Weekly Flylady Thread 13th September 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

Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room 

Level 1

Open some windows (not just in the kitchen!) for some fresh air 
Check fruit bowl - add to washing up if necessary!
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 - pay special attention to grouting.
Empty bin and clean it out too - 
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.
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


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 - make sure air can circulate so food stays cool - and safe 
Dust dining area/room


Level 3

Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seats where sticky fingers linger.

EXTRAS

HHI 
S&S bathroom 
Wipe all the handles/sockets/switches/banisters/grab rails especially if people are leaving the house
Toots list jobs - 
Check your house is winter ready - are all the drains clear?  Guttering empty?  If you have an outside tap think about frost protection.
And check your washing lines - any wear?  We don't want that lovely clean washing landing in a muddy garden or on a freshly cut lawn*.
Check outside lighting is functioning.

Terrific 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 grouting
Dust anywhere that needs dusting - wipe any 'on display' bottles down 

Level 2
Clean out baths and/or showers
Clean shower heads and hoses
Clean handbasins including taps - don't forget the out of sight bits!

Level 3
sweep and mop or vacuum floor as appropriate
clean windows
polish mirrors
dust and polish where necessary
Chuck any lurking potions that are not being used/are old
Clean light pull

Extras
Wash showercurtains (if any) and put outside to blow dry - possibly!
HHI
S&S kitchen


Wednesday Woes - Living room, hall, stairs and porch

Level One
With warm (hot if you can bear it)soapy water on a clean cloth - rinsed frequently - wipe EVERY door handle, light switch in the house - including entrance doors.  Don't forget the letterbox
Declutter ALL the floors!!
Clear the mantle of junk
Fling any rubbish
Straighten cushions, curtains and throws
Tidy coffee/side tables
Empty bin
Empty ashtrays
Attend to plants and flowers

Level Two

Vacuum/sweep all the floors.. stairs too!
Vacuum/sweep under furniture you can safely move!
Vacuum sofas
Clean mirrors

Level Three

Clean the window and door frames 
Dust and polish furniture and ornaments
Clean doormats

Extras

Dust all the electricals.. carefully.. don't want any frazzled flybodies
Binbag dance around the house
HHI
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom

Thursday Thrills - Master bedroom

Level 1 

Strip bed - and leave to air for as long as you can
Open windows
Clear floordrobe/chairdrobe
Empty Bin

Level 2

Dust/vacuum headboard and/or bedframe
Flip mattress if you are able to and if necessary
Remake bed

Level 3

Dust and wipe - all flat surfaces and sticky pots (lotions and potions)
Polish mirrors - while you're at it you may as well clean the windows
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom

Friday Flourish Kids room/spare room/study

Level 1 

Strip bed - and leave to air for as long as you can
Open windows
Clear floor
Have a binbag to hand and start dancing

Level 2

Dust/vacuum 
Remake bed
Clean windows

Level 3

Dust and wipe - all flat surfaces 
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom

pigpen

hello, thank you for Fred..

I'm busy.. really busy!!

Valli

* like mine did this morning.

Anyway after rinsing it out it went - I moved the second line into first line position.  Now I only have 1 line.

Jazee

Thanks for the list.  I'm in this week but not tomorrow as I have a day out with DD.

Dizzy_Imp

Reporting for duty! Thanks for lists x

kazwookie

I'm in thank you

Sun is up here

Cue's out the front, ready to go to early morning dog walkers, I'll pick some more

Off to gather up washing, strip bed, made bed, wash and dress.

Have a good day all.

[Deleted User]

Morning all,

Thank you very much for the lists, I am definitely in. Despite having a clear washing basket on Friday evening it is now overflowing so that is first on the list. Beds are made and DW has been unloaded.

I have written my list of "extras" to do today in my notebook , it is a manageable list so if I tick those bits off I will be happy. Leftovers for tea so no real cooking needed. Take care all, I will no doubt pop back in later xx

Mademoiselle

Morning. Thanks for thread. I’m in today. OH is onboard for decluttering bit by bit so that’s good news.  Back to work tomorrow but just Tuesday and Thursday until end of the year so manageable. 

Shower, loo and sinks cleaned in our bathroom 
DW unloaded
WULTD
Bed stripped and clothes picked up. 

See you later 

pigpen

Morning all!

I have parcels to organise first while Squeak trundles through her first couple of lessons.
Washing is taking over the world, but I am not sure I can hang it out due to pain in my left wrist.. not sure why it thinks it should hurt but it is very sore not helped by the pain in the right shoulder.. such fun to be had!!

Not heard about my mother yet but I need to trot round there later with some pies and a hydrangea.. nice combo there I know!

Sort Squeak first.. find clothes.. kick Moomin.. sort washing.. sort parcels.. then it will be midnight again!

BadCat18

Morning all

Thanks for the lists. I shall try to be back properly this week. Last week was a haze of mostly paid stuff but DH did keep on top of house jobs so not too much catching up needed on the weekend.

DH has gone back to the office today, house is v quiet lol! I’m at the paid stuff and so far have not managed any flying beyond loading the wm and setting it to swish. I’ve just had my breakfast break after an early start so am going to have 15 mins flying upstairs before settling back at my desk for a few hours.

hope all ok, sending GWS vibes for any poorlies, hugs, sticks and spoons all available to those in need.

back later x

roundtuit

Morning everyone xx
I don't know if I'm in, out, or which way is up this morning. 
My phone rang while I was still in bed - mentally rearranging the cupboard under the sink (as you do). A friend I've not heard from for a while. Basically ringing to say thank you for being my friend and goodbye. Terminal cancer.

I'm...well, I'm not sure what I am.

I'm going to have a shower, wash my hair and get dressed. As if it was a normal day.

Rxx