Weekly Flylady Thread 4th October 2021

Natty68

Welcome to the weekly Flylady thread. If you need help organising your week or getting motivated when it comes to housework then come and join us.

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!

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- thats 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!
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 stooping, 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!

Click here to read Toots wonderful welcome guide

Ok here goes this week!

Monday ~ Living room, Hall and Stairs
Level One
Declutter the floors
Vacuum decluttered floors!
Tidy coats and shoes, put summer ones away for next summer or in the bin or charity shop bag as required!
Level Two
declutter and dust the tops of any units and dust ornaments
Wipe the sofas if needed or wash covers as required
Wipe and water plants, dust and deweb
Declutter and wipe fire surround
Level Three
Check house for draughts and make a plan to plug them before it gets REALLY wintery cold!
Hang pictures/mirrors etc that you have had for AAAAGES and not got round to doing yet!
Empty and clear out a cupboard or drawer..

Extras

• HHI or HHC doing some task you ALWAYS put off!
• Binbag dance
• Wipe the skirtings and window frames
• Empty and wash out bins and fill coal/kindling baskets as required
• HHI

Tuesday ~ Kitchen and Dining area
Level One
Sweep and mop the floor
Clear and wipe worksurfaces
Shine the sink!
Level Two
Wipe fronts of appliances and units
Get out your toothbrush and scrub the grout and taps!
Wipe table and replace cloth if needed
Level Three
Clear and wipe window sills
Clean the oven and hob..
Scrub the fridge

Extras

• Sort the childrens undies.. what needs replacing/flinging/hitting with a stick?
• Wipe skirtings
• Wash windows
• Thoroughly clean out the jars and spices and cereal shelves

Wednesday ~ Surprise Day Off

As a lovely surprise..You can all have an unexpected day off today... Do whatever room/level you wish to do today. !

Normal service resumes tomorrow

Thursday ~ Master bedroom and landing
Level One
Declutter the floor
Strip wash and replace the bedding.. do not wait until you want to get in it!!
Level Two
Vacuum floors
Dust and deweb
Empty and clean out bins
31 fling boogie!
Level Three
Clear the floordrobe.
Sort through your cupboard and get rid of those items of clothing you no longer wear or need or are worn out.. memories are in your heart not in things you no longer use!!
Declutter some of the stuff you have stashed under the bed, in the bottom of the wardrobe

Extras

• Wash windows
• Wash curtains or other soft furnishings that need it
• Straighten your shoe and bag collection.. can any be rehomed?
• Sort through a box of general junk that is lurking

Friday ~ Bathroom, loo and study!
Level One
Declutter floors
scrubify the tiles
Level Two
Clean the bath, loo, shower etc...
Defrag comp while you vacuum/mop
Wipe chairs keyboards, mouses monitors etc..
Level Three
Wash shower curtains/bathmats etc
Clean the radiators and paintwork
Shine the taps and descale the shower head!

Extras

• 15 minutes filing
• HHI
• Delete 100 useless junk emails!
• Dust deweb and wash some windows!

Natty68

If everyone is ok with this...

FLYLADY CHRISTMAS CARD SWAP 2021!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO NOT POST ANY PERSONAL DETAILS HERE!!!!!!!!!
I will be sending out the card list on 30th November 2021 so if you wish to be involved you need to email your name (if you wish to disclose that), MSE user Id.. This is vital or you won't be included.. (just so I know you are really a flylady!!) and address to which you want the cards sending.
Can you please put Flylady Christmas Card in the subject of your email.
Please email to kiwismum001@gmail.com
Thanks everyone xxx

pigpen

Natty68 said:

FLYLADY CHRISTMAS CARD SWAP 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!

Made my day.. lol... Do I need to send mine or can I just say count me in!? I LOVE my fly-cards

TY for Fred..

Tomorrow I have phonecalls to make and I really don't want to.

Valli

Flippin' heck Natty - you spying on me - exactly picked a room that needs it...

v. pleased with self.  dropped an egg on the floor and remembered to pour salt over it.  Result - egg swept up, floor not minging.

Work tomorrow - LR will have to wait until Tuesday.

Narc0lepsy

(creeps back in)
Lots of balls juggling at the moment - Mum doing well and brother on duty this week; started back at uni; got plans and quote for a new patio so busy dismantling the old decking and digging up/moving/taking cuttings of various plants; cobwebs and dust have taken over house etc etc.

Hugs/spoons/sticks/birthday wishes etc 

Dizzy_Imp

Helloooo! I'm back...again *eye roll*

Valli said:

v. pleased with self.  dropped an egg on the floor and remembered to pour salt over it.  Result - egg swept up, floor not minging.

My solution to dropped eggs is "bring in a dog". Most times only a bit sticky on the floor 

ionafan

Thank you Natty for the new thread. 

I am continuing to declutter by stealth, checking drawers and cupboards as I think of them, and finding all sorts of bits and pieces to bin or to add to the CS box.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look as if the items that I'd most like to offer for re-homing (DH's pile of books in the utility and his set of Carry On videos in the TV unit drawer) are likely to be allowed out, but I did fling a pile of his old socks!  I'm also trying to tidy up the garden a little bit each day: today it was the turn of the garden hose, which I have wound back onto its reel and will put away for the winter when it's drier.  And I've discovered that the nearest scrapstore is re-opening this week and will accepting donations, so I can think about clearing some of the storage boxes full of crafty bits and pieces from the loft.

Tomorrow Today I must go to the bank, arrange to get a new tyre (as advised at the last MOT), drop the box off at the CS, deliver 2 cards, and buy some food for us and some winter bedding plants for the patio pots.  The last person who needs to sign the church bank account application is currently self-isolating, otherwise getting that ready for posting would have been my second priority (after food shopping).

Yaaay to Dot liking ballet! 
Glad your DH's back is better today, YL 
LOL Dizzy re your assistant cleaning assistant 
(((Hugs))) to Kaz and OH  

(((Hugs))) spoons and sticks all round, as needed xx

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the lists xx

WAC sentry checking in; I can’t remember when I last slept through. Antihistamine taken and hopefully will get another hour or two until DS awakes. 

I left the kitchen in a state last night so that will be done when it’s a more acceptable time to clatter around! I will also get the dog out for a long walk after the school run. 

Hope everyone is sleeping soundly xx

ionafan

Just popping in to check you're ok, asb.  Hoping that you've snuggled down and gone back to sleep - it's definitely far too early to start flying x

[Deleted User]

ionafan said:

Just popping in to check you're ok, asb.  Hoping that you've snuggled down and gone back to sleep - it's definitely far too early to start flying x

Thanks lovely I had another hour now it’s all systems go x

Jazee

Morning all.
 I will be flying today around taking Littleydog to the vet for X-rays.  May have to cancel a meet up with friends later. I'll see how the day goes.

Have a great day everyone.