New Year, Fresh Start with Flylady

[HazelNotHungryLC]

Are you looking to finally getting into a new routine with housework? Something simple to start that can be easy to add to over time? Flylady may be the answer for you!

This is a long running thread, but we are a friendly bunch and 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!

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. It's also date night (with your significant other, or friends, or yourself!)
• 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

There are more, 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). You can also modify the tick lists to suit your home & lifestyle.

Links are below 👇 if I happen to not add links in time, they do update at midnight for you. I am in the US, 7 hours behind the UK, so I'll do my best.

Launch Pad: https://www.flylady.net/d/new-links/
Zones: https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/
Baby Steps: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

@HazelNotHungryLC @TheMainCharacter I congratulated myself too soon, I suspect! Bedside cabinet just has a lamp.

Chest of drawers/dresser on the other hand...sigh. Ok, I'll try and clear a lot of my junk of there today. 😀

We all have too much stuff don't we? 😔 There are things on my bedside tables that don't belong there but there's nowhere else to put them

Ta-da's:

🎡Morning routine
🎡Tidied bedroom
🎡Took in delivery, unpacked and put away
🎡Tidied the coats, mentally earmarked a few to pay attention to how much they get worn over the next two spring/summers and if not being used they'll be decluttered
🎡Read my novel for a bit
🎡Cleared off the second sofa because it had got piled up with all manner of things that had taken root, it was tidy but they shouldn't be there
🎡 Decluttered a couple of things

Frosty you're welcome! I'm glad it helps with me posting the daily missions. Sometimes there are things I haven't thought of doing.

character it'll be nice when all you have is everything you need and use, especially if you have a variety of things to use up. You can figure out what is your favourite and only buy that from that point on. That was also of lots of ta das you accomplished!

Professor I hate that I become "blind" to things, well done for clearing it all 🥳

Hatty 😆 remember it doesn't have to be perfect though, "better" will do just as well! Although I'm guessing I might be a little late in posting..

Ditzy you've had a productive day as well! And fitting in reading/ relaxing is just as important, so it's good you make the time for that.

My ta das today are work related:
🫧 wrote a list of everything stored in the "dungeon" at work, with a coworker
🫧 rearranged said boxes to make room for yet more boxes (35 of the bastards!) that were stored in our office, with a coworker, thankfully!
🫧 went home, after doing that for a full day (10 hours)
🫧 reheated leftovers for dinner
🫧 DS & DH mostly cleared kitchen
🫧 I wiped down countertops & sink
🫧 currently soaking in the bath with Epsom salts to soothe my achy muscles

We may have to do more of the same next week, but on a much smaller scale 😫

Friday is clean out your car and handbag day.
Friday's mission is to remake your bed. Strip the bed, flip (or turn) the mattress and remake it with fresh, clean sheets. Take your time making the bed, carefully ticking the corners, fluffing your pillows. She says to toss your pillow in the dryer with a dryer sheet to freshen it up. When you go to bed tonight, really enjoy the clean sheets and effort you put in to making your bed.
<on the master bedroom week I always wash my mattress & pillow protectors, and always on my day off - Tuesday. Once a quarter I wash our heavy blanket that goes on our bed, since we have sheets we use every night>

Baby step #26: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-26/
This baby step is actually really important - the reminder that you are NOT behind, jump in where we are and don't try to play catch up, we <really will> do this all again next month!
Zones: https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/

Happy Friday everyone! 🥳

Oh, I almost forgot, Friday is also date night. It doesn't mean it has to be your DH, BF or whatever. It can be your best friend, sister, or even yourself! It's a time to reconnect, whether it's with yourself or others, so do something you enjoy 😍

@HazelNotHungryLC I’ve been on a using up mission for about 2 years now 🫣
Unfortunately three of my favourites have been discontinued in that time so I have bought others to try and don’t always like them. I hate throwing stuff away though so try to use them but invariably give up part way and open another. I had got to a good place where almost everything was pared down in November but then got given a big beauty bag for Christmas so need to work through those as well now. Things like blusher seem to last forever as well which doesn’t help. And I go through phases where I make an effort and wear proper make up and phases where I don’t!

