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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flylady Fledglings February: Thawing out of winter

279 replies

freezingpompoms · 30/01/2023 19:08

Hello everyone, iWelcome back to our regulars, and if you are new or returning, a huge welcome to you as well! Please feel free to post or lurk, whatever helps you most.

This is an incredibly helpful thread and the system can be confusing but someone on here will be able to answer your questions and get you on track.

So, Flylady. That mysterious system that promises a lovely clean house! This link is a good place to read about the basic principles, but we strongly recommend ignoring the first bit - do not sign up for emails as you’ll be inundated!

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/

If you’re new to the system, or are wanting a refresher course, the baby steps may be a good idea. Some are more useful than others, we’ve found, and stuff like affirmations may not work for you, so pick and choose what you want to try. You don’t have to do it all! Perfectionism can be left at the door, we celebrate any achievement here no matter how small it seems (this is why you’ll see our Ta Da lists as well as To Do lists!).

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

There are parts of the house called zones, each taking a different part of the month, and missions in those zones to do little tasks we may have neglected. If you don’t feel ready for those though, a good way to start is doing 15 minutes decluttering in that zone! Remember it didn’t get messy in a day so it won’t be fixed in a day either. Slow and steady.

Then there’s the daily focus - each day of the week has a theme, although many of us switch them around to suit our own lives.

Each day I’ll provide the link to the launch pad, which is where you can see what is meant to be done that day (but again don’t feel you have to do all of it! That way lies burnout!).

A couple of principles we talk about on here are:
Future Friend - the idea of doing something today that benefits you later, such as choosing your clothes or making your lunch the night before.
Power of Three (po3) - if you’re overwhelmed, just pick three easy tasks - no matter how small - and forget about the rest until they’re done. Then reassess and decide another three.

Finally a few acronyms:
DW - dishwasher, not dear wife!
LOL - load of laundry, we aren’t finding washing hilarious
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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EasilyDirected · 10/02/2023 19:04

Thanks for all the links and things @freezingpompoms you are doing a great job Flowers

I'm away for a couple of days for a funeral so DH is in charge of all things domestic. Which could go either way Confused.

HillsBesideTheSea · 10/02/2023 20:11

Echo what ED says about links and leading.

Lurking as nothing productive to say

freezingpompoms · 11/02/2023 03:41

SATURDAY:

www.flylady.net/d/daily-focus/daily-focus-saturday/

Family fun day today.

Reminders for Saturday:

It’s Saturday Morning! Get your routine done and FLY!
We are going to build a Morning Routine for your Control Journal or to just post on the refrigerator. Here is what FlyLady does:
1 Get up and weigh
2 Shower and get dressed to lace up shoes, fix your hair and face
3 While you are in the bathroom Swish and Swipe
4 Grab a load of laundry and start the washer
5 Check your calendar for today’s activities
6 Empty dishwasher to start your day
7 Eat something good for you and take your medicine and vitamins
8 Drink your water.
Have some fun today running your errands!

OP posts:
HungryHazelEyes · 11/02/2023 04:38

username congrats on finding a new place!
hills ugh to drama, I'm hoping it's settled down now

No ta das to report. I'm glad it's the weekend!
I have cupcakes to bake tomorrow (someone placed an order for some for the Superbowl on Sunday), grocery pickup order to place and pick up. I do work on Sunday 9-4 at my 2nd job, we are not an American football watching family (thank goodness!)

I know I missed a lot of you 🍒👋 to everyone!

GreenWillowAndFairyLights · 11/02/2023 09:42

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for personal reasons.

UsernameNotPresent · 11/02/2023 13:06

Willow I am sorry about your FIL. I remember when my beloved grandma who brought me up started to really deteriorate with dementia, it was heartbreaking. She had few years where she was forgetful, but rapidly deteriorated cognitively over a space of 6 months. It felt like losing her while she was still there in body. I am sorry.
On a more positive note, I hope your DD has a wonderful time during her trip!
Pompoms you are doing a marvelous job! I have been a bit absent because last 2 weeks have been something else, but I am starting to see the light.
Hills ☕🍷🍰

So, I have a plan. We are picking up the keys for the new house on Monday.
☕ Skip is being delivered on Tuesday for a week. Can't wait, it's going to be glorious!
☕I have 1 week to shampoo carpets in the new house, buy new sofas and a dining table.
☕Cleaner will come and do a pre-move clean in the new house
☕Packers are due in 10 days with move day after.
☕I might move fish tanks across one by one over the next week before the formal move.
☕Cleaner will come to old place in 2 weeks to do a post-move clean.
☕Unpack and collapse.

