Weekly Flylady Thread 23rd September 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, 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

Marvellous Monday - Kitchen and Dining Room

Level 1
Open some windows for some fresh air 
Wash up, dry up and put away (or remove all pots to DW) 
Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances and caddies etc.  Don't forget the splashbacks or tiles!
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too - put it outside to dry in the sunshine, if you can.
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks - and shine those taps - or clean them!
Glug some bleach down the plugholes.
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth - don't forget the legs and places where sticky fingers can reach.
Clean chairs/stools - and don't forget legs and rails!
Check fruit and wash bowl
Throw away your manky dish cloth or sponge and replace with a new one!  Put out a new hand towel and a new tea towel too
Clean cruet, salt and pepper, wipe any sauce bottles that are used on the table


Level 2

Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts inside and out, 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; update shopping list as appropriate, wash shelves etc and check running temperature 
Dust dining area/room
Descale kettle if needed
Clean WM , TD and DW filters; remove WM detergent drawer and wash it out.
Wipe inside of washer drawer and DW door paying particular attention to manky crevices

Level 3

Choose a drawer, shelf or cupboard for special attention.  Empty, clean out, replace what is needed or useful and fling what is unused and/or out of date
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seats where sticky fingers linger.
Clean windows in both rooms.

EXTRAS

HHI
S&S bathroom

A new month begins this week -

Are your financial spreadsheets/notes up-to-date?
If you need to keep accounts make sure they're up-to-date with receipts logged and filed etc
Do you need any cards for October? - might be an idea to get those for Nov and Dec, too
Check smoke alarms, CO monitors and outside lighting
Make sure all drains are clear - we don't want any overflows!
Do you need to insulate outside taps or pipes?

Terrific 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 - don't forget the out of sight bits!

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 - possibly!
HHI
S&S 

Wonderful Wednesday - the boudoir, your sanctuary

Level 1

Strip bed and remove bedding to WM or basket
Open window
Remove rubbish
Clear floor and chairs of clothes etc

Level 2

Make bed with fresh bedding
Clean windows and sills
Clean floor - vacuum, sweep or mop

Level 3

Dust all round - remove everything and wipe it and under it
Polish mirrors
Wipe electricals - vacuum filters/air intake of hairdryer
Clear hair from brushes and combs

Extras

s&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
binbag dance
HHI


Thursday Thrills - love your lounge

level 1

remove anything that lives elsewhere
empty bin
clean widows

level 2
clean sofas and chairs 
clean floor inc under sofas … and behind them

level 3
dust everywhere inc skirtings and light fittings
sort flowers (I’ve got 4 lots…)
water plants


extras
S&S bathrooms
HhI
Thursday Thrills - love your lounge

level 1

remove anything that lives elsewhere
empty bin
clean widows

level 2
clean sofas and chairs 
clean floor inc under sofas … and behind them

level 3
dust everywhere inc skirtings and light fittings
sort flowers (I’ve got 4 lots…)
water plants


extras
S&S bathrooms
HhI

Friday flourishes… hall, stairs, landing plus a neglected area eg utility, study

level 1

clear floors - bang any mats outside
mop, sweep or vacuum as appropriate

level 2

ckean windows
wash down doors = outside and in
clean doorframes, lintels etc - those dust raps need emptying once in a while!

Level 3
check coat hooks - remove anything unworn, too snall
tidy shoe racks etc
dust fixtures and fittings
pur mats back tidily

extras
S&S bathrooms & cloaks 
HHI

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

I'm up, made my bed, got weighed*, dressed, and I'm supping my first brew.

*gained 0.5 lb. Tut. I reintroduced bread this week. Calorie counted bread,  but bread. I'll unreintroduce it and see what happens.