Sounds like your day at work was very physical and tiring!

tadas so far today
🥳morning routine
🥳school run
🥳lol x 2
🥳lol x 1 hung out
🥳clean main bath/shower
🥳change towels
🥳fold and put away lol x 2
🥳clean kitchen cupboard fronts and surfaces
🥳deep clean kitchen sink
🥳change tablecloth
🥳10 minute room rescue across downstairs
🥳reorganise sewing stuff/name tags etc-label maker is now with this and not in my bedside drawer!
🥳put batteries into battery holder rather than in a jar on kitchen side
🥳set robot round kitchen floor

to do
vacuum under sofa cushions
hang out 2nd lol
wash towels
buy mince, ds1 is meant to be cooking this evening to practice for his catering exam
school run
evening stuff

character I've been there too, keeping creams I don't particularly like. I have culled some as I go, but was forced to toss everything back in June. We had a house fire (fire was mostly contained in the roof/ shed), but whole house had smoke damage and insurance adjuster said it all had to go (anything we consume or put on our bodies as there's toxins from paint etc). It sucked, especially as we had to take note of everything!. Even buying new was awful, but now I'm careful about what I bring in.

I have no ta das today, other than washing my face tonight and doing my skincare routine 😆 I've sat and done nothing (even didn't have the drink of Bailey's that I was so tempted to have. I've stayed dry all month long 😇), other than scroll on mumsnet 😆

There's no missions on the weekend.
Saturday is family fun day.
Sunday is renew your spirit day (whatever that means for you)

Yesterday was a lazy day in the Hazel household. I did get a few things done though.

YesTaDas:
👟 brief workout (Tabata, only 4 minutes but it's a killer for starting out again!)
👟 shower & morning skincare routine
👟 1 lol
👟 rotated DW
👟 handwashed dishes
👟 wiped countertops & sink
👟 swept kitchen & dining room

We went to ILs last night for dinner (their turn), they got a new puppy (approx 1 year old), they rescued him from the shelter on Wednesday. He's so scared, clearly was abused in the past, let alone abandoned! He's starting to settle in though and has made progress since they got him.
It was interesting, we took our dogs to meet him (they always come with us). They did brilliantly with him, gave him the space he needed. He still stayed in the one room away from everyone, but I think that will change the more we see him.
I see him every day on my lunch and still haven't approached him to pet him, but I do talk to him and he seems more curious every day. He is such a sweetheart 😍

Anyway I have a few things I'm planning to do today, especially if DH & DS actually go riding like they're planning to (dirt bikes).

To Dos:
☕️ meal planning
☕️ grocery list
☕️ grocery pickup (place order & pick up)
☕️ vacuum
☕️ mop kitchen & dining room
☕️ bleach bathrooms
☕️ video chat with Mum
☕️ watch some hoarders on TV

I don't know what I'll actually be able to accomplish today, I pulled my back yesterday 😫

Oh the poor puppy Hazel, so sad the way some people treat animals. Hope your back is better soon, that's an impressive to-do list with backache!

Home blessings for me today. Going to do some decluttering next, try to do a little each week and it's gradually making a difference. Will finish the day with a manicure, my hands are a state.

Dropped off the thread again - oops !

I hope everyone is doing ok ?

Sorry to read about DH's diagnosis @EffortlessDelegation . I suppose the only positive thing is that it's treatable if they need to and that it isn't as aggressive as others , however it must be really tough for you all . Just the word itself is scary ! Here for you if you need to chat , whether on here or pm 💐

Ditzy that sounds like a great way to finish off the weekend! 😍

Ta Das (so far):
🧘‍♀️ meal plan for the week done
🧘‍♀️ grocery pickup order placed
🧘‍♀️ yoga to stretch my back and hips (my left hip is really bothering me today too)
🧘‍♀️ dressed (wearing sweats today, so comfortable)
🧘‍♀️ morning skincare routine & little bit of makeup
🧘‍♀️ hair done

I'm about to go pick up groceries, DH & DS are about to leave the house. I do have to go inside the store for a couple of things as well.

Thanks for the kind words about DH. It's not great but it's better that we found out at this stage and he will have regular monitoring now. We know a fair few men that have been through treatment and all have come out unscathed at the other end.

We've kept on top of the basics this month but not really done missions or decluttering, although I did take a few bags of stuff that has been accumulating in my car boot to the charity shop on Friday.

searching how are you doing?
ED just the basics is more than I would probably do in your situation!

