Falling into September with Flylady

[HazelNotHungryLC]

Getting back into routines can be hard, with DC going back to school, this is the perfect time to start getting back into the swing of things.

Are you feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start to get your house back under control from the summer holidays? Or just wanting to try something new?
Join us and try out Flylady! It just may work 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 a week. 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.

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/

Tuesday is plan & play day.

Tuesday's mission is to attack the clothes pile. Whether it's in a chair, the floor, the dresser etc, set your timer for 15 minutes and fold, hang or put out for wash what's in the pile. While you're doing that, if you pick something up you don't love anymore, donate or (maybe wash it first if it's been worn though!).

Baby Step 24: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-24/
Learn about Swish & Swipe (S&S) and how to incorporate it into your morning routine, to keep your bathroom guest ready at all times.

@HazelNotHungryLC

I hope everyone is well, it's very quiet on here!

I suspect there may be many more like me silently following and finding your daily posts very helpful.
I'd got the house well under control a while back by Flying but had a period of illness when I couldn't keep it up.
Back now though and already feeling much better for doing my morning & evening routines and not having to rush around with the vacuum and a duster when someone's coming round.
Even though I slipped for a while I'm getting the benefits of my last time Flying because it's much easier cleaning/sorting out/decluttering this time.
Today's mission to "attack the clothes pile" chimes in nicely with what I need to do! Luckily I've kept on top of the laundry pile (only two of us at home now) so my attacking of the clothes pile will be in the form of clearing out my wardrobe and - hopefully - managing to be ruthless. Grrr!💪 😊
So thanks for what you're doing - it's appreciated.

That's exactly it! Ive been hitting thanks Hazel and im doing my best here. I have two days off a week and really outside of that it's the basics, dishwasher, lols and food that I manage so I busy this morning and yesterday got great decluttering done. Amazing the piles that are lurking in a seemingly tidy looking shelf!

Afternoon Hazel
Still been dealing with the fall out of hell and highwater, still plugging away and the never endings (laundry/washing up/etc), still trying to sort the building work. Currently trying to get all the pieces in the right order so that we can sort the heating so all rooms have it, and that we can hope to have somewhere to sit for Christmas. (do the maths it is heading this direction far faster than I am comfortable)

I have evening training sessions all this week. The online ones have been good so far for listening too whilst doing things like laundry/ironing. Downside? I am tired back on antibiotics and am juggling alsorts of med that are take at this time with food. So this is also messing with my meal plan because if i have to eat at 6am, 2pm, 10pm for one med and 8am & 8pm for another this is 5 meals. But NOT enough sleep and once i am up atm I am up. So yet again i am functioning on 5hrs sleep, with not enough coffee and generally not feeling the wish to function but too awake to nap. <sigh> at least the 3 dose med is only for 5 days worth.

Allotment is taking a lot of my time, you'd think the summer would be most energy intensive but I have a lot of prep work to do before winter to allow for winter growing and for growing next season. I have some fun season extension ideas i want to play with to see if will work. Plus there is the testing of various death to slugs methods.

Thank you and welcome @LaMarschallin 👋 I'm glad you're finding my posts helpful, along with @mikado1. It's nice to know someone is there reading my posts!

Dragons that still sounds terribly stressful. I hear you on Christmas coming up fast, I can't believe we are almost in October already!

Going nonstop all day, seriously productive and having a quick shower and an early bed with a book now.

I now need advice on how you stop constantly picking up and fixing all day as there's always something. Do you leave things sometimes. For example, wash done, out to dry, back in and put away but as I come up the stairs now, I see more has accumulated after dc's training and shower, do I go back down with or leave it there to bring down in morning? Does anyone understand what I mean? I fixed the throws and cushions on couch this morning, they're of course all over the place again now, do I try to keep tweaking as I go or just leave and fix again in the morning?interested in what others do with their new found house pride!!

mikado I like to do a reset at night before bed so in the morning everything is where it should be. It should only take a few minutes to fluff cushions, fix blankets and pick up whatever toys are laying around. Even though I have a 15yo and no toys to pick up, it's now the dog toys I'm clearing away! Dobby loves to get all his toys out and spread them around the house 🙄 every.single.day.

