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Weekly Flylady Thread 1st February 2021

Valli
Posts: 25,283 Forumite


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
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 windows in both rooms.
EXTRAS
Dig out your Toots list and update.
Update budget notebooks/spreadsheets.
New month has begun - do you need any birthday cards?
S&S bathroom
Check smoke and CO detectors are fully functioning
Twinkly Tuesday - The Boudoir
level 1
open windows
strip bed
clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
empty bin
level 2
Dust/vacuum bedframe & headboard
make bed with fresh bedding
clean bedside tables
vacuum floor
level 3
clean Windows
dust all round
Polish mirrors
extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
wipy wednesday
bathroom, wet room, cloakroom, en suite
Level 1
open window
scrub loo inside and out
top up loo roll, soap dispenser
towels replaced
level 2
clean shower and or bath
clean showerhead
clean plug holes and plugs removing and rat tails (ugh)
bleach drains and overflows
level 3
clean handbasin
scrub and polish taps
dust sills and shelves
clean switches and pull handles
Polish windows and mrrors
clean floor
extras
S&S kitchen
wipes door handles, sockets and switches throughout
Thursday Thrills The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
level 1
deal with flowers and pot plants - do they need a wipe?
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 and frames
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; wipe dusty bulbs
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
Thank goodness it's Friday
kids room/spare room whatever
level 1
open window
strip bed
remove rubbish
level 2
remake bed
clean window and sill
Level 3
duust everywhere
clean floor as aporopriate
extras
hhi
s&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
somewhere...in any room
empty a drawer
clean it out
sort contents
fling/charity bag or eBay anything you can
bin the rest
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
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 windows in both rooms.
EXTRAS
Dig out your Toots list and update.
Update budget notebooks/spreadsheets.
New month has begun - do you need any birthday cards?
S&S bathroom
Check smoke and CO detectors are fully functioning
Twinkly Tuesday - The Boudoir
level 1
open windows
strip bed
clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
empty bin
level 2
Dust/vacuum bedframe & headboard
make bed with fresh bedding
clean bedside tables
vacuum floor
level 3
clean Windows
dust all round
Polish mirrors
extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
wipy wednesday
bathroom, wet room, cloakroom, en suite
Level 1
open window
scrub loo inside and out
top up loo roll, soap dispenser
towels replaced
level 2
clean shower and or bath
clean showerhead
clean plug holes and plugs removing and rat tails (ugh)
bleach drains and overflows
level 3
clean handbasin
scrub and polish taps
dust sills and shelves
clean switches and pull handles
Polish windows and mrrors
clean floor
extras
S&S kitchen
wipes door handles, sockets and switches throughout
Thursday Thrills The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
level 1
deal with flowers and pot plants - do they need a wipe?
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 and frames
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; wipe dusty bulbs
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
Thank goodness it's Friday
kids room/spare room whatever
level 1
open window
strip bed
remove rubbish
level 2
remake bed
clean window and sill
Level 3
duust everywhere
clean floor as aporopriate
extras
hhi
s&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
somewhere...in any room
empty a drawer
clean it out
sort contents
fling/charity bag or eBay anything you can
bin the rest
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
8
Comments
-
Thank you Valli. I shall be aiming for the equivalent of Level 1 each day, but maybe all upstairs one day and all downstairs another day - it seems to work better for me.
Hope everyone has the best possible week xx9 -
TY for Fred.How many of our New Year starters are still with us??? *wave* Are you lurking???School for Dot .. I am NOT looking forward to the drama of getting just her to school in the morning.. She is still seeing it as a punishment. I feel a total ogre.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.)8
-
Morning lovelies, I'm in this week and feeling motivated, long may it last. Thanks for the lists and support.
Pigpen, good luck getting Dot to school, but it'll be so much better for her and you by the sound of things.
