New Year, Fresh Start for your home - January Flylady thread

[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 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: 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/

Good morning! It's still holiday time here, so I am off to A Museum today, all on my very own, leaving DH and DS3 and the dog to entertain each other.

Welcome @NearlyNewHip and @TheCatterall ! Tiny steps, done repeatedly and gradually built up to a routine you don't notice you have, made a massive difference to me.

🤞🏼for Costa not Greggs @Searchingforbaileys . Another DS had Greggs Top Trumps in his stocking 😂, I must ask if he's played it yet.

@HazelNotHungryLC I hope you can fend off your sore throat.

Right, I'm going to do a bit of jigsaw puzzle then crack on with the day.

Morning!

Tada.
✅fed cats
✅emptied DW
✅noticed cutlery drawer had crumbs in and cleared them out
✅got laundry out of dryer
✅tidied up a kitchen cupboard and put away some Christmas treat things (jars of chutney etc)
✅exercises
✅made a little charity shop pile - I guess they get swamped at this time of year though

Greggs Top Trumps 😂 amazing. Wonder if my favourite product is in there (the square sponge cake with pink icing… it’s terrible but sometimes just hits the school dinner nostalgia spot nicely 😝)

Aww I miss the years when both Caglets had a Top Trumps pack of whatever theme they were into in their stocking! That went on for a few years but we don’t tend to play them now and come to think of it I’m not even sure if Cagletini’s ever played 🤔😱

I had a surprisingly decent night’s sleep and although I’m still coughing today I seem to have stopped wheezing for the first time in days so that’s progress. I’m still in bed listening to The Everly Brothers 😴

po3.1
❗️check on DD1 (she’s got what I’ve had and so not sure if she’s going to work)
❗️breakfast and water
❗️get dressed

Tada
🥂costa won !
✅ bedding dried
✅ made bread
✅ cleared out stationery box and wrote list
✅ quick tidy & hoover downstairs
✅ everyone washed & ready
✅ picked ds up
✅ washer on drum clean cycle
✅ library
✅ town and Tesco (picked up everything that was needed apart from my foundation)

To do
📋 tea ( leftovers from yesterday so easy win)
📋 make bed
📋 get clothes out and food made ready for day out tomorrow
📋 kitchen tidy
📋unpack town bags
📋 shower including hair wash and dry

I'm having 10 mins before I get started on the evening list , I'm still in the Christmas relax mode , my body is wondering why I'm moving around so much 🤪

@HazelNotHungryLC head over to the january frugaleers thread in the cost of living section, we basically post what our aims for the year are, and it kind of made me accountable and mindful of my spending. Its so easy to spend without thinking, and the little treats all add up.

I would also have a look at money expert website, loads of advice about how to manage debt, and make the most of your money.

What worked best for me was doing an honest financial audit on myself, and to face up to exactly what I owed, and where the money was going. Then I made a budget that included saving, and then also saving anything left over at the end of the month, even if its in the pence column rather than the pounds.

ta da
🎲got DD1 out the door for work, she was exhausted

Errrr that’s about it as I spent all afternoon and evening at a board game club 😁 was great fun

Welcome @NearlyNewHip 👋 sounds like a great start!

Willow no sore throat today, so that's a win! I hope you enjoyed your museum trip.

ED I can imagine the charity shops are heaving this time of year!

Sing I'm glad you're on the mend

Searching that's quite a list!

Nellie thank you so much! I forgot about that side of mn. I will have to check it out.

Friday is clean your car and purse day. It's also date night.

Friday's mission is to spend 15 minutes in the dining room. Wipe down the table and chairs, including the legs. Use whatever duster, polish, etc you would normally use. Finish it off with a tablecloth and flowers, or something else that's pretty/nice to look at.
If you don't have a dining room, do the same for the kitchen table instead.

Baby Step 3: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-3/
Keep doing what you've started - shine your sink and get dressed to shoes.
Today take a few minutes to look through the website and browse. You may come across something we haven't mentioned before or read a tip that would work for you.

