Flying into February. Flylady support and chat thread

[TheMainCharacter]

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 in the UK

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/
New/Most Popular Links | FlyLady.net
https://www.flylady.net/d/new-links

Up! how the heck are ya?! There's always room for any fledgling!! We always host family night every other weekend, which forces me to keep the house presentable. However, if we have anyone else over I feel like I have to frantically clean!

Scourgify you don't need to feel like you have to do all of it, all the time. Start with the baby steps, once you have those down, add one thing at a time for your routines. Remember, flylady is against perfectionism, better will do. It's okay if you're working on the baby steps for a year (or more!) before you add anything else, do it at your pace!

character that's awful your DSs bike got stolen 🤬 some people are just terrible human beings!
You're doing a great job leading the thread this month.

We had a great time last night at the concert. The hotel room was amazing and huge! there were 2 (TWO!) bathrooms, one with a shower and a TV! crazy!
Anyway we are headed home via bulk shopping in the next big town. I'll need to go grocery shopping for dinner tonight & start working on dinner once home.

Sunday is Renew your Spirit

Today’s baby step is to start your control journal by using sticky notes to remind you to do the existing baby steps. Also to read the daily message. I use the app instead of sticky notes or a control journal
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-4/

Hi @Upsadiddles . You’ve come back on the right month if decluttering is what you need! Must be hard to keep on top of the home bleurgh in that situation. I do it spread through the week but I have the time to do that and I would struggle to start cleaning after a full day at work!

@HazelNotHungryLC I’m so pleased you had a great night away!

I remember you, Up

Hotel sounds fab Hazel, more of a suite than a room

Found you!

@ItsieDitzyBitsOfOnionInTheSoup yes it's the governors who advertise, shortlist, interview and appoint a head teacher. It's very exciting and stressful. It's a totally new school so we have to also write all the policies and also choose the school uniform.

Sooooo that's my excuse for not reporting on here daily.
I have however been good in real life: swimming, dehydrated parsnip crisps and beetroot, made a jar of fermented red cabbage, hula hooping, cleaned the house, lols, actually done homework for the night class and attended governor meeting. I don't think I've stayed that sane through it all though. Clinging on to reality here by my fingernails.

pompoms you've definitely been busy! Love the name change 😍

It's been a busy weekend. Saturday, on our way home, we did bulk grocery shopping & a few bits for dinner last night at our local grocery store. I made low carb pizzas and we have lots of leftovers of that. After ILs left (earlier than usual) I cleaned up the kitchen, handwashed dishes, then took a shower & went to bed.

Today ILs came over, bringing breakfast with them. We were having SIL trying her dresses on, ready for her wedding 🥰 they're just doing the legal signing at the courthouse next week, but will do another actual "wedding" in June. I practiced her hair today also. I'll be doing her makeup and nails as well.

I have managed to get 3 LOLs done today as well, changed the tablecloth on the dining table and put everything back where it needs to be (we pull the table out when we have company).
I did actually get everything unpacked already from the suitcase and all put away, surprisingly quick, I even put the suitcase away!

Now I'm relaxing on the couch, fighting a nap (I'll not sleep tonight if I sleep now! It's 4pm here). I don't want to go to work tomorrow! 😫

Monday is Home bleurgh

Today we move into zone 2, the kitchen. Today’s mission is to clean the stove top. Hot soapy water and a bit of elbow grease should do it.
She also suggests soaking the knobs and drip trays while you clean the top. Mine doesn’t have knobs and I’m not sure what a drip tray is, plus I cleaned the top after dinner last night so I feel ahead of the game on this one!

Today’s baby step is to counteract the negative voices in your head by saying something positive about yourself instead. She suggests writing it down. I think this is a great one for those of us who sometimes get overwhelmed or feel like we’re failing
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-5/

In all honesty, @HazelNotHungryLC I haven't checked the damp boxes yet as I'm very apprehensive. I don't think they're too bad. It's just the one box with a hole in.

So far no wins, just a couple of things on the to-do list!

To do:

• get to Argos to exchange sodastream canister
• investigate holey damp box
• get charity boxes to charity shop(s)
• return window blind

Trying to get ahead of my home bleurgh day which is tomorrow.
✅ cleaned downstairs bathroom
✅ dusted hall and stairs
✅ tidied kids room so quicker to clean tomorrow.
✅ hula hooping and weights
✅ ran the toddler group
✅ lunch with friend.

Thanks Character. I do get a day off work in the week and try and do part of the home bleurgh then, but it’s hit and miss whether I achieve much of it with the wild toddler on the loose.

I’m grand thanks Hazel. The hotel
sounds amazing. Gold star awarded for the prompt unpacking!

You’ve been very busy pompoms!

I can totally relate Scourgify, I also lose motivation in everything as the month goes on. Small changes work so much better but I tend to aim for perfection and usually get nowhere near.

I recognise bits of your name too Ditzy. Nice to see some familiar names still here.

Yesterday I managed quite a bit:
✔️downstairs bleurged
✔️wiped down paintwork in hallway
✔️ decluttered some coats, hats and gloves
✔️cleaned hob and cooker hood (the latter was grim)
✔️big pile of ironing done and then loads of clean clothes put away
✔️persuaded DD1 to tidy her room. Not perfect but she did quite well

Today was a work day so just the minimum achieved really:
✔️beds made
✔️s&s
✔️DW going and sink shined
✔️a few birthday cards written out
✔️encouraged DD1 to do her homework
✔️divided up some admin type jobs with DH and he has taken the ones that I would absolutely procrastinate over 🙌🏻

Cabbage 🤞 there's little to no damage in the boxes

pompoms lunch with a friend is always good!

Up how is it that baby Up is now toddler Up?! Time flies! Your ta das seem impressive to me, especially on a work day.

My work day today consisted of work & reheating leftovers for dinner! Although I did take the Jeep through the carwash on my way home from work in the rain, although it was muddy

character I know what she means by drip trays, I think, as I have them on my stovetop (I'm in the US though). I would take a picture of it, but I'm being lazy tonight and I don't want to get up & go into the kitchen 😳 they also need a bit of a scrub, I like to use brillo pads on mine as it cleans them easier. I'll do them tomorrow though since I'm off work.

Tuesday is play and play

Today’s mission is to clean and organise your cutlery drawer/silverware holder.

Today’s baby step is to spend two minutes putting out your hotspot
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-6/

Will try to actually post some tadas today!

@HazelNotHungryLC looking forward to my education on drip trays. I was wondering if it was the grill pan but then that wouldn’t go with cleaning the top…

My To do list (to keep me accountable)

Morning routine
School run
Work
Hang up LOL
Clean bathrooms
Vacuum downstairs
Mop hard floors
Hotspot
Cutlery drawer
School run
Dinner etc
Evening routine

And because I’m nosy, what does everyone else’s morning and evening routine entail?

✔️Morning routine
✔️School run
✔️Work
✔️Hang up LOL
✔️Clean bathrooms ONE DONE
✔️Vacuum downstairs
Mop hard floors
✔️Hotspot
✔️Cutlery drawer
School run
Dinner etc
Evening routine

Obviously I meant PLAN and play earlier, although play and play could be more fun!

Morning routine, Character

Make bed
Air bedroom
Put laundry on
Put last night's washing up away
Empty the hot water bottle
Get out fresh pyjamas for tonight
Physiotherapy exercises (I'm creaky!)
Wash and dress
Hair and makeup
Take meds
Breakfast
Water plants
Hang out laundry

Evening routine, Character

Cook and eat tea
General tidy round everywhere
Put dry laundry from earlier away
Get clothes ready for tomorrow
Washing up
Make the hot water bottle
Check messages
Bath
Yoga stretches

character I have attached pictures of my stovetop! It comes apart nicely to clean, although it means crumbs can get in the gaps. The middle picture shows the drip trays.

