Weekly Flylady Thread 11 August 2025

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.  If they need refilling why not treat them to a proper wash?  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!
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!  Put out a new hand towel and a new tea towel too
Good slug of bleach down plugholes and in overflows

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 (see extras); update shopping list as appropriate
Wash and wipe fridge shelves and baskets.
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 then run empty on a hot cycle to clean out the pipes!

Level 3

Pick a cupboard or a drawer; empty it, clean it out and put back its contents tidily
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
Paperwork/admin up to date?

Those of you with children…are uniforms etc ready and labelled?
Check your freezer - does anything need using up? - if so weave it in to your...
Meal plan for the week. - and plan to cook a double sized meal and freeze one for a CBA day - or (if you live alone or there are just two of you) freeze some leftovers.  Things like chilli or bolognese can be frozen as individual portions but you can add them together to make a bigger meal if you need to.   And, since you've checked your freezer, why not make an inventory?

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
Clean light pull
Check your lotion & potion stash and deploy one thing - eg foot cream - and ets see if wee can get into the habit of using it daily

Extras
Wash showercurtains (if any) and put outside to blow dry - possibly!  or thoroughly clean your shower screen 
HHI
S&S kitchen
If you drive a vehicle regularly check oil/tyre pressure/screenwash etc are all ok and that all the lights are working

Wednesday - hump day
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
get the kiddies involved even if it's just making their own beds, drying pots and putting away., collecting laundry…at least one job per child!

Friday Finish - Kids Room(s)/Spare Room/Guest room

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

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen

ionafan

Thank you Valli x

I shall be following the lists for most of this week, but I must get my curtains finished.  I didn't do any sewing this afternoon as I thought I was starting another migraine, so while DH was out I slept instead and am feeling much better now.  I have also dusted the LR, which included moving the books, now that there is space on the shelves to clean round them without having to lift them all out first.

Glad to hear that the HRT is kicking in at last, YL x
Great TGTG haul, Kaz x

Here's wishing everyone a good week xxx

MadamMim2013

Thanks @Valli.. ☺️

Need to find my mojo.. It’s taken a very long holiday.. without me!
Awaiting a HRT prescription, so hoping it’ll be ready tomorrow..Think this will eventually help with said missing mojo! 🤞🏼🤞🏼
Have taken a screenshot of the list and am determined to get at least Level one completed!

Sharing some spoons/sticks with anyone who may need them.. 🥄 🪵 

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

I was awake at 5.10 am but delayed getting up. Laid and prayed, then did the puzzles before getting up at 6.30.

So. I'm up, made my bed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars, completed Strands with one hint, completed Wordle in four, completed Connections with no lives lost, got weighed, written today's list,  and I'm supping a brew. 

P & S are calling for coffee this morning. I'm meeting L for coffee at the posh farm shop cafe at 2pm. It's DB's birthday today and I'll drop off his card and present at some point. I want to nip down to Pets at Home to buy some budgie seed. I started pruning back a buddleia yesterday so, if it doesn't get twot, I'll prune some more today. 

Another brew first, then I'll get showered and dressed,  do the dailies, and see how the day flows from there.

Have a good day / week.

Rxx

Fayolle

Morning all,
Thank you for the lists. What with escaped mojo, the clutter that has come back to haunt the house, building work not yet finished, and the hot weather, my flying has been - at best - minimal. The only jobs that I have kept up with are the washing and the ironing pile, as that just stresses me more by adding to the clutter.
We had a couple of days away last week with DSiL and BiL, which was lovely although I was on edge for some reason for much of the time.  Yesterday DD and I did a full day class together, the first time we have done anything like that together for years. She said that she had fun, so that was good. Today we are off to the big city hospital with her.  Maybe after that visit, I will start to feel more at ease and less overwhelmed.
I need to finish a Mr M order due tomorrow, by which time the towels should have finished swishing.
Hope you all have a good day

Valli

Morning all

Hope you're quiet on here because you are flying.

Washing on line; DW emptied.  Some of last night's ironing now away.

Have remembered to order 1st xmas bauble for great nephew while I've a free Prime sunscription, so pleased about that.

Trying to pluck up GUAG to start on kitchen - though I have WUALTD already, and dried some and put away some, too.

