Weekly Flylady Thread 16th November 2020

Natty68

Welcome to the weekly Flylady thread. If you need help organising your week or getting motivated when it comes to housework then come and join us.

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 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 -

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

Right here we go!!!

Manic Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room/Area
Level One
Empty out the fridge, replace what is inside after wiping it out, making sure what is needed first is at the front
Level Two
Wipe down surfaces
Clean floors in these rooms
Wipe kitchen cupboard fronts and kickboards
Wipe down fronts of major appliances (cooker, fridge, freezer etc)
Level Three
Dust any extra furniture in dining area, checking for cobwebs on way round
Wipe & replace small appliances.. kettle, toaster etc (wipe under too, especially the toaster!)
Clean the oven if you missed it last week or it needs it
MAD half hour ~ Have you got Christmas Cards to buy?

 

EXTRAS

• Wipe window sills and clean windows in these rooms
• Clean the dish drainer, make sure you clean under it too
• Clen any 'medium' size appliances, bread makers, slow cookers etc
• Clean out and organize one drawer, more if you like
• Check the freezer, see what needs using up
• Check you have your Christmas card list done, if it's not done at least spend 10 minutes on it

Tuesday - Lovely Living Rooms and Safe Stairs
Level One
Vacuum floors in these areas, even if around clutter
Clear anything from the stairs!
Level Two
Move things so you can vacuum under them
Vacuum and wipe (if needed) sofas
Dust any areas below eye level
Level Three
Dust anything above eye level (if safe to do so)
Clear anything that shouldn't be where it is, should the magazines really be on the floor?
MAD half hour

Extra tasks if you want to do more

• Clean windows in these areas, check curtains/nets/blinds while you are there, do they need a clean?
• Check you have your Christmas card list done, if it's not done at least spend 10 minutes on it
• Spend 15 minutes sorting paperwork, dealing with anything urgent NOW
• 27 Fling Boogie, you know the routine, grab a bag and clear that clutter!
• Clean out the vacuum cleaner, empty the bag/bucket, clean filters if they are washable MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PUT THEM BACK UNTIL THEY ARE DRY!

 

LAST CALL FOR THE CHRISTMAS CARD SWAP..IT'S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN IN, SO PLEASE PM ME BEFORE TOMORROW EVENING, 18.11.20, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN.

Wednesday - Master Bedrooms and Landings

Level One

Remove floordrobe, make sure all clothes are put away neatly

Level Two

Strip bed linen and wash, replace with clean linen

Vacuum floors in these areas

Level Three

Vacuum mattress

Clean tops of drawers

Extra mission tasks, as always if you fancy an extra challenge try one or more of

these

• Clean windows in these areas
• Check through drawers, anything that should have been thrown out ages ago?
• Cobweb removal upstairs, go on grab a duster and swipe them down
• Clean a set of curtains, nets or blinds
• Clean light fittings and light switches in any room, more than one if you like
• If you want a Christmas online food delivery, you need to book it this week if you haven’t already done it!!!

Thrilling Thursday - Study/PC area and Bathrooms
Level One
Clean floors in these rooms
Level Two
Clean baths, toilets and sinks
Clear any clutter from desk
Dust PC and desk and wipe off those cup rings!!
Wipe keyboard, house phone, sockets, switches and mouse etc
Level Three
Wash your bathroom mats
Wipe down tiles in bathroom
Delete 10 links in your favourites which you no longer use or don't work
Clean shower screen/curtain if you have one/if required

Extra tasks list, as usual choose one or more

• Clear a hotspot, if it's bad at least spend 10 minutes on it
• Deep clean mission - Clean where your Christmas tree and any other decorations are going
• Check house for places where draughts are getting in such as doors, windows etc and see if there are ways to stop it
• HHI
• Contact anyone you don't have address for for Christmas cards
• Plan your shopping list for your christmas goodies.. don't forget the turkey! If you are ordering stuff from local shops.. pork pies/meat etc get it done this week!

Flipping Friday!! - those frightening kids rooms and spare rooms
Level One
Vacuum the floor, even if it's just where you can see
Level Two
Clear away anything that isn't in it's place, clothes, toys, books etc
Dusting.. all those shelves and flat surfaces!! Don’t forget the light shade and curtain pole!!
Level Three
Strip beds, turn and vacuum mattresses!! and replace with fresh linen .. check if duvets need freshening up too!!
Sort through a cupboard/chest of drawers and get the clothes out which are no longer wearable, too small or out of season
Wipe any sticky marks off walls and doors

Extra Task List

• HHI
• Wipe the radiators, skirtings and window & door frames in one room, any room
• Sort the childrens toys, even if it's for 15 minutes.. what can you get rid of? What is broken or outgrown? Time to make room for Christmas
• Grab a binbag and fill it with stuff to leave the house.. rubbish or charity shop or to donate to a friend
• Write those christmas cards and sort stamps for those to be posted

Valli

Woot ... first in

Thanks for the new thread Natty
Kitchen definitely needs work but i rather think it will be waiting until Tuesday; I'm at home all day Tuesday and Thursday this week, when I shall fly.

ionafan

Thank you for the new list, Natty.   I really ought to clean my oven this week.

pigpen

Ty for Fred. 

