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/

Well now I want one! 🍔🍟🥞<easily influenced>

Plans have changed for today but that’s a good thing really as I CBA to go anywhere!

po3.2
❗️Discuss new plan with DH as I’m hoping I can now get decluttering done today
❗️LOL
❗️Take a deep breath and start decluttering my board games (I can do mine, just not Cagletini’s, when she’s around!)

Also need to make sure DD1 starts her decluttering as planned. We are taking a break from decorating this week as DH is really busy and we need to recover (our composure, energy levels and environment) from the absolute chaos resulting from the bigger room being done (it’s mostly finished). DD1 agreed to get rid of stuff now before she has to pack everything up.

I’ll ask her to do the Clutterbug quiz too 😁 DH and I are both butterflies.

Feeling better but trying hard to rest rather than be tempted to push on. Which is difficult when your brain is trying to convince you otherwise because you know you have worked through worse. But there is debate that suggests those pushing through are a higher risk of long covid and honestly i was long over burn out. So sitting on my hands, plotting the order of stuff and trying really hard to actually rest.

I can safely say i have tried bored for a few days and i am ready to be doing again.

Hills sometimes sitting on one's hands is one of the most difficult things to do. I am glad you are feeling better. No point in pushing through and ending up at square one.
Sing how is decluttering going?

Ta das:
🌊rest of the beds stripped, aired, and remade.
🌊Kitchen tidy up and DW rotation
🌊One LOL cycle done

Thanks to recent move, I don't really have stuff to declutter (there is a sentence I thought I'd never say), but I still need to do more zone specific work this week. I am slacking on that front.

hills I'm happy to read that you have been resting. Just remember to start slowly when you are ready to get going again.
Sing I remember doing the clutterbug quiz before, but don't remember what I was now. I'm one that likes things put away, DH and DC are the complete opposite and I'm outnumbered. If I put something away in a cupboard, they can't find it! It drives me crazy!
Elf I want to get to the decluttered stage, I need to get started back up on it as I know we have too much stuff.

Tuesday is plan & play day.

Missions:
Bathroom check your supplies, do you have enough of everything? Toilet paper, hand soap etc? Add to your shopping list if not.
other roomanother 27 fling boogie, but this time you are rehoming items that made their way into three wrong room. Fill a box or bag and take the pens to the correct room and put them away

Baby step add making your bed to your morning routine. This one is a little controversial (especially on mn), some people want to air it out, others want to cover it up and make it. You do you. On my days off I air it out, opens windows etc. The days I work DH makes the bed, and I make my side since he's still sleeping when I leave. https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-15/

Morning 🌄 everyone 👋
@BloomingHazel thanks for today's links.
I'm definitely a bed airer. My bed is a bit like a work station, there's a couple of books that I'm reading, notebook, pen, a small blanket to keep my shoulders warm while I'm sat up reading, my dressing gown, so I just fold my duvet over the detritus in the morning.
I have too many products in my bathroom, I'm slowly working my way through things.
My definite ToDo today is to clean my window frames. I've currently got a plague of flies (I can't have dug my patio down deep enough for the last burial 😅), when I pulled back the nets to swat the ones on my window I saw the grime there, which any passers by can see 🤯. The windows are Yorkshire sash, so slide sideways with the ledge bit horizontal.

Hope you all have good days 💐

Urm, when i get going again it will have to be hitting the ground running as we HAVE to get that leak looked at and i stopped doing anything towards getting the area cleared so it could happen. So i need to finish that job. And it will be a case of people getting out of the way to do so. They are the reason i had to stop, as didn't want the whole house down with covid. Unfortunately 1 of the other 3 are down also. waiting for the stubborn one to also go down due to the fact they were also exposed at the same time as person 1.

Hazel that’s frustrating, I think we are all fairly visual in our house so not as much clashing (but it does mean we are in absolute chaos because all of us just put stuff down and not away!). One thing that I did note from clutterbug videos is that where there is a clash of styles, it’s better to err on the side of the more visual styles (bee and butterfly) because like you say, the visual ones can’t find stuff, and therefore struggle to use the hidden storage 😩

I’m trying to think of how to avoid visual overwhelm though as I think that’s a risk for us (all of us are autistic/ADHD) and I realised a problem with the open Kallax shelving type stuff is that any space at all ends up with random crap placed on it! Even in front of books etc. Labels on boxes seem to help a little.

YesTaDa
👩🏻‍🎓moved previous night’s LOL to dryer
👩🏻‍🎓hung up clean dry towels (we have hooks outside the bathroom)
👩🏻‍🎓phoned OU to ask some questions about course options
👩🏻‍🎓registered for next course (year 3 of 6!)
👩🏻‍🎓LOL
👩🏻‍🎓sorted through a pile of board/card games, dividing into recycle (if missing pieces/damaged etc) and donate (board games are one of my obsessions so this is a big achievement!)
👩🏻‍🎓went round the house collecting as much “definitely get rid of” as I could from the list I’d made in the last week
👩🏻‍🎓carefully bagged it all up for rubbish/recycling/charity so as to use space efficiently. Came to about 1 bin bag of recycling, 3 of rubbish, and 2 big laundry bags of charity shop stuff
👩🏻‍🎓LOL in dryer

Successful day thanks to much pre-planning, but boy was I worn out. Managed to keep my gym appt today (Cagletini had football class again so I could do my proper induction) and am rather tired now! Not going to do much for a while now I’m home.