I vary. I do a little bit of tweaking and rearranging as I go but generally I try to just do what I've planned and know that, at some point in my routine, I'll pass that way again and sort things out.
For example, I'll plump cushions, straighten magazines, tidy the sitting room a bit as part of my morning routine while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil for coffee. I generally won't do that again until the next morning.
I do a quick tidy before bed, but DH stays up later than I do so he'll do a quick tidy before he comes up; probably not as thoroughly as I would, but it's fine.
I cleaned some windows today and wiped around the frames etc. I could still be there if I was going after every little spot, but I'll be doing them again and that time they'll start off cleaner than they started off today so will end up looking even better.
One day a week I dust and polish downstairs, the next day upstairs.
I will pick up bits of fluff, wipe spills, maybe plump the odd cushion (if it's really squashed) during other days as I go, but most things are covered by my morning and pre-bed routines and the weekly sweep through.

Ta das:
🧚‍♀️ LOLs x3 (our sheets, mattress & pillow protectors and big blanket/ comforter)
🧚‍♀️ more LOLs x3
🧚‍♀️ dusted main level
🧚‍♀️ cleaned master bedroom ceiling fan
🧚‍♀️ wiped down bedside tables in master
🧚‍♀️ vacuumed whole house, including stairs
🧚‍♀️ put clean clothes away
🧚‍♀️ called bank about releasing funds from fire
🧚‍♀️ took Coco to the vet
🧚‍♀️ cleared a couple hotspots
🧚‍♀️ went to the bank to run other errands
🧚‍♀️ tidied up DSs bedroom. We really need to figure out better storage for him!
🧚‍♀️ changed sheets on DSs bed. Discovered Coco had thrown up on his heated blanket at some point, so that got washed as well
🧚‍♀️ rotated DW
🧚‍♀️ handwashed dishes

There's still a few things I didn't get done that I wanted to, but I'll do them another day. The house looks a lot better, more tidy, less dust!
I still need to get my clothes out for the morning, do yoga and take a shower before bed, but right now I'm sipping on my bedtime tea, relaxing on the couch.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.

Wednesday's mission is to tidy up the floor (or bottom) of your wardrobe. Sort out your shoes and bags, get rid of what you don't love anymore (2 pairs is suggested to get rid of), tidy up what's left so it's all easy to find what you're looking for.

Baby Step 25: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-25/
Read the testimonial for her getting into the habit of doing her routines. This took her months, do not feel disheartened if you do not have the routines down fully yet, this will take time. Right now is the time to practise until it becomes habit.

Than for that. Unfortunately my bottom of my wardrobe is part of my storage situation as we have fairly badly designed (long, hanging only) wardrobes and share a large chest of drawers (that looks 2 times bigger than it actually contains!!) So bottomed of my wardrobe is organised (knits and dresses) but not clear. That will do. I've done the quick tidy and fluff up of cushions etc and will leave that now till tomorrow.
Early tadas:
Dc dropped to school
Wash done and hung up
Quick tidy
Dressed to my laces on waking
Dw running
Breakfast and green tea had
Scroll time now before a declutter and walk.

@HazelNotHungryLC Thanks for your morning posts!

End of yesterday
✅End of day clean: Kitchen completely cleaned before bed (+shiny sink)
✅Prep for tomorrow: Clothes out for me, DC's clothes out & bags packed
✅Hotspot: Put that fire out!
✅Laundry: A wash on in the morning. Hung to dry. Will sort today.

This morning
✅Get ready: Got ready, put my face on and sorted my hair (as best as poss)
❌15 mins: Did about 5 mins in the bedroom this morning.

Other To Do's
🔸Get all bits together to take to the charity shop tomorrow
🔸My room: Dust blinds, side tables, wipe down mirrors
🔸Bathroom: Swish and swipe
🔸Kitchen: Clean oil bottles, descale kettle, clean cutlery drawers
🔸Put away yesterdays laundry
🔸Call doctors to book appointment

Nothing here feels out of reach. Just need to write it down somewhere so I can see it when I have some downtime.

