Weekly Flylady Thread 29th June 2020

Natty68

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!

Please do remember we have to abide by MSE rules; so each post should, ideally, have some Flylady-related content
Thank you Valli 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- 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!
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 stooping, 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!

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

Mysterious Monday ~ Bathroom, Hall, Stairs and Study/PC Area
Level One...
Open windows to let in air
Wash and replace towels/flannels/bath mats with clean ones
Clean cobwebs
Level Two..
Clean bath/shower/sink and toilet - Don't forget to give those taps an extra shine!
Throw away any empty bottles
Straighten computer desk
Delete 50 emails - do you really need that sale email from DFS!!!!
Level Three...
Wash/vacuum floor
Clean window
Clean the windowsills
Clean medicine cabinet - throw away out of date medicines.
Put away any stray items in the hall and stairs - do you really need all that stuff cluttering up the stairs and hall/landing!!!
Extras..

• Wipe skirting boards up the stairs

• Check supplies of paper/printer cartridges/stamps and envelopes

• Throw away any pens that don't work

• Clean fingerprints off light switches and doors.

Twinkling Tuesday ~ Master bedroom and Landing
Level One..
Fling open windows to let that air in..
Clean Cobwebs
Check firealarms are working, change battery if necessary.
Remove and wash bed linen and duvet covers
Level Two..
Vacuum & turn mattress before replacing with fresh linen..
Clean under the bed
Polish furniture
Level Three...
Straighten/sort through make up
Throw away any empty/out of date bottles
Clean glass and mirrors - make them twinkle
15 minutes floordrobe clearance
Clear a hotspot ~ or spend 15 minutes clearing one.
Add a personal touch - flowers in a vase on a dresser, pretty bowl etc..
Extras:

• 36 fling boogie, go on grab a bag and clear that clutter

• HHI

• Clean windows in these rooms

• Clean light switch of hand prints or smudges

• Clean main light and any lampshades

• Clear the top of a bedside cupboard/chest of drawers or shelf

Wacky Wednesday ~ Those frightening kids rooms and spare roomsLevel One..Open windows to air room
Clean cobwebs
Clear away anything that isn't in it's place, clothes, toys, books etc
Straighten toy shelves
Level Two..
Polish furniture
Vacuum the floorDusting.. all those shelves and flat fluffy surfaces!! Don’t forget the light shade and curtain pole!!!Strip beds, turn and vacuum mattresses!! and replace with fresh linen .. check if duvets need freshening up too!! Wash the curtains!Level Three...Sort out outgrown clothes and give to charity/neighbours/younger children.Put away stray itemsClean fingerprints off light switches/doors/wallsClean under the bed - I know it's scary but it does have to be done. You could even delegate to a little pink if you don't fancy doing it yourself.Extras
• Clean windows• Clean/scrub bath toys• Wipe the radiators, skirtings and window & door frames!• HHI• Rearrange videos/games/books

Tantalising Thursday ~ Dining Room and Entance/Porch
Level One..
Open windows and let air in
Clean cobwebs
Dust windowsills and front door
Throw away any newspapers/magazines that aren't needed.
Level Two..
Put plants in shower & give them a good rinse. Remember to put them back before everyone has a shower in the morning - it might be a bit unnerving having to shower with a plant!!!
Clean and dust shiny things/mirror and glass
Clean lightswitches of hand prints or smudges
Level Three...
Move furniture, if safe to do so, and hoover underdeath
Clean and straighten any drawer
Add a personal touch to the table - pretty tablecloth, vase of summer flowers!!
Clean TV, other electricals and cabinets
Clean under sofa/chair cushions - lets see if you can find any money or even anything that you have lost recentlyWipe down light fixtures - make those bulbs shine at night!
Extras

Refill bird feedersThrow away any dead plantsHHIBinbag dance - Get a binbag... fill it and bin it!!Flying Friday ~ KitchenLevel One..Open windows, let the air and blow those cobwebs away..Wash knick-knacks/canistersMop/brush floorLevel Two..Clean sink and draining boardClean microwave inside and outEmpty fridge, clean shelves and doors and move any nearly out of date stuff to front to use up next.Empty and clean rubbish binLevel Three...Clean under sink - throw away any manky looking bottles/rags etc..Straighten drawers/cupboardsClean fan/vent/hood filtersClean pet dishesClean cupboard door fronts and fronts of appliances .. don't forget those kick boards..(only a few at a time!)Extras
• Check the smoke alarm - when was the last time you replaced the battery?• Clean the hob• Wipe down any tiles and shine those taps - make them twinkle!!• 29 fling boogie - GO!!• Buy yourself some flowers from the shop.. your reward for making the kitchen shine!

skint_breeder_5

Evening.... thank you Natty & Valli...I need to keep pace with Fred this week, as flying off piste has led to return of the Skint Pit....although I spent 5 hours decluttering historic paperwork today......
4 vegetable crates (like the ones you see Iceberg lettuce packed into at supermarket) completely full of recycling and 1 box of secure destruction stuff for burning..so it's a massive dent in getting it sorted.

