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Valli
Posts: 24,831 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
Manic Monday Kitchen and Dining Room
Level 1
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances and caddies etc. Don't forget the spalshbacks!
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too - put it outside to dry in the sunshine, if you can.
Empty out caddies/storage jars or tins and wash them out.
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches and anywhere fingers linger.
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks - and shine those taps - or clean them!
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 and wipe fridge 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 seats 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.
Involve your small people according to their age/abilities/skill level
Tuesday through day
- Living room, hall, stairs and porch
Level One
With warm (hot if you can bear it)soapy water on a clean clo th - rinsed frequently wipe EVERY door handle, light switch in the hoes - including entrance doors
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
Clean the window and door frames
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
Allocate children a task - collecting laundry, emptying DW, taking out rubbish.
Wipy Wednesday - Brighten that bathroom/shower room/en suite
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
Check for webs and flick 'em off
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 - and don't forget under the plug
Wipe shower head or soak in lemon juice to clear scum/scale
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
Thursday - Breathe, take stock, prioritise
The internet is awash with stress...
so, today (if you're home) open windows in every room and let some fresh air in. There's plenty of it...get your share
Do a storecupboard/freezer/fridge/cleaning cupboard inventory and write a shopping list and a meal plan. In your meal plan include some reduce-my-stress ideas. depending on how you work this might be using the SC or making two and freezing one. Some back up for a harder day just might help you get through this. Peg out your laundry to dry in the clear, fresh air.
Do some admin - 30 minutes max then take a break.
If you can - go outside, It's probably still quieter then it was - sit - stand - breathe and close your eyes. You can get through this and you will. If you are in a position to reach out to help others (even if it's just chucking an extra pack of pasta in the food bank 'bin' then reach out. If your are struggling and you need help ask...on here....your local MP or councillor; citizens advice...samaritans...ask.
Plan some me time. A bubble bath, book time, candle time...whatever. Even if it's just lying down, eyes closed and trying to clear your thoughts.
Go for a walk. Please. Reconnect with your local area. Wander down a path you've not been down before. Smile at a stranger. Text a friend.
While the Govt. is banging on about recession and being so negative I, personally, am thinking what we are going through is a reboot.
If you have children at home who are stressing about school I guarantee that the teachers will be doing their very best to take care of your little people so share that with them. My number one priority always was (and is) keeping them safe - first and foremost. And there is no way I am the only one doing that. My utter nightmare - my unthinkable thing would be facing a parent having seen major harm - or worse - have happened to their child because I had failed. Promise them we put them first because we do. Schools will not be open to children if schools aren't as safe as we can make them. Reassure them.
So - today - be the best you can be and don't stress about what isn't done.
Buy some flowers. Pick some wildflowers. Touch the earth. Some things haven't changed...
Friday Flurry
Today just spend 15 minutes in each room -
open windows
air beds
straighten furniture and rugs
Wipe handles, switches, sticky marks
Plump cushions
Empty bins
Quick vacuum in high traffic areas
Do an S&S in kitchen and bathroom(s) - change hand and tea towels and hang neatly;
Make beds
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
Manic Monday Kitchen and Dining Room
Level 1
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances and caddies etc. Don't forget the spalshbacks!
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too - put it outside to dry in the sunshine, if you can.
Empty out caddies/storage jars or tins and wash them out.
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches and anywhere fingers linger.
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks - and shine those taps - or clean them!
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 and wipe fridge 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 seats 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.
Involve your small people according to their age/abilities/skill level
Tuesday through day
- Living room, hall, stairs and porch
Level One
With warm (hot if you can bear it)soapy water on a clean clo th - rinsed frequently wipe EVERY door handle, light switch in the hoes - including entrance doors
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
Clean the window and door frames
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
Allocate children a task - collecting laundry, emptying DW, taking out rubbish.
Wipy Wednesday - Brighten that bathroom/shower room/en suite
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
Check for webs and flick 'em off
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 - and don't forget under the plug
Wipe shower head or soak in lemon juice to clear scum/scale
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
Thursday - Breathe, take stock, prioritise
The internet is awash with stress...
so, today (if you're home) open windows in every room and let some fresh air in. There's plenty of it...get your share
Do a storecupboard/freezer/fridge/cleaning cupboard inventory and write a shopping list and a meal plan. In your meal plan include some reduce-my-stress ideas. depending on how you work this might be using the SC or making two and freezing one. Some back up for a harder day just might help you get through this. Peg out your laundry to dry in the clear, fresh air.
Do some admin - 30 minutes max then take a break.
If you can - go outside, It's probably still quieter then it was - sit - stand - breathe and close your eyes. You can get through this and you will. If you are in a position to reach out to help others (even if it's just chucking an extra pack of pasta in the food bank 'bin' then reach out. If your are struggling and you need help ask...on here....your local MP or councillor; citizens advice...samaritans...ask.
Plan some me time. A bubble bath, book time, candle time...whatever. Even if it's just lying down, eyes closed and trying to clear your thoughts.
Go for a walk. Please. Reconnect with your local area. Wander down a path you've not been down before. Smile at a stranger. Text a friend.