This should be interesting.. I’m on my phone for the next while.. I only get my laptop out to check Fred so it’s pointless really so here I am, in my phonio! 

Anyway.. everything done bar the painting.. I had other stuff to deal with.. carpet beetles for one!! Darn things!! My house smells of chemical warfare now. OH got a BIG flea in his ear because they were all where he sits and under his seat was a box of bun cases from cakes my daughter made him for Father’s Day.. in June!!! Bloody June... I was not nice about it! 

Washing all up to date, new curtains up in Moomins room.. I was saving them but the cat shpooped on the old ones and they refuse to be washed so they just went in the bin and I put up the new ones.

DW to load in the morning 
5 binbags, 2 carpets, 2 dead monitors and some boxes to go to tip.. we will collect the stuff from my mothers on the way. 3 binbags for CS .. drop off point at the tip.
washing to hang out or up.. weather dependent.
and a mountain of Christmas stuff to sort and wrap.
I bought Christmas cards .. no idea where they are but I bought some! 

Nighty night.. x

[Deleted User]

Morning ladies,

Thank you, I am in. WFH today, so should get a reasonable amount done. Had an unsettled night with an upset tummy though so may nap later!

Have fab days all xx

Jazee

Morning.  Thanks for the list.  Busy day ahead with vets and council work but will see what flying I can fit in.

kazwookie

I'm in thank you for the lists and work that goes in to them.

Iona I'll join you in oven cleaning this week.

It is blowing a hoolie here, so WM is going on

Fayolle

Morning all,
Thank you for the lists. I have a day off today, so no excuses so far that I can think of to avoid cleaning the kitchen.
Wm is on with a load of towels in it, the sky has just gone a very strange colour,  so I am thinking that it will be indoor drying again. 

Take care ladies, and have a lovely day

Mademoiselle

Morning all,
You are all do so much, so motivating.  Thank you ALL
Today is a new day is positive November!  Ok not as much got done yesterday as I would have liked but that was yesterday.
OH working from home today so I can't be too noisy.  Cleaning the oven is noisy, right?  

Up, showered, dressed
Bed made, clothes picked up
Pellet stoves both filled and on (benefit of OH working at home is we can have the stoves on all day and a warm house)
Living room tidied (OH spotted a glass on the little table by where he sits and brought it into the kitchen on his way through this morning, I only had to take slippers and socks upstairs and straighten the cushions, we might be getting there)
Lunch is leftover stew topped with sliced potatoes, need to prepare the potatoes but stew already in the dish ready and frozen veg so no prep.

Sticks and spoons by the back door for all that want, and big SMILES all round.

See you later

roundtuit

Morning xx

Thank you for the lists xx

Groan - whose idea was it to not put away the groceries yesterday evening!!!! So I'm up and my bed is made. I've 'unpacked' the groceries in that I have moved them off the floor and onto the draining board / work top so at least we don't trip over them and DS's boss's brother can get in the back door to bring DS's work IT. (If he thinks we live in a bearpit - tough! We do). WM is swishing.

I'm sat with my first brew and down troop DS and GF - they get their own breakfast but for some reason I didn't think they would be down so early - and I've just covered the worktops with groceries! I moved a box of biscuits to make room for GF to make her breakfast and asked DS to put a lap tray over the sink and use that as a work surface. It must have worked - they are now both sat here with their cereal / toast and orange juice / coffee.

No Monday with the house to myself this week. I had a bad dream and woke up upset/ angry / frustrated: I told myself it was just a dream, but I'm not sure RL is much better. It is really but I'm fed up not having a routine that lasts for more than a week at a time. Heyho.

Anyhoo - I'm going up to get dressed - and grab the bathroom first then I'll be back with a list to motivate myself..

Have a good day. Stay safe,
Rxx

BadCat18

Morning all

Thanks for the lists x
I have a day off today, woot woot, however I am still hurting although it has eased a bit so another day of do a bit, then rest a bit I think. I want to attack the kitchen and the oven badly needs doing but I think I will have to see how I go. WM is swishing, when that’s done the next ‘load’ will be to run a cleaning cycle as it’s not been done for a while. 

I’ve had a relaxed breakfast and a cuppa so will shower and get myself ready next. 

Have a good day, back later x