Weekly Flylady Thread 2nd September 2024

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!

Right now the thread is looking very quiet...but 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!!!8217;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- thats 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

Ok here goes this week!
Monday Mayhem ~ Krazy Kitchen

Level One..
Clear the floor of unnecessary gibble
Mop/hoover the floor
Level Two..
Shine the sink and draining board. Make those taps shine and twinkle..
Wipe down worktops and wipe down all small electricals.
Rehome anything that is out of place
Level Three...
Clean inside the microwave. A good tip is to heat up a cup of water in the microwave - the steam shifts all the yukky stuff on the microwave
Clean the window and windowsill. Rehome anything that shouldn't be there
Sort through your cookery books/magazines. Are there any that you don't need that are just taking up space? Rehome them to the local charity shop...
15 fling boogie

Extra challenge:

• Deweb, don't forget those corners
• Clean light fittings/switches
• Wipe down the doors
• Empty those smelly bins
• Clean that cupboard under the sink!!!
• HHI

Twinkling Tuesday ~ Bouncing Bedroom
Level One..
Clear the floor of anything that doesn't belong there..
Hoover the floor
Empty any bins
Level Two..
Strip the bed and remake with fresh clean bedding
Dust surfaces
Polish mirrors and any other shiny surfaces...
Level Three...
Turn and vacuum mattress - do NOT do it if you are unable to or pregnant..get a nice partner/hubby/child to do it for you.
Sort through the wardrobe - is there anything that you don't need or can be rehomed.
Clean the light switches

Extra challenge:

• Clear one drawer in the dressing table/chest of drawers
• Clean the window - make it sparkle in the sunshine
• Clear and clean the windowsill
• HHI
• Any last minute shopping for those with kiddies going back to school on Thursday. Make a list of what you need so that you don't forget anything at the last minute.

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Barnacled Bathroom

Level One..
Empty bins
Clear all empty bottles/toothpaste tubes etc.. Do we really need to keep that empty box of q-tips.
Change flannels/sponges
Level Two..
Clean sink and bath
Shine the taps, don't forget to get underneath the taps with a toothbrush.
Clear floor of any stuff that shouldn't be there - towels if they are dirty should be in the laundry bin.
Level Three...
Hoover/mop floor
Clear out the medicine cabinet - if you have any out of date medicine make sure it's bagged up properly and either bin it securely or take to the nearest chemist for disposal.
Replace those manky towels for lovely fresh towels.
Clean windowsill
Last minute checks to see if you have everything for your little ones going back/starting school
Extra challenge:

• Clean windows
• Wash curtains
• HHI

Tantalizing Thursday ~ Luxurious Living Room, hall and stairs

Level One..
Pick things up off the floor, make sure those stairs are safe.
Take "first day of school" photo - if your little darlings are back at school today!
Vacuum through the living room, hall and stairs
Level Two..
Dust standing objects including electrical items - no electrocutions please!
Turn over and plump sofa and chair cushions.
Water plants
Level Three...
27 fling boogie
Sort out one cupboard/drawer, even that cupboard under the stairs if you want...
Wash windows and nets
Sort the junk on the landing
Extras...

• Sort out any mending that needs doing and have a go at it..
• Replace any dead light bulbs
• Wash smelly pet beds
• Wash any cushions, throws or curtains that need it..
• Deflea pets

Final Friday ~ Frightening Kids rooms and Spare rooms
Level One..
Clear away anything that isn't in it's place, clothes, toys, books etc
Make an appointment for some ME-time.. hairdressers? manicure? night out with friends? .. whatever just do it!
Level Two..
Vacuum the floor
Dusting.. all those shelves and flat fluffy surfaces!! Don’t forget the light shade and curtain pole!!!
Strip beds, turn and vacuum mattresses!! and replace with fresh linen .. check if duvets need freshening up too!!
Level Three...
Clean 2 windows
Sort through a cupboard/chest of drawers and get the clothes out which are no longer wearable, too small or out of season!
Wipe any sticky marks off walls and doors
Extras...

• Find 5 things to ebay/freecycle
• Wipe the radiators, skirtings and window & door frames!
• HHI
• Binbag dance!!! grab a binbag and fill it with stuff to leave the house.. rubbish or charity shop or to donate to a friend!

pigpen

TY for Fred... I hope all is well at Chateau Natty. I may try to be in but i am trying to conserve spoons for the school run starting Tuesday.. It takes a few!

Girls are all back to school/dance/swimming/music/musical theatre this week so the chaos resumes.. it honestly doesn't feel like 5 minutes since they finished in July.. even Pixie said it has gone really fast.  Waiting on the last school bag and a pair of trainers and I think we are ready.. I need to write many names in many items..

So.. today I have cleared a lot in the front room. 2 loads of landry, 3x DW, binned the old DAB radio.. it still worked but the aerial and plug were broken.. and I don't need it. I threw out loads of recycling and dead shoes. I organised 3 return parcels. I took some bits upstairs and restacked all the cat toys. I wiped the hob and all the work surface in the kitchen and the table. I put loads of stuff away and spoke sternly to OH about getting his stuff out of the front room and into the bin and shed where it belongs..

Jazee

Evening.  Thanks for the list Natty.

Today's event was a success which was a relief.  It stopped raining just in time.  I don't think I have any events to organise until December now.

 I probably won't fly tomorrow as DGD2 is here, she's just gone to bed, but I'll certainly join in as much as possible from Tuesday.

