PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Weekly Flylady Thread 20 November 2023

Valli
Posts: 25,280 Forumite


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 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
Clean microwave
Sort fridge and wipe seals; weave stuff that needs using up into your meal plan; 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! Do you need to update your freezer inventory and/or use up and make space?
Check your meds - will you need any over Christmas and the New Year? If so get your prescription request in or make a note in your diary - my next available meds are 26th December! Check your favourite OTC meds are in date too.
Check your lightbulb and/or battery stock is ok - no one wants a dark house or redundant remote!
Posting abroad? Last posting dates are looming
Twinkly Tuesday Bathrooms, cloak rooms and en suites
Level 1
Open window
Remove towels and facecloths and fling in WM
Scrub Loo inside and out, slop bleach or descaler down afterwards
Level 2
Clean out baths and/or showers
De-fuzz plugholes
Clean shower heads and hoses
Clean handbasins
Wipe plugs - especially underneath!
Level 3
sweep and mop or vacuum floor as appropriate
clean windows
polish mirrors
dust and polish where necessary
Extras
check stocks - soap, loo rolls etc - fling anything that's been lingering a while (and make some space for Christmas smellies) Foodbanks will happily accept unused toiletries etc
HHI
S&S kitchen
Wednesday’s list
The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
level 1
deal with flowers and pot plants
empty bins/ashtrays
clear gibble
plump cushions
wipe sofas with leather wipes or vacuum it. Sponge any sinister marks and lift cushions and clean under them if you can
level 2
clean windows
vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies
level 3
dust all round - don't forget sills and skirtings
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
stand in the doorway and look back into the room - is it clean? tidy? perfect?
extras
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
Plan in some me time - if it means a shortened list that is fine - you cannot pour from an empty cup
Binbag dance…
Friday Finale
the boudoir
level 1
strip your bed
fling the window open
clear floordrobe/chairdrobe
empty bin
level 2
remake bed
dust and tidy bedside tables
vacuum/sweep/mop floor
level 3
dust all around
clean window
extras s&s bathroom
s&s kitchen
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


