Weekly Flylady Thread 22nd June 2026

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- 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 oneRoD ~ 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

Here goes this Week.

Mad Monday ~ Living room of Lushiousness and Hallway of Happiness
Level One
Open the windows and turn on some music - something that you can sing along to loudly while working.
Wipe and water the plants.
Declutter the chairs, floor and fireplace.
Level Two
Clean any glass, pictures, windows and mirrors - make them sparkle sparkle!!!
Find 10 things to get rid of ... no men/women/children/pets!!!
Dust or polish furniture.
Level ThreeVacuum floors and under furniture - don't hurt yourself, and if pregnant/injured/unable then ask someone nicely to do this for you..
Check for cobwebs and get rid..
Wipe down the inside of the front door and windows - make these shine..
Spend 15mins tackling a hotspot!
Extras

• Wash any nets that need doing
• Wash windows
• Attend a childrens party & tidy up afterwards!!
• Wash any throws/cushions/dog beds that need cleaning
• Groom the pets, also deflea any that need doing.

Tootling Tuesday ~ Kitchen of Klutter and Dining room of Despair!
Level One..
Open the windows and let in the light
Clear and wipe the worksurfaces & table
Level Two..
Wipe the little appliances and put them back in their homes
Wipe over the cupboards and large appliances
Clean out drawers and filters on the big appliances and the kettle!
Level Three
Sweep and mop the floor
Shine the grotty windows, make them sparkle and let in the light!
Drag everything out of the junk cupboard.. wipe it out and put back the bits you are keeping.. Get rid of the things you will never need or use!!
Extras

• HHI
• Fill a bag for charity shop
• Deweb the downstairs of the house!!
• Scrub down the woodwork.. skirtings, door frames etc

Wonderful Wednesday - Bedroom of Duvet-nia & Landing of
Loveliness
Level One..
Open the window and air the room
Strip off smelly bedding and feed it to the washing machine..
Level Two..
Vacuum the mattress and air the duvet
Remake bed with the clean bedding
Put the floordrobe in the wardrobe
Find 10 things to get rid of!
Level Three!!
Vacuum the landing and bedroom.. starting at the bottom of the stairs!!!!
Remove anything that should be elsewhere.. your bedroom is NOT a shed!!
Remove some dust bunnies and wipe over the light shades
Extras

• Wash any curtains that need doing
• Binbag dance
• Clean the windows
• 15 minutes sort out of the landing gibble.. see if you can find something to
  rehome!

Therapeutic Thursday - Bathroom of Bubblovia and Sparkling Study
Level One..
Clear the floors of clutter
Open the windows and air the rooms
Level Two..
Clean/vacuum the floors
Shine the bath,toilet and basins etc
Twinkle the tiles
Level Three..
Get rid of those nasty germs off the telephone, keyboard, mouse, monitor, sockets and switches.
Declutter the pc desk
Make the mirrors sparkle in these rooms..
Extras

• HHI
• HHG.. if you have nice weather pot up any plants that need redoing, get rid of some of those
  nasty weeds.
• Fill the bath with lovely warm bubbles.. and get in it!!!!!! enjoy!!!!!!!
• 15 minutes filing

Frivolous Friday - The Land of 'Spare Oom' and the neighbouring
Land of Child Grot
Level One..
Open the windows and collect the smelly laundry!
Strip the beds that need doing
Spend half an hour doing something for yourself!!!!! even if it is just sitting out in the gloaming with
a cuppa.
Level Two….
Find the floor.. books on shelves, toys in boxes, games in cases and restacked.
Vacuum new found floor
Wipe windows, pc's, screens etc
Level Three..
Wipe away any sticky messes and grub-spots
Make sure the drawers are all orderly.. nothing dangling out!
Drag the junk out from under the bed and put it in its proper places!
Extras

• Find something to freecycle.. you could even fill a box of junk to car boot
• Find something to ebay
• Find something to send to charity shop
• Find something to give to someone you know
• Get rid of them then!!! lol
• Spend time with loved ones..

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU STAY HYDRATED WITH FLUIDS, STAY OUT OF THE SUN, CLOSE THE CURTAINS AND OPEN THOSE WINDOWS. We don't want any casualties through heatstroke or dehydration!!!

Valli

Thanks for the list…whether I will actually do anything remains to be seen…I do not like hot weather.

I have pegged out today though and there will be more tomorrow. Been to Mr L and bought salad stuff and some cherries which I enjoyed. Also bought a bulk pack of salmon fillets, frozen as I like it with salad, got one thawing in the fridge for tomorrow.

MinnieMousesMummy

Morning all, I'm back feeling refreshed after a couple of days rest, and today is going to be a busy day, so I best get started.

My list for today

• Feed the animals and walk the dog
• Take the car to the garage for its MOT
• Sort invoices for last week
• Spend an hour on my work website Website is now finished and live
• Attend DWP meeting
• Catch up with emails
• Attend uni meeting
• Attend doc appointment
• Sort through the stuff that has been dumped on the bed
• Empty the DW and put stuff away
• Organise required exam revision
• Make sure that I am drinking enough, as I tend to be bad for this
• Water indoor plant and get rid of old flowers which are no longer looking good
• Spend an hour on exam revision
• Declutter the pile from the side of the sofa
• HHI
• Bring the bin back in once it's emptied
• Collect the car from the garage. Unfortunately, it didn't pass the MOT
• Sort through finance spreadsheet
• Feed the animals and walk the dog
• Sort bags, clothes and lunches for tomorrow

I think that is everything I need to tackle today (I know it is a long list; however, there are a lot of small tasks. I'm around the house all day as I have no car until later, and it's the only day I'm not in placement this week. I hope everyone has a lovely Monday

Fayolle

Morning all,

Thank you for the list. Like Valli, I don’t perform well in hot weather so flying will be limited. Plus, a big thank you to Natty for making today the LR - it is having the ultimate in flying treatment as the decorator started today 🤣. Yes, I could do it myself, but he is soooo much faster and better.
Flying so far has been:
Towels and cleaning cloths washed and out on the line
WUDUPA
Kitchen s&s

I have also done the ultimate in parenting - I have washed DD’s car, as it is parked in the shade atm. My car is also in the shade - under a cherry tree where the pigeons think it is a sport to drop stones and copious amounts of 💩 onto it. As fast as I removed it this morning, they graced the roof and side with more. Once the builders are done I will be able to move it at least a bit out of the pigeon line of fire and wash it properly.

