Weekly Flylady Thread 25th December 2023

Natty68

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.

Welcome to the weekly Flylady Thread. 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 Valli 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 (ooh a compound adjective) content!

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 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 stooping, 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!
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

Please don't feel you have to do EVERYTHING on the lists, they are purely a guide for you..just do what you want whether it be all of the list or just a bit of it.

I'm putting up Christmas Day and Boxing Day in one go as I'm out for Christmas Day evening and not sure when I'll get back or if I'll be able to see the computer....lol

ok Here goes this Week...

Christmas Day

Bag up all the wrapping paper, save any useful bits and check it doesn't contain anything valuable

Delegate pot washing/DW loading!

Slice off the remaining meat and either freeze or refridgerate for tomorrow!
Save remaining cooked veg for stew! It can be frozen if you don't want to eat it in the next few days.. or sling it in the crock pot with the carcass for stock!

A quick S&S over the kitchen should see it looking fabulous again
Put the best crockery/glasses away, or just out of the way so it doesn't get damaged.
Wipe the table/table cloth

Go play with the children

Quick wipe over the hob should see it sparkling again
Does the breadmaker need to be on for tomorrow?
Don't forget to feed the pets!

Tidy the tree
Before children go to bed they must stack their new things nicely!

You've planned so much, enjoy your day

Boxing Day

Do your dailies
S&S toilets and sinks
Get somebody to hoover high traffic areas

Write a list of presents that need thank you notes
Enjoy your gifts
Phone somebody you forgot to send to or to thank them for their gift

Keep track of the food in fridge so nothing goes to waste, meal plan if required
Relax and enjoy the day whatever you are doing

Wednesday
Put away all wrapping paper, tags and cards until next year (noting where!)
Delete some emails, old links
Recycle any Christmas catalogues etc

Change a bed or 2
Hoover upstairs/bedrooms
S&S bathroom

HHI, come on you can clear that pile by the New Year
Try to get at least 10 minutes fresh air


Thursday

Clean out your fridge, and use up or get rid of all the leftovers
Wash, dry and iron any tablecloths, napkins etc
Water any plants, including real Christmas trees

Clean the bathroom
If any of you have had new socks, pjs etc do you have old ones to get rid of?
HHI

What are your flying aims for 2024, share with us now.
Do you still need to find a home for some presents?

Friday - last list of the Year

Tidy, tidy, tidy - it will make cleaning much easier
Clean WM/DW filters and put through on a clean cycle
HHI - some of you must be near the bottom of your pile now

HHPaperwork - I know it's boring but it needs to be done
Wipe handles and switches, door, cupboards anything aim for 10
S&S sinks and loos

Sort out your glasses, do you have enough for any get togethers or do you have too many that you never use? Adjust as necessary - lovely ones can be picked up at the charity shop often at a good price.

Count some blessings from the year gone by.

 

Pigpen’s message from previous years is still as lovely this year.

 

Enjoy your day with your loved ones, spare a few minutes thought for those who cannot be with us this year and who have lost loved ones, and also for those who may not be here next christmas. May theirs be an especially wonderful and special time, making memories for their loved ones to keep forever.. and of course those who may be new in your life next year.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

See you all next year ❤️❤️

roundtuit

Merry Christmas everyone xx

Valli

Lovely list Natty… simply perfect.  Thanks.

I’m in bed early in the hope of building up some spoons for tomorrow.  I haven’t prepped any veg because I can’t fit them in the fridge and it’s too warm to stash stuff in the shed, but the list, with cooking times and temps is sorted.  The chicken will take longest.

Aged Ps both confused about what day it is and what’s happening.  

Merry Christmas to you all x

pigpen

well.. no sleep for us tonight.. just startying the santa stuff.

TY for Fred.