If all goes to plan, I will have a sparkly clean new (for us) house in 2 weeks. I am crossing everything I've got there are no curveballs on the way.

Ta das today:
💪Kitchen cleaned
💪Groceries bought
💪Beds stripped and remade
💪LOL X2 so far, will be more later
💪Everyone fed and toddler exercised in the park.

Upsadiddles · 11/02/2023 15:00

Hi everyone, and thanks for the new thread Pompoms. You’re doing a grand job. I’ve been trying to post since the 1st but kept getting distracted, and it now seems to be the 10th Blush. Work has been pretty full on and we’ve had a couple of busy weekends. House has descended into chaos and we’ve had a sicky baby (seems fine now). I’m hoping to have some calm this weekend and sort my life out.

Hope the drama has subsided Hills.

Exciting news on the move UNP!

Hope the weekend is a bit quieter for you Willow, and DD enjoys her trip.

I’ve had quite a productive morning while DH took the girls out:
✅ two loads of sicky bedding/towels/pjs done
✅ kitchen window, benches, cupboard fronts, floor and glazed door cleaned
✅ hob cleaned
✅ living room dusted and vac’d
✅ TV and window cleaned
✅ relaxing shower and legs defrosted

To do:
❌ another 3 LOLs - school uniform, DH’s grubby work clothes, hot wash of my uniforms
❌re-make the bed
❌do dishes from lunchtime
❌ quick bathroom clean
❌ general tidy ready for my sister coming to babysit (DH and I are having our first child free meal out in over a year 🙌🏻)
❌make myself look vaguely presentable despite desperately needing a haircut and a stone off

Redsquirrel5 · 11/02/2023 17:25

Pompoms great job keeping us all on track.

Ed Hope it isn't too harrowing. DH went to an old friend's (since childhood and old work mate for 5 years) last week.I wasn't well enough but sent a card to his wife. Another lady from Flower Club has died so meeting is cancelled this week. Sad. Hope your DH keeps on top of the house for you.

Hills oh dear. DS at 18 old enough to make college leaving descions /old enough to do own washing.

Willow you must be rung out with all the people's illnesses. Glad DD could go. 💐for you.

Up how sickness subsides.

UNP how exciting.Plan sounds a good one, especially the cleaning!

Watched a bit of Stacy Solomon today.I didn't know it was repeated on Saturdays but I often watch some of James Martin then.I am going to revisit this one though.I kept saying to DH well that is loads worse than ours(apart from Room of Doom) I think the middle bit of it could match it but the sides are all organised and labelled.I need to get back in there.Does anyone else found watching those programmes spurs you on to cleaning up/decluttering.

Found three packs of sprouting bulbs so planted them.Hidden in the greenhouse, I knew I had mislaid them. Hope they come up.

I have kept reading along every day or two. Was ill after booster that I should have had earlier.Headache immediately and for two days.Stomach feeling better and back so so as long as I don't sit too long or do too much HHMM! I have appointment for Wed at hospital. Hope it is nothing too serious.

Ta Da this week

💙Bed made every day and changed.
💚Swish and swipe everyday. Shower cleaned as no other bugger thought to do it.
💛Kitchen cutlery draw done and decluttered some knives(to DD box) and charity.
💜Tidied all spices and all of corner cupboard.Changed a couple of things around and it is better.Need a bread tin/box. We had one before that sat out but we have enough on worktop so a medium one will fit in corner cupboard. Dunelm have rather a nice tiger one for £18. I was looking at more expensive sage one. JJ 's is £50 for a BREAD BIN😳
❤Wiped down cupboard fronts.
💖Baking cupboard all cleaned out.Old flour out and it made room for a few more things and I cleaned out the two cupboards under it and draw was done last week or so ago.

Also a drawer in the dresser.

Haven't done fridge yet but not much in it to go out.Out of date Puff pastry but tempted to use it as not long out. Put rest of orange juice out. Damn forgot it again. DH ate bacon today.
Floor needs washed but I am hoping he does that.
Dresser needs dusting but it will have to wait and I might add it in to next weeks.
Dining room table has stayed tidy since putting away the Holly and Ivy crockery.Miracle!

I don't think I have down too badly since I am still not feeling great.It was a little each day. DH helped get stuff out of one/two of the cupboards.I gave them a good clean and rearranged into a much better order.

Waves to all those lurking.

