Weekly Flylady Thread 14 August 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 if it’s not tipping down where you are
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

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 then run empty on a hot cycle to clean out the pipes!

Level 3

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

EXTRAS

HHI
S&S bathroom
Paperwork/admin up to date?

Those of you with children…are uniforms etc ready and labelled?
Check your freezer - does anything need using up? - if so weave it in to your...
Meal plan for the week. - and plan to cook a double sized meal and freeze one for a CBA day - or (if you live alone or there are just two of you) freeze some leftovers.  Things like chilli or bolognese can be frozen as individual portions but you can add them together to make a bigger meal if you need to.   


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
Clean light pull
Check your lotion & potion stash and deploy one thing - eg foot cream - and ets see if wee can get into the habit of using it daily

Extras
Wash showercurtains (if any) and put outside to blow dry - possibly!  or thoroughly clean your shower screen - where it pivots *blush*
HHI
S&S kitchen
If you drive a vehicle regularly check oil/tyre pressure/screenwash etc are all ok and that all the lights are working

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!
Move furniture to vacuum under it if you can.
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
get the kiddies involved even if it's just making their own beds, drying pots and putting away., collecting laundry…at least one job per child!

Thursday Thrills  - The Boudoir

level 1

open windows
strip bed
clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
empty bin

level 2
make bed with fresh bedding
clean bedside tables - dust/wipe as appropriate and clear gibble from them
vacuum/sweep/mop floor
shine your mirror

level 3
clean windows
dust all round
Use a damp cloth to wipe lotions and potions - fling anything you are not using and look at your stash and make sure you start using stuff up - eg body moisturiser
Anything BNIB you won't use would be appreciated by your local refuge/foodbank
Book a self care appointment - nails - manicure - pedicure-eyebrows - hairdresser

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen

pigpen

Thank you for Fred. xxx I hope you have a healthy week!

Natty I hope your everything housey goes well. I would come accompany you on your drive to the new house but I am infernally busy for at least the next 4 years..

Valli

pigpen said:

Thank you for Fred. xxx I hope you have a healthy week!

Hope so, i’m off work this week and off to London on Friday.  Show tickets and pre show dinner booked for Saturday.  Fridays evening meal booked too.  The Ivy.  

DW x 1.  Got 3 lots of washing dried yesterday, also ironed. it all last night,.  And bunny hutch was cleaned yesterday and car washed.  Need to check fluids in car and vacuum it out.

Need inspiration for somewhere to go tomorrow.  

Jazee

Morning all.  Thanks for the list.

My priority this morning is cleaning the fridge and kitchen floor.  It would appear a carton of apple juice has spilled.  I'm out all afternoon so will most likely fly properly tomorrow morning as usual.  This week is a bit of a pamper week for me.  Although I'm doing extra hours at the paid stuff I have booked in a pedicure and haircut ahead of nearly a fortnight off work.

Have a great day everyone.

peony40

Hello,

I’d like to join you all, as my home can do with some love and attention.  Off to make a start on Level 1.

Natty68

Thank you for the list Valli, and have a lovely week off work 👍

I'm actually going to join in for a change, please don't all fall down in shock..lol 

Valli you must've known I need to tackle my kitchen today - although mine will be decluttering what I can ready for packing by the removal men.

Just had the removal man here to do the walk around for what is to be packed. Was pleased as he said they take plants too..pleased about that so it means I don't need to leave some of my pots behind 😉 Now awaiting the quote...

Piggers, aww bless you honey, that's so sweet of you to think about me. Although surely you aren't busy for 4 years... lol 

Off to declutter my breakfast and get the chicken out to defrost.

Welcome to the thread peony40, you'll love it here we are a friendly and inspiring group. 

roundtuit

Hallooooo everyone xx 

So far:
I'm up
Made my bed
Sploshed bleach down the loo 
Eaten breakfast 
Supped a brew
Had a shower
Washed my hair
Put all worn clothes in the laundry hamper 
Put all clean clothes on
Wrote a shopping list 
Drove to town
Mooched round Mr Al
Drove home
Put all the groceries away

And it's not half past nine yet!

It's raining but warm. Humid warm. Bleurgh. 

Welcome to peony40 and any other newbies that I may have missed. 😊

Have a good day
Rxx

kazmeister

Morning 

Thank you Valli for the thread (enjoy your week off, The Ivy sounds posh) and Natty for last week's (sounds like things are moving - no pun intended, along for you). Welcome peony40 enjoy your flying.

I am around today although am still on call for a trip over to Mum & Dad's. If the doctor is coming out dad will ring and I will go over. (Dad's just rung, he has to take her to the doctors at 2.15 so I need to be over there a bit earlier to help him as he can no longer transfer to her chair with the hoist on his own).

That gives me a few hours to do some flying but need to get dressed first as I had a much needed lie in this morning. First job will be transferring WM to TD as it is tipping down here.

ETA
Kitchen
WUDUPA
Floor hoovered
TD emptied, folded and put away

Dining Room
Table, mats and condiment trays wiped
Sideboards tidied and wiped, 
Bookshelf tidied and wiped
Cereal cupboard reorganised and the boxes that had been relegated to the side now put away.
Old soggy cereal binned
Floor hoovered
Floor washed

Hallway
Shoes tidied
Hoovered
Floor washed

Living room x 2
Hoovered
Floors washed

Supping a cuppa and eating slices of ham (CBA defrosting the GF bread) and then off to Dads. 

leftatthetrafficlights

I'd like to jump aboard if that's okay? For the next few weeks it's down to me to keep the house clean and sorted so it will be nice to have some motivation!! 😉😁 

Kitchen all sorted! 🙌

pigpen

Hello and welcome new people I love having new people!

Just back from hspital with Squeak.. She is having functional neurological issues and heading for more tests to rule out a more serious cause.. fun days.

Washed bedding hanging up.. bed sprayed with bicarb to get rid of OH stink..

I am so tired..

kazmeister

Welcome leftatthetrafficlights hope you enjoy the lists.

Sorry to hear about Squeak piggers. 

Mum now has more antibiotics for a possible infection in her elbow and a stronger pain killer. Dad asked me to go with them in case he couldn’t hear/understand the locum doctor and luckily it was one of the old practice GP’s doing a few shifts and she knew them well. I hung back to ask about how to get mum assessed for nhs continuing care as it’s too much for Dad now and she was very helpful. She has taken my number and will ask the team to call me to discuss. I think Dad was actually pleased when I told him, he is just too proud to ask for help. My Aunty is going over to help tonight for a couple of days as well as he has to do car MOT’s etc and stuff so that will be a help.

No more flying done but made HM burgers with chips for tea followed by home made ice cream so am full as a tick and now sat with my feet up. DD has washed up and no doubt left to drain so I will dry up and put away when I go through to make a brew in a bed. 

Back to the paid stuff tomorrow so I will give you some peace for a few days xx