Weather forecast is for heavy rain all day today so I did my Mr Al shop yesterday. P & S will be calling for coffee this morning. And then man is coming to service the boiler some time today.The last twice when I've changed the appointment and asked for an afternoon visit he's arrived midmorning. That's why I'm dressed. JIC 🤣

Your collective industriousness is having an influence on me. I'm formulating a plan. I need to get it written down before it disappears. Less scrolling. Less mindless telly. More doing interspersed with more mindfulness. That's the general idea. 

Brew 2 and breakfast first.

Have a good day. You may need your wellies.

Rxx

Teaparty_mum

Good morning, 

So far I’ve walked the dog and put a wash on but that’s it so far, just haven’t got the energy or motivation so far 😂 but it will hopefully come back soon. 

Sarah 

ionafan

Thank you Valli x   I'm in for today only

Both of us are still snuffling and sneezing, but I have a list as long as my arm that must be completed by bedtime, so I'd better get on with it.  I've already checked finances, updated my contacts, emailed a friend, done a Spanish lesson, sorted tablets, and found more things to add to my list.

Hope it's been a brilliant weekend for you both, HB, and that the downpours missed your area xx
Round, if I was taking Rosie out for her walk today, we would definitely both need wellies - thankfully, I'm not x

Have a good week, everyone. Will see you when I can xxx

sexymouse

Morning all,

Thanks for the new thread @Valli - Happy Birthday wishes (I spotted that part in the list).

Great news that the stain has nearly gone @Cloth_of_Gold

Well school run done (it's absolutely pouring down here so we got a bit soggy, despite driving some of the run), so second coffee being consumed.

I'm waiting for a roofer to come (really bad timing weather wise) to redo our flat roof on the extension (we wanted to get it done before the bad weather as the wood has rotted in one corner and we're starting to get signs of water damage). DH booked it all for days when he is at work, so I now am in charge of everything, which I hate, as I haven't the foggiest idea about what is right and wrong, and he's also used up all of the milk, so I can't even offer the poor roofer a hot drink once he's here - I suspect a fruit tea wouldn't cut it lol.

It's bin day here today, so DH has already emptied the bin, so one job off the kitchen list.

Off to do wordle and connections. - ETA well I failed connections, and got wordle in 5, so not a great day of puzzling today.

Happy flying everyone. x

roundtuit

Happy Birthday Valli 🎂 🍾🥂🥳 xx You've caught me up again 😊

I've eaten breakfast and supped brew two. I've put out the recycling,  fed the birds, done a laundry shuffle and put away the airer.

HH Admin for me next. Anyone want to join me for a HH....doesn't have to be Admin 🤔

Rxx

sexymouse

@roundtuit I'll happily join you in a HH. Want to start at 9.35?

Valli

ooh too soon… i recycled an old list!  Not until Thursday!

sexymouse

Ended up doing admin in the HHC: 

• Parents' evening booked
• Recipe for tonight's dinner typed up and printed out
• DH phoned as roofer hasn't turned up yet ETA: they turned up just as I posted - had waited for the rain to stop
  
• New co-op offers chosen
• A couple of emails deleted
  

kazwookie

Bed done

WM x 2 done out on whirly, no rain here.(yet)

Bins done

Whole house hoovered

OH's 'heap' of stuff put into a basket a) to contain it, b) so he might get round to sorting it out.

Hard floors done

Shower screens cleaned

A small amount of other admin type stuff done.

Got distracted by the live online local auction house, and some how have just bought items for the garden, woops, just need to go and pick them up.

Thank you for the lists

roundtuit

Valli - I had 26th in my head, but thought I must have remembered wrongly. 🤔

sexymouse - thank you for joining me 😊 Hope it helped to have a partner. In my HH I updated next year's birthday card list, recycled my birthday cards, filed receipts and motor insurance certificate, noted and put away a Christmas present, sorted through the pile of paperwork in my handbag: filed poems, recycled outdated cv, binned a couple of scraps of paper. Just work related stuff went back in my bag.

P & S called for coffee and left with the bag of books to be returned to P's sister, M.

No sign of the boiler service man yet. 

Rxx