Redsquirrel5 · 11/02/2023 17:30

Started a declutter a day.
Knives x2 toffee hammerx2
Cake forks x 5, I have nicer ones.
Spices, old-bin
Magazines, small pile. Read, crosswords done and ready for recycling bag.
Plastic Tupperware lids, going into a box in shed if not matched up by summer out.Put them in DD's box😅for now.

Quite pleased with that for a week. What have you put out?

freezingpompoms · 11/02/2023 19:20

@Redsquirrel5 I have a tip run booked tomorrow so that'll be a de add Christmas tree gone and a dead bread maker gone!

✅ lovely family fun day out today at a family fun day 😂 saw lots of old comrades and felt revived.

✅ lol

✅s and a

✅ bugger all else!!!

OP posts:
freezingpompoms · 11/02/2023 19:24

S*UNDAY:
*
renew your spirit day. www.flylady.net/d/daily-focus/daily-focus-sunday/
we are moving to zone 3 which is main bathroom and one other room but don't think about that now on a Saturday night. Here's a link though...

www.flylady.net/d/zones/*

REMINDER:*

Reminder: What’s for dinner?
Do you know what you are preparing for dinner tonight? Even if you can’t pull something out of the freezer right now, you can begin thinking about it. If you need some help. Check out one of Leanne’s Sample Menu Mailerss, or get an idea from FlyLady’s Kitchenn!

OP posts:
DitzyDaffodils · 11/02/2023 20:36

Congrats on the meal out Up. Proper adulting

Good going on the Decluttering Red. I'm not doing too well with it

Thanks for the menu links Pompoms

Thursday ta-da's:

⚖️ Morning routine 🍏🥛
⚖️ Post office to send parcel of old meds I can't take any more to animal charity abroad (critters can take these too) because they're always trying to do so much with so little 📨
⚖️ Took a walk 🚶
⚖️ Evening routine 🛌

Friday ta-da's:

🪐 Morning routine☕
🪐 Pedicure 💅
🪐 Wax ➿
🪐 Decluttering 🗑️
🪐 Took in delivery, unpacked and put away 🛒
🪐 Local shop for something I forgot 🏪
🪐 Pharmacy 💊🩹
🪐 Went for a walk besides a river in the freezing cold, behind some community minded litter pickers. So not very romantic 💕
🪐 Evening routine 🛀

Today's ta-da's:

🧸 Morning routine 🥣
🧸 Didn't know where to start with decluttering so pulled out a random box which turned out to be some of my summer clothes. Tried it all on, didn't find anything to declutter but did find a top that goes with a skirt I'm currently wearing and another skirt that goes with some blouses which have been hanging around like spare parts for a while 👚👕
🧸 Cleared manky things from fridge 🥒
🧸 Paid a bill 💷
🧸 Made random what's-about-to-go-off for tea 🥙🥦🍄
🧸 Took a walk 🚶
🧸 Evening routine 🚿

CurseYouPerryThePlatypus · 11/02/2023 22:16

Last couple of days seem to have disappeared!

Thursday
🎼composed a bit of a tune (someone asked if I have skills in this area, not really, have dabbled a bit, wedding is 2025 so no pressure!)
🎼walked to colleague’s house
🎼got work done and had lunch there
🎼walked home
🎼went to tap class with DS

Friday
🤔maths with DS
🤔meeting

Saturday
🤦🏻‍♀️put Cagletini to bed

Pretty sure that is all I’ve done for the last few days, I am in a major fog of Nope currently.

EasilyDirected · 11/02/2023 23:14

I'm home. It is no worse than it was when I left yesterday morning so I'll call that a win. Gone to bed now, it's been a long couple
of days (flights involved and lots and lots of talking).

@UsernameNotPresent I don't actually want to move house but I am excited on your behalf, what a decluttering opportunity!

HungryHazelEyes · 12/02/2023 00:30

Ta Das:
🧁 handwashed dishes
🧁 rotated DW
🧁 sanitized kitchen countertops using bleach
🧁 baked cupcakes (vanilla and chocolate)
🧁 had lunch
🧁 video chat with mum
🧁 made frosting for cupcakes
🧁 cleaned oven
🧁 wiped fronts of cupboards and drawers in the kitchen
🧁 had house airing for most of the day

Coworker stopped by to pick up the cupcakes she ordered earlier so was able to get on with the do clean in the kitchen at that point.
I just have a few things to put away downstairs and can sit down for a few minutes.
Here are the cupcakes packaged, ready for pick-up:

Flylady Fledglings February: Thawing out of winter
Flylady Fledglings February: Thawing out of winter
GreenWillowAndFairyLights · 12/02/2023 11:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for personal reasons.

