Weekly Flylady Thread 8 September 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 (not just in the kitchen!) for some fresh air 
Check fruit bowl - add to washing up if necessary!
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 - pay special attention to grouting.
Empty bin and clean it out too - 
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.
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 - make sure air can circulate so food stays cool - and safe 
Dust dining area/room


Level 3

Sweep/mop/vacuum floors in both rooms
Clean chairs (and highchairs) - don't forget under the seats where sticky fingers linger.

EXTRAS

HHI 
S&S bathroom 
September challenge - let's motivate each other - post your challenge and how well t=you're doing,

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 grouting
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
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
Post any Challenge progress!

Wednesday Woes - Living room, hall, stairs and porch

Level One
With warm (hot if you can bear it)soapy water on a clean cloth - rinsed frequently - wipe EVERY door handle, light switch in the house - including entrance doors.  Don't forget the letterbox - a good habit we got into (I hope) during COVID.  
Declutter ALL the floors!!
Clear the mantle of junk
Fling any rubbish
Straighten cushions, curtains and throws
Tidy coffee/side tables
Empty bin
Empty ashtrays
Attend to plants and flowers

Level Two

Vacuum/sweep all the floors.. stairs too!
Vacuum/sweep under furniture you can safely move!
Vacuum sofas
Clean mirrors

Level Three

Clean the window and door frames 
Dust and polish furniture and ornaments
Clean doormats

Extras

Dust all the electricals.. carefully.. don't want any frazzled flybodies
Binbag dance around the house
HHI
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
If you're thinking of ordering and charity xmas cards now mif=ght be a good time to start looking.  I'm getting some from Alzheimer's society.  Wonder how many Flycards I'll need?

Thursday Thrills - Master bedroom

Level 1 

Open windows
Strip bed and leave to air
Clear floordrobe/chairdrobe - hang anything worn once for re-wearing
Empty Bin

Level 2

Dust/vacuum headboard and/or bedframe
Flip mattress if you are able to and if necessary and vacuum beforehand and afterwards
Remake bed

Level 3

Dust and wipe - all flat surfaces and sticky pots (lotions and potions)
Polish mirrors - while you're at it you may as well clean the windows
Vacuum/sweep/mop floor

Extras
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom
Christmas items are appearing in the shops (the horror!)…start adding items to shopping lists 
Meal planning…start to clear items from freezer to make space
Christmas food prep…pickling, preserving, cake making, sloe gin…don’t leave it too late!  

Valli

Thread is up early for two reasons

Firstly I am going to the Waste Not meal tonight and secondly because I have a new toy (courtesy of BackMarket and Mum).  I'm taking SD.  DD is at her BFs.

Got washing dried and was outside as it started to rain so brought that in promptly.

My September challenges

1 - clear the DR cupboards and drawers ready for decorating.
2 - sew covers for my new chairs in the DR thus protecting them from cat hairs.  This will involve going into the furniture shop and measuring the display chairs as a first step.  Chairs are on order (as is rest of furniture)
3 - Decide if I am going to retire.  
4 - Complete the list of Admin tasks which have gone onto the back burner including completing PoA
5 - Book various health-related appointments - teeth, eyes & feet
6 - Knit collar for languishing jumper

Jazee

Thanks for the list Valli.  Have a lovely evening.

Just back from a day on my feet.  Must get a drink now and keep hydrated.

 I'm working every day this week including some ten hour days but I'll try to fit some flying in.

ionafan

Thank you Valli for the new thread and list.

We've just managed to see the lunar eclipse

I've not achieved a great deal this week in terms of Flying.  Now that the weather has turned wet and chilly, my O-arthritis is playing up again, big time.  Fortunately K has offered to come on Wednesday to clean all through - she's like a whirlwind!  However, I have bleached the pebbly shower mat, made 13 pots of golden plum jam (with probably enough for another 4 in waiting) plus two of peach and apple before I ran out of jam jars, and my new curtains are finished apart from the hems.  I've also finished 2 more cross stitch pictures and made them into cards; cleared the sewing machine and sewing box off the DR table and put both away in the LR in their rightful places under my grandmother's sewing table; cleared the bag of apples off the table in the utility; returned a bag-for-life to the person who picked the plums; handed over the rest of the Harry Potter series to my goddaughter (who they have always been intended for); and decided that the small bag of Christmas items that I put aside in January for the CS could come out of the loft and join the other things to be taken to the Christmas Fayre at the end of November - what doesn't sell there can still go to the CS at the start of December.