I hope you all have a marvellous day with your loved ones

Cloth_of_Gold

I got up to an email from Waitrose about my delivery: 4 things were out of stock. Three didn’t matter but one did: bread. The delivery arrived and I put everything away, made us a coffee and then went out for the paper and to get some more Otravine so that I don’t breathe through my mouth all night. I also went to Waitrose for the bread plus a couple of other things, as I was there. The M&S is a 3 minute walk from that Waitrose so I popped there for some of their cherry chocolate liqueurs, which are scrummy, and only £3 a box. Came back and made lunch and washed up. 

By the time I’d finished my lunch it was 2.30 so I had to rush to clear the table and put out the candles and the Christmas cake before Nine Lessons and Carols from king’s College started on Radio 4. Half way through I lit the candles, made us a cup of tea and cut the cake. It’s quite good but I was a bit over zealous with my feeding of it and it is a bit more moist than I would like. 

After tea I went on a wrapping frenzy and got it all done apart from two presents. They are for people we are seeing on Boxing Day so I can do those tomorrow evening. Just as I’d finished, my brother rang after which it was time to make supper and then wash up. I then rang the friend we are seeing tomorrow and then rang the friend whom I have been meaning to ring for days but his partner said he’d gone to bed. Well I tried. I then put out A’s breakfast things. I received a couple of WhatsApps, one from Australia, both of which said the sender had covid.  I pressed A’s clothes and my cords for tomorrow and administered the pre-bed eye medications. 

I just need to chill for a short while, clean my teeth and go to bed. Zzzzzzz

Happy Christmas everyone. 

leftatthetrafficlights

Happy christmas to all who celebrate it! 🥳

MinnieMousesMummy

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope Santa has been good to everyone and you all enjoy the day whatever you have planned. 

My list for today
Get dressed
Feed the animals
Paid stuff (8-2)
Relax and unwrap presents
Bag up all wrapping paper
Change the table cloth to the festive one. 
Enjoy festive meal (DH is cooking this year since I'm working)
Put the rest of the turkey in the fridge for tomorrow
A quick S&S over the kitchen should see it looking fabulous again
Put the best crockery/glasses away, or just out of the way so it doesn't get damaged.
Wipe the table/table cloth
Go play with the children
Quick wipe over the hob should see it sparkling again
Tidy the tree
Before children go to bed they must stack their new things nicely!

Think that is everything that I need to tackle today, Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas day, don't forget to make some time for yourself today. 

Asparklierblonde

Good morning lovely friends and Merry Christmas to you all,

Cuppa in bed here. DD is still fast asleep, she was really poorly yesterday evening with a headache. We will start the day properly when she awakes. I made a good old mess with hay and ash around the fire last night, those naughty elves! The kids will love it I’m sure. 

I hope you all find time in the day to relax. Much love xx

soappie

Merry Christmas everyone!

roundtuit

Good morning all xx 

Grinning at the thought of asb's naughty elves. 😊

They kept P in so I'm winging it changing some of today's plans. I'm waiting for DS to let me know that he's awake so I can tell him that his Dad is in hospital and won't be joining us for lunch. Merry Christmas eh!

I've spoken to S and we're going to do presents when P is back home. But I'm still going over to pick her up and take her to DS's for lunch. Then either DS or I can take her up to the hospital to visit P.

After all that quick thinking I'm not really in the mood for Christmas. But it's here ready or not.....

Another brew is needed. I'm taking a leaf out of MMM's book and writing a list. Feel free to ignore.

To Do Today List 
Brew 2 and breakfast 
Get dressed 
Put presents for DS and DF in a bag 
Put presents for DF's parents in a bag 
Feed the birds 
Put out the recycling 
Put bags in car 
10.15 am Drive to P&S's 
Be at DS & DF's for 11.30 
Lunch

After that it's anyone's guess. Fingers crossed for a timely hospital discharge. 

I wonder if DF is awake.....

Hope everone else is having a wonderful Christmas morning 

Feliz Navidad
Rxx

Fayolle

Good morning to all my lovely flyfriends,
Wishing you all a lovely day. I hope you get some time with your loved ones, and some much deserved r&r.
Super Chicken is taunting me from the worktop. Little does he realise what is coming to him…
Love to all xx