Weekly Flylady Thread 20 June 2023

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!
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 pluholes 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
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

Level 3

Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor - and wipe any fascia boards!
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seats where sticky fingers linger.
Clean windows in both rooms.


EXTRAS

HHI
S&S bathroom
Paperwork/admin up to date
Meal plan for the week. - and plan to cook a double sized meal and freeze one for a CBA day - fish pie, cottage pie...something complete!
Go ougthrh winter boots and shoes - polish and put them away.  Are any repairs needed?

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 the rim.
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

I am ticking off a Toots list job today - care to join me?

Wednesday - hump day
Living room, hall, stairs and landing

Level 1
Open lots of windows and let that fresh air in while beds are airing
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Wash out vases
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
Sort newspapers/magazines

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 open/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 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
Month end looms - will you need any cards for July?
Are your financial spreadsheets up to date?

Friday List with a difference.resurrected

Mop up some of those niggly little jobs

HHI - let's get it out of the way before the weekend

Open the windows IF it's not rainy/cold and let in some fresh air.

Wash the pots, dry and put away

make sure anything that has escaped from it's proper place gets put back, sharpish

STRAIGHTEN rooms - plump cushions, make beds, empty bins, clear surfaces

Wipe door handles, switches etc

If you're still inclined to clean mop or vacuum floors.

and if you have time do some window cleaning!

and - this one is NOT optional - do something for YOU.  a personal care appointment (eg hair) a long, bubbly bath, an hour with a book, gym, a chat to a friend…o

pigpen

TY for Fred.. I am about.. I have OH off work and a manic week so I'm not sure how much will get done.. but I am trying..

Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room
Level 1
move 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
Clear and clean sink
Clean/polish table
Good slug of bleach down plugholes and in overflows
Level 2
Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts
Clean microwave
Dust dining area/room
Level 3
Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean windows in both rooms.

Jazee

Thanks for the thread Valli.

Tomorrow I am having a day out with friends but will see how much flying I can get done before my 9.30 pick up.

Asparklierblonde

Morning ladies,

Thank you Valli xx

I am in. Animals have been fed, the WM has nearly finished and I am boiling up eggs and veg for the pigs tea.

Working 9-3 today, I have a list of things I need to do around that as well. One of the sheep was slightly caught by the shearer yesterday so first job is buy some more blue spray to pop on that. The child benefit has landed which is a saviour this week, it always seems to arrive just when I need it for which I’m very thankful!!

Have super days all xx
PS is Mumtoomany still on this thread? I hope so xx

Jazee

Morning all.  Hope you're all ok this morning.

 I'm just back from dog walk.  I have also made the bed and put away yesterday's washing.  Still need to wash last night's pots though.

Have a great day everyone.

ionafan

Afternoon everyone.  Where did the morning go?

Thanks Valli - I'm here, though if it gets very hot again, I may not be fit for long flights.  Meanwhile, I am sorting more stuff for the Scrapstore and using up some of the card, paper and printouts of flower/garden/landscape/animal photos that I already have to make greetings cards to give away at church - "Please take one, send it, and make someone smile today"

Also today I have
- made my bed
- done WMx1 and suggested to DH that he should put his own dirty clothes in the machine and switch it on (he did, but although the wash has finished he hasn't hung them out)
- S&S'd kitchen and bathroom
- watered tomatoes
- plucked Rosie and disposed of what looks like half a dog
- sorted lunch and planned tea
I have just finished my lunchtime coffee so I must be off to cardio rehab now.  If it's still dry when I get back, I want to work in the garden for a while.

See you later xxx

pigpen

We need a tip run. OH has tidied the garden so there are loads of broken toys and old bits to fling..

Cat Grass is growing nicely.

Cat trays need sorting and DW loading.. but I am freezing and tired and I have a lovely new bite on my leg.. so I will be moaning about that forever.. currently about half an inch of itchy red hellfire.

Jazee

Before going out  this morning I got all dailies done, then cleaned all the windows inside.  I aim to fly all morning tomorrow.

mumtoomany

Hi all. Lovely to see you back, @ Asparklierblonde. I'm still here in spirit, just not doing any flying!! The only flying here is from the horse flies!! Hate them, but they seem to like me. I must taste good!!! Had the two littlies, great niece and great nephew here again, for three weeks. This meant i was miles behind with planting, wedding and watering, by the time we took them home on the 10th. Trying to get bake into the swing of things. How did lambing go? 

Today, as well as the DW and putting out the washing, I've sorted all the plastic food. DD1 wants to get rid of the children's kitchen, nobody ever plays with it now, so I thought I'd get rid of our box of food with it. Some things in the box predate youngest, and she's nearly 24! Also sorted all the spare wool. 

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the sun, hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

kazmeister

Hi everyone, thanks for the thread Valli

Fresh start today
15 minute exercise routine (well at least I know my knees are shot to bits, I cant do a press up or a burpee  )
Smoothie made for breakfast (apparently they are quicker to make, but for me they take 3 times as long to drink the sludge)
Bed made
Showered, dressed etc and walked to work for full 7 hours
Walked back (almost 10,000 steps in)
Dinner sorted using leftovers, interesting using lettuce leaves instead of wraps, quite liked it.
Cleaned up kitchen with DH help
Shined those sink taps 
Replied to some emails
Looked into apts for a 2024 holiday

Will look to meal plan on the Ipad from my pit shortly.

Narc0lepsy

thanks for thread and lists.

- Managed a run this morning but it was quite humid after yesterday's RAIN yippee.
- Did a load of washing up and tidying in kitchen although it has a way to go.
- Finished and emailed report. Nothing booked for this week unless they ring me and beg tomorrow to come in Wednesday (I told them cut-off was lunchtime Mondays if they wanted me to work Weds).   So.....that means I can start clearing up all the copious amounts of debris in my study. Soon.
- Mr N gave me a very welcome surprise as he took the list and went to Mr A on his way back from the gym. I'd planned to go either later in the day or tomorrow. 
- messaged disabled friend who I'm lunching with tomorrow; I'd offered to take her and wheelchair to Mr T if she hadn't got anyone to shop for her this last few days. Unfortunately she isn't feeling well so felt shopping would be too much plus she is waiting to hear what time her meds are being delivered tomorrow so we may have to cancel lunch. 
- gradually sorting out all my seeds; at the start of the season I sort them into bags by the month they have to be sown. Now I'm just trawling through to see if I have missed any or if any can be sown again like lettuce etc. 
- did some drumming practice. Not getting on well with fast reggae!
- put away a few clothes in bedroom.