Weekly Flylady Thread 12th July 2021

Natty68

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 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 -

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

Magical Monday ~ Kookin Kitchen
Level One..
Clean floors
Shine the sink and taps making them sparkle..
Level Two..
Clear and wipe kitchen surfaces
Clean cupboard door fronts and the front of appliances
Sort fridge bringing what needs using soon to the front
Level Three...
Wipe window sills, clean any marks off windows if required
Wash the washer drawer out if it's gunky
Clean OVEN yes I know you all hate that one, wonder how many choose it!
Extras

• Clean inside of fridge
• Clear one hotspot
• Water the pots/newly planted stuff in your garden. Don't forget those house plants either..
• Take a duster and wipe around the tops of your door frames ,  many as you can manage in 5 minutes..

Twinkling Tuesday ~ Luscious Living Room and Delectable Dining Room
Level One
Vacuum floors and sofas
Level Two..
Clear the table and put a clean cloth or a nice vase of fresh flowers on it.
Dusting, even if around everything
Remove clutter making sure stairs especially are safe
Clean TV, other electricals and cabinets
Level Three...
Clean any other glass like mirrors etc
Tidy shoes, coats and bags
Vacuum under furniture (only if you won't hurt yourself doing it, and yes that does includes all you pregnant ones too, don't want any injuries)
Extras:
Pick one or more of the following tasks

• Clear one hotspot
• Clear one shelf, dust and replace items after giving them a wipe over
• Clean any other glass in these rooms, mirrors, picture frames etc
• Clean windows in these rooms

Wishful Wednesday ~ Mystical Master Bedroom & Limpid Landing
Level One..
Remove bed linen and wash, replace with fresh linen
Level Two..
Check fire alarms are working
Vacuum floor in bedroom and on landing
Sort out your makeup and toiletries if you didn't do this last week..
Level Three....
Dust surfaces & make sure no cobwebs about
Vacuum mattress before replacing with fresh linen
Eat a frog!
Extras

• 27 fling boogie time, time for that midweek fling, go on grab a bag and clear that clutter
• Clean windows in these rooms
• Sort one drawer, making sure only what should be in there is, anything that's had it's day or doesn't belong there is removed
• Wipe tops of door frames, even if just what you can do in 5 minutes

Thrifty Thursday ~ Barnacled Bathroom and Studious Study/Pc Area

Level One..

Clean floors in these rooms (even if it is around the clutter)

Level Two..

Clean bath, toilet and sink ~ let's have twinkling taps.

Clear any clutter from desk

Dust PC and desk

Wipe keyboard and mouse (these usually have more germs on than your toilet so important)

Change bath mat and towels.

Level Three..

Clear clutter from floor

Wipe down tiles in bathroom

Clean shower screen/curtain if you have one/if required

Extra:

• Clean tops of wardrobes
• Delete 50 emails
• Sort out computer bookmarks and delete any that you don't need/require/haven't looked at in 5 months.
• Sort a wardrobe or part of, a drawer or set of drawers making sure it has what needs to be in it and any 'extras' are put where they should be.
• Clean window
• HHI
• Clean pet toys/children toys

It's Finally Friday ~ Those terrible kids rooms and spare rooms

Level One..

Clear away anything that isn't in it's place, clothes, toys, books etc

Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself!!!!! paint your nails, make an appointment to have your hair done, a lovely soak in the bath.. whatever you feel like!!

Level Two..

Put anything back in it's place that isn't where it should be

Dusting.. all those shelves and flat fluffy surfaces!! Don’t forget the light shade and curtain pole!!!

Level Three...

Vacuum Floor (even if it's just where you can see)

Strip beds, turn and vacuum mattresses!! and replace with fresh linen .. check if duvets need freshening up too!!
Wash the curtains!

Extras

• Time for the Friday Flylady Fling, aim for 27, if you can't find that many, well done, you are obviously making a difference
• Clean windows in these rooms
• Declutter one hotspot anywhere
• Clean any mucky marks off kids doors and walls, oh and those lightswitches and door frames.
• HHI

MinnieMousesMummy

Thank you for the new thread. Please count me in for this week, (although as usual, I'll be working from my own list) here's to a good week. 

