Weekly Flylady Thread 28th November 2023

Natty68

Welcome to the weekly Flylady thread. If you need help organising your week or getting motivated when it comes to housework then come and join us.

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 to Valli for last week’s thread..

There are 3 levels per day with depending on how much time you have. Feel free to mix and match to suit your own personal circumstances.

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!

Click here to read Toots wonderful welcome guide

Some of our abbreviations: DH- dear husband, OH- other half, KH/CF- affectionate term for ex husband or partner  DS/DD- dear son/daughter, DGC- dear grandchild, WM- washing machine, DW- dishwasher, LR/DR- living/dining room, RoD- room of doom, Mr S/A/T/M/L/Al- supermarkets Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi. You get the picture!

Ok here goes this week!

Monday ~ Grotty Kitchen and Gloomy Dining Room
Level One...
Declutter and mop/vacuum the floors
Find and wipe the worksurfaces
Level Two...
Wipe the big appliances and units.. don't forget kickboards!
Wipe small appliances and replace.. do one thoroughly.. descale or decrumb or degunge! Clear and wipe a shelf or window sill
Level Three...
Wipe the table and replace the cloth if necessary.
Sort through and clean out one cupboard
Clean the oven and hob..
Wrap any presents you need before the 25th, gifts for teachers or friends. Do you need to give Christmas Boxes to milkmen, window cleaners etc?I know I need to sort out a Christmas Box for my lovely postman, who is very good and even knows when I am up and about now so he can deliver any parcels 

Extras

• Don't forget any cards and presents to post.. last posting dates.
• Check through Christmas ornaments, do any need throwing away or replacing. 
• Last thing you want when you decorate your tree is to find broken ornaments!!!
• Clean out the fridge.. make use of anything almost past its best
• Wash the windows
• Clean the top of the kitchen wall units.. if you can reach.. no accidents please!!
• Dust and Deweb

Christmas Extras

• Check those presents you have to buy..some delivery dates may be longer than normal.
• Finalise shopping orders/lists for your Christmas food shop.. remember shops are closed for two days.
• Check bin collection days - some Councils may change them over the Christmas period 

Tuesday ~ Luscious Living Room, hallway, stairs
Level One...
Clear the floor of clutter
Tidy the baubles and lights on the tree.. OR PUT UP YOUR TREE
Level Two...
Vacuum the stairs and hallway and living room
Wipe and water plants
Wash the windows
Level Three...
Wipe the sofas and wash any skanky soft furnishings
Sort coats, shoes and bags
Wipe the paintwork in the hallway and up the stairs.

Extras

• Check the smoke alarms
• Fill a binbag for charity shop
• Finalise your christmas menu and shopping list
• Defluff and deweb these rooms

Christmas Extras

• Christmas wrapping, try and get at least a few done if you have been super efficient and bought presents early.
• Replace the batteries in your annoying singing things
• Make a receipts envelope for all the receipts from Christmas presents, just incase anything needs to go back

Wednesday ~ Brilliant Bathroom, Sociable Study and other grotty places!
Level One...
Clean the loo and the bath and the shower and the basins!
Defragment PC and run spyware scans while scrubbing
Level Two..
Wash windows and any chairs/sofas
Clean curtains/blinds etc
Declutter floors
Level Three...
Wash bathmats/shower curtain and furry bog hats
Replace any sponges/flannels/toothbrushes etc that need it, throw out any empty bottles.. decant dribbles into fuller bottles

Extras        

• Clear a hotspot, if it's bad at least spend 10 minutes on it
• Clean windows in these rooms
• HHI
• Spend 30 minutes just having time for yourself, whatever it is doing.
• Fling boogies are here again, aim for 27 items to leave the house!

Christmas Extras

• Bake pies and buns!
• Make a note of when the binmen are coming!!

Thursday ~ Master messroom! and landing

Level One...
Strip the bedding and get it washed!
Level Two...
30 minutes floordrobe/junk clearing!
Vacuum and turn the mattress, vacuum the landing and floor
Remake the bed
Clean the windows
Level Three...
Wash any curtains/etc that are in need
Wipe down all the furry paintwork
Fill a binbag for charity shop or the bin!

Extras

• HHI
• Update remaining present lists
• Collect all the dirty laundry from upstairs
• Clean out any pets/wash pet bedding
• Wash some light shades

Christmas Extras

• Make a timetable for Christmas prepartions.. turkey in.. turkey out.. etc
• Spend 30 minutes just having time for yourself, whatever it is doing, because we probably won't have time next week
• Chase up any deliveries you are waiting for that have not arrived
• Update remaining present lists

*** IT'S DECEMBER ***

Friday - Let's play catchy-up
Level One...
S&S the kitchen and bathroom
Spend 30 minute pampering yourself!!
Level Two...
Catch up the the window washing
Catch up on the floor mopping/vacuuming
Catch up on the dewebbing and dusting!
Level Three...
Collect ALL the dirty laundry from about the house inc and bedding that needs changing..
Spend 15 minutes on your filing
Clean ALL the filters and drawers etc on the kitchen appliances

Extras

• Wipe down ALL the paintwork you keep putting off
• Choose a manky kitchen cupboard and make it shine.. the inside.. NOT the outside!
• Clean out any pets/wash pet bedding
• Clean the pantry or airing cupboard or understairs cupboard or shed..