Meal plan next, using up fridge contents as we only have a small fridge working until the new one arrives on Thursday, and the poor thing is struggling.

MadamMim2013

Thanks for the list @Natty68.. it’s rather 🥵 already and my legs n feet are beginning to swell 🙄

Watered all that needed it this morning with the hubster helping (we tag team it, one fills the cans, one waters, then swap 😉)

Snuck to Leedles for a few things early doors to avoid both people and the heat 🤣

Have managed to strip bed and get it all washed and on the line.. can’t believe it’s all dried in less than an hour!
so bed needs remaking shortly 🥵

Walked up (finding all the shady places) to the chemist, collected hubsters prescription, have packed them away after filling up his pill pots.

Done some admin & still have a little more to do but got sidetracked.. 😇

Hoovered through yesterday so will brush the hallway and mop it before lunch..

Hoping everyone stays safe in the heat.. When needed I’ve been putting my feet on a hot water bottle filled with cold water to relieve my swollen feet, definitely helps 👍🏼

Pollybear

Evening. One washload done today and dried by lunchtime, then I hung a load of DD2's washing on my line because hers was full and that dried in a couple of hours too. Helped her with some sorting out this morning then brought the bags back to go in my recycling before anyone can retrieve anything! Went back round this afternoon to help her rehang her curtains. Glad I didn't get round to watering my pots this evening because we've just had a big thunderstorm with torrential rain. However I did have to clear the moss from the bottom of the downpipe which got washed down off the roof so I didn't completely get away with it. Oh, just remembered, I dusted and vacuumed through downstairs early this morning. And I walked DGD4 to school so DD2 could take the dog out before it got hot.

Hope everyone's OK x

Blackcats

I'm away on holiday this week. We are self catering so there will be some loading of the dishwasher and not much else getting done 😉

I hope everyone keeps cool and doesn't overdo it in the heat.

Valli

I haven't done much though there has been some putting away. I have checked my train journey for Saturday and I need to take the Northern line so I am happy about that because I know it's the black one 😂

I did pop into the CS on my way to swimming as I pass by - car park was the emptiest I have ever seen it…but flingage happened.

Honey_Bear

Was out to lunch today, literally. Will be out to lunch tomorrow too. Flying is happening, but only the absolute barest minimum. The house is north facing so while the rest of the UK is overheating we're doing okay here.

Have watered all my herbs, the tomatoes and the newly sown grass seed which is not sprouting yet which is disappointing.

ionafan

Thank you Natty for the new thread. I am trying to do a liittle flying each day, but the heat is overpowering.

We had a lovely trip to Bristol yesterday: an easy journey down, with a short stop at our favourite Gloucester services for iced coffee, and arrived almost on the dot of 12.00 to find lunch was being served. The grandparents sat outside in the garden, under the umbrella, while the parents and children sat indoors. After lunch there was plenty of time to relax (DH went to sleep on the sofa, of course) before we had to be at the church. The service was very good and was followed by hot or cold drinks and cake - what with all the singing, I must have drunk 3 glasses of water in half an hour. DH and I came straight home without going back to DS2's, as the boys had school today and the older one has to get the bus at 7.00am. Rosie had had a splendid day with L and didn't really want to come home with us when we went to pick her up!!!

Today we were supposed to be meeting up halfway with a friend for lunch, about a 60-mile round trip so more driving, but fortunately she asked if we could postpone it as she can't cope with hot weather. Instead we chatted on the phone for an hour, by which time it was 37degrees in our garden. I FUPA all the clean laundry and did a 10 minute PUPA around the house. I slept for much of the afternoon and it's a lot cooler this evening so I have been doing a bit of tub gardening. There are still a few bedding plants to put out in the front garden, but I'm not in a rush to deal with them. However, I have sorted out all the bits that I am supposed to be taking to the tip tomorrow: dead whirligig, plastic pots, and a few other things. The back yard is looking somewhat tidier.

Narc0lepsy

Thanks for the lists. I'm another who becomes even more sloth-like in hot weather, unless I've got access to a lake/river/sea.

Belated best wishes for Mr HB and hope treatment isn't too upsetting.

I've got a huge list of my own as we've been in Dorset for a few days. The usual overnight stay with DB and SIL (involved meal out for DB's birthday), dropping Mr N off to his brother on Sunday while I visited Mum (she's doing pretty well and was coherent, happy in general and pleased to see me - we went downstairs, outside and sat in the garden with coffee which is a bold step for her who usually stays happily on the 2nd floor which has a patio). On Sun eve Mr N, BIL and I had a beach picnic with an amazingly clear view of the Isle of Wight and I had a fantastic summer solstice swim. This morning we visited Mum then had sadly a horrendous journey home with several long traffic jams plus a necessary (but at least cool) traipse round Mr T.

Much of this week's list involves preparations for the arrival of the new car on Friday, unpacking/sorting the debris from the weekend, removing all possessions from current car, keeping plants watered, picking spinach, learning a new song for drumming and generally finding shade.