While the Govt. is banging on about recession and being so negative I, personally, am thinking what we are going through is a reboot.
If you have children at home who are stressing about school I guarantee that the teachers will be doing their very best to take care of your little people so share that with them. My number one priority always was (and is) keeping them safe - first and foremost. And there is no way I am the only one doing that. My utter nightmare - my unthinkable thing would be facing a parent having seen major harm - or worse - have happened to their child because I had failed. Promise them we put them first because we do. Schools will not be open to children if schools aren't as safe as we can make them. Reassure them.
So - today - be the best you can be and don't stress about what isn't done.
Buy some flowers. Pick some wildflowers. Touch the earth. Some things haven't changed...
Friday Flurry
Today just spend 15 minutes in each room -
open windows
air beds
straighten furniture and rugs
Wipe handles, switches, sticky marks
Plump cushions
Empty bins
Quick vacuum in high traffic areas
Do an S&S in kitchen and bathroom(s) - change hand and tea towels and hang neatly;
Make beds
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
16
Comments
-
I’m in, thank you for the thread x
Hospital on Wednesday went ok and tests were normal. Car park was horrendous due to it being free at the moment.
It is a year tonight that dancepops died. Had to sneak in the side gate of the crem to take flowers.
Ironing done12 -
Evening all
Thanks for the thread, I’m in again. I finished my list for today, have had a pleasant afternoon reading and snoozing. This evening we had roast chicken dinner then cleared the kitchen and had a quick walk in the cold and the wind! It’s like winter again today!
No paid stuff for me tomorrow, yay! I do have to take my car out, I think I have a slow puncture so need to get that seen to, I also want to continue with my painting project so lots to keep me busy.
take care, see you in the morning x10 -
Good evening!
I'm in this week. Thanks Valli for the lists, and Natty for last week.
I have pottered about in the garden today, in between cups of tea! I planted some summer bulbs, topped up some pots and sown a few flower seeds. I also went shopping at Mr Als - it was surprisingly calm! Hopefully it will last us all week! If it does, it will be the lowest spend all lockdown (and a blinking miracle!!) The dog has also been walked.
I think I need to get my work hat on, and plan for re-opening at some point! I need to wait for more detail of what BJ was spluttering on about earlier - a lot of noise with not much substance as per usual! It will be okay - he has a new slogan!
KazW it is good to have a plan, and that seems like a sound one to me. I would imagine it is a buyers market now. Good luck!
10 -
I'm in an will make more of an effort this week. Did a bit of menu planning for the week, a wash and a quick clean of the kitchen.
KazW - sounds like a good plan. You can only wait so long x
Valli and (i think) Roundtuit - we've managed to get down to one large patch of goose grass as DD's guinea pigs love it!
The plan this week is to get back to normal as much as the new normal is normal. FIL still showing no symptoms so I think it's just wait and see.
Hugs to all xx11 -
I'm in, thanks for the list. I've booked the dog field for 3pm tomorrow so will do as much flying and gardening as I can before then.Spend less now, work less later.11
-
I'm in again, thanks for the lists Natty & Valli
Well today I moved some boxes from the LR to the BR, I cleaned the top shelf of the under sink cupboard, ironed yesterdays washing and S&S the kitchen. I think that's enough for a Sunday. Now the windows are all clean I must keep on top of them and clean them when the list says so.
Cross Stitch Cafe Member No1WIP: Cross Stitch: Seascape Kit - Crochet:11 -
TY for Fred xx
Onto the bodice part of my knitting.. it's very bright and cheerful!!
DW on again.. poor thing is going to be worked to death!
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.)11 -
Mudbath said:
Valli and (i think) Roundtuit - we've managed to get down to one large patch of goose grass as DD's guinea pigs love it!
!!!!!! (and many other expletives) I've been binning it. If guinea pigs can eat it I assume bunnies can, too...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 DickinsonJanice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear10 -
MorningKitchen is done, WM is onThank you for the lists xxGlad you think I am on the right lines, I just needed to see it down in writing, I have made various lists, PM's speech last night to me was wishy washy, hope he will give clarity about businesses later on today.OH's rechargable radio is on the blink for the last week or so, I offered to help him check it, he says no I can manage, ( for an intelligent person, some times I really do dispare of him) anyway, I casually ask if he has checked the rechargable battery is in firmly and all it attached to it, light bulb moment, he takes the back off, pushes the battery firmly in, low and behold the radio works again!Have a safe day allBreast Cancer Now 2022 100 miles October 100 / 100milesSun, Sea
2024 7/28 lbs to go.10 -
Morning all,
I'm in, thank you for the lists.What a complete load of waffle last night, I was utterly disgusted that he made no mention at all in this 'plan' of when we might be able to see immediate family in very small groups, all focused on money as usual. Children desperate to see their grandparents, aunties etc and no mention of where that fits in at all. Also - you must drive to work not use public transport - um Boris we can't all afford to run cars! Sorry he makes my blood boil, so much vague waffle, especially for secondary kids, who knows what is actually happening.Onto today, I need to fetch a click&collect at noon, have stern words with kids about my behaviour expectations this week and generally keep the BD from my door.
Have lovely days all xx12
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