Flying through August & the summer holidays with Flylady!

[BloomingHazel]

Welcome to this long running thread, we may seem clicky, but all are welcome to join in!

Do NOT sign up for the Flylady emails - it's an excessive amount sent every day.

There are Baby Steps for starting out, add one thing at a time to start good habits and routines.

There are 5 zones that we will rotate through, don't worry about finishing it all this month, it'll come around again next month! Flylady is NOT about perfectionism!

Habit of the month of August is Laundry

Daily missions: each day of the week has a different mission.

• Monday: Home Blessing (or as we call it, home bleugh)
• Tuesday: plan & play
• Wednesday: anti-procrastination
• Thursday: errand day
• Friday: clean car & purse out and date night (what's that again?? 🤔)
• Saturday: family fun day
• Sunday: renew your spirit

Common acronyms we use:

• LOL: load of laundry (washing is certainly NOT funny!)
• DW: dishwasher, we are not rotating wives by any means, although an extra pair of hands could come in handy sometimes 😆
• LMS: lose/lost my shit
• DNLMS: did not lose my shit

I'm sure there's more I haven't mentioned, feel free to ask us to explain something. I'll try to update links every day, although if you can, it's worth downloading the app, you can even have it send you notifications (although I only have it for when the zones change).

As a side note, this is my first time leading this thread, please be patient with me if I miss something. We really are a friendly bunch!
Links are below 👇 if I happen to not add links in time, they do update at midnight for you.

Launch Pad: www.flylady.net/d/new-links/

Zones: www.flylady.net/d/zones/

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

Just a heads up, I will be absent from the thread for a couple of days (Friday & Saturday) unless I can get service while I'm gone (camping again!).

Hi,

I did fkylafy for a little bit and felt so much better, the shiny sink helped my brain relax haha, but I fell by the wayside. Would love to join you all.

The zone this week is entrance, front porch & dining room
The Baby Step for today is shine your sink. It really does make all the difference to wake up to an empty kitchen sink, that's gleaming!

Welcome @Atalanta1 no one is ever left behind!

Thanks for setting up Hazel! Enjoy your time camping.

Placemarking. Can't sleep, I am really regretting that evening coffee.

Welcome Atalanta 😊

You're welcome Elf I hope you were able to go back to sleep

Tuesdays mission is to put out those fires! Go to each room, for 15 minutes each (entryway, porch & dining room) and clear out those hot spots. Put things away that have ended up in those spots, if it doesn't have a home, create one! Set a timer - remember it doesn't have to be perfect!

Don't forget to shine your sink! On the website she goes into detail on how to do this, but do whatever works best for you.

Tonight I did actually shine my sink (it's still Monday night for me, I'm 7 hours behind). I cleaned it initially with dish soap, rinsed it, then got my heavy duty limescale remover out and sprayed it all around. I let it sit for a couple of minutes, grabbed a toothbrush I use for cleaning only and cleaned all of the edges. Behind the taps were actually gross! I wiped around the rest of it and rinsed one more time. I always wipe out my sink when I'm done with it, something my Mum instilled in me.
I do also use a Brillo pad when I need to, but I just did that last week.

Thanks for the new thread @BloomingHazel I didn't post much last month but I was lurking, I intend to post a bit more now. I have done a massive declutter over the last few months as part of house renovations and it has made a huge difference to how easy it is to keep the house tidy and actually find things.

Hills - thank you for last month, I hope you are getting your strength back and that the house maintenance/building situation isn't too onerous.

@DomesticElf hope you get some rest today, not long to go now!

Welcome @Atalanta1

It's good to see you back on here ED DH actually made a comment when we got all of our textiles back that it was nice when it was gone, and that now we have too much stuff!

To Dos:
💆‍♀️ get dressed & ready for the day (after my 2nd cup of coffee though)
💆‍♀️ wash bedding & towels (and see what other loads need doing) DH had DS wash multiple LOLs yesterday, instead of just the usual one load
💆‍♀️ go to my massage appt
💆‍♀️ drop off box at UPS store, a return for DH
💆‍♀️ be home for another swap of items needing cleaned & hope they have our missing items (a set of curtains and my wedding dress 😱)
💆‍♀️ sweep front step & side step
💆‍♀️ clean front window (birds keep flying into it and I'm tired of seeing the outline on my window!)
💆‍♀️ clean glass on both doors inside & outside (front & side doors)
💆‍♀️ put out hotspots & general tidy in zone

We'll see what I can get done today.
I'm really looking forward to my massage, an hour of bliss! My back has been hurting me for a week and a half, as well as all the stress in my shoulders & neck.

That gets me thinking though, what is one thing you can do for yourself as a pamper/ relaxing session this week?
It could be a bath with bubbles & candles/ wine/ a book etc. Or sitting outside in the garden with a cup of tea or coffee, walk with a friend or alone, or watch your favourite programme without interruptions or whatever else.

That's my challenge to you all this week - do one thing (at least) that's for YOU, you deserve it!

Have a good trip Hazel
Welcome Atalanta1
Hope Mctoddler has his listening ears on for the rest of the week
Thank you everyone for the well wishes

Insomnia kicked my ass lass night so going to make the first thing energy wise to go for a walk today. Not a long or difficult one, just a get butt out of house and move slightly one. I spent waaaay too much time and brain power on some diet improving stuff yesterday and the lack of energy meant my mind spent the night running
ta da
help ds with email
cooked a hearty brunch
answer travel questions and timings
get dressed

unfortunately this is often mostly what i have energy for atm, the new meds were not as beneficial as i had hoped, so will have to see what bloods bring back information wise as to where to go next. However, it is entirely possible that this is a good old fashioned case of exhaustion that just needs to rest itself out of the system a smidge more.

