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 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 (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...

Marvellous Monday - kitchen dining etc

Level 1

Check your fridge - clean any drains, make sure it's cold and clean
clear out any wilting veg
wipe seals
we need to keep food covered and cold in this heat - flies are multiplying
wipe all countertop appliances - kettle; toaster, coffee maker etc
move them and clean all worktops
Put some water in to cool

Level 2

Wipe cupboard fronts, drawer fronts and handles
Clean the windows
Sweep the floor
Mop or vacuum floor if appropriate

Level 3
Change tabel cloth and /or wipe mats
Polish table and chairs

Dust where necessary
Clean windows

Extras
S&S bathrrom
HHI
MAD half hour
Use the oven intelligently =- can you make two meals and save cooking time later?

Tip Top Tuesday - bathroom bliss

Level 1

Remove all towels/cloths etc and pop them into the wash - make it a HOT wash and give your machine a clean at the same time!
Get a clean, damp cloth and wipe all the place fingers touch
Scrub the loo inside and out.
Finish with a slosh of bleach
Polish the towel rail.

Level 2
Clean the handbasin(s)
Remove the plug and clean it thoroughly
Remove anything icky from the plughole
be a bleach baby and bleach that plughole!

Level 3
Clean baths and showers
Wash any shower curtains
Clean any shower screens - I use detergent in hot water to wipe off the scum and then finish with windowcleaner for a sparkle
If you use a wiper give the rubber blade a good wipe over
Mop the floor.

Extras
Empty a cupboard in there. Throw out anything icky and wipe the shelves over before replacing all tidily.

Top up the loo roll store.

Clean the window - wipe the frame before cleaning the glass.

Vacuum the dust out of the extractor fan cover - if you have one!

Empty the bin - and wash it and leave it outside in the sun to dry!

Get a bucket of hot water - give the loo brush a good rinse and put it out in the sun to dry! Don't forget the holder! Damp, scummy brushes breed germs. If it's too awful to contemplate, wrap it and bin it and buy a new one from a cheap household store.


Wipy Wednesday RECLAIM YOUR LOUNGE

Level 1

Fling the window(s) open.
Empty bins
Attend to plants - wipe leaves, water
Attend to flowers - whizz or water; root out floppy flowerheads
Clean windows
Wipe window frames
Dust curtain tracks

Level 2

Plump cushions
Wipe or vacuum sofas and chairs as appropriate
Get a damp cloth and wipe switches and sockets
Clear clutter out

Level 3
Dust everywhere including skirtings, picture rails and dado rails
Vacuum as far as you can (inc under furniture)

Extras

Usual S&S in the kitchen and bathroom
HHI
MAD Half hour

Thursday Thrills

Hall, stairs, landing

Level 1

Clear any detritus
Bang mats outside
Wash front door inside and out
Sweep step

Level 2
Clean windows
Wipe sills
Polish mirrors

Level 3
Dust everywhere
Vacuum/sweep/mop floors

Extras
S&S kitchen and bathroom
MAD half hour