Weekly Flylady Thread 17th March 2025

Natty68

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 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 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

Mondays are Marvellous!! - kitchen and dining area
Level One
Sweep and mop the floor
Declutter and wipe the worksurfaces
Level Two
Wipe the table
Degunge the fridge
Wipe the units and large appliances
Level Three
Wipe any drawers that are grotty and cluttered
Wash the windows and sills
Run WM's and DW's through a clean cycle.. don't forget to scrub out the drawers and filters.
Extras

• Deweb and polish
• Clear out a cupboard of junk!
• Wash any curtains/table cloths that need it
• S&S the hob & oven

Twinkly Tuesday - Living room, hall, stairs and porch!
Level One
Declutter ALL the floors!!
Clear the mantle of junk
Level Two
Dust those flat fluffy surfaces
Vacuum/sweep all the floors.. stairs too!
Vacuum/sweep under furniture you can safely move!
Vacuum sofas
Level Three
Wash the windows
Wash any soft furnishings that need it
Wipe down ALL the paintwork!
Extras

• Wipe and water plants
• Dust all the electricals.. carefully.. don't want anybody getting fried!!!
• Wipe front door.. inside and out!
• Binbag dance
• HHI

Wiggly Wednesday- Master bedroom and landing!
Level One
Strip and wash the bedding
Clear the floordrobe
Level Two
Air the duvet....
Clear the floors and vacuum them!
Wash windows
Clean out pets/wash beds
Level Three
Sort through a hotspot
Organise your toiletries and make-up stash, do you really need 6 lipsticks!!!!
Sort through a cupboard.. make it neat and tidy
Empty and wash out all the bins
Extras

• Half hour... FILING... meanness I know but it won't do itself!!
• Deweb and dust
• 36 fling boogie!! .. GO
• Empty and wash out all the bins!!
• Quick one.. check those smoke alarms - no that doesn't mean burn the toast/bacon to check !

Thursday Thrills - Bathroom and Study..
Level One
Declutter the floors
wipe down sofas and seats
Level Two
Dejunk the desk and wipe off the gunge
Vacuum/mop floors
Scrub the bath, sinks, toilets, showers and tiles etc
Level Three
Wash the windows
Empty out a cupboard clean it out and put back only the bits you need to keep
Defrag the pc and delete 50 useless emails
Extras

• collect all the laundry from upstairs
• HHI
• Change any lightbulbs you have been leaving.. !!
• Sort out the coats and bags and shoes..
• Do a cupboard stock take and sort a meal plan and shopping list
• Fill a binbag for charity shop 

Friday is Funky! - childrens rooms! ~ spare rooms or just attack a neglected room!!
Level One
Strip and wash any bedding that need it
Make half an hour appointment or you time!! you deserve it.. nails done, hair appointment.
Level Two
Declutter the floor.. inc under the beds and units
Vacuum floors
Dust and deweb the whole room
Wipe away sticky marks
Level Three
Wash windows
Straighten up a chest of drawers or wardrobe
Binbag dance!
Extras

• Catch up on necessary phone calls inc making those much needed appointments
• Ring someone you've not spoken to in a while..
• Delete some of those old contacts and texts off your mobile phone!!
• Meal plan for the next week and make a shopping list... based on what you found in the freezer and those things that need using from weekly cupboard sweep.
• Extra 30 minutes ironing.. school uniforms? work clothes?

Slinky

Will aim to get some of this done tomorrow!

Jazee

Morning.  Wordle in four.

Thanks for the list.  I'll see how much flying I can do before family arrives for a visit later.

Have a great day everyone.

kazwookie

Kitchen is done

Wm is on

ionafan

Thank you Natty. I have various appointments this week, but will aim to do at least Level 1 (or the equivalent) each day.  Personally, I always work top to bottom and left to right, so, for me, starting with the floor is counter- intuitive.

Having already made a cuppa and taken my meds, I need to start with my physio exercises, then update my weekly diary/to-do list so that I don’t forget anything important.  Lots to carry over from last week, as I spent a lot of time on something unexpected, re a friend.

Oh bother, oh blow, oh hang it! I forgot to plug my phone into the charger last night 😫. Hopefully it’s still got enough life left in it to sort out the diary…

See ya later, as we say in these parts xxx

roundtuit

kaz - I'm so sorry to hear that. We're here if you need us. And my PM box is always open.

Rxx

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

I'm up, made my bed,  taken my meds,  turned over the calendars, got weighed, and supped a brew.

I've gained 3.5 lbs this week but some of that will be the weight of the pizza and chips that I had delivered last night. I obviously need a wedding to keep me focused. I do not want to end the quarter heavier than I started it...so must stay on the wagon this week!

I'm meeting L for brunch at the posh farm shop cafe this morning- I'll just have toast. Then I'm calling to see P&S for coffee - and if P's prescription hasn't arrived I'll be house sitting while they go to an appointment. Then on to Mr Al for a big shop. 

I'll feed the birds and put the recycling out. Then see how much day I have left when I get home.

Love to all.
Rxx

Valli

Kaz. awful news.  Contact Little Lifts charity if she’s out of area they'll post her a box. Also Look Good Feel Better.  There is lots of support for bc. (I love a freebie).  I chose not to access support groups but I’m Little Miss Positive most of the time.  And I had fabulous support, not least from Flyladies.  I’m here if you want to talk.  (((hugs)))

Well we managed to keep mum in the home so she’ll be moving to the new home today.  (We we’re worried she might be sectioned which would have thrown a spanner in the works). Then we will be formally complaining.  

Doubt much flying will get done as decorating is ongoing.   Work today and swimming. (Outswim Cancer - another freebie) - any cancer patients can attend).

Fayolle

Morning all,
Kaz, we will all be here for you. As Round said, Inboxes always open x
Thank you for the lists. My kitchen really, really needs a good clean after the weekend. The surfaces are good, but I know what lurks…
Still, I am anticipating zero flying today as we have to travel to the big big town for a funeral shortly (elderly relative of DH, so was expected). Also, did I mention that DH saw fit yesterday (amid the tidying up chaos) to disconnect and move the wm so that he can start on the utility room “this week”? How we laughed….until we (more accurately I) realised that he wasn’t going to reconnect it - “yet”. Not until he has time. Great. Washing piled everywhere, as I have bedding from the stayover guest plus tablecloths etc. 
Right, having gained 1.5lb this week and teetering towards my heaviest weight, I now need to find some smart clothes that I can squeeze into and bear wearing for 2 longish car trips as well as the rest of the day. 
Hugs all round, especially to Kaz and Valli x

ionafan

Kaz, we cross-posted.  I'm so sorry to hear your news.  Vent here all you need to.  Oodles of posivibes for your DD and ((hugs))) 'n' love coming your way xx

I have made a start on my to-do list.  Despite walking further, I have stayed the same weight as last week.  That was probably caused by eating 3 hot X buns yesterday (straight out of the packet, no butter).  Must. Do. Better.

eltee2

Sorry to hear about your DD kaz - feel free to DM even just to rant.  

Good luck valli

1st lot of washing nearly finished - hoping to get 2 more done

Dining chairs, table, placemats & coasters wiped down, tablecloth in WM & clean one on

Excercises 1 and get showered & dressed next on the agenda

Aiming to complete all levels & a couple of Brucie Bonuses - especially the long thin cupboard at the end of the kitchen

El