Weekly Flylady Thread 10 August 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 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6678516/weekly-flylady-thread-3rd-august-2026

.

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 on a shady side of the house; keep curtains and blinds closed where the sun is coming in.
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 and sanitise in the sunshine.
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. Ensure air can flow around to keep food cool and fresh.
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 - check coats and wash them too!
S&S bathroom

ETA - If you have littlies with PPE kits get them found, washed, checked for fit!

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
Wash ALL hairbrushes and combs - dry them outside (but not in full sun)

Wednesday The Lounge, Hallway, stairs and landing

Level 1
Deal with cut flowers and pot plants - top up water/wipe leaves/remove drooping or dead blooms
Open windows
Empty bins/ashtrays - wipe out or wash
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
Wipe coasters

Level 2
Clean windows and mirrors 
Vacuum floors - and use an edging tool to get into all the nooks and crannies - and stairs!
Clean doormats
Dust/wipe electricals - use a just-damp cloth.  Don't forget the remote controllers!  Include lightswitches

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 close it.
Check for cobwebs and eliminate!
Clean lightshades and lampshades especially if they are flytraps; check all lighting is functioning as it should 
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?
Open front door and vacuum then wipe doorframe

Extras
Don't forget the dailies - beds need making, pots need washing
S&s kitchen
s&s bathroom
HHI

Thursday Thrills  - The Boudoir - if you cba in this searing heat

level 1

open windows - if on shady side of house - I keep mine closed ALL THE TIME
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
Use a damp cloth to wipe lotions and potions - and fling anyting OOD/past it's best

extras
S&S bathroom
S&S kitchen
Bin bag dance...fling that gibble
Children's job - sock sorting/pairing/throwing - their own, at least

Friday too hot to fly

get organised - choose a task or two

• update Toots list
• make a list of all cards needed up until year end (and beginning of January) ready to source
• update xmas card list - check addresses
• make a start on - or update - 'end of life' planner - google it - while this seems grim it will take the pressure off loved ones!
• if you haven't written a will or completed PoA look into thar

roundtuit

Morning all xx

Thank you to Valli for this week's list, and to Natty for last week's.

I'm in. Baby steps to stop the slow descent into House of Doom. (Not that slow in some areas 🤦‍♀️).

Two birthdays this week, DB and DDil: cards and presents have been dropped off. So all I need to do is text 'happy birthday to you' on the day(s). No more birthdays to remember now til November. Then they come in bundles 🙄. Must add write new Birthday List to my To Do list - which is still floating around in the brain fog that seems to be a permanent fixture these days.

If I do nothing else today I must write that list.

Have a good day / week. Going to be extra hot later in the week so take care and keep hydrated. ( I say 'extra hot' because it never seems to be 'not hot' these days.)

Do you remember rain?

Rxx

ionafan

Morning all, and thanks to Valli for starting us off on this week's list x

My to-do list has not got any shorter, but I've arranged with DS1 for him to call in tomorrow and change the landing light bulb which blew a week ago, so that should be an easy win. I say "should" but what's the betting I haven't got a new lightbulb of the right sort?

We had a very pleasant family birthday party for DGD2 yesterday. She had asked her aunt for two birthday cakes - one a beautifully decorated but "ordinary" sponge with jam on the inside, and the other an absolutely delicious carrot cake, the lightness of which I have longed for many times but never found. If you want the recipe, it's here.

It's supposed to be another quietish week here. I just hope it doesn't get too hot for me to make progress with flying and all the other things I need to achieve - I start to melt at 30 degrees C 😕

Have a good one, Flyfriends! xxx

roundtuit

I'm dressed, made my bed, taken my meds, turned over the calendars, completed the nyt puzzles, eaten breakfast, supped a brew, changed Sassy's water and blown the husks off her seed dish, fed the birds, filled the birdbath and the hedgehog's dish, put out new towels and tea towels, set WM swishing, and binned the recycling.

Rxx

Valli

I too have completed the puzzles - got connections all right today though my reasoning was off 😂.

