Weekly Flylady Thread 21 October 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

Manic Monday - kitchen and dining room

Level 1 

Clear sides and wipe down
Clear table - wipe mats and/or wash tablecloth
Empty bin - wash it out and leave it to dry in the sunshine
Sweep/mop/vacuum floors

Level 2
(for any newbies all the Level 1 tasks plus these)

Wipe sink and tiles/splashback paying special attention to the out of sight gunk-encrusted bits
Wipe tables and chair including legs/stretchers and under the seats
Dust and tidy eating area...tables are for eating not for storing piles (and I'm as guilty as the next person)

Level 3

Wipe down all drawers and cupboards - don't forget handles
Clean sill and windows

Extras

Meal plan - we need fridge and freezer space.  Plan to fill the oven - bake or cook extras.
Check running temperature of fridge and freezer.  
Check you have enough Christmas cards, gift wrap and sellotape.
Clocks go back this weekend - check outside lighting is fully functional.
make sure the offspring will be bringing PE kits home for half term.

Terrific Tuesday - Beautify your Bathroom(s)

No levels here...

Toilet and bidet 

flush and spray with cleaner of choice.  Scrub bowl, not forgetting under rim.  Wipe cistern, handle, seat and everywhere else.  Wipe bidet taps

Bath/Shower

scrub tray/bath
clean plug/drain
polish taps
wipe shower head
wash curtain or wipe screen

Hand basin

scrub bowl
clean taps and plug

Dust everywhere then mop the floor.  Wipe door handles and light pulls


Extras

HHI

Hump Day...Living room and hallway

Level 1

Remove any gibble
Empty bin
Bang doormats outside
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor

Level 2

Dust all round inc skirtings
Plump cushions'
Vacuum under seat cushions

Level 3

Shift any furniture you can move and clean under it
Clean windows
Dust electricals

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathrooms

Thursday - your bedroom

Level 1


Open windows
strip bed
sling bedding in WM
Clear floordrobe/chairdrobe

Level 2

Dust/vacuum headboard
Remake bed
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor

Level 3

Dust all round
Clean windows

Extras

HHI
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom


Friday Flourish


Ahead of half term take some tome to deal with a hotspot or to eat a frog.  Maybe the utility room needs some tlc, maybe you can take a trip to the CS or tip.  

If it’s raining get outside with a brolly and check the gutter etc are doing their job…I had an issue with this a few weeks back…we don’t want damp coming through.  

Make sure kiddies bring PE kit home and thatit goes into the wash.  Check plimsolls/pumps/trainers fit and that nametapes are present and secure.

If garden furniture hasn’t been put away do it asap

Jazee

Thanks for the list Valli.  I definitely need to be in from Tuesday.  I have a long to do list in my head as well!

ionafan

Thanks Valli.  I shall be in as much as possible - whilst bearing in mind that I still have 8 rounds of quiz questions to write by Friday   Most of the house is tidy: only my study (wip) and the utility are desperately in need of attention, and I'm planning to give the spiders a break this week in lieu of putting up Hallowe'en decorations

Have a good week, everyone xxx

leftatthetrafficlights

I'm in this week - thanks for the thread @Valli! 😁 

My house is a mess - I've had two weeks of doing little to nothing while I've had other stuff going on and I'm now at desperation stage!! 🙄🤦‍♀️

I'll be going off piste and doing my own lists some days but I've got loads to do...today I have to go out this morning so I'm doing a general house clean when I return; from tomorrow it's a deep clean of a room/area every day until they're all up to standard! It's going to be a busy week!! 😳😂

roundtuit

Good morning all xx 

My Monday morning weigh in revealed that I've gained a pound this week. It was expected after my unplanned pizza and chips tea with DS on Saturday evening. And worth it for the memory 😊. Less than three weeks until the wedding now. I've got my outfit.  I'm booked in for a bra fitting next Monday. A decent bra, Sloggi knickers, and every ounce I lose between now and the big day needs to chisel away my boobs and hips/tum. Please.

I'm up, made my bed, got weighed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars, completed Wordle in four,  completed Connections with no lives lost, and supped my first brew.

