Marching on, FLYlady 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
31 Beginner BabySteps | FlyLady.net
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps

Tada
🎉 supported ds to have a quick go over his room (only 10 minutes), just collecting any rubbish/ washing etc
🎉 15 mins on the bathroom, decluttered bathroom toys, cleaned the mirror, sink and bath (some of the bath sealant has came off so that's an extra job to do in the week 🙈)
🎉 filed nails
🎉 MIL came for a delicious Sunday dinner cooked by OH

I was up most of last night so I'm tired now 😴 but going to get the clothes out ready for tomorrow.

I have to do a catch up on the housework at the weekend @HazelNotHungryLC I really struggle to get much done during the week . I have had some lovely cards and gifts from the kids though and OH took me out for something to eat last night 🙂 I hope you're enjoying the day so far, sounds like you have some lovely things planned 💐

Monday is home bleurgh.

Today we move into zone three, the main bathroom and one other area (laundry room, spare room, office, another bathroom, children’s bedroom etc). Today’s mission is to wipe round the base of the toilet and clean behind the toilet. In your other room of choice spend five minutes throwing out any rubbish and recycling.

Today’s baby step is to add another page to your control journal, this time write your favourite inspirational quotes on it
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-11/

Hi @Plep , welcome to the thread. It’s hard when you have health issues to contend with and toddlers are hard work too! As Hazel said just jump in and do what you can, progress not perfection!

Today’s list

⭐️Morning routine
⭐️school run
⭐️HUGE grocery shop (yet I still don’t know what I want to cook for dinner tonight 🤷🏻‍♀️)
⭐️Put away shopping
⭐️respond to emails while drinking coffee
⭐️Yesterday’s lol into dryer to finish off
⭐️Todays lol hung up
fold and put away lol
⭐️dust bedrooms x3
⭐️vacuum bedrooms x3
⭐️clear out brush head of vacuum (and realise it is broken 😠 )
vacuum downstairs
decide what’s for dinner and start prep
school run
library
parent's eve
finish cooking dinner
post dinner clear up
get kids to bed

Thank you, this thread has given me motivation, I'm tackling the whole house today and toddler has been ok even managed to get out in the morning!

Surfaces
Floors
Change bedding
Empty all bins
Clean shower
Cook dinner (which will take an hour)
Toddler shower and bed

It's a lot but I'm pushing through ☺️ thank you for the kind words! I've made a plan for each hour of the day and ticking off things as I go along 👍

Wow @Plep sounds impressive! Don’t overdo it! I have to spread the home blessing /bleurgh out over the week as I run out of steam otherwise (and it takes me about 4-5 hours not one!)

Just updating my list now I’ve done a bit more

⭐️Morning routine
⭐️school run
⭐️HUGE grocery shop (yet I still don’t know what I want to cook for dinner tonight 🤷🏻‍♀️)
⭐️Put away shopping
⭐️respond to emails while drinking coffee
⭐️Yesterday’s lol into dryer to finish off
⭐️Todays lol hung up
⭐️fold and put away lol
⭐️dust bedrooms x3
⭐️vacuum bedrooms x3
⭐️clear out brush head of vacuum (and realise it is broken 😠 )
⭐️vacuum downstairs
⭐️decide what’s for dinner and start prep
school run
library
parent's eve
finish cooking dinner
post dinner clear up
get kids to bed

And have also done 10 minutes yoga

Yes it's taking the whole day but I'm pushing through would rather have a fresh start to the week and not have to worry about it! Looks like a busy day well done 👍 I think organising my time is really going to help, there are so many hours in the day and if I feel overwhelmed I get nothing done, but this way I know I need to concentrate on only one task each hour and I can fit so much in!