Silly little thing to most but did all the dishes and for the first time in god knows how long have woken up to no dirty dishes stacked by the sink!!!! Also did a LOL, hung it in the spare room with the dehumidifier overnight and have just put it all away.
Not enough time for anything much this evening as it's my friend's birthday and we're going for a meal (counting that as sort of date night) straight after work
Will see if I can find 10 mins in work to sort my handbag and purse
Thank you All for the lovely welcome x x

Three Lols yesterday and on the pulleys. Today is tumble-drying, putting away, general tidying and hoovering, as the Teens are coming home today, not tomorrow as I first thought. Very glad I got so much shopping, cooking, freezing done earlier this week.

Morning,

Just having a quick tea and toast while the robovac does it’s thing. Have woken at 5,30 the last two days and struggles to get back to sleep but did manage a snooze from about 8 to 8.30 today and then stayed in bed reading for another hour, I am still feeling very tired after a busy festive period.

@HazelNotHungryLC FIL is well thanks, he had a hip replacement last year which has transformed his mobility and still lives alone in his late 80s, but DBIL who also lives alone spends a lot of time with him. It’s my parents who are struggling after mum breaking her hip, she is recovering but not enjoying being virtually housebound and driving Dad mad. She is hard work at the best of times TBH.

Off to sort some laundry then going to go out for a walk, it’s a beautiful cold frosty sunny day here. Both DCs have gone to the library to study - both have exams in the next couple of weeks. DH is at work, so I have the house to myself.

My DD is WFH today so I need to be quiet <shhhhhh> also the Female Cat is asleep on my pillow and I'll get The Look if I make too much noise upstairs .

I have vacuumed downstairs
Went out to Greggs to buy breakfast (croissants, donoughts, savoury pasties )
I am inspired to clean the fridge

Yesterday got the shopping done, 2 x LOL, and hoovered and dusted the hall. Today DH hoovered the sitting room and dining room, and I made lunch (our main meal) and wiped down the kitchen after. Its too damn cold to clean the car, and my handbag is still ok from last time, so we are taking it easy this afternoon. Currently sitting in front of the fire watching a film.

Sadly the lack of wheezing/coughing didn’t last so I’ve had a very lazy day so far trying to recover from yesterday. I am meeting some new friends at a comedy show (one of the biggest changes for me in 2024 is that I put a lot more effort into socialising) tonight so I really need to sort some house stuff before getting ready.

po3.1
❗️empty fridge of science experiments
❗️rotate DW
❗️gather some rubbish

Managed the first power of three, plus putting a towel wash on, in just under an hour as I didn’t start till 3.30 🙈 having a rest now but then I’ll continue while I’m on a roll.

po3.2
❗️put away Mount Washmore. I was doing so well most of last year but it’s built up lately.
❗️collect more rubbish and recycling upstairs, my room is beyond horrific
❗️quick rescue in hallway, mainly shoes and various carrier bags with random stuff in

I cleaned the NML (No Mans Land) that is The Top Of The Fridge

I found candles ( not Four Candles à la Two Ronnies )
Kept some large tea lights but not the rest as I cannot burn candles for ambiance as the cats would turn them into a Fire Hazard. I've got some LED Candles and we have torches .

Couple of tealight holders into recycling

Went through my spices basket and threw out some OOD ones .

I will change DS mattress protector (his is a bit mangled due to ages ) bought him a new bamboo one . When his bedding is washed it can all get put on.

The Christmas handtowels have been washed ( they are A Thing ) waiting to dry then they;ll go in the attic .

I have a Charity bag being filled . I am recycling some jeggings , and a jumper .

Today's wins:
2x parcel posting (pump and Vinted stuff)
eBay admin
Vacuumed lounge
Attempted childproofing of downstairs ahead of guests
1x LOL on
Cleared car of receipts etc

January to do progress:
List unused maternity things on eBay/Vinted
Return rented breast pump
Soak the kitchen sink in Vanish again
Rearrange my study
Finish decluttering DW's study/craft room
Setup Roomba schedule again
Get Christmas things away and lofted
Sort out cloth nappy system (trial and hire through local nappy library)

ta da
🎤towel LOL
🎤rotated DW
🎤emptied fridge of old stuff
🎤put loads of laundry away
🎤collected loads of rubbish
🎤collected loads of recycling
🎤rescued hallway a bit

Comedy night was great fun, although tricky not to cough at times! Getting sick of this cough now.

