weekly Flylady Thread 29 January 2024

Valli

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

ok Here goes this Week.


Manic Monday Kitchen/dining room

Level 1

Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks
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!

Level 2

Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts, 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
Wash out 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.

Level 3

Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean windows in both rooms.


EXTRAS

Dig out your Toots list and update.
Update budget notebooks/spreadsheets.
New month begins this week - do you need any birthday cards? 
S&S bathroom
Check smoke and CO detectors are fully functioning

Twinkly 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

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
Wash showercurtains (if any) and put outside to blow dry if fine - check forecast!
HHI
S&S kitchen

Hump Day- Master Bedroom/Boudoir
Level 1
Open windows, 
Clear the floordrobe/chairdrobe
Strip the bed and leave to air
Take out the rubbish
Bedding in WM
Wipe all switches, handles, rails, light pulls etc.

Level 2 (after breakfast/a period of time)

Remake the bed with clean, fresh linen
Dust/clear bedside tables
Clean windows, frames and sills - check everything closes/locks as it should

Level 3

Vacuum any soft furnishings - don't forget the headboard if it's fabric!  Of not wipe/polish it
Dust everywhere else; as you remove lotions and potions from dressing tables wipe them over with a damp cloth.
Minimise clutter/organise essentials - your bedroom needs to be the cosiest, snuggliest place of peace, calm and refuge
Vacuum/mop floors

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms

I did do a list for Thursday but forgot to post it so choose one of the following options for Friday…

OPTION 1 Kids room/guest bedroom

level 1

open windows
strip bed
clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
empty bin

level 2
make bed with fresh bedding
clean bedside tables
vacuum/sweep/mop floor

level 3
clean windows
dust all round

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
Wash your make up brushes/applicators (shampoo/shower gel/washing up liquid) rinse VERY well. Shake off excess wet and put in a warm/airy place (indoors or out) to dry.
Hairbrushes and combs might also benefit too.

OPTION 2 Living room, hall, stairs & landing

Level 1
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Empty bins/ashtrays
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

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!

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?

Extras
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
HHI
Spend 15 minutes tidying in the garden

pigpen

TY for Fred.. I hope you have a very unexciting week filled with health and happiness for you and the old folks  

decluttered the last 3 cookies so I can declutter the empty packaging.

OH made a hash of rejigging the airers.. but I will clear it tomorrow.
I have to speed fling in the front room ready for a creepy crawly little bug..

School stuff is ready we just have to get the Beans out to school on time.

Cuppa and bed..

Cocoa and shortbread waiting for the WAC!

ionafan

Thank you Valli for the new list.  K said yesterday that it is going to be a busy week for her, so I shall be flying to the best of my  ability on my own, unless DH can be persuaded to help.

Thank you Piigpen for the cocoa and shortbread - much appreciated at this unearthly hour!  I hope everyone else is in the Land of Nod.

xxx

Asparklierblonde

Morning all

Really quick one from me, I set the alarm for 5.15am as standard but dozed back off until 6.30! So now I am really really behind and rushing. 

Will pop back on later have fab days all x

flamingo747

Morning folks! 

S&S x2.

Today will be my reset from the weekend as usual for a Monday.  I have an app I use that shows me all my tasks and how imminently they need to be done according to the schedule I've set. This really helps with the mental load as I'm not thinking about when things were last done, and I'm generating fewer of my own lists

This week I really want to paint inside my walk in cupboard, but I know I need to get everything organised first so I can start it early in a day and give it the most time to dry before my menfolk come home. I also need to pack the coats away. Wedding anniversary is on Thursday,  and I'll be going to work with Mr Flamingo and we'll get lunch together. Also to do, keep trying to be rid of these toys taking up space. If they haven't sold by Friday I'll have to put them on o-lio and freecycle 