Todays tada’s
⭐️ morning routine done for me and 2x dc
⭐️nursery run
⭐️ bag dropped off at charity shop
⭐️ new loaf of bread bought ( honestly forever buying extra bread here !)
⭐️ dd dance class done
⭐️ lunch for 2 and tidied up
⭐️ lol ( coats )
⭐️ nursery run and take both to a playgroup
⭐️ picked up new toys from fb pass it on site ( to be stashed for birthdays/ Christmas later in the year )
⭐️ handwashing done
⭐️ flowers arranged in vase ( given at playgroup )

just about to start tea - pasta, sauce and garlic bread

this evenings jobs:
❌put items added onto nct sale spreadsheet into bags
❌sort out the coats that are currently drying for the nct sale - put them on hangers and add to spreadsheet
❌find more stashed outgrown toys to sell
❌ decide on photos for dads birthday present
❌ check if I have a hamper basket stashed
❌ usual evening routine ( as per flylady )

also need to try and do a yoga session and a 7 minute workout in there if possible. Exercise is the area that I fall down on constantly!

Tada
🎉 showered , dressed hair and make up
🎉 beds made
🎉lunches made
🎉 clothes ironed
🎉 breakfasts
🎉 quick living / kitchen / dining room tidy
🎉 tidied bathroom & karchered tiles and shower screen
🎉 school run
🎉 work
🎉 school run
🎉 tea
🎉 spent 10 mins with ds tidying / decluttering his room ( I'm hoping doing it together will give home the tools to keep up with it )
🎉 15 mins folding clean washing & taking upstairs
🎉 kitchen cleaned
🎉 quick downstairs tidy
🎉 dd2 reading & spelling
🎉 spent time with dd2 cross stitching
🎉 bedtime stories
🎉 evening wash and makeup removed

I still need to iron tomorrow's clothes but I'm absolutely shattered so it's a job for tomorrow. Nothing much in the bathroom today either , dd1 went in the shower in the time slot I had to tidy / clean so I concentrated on other areas 🙂

Ta-da's:

☔Morning routine
☔Home blessings
☔Cleaned toys
☔Read my novel
☔Walked to church
☔Haircut
☔Shopping list
☔Life admin
☔Painted nails
☔Evening routine

Tuesday is plan and play

Today’s mission is to clean your bathroom rubbish bin, inside and out. In your other room of choice spend 5 minutes gathering up anything that you can donate or give away.

Today’s babystep is to delete all your fly lady emails. I don’t have any but going to attempt to declutter my inbox a little anyway
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-12/

Sounds like everyone was full of Monday motivation and got a lot done yesterday.

Today
🌊Morning routine
🌊School run (both ends of my road were flooded and the waves on the seafront were huge!)
🌊Clean bathroom
🌊Mop hard floors
🌊Visit dad
🌊Buy teabags
Clean shower room
Clean kitchen sink
yoga?
School run
Parent’s Eve (annoying I couldn’t get them both appointments on the same day)
Cook dinner
Clean up from dinner

Will get going again in a minute but am feeling sad after seeing my dad so am allowing myself a bit of wallowing time

character 💐 take it easy today. Watching our parents decline is not fun or easy.

Ditzy that looks like a productive day to me!

searching that's a long ta da list! Teaching DC decluttering techniques is a good idea too.

Hemax I struggle with working out as well, and we have a small home gym! I did manage to do some upper body weights last night though.

plep thank you for the reminder to make a list today that I can tick off. I have a lot to do today!

Today's To Dos: (in no particular order)
[ ] Hair appt
[ ] Title for dirt bike
[ ] Groomer
[ ] Bathe dogs
[ ] Laundry
[ ] Bleach bathrooms
[ ] Vacuum (especially under bed)
[ ] Mop
[ ] Meal plan
[ ] Grocery pickup order
[ ] Call about getting spider veins looked at/ removed
[ ] Pick DS up from school
[ ] Rotate DW
[ ] Handwash dishes
[ ] Bleach kitchen countertops
[ ] Try LC Yorkshire puddings (dinner)
[ ] Make spare bed up
[ ] Video chat with Mum

There's a lot to do, but I'm already in my hair appt, will do the title work while out and work on laundry between other jobs. Thankfully it's not even 9:30am here!
We are getting our new bed delivered between 4 & 6 so really need to vacuum under the bed!

