for new year’s eve!
Have a lovely day all.
ETA - Piggers - not sure how “normal” it is - it has happened to me and a couple of friends though. For the same reason as you, I chose not to have it checked out, but others did and were told that it was always a good idea. Sorry - probably not much help to you.8 -
Morning all.
Working on the basis that you simply cannot pour from an empty cup I am not going to work today. I ache, I'm tired, I'm stressed about money and quite frankly I do not have the reserves to be a positive role model to anyone today. A day of sofa lazing, eating and listing on eBay awaits x
Edit to send strength and coping vibes to Piggers xx8 -
Welcome back Dusty [insert waving and jumping emojis] - it's great to see you! I have still got a copy of your deep clean spring cleaning list that I used when we were trying to sell our old house a few years ago. It worked like magic and the house sold very quickly
Big (((hugs))) to YL xx
Sorry pigpen, can't answer your question except to say that it doesn't sound right to me, so if you're going to the docs you ought to mention it.
Thank you for leading the cleaning brigade again this week, Valli. I'm in as much as a full diary will allow, and will aim for level 1 and a couple of other items off today's list. Must start with tidying the study because I'm knee deep in paperwork again
I am taking most of today off unpaid work and meeting up for lunch
with my genealogy friend, as I'm expecting some birth and death certificates for her family to be ready to download from the GRO - for a baby who, in the few weeks between his birth and what I calculate to be his death, made a fleeting appearance with his mum on the 1911 census. She never spoke of him after his death, so it is a great joy to us both to be able to reinstate him in the family tree.
More (((hugs))) spoons and sticks all round, as needed xx7 -
Morning all
Full day of paid stuff today, also have plumber coming back to tackle the snagging list. My office is the dining room for today, easier if there are any questions etc...
Dailies done, wm just swishing with today’s load. Most of the kitchen list was done on Saturday, I will spend a bit of time on the extra jobs later on.
Have a good day, hugs to all who are having a difficult time x9
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