Weekly Flylady Thread 10th November 2025

Natty68

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 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 (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'
WUDUPA ~ washed up, dried up, put away
WUALTD ~ washed up and left to dry
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- thats 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!

Monday - Living Room, Hall and Stairs
Level One...
Vacuum floors and sofas
Level Two...
Dusting, even if around everything
Remove clutter making sure stairs especially are safe
Clean TV, other electricals and cabinets
Water any thirsty plants, wipe their poor neglected leaves!!
Level Three...
Wipe light switches, sockets (make sure they are not switched on!!) and banister
Clean any other glass like mirrors, pictures etc
Tidy shoes, coats and bags .. wash any that need washing in preparation for cold weather!! See if there are any that don't fit, past their best or just plain uncomfy which could leave the house!
Put up linings or winter curtains to keep out those draughts.
Extra Mission:

• Paperwork clearance.. spend 15 minutes minimum sorting through those piles of paper.
• Vacuum under furniture you can manage to move without hurting yourself
• Clean a window or two.
• Binbag dance.. Get a binbag.. fill it and bin it!!!
• Ring someone you love, just to tell them you love them!!
• Clean light fittings, skirtings even the ones behind furniture. Clean fire-surrounds. Wipe sofa's down.
• MAD half hour..is there anything that you need to do a.s.a.p.

Rememberance Day - Kitchen and Dining Room

Level One
Clean Floors
Level Two..
Clear and wipe kitchen surfaces
Sort fridge bringing what needs using soon to the front, clean out any spills or new mutations in there! Wrinkly vegetables make a lovely veggie soup  
Wipe dining table.. (clean table cloth if necessary)
Level Three...
Dust any extra furniture in dining area, checking for cobwebs on way round
Wipe and replace all those small appliances.. kettle, toaster etc
Clean the windows in here!
Clean cupboard door fronts and fronts of appliances .. don't forget those kick boards..
Check those washing machine filters and drawers for ickiness!! Tumble dryer and dishwasher filters need to be done too!!
Extra Mission

• MAD half hour..what needs doing?
• Wipe window sills and clean windows in these rooms
• Wipe down any tiles and shine those taps.. a toothbrush is great for cleaning away the gunk!
• 30 minutes ironing.
• Clean oven if you didn't do it last week
• Hike through the freezer and make a list of what you have, especially as Christmas is getting closer and you will need the space for all those lovely goodies
• Get in a manky cupboard. Give it all GOOD scrub out before placing the things you need to use soon at the front, throw out everything you don’t want/need. If no messy cupboard do a food inventory!! Feel free to get carried away and do more cupboards!!!

Wild Wednesday - those frightening kids rooms and spare rooms
Level One...
Vacuum the floor, even if it's just where you can see
Spend at least half an hour doing something for yourself. Paint your nails, have a lovely soak in the bath.. whatever you feel like!!
Level Two...
Clear away anything that isn't in it's place, clothes, toys, books etc
Dusting.. all those shelves and flat fluffy surfaces!! Don’t forget the light shade
Level Three...
Strip beds, turn and vacuum mattresses and replace with fresh linen .. check if duvets need freshening up too!!
Sort through a cupboard/chest of drawers and get the clothes out which are no longer wearable, too small or out of season!
Wipe any sticky marks off walls and doors
Extras...

• Wash a set of curtains, nets, duvet or throw
• Wipe the radiators, skirtings and window & door frames!
• 30 minutes ironing.. you love me & you know it!
• Grab a binbag and fill it with stuff to leave the house.. rubbish or charity shop or to donate to a friend!
• Sort the book shelves.. and toy boxes.. what can be flung? we are making room for those lovely new things Santa will be bringing soon if we are all being good boys and girls!!.. So get rid of all the things that are no longer required! Just keep flinging, just keep flinging!!
• MAD half hour.... How about finding something that needs doing for Christmas

Thrilling Thursday - Master Bedroom & Landing
Level One...
Check fire alarms are working
Remove and wash bed linen.
Level Two...
Dust surfaces & make sure no cobwebs..
Vacuum mattress before replacing with fresh linen.. do you need that winter duvet yet?
15 minutes floordrobe clearance
Level Two...
Vacuum floors in bedroom and on landing
Sort one area of clothes or linen storage making sure only what should be in there is, anything that's had it's day or doesn't belong there is removed
Clear a hotspot., or spend 15 minutes clearing one.
Extra tasks..