Ta Das so far
✂️ Hair appt
✂️ Title for dirt bike
✂️ Groomer
[ ] Bathe dogs
[ ] Laundry 2nd LOL in washer
[ ] Bleach bathrooms
[ ] Vacuum (especially under bed)
[ ] Mop
[ ] Meal plan
[ ] Grocery pickup order
✂️ Call about getting spider veins looked at/ removed
[ ] Pick DS up from school
[ ] Rotate DW
[ ] Handwash dishes
[ ] Bleach kitchen countertops
[ ] Try LC Yorkshire puddings (dinner)
[ ] Make spare bed up
[ ] Video chat with Mum

I have also washed, dried & vacuumed the Jeep!
It's soon to be 1:30pm here, and still lots to do!

Todays tada’s 🎉

⭐️ morning routine
⭐️ yoga session ( accompanied by 2 year old joining in )
⭐️ meal plan
⭐️ shopping list
⭐️ did todays mission and cleaned the bathroom bin
⭐️ afternoon routine - minus the work out 🙈
⭐️sorted and added more to the NCT spreadsheet ( clothes all hangered up )
⭐️ chosen pics to print for my dads birthday
⭐️ checked to see if I had a hamper basket lying about ( nope)
⭐️ weekly food shop
⭐️ bought hamper basket

just about to scan all my food shop into an app I use for gift vouchers back and then put it away
then do my evening routine.
if I have a spare few minutes I’ll pop a few more items onto my spreadsheet for the NCT sale !

Lots of productivity going on … baby steps all the way ! Keep going 😀

Ta Das:

✂️ Hair appt
✂️ Title for dirt bike
✂️ Groomer
✂️ Bathed dogs
✂️ Laundry x6 loads washed & dried
✂️ Bleached both bathrooms
✂️ Vacuumed (especially under bed)
✂️ Mopped
[ ] Meal plan
[ ] Grocery pickup order
✂️ Called about getting spider veins looked at/ removed
✂️ Picked DS up from school
✂️ Rotated DW
✂️ Handwashed dishes
✂️ Wiped kitchen countertops
[ ] Try LC Yorkshire puddings (dinner)
✂️ Made spare bed up, it's now ready for DD & BF
✂️ Video chat with Mum
🍓 refilled water infuser
🍓 washed & vacuumed Jeep

I actually feel like the house is clean for now which is a really nice feeling to have. It won't last long though 🙄
I'm back at work tomorrow for the rest of the week. I have still got to figure out meals for the week & go grocery shopping 🤦‍♀️

Hemax that was a productive day for you too!

Wednesday is anti procrastination

Today’s mission is to clear out your medicine cabinet. Get rid of any empties and check for anything that has expired. Give the shelves a wipe, no need to take everything out, just lift and wipe. In our other room (which I have just realised she specifies should be our “stash and dash” space) spend 5 minutes putting the things away which have a home and you know where they go. The things you just dumped there while in a rush or because someone was coming round.
Sorry for not being clear on the second room so far this week, I still don’t know what I’m doing 🤣

Today’s baby step is to go to the launch pad and find one of the missions and do it
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-13/

@HazelNotHungryLC well done on getting through that huge list! Some of those things are really time consuming too.

I actually completed my list yesterday and even added in wiping over the kitchen cupboard fronts.

@Hemax1 what app do you use for the groceries? Do you have to scan in each item individually?

Today
morning routine
school run
vacuum stairs
dust hall and stairs
tidy office/spare room
dust office/spare room
vacuum office/spare room
make up spare bed
put towels in spare room
hang up lol
visit dad
school run
Cook dinner
yoga class

The app I use is NielsenIQ Panel. Yes have to scan each item but it doesn’t take too long unless I’ve done a huge shop !