RocketIceLollie · 12/02/2023 18:40

Hey all

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights How did your dh get on with the laundry and beds???

@HungryHazelEyes those cupcakes look amazing!

Been another busy weekend here. Spent all day sorting out my aunt's house we are trying to sell giving it a bit of a much needed spring clean.

  • cleaned all the windows
  • dusted everywhere
  • hoovered all the rooms
  • cleaned and mopped the kitchen
  • cleaned and mopped both bathrooms
  • left some fabreeze air freshener pods in the rooms

Today we took ds to his Sunday morning football game for 9 o'clock then came back chucked ds in the shower and had some lunch before going for a walk on the beach this afternoon. Roast is cooking at the moment 😋

Today's ta das

  • stripped the beds
  • made the beds
  • quick once over of the shower after chucking ds in there
  • put bleach down the loo in the bathroom
  • washed the bedding, and a 2nd load is on now

Will wash up dishes n antibac over the kitchen tops after tea, put bleach down the loo downstairs, and do a general tidy up of the living room before bedtime.

UsernameNotPresent · 12/02/2023 20:33

Tomorrow is the start of the 2 week moving house operation. Wish me luck.

Minimal flying today with kitchen wiping, x1LOL.

freezingpompoms · 12/02/2023 20:49

Oh god I've drunk too much wine at lunch.

www.flylady.net/c/sp.php#missions
Sneak a peak for the week above.

It's bathroom plus one other room this week.

Home bleurgh tomorrow
Decluttering 15 mins.

Hiccup.

OP posts:
freezingpompoms · 13/02/2023 05:38

@UsernameNotPresent two weeks! It's been a very fast turnabout to move but at least it won't drag out. Do you have help?
Obviously you won't be flying but the decluttering will be brilliant.

@RocketIceLollie that is a very full Sunday! I bet you feel like you really made the most of your weekend.

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights o like the sound of your grindstone...yea and toast in bed is my idea of weekend heaven.

@HungryHazelEyes were those straight chocolate cupcakes? They look fantastic

Yesterday:
✅a quick home bleurgh (probably more of how it's meant to be)
✅ made chocolate coconut almond bars
✅ made a roast for friends
✅ h did ironing 🍾

OP posts:
CurseYouPerryThePlatypus · 13/02/2023 09:31

YesTaDa
🐾LOL
🐾ordered Tesco
🐾tidied a cupboard a bit and put some stuff away properly
🐾organised all phonics reading books into a box
🐾LOL hung up to dry
🐾LOL 2
🐾made a weekly home ed chart for Cagletini (daily phonics practice etc)
🐾LOL 2 in dryer
🐾LOL 3
🐾around 1.5h tying up loose ends for work and making a clearer plan for after half term (feel much less stressed about it now)
🐾LOL 3 in dryer
🐾hung up LOL 2 straight out of the dryer - washing only tops together is proving more efficient
🐾cleaned and refilled weekly planner, sighed in relief at much easier week ahead
🐾sorted meds for the week
🐾put LOL 3 away (mostly Cagletini’s, again definitely worth separating before washing!)
🐾put Cagletini to bed

Much better day yesterday. Felt like I did loads although in reality it’s only what is needed as a minimum to keep the house ticking over really.

Today I have to do a LOT of uni work. Argh.

Redsquirrel5 · 13/02/2023 12:36

Ed definitely a win! Perhaps it has started rubbing off on the family.
I made lovely Covent Garden Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup for yesterdays lunch so easy in the Everhot. There was one on Come Dine last week and one in a glossy mag I think it was Period Living which I don't normally buy but something else interested me and there was a 3 for £8 at the station.
Perry I wish I could play.I was struggling with some music yesterday. It was a 😳moment as - What the hell is that and what does it mean? moment. You sound very organised today. Great idea about tops and on hangers.I might try that in summer.At present I just was about 4 LOL a week. Two of clothes, one mid week and one Saturday. Bedding Mondays usually and Towels either Monday or Saturday.I don't do DH's washing anymore. Mainly because I don't want his muddy walking stuff and log chopping mucky trousers in with my just needs freshening up clothing. It's a win for me. I do his towel if it is in the bathroom I don't go hunting for it.

Hazel Those look yummy.I have baking to do this week. I fancy doing the Persian Tea Loaf but might have to do it next time.
Ditsy Try again this week and it was mainly because I was cleaning out kitchen drawers.And it wont last! I start off well but start sliding after about a fortnight.
Lollie I felt tired reading that yesterday.
Willow Goodness that was a lot on a Sunday.Easier when she isn't home though, I get it. Is she enjoying her trip.