• 27 fling boogie time, time for that midweek fling, go on grab a bag and clear that clutter
• Put away those summer clothes from someones cupboard and get out the winter woollies.. don’t store anything that is past its best! Make a list of things you need to buy!!
• Clean windows in these rooms
• Check house for places where draughts are getting in.. doors, windows etc and see if there are ways to stop it!
• Clean out that airing cupboard!!!!!! get rid of those things you don't need.. use dead towels as cleaning cloths etc.. be ruthless!!!! you REALLY don't need that 'thing' you've saved for 10 years.. 'just in case' If you did this last week.. you can do the under the stairs cupboard!!

MinnieMousesMummy

Thank you for the new thread.

It's going to be another busy week as back at placement and got various other tasks to get done. 

My list for Monday
Quick shower
Put the bins out for emptying
Attend school placement
Phone the dentist regarding an appointment
Phone the vet for horse vaccination appointment
Do freelance work that is in the diary for today
Post the order from V
Check and update V account
Check and update finances
Plan next uni assignment
Take dog for a long walk
Bring the bins back in after emptying
Spend 15 minutes sorting through work box
Make festive present list as need to think about starting shopping
Take DD to the stables so she can check on and feed her pony. 

I think that is everything that I need to tackle. I hope everyone has a good week. 

ionafan

***FINAL REMINDER*** for the FLYLADY SECRET SANTA

If anyone else would like to join in, please PM me as soon as possible
but not later than midnight TONIGHT!!!

I shall be sending out the participants' details to their Secret Santas tomorrow morning

ionafan

Thank you Natty for the new thread.  I have been working hard to keep the house uncluttered and as tidy as DH's much lower clutter threshold will allow, and laundry up to date, so my flying will be minimal this week (again) as I have umpteen things to do before the FF on Saturday, in addition to having a full diary for Tuesday and Wednesday.

I crossed another thing off my to-do list today - hooray! - and also arranged for help in getting things from the car park to the church on Friday afternoon, so that it won't be such a rush on Saturday morning.  I shall be glad when this week is over.

Big (((hugs))) to YL xx

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

I'm up, made my bed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars, changed Joey's seed and water, completed Strands with two hints,  failed at Wordle 🤦‍♀️, completed Connections with no lives lost, got weighed, and I'm supping a brew.

I'm dropping off my car at the garage in the village at 8.30am. MOT time. I'll walk home and they'll ring me when it's ready to pick up.

I have a to do today list already written which includes a lot of Admin stuff. So I'll crack on.

Love to all
Rxx

Valli

Thanks for the new thread

Done my puzzles.  

First job was to ring dentist and I am booked in for 12:30.  

DW x 1

ionafan

Toothache is nasty, Valli!  Good luck with the dentist. xx

So far this morning I have
- emptied the kitchen bins
- boxed up the mini Christmas cakes (makes them easier to handle and keeps them from "falling" off the table), ready for decorating
- counted the cookie jars (16) to be filled
- loaded the breakfast things into the DW
- WU the cake cooling trays and tidied the kitchen, ready to start baking as soon as I've drunk my coffee (anyone care to join me?)

I've also sent out the Flylady Secret Santa details to each of the participants - please check your PM inboxes.

It's a start!

xxx

roundtuit

My car passed its MOT with no work needed. P & S called for coffee and dropped me off at the garage to pick it up.

From there I went into town and through the car wash, then filled up with diesel, before visiting Mr Al. I picked up Christmas cards, Christmas crackers, and Advent calendars while I was there. 

I've also checked my bank statement and filed a pile of receipts.

Rxx

roundtuit

Mr T order and Big River order completed. That's the bulk of my Christmas gift shopping sorted. Wish I'd picked up wrapping paper while I was in Mr Al now. 

Just the food to think about. 🤔 

Rxx

Pollybear

Afternoon all.    Cleaned bathroom and toilet this morning and then polished/dusted living room and vacuumed right through downstairs.

Went to local shops with DD2 and got a few groceries and a 3ft prelit Christmas tree for the living room.   We have a bigger one in the loft but I don't want DH trying to go up there and I'm not either.   Last year we had a few ornaments down and I put them in the wardrobe after so they are easy to get out again this year.   I just thought a tiny tree would be nice.  I got 4 little gold stars to put on and some chocolate decorations for when my GDs call in.  I wanted some of those little candy canes but they were out of stock so I'll try again another day.  Doesn't need much, it's just a gesture.  It won't be going up until mid December though.

Sunshine and showers here, sometimes heavy, but not really cold.   Just Novemberish.

Hope everyone's OK x

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

DS2 stayed last night so I worked from home this morning and took him to the station before going into the office, which threw my day out a bit. Nice to see him though.

Positive meeting with a member of staff who has a problem at work, hopefully we have found a solution and he feels less worried. 

I have cleaned the fire out in the LR, I was going to dust but collapsed on the sofa instead..