Weekly Flylady Thread 2nd December 2024

Valli

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!
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 (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’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 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...

FLYLADY THREAD PICK'N'MIX - spotted on an old thread from 2019 so I thought I would resurrect it ... 

I'm not going to list the rooms by day, just by room but you are free to either do a whole room (all three levels) or mix up the levels across the week - so, for example, you might pick level 1 to do for all rooms. Just post what you HAVE achieved! Sharp-eyed flyladies will notice there are six lists...because YOU are picking and mixing. You might choose the worst room to really make a difference (and because you have the time) or the least minging because you're short of time.  Given we are entering a busy time with lots to do I thought this makes a bit more sense.  If you have any suggestions to add to the list please feel free to let me know



Bathroom, Cloakroom, En suites

Level 1

Remove all rubbish (bin bag dance) and get it in the bin.  While you're at it check bin collection dates over the holidays and make a note on your calendar or set a reminder in your phone.
Clean windows
Dust all furnishings
Polish mirror and shower screen
Wipe shower cubicle out
Change towels and put the old ones straight into WM

Level 2

Clean loo - finish with a squirt of bleach bleach
Clean basin - don't forget to clean the underside of the plug
Wash toothbrush holders/toothmugs
Wipe loo roll holder

Level 3

Clean bath
Clean floor
Wipe door(s) down paying special attention to handles
Wipe pull switches
Check cabinets - wipe sticky shelves

Hall, Stairs and Landing

Level 1

Clear rubbish/binbag dance
Clean windows
Wipe all handles and stair rails/banisters - we want healthy flypeeps
Wipe sockets and switches

Level 2

Dust skirtings
Attend to plants
Dust everywhere

Level 3

Sweep, mop and/or vacuum floors
Clean mats
Check outdoor/security lighting is fully functional

Kitchen/dining room

Level 1

Clear sides and wipe down - wipe small appliances
Replace what lives there, wiping as you go
Empty bin and clean it out too
Wipe sill, sockets, door handles and switches
Clear and clean sink and accessories - don't forget those out-of-sight places - under plugs and under draining racks
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth
Check fruit and wash bowl
Throw away your manky dish cloth or sponge and replace with a new one!

Level 2

Wipe down all cupboard and drawer fronts, 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.  Check running temperature.
Dust dining area/room
Descale kettle if needed
Clear WM , TD and DW filters

Level 3

Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor
Clean windows

Master Bedroom

Level 1

Open windows w-i-d-e unless it's persisting it down/freezing
Strip bed
Allow to air
Remake bed

Level 2

Clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
Clean windows
Vacuum, sweep or mop floor
Empty bin
Put as much stuff as you can away - clear the clutter

Level 3

Dust all sides and shelves
With a just damp cloth wipe all your lotion and potion bottles, hairdryers (especially if you use product while blow drying) etc. and put all perfumes away in a drawer. The sun/heat will damage the contents.
Rinse the cloth and wipe sockets and switches
Polish mirrors
Vacuum/dust light fittings and lamps

Living room

Level 1

Open windows
Empty out any rubbish
Clear and clean coffee table/side tables
Recycle old newspapers and magazines
Rehome anything which is out of place
Wipe coasters
Deal with any flowers/water & wipe plants

Level 2

Dust and polish any wooden furniture or just dust
Check corners for cobwebs/spiders and remove
Dust skirting boards
Wipe handles/sockets/switches
Dust electricals

Level 3

Lift chair/sofa cushions and vacuum under them
Wipe leather furniture/vacuum sofas
Dust lightfittings - and bulbs!
Dust skirting boards/dado rails etc
Sweep/mop/vacuum floor

Kids room/spare room/guest room - especially if you expect visitors

Level one

Open windows
Strip bed (if needed)
Remove rubbish
Deal with flowers
Remake aired bed

Level 2

Clean window
Dust level surfaces
Check lighting functional

Level 3

Dust skirtings
Wipe mirrors
Vacuum floor

Daily little tasks that keep the whole house running smoothly

S&S kitchen (unless it's kitchen day)
S&S bathroom(s) (unless.. you get the idea)
HHI

