Weekly Flylady Thread 15th March 2021

Valli

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 -  The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing

Level 1
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Empty bins/ashtrays
If you have a woodburner/real fire attend to that first - and lay fire for lighting
Clear gibble
Plump and straighten cushions
Wipe sofas with leather wipes or vacuum - look for all those dust-catching crevices.  Lift seat cushions if you can and vacuum underneath
Wipe/dust coffee tables and leave tidy

Level 2
Clean windows and mirrors 
Vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies - and stairs!
Clean doormats
Dust/wipe electricals - use a just-damp cloth.  Don't forget the remote controllers!

Level 3
Dust all round - don't forget sills, skirting boards, tops of curtain rails and/or battens and top and frame of door.
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 
Wipe lightbulbs (if cold)
Dust pictures/paintings on walls - and dust behind them too!
Stand in the doorway and look back into the room - is it clean?
Extras
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
HHI
Make sure your census form is to hand ready for Sunday - we don't want any last minute panics!
Meal plan for the week (if you haven't already)

Tuesday Twinkles Kitchen and Din8ng

level 1

Emptt Bins
remove table cloth
Clearsides and wipe down, wipe everything that lives these
wipe table and chairs
clear and clean sink

Level 2
wipe down Cupboard and drawerFronts
wipe appliances and clear filters
clean splashbacks

level 3
clean utility area/room
clean widows and door glass 
clean catflap
deal with floor

extras
s&s bathrooms
HHI
Can you make a start on a 🐸? See 'Honey Bear' and 'photo albums' for inspiration.

Wishy Washy Wednesday Bathrooms, cloakrooms en suites

Level 1

The washbasin
open window
remove all gubbins around it
scrub out
ckean and polish taps
clean plug, chain etc
wipe mirrors
clean pedestal/cupboard

level 2 
The loo
scrub inside and out
wipe cistern
wipe loo roll holder
dust sill and clean window

level 3
clean Bath/shower
wash curtain or wipe and shine screen
clean taps or showerhead
clean and clear drain
wipe towel rail
replace towels
clean floor

extras HHI
wipe door handles sockets and switches

Thursday Thrills  - The Boudoir

level 1

open windows
strip bed
clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
empty bin
Clean bedframe/headboard

level 2
make bed with fresh bedding
clean bedside tables
vacuum/sweep/mop floor

level 3
clean windows
dust all round
polish mirrors

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen

It's FRIYAAY - kids room/spare room/guest room (hollow laughter)
level 1
Strip bed (unless is guest room - in which case just shake bedcover to remove dust)
open window
leave bed to air
remove rubbish

Level 2
Clear and clean floor
Clean windows

Level 3
Dust all round
Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
top up flower water (assuming you have cut flowers)
HHI
Make sure you know where your census form is (if you haven't already done it). 

pigpen

TY For Fred.. I am still trying to figure everything fitting in this week.
This weeks jobs I can think of..

Paint fireplace & door & window reveal in Moomins room

Find CS's which are needing volunteers and volunteer DS2 and Boog.. they do nothing, they can gain some experience and get out of the house! If they don't like it they can find paid employment! Simples!
Meeting at College to see if I can convince them not to kick Moomin out... AGAIN.. 2rd yr running! And encourage Kick her posterior into finding a course or apprenticeship she actually wants to do from September.
Chase Dots new glasses

DD1 is supposed to be coming tomorrow and Tuesday

mumof3.12kindebt said:

Thankyou pigpen ... was definitely thinking of giving the 12 year old the job of loading and uploading it 🤣
I have been delegating though and they now have chore lists..  
7 year old (ds2) has the mental age of about 3 .. (hes diagnosed global developmental delay along with a long list of possible other stuff that he's waiting to be assessed for).. but he does have the job making his bed. Putting his laundry in the wm. Hoovering the lounge or dining room (dd and ds2 alternate each day who does what room)   (with some help) tidying his toys away, feeding the cat, scrape off his plate/bowls into the food waste bin and putting his plate etc in the sink 😉 
I'm also going to give him the task once a week to Hoover his bedroom I think.  Dd has the same jobs.

Ah, I didn't know DS2 has difficulties.. I will remember now, I may have read it previously in a skim through and information hadn't stuck.. but that sounds a perfect list for him and his sister.. My 25 y/o has a development delay and a few other issues, brain injury at birth so he is VERY lucky this is all he has. He is about 15 mentally so finding a job for him is proving very difficult. He is not a very clean person (he smells homeless and his teeth are rank!) which makes it even harder. Those wait lists for assessments are mental.. you have my sympathy there. It amuses me how they are so pleased to be helping at that age and they get to 11 or 12 and turn into couch potatoes! It sounds like you are making huge changes at your house! I hope it continues, you deserve a break! xx

Edited list for what I MIGHT actually get round to doing! .. or delegating!!!

Manic Monday -  The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
Level 1
Clear gibble
Vacuum sofas
Level 2
Vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies - and stairs!
Level 3
Check for cobwebs and eliminate!
Clean lightshades and lampshades; check all lighting is functioning as it should
Dust pictures/paintings on walls - and dust behind them too!
Stand in the doorway and look back into the room - is it clean?
Extras
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
Make sure your census form is to hand ready for Sunday - I need to check if DIL is putting DS1 on her form or if I should put him on mine.

kazwookie

I'm in thank you for all the lists xx

Sun seems to be out so today

WM

Beds

Hoovering

Kitchen sides / floors etc

May be start to paint the shed.