Good weekend here, visited boat to check it and took a picnic, despite heavy rain and floods all the way there the sun came out for an hour or so and we had a lovely lunch. DD1 came home Saturday evening (late afternoon, with a 6 pm curfew our whole day has basically just moved forward, including wine o'clock, oops!). Decluttered piano and piano stool to a friend on Sunday, so pleased to see it go to someone who wants to play it. But it was heavy to move.
I start back at work 2 full days this week and am quite looking forward to it although I know there will be some challenges as I'm not yet sure about remote teaching techniques and I know not everyone will be there all the time. But trying to remain positive about it and not panic.
I also want to attack pay atttention to my own health so need to lose some weight, eat better, drink more water (less wine) and move more. Sounds easy, not! I've written that I'm going to do it so hopefully that will keep me motivated. Feel free to join me. It's all about making improvements.
Have also started the MSE money course and have found a course on nutrition and mental health which sounds facinating so will try that next, time permitting.
What a load of waffle, better get on with some flying
Bed made, clothes picked up
Living room cushions straightened etc
10 -
Morning all
Thanks for the lists, I shall try to be in... not a great weekend, but rage cleaning got it all done and it’s now a fresh new week! Signed in to work to find my colleague has gone on the sick and the person who was given to me to ‘help’ will leave in 2 weeks time! I promise it’s not me LOL, just the pressure getting to everyone. Anyway have told my boss I can’t do it all, I’ve made a list, cancelled some meetings at which my attendance is not mandatory and I shall get my head down and crack on.
Dailies are done, wm x 1 has been run and on the airer, 2nd cuppa in hand and back to work I go.
Hugs as needed, spoons I’m keeping this week sorry x7 -
I'm in thank you for the listsWM x 3 done now it is all dryingBeds changed and remadeBeen shopping, that took ages for some reason, hated it.Shopping now awayMeal plan for this week doneHM soup for lunch eaten7lbs lost during January!Breast 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, Sea8 -
Wow Kaz - well done
I have washing on the line. Bunnies in the garden. Just been marking online work 'for an hour' rolls eyes...
I know I am with the class until half term at least so I am now in full on nag mode and watching the reading that they are doing like a hawk. Or not doing - as the case may be. Enough said...
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 -
Thanks Valli, all biscuits / cakes / etc are banned from the house, OH has lost 3lbs as well, but he decided it was 'his' job to eat up stuff left over from Christmas!Clothes drying is finally done, a large heap of ironing has now arrived!Hoovered the whole house, empties the bagless thingy.Going on a hunt to more stuff to eby,Breast 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, Sea8 -
I'm in thanks for the lists ladies. Flying has been off piste today WM x1, vacuumed the whole house, put out the recycling, and dailies, i think that's all i've done (hangs head in shame). OH kidneys are recovering well, he has an appointment on 16th Feb hopefully find out what the tennis ball size mass on his spleen is, maybe swollen lymph nodes or cancer, just got to wait and see.
Kaz, well done on the 7lb weight loss, i've gained 8lbs my OH's steroid diet is not good for me oops.Cross Stitch Cafe Member No1WIP: Cross Stitch: - Crochet:9 -
Thank you for the lists, this week and last week. I will be in as much as I can. I’m not setting the bar very high this week.
Well done on the weight loss, Kaz. Mine is creeping upwards again, a pound a week, having got it on a downwards spiral at Christmas.
Hospital tomorrow with DD. We are all very anxious, and I’m in the serious running for the WAC long service award atm. And just when I thought we had had our share of recent bad luck, a lorry shunted my car this morning. Seriously, I could just cry.Flying??? - wm x 1, QHI, dinner cooked, kitchen sort of tidied. Oh, and paint decluttered off the car bumper!
Hugs aplenty. Holding onto my sticks and spoons for the time being xx8 -
Washing brought in and ironed - not bone dry so easy to iron (bedding).
List to go up shortly...
I've done no actual flying (other than decluttering grey hair) but bank account is up to date, receipts shredded and heaps slightly reduced.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
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