Came on laptop to book swimming.  MUST STOP MOOCHING ON INTERNET

ionafan

Morning all.  It's very warm here but not yet stifling.

I have
- financial admin up to date
- done Wordle in 3, Strands with only one hint, and 2 lines of Connections
- eaten breakfast
- showered and dressed
- S&S'd bathroom
- PUPA in the LR (mainly Rosie's toys)
- hoovered all through downstairs
- done kitchen level 1 and bits of level 2
- mopped the kitchen floor
- checked the freezer (and have plenty in for this week's meals)
- watered the beans and tomatoes
- eaten the first 2 ripe cherry tomatoes
- disposed of a tiny mouse RIP (nothing to do with Rosie)
- hung out WMx2 (including bath towels), started the 3rd load and sorted the 4th
- no ironing
- no schoolchildren needing name tapes sewn

Next on the list is a quick trip to the village to get more sewing thread and a birthday card for DGD2 who will be 13 on Thursday.  I don't yet know what she wants for her present, so mustn't forget to text DS1.

DH has gone to the horse piddle for his appointment with the dietician.  Rosie has gone off very happily for her walk with L.  I somehow need to summon up some energy to take W and her friend to Scout camp this afternoon.

I'll hang up the 3rd WM load and start the 4th before I go out.  I think I'll postpone sewing today and instead finish untangling and sorting DH's cross-stitch into CS/bin/Knit, (K)not and Natter, then the bin bits can disappear tomorrow   I've discovered that a longstitch cushion cover kit similar to one that I've inherited (unopened) has been sold for £25 on Eebygum, so am tempted to try my luck - the colours of my kit (yellow and blue) don't go with my colour schemes.

See you later xxx

MinnieMousesMummy

Afternoon everyone, Thank you for the new thread, please count me in.

I’m currently travelling back from a lovely weekend away with the family. DH is doing the driving today. 

My list for this afternoon
Unpack the car
Unpack suitcases and put away clean clothes, and put dirty stuff in the laundry
Laundry x 2 loads
Collect the cat from the cattery and pay the bill
Check banking and direct debits
Look online for new trainers as mine are past their best and starting to hurt my feet 
Sort clothes and bag for tomorrow, I start my new course/career tomorrow
Tidy away the pile at the side of the sofa
Hoover the living room
Deal with Mr T delivery
Take DD over to the stables so she can groom and check on the horse

I think that’s everything I need to tackle today. I hope everyone has a good Monday/week. Hugs to those who want/need them. 

I've decided to start playing daily Wordle, and with a bit of beginner's luck, I managed to get it in 3. 

Jazee

Hello.  Thanks for the list.

Today I got up at five, walked Poppet, did a work shift and then DD arrived for the day with her two.  They've just gone home so I've tidied up, DH is cooking dinner and I'm now sitting in the garden doing puzzles. Wordle in five.

Honey_Bear

A bit more admin conquered (I'm years behind on lots of things) and a section of the kitchen that has been getting steadily worse for a bit has been given a thorough drubbing.  If I section it off like this I reckon I can catch up on the stuff that needs attention.  I ran the dishwasher and gave the sink some proper attention too.  

Narc0lepsy

Thanks for the lists.
Today has been fairly minimal and I'm still being a pathetic, moaning patient.
- went to DanceFit, tried not to involve arm.
- went to library
- did a few other miscellaneous bits of shopping while I was in town.
- watered greenhouse
- watched just under half an hour of a webinar which has been hanging around but couldn't get comfortable. Cue ice pack on shoulder.
- paid cc bill
- emailed friend who, with her Mum, is meeting me in Dorset to visit my Mum at the end of the month, just to clarify plans.
- wrote birthday card for a friend, walked up to post box with it.
- finalised the photos I'm going to send to Mum's care home so they can make a frame to put outside her door; it's a selection of her as a baby/child/nursery nurse/with some of the children she nannied/with DB and I/hobbies (2 gardening ones and 3 travel ones).   Mr N has rephotographed the older ones, tidied them up and will get them printed on Wednesday. 
- I did a bit of minor tidying in the lounge although it was mainly my mess as I'd wandered from room to room with books /tablet/crossword trying to escape the heat. 
- reluctantly decided against this evening's zumba.