Valli

Morning all.  Door has been undercoated and glossed on the inside with silk, so i’ll gloss the outside this morning.  It’s lying on the DR table balanced on loo rolls.  I’ve got a feeling it will need two coats.  I also got the washing in yesterday but it didn’t dry completely, so socks went on the radiator to finish.  Space (well the lack of it) means I’ll only be able to do one door at a time.
 Second batch of oranges were boiled and cut up, with the innards dripping through a jelly bag overnight.  First lot set beautifully, so my mixed method worked well. 
DDs birthday today, she’s in Iceland so a text has been sent.  Not going to work today as i’m swimming and taking mum to the dentist

This is the cupboard before I started, flanked by two bedroom doors.  It’s very tall, taller than the room doors. The bedroom doors are being changed on the 12th, and this gives an idea of the brown varnish (and why there are four doors).  At one time this held the immersion heater.  It’s a really useful cupboard, very deep, and has a socket inside.  As the landing has no natural light unless the bedroom/bathroom doors are open, you can imagine it’s a dark landing..

roundtuit

Good morning my lovelies xx 

Thank you for the thread Valli and Natty. Xx

Happy birthday to Valli's DD 🎂 And wishing all a good week ❤

Are you OK iona? Hope you managed to get some more sleep. Xx

I'm up, made my bed, got weighed and supped a brew. Glad tidings of great joy: I've decluttered 3 and a half pounds this week. Defo slightly-less-Round ... not that you can tell yet....but by 9th November I should be sylph-like! Well, maybe not sylph. But not mannatee! 😉

P's appointment for his angiogram is 8.30 am today. If required they'll do the angioplasty at the same time. Prayers appreciated 🙏 .... you can backdate prayers so it's OK if you're reading this tonight. 

I'm going to have breakfast and another brew. Then I'll be back with my first Round.

Love to all
Rxx

MinnieMousesMummy

Morning all, Dry but cold day here today. 

My list for today
Get dressed
Feed the animals
Do paid stuff
Phone the garage regarding a new tyre (hit a pot hole on the way home from work last night, just hoping it is only a new tyre that I need). 
Do required uni work
Declutter 50 emails from the inbox
Wipe down the kitchen work surfaces
Empty the kitchen bin
Clear the dining table of clutter
Change the tablecloth that is on the dining table. 
Clean the microwave
Do 2 loads of laundry
Check banking, update direct debits, and make a list of income/payments for next month
Sort bags/clothes/lunches for tomorrorw. 

Think that is everything that I need to tackle today, hope everyone has a lovely Monday/Week.

roundtuit

Brew supped. Breakfast eaten. Curtains opened. Very grey, overcast (foggy?)  and raining here. I'm happy to stay indoors  - realised I didn't need a full Mr Al shop this week so popped into Mr C00p as I passed yesterday to buy bananas,  eggs and yogurts. Also claimed my winnings from the scratchcard S bought me for Christmas. £3. Every little helps. 

Round 1
Get dressed
Laundry shuffle 
Feed the birds 
Put out the recycling 

Finished my book so it's been added to the cs pile. And next book retrieved from TBR pile. Yesterday P's sister sent me another bag of books to read and pass on so my TBR pile grew again. Never mind. All very mse. Colleague can't believe that as I finish one book I pick up the next to read. I can't believe someone can be content without a book on the go. 😉

Back soon
Rxx

ETA P has just gone down for the procedure - text received from S.

roundtuit

roundtuit said:

Round 1
Get dressed ✅ 
Laundry shuffle ✅
Feed the birds ✅
Put out the recycling ✅

And I've put away the denuded airer. I seem to have got a little behind with the washing up so

Round 2
DUPA pots that were LTD on Saturday 
WUDUPA bowl of pots 
WUDUPA pans 

That'll catch me up again 😊

Rxx

kazwookie

Morning

Thank you for the lists

-1 lbs for me this week

So far

Stripped bed, remade

3 x WM, first 2 lots out on whirly.

Fire cleaned, logs in, kindling cracker out and cut down large tlogs, plus made some kindling

Recycling large council bin back in garden.

Wiped over laptop, with anti bac wipe.

Torn the side off a finger nail and it is very sore, that is twice recently I have done this, a right pain.

Off to do some general cleaning, tidying around and such like.