Ta Das so far today (11am):
🌻 dropped DS off to his hair appt
🌻 registered the new truck
🌻 sheets washed and in dryer
🌻 2nd LOL in washer
🌻 put clean laundry away
🌻 cleaned up kitchen from breakfast
🌻 picked up DS from hairdresser
🌻 bought a new nail polish
🌻 paid an electrician bill
🌻 scheduled tree company to look at tree and give an estimate to take it down (was damaged in the fire, already have 2 estimates but need a 3rd for insurance)
🌻 watered outside plants

Currently sitting outside on the patio, just finished my 2nd cup of coffee much needed

To Dos:
🐝 tidy all the random crap left around the house
🐝 rotate DW
🐝 more LOLs
🐝 bleach both bathrooms
🐝 vacuum
🐝 mop
🐝 grocery store (we at least need milk!)
🐝 paint nails (if I have time)

hills I do understand what you mean, just try not to overdo it and take lots of breaks!
Sing I remember when you were debating going back to school, now you're getting ready to start your 3rd year!
Cherry the key is to not buy more to replace until you don't have any extras. If you don't like something, get rid, you deserve to enjoy your products, don't just use it to use it up!

Right best get back at it!

Ta Das:
🌻 rotated DW
🌻 wiped down cupboard for the coffee mugs (I finally put them all in the DW last night)
🌻 put away clean coffee mugs
🌻 handwashed dishes
🌻 wiped the countertops down a week late
🌻 4th lol in washer (others put away)
🌻 put away random crap from the kitchen

Lots more still to do though! It's almost 4pm here, I have a couple of hours until DH gets home, then we'll be out tonight at the local county fair 🙂

YesTaDa
🥐bagged up some clean laundry/big textiles to avoid overflowing dryer cupboard
🥐dropped Cagletini at football and did my gym induction - did lots of new stuff
🥐got a little open tub perfect for keeping Cagletini’s pens and pencils in under her bed. We have been keeping all art stuff downstairs but it just doesn’t work - she often wants to go off on her own to draw/write (including when she’s angry/upset, it’s a way of regulating herself) and so we end up with pens everywhere upstairs anyway. Hopefully by giving them a place there it’ll be easier to maintain.
🥐arranged discount on DD1 and DS’s beds and ordered them
🥐encouraged DD1 to declutter some stuff
🥐started sorting some of DS’ Lego into broad categories
🥐put Cagletini to bed

The gym wore me out. But I also want to make the most of today, as DH is taking Cagletini out this morning, and then the other two are joining them so I’ll have the house to myself. Nobody else is awake yet but I need to get on with stuff so I don’t end up wasting the morning. A lot of the time if I don’t get productive quickly enough I end up really lethargic all day!

po3.1
❗️Get dressed
❗️Check if the bin bags from Monday’s decluttering session made it outside (bin was full but hopefully they’ll take them this morning)
❗️Breakfast

Morning 🌄 everyone 👋

TaDa's
Cleaned two of my downstairs window frames, dusted, wiped and swept the dining room.
Moved everything that didn't belong in there into a pile in the hallway.
Today's ToDo's
Clean third window frame.
Distribute pile to it's homes.
Watch the women's football.
DP moved the horse's feed bin (still living in the downstairs bathroom) so I can access the cleaning cupboard at last, so I'll be sorting that out as well.
Hope you all have great days 💗

YesTaDas:
🌻 5th lol done
🌻 bleached both bathrooms + stain removal
🌻 clean mirrors
🌻 vacuumed main floor
🌻 mopped
🌻 had DS empty bins from bathrooms and kitchen & take outside (today is bin day)
🌻 went to local county fair again for dinner

Today I'm back to work for the rest of the week and feel better that the house is clean although there's more to do. Does it ever end?

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.
Today's missions:
bathroom: wash your rugs, curtains & accessories, it may take a few days to do.
other room: it's another 27 fling boogie! This time, gather 27 things to give away. Bag them up & put them in the car/take them straight to the charity shop

Baby step: look on her website for the daily email she sends out do NOT sign up for her emails!
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-16/

Sorry I'm late getting the links out, it ended up being fairly late last night

For once I am on top with zone work.

I am so fed up with endless laundry cycle. Every blooming day, it's wash, take the dry off, fold the dry, put away the dry, wet out to dry. Every. Single. Day. If I skip a day or two, then it's Mount Washmore situation, and it's even worse. Just a moan really, I will be doing this laundry cycle until the end of days.