Other key tasks

Pick and choose if/as necessary

Check smoke/CO detectors if you haven't done recently - we don't want any Christmas catastrophes!
Get those cards and gifts posted ASAP.  Don't forget Flylady Cards and/or Secret Santa URGENT  - and don't forget December/early January birthdays.
When you're meal planning plan to double up and freeze for busy days.  
When you're shopping make sure you have emergency milk (UHT) etc for inclement weather - and any other emergency needs
Check all car lights are fully functional; top up oil and screenwash as required. Make sure you have de-icer to hand.
Lots of lurgies are lurking - wipe switches and handles with antiseptic wipes/disinfectant.
Make sure you won't run out of meds/inhalers over the holiday season.  Find out when and where pharmacies are open.  Make sure you have OTC meds and plasters.
Clean all machine filters - TD, DW and WM, wipe seal and run WM on a hot wash to clear gunge.
Write Christmas shopping/to do lists
Buy batteries!  
Plan in some me-time - visit to a salon, long bubbly bath, snuggle down with a good book 
Get wrapping!
If you use hot water bottles check that they aren't aged and at risk of perishing we don't want burned flypeeps or soggy mattresses

Narc0lepsy

Gosh, first!  Thanks for the list.
Today comprised:
- overslept but made it to church.
- went to village Christmas fayre; Mr N won a small bottle of port on the tombola, so that suited him fine.
- with the help of a lot of thought and a couple of Zoom meetings with DB, we have now electronically signed one of the 3 (so far) documents to sell Mum's house. This electronic stuff is both very clever and very scary.   DB thinks completion is likely to be mid-Jan, although it is up to us.  So that is possibly 3 more visits to the house - including Christmas - that we have to clear it. Eek.
- wrote a few more Christmas cards.
- Looked at The Big Give list to pick out charities for family 'presents' when it goes live https://donate.biggive.org/christmas-challenge-2024 
- Did final check on Attendance Allowance form so will print it tomorrow and get it in the post. 
- Mr N is making progress with the new pan stand so I've started giving thought to what will go where.
- Drum practice

roundtuit

Hallooooo xx 

Thank you to Natty and Valli for keeping the thread going 😘

I was nearly up at 6am again, but I laid mentally composing a poem for a colleagues's leaving do this week....and I woke up at 7.40 am. Makes a change to counting sheep I suppose 🤣

Anyhoo. I'm up, made my bed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars,  got weighed, completed Wordle in TWO (impressed myself 🤣), completed Strands with one hint, but only managed two lines on Connections. Hmmmmm. That's not what I call 'em. Mutter. Mumble. First brew is slipping down nicely. 

To Do Today 

Get dressed 
Feed the birds 
Put out the recycling 
Laundry shuffle 
Put away airer 

Mr T delivering between 3pm and 4 pm 
Mr A delivering between 8pm and 9 pm 

P & S calling for coffee this morning- they can take their Advent calendars, the church magazine,  and P's cheque. Oh, and Christmas cards for that side of the family. 

I usually shower and put on my nightie in time to sit and watch Only Connect on a Monday evening. Good thing I remembered Mr A's time slot. I'm assuming he's coming. Mr T keeps texting me to remind me. But Mr A hasn't. Better check my emails.

I've lost half a pound this week. Holding steady at the three and a half stones off mark. I think I'm a bear: in hibernation mode and craving carbs 🤔

Love to all
Rxx

MinnieMousesMummy

Thank you for the new thread. It's the start of another hectic week for me, as so much to get done ahead of my uni exams starting next week, however, all my assignments for this term have now been submitted. 

My list for today
Put the bin out
Attend uni lectures
Clean windows in the bathroom
Polish mirrors in the bathroom
Clean the bathroom cabinet shelves.
Take the dog for a long walk. 
Write Xmas cards
Schedule festive food shopping
Update the festive present list

I think that is everything I need to get done today. I hope everyone has a lovely Monday or week. 

ionafan

Morning all.  Thank you Valli for the new thread. 

