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- 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

ok Here goes this Week.

Mushy Monday ~ Living room and other reception rooms!
Level One...
Declutter and vacuum floors
Wipe sofas and wash any smelly soft furnishings/nets
Level Two...
Dust all electrical appliances and polish screens
Wipe and water plants, mine desperately need watering!! My Mother In Law Tongue is practically begging for water, it’s almost giving up the will to live.....
15 minutes filing and 15 minutes deleting rubbish off the computer.. useless emails, old files, updating spreadsheets etc
Level Two
Sort through a bookshelf.. a different one to the last time you did it!
Make any important phonecalls you have been putting off
Vacuum under furniture you can move safely, if you are injured, pregnant or a new mum then do delegate someone else to do this for you.. We don’t want any nasty accidents or trips to A&E..

Extras

• Check smoke alarms and if needed change batteries to new ones..
• Clean out pets
• Deflea pets
• Clear your junk table, wipe/polish and return all pretty things..
• Empty and wash out any bins[
• Anything else you can think of..!!!

Tempting Tuesday ~ Kitchen, Utility and Dining Area
Level One...
Wipe and replace small appliances
Declutter and wipe work surfaces
Level Two...
Sweep and mop floors
Wipe units/appliances
Clear and wipe a cluttered fluffy shelf!
Level Three...
Tidy, clear and wipe the top of the washing machines and dryer
Clean one small appliance thoroughly.. microwave, kettle, iron,
Clean deterrgent drawers
Extras

• Clean paintwork
• Order and organise the packets and jars and tins.
• Sort the utensils.. half melted spatulas are not necessary!
• HHI.. then wash the ironing board cover!

Wishful Wednesday ~ Hall, Stairs and Landing!
Level One...
Tidy everything you can see when the front door is open! Coats and bird food stuff for me!!
Level Two...
Dust and deweb.. dnon't forget lightbulbs and shades!
Scrub front door.. inside and out!
Wash any curtains/draught excluders and doormats
Level Three...
Empty and declutter the cupboard under the stairs.. you do not need the junk that has been in there for a million years!
Degunk, dejunk and clean the porch.. how many pizza leaflets do you need to wipe your feet on?
Declutter the floors and vacuum them.
Empty Vacuum cleaner, wash filters and clean brushes once you have finished vaccing.. leave to fully dry before rebuilding machine!
Extras

• Wash windows and nets/blinds
• Wipe and water and furry plants
• Wipe paintwork and door knobs
• HHI
• Sort coats and bags and shoes

Thrilling Thursday ~ Master bedroom/second room
Level One...
Strip, wash and replace the bedding
Clear the floordrobe!
Level Two...
Vacuum the floors.. and the cobwebs!
Tidy up drawers of clothing and the multitude of shoes
For those who have been hiding stuff... Tidy under the bed!!!
Level Three...
Wash curtains and nets and windows
Empty and wash out upstairs bins
Binbag dance!
Extras

• Sort through one box of stuff
• Find 5 items to sell/give away.. and list for sale if necessary
• Ring someone you love but haven't spoken to in a while.
• HHI
• 15 minute sort out of those random bits of gibble that are strewn about the flat surfaces in your room!

Friday ~ Barnacle Bathroom and WC
Level One...
Declutter and mop floors!
Scrub the bath/shower/basins/toilets/bidets etc.. don't forget the outside of the loo and under the scanky rim.. it gets naaaaaasty under there!!.. oh, and don't forget the top of the cistern!
Level Two...
Sling shower curtain/bathmats in the wash and scrub down the slimy tiles!
Wash away and mouldy black bits and furry webs
Polish up the taps so they shine!
Level Three...
Wash light pull strings! (Painting with neat bleach works then rinse in a jug of water)
Scrub down the paintwork and radiators.. back and front!
Clear and wipe window sills and frames and make the blinds/curtains nice and clean
Extras

• Clean out the toiletries cupboard and put back the stuff you use.. and fling the stuff you don't! Do any necessary decanting so you have fewer almost empties!
• Replace and curly toothbrushes
• Polish mirrors and shelves!
• Make a note of stuff you do need to stock up.. and stuff you already have stocked up for 10 years!