My list for Monday

• Put food out for the birds - DONE
• Do paid stuff - DONE
• Put wormer on the cat
• Chase up paperwork for insurance claim - DONE
• Wipe the kitchen work surfaces - DONE
• Clean up the cat feeding area - DONE
• Check and update banking records
• Sweep the kitchen floor - DONE
• Make a start on organising my new academic diary - DONE
• Look into survey accounts and claim any monies due - DONE

Think that is everything that I need to tackle on Monday, hope everyone has a good week. 

pigpen

TY for Fred.

nest time in here.. I can't think right now..

Cats have their new clothes on.. their old ones were fraying and becoming dangerous in case they got caught so we have new ones.
amaz0n refund sorted again.

Mademoiselle

Morning,  I will be in this week.  I need to be.

WM 
HHI
DW emptied
Bed made, clothes picked up

Trying to book doctors appointment but surgery not answering

Cat at vet at 11, and of course she was missing this morning.  Typical, she's now back but does like to test our nerves!

See you all later with more to update I hope

ionafan

Glad DS is fairly settled, dancemum xx

Thank you Natty x
I will be in as much as possible this week, but I'm starting on the back foot with a grumbling migraine that has laid me low for much of the weekend. 

Hopefully the weather will remain dry and the Old Wives can all come round for a cuppa in the front garden this afternoon, but they're not coming in the house so no need to panic! 

So far this morning I've
- done some reading while my head was clear (which it isn't right now)
- done a PCR test (negative)
- made a cuppa 
- tidied the kitchen (which took me about 2 minutes )
- tidied my bed but left it open to air
- thought about prodding DH  to get up and get breakfast

I must
- check finances
- sweep the paths in the front garden and on the parking area, which will involve moving the cars
- buy milk before the Old Wives get here
- make some phonecalls
- possibly write a newsy email to an old friend

I doubt that I shall manage any more than that short list, and maybe not even all of it.

(((Hugs))) and sticks all round, as needed.  Sorry, but I need my spoons today xx

dancemum

Morning all

Thanks for the threads.

wm is on and I have tidied the sofas

Couldn’t get to sleep last night worrying about DS2. 

Need to work on interview prep.

roundtuit

Morning all xx

Thank you Natty, and Valli for the lists.

Thinking about you YL - hope today goes well ❤

I'm waiting in for a parcel for DS to be delivered today, so I was up before 8, just in case. No doubt it will arrive late this afternoon,  but heyho.

I've made my bed and supped my first brew. Another brew, then I'll nip up and get dressed. Managed 3 out of 4 on yesterday's little list ... must do better 😳

So today's little list (for starters)
b/f WUDUPA a bowl of pots
- feed the birds 
- put out the rubbish and recycling 
- FUPA yesterday's washing (currently on the airer)
- WUDUPA another bowl of pots 

Brew two first though.

Love to all. 
Rxx

kazwookie

Thank you for the lists

Been for a walk, it is now raining, plus the washing is out on the whirly, I cannot be bothered to get up and get it in.

Bed changed

WM x 2 done

Bins done

Whole house hoovered

Car in local garage for service and MOT, it needs two new tyres so I've told them to get on with it.

Food list made, will be it when I walk to get the car back.

Hugs to all that need them

Mademoiselle

More WM
More HHI
Took cat to the vet, she's going back tomorrow early afternoon to have an anesthetic so they can deal with the small abscess on her head and shave off her matted fur at the same time.  She's going to love being shut in tomorrow morning with no food!
I know what's for dinner, just need to go and prepare (spag bol)
Progressing through some of the admin and errands
2 dresses that don't fit or work on me put in charity bag, slowly sorting hanging clothes.

Natty68

Tomorrow's list is up earlier than normal as I'm not sure how long my internet is going to last. We've had major issues with it today and I've managed to get it working again but who knows for how long..

Having a lazy afternoon on the sofa 😃

dancemum

10 mins gardening done
frog email sent 
HHphone call to one of DS2’ team leaders as someone bought food that weren’t safe regarding nuts so they needed to double check the shopping list was ok.
Sofa throw laundered in case that was the source of my bites.
Bathroom cleaned
Paperwork shuffled