DH has gone walking. I was up early for me gasping for a mug of tea and then I was really hungry. I made some French Toast. Tidied a bit of the kitchen as he hadn't done it last night, I did most of it last night eg dishwasher. Wiped the placemats which I am going to put away as the good ones are still out. Planning to clear very tiny A4 hotspot and then scrub table and put a fresh runner on it. Put candle sticks away as they look a bit silly now.I just got used to them but as Holly Crockery has gone they can go to Dining Room Table which has had no hot spots for a whole fortnight😱I felt really tired and went back to bed and slept for nearly two hours, hmm this doesn't bode well for the hospital appointment does it?
Cleaning fridge out at present. Just had a coffee and waiting for the shelves to stop dripping. Only two out of date things and one is puff Pastry so I think we might eat that. I could make a Veggie Tart as I was going to make a Quiche and now I only have two eggs.I can't walk to the farm as my foot is still sore and my girls have stopped laying again. Moulting now.Feathers everywhere. Anyone want black feathers😂
Plan
Finish Fridge
Sort Table with fresh runner and mats. Remove hot spot
Wash floor.

Bathroom
Swish and swipe and cleaned loo.
Shower tray and doors

Vacuum - sitting room, dining room and mat.

Ironing while watching a trashy 5 film.Wonders if Zoo still watches sometimes.

PS: I have never been able to do the Home Bleugh in her time. It takes me about an hour to change my bed never mind anyone elses. I do have duvet, quilted throw and old fashioned eiderdown then 4 pillows and cushions, sometimes a cotton cover if I want a different colour.I have a Victorian bed ( for the newbies) so like it to look like one.
I don't move as quick as I used to. If I don't get it all done I spread it over the week.Don't stress over it. We are not all CleanQueens.
UNP Good luck this week.It seems to have happened very quickly.I hope you love it more than your last place.We rented for a number of years and had the same problem sometimes. Then we found a Forces family and stayed there about two years which was great.It was a holiday village so very hard to get accommodation all year around. We moved four times then bought but then had to move down here.I loved it up there we had two beaches one seven miles long. I love living by the sea. I have done numerous times in my life.

OPPs sorry everyone another Saga but I have chance of home computer while DH is out. WiFi upstairs is awful since new company has taken it over. We have complained loads. Look forward to reading about your days this week.

DitzyDaffodils · 13/02/2023 13:09

YesTa-da's:

😇 Morning routine
😇 Extra LOL
😇 Home blessings
😇 Evening routine
😇 Movie night

When I was younger, fit as a flea and working as a professional cleaner, I reckon I could have got the home blessings done in an hour, so long as I didn't add in any extras beyond what FlyLady says to do. I used to be really fast and efficient when tidying and cleaning a building I did regularly. Half the problem I'd say is that FlyLady has zero clutter, not even ornaments from the sounds of some of her posts and seems to be minimalist. She's also good at dealing with hot-spots. When there's nothing to tidy away and nothing to move out of the way or put back after, that makes an area so much faster to clean. I suspect that most of our homes are a bit more cluttered than FlyLady's, we're probably all trying to do more than she says for the weekly home blessings hour, plus we're all dealing with either our own health issues or those of the people we live with.

freezingpompoms · 13/02/2023 18:22

Hi everyone. Struggling through today so nothing more than a swish and swipe and a lol.

*TUESDAY:
*
✅ Zone 3: Mission #2 Tuesday
Dear Friends,
Back to the bathroom and laundry room we go! For the bathroom your mission is to do toss old towels and linens that just plain worn out. Toss them out of your bathroom linen closets. You can donate these items to animal shelters and kennels.
For the laundry room you are to go diving behind the washer and dryer for those lone socks and dust bunnies that seem to multiply when they are back there!

✅* declutter 15 mins
*
reminder: Go Re-boot your laundry. There are five steps: Sort, wash, dry, fold, and put away. Don't leave out any steps. *
*
weekly pamper mission is have a face mask. *
*
shine sink

OP posts:
UsernameNotPresent · 13/02/2023 20:06

Pompoms I cheated a bit with packing, I am throwing a bit of money at the problem and hiring professional packers. This will be first experience for me as I always packed myself in the past (and we moved around a lot), I am quite looking forward to it.
Red thank you ☺️

Ladies, I need your recommendations please. New house doesn't have a tumble dryer (😱), what do you use to dry your laundry on? Ideally something that's a bit faster than just airer thing.