Thank you Honey Bear
12
Comments
-
First in, wonders never cease!
Thank you so much for the list. I’m in as ever, but muddling through in my own way.The forecast is gloomy all week, we really need some sunshine. Friday was glorious here and made such a difference to my mood.
Tomorrow I need to squeeze in a tip run as well as paid stuff. Smaller chicken coop needs clearing out as well but that’s only a ten minute job.Here’s to a great week xx15 -
Thanks for the list. I'm in too although not properly until Tuesday as DGD2 is here until tomorrow night.
Today, I did essentials, dog walk and baking.Spend less now, work less later.14 -
Thank you Valli. Will be home from Wednesday - currently chez DS2.
(((Hugs)))) spoons and sticks all round, as needed xxx13 -
Thanks for the list.
Short time in the WAC last night but I got up and took beef cubes out of the freezer for today's dinner, then did a small amount on a report.
Today I got a bit further on with my list:
- went to church
- put note in with card for sponsor child, walked up to deliver it to the charity founder who will be packing tomorrow and ready to go in a couple of days. At least that counted as just over 6000 steps as well.
- updated and printed off Christmas card list.
- emailed friend who is visiting next week to check any food issues
- did some drum practice
- did more clearing out of greenhouse/conservatory for plants which need shelter either for the whole winter or which need to be moved when conservatory is re-built.
- beef casserole in slow cooker
- contacted restaurant to add 2 people for Christmas eve as DB and SIL have decided to come. It's a bit of a new venture as I love catering over the festive season, but it can get a bit stressful so we (now 6 people) have decided to have a nice meal with someone else laying tables, cooking and washing up on Christmas Eve. Then Mum, Mr N and I have invited ourselves to BIL on Christmas Day for 'something simple' (up to him - probably pasta bake plus a Christmas pudding I still have in the freezer from last year).
- ordered more GF flour, found some cheaper than my usual place.
Now I'm going to do another small bit to the report and look up a couple of things on Mr G.Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.13 -
Thanks for the list Valli. I shall try and be in this week as we've got the new fridge and freezers arriving on Wednesday and I need to clear the gap where they both are going - it's full of boxes at the moment..lol
I also need to rearrange the living room ready to bring down the Christmas tree. More boxes to unpack.. (I think there's a theme here..lol)
Unfortunately I can only do so much due to my bad arm and the puppy getting in the way.. Talking of puppy he's going to the vets tomorrow to check the stitches have dissolved after losing his two plums 😉 Then we can start our daily walks and he'll sleep at night again without waking me up, crying etc, at anytime between 2 and 3am.
All card swap pm's sent out 😊Mortgage Free as of 20.9.17Declutter challenge 2023, 2024 🏅 🏅⭐️⭐️
Declutter Challenge 2025
DH declutter challenge award 🏅⭐️11 -
Bank account up to date. DW and TD locked and loaded. Lunch for tomorrow in an appropriate container and work bag ready, too.
For some reason i’m not getting notifications of new posts… even though the thread, and last week’s, are bookmarked. Stopped 3 days ago.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 DickinsonJanice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear12 -
I'm in again this week please, and will attempt to follow the list with tomorrow being Kitchen and Dining rooms. I'm going to make a Toots list as I go through each room in my house (outside can wait until the spring) and really detail what needs doing, and then ....make an actual start on getting them crossed off. I know much that goes on this list will be long-term wishes/needs, but having a list helps me (just sad I missed National List Day Round)
Watched Tiny's football match this morning in the pouring rain, feeling like the walking dead, cheered at his two impressive goals and then back home to make a triple batch of crepe pancakes that had been requested for brunch. DH and Small arrived back from their game and likewise devoured pancakes. 13 puppies cleaned, fed, released into the lounge to play and enjoy the dog bags in front of the roaring log burner for the day and a mountain of ironing done to ensure clean school and work uniforms. Cheat's chicken curry from a jar made and fed to "starving" males for an early dinner and then finally sat down. Promptly fell asleep!
Laying in bed now, obviously waiting to join the WAC....I have Biscoff biscuits at the ready and my headphones plugged in to my tablet, so we shall see.
TTFN x10 -
TY for Fred.. I hope everyone has a lovely week.. I just want everyone here in school!
The Pa has just been barred from the pub he has gone to for the last 20+ years over an argument with the bar staff who was not even born when he started going in there!! He is a nightmare.. stereotypical 'Boomer' (I hate that phrase but it sums him up perfectly) .. He was in the wrong arguing because he is out of touch with todays young people.
I have just joined a group to be support and love for those young, and older, people who have been disowned by their families due to their sexuality.. just what the Pa was arguing about.. Oh the irony! I will be a friend or mum or sister or aunt or listening ear .. whatever is needed.. no one should lose their loved ones for being true to themselves.. I don't have room in my home to offer love and support but I have room in my life to love or be a friend to someone.
Anyway.. I am away to my nest...
Pain au chocolate and cocoa waiting for the WAC..Natty.. list received TY.Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining RoomTwinkly Tuesday Bathrooms, cloak rooms and en suites
Level 1
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
Level 2
Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts inside and out, not forgetting handles and tops and bottom as well as fronts!
Clean microwave
Level 3
EXTRAS
S&S bathroom
Check your lightbulb and/or battery stock is ok - We need some bayonts and big screwers.
Level 1
Scrub Loo inside and out
Level 2
Clean out baths and/or showers
Clean handbasins
Level 3
sweep and mop or vacuum floor as appropriate
Extras
Wednesday’s list
The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing
level 1
level 2
vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies
level 3
extras
Friday Finale
the boudoir
level 1
strip your bed
clear floordrobe/chairdrobe
level 2
remake bed
vacuum/sweep/mop floor
level 3extrasLB 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.)12 -
Can't see much being done today as I feel awful and not had much sleep 😪11
-
awake early so have put a wash on (jumpers) and set TD running and opened DW door. Busy week for me, with two half days at work because I have an appointment on Weds (smear) and am letting a co-worker in this morning who does not yet have a key. (We sell space for folks to work from).
I don’t need to be up yet though, so who knows… I might have a bit more kip.
Hope you all have good days …and if you’re called for a smear, mammogram or bowel screen.DON’T PUT IT OFFDon't put it DOWN; put it AWAY"I would like more sisters, that the taking out of one, might not leave such stillness" Emily DickinsonJanice 1964-2016
Thank you Honey Bear10
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 348.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.4K Spending & Discounts
- 240.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 617.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.6K Life & Family
- 254K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards