Weekly Flylady Thread 11 March 2024

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, rammel, 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

Manic Monday -  The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing

Level 1
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms.  If there are lilies watch out for the pollen…toxic to pets and stains!  
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 and/or side tables and leave tidy
Prune magazines and/or newspapers

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 - we don’t want grim finger grease marks🤢
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
Meal plan for the week (if you haven't already) and include a 'double up and freeze one' meal - because then you can have a day off later or you’ve a meal ready to go if you’re busy spring cleaning!
Keep financial spreadsheets/books up to date


Tuesday Twinkles Kitchen and Din8ng

level 1

Empty Bins and wash out
remove table cloth - wash 
Clearsides and wipe down, wipe everything that lives there
wipe table and chairs
clear and clean sink - and bleach the drain.  Don’t forget the plug, too

Level 2
wipe down Cupboard and drawer fronts
wipe appliances and clear filters
clean splashbacks

level 3
clean utility area/room
clean windows and door glass 
clean catflap
deal with floor

extras
s&s bathrooms
HHI
Empty cutlery drawer/caddies and wash and wipe

Wishy Washy Wednesday Bathrooms, cloakrooms en suites

Level 1

The washbasin
open window
remove all gubbins around it
scrub out
ckean and polish taps
clean plug, chain etc
wipe mirrors
clean pedestal/cupboard

level 2 
The loo
scrub inside and out
wipe cistern
wipe loo roll holder
dust sill and clean window

level 3
clean Bath/shower
wash curtain or wipe and shine screen
clean taps or showerhead
clean and clear drain
wipe towel rail
replace towels
clean floor

extras HHI
plan a pleasant activity of your choosing for some self care/chillax time

Friday Flourish -fifteen minutes flash 

Open windows everywhere then -
for every 15 :minutes you have

pick a room. 
straighten that room.  Tidily hang curtain, straighten cushions/throws make bed, clear rubbish, quick vacuum or sweep.  Re home rammel or gibble 
get washing out
use one session to iron 

The idea is you do 15 minutes then stop.  You can do more than one session if you wish - or none at all.  Have a lovely day whatever you do!

ionafan

Thank you Valli.

I shall not be flying tomorrow which is why I've got ahead of myself today

Hope everyone has a good week xxx

pigpen

TY for Fred. I m about but I am nt sure how much I will get done as I have another insane week.. before we even get into Squeak being a nightmare to kee in school and Dot has a school trip on Thursday..

Back in a minute.. OH needs my arms.

pigpen

Arms used..

I knitted the first sleeve and just cast on the second. I am hoping to have the sweater done by Wednesday so I can start the cardigan I have planned on Wednesday, it is a simple very pretty cardigan.

Uniforms and pack ups sorted

everyone washed.

I need to dig out the new shoes for Dot since she has dislodged the sole from the current pair. I have the next size but she hasn't grown into them yet so is in the 3rd pair of size 5's .. I may need to purchase another spare pair.

Monday ~ Beanie and Lion 11-3. Dance class 4-7

Tuesday ~ Twinkle at hospital 10:50.

Wednesday ~ drs 9:40 .. me and Pixie. Swimming 6:30-7

Thursday ~ Dot school trip. Squeak having the ASD outreach team in school to look her over.. hopefully we can have the report from them before the final EHCP draft and can add their recommendations in.

Friday ~ Bill paying day.. always the funnest day!

I have 2 parcels to sort (a jumper and a pair of shoes) I might dig those out now actually.. before I get engrossed in the knitting again.

SGT

Thank you Valli.

 I am sneaking back in after several years away!  I saw a post in the Facebook group & it was as though it was fate as I have let things slide & I need to get back on track. 

So pleased we are starting the week with the lounge, it definitely needs sorting as does the hall! 

I am going now to prepare some overnight oats so that my breakfast is ready & I can get straight on with the lounge! 

pigpen

ooh I forgot we even had the FB group.. I've not been a member there for a REALLY long time.. nice to know it is still being used .. and you now there is no escape from us really.

scones and cocoa on the side for the WAC .. off to my nest.. nn

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning 

Thanks for the thread.  Am I first up?

Not feeling too lively this morning.  Late start and finish at the paid stuff and I have to squeeze in a house viewing with DS and GF later on.  I would quite like to go back to bed. 

Going to do some Pilates, tidy the LR and get ready for the paid stuff. 

Have a good Monday all x

Jazee

Morning all.  Thanks for the thread.

 I have only just got up too.  Slurping first cuppa.

 I'm not sure how much flying I'll get done today as DGD2 is here but I'll try to report back as I achieve anything.

Have a great day everyone.

kazwookie

Morning

Thank you for the lists.

DW x 1, forgot it was on opened door to put knife in! wops, it seems to have restarted where it was.

Bed stripped and remade

Whole house hoovered

Bin done

Cats fed

Cat's area scrubbed

Toast eaten

Kitchen sink jiffed

Bathroom and ensuit basins also jiffed

To do

WM

Small area of power washing

Paint back of hearth

Make chicken curry to dinner tonight, portion up and freeze left over if any.!

Peg out washing once power washing is done

Sort of grey and overcast here, but it says no rain,  however the sky says otherwise.

Zed42

Morning all,

Thanks for the thread @Valli

In for an attempt this week .... lounge, hallway, stairs and landing is a good place to start! Especially need to clear down the fireplace after the weekend Not sure we've enough wood to restack though (delivery Thursday).

roundtuit

Morning everyone xx 

Thank you for the thread. I'm in all week woot woot. Some of my flylady chicks seem to have gone AWOL...I hope everyone is OK 😘

I'm up, made my bed, got weighed,  completed Wordle, completely failed at Connections (not even one line right 🤦‍♀️) and I'm supping my first brew.

Lost another pound 😊 That's seventeen gone now. Despite it being a stressful week I didn't comfort eat in the evenings. Patting myself on the back.

My anxiety is still high. Dreaming about trying to get from A to B without being blown up doesn't help! Hoping that my equilibrium is restored this week. 🙏  And breathe....

Round 1
Brew 2 and breakfast 
Laundry shuffle 
Get dressed 
Put the airer away 
Feed the birds 
Put out the recycling 
WUDUPA 
Order repeat prescription 

Aspirations for today are
1. Get on top of the pots 🙈
2. Clear the pile of paperwork on the kitchen table 

I'm going to H's for a coffee and a catch up this afternoon. Better crack on then.

Love to all
Rxx