Weekly Flylady Thread 27 July 2026

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

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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 - please bear in mind it was written some time ago but Toots, sadly is no longer with us but she is fondly remembered, as are Money Saving Diva, Cycling Yorkie and Mummy's Little Boy.

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.  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 don't forget to scrub round the base (i use an old toothbrush)
Clean/polish table - wipe mats/change cloth - don't forget table legs and undersides.  Wipe/polish chairs
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.
Go round the whole house wiping door handles, light switches and banisters - we WILL be sparkly

EXTRAS

HHI
peg out some washing
S&S bathroom
Paperwork/admin up to date - it's a new month this week- do you need any cards?
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.  A fish pie, cottage pie or lasagne are useful standbys. We also need to make sure all last year's allotment/garden surplus is being used up to create space for this years!
Start sewing/sticking on nametapes/stamping names on uniform.  You'll thank me in September when they all abandon their cardis/tops in the playground. (not sure we have any Flyladies with littlies atm but this applies equally to lurkers! Copydex glue is great for sticking nametapes in footwear!
Test smoke/CO2 detectors.  

Twinkly Tuesday bathrooms en suites etc

Level 1

open windows
empty bins
remove towels etc to the WM
scrub out the loo and wipe the outside
Rinse the brush/holder and dry outside in the sun

Level 2

scrub hand basins inch taps and under the plug
de gunge plugholes
clean window

Level 3

scrub shower/bath
wash curtain or wipe screen
dust all round
mop floor

Extras
HHI
binbag dance
enlist the help of any idling schoolchildren - making beds etc. 

Wednesdays list - living room, hallway, stairs and landing
level 1

clear away rubbish - empty bins etc
deal with flowers and plants
bash doormats against a wall
remove any clutter

level 2

clean windows, mirrors, door gkass
 sweep mop or vacuum floors
plump cusions
wip the telephone, sockets and switches
straighten coffee table

level 3
total dusting including light fittings and skirtings
look up - if that’s a cobweb eradicate it

extras
HHI
S&S kitchen

S&S bathrooms

Thursday Master Bedroom

Level 1

Open windows w-i-d-e unless you're trying to keep rooms cool
Strip bed
Allow to air
Remake bed

Level 2

Clear floordrobe and chairdrobe
Clean windows
Vacuum, sweep or mop floor
Empty bin
Put as much stuff as you can away - clear the clutter

Level 3

Dust all sides and shelves
With a just damp cloth wipe all your lotion and potion bottles, hairdryers (especially if you use product while blow drying) etc. and put all perfumes away in a drawer. The sun/heat will damage the contents.
Rinse the cloth and wipe sockets and switches
Polish mirrors

Extras

wipe light bulbs (if they are glass ones and not LEDs or GL types and dust, wash or vacuum shades
Binbag dance
S&S kitchen
S&S bathroom

Friday Finale - kids/spare/guest room and study

Level 1

strip bed and leave to air
bedding in wm
remove detritus and clear floor

level 2

clear desk, wipe/dust
clean windows
clean floor

level 3

dust all round inc sills and skirtings

extras

hhi

s &s kitchen
s&s bathroom
update financial records - read meters - any other month end jobs?
spend 15 minutes gardening - or garden tidying.  Or even making a quick list of pre winter outside jobs.   If I can do it you can!

ionafan

Thank you for the new thread, Valli x

I shall try to be in this week, but having done lots of flying in 2 out of the past 3 days (today I've been checking out a friend's family history) I am not so bothered as I perhaps ought to be about keeping things spotless. I've also got a fairly full diary.

Hope everyone has a good week xxx

roundtuit

Morning all xx

I'm up, made my bed, taken my new meds, and set WM swishing with towels and tea towels.

I've completed Strands with no hints and completed Wordle in four, but only managed to find two lines on Connections.

Plans today include:

• WUDUPA
• Sort through fruit bowl
• P & S calling for coffee a.m.
• Meeting L for coffee & cake p.m.
• Peg out / bring in washing
• Feed the birds
• Put out the recycling
• Check birdbath/ hedgehog's dish
• Sassy's seed and water

Two weeks post second op and my neck has healed well on the outside but feels tight on the inside where it's still mending. So no headbanging to Quo is planned in the near future 😉

I hope everyone has a good week.

Rxx

Jazee

Thanks for the list Valli.

About to do some puzzling while I wait for grandchildren to arrive. Will try to fit flying in this week around appointments, matches, exercise class and getting back to paid stuff.

Have a great day everyone.

Fayolle

Morning all,

Thank you for the list, Valli. I really, really need to Make An Effort this week. Curtain making is becoming all consuming. Yesterday I had a crisis of length, but the first curtain is now assembled. I just need to remember how I got there to repeat it for the second one. We had rain yesterday…I think I could count the number of drops on one hand.
Towels are swishing here as well, dw emptied, kitchen needs at least level one attention, so I had better get started. DH has gone out so I really don’t have that as an excuse. Fridge needs a sort out as I have veg that needs freezing / dealing with. Meals are planned for the next couple of days, using fridge stuff. I still have the August birthday card mega list to sort. Arghhhhh, I need to write a list.
Looks like I’m head banging on my own again for a while then, Round. Keep that r&r going x

wendywitch

I was meant to be visiting my Dad with my Mum today but her legs and feet are really swollen and she can hardly walk so visits are on hold for now.