Sorry I've been MIA a lot recently.  I am still playing catch-up from the fortnight with my arm in a sling, compounded by the fact that we already had a lot of social events in the diary for last week.  This week should be less hectic, but I have plenty of outstanding jobs to fill it!  Unfortunately I also still have plenty of aches and pains to slow me down.   As a card sent to me by a good friend says, "I really don't mind getting older, but my body is taking it badly."

My list of hopes for today:
- give Rosie her anti-flea treatment
- expect a delivery from the jungle
- re-advertise the old sofa on Freecycle (I cancelled my first ad before the moderator had a chance to publish it, because of our busy week)
- send DH's Christmas wish list to DC, once I receive a reply from a reply about postage costs from an online company from which he wants several items
- order some more books as requested
- do the basic marzipan and roll-out icing on the 14 mini-cakes that are still naked!!! (finishing off the decoration of these cakes and baking others which thankfully won't need decorating are my priorities for this week)
- send long overdue replies to 4 emails
- write a thankyou card to my heart surgeon for another year of life
- clear my desk.

If I get all that done I shall be a happy bunny - and exhausted!

Hope everyone has a good week xxx

roundtuit

I've done my To Do Today's plus washed towels and tea towels which are now draped on the radiator and airer.

No substitutes or not available items on my Mr T order per their email. Excellent news.  

Pops' 90th birthday card has arrived. 

P was impressed by how organised I am. So am I 🤣.I must have forgotten something 🤔

Rxx 

eltee2

Afternoon All

So far today ...

WM x2
TD x1
DW x1
Batch cooked for freezer (and my lunch😋)
Opened windows wide, wide, wide
Dusted & vacuumed stairs, hallway, living/dining room & kitchen - I even got my tool out & did crevices!
Got rid of rubbish
Emptied, cleaned & aired all bins
Wiped tables & dining chairs
Clean tablecloth on

Just decluttered lunch, having a sit down.  Plan for this afternoon.....🤔probably kitchen cupboard fronts & kickboards; straighten this, that & the other; put laundry away; another DW load

😁

roundtuit

WUDUPA 

Took cans of pop out of boxes: pop in fridge / cardboard has been recycled. 

Mr T has delivered my Christmas present shopping. I've checked off that everything has been received. Now I need to make a note of what I've bought who, then take it all upstairs out of the way. 

It's Christmaaas! (I think I may have peaked too early 😳 🤣)

Rxx

eltee2

eltee2 said:

Afternoon All

So far today ...

WM x2
TD x1
DW x1
Batch cooked for freezer (and my lunch😋)
Opened windows wide, wide, wide
Dusted & vacuumed stairs, hallway, living/dining room & kitchen - I even got my tool out & did crevices!
Got rid of rubbish
Emptied, cleaned & aired all bins
Wiped tables & dining chairs
Clean tablecloth on

Just decluttered lunch, having a sit down.  Plan for this afternoon.....🤔probably kitchen cupboard fronts✔️ & kickboards✔️; straighten this, that & the other✔️; put laundry away✔️; another DW load✔️

😁

Woo hoo, done all that plus cleaned windows, mirrors, doors & frames in kitchen & dining room, S&S bathroom

I must be having a good day, black dog not around, hope it lasts

👍
ETA also cleaned worktops, sink, toaster & kettle
Oooh, forgot I'd aired & remade bed, so nice surprise when I went in to shut the window

kazwookie

Thank you for the thread.

It is dark, wet, and horrid here.

3 x wm was all out on line, in light sun, then it rained, so been tumbled off, now on airers.

Whole house hoovered

Bed changed

Bins done

Sinks / basins done

Toilets done

Bol made for dinner

Cats feed several times so far

Small shop done and put away

Fire sorted.

Meter redings entered, bill already emailed to me!

Jazee

Thanks for the thread. I'll be in tomorrow.  Today has been busy with DGD2.