My September challenges are
- to finish the jam making
- to continue decluttering the cross stitch kits, make cards etc
- to get someone in to paint my bedroom - L the dog walker has given me the name of someone she knows who has just retired and is looking for work as a handyman
- to write a proper shopping list and buy all the ingredients I need for Christmas cakes (big ones for the family and small ones for the Fayre), puddings and mincemeat - although first I need to check whether I already have enough puds in the fridge from last year to get us through this year
- to make all the goodies
- to tidy the garden (I need to ask J to clear the gutters when he next comes, rather than have him trimming any more shrubs back); plant out last year's bulbs that I lifted from the patio pots; and plant new bulbs and winter/spring bedding in the pots when the geraniums finally go over
- to get back to sorting family photos, which were very low priority during the summer.

Hope everyone has a good week xxx

wendywitch

Morning, I have my Grandson today so I doubt much flying will get done. We are currently watching some kids programme with a lady in a lift while I drink my coffee and he sits in my pocket.
DD1 and her partner have announced that they are expecting baby number 2. I knew about it earlier because they were having some problems but all OK now.
I have managed to unload the DW but I'm not allowed to do anything else at the minute.

Jazee

Morning.  WW - great fun aren't they...

 I start work soon but so far the dailies and dog walk are done and I've hoovered through.  Gave up on Wordle, all four lines on connections and strands with no hints.

Have a great day everyone.

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

So that's how you sleep in til 7.45! Lie awake for ages at 3.40 first. Not a fan.

I'm up, made my bed,  dressed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars, got weighed, completed Strands with no hints,  completed Wordle in four, only managed two lines on Connections,  fed the birds, put out the recycling,  cleaned out Joey and given him fresh water, seed, and millet, and supped two brews.

Plans for today include:

P & S calling for coffee 
WUDUPA 
Hoover LR 
Hoover kitchen 
Hoover back of fridge 
Wash outhouse window 
Take down birthday cards 

Do a bit. Sit a bit. Then tonight shower, PJ's, and watch Avengers: Age of Ultron.( I watched Avengers Assemble last night - DS has lent me the DVDs 😍 )

Have a good day.
Rxx

Valli

One box packed from dining room.  I have bit the bullet and ordered a roll of bubble wrap, though I will be able to re-use it for eBay sales afterwards.

Washing on line.

roundtuit

roundtuit said:

Plans for today include:

P & S calling for coffee 
WUDUPA 
Hoover LR 
Hoover kitchen 
Hoover back of fridge 
Wash outhouse window 
Take down birthday cards ✅

I phoned and made an appointment for my overdue eye test (🐸). And I've ticked off two September Challenge to dos: glued the magnet back onto a fridge magnet and glued the tail back onto Mrs Chicken. (I very nearly glued my finger to Mrs Chicken's tail too - but that was unintentional.)

P & S are running late, but they're still going to come. 
Rxx

kazwookie

Thank you for the thread.

Bathroom and ensuit basins scrubbed, cleaned, polished up.

Light fitting in kitchen wiped over, with OH holding the step ladder.

Cats fed

Walking done it is stunning out there today, I'm on the final leg, I reckon 3 more days, but I'm going to keep going.

Fayolle

Afternoon all,
Thank you for the thread. Most of today’s level one happened to get done yesterday, so I will take that win. I read that Kaz’s cat was holding the step ladder for her, I think I was still traumatised by reading that Round had her finger stuck to a chicken’s tail…
I have had a productive morning: wm x 2, including prewashing the next dressmaking material, plus throws and cushion covers from DD’s room,  sorted out my ISA, s&s bathroom, first coat of paint on the final side of the downstair’s toilet door.
Everyone seems to have much bigger - and worthier - September challenges that I do…
Sunday 7th - turned out sock drawer (1 hole ridden pair to the bin), made cards for September and October occasions, run dw deep clean.
After today’s rummage in DD’s room, I have now added washing the downstairs throws onto my to do list.