Plan today is:
Brew 2 
Shower and dressed 
Feed the birds 
Put out the recycling 
Laundry shuffle 
Put away the airer 
Coffee with L at posh farm shop cafe 
Call to see P & S 
Pay electricity bill 
Pay rent 
Mr C00p - bananas & pack up bits 

Usually I would visit Mr Al today for my fortnightly shop, but I've worked out that I can manage for another week with a small shop at Mr C00p. 

Have a good week
Rxx

kazwookie

Thank you for the lists.

Bed stripped and remade

WM is on

Kitchen is sorted, and I've emptied the 2 cupboards around the sink, as at 9am I have a plumber coming to do 'stuff' to the sink and tap.

Bleach sloshed about.

Job list made for when the plumber is here, OH can 'oversee' him as he knows him.

Windy here but no rain.

This afternoon, go round local town and put out the remaining poppy boxes.

Fayolle

Morning all,
Thank you for the thread. I’ll try to be in but my week will be topsy turvy - day off today to go with DD to the big hospital, then working tomorrow and the rest of the week. As usual prior to a hospital visit, there is very little motivation here this morning. I have put a load of towels in the wm and might tackle the ironing mountain. It is all DH’s, and I was steadfastly leaving it for him, but it is just the mindless job that I can do this morning.
We too had the free electric hour yesterday. DH gets the emails, and told me after it had finished. He needs to up his game! 

Over dinner last night, DD started explaining how her friends refer to various things as being Very Martin Lewis, and explaining who He was. How we smirked 🤣.
Have a good day all x

roundtuit

roundtuit said:

Plan today is:
Brew 2 ❎ changed my mind
Shower and dressed ✅
Feed the birds ✅
Put out the recycling ✅
Laundry shuffle ✅
Put away the airer ❎
Coffee with L at posh farm shop cafe ✅
Call to see P & S ✅
Pay electricity bill ✅
Pay rent ✅
Mr C00p - bananas & pack up bits ✅

Left the airer out as I've put a load of towels and tea towels in WM. They're just having an extra spin before being artfully draped on said airer.

Rxx

Honey_Bear

I hope today's appointment goes well Fayolle.  I love your daughter explaining Martin Lewis to you both!

Wren walked, shower and hair wash, last night's chicken stripped and leftover veggies chopped so supper will be an easy quick one tonight and tomorrow's h/m quiche is quietly defrosting in the fridge so Belovéd will have an easy meal to make too.

I've spent more time in the cupboard under the front steps, decluttered quite a few things to go to the scrapstore and CS, as well as sorting things into smaller containers than they were in.  It's all progress.  That's all I need down there and it's gradually coming together to be less of a 'I don't know quite what to do with that so I'll shove it in the cupboard under the front steps' and more of a 'Useful things we don't use very often' storage place.  And I can find stuff easily down there now so that's superhelpful.

Next job is to sort the box of bulbs I dug up and saved from the spring ready to plant when we've been to the garden centre to buy some winter flowering bedding plants for the troughs and pots that are now empty.

eltee2

Hello -  Am glad the Flylady forum still exists, I'm a lapsed member hoping to get back on the wagon after a few years of life's problems getting the better of me.    

eltee2

eltee2 said:

Hello -  Am glad the Flylady forum still exists, I'm a lapsed member hoping to get back on the wagon after a few years of life's problems getting the better of me.    

Not a bad start considering am recovering from awful cold


eltee's Extras

✔️Empty & reload D/W

Level 1 

✔️Clear sides and wipe down

✔️ Clear table - wipe mats and/or wash tablecloth

✔️ Empty bin - wash it out and leave it to dry in the sunshine

✖️Sweep/mop/vacuum floors

Level 2

(for any newbies all the Level 1 tasks plus these)

✖️Wipe sink and tiles/splashback paying special attention to the out of sight gunk-encrusted bits

 ✖️Wipe tables and chair including legs/stretchers and under the s
✔️  Dust and tidy eating area...tables are for eating not for storing piles (and I'm as guilty as the next person)

🙂