Weekly Flylady Thread 4 November

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

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A COMPLETE LIST EVERY DAY!

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

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
Meal Plan - and aim to use up something in the freezer - we need to make some space for seasonal extras
Check xmas cards…do you news 

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 - don’t forget the blinds/curtain rails and wipe any 'on display' bottles down 
Waggle a thin brush down plugholes to extract any ‘rat tails’ (hair - ugh)

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 kitchen
Check smoke detector batteries are working

Wonderful Wednesday 

 The Boudoir 
do level 1 at least - everyone deserves a comfy bed

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
Use a damp cloth to wipe lotions and potions - and fling anyting OOD/past it's best

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
Bin bag dance...fling that gibble

EXTRAS

HHI
S&s kitchen
S&S bathroom

Thursday Thrills

Living room, hall, stairs and landing

Level 1

Open lots of windows and let that fresh air in while beds are airing
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Wash out vases
Empty bins/ashtrays
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
Sort newspapers/magazines

Level 2
Clean windows and mirrors 
Vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies - and stairs!
Move furniture to vacuum under it if you can.
Clean doormats

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 open/close it.
Check for cobwebs and eliminate!
Clean lightshades and lampshades; check all lighting is functioning as it should - vacuum fabric shades; wash glass shades 
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
and some self care...crafting, reading, a bubbly bath?i 

Friday finale kids room/guest room

leel 1

strip bed and leave to air
bedding in wm
remove detritus and clear floor

level 2
ckean windows
clean floor

level 3

dust all round

extras

hhi
 s &s kitchen
s&s bathroom
update financial records
spend 15 minutes gardening - or garden tidying.  Or even making a quick list of pre winter outside jobs.   If I can do it you can!

YORKSHIRELASS

I am in, restless night, lots going on at the paid stuff this week. 

Pilates done, breakfast and shower next and into the office. 

Have a good Monday all x

ionafan

Thanks Valli.  I shall try to fly every day this week between various visits and appointments - probably with the exception of Friday, when we shall be out all day.

***Important reminder*** 
The deadline for signing up for the FLYLADY SECRET SANTA is this coming Sunday, 10th November!
Everyone is welcome to join in - please PM me your details.

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

Oooo citing YL 😘 And congratulations to all 🥂🍾 xx

I actually managed to stay in bed until after 7.30 this morning. Get me being a sloth 😊
I'm up, made my bed, got weighed*, turned over the calendars, taken my meds, and I'm supping a brew. 

*Gained half a pound this week. Expected as being tired because of the stoopid clock change I have been craving and succumbing: carbs. Gimme bread. I need bread. Not going to lose sleep over it. My outfit fits nicely. I've lost 3 stone 5.5 lbs. I have more to lose but I have a wedding to celebrate first. 

I'm meeting L at the posh farm shop cafe this morning. Then I'll call to see P & S for a coffee. Then PO to pay rent and draw out some cash. I'll feed the birds and put out the recycling before I go.

Oh. And S either 'understood' about Babs not wanting to outshine me and feels the same. Ermmm. Bring it on sunshine! Or she's not understanding things at all ... which has crossed my mind a few times this past year. I don't get it. When did it become a competition? Is it something that happens to women in their 70s? They suddenly think they're stunning supermodels? Is there an emoji with an Elvis lip? Shhhh. Don't tell anyone but I'll be too busy enjoying myself to give a 💩 what anyone else is wearing. As long as DS and his DF have the best day... and I don't fall over in my sparkly shoes. Of course if anyone talks about outshining me on the day there may be a problem. I wonder if the hotel has a lake? A pond? A large puddle? Joking! I am joking honest 😉.

Better get a shufti on. I'm sure L is expecting me to be wearing clothes when we meet up.

I'll be back later to do some actual flying. Love you guys.
Rxx

ionafan

roundtuit said:

I've lost 3 stone 5.5 lbs. I have more to lose but I have a wedding to celebrate first. 

Great attitude, round !  And FWIW I gave up competing against the would-be supermodels long before I reached my 70s.  Just be your lovely self and yah-boo-sucks to the rest of them who daren't eat in case they split their side seams! xx

Fayolle, I know you're there so please come out of hiding.  You have probably done more flying than me in the past week x

I have checked finances and moved money around, researched somewhere to meet up with our friend on Friday, and sorted the first WM load.  Haven't actually switched the machine on yet..!  

Honey_Bear

I've never understood the whole competition thing about clothes, and/or not wearing the same outfits.  They're clothes, for goodness sake.  They cover us up, they keep us cool/warm, they should be comfortable and not frighten the horses.  If they fit and look great - great.  It doesn't make anyone look better or worse if we look fab or we're dressed in a binbag.  The key thing to remember is to tell other women how wonderful they look when they do, particularly if they don't have a supportive partner.  Here endeth the rant.

Dog medicated and fed, cats fed, bird feeders topped up and put out, broccoli soup started with a very bendy broccoli head and now back in bed with a pot of coffee and a few animals strewn about the place.

roundtuit

And that's why I know I've found my tribe. Thank you ladies 😘. DS won't care what I'm wearing as long as I'm there to share his big day. And everyone else can yah-boo-sucks as you so succinctly put it iona.

I'm showered, washed my hair, and dressed. Trying out the new underwear (I bought two of each) to make sure a) I can move, breathe, drive, eat etc etc and b) it doesn't ping, split, combust after half an hour.

Rxx

eltee2

Morning All - count me in & thanks for the inspiration.  I only found you again a couple of weeks ago, but the difference is amazing - not just in how the house is looking, I feel better in myself as well 🤗

ionafan

Round  

eltee2 said:

... I feel better in myself as well 🤗

Welcome to the Crazy Gang, eltee2! (We can do serious too, when it matters.) xx

ETA: I have hoovered all through downstairs, de-crumbed the toaster, and mopped the kitchen floor.  WM load 1 is out of the TD (still quite damp), load 2 is tumbling now, load 3 will go in as soon as I go downstairs again.  Go me!  Better sneak off and have my shower, then

Valli

Washing out; DW emptied.  Bed made.  WUALTD

MinnieMousesMummy

Thank you for the new thread. Hope everyone has had a nice weekend. 

It has been a busy start to the day so far I have gotten the kids to school, travelled into uni, attended a lecture and phoned the solicitor regarding potentially moving house. 

My list for the rest of today
Attend another 2 uni lectures. 
Wash up dishes, dry and put away
Speak to DH regarding logistics for moving house (if it goes ahead)
Check banking and make sure all payments are up to date. 
Empty the kitchen bin and clean it out
Spend an hour on uni assignment (aim for another 500 words)
HHI
S&S bathroom

I think that is everything that I need to complete today. Hope everyone has a lovely Monday.