My morning routine on days I work is very basic. Hair, makeup, coffee. I grab my lunch, water bottle & coffee to go and head out the door! No flying at all. I have to leave the house at 6:30am.

My evening routine on those days are also limited. I come home about 6:30pm, cook dinner, clean up the kitchen, wipe countertops. Sometimes I fit in a workout (spin bike or yoga), shower, bedtime tea & bed.

On my days off I really don't have much of a routine. Tuesday's I tend to spend time doing home bleugh, cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming, some focus on zone work also.

Thankfully DS is able to help out. He does 1 lol a day and rotates the DW. Friday's he doesn't have school so he does a mini home bleugh that day also.

Ta Das:
🫧 took dogs to groomer
🫧 took the Jeep through the carwash again
🫧 gave dogs a bath
🫧 washed dog beds & blankets
🫧 vacuumed main floor & stairs
🫧 mopped kitchen & dining room
🫧 planned meals for the rest of the week
🫧 grocery shopping
🫧 LOLs x7, including dog beds etc, bedding from master bed & DS bed
🫧 scrubbed stovetop

✅ cleaned house too top to bottom
✅ lol
✅ stove top and knobs off
✅ friend over for coffee
✅ cleaned the storage units in bathroom
✅ potted on all the houseplants
✅ hula hooping
✅ dehydrated beetroot see pic!
✅ made ginger and turmeric shots for the first week

Wednesday is anti procrastination day

Today’s mission is to clean out the refrigerator

Today’s baby step is to pick out your clothes for the next day before you go to bed. I haven’t done this for years unless there’s something special occurring because I basically wear the same thing every day in winter (jeans, long sleeved top, jumper) 😳 so I’ll give it a go.

https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-7/

Apologies for the late post this morning, it was one of those mornings! Not helped by the fact I didn’t make the packed lunches or write in the reading records last night so had to do them this morning. I also put my contacts in the wrong eyes so had to clean them and start again, and bent down to pick up the same piece of tissue from the bathroom floor five times and missed every time until I finally got it on the sixth attempt!

Thanks for sharing your routines. Mine is
Morning:
Up &teeth
air beds and open windows
LOL
Tea
Dc breakfast
Empty dishwasher
Clear drainer
Nag dc to get dressed
My breakfast
s&s
Get myself washed and dressed. Do makeup and brush hair
Drink second tea
Make beds
Spend at least ten minutes trying to get dc to brush teeth and put shoes and coat on 🙄

At some point in the day I hang up the Lol and fold and put away the previous day’s, finishing in the dryer if needed first. I also do cleaning/other jobs and start dinner if needed.

Evenings:
Dinner
Load dishwasher &washing up
Wipe kitchen sides, hob and table
Vacuum kitchen floor
Tidy living room
Dc reading
Get dc showered and to bed
Shower myself
Sort LOL for the next morning
Sit for an hour before bed

Think that’s about it. Fairly similar to @ItsieDitzyBitsOfOnionInTheSoup really but I’m not so organised and don’t exercise 😂

@HazelNotHungryLC 12 hours out of the house is hard. DP does that on working days and he can’t really do anything when he gets home, just eats dinner and sits! I’m impressed your ds helps though, my teenagers are so lazy and barely do anything (and if they do they moan a lot). Thanks for showing me the stove, mine is induction so just one flat surface. My main criteria when choosing my kitchen was easy to clean! 7 LOL in one day??! 🫠

@brightpompoms you’re being incredibly productive and inspiring me to try to do a bit more.

How do you all use emoji as bullet points? Does it not take ages to scroll through and find the same one each time? They don't seem to copy and paste...

@CabbageBearGoat Once I’ve used it once it goes to the front of my list so is easy to find again. I don’t use the app though, I use mumsnet through my browser so don’t know if that makes a difference. I also often write the list and then add them all afterwards so I don’t even close the emoji tab. Hope that’s helpful