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Weekly Flylady Thread 16th January 2023
Valli
Posts: 25,318 Forumite
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.
Welcome to the weekly Flylady Thread. 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 (ooh a compound adjective) content!
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 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 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!
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
ok Here goes this Week...
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!
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth
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
Good slug of bleach down plugholes and in overflows
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 and splashback
Clean microwave
Sort fridge and wipe seals; weave stuff that needs using up into your meal plan (see extras); update shopping list as appropriate
Wash and wipe fridge shelves and baskets.
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
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
Meal plan for the week - and plan to cook a double sized meal and freeze one for a CBA/busy day - fish pie, cottage pie or a nice wintry, warming casserole or stew...something complete! (especially if you are having chemo on Friday
)
Do you need to update your freezer inventory?
Find something that doesn't normally get cleaned and give it a wipe down with a damp cloth/cif/pink stuff - I'm setting this challenge because I just cleaned my sewing machine cover - it's vinyl and it was grim *blush*
Tuesday - 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
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
Wipe sticky coasters
Clean out fire/wood burner if relevant. Do you need to book a sweep for the summer? Why not do it now?
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 an appointment or arrangement for some me-time and/or spoil yourself and use up some lotions and potions
Wet Wednesday- Bathroom (s)
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
FRIDAY FLOURISH - Kids room/spare room/guest room
Level 1
Open window
strip bed
clear detritus from floor
occupant of room to assist if available
Empty bin
level 2
anything that needs to be homed -put away occupants of room to help
vacuum floor
If spare/guest room check all lighting fully functional
level 3
clean window
wipe sockets and switches
dust all around
extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
HHI
spend 5 minutes slathering on some body lotion/foot cream/hand cream after your bath or shower…summer’s on the way and that skin (well some of it) will be on show
Welcome to the weekly Flylady Thread. 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 (ooh a compound adjective) content!
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 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 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!
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
ok Here goes this Week...
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!
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth
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
Good slug of bleach down plugholes and in overflows
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 and splashback
Clean microwave
Sort fridge and wipe seals; weave stuff that needs using up into your meal plan (see extras); update shopping list as appropriate
Wash and wipe fridge shelves and baskets.
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
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
Meal plan for the week - and plan to cook a double sized meal and freeze one for a CBA/busy day - fish pie, cottage pie or a nice wintry, warming casserole or stew...something complete! (especially if you are having chemo on Friday
) Do you need to update your freezer inventory?
Find something that doesn't normally get cleaned and give it a wipe down with a damp cloth/cif/pink stuff - I'm setting this challenge because I just cleaned my sewing machine cover - it's vinyl and it was grim *blush*
Tuesday - 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
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
Wipe sticky coasters
Clean out fire/wood burner if relevant. Do you need to book a sweep for the summer? Why not do it now?
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 an appointment or arrangement for some me-time and/or spoil yourself and use up some lotions and potions
Wet Wednesday- Bathroom (s)
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
FRIDAY FLOURISH - Kids room/spare room/guest room
Level 1
Open window
strip bed
clear detritus from floor
occupant of room to assist if available
Empty bin
level 2
anything that needs to be homed -put away occupants of room to help
vacuum floor
If spare/guest room check all lighting fully functional
level 3
clean window
wipe sockets and switches
dust all around
extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
HHI
spend 5 minutes slathering on some body lotion/foot cream/hand cream after your bath or shower…summer’s on the way and that skin (well some of it) will be on show
Don't put it DOWN; put it AWAY
"I would like more sisters, that the taking out of one, might not leave such stillness" Emily Dickinson
Janice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear
Janice 1964-2016Thank you Honey Bear
12
Comments
-
Thank you for list Valli, count me in 😉 I've a huge list to get through this week after my 4 weeks of being sick...
Mortgage Free as of 20.9.17Declutter challenge 2023, 2024 🏅 🏅⭐️⭐️
Declutter Challenge 2025
DH declutter challenge award 🏅⭐️11 -
Hope you're feeling better now, Natty.
Thank you for the new thread, Valli. I will certainly be making double quantities of every meal I cook this week, as we have only one ready meal left in the freezer. Cottage pie tomorrow, I think!
(((Hugs))) spoons and sticks to all in need xxx12 -
TY for the Fred.. I have nothing to do all week my house is a haven of cleanliness and catliness....
LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14Hope to be debt free until the day I dieMortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)11 -
Elly68 just seen your footnote - go for it with the swimming; I did a waterfall last year and it was great. I'm a regular lake, river or sea swimmer.
Thanks for the thread.
Natty get well soon.
Main flying today was vacuuming hall, bit of lounge and stairs.
Finished and emailed a report (only assessed her on Wed; this is how I mean to go on!).
Went to church.
Did a bit of gardening.
This week is going to be fairly dependent on what happens about my car; plan is to ring them first thing Monday, as advised, and see if I can drop it off for them to look at when they have time. So Monday zumba won't happen. Dental hygienist will have to be via Mr N's car and we may use that time to take back the thermal camera we borrowed. We've wandered round with it quite a few times now but not found anything really glaring, which is a bit disappointing really - hoped we'd find one huge draughty gap which would explain why the house is cold. Seems we just have a cold house.....Mr N then started saying how the conservatory really "needs some work" and a new one would make the house warmer. At that stage my non-domestic brain switched off.
We are forecast sleet tomorrow.Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.11 -
Hi all.Thanks for the thread xx
I’ll be in as much as possible as I’m still doing the six day week.Had a horrible night at work last night. A customer fell outside and cracked his head open, was unconscious and I had to get an ambulance. I’m not brilliant in an emergency but managed till the ambulance got there. Hopefully someone will know how he’s getting on and let me know.Day off today so I nipped to Mr Ts bought DD a new duvet and got some new sheets cause they were on sale. Threw the sheets in for a wash when I got in and then made DDs bed up with all the new stuff ( I got her a fluffy duvet cover before Christmas that hasn’t been used yet) ready for her to jump into when she got in from work.Huge dent made in my washing basket and the winterdyke is full and the TD has been on too. Threw some soda crystals down the bathroom sink but it’s still sludgy anyone any ideas?Off for a wee bit of meditation before I sleep (hopefully)I'm not a muggle...I'm just magically challenged11 -
Morning ladies
Thank you for the threads. Always much appreciated this end. I am going to have a radio-less day again, trying to remove the right to protest, whatever next, chap on R4 trying to justify it now…. Grrr.
Rant over. Light snow here from what I can see so far. Paid stuff this afternoon and into this evening. Bit of a juggling day but big girl pants on and get on with it! Fresh bedding needed for animals so that’s the first job once the children are away to school.
love to all xx10 -
Thank you Narco and Iona. I'm still not right, my voice is still not right but I had an enforced 3 day rest. I wasn't allowed to lift my finger to do anything - god's that was hard. But I think the rest helped.
Piggers that's brilliant that your place is lovely..you must be so pleased 😀
I do have a really long list of things to do over time. I daren't put it on here it'll frighten you all...it's very precise..😉
Hugs and spoons to you all. XxMortgage Free as of 20.9.17Declutter challenge 2023, 2024 🏅 🏅⭐️⭐️
Declutter Challenge 2025
DH declutter challenge award 🏅⭐️10 -
Hi all. In again this week.
First job is to start the beef off in the slow cooker. A load of bedding to put on the line or in the dryer, weather dependent. Chickens need cleaning out. Then veg peeled for the stew. Then..... who knows? Hoping for a productive week.
Hugs too all, mumtoomany.xxxFrugal Living Challenge 2025.
Grocery challenge, £1300 food plus £200 cleaning materials etc, for the year.11 -
Light snow is now heavy snow. No way will the hens let me clean them out, they are hunkering down away from the weather! The sheep don’t care thankfully, nor do the pigs. Breakfast and some emails now x10
-
Morning my lovelies xx
Thank you to Natty and Valli for keeping the thread up and running. Xx
I'm up, made my bed, had breakfast and a brew, taken my meds, showered, washed my hair, dressed in all clean clothes, put all worn clothes in the laundry hamper, changed the towels in the bathroom, brought used towels down to wash. And breathe.
Dentist's appointment for a check up at 10. Then drop off A's birthday card, then on to posh farm shop cafe to treat L for her recent birthday. Call to see P&S on my way home. PO to pay the rent. Mr C00p for some pack up bits.
I'll feed the birds and put out the recycling before I go. And set the towels / tea towels swishing when I get in.
First weekend without Sweetie has been survived.
The only way is UP, baby. 🎶 🎵
Love to all
Rxx
IT ONLY TAKES SMALL DAILY ACTIONSFOR MAGIC TO HAPPENRosemary Ikpeme
9
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