Hugs, sticks and spoons for everyone XXX. Catch up tomorrow

Goodintentions

Good evening!
Thanks Natty for the lists, and thanks Valli for last week.
I disappeared off the radar this weekend. DD1 came to visit & stayed the night as a surprise for DHs birthday. We had a lovely family day, starting with a run along the seafront early with DD2 & DS, then pressies & cards for DH in the afternoon after he finished work. Takeaway pizza for dinner followed by a bracing walk along the seafront for famous local Rossi ice creams. It wasn't too busy - probably because it was so windy! 
I took DD1 to the allotment this morning & sent her home with the last of last year's pumpkins and the first of this year's courgettes! 
I have been chilling this afternoon with my tapestry. Flying wise I have managed to put on the DW and do 2 loads of washing, which has been folded but not put away. I must try harder this week!! 
Tomorrow I plan to spend some time at the allotment. I will also try to do at least level 1 of the lists. I also need to do some shredding as I have run out for the compost, and update the report for the SEN from the council. I have paid stuff early tomorrow, but only 1 1/2 hours.
Hugs, sticks and spoons to those that need them. Have a good week everyone! 

Fayolle

Thank you, Natty and Valli xx I am in as much as ever.
Tomorrow is the first day for weeks that DH will be at work (in the DR), I will be out at work, and DD will be at school for her allotted 4 hours a week. Strange.

Hugs, sticks and spoons all round as needed. Catch you all in the morning x

Dizzy_Imp

I'm in again too please!  Thanks for lists, as always.

MY BOYS BOTH HAVE A DAY AT SCHOOL TOMORROW!!! I am beyond excited 

pigpen

hi and ty for fred..

I'm hoping to get the wallpapering done before OH has work.. or at least the majority.. and the faffy up the stir bits.
I need to find a carpet fitter for the 6th or 7th to do the stair carpet.. I don't trust OH to do it and I don't want to.

BadCat18

Morning all

Thanks for the thread, I’m in...
Paid stuff for me today and looking at the list I’m pleased to see that pretty much all of it was done on Saturday when I blitzed the house. So my agenda will be:
dailies 
wm x 1
paid stuff
clear emails / admin
tidy lounge, DH was up late last night and there’s books, papers and other gibble to be rehomed
get out for a walk 
book club meeting over Zoom this evening

That will do for me today I think, paid stuff likely to be busy, I should probably get myself ready and tackle the day!

Back later, hugs to any who are in need x

Dizzy_Imp

Morning! I'm ahead of myself, which is unheard of, because I have already got towels washed and dried, replaced the bath mat with a clean one, cleaned cobwebs, sorted the medicine chest, thrown all the junk on the stairs into the appropriate bedrooms, sorted my inbox and deleted all unnecessary emails, ordered more printer ink, paper and envelopes and made the boys lunches for school.  Did I mention that they have a day at school today?!?

I have been awake since 4.50am though, so will crash and burn later...

Jazee

Morning all.

Rain forecast again today and the wind hasn't died down at all so it'll be indoor jobs for me.

I will report back later.

Have a great day everyone.

roundtuit

Morning xx

I am now tired of feeling tired. I also seem to have lost a day  I turned the calendar over to 28th - payday yayyy, but when I went into the kitchen the Elvis calendar says that Monday is the 29th! So I must have got paid on Friday (bemused yayy) and I've turned over another page on the perpetual calendar in the living room - no idea where that day went, or even which day it was that I missed! And the fourth toe on my right foot feels weird.... now that's not something you say every day! 

Right that's got my whinge of the day out of the way. The only way is ^^^^,

Thank you for the lists Natty and Valli xx I intend to do something in the room of the day each day and see what happens  Bathroom window is already open. I usually change the towels on a Monday anyway - so today I will clean cobwebs in the bathroom if I do nothing else. Might have to bring in my mini step ladder as the cobwebs are all around the extractor fan above and behind the loo and I don't know where my feather duster on a long stick is. 

Rightyo - Round 1 =
breakfast
get washed and dressed
feed the birds
put out the recycling
sort washing into loads
set WM swishing

That'll do for starters. 
Wishing everyone a peace filled week
Rxx

[Deleted User]

Morning all!! 😊 
I'm in again - I am having a coffee in bed then will get showered and fly for an hour before starting my day job!