Stuff I've done today in no particular order -

• Unloaded and reloaded the DW
• Went to my parents to feed the birds and check on Mum
• The bins emptied and cleaned, cleaning cloths changed. Meal plan and food shopping ordered, all done yesterday
• Emptied the DW again
• Put both the DW and WM both on cleaning washes
• Wiped down sides, tiles and appliances
• Cleaned the microwave
• Kettle didn't need descaling
• Put one load of washing away and did another 2 loads
• I also went through the blanket box in my room where all present items are kept. Had a sort through, tidied to make more room and wrote a list of everything that's in there (I do love a list)
• I reorganised my cork noticeboard that lives next to the house phone and took off all that papers that were no longer needed
• I also walked to Mr A to pick up my meds (only half ready 😒 ) and brought naughty cakes for Mum and I cos they were reduced 😇
• Went back to feed the birds again this evening to find out Mum had actually made an appointment to see the doctor!!

I hope to be able to actually get more done this week if I have time to myself.

I'm supposed to have a friend coming for coffee tomorrow afternoon but I've updated them that I'll actually be in all day so hopefully they'll come earlier.

I need to get to the vets to get Basil's flea and worm treatments, which I would have done today if I hadn't brought cream cakes.

The downside of not being allowed to drive, jobs that would take 10 minutes are now a half hour (there and back) mission. Getting the bus would be even longer.

Time for meds and chill out time.

ionafan

Evening all. Hope everyone is OK.

@wendywitch I'm glad to hear that your mum has made an appointment with her doctor, and hope the swelling in her legs will go down quickly once she gets the appropriate meds.

I've had a day at the eye clinic: a total of 3 hours' travelling door-to-door and home again (by patient transport), about ½ an hour waiting, and 5 minutes' actual laser treatment - which has been very successful, so I can read small print again.

As expected, flying has been minimal:

• FUPA clean washing
• S&S'd kitchen
• PUPA in the LR
• S&S'd bathroom
• made my bed
• watered the pots outside
• cooked tea and loaded the DW afterwards
• gave Rosie extra attention, as she's clearly not feeling 100% today - she's now sleeping peacefully behind my chair
• enjoyed watching all three quiz programmes on Beeb2.

Tomorrow I have an appointment at the GP surgery for injections in my arthritic shoulder and knee. After lunch I may or may not go to Knit & Natter - I can knit at home and will probably spend my time more productively without the natter which unfortunately so often turns into moaning about the NHS (which is not commensurate with my opinion of the quality of the treatment that DH and I have received over the past few years). I've got a lot of interesting family history to write up for a friend, having made enormous progress over the weekend, and I can also watch over the strawberry jam simmering in the SC.

xxx

Valli

I have failed to fly other than putting pots away. I did do some admin, including claiming fro my health scheme for the prescrption swimming goggles I have ordered.

Narc0lepsy

In no particular order:

• finished and sent off tax return
• checked greenhouse etc
• went to body pump
• went to Alexander lesson
• picked some spinach and incorporated it into dinner, along with a 'flying saucer' squash. Squashes are definitely doing well; we've had lots of flying saucers and there are at least 3 other different types coming along with several on each plant - last night we had a large green one, cut in half, filled with leftover chilli and baked with cheese on top. Patio aubergines are almost ready to pick and look plentiful.
• gathering names and making booking for a Turkish night at our local pub at the end of August; I'd mentioned it to a few church people and now seem to be organising it. 12 of us so far so should be fun, it's a set meal.
• have begun and can now have no excuse for sorting and filing paperwork covering desk, now tax return is done

Jazee

Morning all. Hope you're all ok.

I agree with you Iona about the NHS. Even though I don't have a diagnosis yet I can't fault how thorough they've been and continue to be.

Today, I have changed bedding, watered plants upstairs and in gardens and greenhouse, put recycling out and walked Poppet.
Just having breakfast then I'll wash up. Next job will be thoroughly cleaning all the cushions on our sofa and putting them in the sun to dry. Our poorly granddaughter had an accident while sleeping there yesterday.

Other jobs today are planting some rose bushes, making more pasta sauce for the freezer, checking banking and hoovering through. Not sure what else I will achieve as I'm out with friends early afternoon, then back to hospital then out again tonight. Not looking forward to going back to paid stuff tomorrow.

Have a great day everyone.

SandyShores

I trotted off to pick up my prescription today and then visited the recycling centre to drop off some more stuff.

Afterwards I thought I'd have a browse of the charity shops - almost 2 hours and a few purchases later I made it home for lunch.

Had to pop out again to get the shopping I forgot to pick up, but the bonus is I've nearly completed my step target.

Just dinner to cook later and a relaxing evening.

Tomorrow's plans are:

• Keep an eye on the table advert - may need to move it onto fleabay - or maybe it just isn't table-buying weather
• Declutter and tidy up the office and bedroom
• Make a plan for the summer apple tree pruning
• Buy some filler for the wooden bench
• Set a reminder for me to check the water meter next Friday