Building work is going slow, but we are managing to stay on top of things so there should be minimal final clean up work.

My massage appt just got moved 😪 out of her control though as a family emergency came up, so completely understandable. So no massage today, instead I will repaint my toes (I think I'll go buy a new colour first though).

hills I hope your walk goes well for you, fresh air is always good! I'm nervous about the building work that should be starting soon here, hopefully I can keep on top of things like you so we can stay in the house, a team of cleaners will be in at the end (I have mixed feelings about this, excited for a deep clean, yet nervous it won't meet my expectations)

Well I managed to shine the sink and feel so much better for it. We are nearly at the end of our summer holidays and I’ve five kids in the house and am fitting in full time hours remotely too (generally pulling very very late nights), I am beyond exhausted and have let housework slide. It hurts my head though.

Today I’ve started a major clear out of the youngest two’s room (6 &4), counting jigsaw bits, being brutal with toys that just aren’t played with, the wardrobe, everything. Will finish tomorrow. Something about the room just doesn’t work quite right for me and I hope this will help.

That's a great start Atalanta summer hols are almost over here too.

Ta Das (so far):
🧚‍♀️ hotspots dealt with in zone
🧚‍♀️ swept outside front & side doors
🧚‍♀️ sheets washed, dried and back on the bed
🧚‍♀️ towels currently drying
🧚‍♀️ white load (with added bleach, so do not have DS doing that load) in washer, waiting to be dried
🧚‍♀️ glass on outside screen doors cleaned
🧚‍♀️ front window cleaned on the outside, no more bird imprint, until the next time
🧚‍♀️ vacuumed main floor, including under my bed. Dobby likes to chew up sticks under there and made a terrible mess!

It's lunchtime!

Atalanta hats off to you working full time hours with 5 kids. I am about to have my second, and will be back full time after 1 year of mat leave. I don't want to think how it will all fit together 😜
Sounds like you've hit the ground running with this whole cleaning stuff.
Hazel nice ta da list. You've been busy.
Red good to see you! Yes, I'm all stocked up on books and routines for my toddler. Let's how the reality differs from my plans 🤣

Ta das:
🙃LOLx2, out to dry, more pillows in the wash (last set 😅), dry laundry folded and put away.
🙃Kitchen clean up and DW rotation
🙃Hot spots put out in dining room
🙃3rd fishtank water changed
🙃 Recycling taken to the bins. Honestly, I am the only one who does it. DH just keeps to pile it on top like some weird trash Jenga.

I always shine my sink now, there is something therapeutic coming down in the morning to a shiny sink.

Less than 12 hours to planned section. I am ready and not ready at the same time! It would be nice to be able to walk up the stairs without it being a 5 minutes mission with a rest at the top 😬
DH will be in charge of the house for the 2 weeks I am recovering. I am a little apprehensive what will await me by the end of 2 weeks..

@DomesticElf my DCs are 23 months apart, DS watched a lot of TV when DD came along. He also used to stand in an armchair in the window watching all the cars and lorries go past for hours on end. Good luck for tomorrow, we will be looking forward to updates!

@Atalanta1 well done on decluttering with a full time job and 5 DCs, I take my hat off to you.

Well, not that much flying here today, I was at work by 8, then home via Sainsburys, unpacked, chatted to teen DCs, went for a run, ate dinner, took DS out for driving practice and here I am on the Ipad. Planning a bit of tidying upstairs before bed.

@BloomingHazel I am indeed planning a bit of renew your spirit time this week, I am going to the theatre with DD on Thursday, it is the last year of her being able to get a free ticket in the Kids week promotion in London and it is one of our family traditions.

Elf is exciting having another thread baby! I hope everything goes well tomorrow

ED that sounds like a productive day nonetheless. Theatre sounds very good too, I personally love family traditions 😍

Not much accomplished after lunch, I'm currently painting my toes, and decided to go my fingers as well. We'll see how long they last. I haven't used regular nail polish on my fingers in years, it's been gel!

@DomesticElf I’m so excited for you!!!

Thanks for last month Hills and sorry you're still feeling unwell

Thanks for the new thread Hazel hope the camping trip is fun

I've been out all day at the park, lunch in the café, shopping on the way home. No flying just a quick tidy up

Elf I'll say a prayer for you and little one

Welcome to the thread Atalanta you're off to a good start

Glad life's getting back to normal ED

Ditzy that sounds like a perfect day to me!

Wednesday's Mission: wipe down walls and windows in the dining room, then do the same in the entryway, focusing on the door handle.

Baby Step: this one is controversial, get dressed to shoes. We do not wear shoes in this house, flylady does recommend it to get yourself going for the day, but I'm not convinced. She does also mean actually get dressed though, do your hair, put your makeup on (if you wear it). I would recommend at least wash your face and moisturise though (part of that self care we should remember to do!).

Launch Pad: www.flylady.net/d/new-links/

Zones: www.flylady.net/d/zones/

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

Wednesday is also anti-procrastination day, so anything you have been putting off, just do it! Most of the time it ends up only take minutes to complete, whatever it may be. A phone call, putting something away, anything!

@DomesticElf good luck, hope everything goes smoothly!
@BloomingHazel shoes also banned in my house.
@Atalanta1 hi! 👋

I'm having a quiet coffee before I'm back on duty at 8am.
Have a good day everyone.

Little baby boy arrived safely and uneventfully this morning. I am absolutely besotted 🥰

Congratulations Elf and baby 💖✨👶

It was indeed a great day Hazel

Congratulations Elf !