Weekly Flylady Thread 28August 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

Bank Holiday Monday (England and Wales)

S&S Kitchen
S&S bathroom(s)
make a list of cards you need for September - get them written ready to send
Make sure all meds and first aid kits are stocked and in date
Many Flykids will be going back to school this week (or next - INSET anyone?)
Check the school website for up-to-date information
Make sure you/they have uniform and PE  kit ready the night before
Waterbottles?
Packed lunches?
Dinner money paid up?

Catch up Tuesday - 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

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

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.
Go round the whole house wiping door handles, light switches and banisters - we WILL be germ-free!

EXTRAS

HHI
peg out some washing
S&S bathroom
Paperwork/admin up to date? Month end looms
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.
Check smoke alarms are working.

Wishy Washy Wednesday
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.

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
Get a bucket of hot, soapy water and wipe down window frames - open them and clean all the grime that gets on the frames, sills and in the gutters too.
HHI
S&S kitchen

Thursday Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing

Level 1
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Open windows
Empty bins/ashtrays - wipe out or wash
If you have a woodburner/real fire attend to that first - and lay fire for lighting
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 coasters

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!  Include lightswitches

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?
Open front door and vacuum then wipe doorframe

Extras
Don't forget the dailies - beds need making, pots need washing
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
HHI

Friday Finale - a little bit of what you fancy OR damage limitation

15 minute Make a Difference

Arm yourself with a duster, a damp cloth, whatever spray yout prefer and a dustpan and brush or a vacuum cleaner and a binbag - take these into each room you're making a difference in.  Open windows for fresh air

Go into whatever rooms you need to...for 15 minutes MAX - basic straightening/tidying but wiping of anything in plain sight which needs it

make any beds
wipe bedside cabinets
tidy/put away or remove stuff to correct room
vacuum or sweep
plump cushions
straighten throws
straighten furniture
wipe screens
put rubbish in binbag
remove clothes to laundry hamper

leftatthetrafficlights

Thanks for the thread @Valli 😁 

I was awol last week due to lots of unexpected stuff but intend to stick to the plot this week!! 

Plan for the day is tackling the laundry - two loads of bedding to be washed, dried and put back on! 

Lots to do in the garden today too as the recent rains seem to have put the weeds into overdrive!! I also have a grocery delivery coming this afternoon so I need to rearrange the freezer to make some room!! 🤦‍♀️ 

Hope everyone has a great BH!! 😁

Jazee

Morning all.  Thanks for the thread Valli.

Today will be more prep and moving furniture about to get the toddler room finished ahead of the last piece of furniture arriving on Friday.

Have a great day everyone.

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning all

The sun is shining and I want to make the most of it but not sure how.   I was hoping to cycle but might have to see what DH has planned.

I do need to fly a little bit too and get organised for what will be a tricky week at the paid stuff. 

Hope every one has a good day x

pigpen

TY for Fred.

I appear to be having increasing issues with my 'o' ... that is not an inappropriate statement I am referring to the keyboard.

Bags are mostly sorted, they need toiletries.. I need to chuck a bag of GF/LF food for Twinkle.. OH got her chocolate fudge BROWNIE ice cream.. dairy free.. but brownie!!! Fortunately t 7 she has the sense to read ingredients and saw it said wheat and barley.. So I am trekking to L!dl to get the GF/DF one they do if they have any.. and LF milk.. She deserves the treat just for being so sensible!

EC has hospital at 1:30 and wants me to go with her.

I got teeny puppy snuzzles last night.. they are little mini-Winnies!! I need to order more collars.. I shall get that done before I forget.

Natty68

Oh my piggers that puppy is so tiny and cute.. How were you not tempted to snaffle one away when you came home 😉

More packing for me today - rest of my wardrobe, books in dresser and the rest of the bottom of the kitchen cupboard to clean out.

Had a bit of a result, EDF have transferred us to a new account for some reason and I can now do more than I could. So I've notified them of our change of address and when things need to be transferred over. Happy now that has been done, another one to tick off my list 😆

Have to go to Pets@home to get some tasty food to encourage poorly cat to eat. We had a breakthrough earlier with her, she had vomited in the night and there was a wormy thing in it.. I have never been so happy to see a worm..lol. Anyway have ordered her some worm and flea stuff, plus enough for the other three pets too, which is coming later today. So I'm hoping this might help her, if not it's a trip to the vets tomorrow/Wednesday 😔

Off to hunt food out of the freezer and then have a shower. 

pigpen

Natty.. That sounds like roundworm .. they are gross.. just a warning, the medication makes them pass 't'other end' in a whole, writhing and complete noodle.. and they get massive.. it can be a bit of a shock if you've not seen it before. I sincerely hpe that is the problem and is soon fixed. I did have to worm Nutkin every few weeks for a year to rid him of worms entirely so it may be worth investing in a shed load and doing it as regularly as possible. I am not a dog person but the mini-winnies are very cute. Look at that face!

 

Collars ordered.

I have arranged for a new internet provider now we actually have a choice.. so that is being installed next week or maybe the week after.. I can't remember.. but I will have a month overlap of internet while we sort any issues since OH needs it at home for work we cannot risk it failing. It will also remove CF accessibility to my emails .. not that I use that account.

Having a cuppa and moving house about.

Asparklierblonde

Hi ladies

Thank you for the lists, I am in ☺️☺️

Both children to school on the 5th. High school for DD and Year 5 for DS. Agreed with DD she is taking packed lunches 3 days out of 5, I cannot afford high school dinners… DS will take packed lunches too. They are the bane of my life so I need to get organised with appropriate packed lunch items sooner rather than later! That reminds me, I need to order more small Tupperware tubs…

Car boot visited this morning, got myself some lovely new to me clothes, some footie boots for DS and a Smiggle pencil case which he is thrilled with for 50p! 

Off to shove a load of washing on now, it’s over cast but dry. Working tomorrow, only 14 more working days there… 

Have lovely days all xx

Asparklierblonde

Me again! Lovely long walk done, dogs and children suitably tired! Late late lunch on now and animals have had their tea. Still and clear here, it’s a rare thing so definitely need to make the most of it xx

Jazee

Hello.  I'm reporting in that everything I wanted to achieve this holiday is done.  DH is back to work tomorrow but I still have one day off.  The toddler bedroom looks fantastic and will be a nice place for them to sleep now, and it's meant that several other cupboards around the house have been sorted too.  We actually have spare drawer and shelf space now.

Tomorrow, if it stays dry I intend to cut the grass in the morning, do some flying and dog walk, then I'm meeting up with friends in the afternoon.

Valli

I have fixed my leaky plumbing.

Got washing line dried

Been to work and defrosted the cafe freezer and dealt with the fridge while i was at it.

Easy tea of leftovers.

Dont feel too chipper…am in bed.  DD made trifle but i couldn’t face it…