Natty68

Still ill but only covid symptoms now, COVID gone thank gods,  Piggers, thought I was getting better as I was feeling more energetic and doing things, although still no voice and a cough. It's been here since 1st August (I know the exact date as I felt awful after the baby shower 😔) And I'm now all clammy and have a horrific throat again. Taken myself off to bed with the pup, a hot cuppa and the air con on low, hence why the thread is early tonight 😉

Am hoping it's just a blip and it'll go away very soon as I'm awaiting the birth of my great niece Tabitha (she's 2 days overdue) and if I'm still ill I can't go and see her when she's born 😭. But in the meantime I'm taking rest and sleep all day tomorrow I think.

I don't envy you the writing of names on school stuff. But I know what you mean the time has gone quick from when they all broke up. My niece is complaining it's not long enough, she doesn't want to go back next week.

Oooh guess what? We've been here in Wales a whole year on the 6th.. where did that year go..lol And I'm still living with boxes that need unpacking...lol

Off to snuggle down with the pup, if he stops playing on the bed..

pigpen

ooh Natty.. I hope you're soon better.. it's a pain when stuff outstays its welcome! ((hugs)) The  littles are excited to go back but none of us feel like we have had long enough off

Goodintentions

Thank you for the thread Natty and thanks to Valli for last week.

Today has mainly consisted of watching the paralympics & phone-faffing, interspersed with some flying/gardening/crafting. 2 loads of washing have been done, DW emptied & restacked, DH WULTD the dishes & cooked dinner. I spent some time at the allotment, filling 2 trugs with weeds & harvesting some veg. I have also settled on a flower shape & cut out some felt. Still a few more to do, and then I need to work out how to make it all up! 

Hugs, sticks & spoons to those that need them. 

Frizzlef

Sorry to here that you are still feeling poorly natty. I really hope it clears up.soon.

We have been on holiday so no real flying. When we got back, I had a mountain of washing to do but we are pretty much there.

I am back at work today! Boo! 
Kids are back on Wednesday. I still have to label all the uniform!!! 
Yesterday, I decluttered the coats and shoes! I couldn't believe how many kids shoes were nit needed. I managed to get rid of about 7! 

Anyway, a load of washing is in. My aim is to get it on the line before I go! Then.....

Monday Mayhem ~ Krazy Kitchen

Level One..
Clear the floor of unnecessary gibble
Mop/hoover the floor
Level Two..
Shine the sink and draining board. Make those taps shine and twinkle..
Wipe down worktops
Level Three...
Clean the window and windowsill. 
15 fling boogie

Label.school uniform.

Optimistic but will give it a go! 

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

Thank you for the birthday wishes. 🎂.  I've put on a pound this week - which is not a surprise. The surprise is that it's not more than that. Anyhoo. Belated Birthday brunch with L this morning. Chocolates and ice cream to finish. Then back on track tomorrow and back to work too. Nooooo.

Ahhhh. Misty morning. Mellow fruitfulness anyone? I love, love, love autumn. I love the word September. I love the feel of autumn; the smell of autumn. I come alive in autumn. 💃💃💃

And breathe.... And come down a little... and calm down a little my wonderful Tigger. Although I'm pretty sure my Eeyore will peep out at some point and eye tomorrow 👀 dolefully.

But that's tomorrow. And today is today. Wow - deep 🤣

I'm up, made my bed, completed Wordle in three, completed Connections without losing any lives (at last), sploshed bleach down the loo, got weighed, and supped a brew.

Plan for this morning:
Get showered, dressed, etc 
Leave here at 9.30 am ish 
Brunch with L at 9.45 am.

Call at PO on the way home and
Pay rent 
Pay C. Tax 
Pay electricity bill 

Call at Mr C00p and buy crisps, wafers, and a loaf of bread for the freezer. (I can then manage another week and will schedule a Mr Al big shop next weekend when I go to town to pick up my prescription/ fill up with diesel.)

Also today:
Request repeat prescription 
Feed the birds 
DUPA 
Put out the recycling 
FUPA 

Have a good day.

Rxx

Valli

morning all

Hope you birthday was happy, Round.

Paid stuff today and i must go and pick up some rabbit food as we have run out

kazwookie

Morning

Thank you for the lists.

Been blitzing since 7am done are bins, wm x3, hoovered whole house, pegged out, cleaned hard floors, cat blankets out to air on garden table, cleaned 2 toilets, 2 wash basins, shower and its drain plug thing, polished mirrors, and loads of other minor things, so stopped now for toast.

To do

Get presc.

Walking

Have a good day

Honey_Bear

Vacuumed a bit, tidied a bit, cooked up a storm with various boxes of veggies from the freezer, which are now sitting in a cross between a quiche / flan thing that I found on You Tube which used a box of filo pastry that's been hanging around far too long and I bunged in a hallumi cheese likewise, after crisping chunks of it - very morish to snack on while chopping things.  It'll do for at least two evenings and a some lunches. 

I turned out a drawer that's been irritating me, but it's left me with a pile of clothes to try on which I very much fear are all too big for me.  Bought them in a supermarket in France so I can't return them, either.  *rats*

Another day of doing mostly exactly what I wanted to do.  I'll need to do some actual proper Flying later in the week as we have four friends of friends coming to stay for the weekend for her 60th.  Can't have the place looking like a bomb's hit it for them.