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Weekly Flylady Thread 7th December 2020

Valli
Posts: 25,284 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
Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room
Level 1
Open some windows for some fresh air
Wash up, dry up and put away (or remove all pots to DW)
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances and caddies etc. Don't forget the splashbacks or tiles!
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.
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! Put out a new hand towel and a new tea towel too
Good slug of bleach down plugholes and in overflows
Clean cruet, salt and pepper, wipe any sauce bottles that are used on the table
Level 2
Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts inside and out, 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; update shopping list as appropriate, wash shelves etc and check running temperature - we don't want any spoiled Christmas Goodies
Dust dining area/room
Descale kettle if needed
Clean WM , TD and DW filters; remove WM detergent drawer and wash it out.
Wipe inside of washer drawer and DW door paying particular attention to manky crevices
Level 3
Sort out the plastic storage - does everything have a lid?
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! Remember external handles and letterbox flaps.
EXTRAS
HHI
S&S bathroom
Twinkly Tuesday Bathrooms, cloak rooms and en suites
Level 1
Open window
Remove towels and fling in WM
Scrub Loo inside and out, slug some bleach or descaler down afterwards. Pay special attention to under the rim.
Level 3
Clean out baths and/or showers
Clean shower heads and hoses
Clean handbasins
Level 3
sweep and mop or vacuum floor as appropriate
clean windows
polish mirrors
dust and polish where necessary
clean sink plugs/stoppers including underneath
Extras
Wrap some presents or write some cards
HHI
S&S kitchen
Wonderful Wednesday
kids room/spare room
level 1
strip bed (if necessary) and leave to air
open windows
clear floordrobe/chair drobe
use long duster and roll rouns top of walls for webs and light fittings
level 2
remake bed
dust sills, shelves and furniture
empty bins
level 3
clean windows
Dust skirtings
see to floor mop or vacuum
extras
wipe all handles, banisters, switches and other touch points
HHI
s&s bathroom
s&s kitchen
thrilling ThursdayThe Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
level 1
deal with flowers and pot plants
empty bins/ashtrays
clear gibble
plump cushions
wipe sofas with leather wipes or vacuum - look for all those dust-catching crevices
level 2
clean windows
vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies
level 3
dust all round - don't forget sills and skirtings
Wipe door handles, banisters, light switches and sockets - and the bits of the door where people hold to close it
Check for cobwebs and eliminate!
Clean lightshades and lampshades; check all lighting is functioning as it should
stand in the doorway and look back into the room - is it clean?
extras
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
HHI
Wipe all door handles and switches
Friday Flourish The Boudoir
Your bedroom should be a clear, calm restful retreat from the hurly burly of life - NOT a dumping ground for ironing, CS bags, piles of dusty books, Christmas shopping and it should not be doing double service as your office! It's where you recharge...you - not your tech!
level 1
open window
strip bed
flip mattress -if necessary and you have help
remove rubbish
clear floordrobe and/or chairdrobe
level 2
make bed
sweep, mop or vacuum floor as appropriate
clean windows and any other glass (ie mirrors)
level 3
dust everywhere
wipe lotions and potions with a damp clocth to remove icky drips
extras
S&s kitchen and bathrooms
hhi
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


Thank you Honey Bear
9
Comments
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Thanks for the list. I'm in. I've s&sd bathrooms today so ahead already. And sorted out one of the kitchen cupboards!Spend less now, work less later.11
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Have been following, but would like to try and join in again please especially now working from home and should be able to fit in several flies a dayMortgage 28 Feb'25. est. £246k £309,749, Ends Aug'37 Jun'39 (target Feb'31)
LTV: 65% (aiming for 60% LTV before remortgaging - approx £19k away)
Seven Goals week 2.5lbs lost / 16 weeks to go; walk/run/weights/exercising
In the quiet of the night what do you yearn for? Martha Beck11 -
Thank you for the lists. I'm in xxIT ONLY TAKES SMALL DAILY ACTIONSFOR MAGIC TO HAPPENRosemary Ikpeme10
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I'm in thank you for the lists xxWashing up just doneBreast Cancer Now 100 miles October 2022 100 / 100miles
D- Day 80km June 2024 80/80km (10.06.24 all done)
Diabetic UK 1 million steps July 2024 to complete by end Sept 2024. 1,001,066/ 1,000,000 (20.09.24 all done)Sun, Sea11 -
Ty for Fred..
I am insanely busy so I can’t even remember when I last bobbed by.. it’s really hard when my laptop is out of action so just in my phone.. but I am not dead and SS being posted tomorrow and cards hopefully if I can get them ready to go.. I’ve got all but extended family presents wrapped and need another £100 (from eBay!!) to finish off completely. I need iPad cases due to ours being eaten! And some sweets and a thing for Moomins bf ..and 5 more bits fir my mothers list and everything on order to arrive on time!!Sensory processing assessment on Friday with Dot.. that should be fun.I need to ring the mortgage company tomorrow.. fun times!Love to all .. spoons if you need.. and a bucket to the abyss for all the mess! Xx I shall return when I can! XLB 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.)10 -
Thank you for the lists. I’m in. Another day off tomorrow, so I’ll hopefully tick something off the list. Hugs to all xx8
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Evening folks x
I should try to be in more. Life is shocking at the moment. Expecting 2 interfering visits this week. Hope they come up with a sensible plan.I could do with some get a job that pays your bills and a little to cover what you owe vibes for DS, pretty please.
ironing done ✅9 -
thanks for lists. I more or less managed my "desperately want to do this over the weekend" list; the only thing I didn't manage to complete is a report, but it isn't technically due until Wed so I'll manage that.
Charity food boxes filled, wrapped and ready to deliver.
Ionafan it was indeed cold at church; we use the village school over the cold months but owing to caution over germs, we left the door open. At least most of the locals I give cards to were there so that is helping me re-discover my dining room table. I'd planned to do a run after church, had even put on my sports bra when I got dressed in readiness but it was so cold I bottled out.
I've already started adding to my list so it will be another busy week. New drum tutor on Thurs, I'm looking forward to it as he covered for my original one twice and I really liked his teaching; never really felt that confident with the one I've been with this last year.
Still picking lots of kale and spinach from the garden, also long peppers from the greenhouse.Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.11 -
Ho hum
Am I alone in the WAC tonight?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 Bear9 -
I was with you on and off, Valli. I’m getting bored with seeing 2.30am now.
Another day off work today to use my holiday, even though I’m stupidly busy at the office. My plan is to do level 1 and then get my head around the present and card situation. But I am also a taxi service for both DH and DD today . Any spare Get The Car Mended Easily Today vibes would be much appreciated, so that the car can go back tomorrow without any problems.
Hugs, sticks spoons and posivibes available as needed. Fingers crossed for Narc0’s heating being fixed today.
Take care and keep warm, we have a thick frost here x10
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