Have a good  day / week

roundtuit

Morning xx
Where is everyone? Has a universal cba button been activated? Hmmm - that could be why I am struggling to find motivation / overcome inertia. And here's me blaming BD! 

DS visited yesterday afternoon with a card, cider and chocolate. The best present was that he came alone. Don't get me wrong, I like GF, but sometimes I just want DS all to myself again, even if it's only for a couple of hours. I think he was slightly non-plussed by the I'm-never-letting-go-ever-again hug. When he left he took a mug, a glass, a hat, and a N@ndo's gift card that belong to him. Tiny fer-ling.

Round 1 =
brew 2 & breakfast
shower / wash hair
get dressed
feed the birds 
put out rubbish & recycling
laundry shuffle
WUDUPD
coffee

There's still one wheel on my wagon so I'll keep rolling along....

Hugs, sticks, get well soons, good lucks, more hugs, fluffy mules and oodles of love waiting by the door - help yourselves.

Rxx

Jazee

Morning.  Sunny day here too.  Just had a cuppa and about to make a start on today's list.
Have a great day everyone.

ionafan

Thank you Natty for last week's lists and Valli for starting us off this week.  I will be in as much as my stupidly long admin list will allow.  I'd also like to get on with tidying the garden some more before the weather turns colder again on Thursday: the  rampant Michaelmas daisy is beginning to take over again, the ivy that grows through the paling fence needs trimming back while the flowerbed is still clear enough for me to find footholds, and  the border along the drive needs clearing of last year's untidy dead annuals.

Started my day well with a cuppa in bed.  I had to go down to make it, but I remembered to also bring up the charging lead, rather than carrying the Dy$0n downstairs and back up again.  Now, if I could just clear the study floor...

Catch up later.  Hope everyone has a good day xx

Fayolle

Morning all,
Thank you for the lists again. Wfh again today, as now there are “too many” people back in the office...5 instead of 4 in a large space, but it suits me so not complaining too loudly.
Chasing the BD again, my arm aches from stick throwing.
DD, bless her, got me together a sleep set, of lavender bags etc for yesterday. I was awake anyway most of the night, but not telling her!
School run soon, the last week for....maybe ever? Then it’s nose to the laptop. Wm is on, the sun is trying not to hide behind the clouds, so hopefully the washing will go outside to blow a bit.
YL - hugs coming your way. I understand where you are coming from. It’s hard to look forward to a future, but if you don’t, they won’t. That’s what I was told anyway, don’t know if it helps. Pm me if you need to vent x
Have a lovely day all x

Dustykitten

Morning all
Thanks for the thread Valli.  Got quite a lot done yesterday, garden edging almost complete, DS1 helped again which was very useful.
Paid stuff all week, hygienist tomorrow.

Dusty's carry overs

Financial paperwork 
Continue listing all the stuff on the table to giveaway - try last couple of bits on a different site
mending with sewing machine
White paint kitchen - touch up bits which needed two coats
Order random items to order - watch strap, insoles, bird seed, hammock straps, new doormats
Sort the box of stuff on the DR table
Drop old balls for dogs at the stick library
Renew waste subscription

Flying
Change kids bedding - DS1 and DS3
Wipe radiators.. front and back!-  4 done downstairs done, 3 to go downstairs plus 5 upstairs 
WM filter 
DW filter and cleaning cycle
Deep clean grout on shower
Clean out bathroom cupboard

clean shower 
clean plug holes and plugs removing and rat tails (ugh) - kitchen done
bleach drains and overflows
Polish windows and mirrors
clean bathroom floor
Finish dusting DS3 room
DS1 to tidy and sort his pile of stuff in the office

Garden / Garage

Put stuff away in the garage - started
Sort and sow seeds - started
Front border edging, finish this week and water
Look for new patio tiles /slabs
Clear the dead stuff from one border - before brown bin day
Sow green manure

Weekly list
Monday LR and Hallway
Dust all round - don't forget sills, skirting boards, tops of curtain rails and/or battens and top and frame of door.
Check for cobwebs and eliminate - continue in daylight
Clean lightshades and lampshades - need new bulb now
HHI
Meal plan for the week and book online shop if slot available.

Jazee

I have done the living room list jobs and just having breakfast.  Hoovered downstairs while the hoover was out.

Mademoiselle

Morning lovelies, I'm still fluttering along, busy end of last week as DD1 came home and we spent Friday running much needed errands.  House is progressing but oh so slowly.  I am trying to spend less time on my phone or computer (laptop screen is on the blink so that is helping.)
Laundry is reasonably up to date as is ironing
We have enough food until the end of the week and then we're off to see friends for a long weekend, unless rules change.
WM on
Kitchen clean, 

mumof3.12kindebt

Thanks for new thread 

Thank you @pigpen .. its a work in progress but we will get there. 

I've rubbed cream into my scalp .. its so itchy 😫 I used a shampoo that my head didn't like and I've been itching like I have fleas for about a week. No Lice I've already checked for that one...  must remember to wash my hair before work..

Anyways.. i have about an hour before I need to pick up dd (must remember to wear a hat) 🤣

So I'm going to have a manic hh to see what I can get done.