Have a lovely day all!

mikado the bottom of your wardrobe being organised is a win! That was a lot of ta das for that time of the morning.

Mango I'm glad my posts are helping! It looks like you had a productive day, did you manship to get everything done that you wanted?

Ta das:
🧘‍♀️ worked all day
🧘‍♀️ bathed dogs
🧘‍♀️ watered my outside plants. You all seem to be getting rain, whereas it's drier than a bone here! And another heatwave to boot!
🧘‍♀️ dinner (leftovers, so easy)
🧘‍♀️ DS rotated DW
🧘‍♀️ drank bedtime tea
🧘‍♀️ yoga
🧘‍♀️ showered
🧘‍♀️ clothes & lunch ready for the morning

Thursday is errand day.

Thursday's mission is to declutter your bedside tables. Throw away the used tissues, put used glasses out for wash, etc. Put something nice there instead: picture frame/ candle etc..

Baby Step 26: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-26/
Jump in where we are - you are never behind!

Well, that works well because I have some errands to do due to tidying out my wardrobe including taking some clothes to the charity shop (may end up taking several journeys...), a skirt to the dry-cleaners and a pair of shoes to send to the person who bought them on Vinted (hurrah!).
Today it's the weekly upstairs hour+ of hoovering, dusting etc (takes much less time to do the bathrooms now because of the daily swishes and swipes) so I'll be sorting my bedside table then.
May even clean out its drawers

Mikado same as others, part of my evening routine is to reset the place. So washing up all collected up and done, dirty clothes to laundry bin, sofas tidied, everything picked up off floors/tables and put away where it belongs (a place for everything and everything in it's place), paperwork put into a pile for filing the next day, coats on hooks, shoes stacked neatly in hallway, towels on radiators/rails. I occasionally do an extra LOL if there's time and it's a good day but otherwise it's a load a day as part of my morning routine and putting it away dry as part of my evening routine.

LaMarschallin I'm glad you're seeing the benefits of little and often! Did you manage to get everything done that you wanted?

Ditzy you sound so organised with your evening routine resetting everything!

Friday is clean your car and purse (handbag) out. I actually washed my Jeep today on my lunch break, so I'm ahead!

Friday's mission is to spend 15 minutes decluttering the top of your dresser. Put things away that you just set down for a "minute"

Baby Step 27: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-27/
Think about what's for dinner, before it's dinner time! Plan ahead.

Mum had a medical emergency yesterday and i will spending the next couple of weeks "babysitting her" to make sure she is ok.
I am exhausted. Was supposed to have a lie in this morning but my body was determined i needed to be up. I will be puttering through my to do list today. the areas that are on my list are:

kitchen
laundry
and sorting things for a tip run

If i get that done i will be happy. Hoping that i can get laundry on the line but it is looking distinctly like rain.

Sorry to hear that @SleepingIceDragons

Oh no Dragons I hope your mum makes a speedy recovery 💐 and that you get some well deserved rest!

Saturday is family fun day.
There are no missions on the weekend!

Baby Step 28: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-28/
Take care of yourself! Make sure you're drinking plenty of water, eating healthy food, getting plenty of sleep and taking breaks between getting things done.

Sunday is renew your spirit day.

Baby Step 29: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-29/
Check out the pamper missions section. Do something nice for yourself!

Is there anybody who would like to run the October thread? The end of the month has snuck up on me!

We had a busy day yesterday. DH & I figured out meals for the week & went grocery shopping. We went to the home improvement store and bought more bricks for edging, DH put them out and finished the edging in the front when we got home, while I baked.

Yesterday was MILs birthday. I had baked her lemon blueberry bars as requested, they were a hit!
I also put the birthday banner up for her & bleached both bathrooms. I also cleaned the mirrors in the bathrooms.

Today the plan is to get our giant Jack Skellington up since it's supposed to be nice and warm. We have other outside decorations as well that we'll put out, but he's the main one as it takes 2-3 of us. I'm excited!

MILs lemon blueberry bars..