I haven't seen your thread before but I have a full house of clutter and mess and I'd love to sort and join in tomorrow. It's been building since 2020 and I'm now living in unsustainable chaos. I need these kinds of targets you post daily to maybe help me get me through it all finally

Does shining your sink literally mean shining the sink?

Scaredoff I don't need the self esteem boost of a sink I can see my face in, which I think is FlyLady's reasoning behind it - one pristine thing in a house full of messy shite. Try it and see what you think.
I take it to mean having a clear, clean sink. So I do the washing up every night before bed and put it away once dry when I get up. It's efficient. There's only ever a small pile of dishes next to the sink which never gets out of hand because it's being done daily. During the day I can use the drainer as additional work surface (a bit short of this in my kitchen) because it's empty. I clean the sink and taps afterwards with the same sponge and cleaner I use for the dishes, so it's never dirty. Means if I decide to start the day hand washing some clothes or whatever, the sink is already clean and clear.

Thanks @Hemax1 , will look into it.

Hi @scaredofff and welcome. The idea behind flylady is that you’re never behind and can jump in wherever so feel free to join at any point. I’ve been a bit lax on the actual fly zones recently but am doing enough to keep things ticking over and to stop more clutter building.
With shining the sink I do as @ItsieDitzyBitsOfOnionInTheSoup says but I’ve been saying for about three months that I want to get into clearing the drainer before bed as well but still haven’t actually done it!

⭐️morning routine
⭐️school run
⭐️vacuum stairs
⭐️dust hall and stairs
⭐️tidy office/spare room
⭐️dust office/spare room
⭐️vacuum office/spare room
⭐️make up spare bed
⭐️put towels in spare room
⭐️hang up lol
⭐️visit dad
⭐️school run
⭐️high dusting in living rooms
⭐️descale kettle and coffee machine
Cook dinner
yoga class

Alright. A list filled with quick wins - feeling good about things again!

Today's wins:
🎉 Emptied bathroom bins
🎉 Wiped ensuite sink
🎉 Fixed ensuite shower door! (Thanks to my new hobby of sitting on eBay, realising I might be able to find parts and just live with the shower until we're ready to do the whole room)
🎉 1x load washing up done and put away
🎉 Collected recycling around the house
🎉 Washed out food waste bin
🎉 Took out bins for morning collection
🎉 Requested another quote for lounge blinds/curtains
🎉 Arranged collection of sold item on FBM (whether they turn up...)
🎉 Put together 2x2 kallax
🎉 Fixed cupboard door alignment (took longer than you'd think... this is days in the making)
🎉 Folded bedding and put away in now functioning cupboard

Great list @CabbageBearGoat . Lots of things on there that will make a big difference

Grrr just typed a long post and lost it.

It's so lovely to see so many new people on the thread, welcome everyone, it really does make a difference being here ❤️.

Jan/Feb were really busy here (three birthdays, a few trips out and lots of admin stuff, insurances, MOT, tax return, DS's PIP renewal) and the house had slipped a lot. Anyway, last week I was off work ill with a streaming cold but was up and about so did quite a lot of decluttering and tidying, tip run on Saturday, two boxes to the charity shop yesterday and several items disposed of via FB.

Tonight I have had a rare night in hy myself (DH and DD have gone to see Dune 2) so I have been catching up with Sort Your Life Out on iplayer for inspiration but made myself do an hour of chores first.

Tada!
Made packed lunch for tomorrow
Washing into dryer
Dishwasher loaded and on
Hand dish-washing done
Draining board de-limescaled
Bin emptied
Breakfast bar tidied
Kitchen floor swept and mopped.

@Redsquirrel5 yes, I do still post in the EH group but not so often now. I think you replied to one of my comments a couple of weeks ago (about hotplate temperature/bacoglide) 😉