Elf sorry to hear about your laundry situation. I couldn't live without my dryer! not helpful, I know I know it's better for the environment to line dry as much as possible, but I just don't have the time! Well done for zone work though 🥳

YesTaDa
🍕DLMS with Railcard app, phoned customer service and sorted the issue
🍕grabbed stuff for recycling as there was room in the bin
🍕met friend/colleague online to do interview for her masters research (autism related) and then had an hour catching up
🍕LOL
🍕gathered DD1’s stuff so she can go through it later (bag of miscellaneous and box of old schoolwork)
🍕gathered more rubbish and recycling
🍕LOL in dryer
🍕LOL2
🍕cut my hair
🍕hung LOL2 up to dry
🍕labelled new baskets
🍕packed Cagletini’s clothes (from drawers in our room AND clean laundry) in baskets
🍕sorted some pens into a container for Cagletini to keep in her room
🍕towel LOL

po3.1
❗️Breakfast
❗️Order tesco delivery with easy to cook dinners etc (busy few days ahead)
❗️Think about what else can be stored where in DC2&3’s room

Morning.
Today has been a bit of an arse. -ve test yesterday. Couldn't hit the ground running as we had to have a work man in which required stuff moving so they could do what they needed to do this morning.

Ta da
Start a batch of cottage pie
realise in horror that bisto gravy is now a chunk of chemicals plus rosemary.
Try to figure out wtaf to do for gravy that isnt going to cause problems with allergies
write a shopping list because there is a whole load of missing ingredients
plot how to deal with the impact on food storage space that is caused but this stupid recipe change

To do
get dressed
drop off prescription requests
book car in for service
pick up missing ingredients
shove a load of laundry in
unload, load and run dw
check i still have the ingredients for making a lentil curry for ds - he has been fending for himself food wise so may have rightly used them.
speak to a couple of butchers to see if they can supply stock bones
curl up in the corner with a craft project for some rest
finish the cottage pie batch cooking.
make a loaf of bread

I have spent a lot of time considering the storage in our house and I’ve worked out I can improve it massively by moving a lot of small furniture around. But nowhere near ready to do that yet and need, desperately, to declutter a LOT more.

po3.2
❗️Put towels in dryer
❗️Go through the stuff DD1 decluttered (to ease her autistic overwhelm I just asked her put stuff in a bag if she didn’t want it, and I’d sort out where it is disposed of/donated etc)
❗️Gather some of Cagletini’s games that we don’t play, and check pieces for donating/recycling

Thursday is errand day.

Missions:

Bathroom: time to check your cosmetics. If you haven't used something in over a year, toss it! Check expiration dates, try to remember when you opened the package, has it been a long time? Throw out anything you doubt. Does it smell funny? Don't use it, toss it! This applies to makeup, lotions, perfume, cleaners, everything you put on your body. Unfortunately, I've already had to do this, but more extreme, I had to toss everything and start over 😪 but that means I use everything in there now 😇

other room: another 27 fling boogie. This time as what you can find that doesn't belong, put it back in its home.

Baby step: what time are you going to bed? Are you getting enough sleep? Today's baby step is to think about what time your bedtime is and what it should be. Set a specific time and stick to it. Write in your control journal what your bedtime is, under before bed routine. <hangs head in shame, I go to bed too late and don't get enough sleep>
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-17/

Sorry the links are late, I forgot to post them last night, I'll try to be better!

Sing well done on getting DD1 to declutter! You seem to be making progress and at least now you have an idea on what can help with storage.

hills 🥳 for negative test results! That's awful about the Bisto gravy. I'm sure there's something out there that's more natural and will work for the allergies, although it may mean trying to make it from scratch every time. I'm angry for you!

Ugh so annoying when recipes change!

I’ve had a post open so long it disappeared, because I was trying to come up with my next power of three. But I can’t think of anything I actually have the energy to do so I think I will just do nothing for a bit!

Friday is clean out your car and purse (handbag) day.

Missions:

Bathroom: grab a toothbrush only used for cleaning and put a little bit of soap and water on it to scrub your taps on your sink and bath. It only takes 5 minutes!

other room: time to vacuum the other room/spare bedroom, even if there's only a little bit of floor visible, vacuum it. You at least made a dent in the clutter this week. Remember, progress, not perfection!

Baby step: read the 11 commandments she has on her website, then write them in your control journal https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-18/

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

YesTaDa
🧲shower and defrost
🧲ordered new laundry baskets for the Caglets (temporary as I have a system planned, but that involves clearing a cupboard etc)
🧲ordered Tesco delivery for the evening (I love that you can sometimes get same day slots although I wish I were organised enough not to need them!)
🧲previous night’s towel LOL in dryer
🧲spent ages considering how to overhaul storage/organisation in the house
🧲sorted through DD1’s unwanted stuff - most was thrown away or recycled, but some went in the charity pile
🧲went through some of Cagletini’s games to recycle/donate
🧲decided more things to get rid of even if I can’t get to them yet
🧲got DD1 to go through more stuff I’d gathered of hers, and processed it straight into recycling/charity etc
🧲pottered around grabbing more stuff to throw out/donate

po3.1
❗️Breakfast
❗️Sort out phone account as I’m out of data etc
❗️Get ready for aqua aerobics (trying a class at new gym)

Sorry I've been completely awol. I just can't get back into the swing of it with the holidays.

So I'll just follow the thread for now and aim for baby steps and a fresh start in September. I think if you all every day thinking I should be posting.