Ta Das:
😫 picked up groceries
😫 put groceries away
😫 sorted the pantry out a bit
😫 arranged flowers I bought
😫 set up the mint plant I bought in the kitchen windowsill
😫 ate lunch
😫 video chat with Mum
😫 sat all afternoon with a hot water bottle and heat pad on my back and hip, watching Hoarders

I'm in pain 😢 I set a reminder on my phone to call to make an appt for a massage (that I should have done 2 weeks ago). Hopefully I can push through work tomorrow.
I'll be back in a little bit with links

Monday is home bleugh day. Quick vacuum, empty bins, change bedding etc.

We are moving into a new zone, zone 5 - the living room.
Monday's mission is to spend 10 minutes putting out those fires. Sort out your hotspots - the areas of your room where things gather that don't belong. Set your timer for 10 minutes and put everything away where it belongs.

Baby step #29: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-29/
This one is important, it's about self-care.
https://www.flylady.net/d/br/author/pamper/ take a look through to get some ideas for taking care of yourself.

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

ED that's a bit of a crapper of a diagnosis, but it sounds like your DH is in good hands.

I've been sorting the house properly and working out new routines. Because of the size of the house, I need to split home bleugh throughout the week. Now I tend to use TOMM for quick daily home bleugh and flylady for zone cleaning. House is under control, but I need to optimise the routines a bit.

@DomesticElf it sound like I do similar to you. I do a room or rooms a day, dusting and vacuuming mainly (so Monday is bedrooms for me) and then do the daily missions and whatever else needs doing from the zone list. I think it’s helping me keep on top of stuff but time will tell. I suppose you just have to stick with it.

Ta da’s
🛒 Morning routine
🛒school run
🛒HUGE grocery shop. Made the error of going without a list and with no meal plan.
🛒put huge grocery shop away which took almost as long as doing the actual shopping
🛒3x bedrooms dusted and vacuumed
🛒lol folded and put away
🛒living room hotspot cleared
🛒ds birthday cards taken down
🛒living room cushions plumped and blankets folded
🛒made a couple of phone calls

I was late putting my lol on today so still need to hang that up (and cook dinner etc). Right now though it’s school run time.

Oh and @HazelNotHungryLC my tea arrived today! Looking forward to trying it

Woohoo character I really hope it works for you 🤞 I have gone grocery shopping without a list before, got extra stuff I didn't need, forgot things and had to go back. I can't do no list anymore! I hope you were able to get everything you need.

Elf isn't it nice when we get into a routine that works for us? And if course, we aren't strict flylady on this thread, which helps!

Ta Das (so far):
💆‍♀️ work (currently on my lunch break)
💆‍♀️ massage booked for tomorrow

My back hurts so much it makes me feel sick 😫 I've taken my strong ibuprofen, so hopefully it'll at least take the edge off. I would have booked a massage for today, but we're already down someone due to illness 😪

Is there anyone who can volunteer to run the February thread? It just dawned on me that we are getting close to the end of January!

I'm sorry, I just can't, I've got a lot of other stuff going on as well as feeling a bit overwhelmed following the diagnosis (two birthdays in Feb, DS's PIP renewal, getting DD on the waiting list for ADHD assessment, lots of school governor stuff). Hopefully I'll feel like it again later in the year.

That's completely understandable ED
I can do it next month as well, if need be. There may be times I don't post though as we have some things going on/ going away etc.
So if there is anyone else out there who wants to keep us on the straight and narrow, just let me know!

Tuesday is plan & play day.
Tuesday's mission is to do a detailed vacuuming session in the living room. Move furniture (if it's not too heavy) or get under it as best you can. Attachments are your friends! Use attachments to get the edges of the room.

Baby step #30: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-30/
Check your calendar for birthdays etc next month. Add cards and/or gifts to your list and pick something up on errand day.

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

After work today I put out the hotspot in the living room, cooked dinner, wiped countertops & sink after DH & DS loaded DW for me. I've already taken a shower, but I'll get my clothes out tomorrow, since I'm off.
I do have a busy day ahead of me with lots of running around (and a massage 🥳), but have some flying to do at home as well. I'll see what I can get done!

I can try to run the thread, have managed to post most days in January. Just not fully to grips with the routine yet but sure I can find the the relevant bits to c&p. Half term week might be a bit trickier but will do my best!