 

Christmas Extras

• Post all the cards you need to post. Last posting dates are drawing very close. Be aware that the post is taking longer at the moment to arrive to people.
• Start on the wrapping presents for family/friends/teachers etc
• Wipe out the freezer.. defrost if needed!!
• Straighten the baubles and lights on the christmas tree.. and if you haven't done it.. get it up, stop being such a humbug!
• Write some Christmas cards!!
• Update remaining present lists!!!
• Make a timetable for christmas prepartions.. turkey in.. turkey out.. etc!!!

Natty68

I am adding a Christmas list to every day, on top of the normal extras. Hopefully you will find these hopeful, if you find they are too early feel free to ignore 😉😉

Jazee

Ooh get me. First in.  Thanks for the list Natty.  Xmas extras are a really useful reminder, thanks.

As DGD2 is here until tomorrow night, my day will mostly be playing but as she still likes a lie in and has a midday nap, I'll see what flying I can fit in.

pigpen

TY for Fred xx. I hope you have settled nicely into your new home.

I have a million things to get done this week.. 1000 emails to chase.. and 3 presents to but.. and demand my mother gives me quids or I can't do her shopping.

I need to get the front room gutted to get the tree up. I wanted to get it done today but there are just not enough hours.

I need a trot to B00ts to swap the tablets I was given which I cannot take. I need to wash my hair.. I need to start wrapping and I need to sleep for 1000 years.

I may have a 'step back and breathe' day..

Dizzy_Imp

I'm in, but tablet about to die, so I'll be back on in the morning x

Cloth_of_Gold

Tomorrow we have friends coming for dinner so I will have to do quite a bit of flying to get things looking ship shape The place doesn't look too bad, or maybe my standards are slipping and I'm just fooling myself. 

Hope you can get everything done next week piggers - especially getting the sleep in!

Asparklierblonde

Morning all

Thank you for the thread xx

I have a long list of ‘aspirations’ this week in addition to usual paid stuff and animal jobs, I did the same last week and managed to achieve them all. A couple of this week’s are
trickier but will be more worth it in the long run. 

Neighbour dropped off 12 pheasants last night so I will be dealing with those today/tomorrow too. 

We have snow falling, whoop! DD still on an inset day, DS leaves in half an hour and is still in bed so I should rouse him. Then lighting the fire is the next job! 

Have fab days all, let’s all be brave together xx

ETA I am not going to do a separate low spend December thread but will post about it on here instead, I hope that’s okay with everyone x

Jazee

Morning, we're both up already and DGD2 is typing this with my help.

Happy to report low spend December on here. Have started already as payday was last week.

Have a great day everyone.

Valli

morning all

DW x 1, WM x 1.  i also used the DW after yesterdays big meal.  I think we are having a SC stew today which will be lovely.  The sponge pudding went down well, too.  They’re so easy to make in the microwave.
Todays it’s outswim cancer.  i also want to plough through some admin tasks and finish sewing my jumper so might save todays list until tomorrow.

Its wet and dark out there *shudder* but the forecast for the next two days is good so the TD can have a rest.

Have a good day all!

roundtuit

Hallooooo xx 

Waving to Fayolle who isn't usually here on a Monday 👋. 

Thank you Valli for last week, and Natty for this week 😊. Although I think I just found out why I'll never pass my flylady exams...ironing as part of a daily routine!!! The last time I ironed was DS's first year at secondary school. I ironed his school shirts for the first three weeks then it got cold enough for him to wear a jumper. 😉. For those who don't know DS is fast approaching his 31st birthday. 🤭

Woke up at 6.30 again. Most annoying on a not-work day 🙄 but what can ya do? I lingered under the duvet for an hour and I'm now up, made my bed, taken my meds, failed at Wordle, and supped a brew.

Mr Al was visited yesterday so I have a day at home - expecting a parcel at some point. With all the Christmas presents bought I'm planning a low spend December and January as far as possible to recoup. 

Brew 2 and breakfast next. Then I'll think about my To Do Today List. 

Wishing you all a good week.
Rxx

Fayolle

Morning all. Waving wildly at Round…
Thank you for the thread. The house doesn’t look too bad, as long as you stay in the kitchen, shut your eyes on the way upstairs and  open them only in the bathroom… The RoDs are taking on a life of their own, but it will take more than flying to restore them to how they should be.
I had a lovely (ahem) night in the WAC. Worrying about work, then stocking fillers, potatoes (yes, I know!!) and always about driving. Of course I did, as today I am at home, do not have to go out so pointless worrying, as is my forte.
My DSis and BiL are coming for lunch today. We haven’t met up since the spring. Lunch (sausage casserole) is going in the sc in a few minutes. I have bought a tiramisu for pud, sshhhh don’t tell all my Italian relatives as I usually make it.
Wm needs to go on, but it rained all night, and is forecast for much more of the same within the next couple of hours.
ASB, looking forward to your debt busting December. I need to keep in line too.
Have a lovely Monday all x