Been to feed Trigger the cat, open the greenhouse door, open certain doors in the house so the SD thinks they've been open all week and Trigger has had the run of the place 😉 and topped up the greenhouse watering trays. Ordered more meds, paid off CC and sent daily message to my friend (who now replies most days, big improvement and, I hope, a positive sign). Pegged out washing.

ionafan

Good to hear of your friend's improvement, Valli x

I have FUPA clean laundry, dusted and hoovered all through and watered all the indoor plants. I have also started a batch of lemon marmalade.

roundtuit

P & S called for coffee. Then I pegged out the towels and tea towels.

I forgot that athletics are on the telly. That's me sorted for the week 😉

Cheese and piccalilli sandwich eaten for lunch. I'm piccalilli crazy at the moment.

Pots that were LTD at some point have been put away.

Rxx

wendywitch

Yesterday I changed my bed so the bedding and some t-shirts I treated for dried in deodorant marks were washed over night.

This morning t-shirts on the airer, the treatment has done no good at all. I tried V rub on gel. Bedding in the TD as next door are still working on their extension so dust everywhere sigh.

I put all the washing waiting on the table for me, away.

DW was also on over night so that's been emptied and odd bits put in.

I went to see my Mum, feed the birds and have a chat with her for a bit. I was meant to collect her shopping list so I could go to Mr A for bits today but she hadn't done it and insisted I'd said I was going tomorrow. I hadn't.

Came home, had a bit of lunch, wiped sides and appliances. Swept the floor and then mopped it using a well known make of direct to floor spray, which i thought was pretty good and smelt nice. It wasn't until I finished that I realised I hadn't wiped the cupboard fronts so now waiting for the floor to dry so I can go back to do them.

Fayolle

Afternoon all,

Thank you for the list, Valli. I have managed to stay pretty much on list today. As usual, it will be all downhill from here. I finally bicked myideas up to get to the allotment. Spinach will feature heavily on the meal planning for a while, beans less so as the dwarf beans are literally drying on the plants. Fingers crossed for some squashes this autumn, should autumn actually decide to arrive. Other jobs achieved :
towels washed and dried
bathroom s&s
kitchen and dining room pretty much done as per the list. I stirred myself to clean the cooker hood filters, then dried them in the sun. Why have I never thought of that before. Coffee machine cleaned, it was in dire need
QHI
I am having a use-it-up week from the freezer so dinner ingredients defrosted and flatbread dough made.

I think that might be about it. It felt like more.

Valli

I have fallen out with Trigger the cat. Fill in the gaps but he isn't using his tray and there are sandy patches on the lawn by the raised bed… SD away until Wednesday. Birkenstock cleaned.

I have emptied DW, taken rubbish out (aka binbag dance) and tidied kitchen and WUALTD. I am considering getting a new butt with a downpipe diverter so have looked at them. Washing brought in, WM locked and loaded with swim stuff. Meds (mine and DDs) picked up. DDs coats from under-the-stairs gathered to be taken over tomorrow with mseds and post. Person who collects coats for a charity thing contacted just-in-case.

I am fed up of being dripping wet. Everything needs washing after just one wear.

WW - google Nancy Birtwhistle re deo marks.

roundtuit

Good morning my lovelies 😘

I'm up, made my bed, taken my new meds, read a magazine, showered, washed my hair, shaved, moisturised, dressed, completed the nyt puzzles, taken my old meds, and I'm supping a brew.

I got weighed 😱. Of course I could blame the new meds! But I suspect that the biscuits that people keep buying me as a treat aren't helping. Ooops.

I read that Valli is 'considering getting a new butt with a downpipe converter.' I reread. At Toxic Towers my colleagues travel to Turkey, I think it's Turkey, to get a new butt. Not one of them has admitted to having a downpipe converter. The mind can have fun with that - well, mine did 🤣

Athletics are on TV this morning. I'm going to see Pops this afternoon and have a coffee with him. Then athletics are on TV again this evening. That's my day sorted 😊

I did look at today's Level 1. Window is already open. Swapped towels yesterday. Don't have a bin or a bog brush. Just 'scrub the toilet' then. The toilet is probably the cleanest thing in the house so that won't be too onerous.

Have a good day. Love to all.

Rxx