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Weekly Flylady Thread 16 March 2020
Valli
Posts: 25,489 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.
Go round the house and clean all sockets, switches and handles.
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
Make sure all switches and handles and any places fingers linger are wiped.
Get that Toots list out - if you're confined to home then it's an ideal time to work on some of those items!
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
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.
Go round the house and clean all sockets, switches and handles.
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
Make sure all switches and handles and any places fingers linger are wiped.
Get that Toots list out - if you're confined to home then it's an ideal time to work on some of those items!
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
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
13
Comments
-
I'm in. Really trying not to panic but it's hard not too. We've been told to get resources ready for our Year 11 students go study from home if needs be...
12 -
I'm in too, thanks Valli. Have decided to cancel all meetings this week. My only going out will be dog walking and taking the dogs to the groomer tomorrow.Spend less now, work less later.12
-
We may be in, or may not.. Twinkle is not going to nursery tomorrow, she is coughing up a lung and just not right, snotting everywhere. I'm a bit concerned about Dot too, she doesn't seem to be coping very well this week.
TY for Fred
DD1 and I are building a 'buy in mini-bulk' list.. She wants 4 quorn roasts and 12 packets of baby wipes and I need pasta dna coffee mate.. lmao.. Her neighbour might be wanting formula and she is getting a list of stuff for my 93 year old nanna for us to sort her out. She doesn't go out any more anyway so we shall see what we can do.
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.)12 -
Thanks im in too. Looking forward to catching up with washing and cracking through listy ...I will have a clean skint pitThe cold never bothered me anyway11
-
Evening all,Thank you for the list Valli.Well after a weekend spent baking my Mum's 70th Birthday cake (this luckily went down well with everyone and the recipe was requested again - vegan carrot cake with lemon dairy-free buttercream icing), the kitchen has had a fair amount of blitzing as I cleaned down the surfaces multiple times. However, there are quite a few jobs left to do still on the list so I'm sure I'll be kept busy.Poor DS1 is most definitely not looking forward to school tomorrow, and has been behaving atrociously this evening (I think because in some strange way he thinks it may delay the inevitable). He's going through a rough time with one of his teachers and it is giving him really bad anxiety. I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that tomorrow turns out better than expected since I raised the issues he's having last week with the SENCO (who is his nice teacher whom he has at the end of the week).The cat's food and medicine arrived yesterday, so I'm really pleased that that is one less thing that I have to worry about with all of this going on. He has daily medication, but we have 6 months' worth now and a huge bag of food that should last quite a while as well.Think I need to try and make a food inventory of our cupboards and freezers tomorrow, as a few parents at his school are going to be self-isolating tomorrow as their children have new coughs etc, so need to be on the safe side in case we end up having to or they decided to close schools, especially where DS2's safe foods (non-allergenic) are concerned. Up until now I've not been panic buying, and have just been buying what we need for our usual meals this week, but we've got into the habit of eating a lot of foods that only last one meal lately so it would be healthier all around if I make sure that we have some more wholefood ingredients in too.I hope everyone is well and none of you are in the situation of having to self-isolate. Glad I've got my flyladies to talk to if the situation ever crops up though. xEnjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.I married Moon 8/4/2011, baby boy born 26/9/2012, Angel Baby Poppy born 8/11/15, Rainbow baby boy born 11/2/201710
-
Morning all
Thanks for the new thread, I’m in again but likely to be working off list... busy work week ahead; first (telephone) meeting at 7am today. I’m working from home with just virtual meetings for at least the next month; not too much of a change for me. DH awaits decision from his employer as to what they will do, I guess that will depend on government advice as well.
WM is loaded, that will start on the timer in an hour or so, I will sort laundry and fly a little after my first meeting. My regular Monday evening outing has been cancelled so I will have time to fly, I must also get out for some fresh air today.Hoping you are all well, it’s a worrying time. Back later xx10 -
Morning all. Hope you're all ok today.
just about to flick the duster round the dining room.
Have a great day everyone.Spend less now, work less later.11 -
Morning all,
Hope everyone is okay today, please look after yourselves xx
DW unloaded, some dry laundry folded and put away, we are ready for work/school, will be heading off shortly. I went on the Entitledto... website last night, seems I can get a bit of help which will make things easier, maybe a job for if school closes! Very weepy yesterday PM, I guess that's normal. Right, off to work, have lovely days all xx10 -
Morning all,
Thank you for the thread. I’m in, hoping to do better than last week.
Trying not to panic, but DH is continually watching or reading the news, which makes it hard to be business as usual within sensible limits. DH has gone off to work this morning, but each day brings a new ruling so he may be working from home soon. I’m relieved that DD is in year 12, so my heart goes out to any flykids in years 11 or 13. I’m off to work shortly but will see what I can do from the lists when I get home.
ASB - chin up, chicken. We are all here for you. X
Have a lovely day all.10 -
Morning (waves)
Has anyone seen my voice? Or my appetite? I seem to have lost both
I got a bit scared yesterday when I started to freeze even with the heating turned way up and swaddled in a throw. I was on my own and thinking all sorts! Rationally I was thinking I am not in a high risk group and, as far as I know. I have not shared space with anyone who's recently returned from Europe / China / anywhere else. Irrationally I was thinking I might be going to die. I'm relieved to say that I didn't - but what a time to catch a virus!!! !!!!!!. I feel like myself again this morning - apart from an incredibly sore throat. Swallowing makes me wince but I've had a Lems!p. If I had tonsils I'd think tonsillitis piggers - sending gentle get well hugs your way xx
Flying will be minimal again today - sorry ladies. I've made my bed. Through the day I will:
WUDUPA - hardly any pots to do as I'm not eating
feed the birds
put out the rubbish & recycling
laundry shuffle
change towels
wash towels
Have a good day
Rxx
IT ONLY TAKES SMALL DAILY ACTIONSFOR MAGIC TO HAPPENRosemary Ikpeme
11
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