Weekly Flylady Thread 29th March

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

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!
Glug some bleach down the plugholes.
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth - don't forget the legs and places where sticky fingers can reach.
Clean chairs/stools - and don't forget legs and rails!
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
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 
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

Choose a drawer, shelf or cupboard for special attention.  Empty, clean out, replace what is needed or useful and fling what is unused and/or out of date
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seats where sticky fingers linger.
Clean windows in both rooms.

EXTRAS

HHI
S&S bathroom
Wipe all the handles/sockets switches especially if people are leaving the house
A new month has begun - do you need any cards?  
Meal plan for the week - Friday is a Bank Holiday!
Tuesday Twinles
Bathroom, wet room, cloakroom, en suite

Level 1
open window
scrub loo inside and out
top up loo roll, soap dispenser
towels replaced - get the dirty ones in the WM and on the line!

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

Wednesday - hump day
Living room, hall, stairs and landing
Level 1
Open lots of windows and let that fresh air in
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

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 - vacuum fabric shades; wash glass shades 
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
Thursday- Master Bedroom/Boudoir
Level 1
Open windows, 
Clear the floordrobe/chairdrobe
Strip the bed and leave to air
Take out the rubbish
Bedding in WM
Wipe all switches, handles, rails, light pulls etc.

Level 2 (after breakfast/a period of time)

Remake the bed with clean, fresh linen
Dust/clear bedside tables
Clean windows, frames and sills (and wipe the open frames to clear dust and debris)

Level 3

Vacuum any soft furnishings - don't forget the headboard if it's fabric!
Dust everywhere else; as you remove lotions and potions from dressing tables wipe them over with a damp cloth.
Minimise clutter/organise essentials - in this time of stress your bedroom needs to be the cosiest, snuggliest place of peace, calm and refuge
Vacuum/mop floors

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms
Allocate stay-at-home children a job - (Easter hols for most have started)
shoe polishing?
door handle wiping?
trash removal?
making sure PE kit gets washed - it won't if they don't put it in the laundry basket!

Friday -Good Friday
If you're desperate for a list apply the Thursday boudoir list to a spare room or child's room.
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms/en suites/cloaks
HHI
Happy Easter to all.

kazwookie

Thank you for the thread x

Not a lot going on today, general stuff, very strong winds, deer x 2 jumped over the fence and came into the garden, for a wander around / munch on the grass........

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the thread. Lots to do this week as ever. I’m still working but the children have broken up so it’s a childcare juggle. Alarm set for 6am; coats, bags etc by the door ready for lovely friend to collect said children before I head to work. I am starting the week with an empty laundry basket 💪🏻

Sleep well all x

ionafan

Thank you for the new thread, Valli.  I will be Flying at some point this week.  DH is likely to be discharged from horse piddle tomorrow.  I have worked hard today, carrying and hammering, so I'm almost ready for bed - except that I haven't had a proper meal yet today (just several hot x buns!)

Jazee

Thanks for the thread.  The dogs are home so I'm planning to include lots of fun time with them tomorrow around flying.

pigpen

TY for Fred.

I may be heading for another early night.. 2 in a row is not a good sign!!

My house has been invaded by spiders!

I didn't even get my 30 ebeasty items listed.. which means 55 tomorrow! I also have a few ebeasty bids on stuff listed.

Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room
Level 1
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances and caddies etc.  Don't forget the splashbacks or tiles!
Clean chairs/stools - and don't forget legs and rails!
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
Descale kettle if needed
Level 3
Choose a drawer, shelf or cupboard for special attention.  Empty, clean out, replace what is needed or useful and fling what is unused and/or out of date
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor

Tuesday Twinkles
Bathroom
Level 1
scrub loo inside and out
level 2
level 3
clean handbasin
scrub and polish taps
dust sills and shelves
Polish windows and mirrors

Wednesday - hump day
Living room, hall, stairs and landing
Level 1
Deal with cut flowers
Clear gibble
Level 2
Clean windows and mirrors 
Vacuum floors
Level 3
Wipe door handles, banisters, light switches and sockets - and the bits of the door where people hold to close it.

Clean lightshades and lampshades;

wash glass shades

ionafan

WAC sentry reporting in - been on duty since 4..30.  This does not  bode well for getting all the very necessary flying done before the expected phone call from DH happens!

roundtuit

Morning xx 
Thank you for the thread- I'm sure it is the only thing saving my sanity at the moment. Knowing that you guys are also battling on whatever life throws at you is inspirational 🥰
I've woken up with a headache again. Fingers crossed that my new glasses cure that- I'm picking them up today. 🤓

I'm up, my bed is made, first brew is supped and WM is swishing towels,  tea towels and pillow cases. Might as well make use of the mighty wind that kept me awake half the night! 

asb - it's your life and your money- you do as you like. What a very strange mindset your 'friend' has. They'd be rapidly sliding down my Christmas card list if they were mine.  Just saying 😉.

Love to all. And thank you to each and every one of you for the sunshine that you bring into my life. 
Rxx 

ionafan

At 6:00 I gave up trying to get back to sleep and got up.  Since then I have
- cleared my desk
- made up DH's bed with all fresh bedding
- tidied (except the utility) and hoovered all through
- sorted out some clothes for DH to come home in
- put a new battery in the LR clock
- started WMx1 (a small load, as it's only my clothes )
- given Rosie a fuss.
Now I just need to quickly damp dust all through, then I shall make myself a cuppa and sit down with a good book and/or  trashy daytime TV,  keeping the phone close at hand just in case zzz win. 

Valli

Up, dressed and fed.
Just going to do a bit of tidying as I'm off to work shortly.
So blowy I have washing on the line, I think I'll leave out it while I'm at work.
DS has been promoted to Assistant Manager and has moved branches.  He's working in the next postcode district to me...I have let him know this.  I am, however, not permitted to rock up there (insert rolling on floor smily).  Proud mama moment.  Also he's given up the fags - so doubly proud.

kazwookie

Wm x loads on the go

Beds stripped and re made

Whirly whirling around, double pegged larger stuff

Collected some strawberry plants

Food shop done and away

Swept earth out of car boot, where said strawberry plants fell over.