I am glad I have no plans all weekend - I need to continue making progress in the house.

I cleaned the fridge inside and the handles which were looking a bit grubby , then started on the festoon of paper that is held on by magnets .

DS came through and said "What was there" pointing accusingly at a gap in the sea of papers So even he noticed my efforts

I am now eyeing up the Christmas Cupboard , now that I know what I don;t need and shoved it in there because I might use it but didn't .

Morning , sending a coffee to those that want or need it ☕️ I definitely do , up and down all night - the back to work stress has begun ! Although it does mean that I can get an early start on the uniforms !

Nothing got done in the house really yesterday apart from getting ready to go out . Dd2 and I had a lovely time with our friends for the day., oh cooked tea and I filled the dishwasher but that was it .

Todays plan :
📋 uniform ironing
📋 start taking the decorations down
📋 have a 10 minute blitz on the kitchen ( no dirty dishes but I didn't tidy it last night and do the usual after tea routine )
📋 clean out bags
📋 daily tasks

I may or may not take the kids to the park later , depends on the weather and my energy levels with a 4am start to the day 🤪 firstly though , coffee and a chapter of my book whilst the house is peaceful .

Hip (do you mind if I shorten your name to that?) It's not a little something, that's huge! I often have at least one or two things that are handwash that sit next to the sink for a few days, as we have and use our dishwasher every day. 😳 I blame my long work days, even though it would only take a few minutes to wash them up.

Scourgify whoop for being a good future friend and planning ahead to save you doing extra work now!

ED I'm glad to hear your FIL is doing a lot better, it has been a while since you've said anything about him, so that's good that he's better than he was.
Sorry to hear your parents are struggling though, that's hard on everybody.

70 (I hope you also don't mind me shortening your name) that was quite a few things you accomplished! Well done on getting DS to notice something missing, getting others to notice anything that gets done can be a challenge sometimes.

Nellie it's too cold here too wash my Jeep. We use a carwash, and have a membership, so can take it through every day if I wish, but my handles and doors will freeze shut if it's too cold outside!
Sitting in front of the fire watching a film sounds like bliss! What film did you watch?

Broccoli how is baby Broccoli doing?
I still need to get my tree down, that'll be a project for this weekend.

Sing comedy night sounds fun! The cough, however, not so much! I would recommend a spoonful of honey though, as that seems to help supress any cough I get, usually for a couple of hours. It might be worth a try 🤷‍♀️

I don't have much of a ta da list:
🏋‍♀️ yoga (just 15 minutes before getting ready for work)
🏋‍♀️ work
🏋‍♀️ cooked dinner, using some leftovers
🏋‍♀️ did a workout with DH & DS, lifting some weights (while dinner was in the oven)
🏋‍♀️ bathed Coco, (we won't discuss what she got herself into today 🤮)

On my breaks I did actually make a few phone calls and got a few things taken care of, so it ended up being productive.

Searching that's an early morning for you!
Having a nice day out with friends and family are important too, the house can wait!

I forgot to add earlier, DS does the home bleugh on Fridays, so vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms etc, happened today.

Saturday is family fun day. No missions on the weekend.

Baby Step 4: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-4/
Shine your sink, get dressed to shoes, read the Flylady message on the website. Today write this items down on sticky notes. Put on your mirror, fridge etc, wherever you'll see them (I've never done this, but you can if you want to!)

Plan for this weekend
Steam mop and scrub passage floor
Change duvet covers
The washing basket of doom (with dirty bedding about 4 or 5 LOL, running out of clean knickers so needs to be done)
Keep on top of dishes, if I don't let it build up should he 10 mins (only me here) each evening
Apart from that, slobbing on the settee with a blanket and the fluffy cat to keep warm 😊

Morning lovelies - I am still here. Havent fallen off yet! Two days back in work however took their toll!

Catching up with a cuppa ☕️