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/

Thanks hazel yes I have honey in drinks sometimes but stupidly didn’t before going out! Oddly alcohol seemed to help 😳🤣 (I don’t drink much at all but had a couple of small drinks during the show)

YesTaDa
🎵LOL
🎵LOL in dryer
🎵bit of piano

Was otherwise a write off and still feeling pretty wiped out today, but I need to try and achieve something.

po3.1
❗️wash Cagletini’s judo stuff (she started it a few months ago and loves it! Won all her fights at her first competition too 😁🥰)
❗️clear out a couple of dumping-ground drawers in my open wardrobe - they’ve become more like a substitute bedside table which isn’t helpful
❗️gather random stuff in a box or two - possibly not the best plan but I’m stuck for inspiration currently!

Once I’ve done that I’ll have a rest and play piano a bit. I only started playing again a couple of months ago and I’m trying to keep up good habits as it makes me happy! But I also get hyper focused on it and ignore other things so I have to be disciplined about it 🤣

Thanks for having me!
Good to know that the routines should help.
The no spend year is going to be really tough and might end up being a low spend year instead (we also need a new bathroom and it really is a need - we have patched so many times ... the last one being over Xmas)

Last night I organised and filed my eldest dds artwork - been meaning to do for about 4 years.... but done now!
Today's tadas:
3x lol and dried
Made muffins for dc school lunches
Made rice pudding for dc school lunches
Lots of reading with dc

Still to do: decluttering, painting with dc, more cake making....

Well not much time to get anything done as me and DH had Sunday breakfast in bed, and I promptly fell asleep again until 11.

So baby steps accomplished, 1 x LOL and a roast dinner cooked and eaten. Kitchen cleaned up. DH is loading the dishwasher as I speak (type?) and a dog walk planned when our dinner has gone down.

Welcome walking & Star 👋

walking I don't have a usable loft space here, but growing up ours mainly just had the Christmas decorations up there. I don't really remember my dad going up the loft during the rest of the year 🤔
If I was to have a loft space, I would make sure that anything I put in there is actually something I want to keep, and everything would be stored in heavy duty plastic totes. I think that would depend on the opening to get things in and out as well though!
Hopefully someone else has a better idea for you

Star there are a few of us on here who procrastinate. I'm sure flylady does too as there's a whole day in the week dedicated to anti-procrastination 😆
There are also others who have SEN/ADHD on here who would be better to explain what works for them. Flylady focuses a lot on short bursts of time, using a timer, to get things done, if that helps at all.

THAT no snow here yet, unfortunately. I think we're supposed to be hit tomorrow maybe 🤷‍♀️
Did you get much snow?

Hip good job on keeping up with the dishes. It makes such a big difference! Getting everything ready for work tomorrow is a great plan, it's also one of the baby steps, so you're ahead with that, being your future friend.

Dreaming I remember those days for my DC when they were young, they loved playing in the snow!

LaMarschallin I think with you cleaning the church, it's okay to just do the very basics at home this month. Time is so valuable, you don't want to burn yourself out by spreading yourself too thin.

70 those clear bags are a great storage idea!

Sing how funny that the alcohol helped your cough!
I'm glad to hear you've got back to playing the piano. It sounds like a good hobby. I got DH a bass guitar for Christmas and he's been teaching himself with online videos, having a blast! Him practiser can do on all day though, so I get having to pull yourself away from practicing.

Conquerer I would think that the bathroom is an exception for spending. The less you spend elsewhere, the more you will have to fix your bathroom, is the way I see it. I'm sure it's frustrating though!

Nellie that sounds like a great day to me!

My plan for today is short:
☕️ redo my nails
☕️ take my tree down/put away
☕️ LOLs
☕️ cook and peel hardboiled eggs for lunches
☕️ rotate DW/handwash dishes
☕️ get my clothes out for the morning
☕️ enjoy time with DD 🥰

Tada
🎉 my work clothes ironed
🎉 Christmas decs put away
🎉 all school / work backs emptied, cleaned and repacked
🎉 bit of time crocheting
🎉 roast dinner

Now showers for everyone and relax before the madness starts tomorrow! Oh and I need to pop the washer & dishwasher on and put dd2 coat in the dryer !

@70isaLimitNotaTarget that’s great, thank you. I’ll definitely be getting some of those bags, it’s reassuring they are tried and tested!

@HazelNotHungryLC thank you, yes great point! I’ll really have to be careful it’s not a dumping ground for things I don’t actually want or need.

Ta das for today:

• Taken the wreath apart.
• Set up the new dish drainer
• Washing up
• Pulled jackfruit in the slow cooker

Unfortunately the washing machine has broken over Christmas and I’m not liking how high the laundry baskets are getting, hopefully it will be fixed this week 🤞

hi newbie here. Is there a printable list for the baby steps please?

@HazelNotHungryLC I wish the guests had brought meals! No, DW cooked before and after guests were here, just a coincidence of timing.

Welcome to all the new people! I can't keep up with name changes and genuine new people (like I can talk...) so hello to newbies - you know who you are 🤣

Zero flying from me today - visited family at theirs for the day and now we're all shattered and recovering on the sofa.

I have a pine chest of drawers in the upstairs hall , it is a functional rather than attractive piece . I don't want to get rid of it as it would be missed .I am also sure that pine will make a comeback . This ChesterDraws has been with us since 1990 !
At the moment it has :
hand towels , rolled up
Hair turbans and flannels and faceclothes
Bath mats
Toiletries ( soap. showergel, face cream, deodourent )

And two small drawers which contain razors and a Drawer of Doom .
DoD is beckoning to be sorted out .
That can be next weekends task .

The heated airer is secured on the top ( it;s an Aldi bargain like a ladder with 8/9 bars ) I can put socks and pants on a metal peg hanger that folds in half so it goes over the airer nicely .

HazelNotHungryLC

I think with you cleaning the church, it's okay to just do the very basics at home this month

That's a kind thought, thanks 😊
I've got a new, super-extendible feather duster which is proving useful at getting rid of some really old, dusty cobwebs.

Lovely that you're having time with DD - best plan of all.

@HazelNotHungryLC yes you are right about the bathroom. We have been saving but we're hoping to hold out for later in the year but it is going to have to be sooner.
More baking with dc done, 3x haircuts so they are tidy again, all bathed and asleep sp time to relax before the morning chaos!

I definitely had a renew my spirit day today after a poor nights sleep. Woke up to a lot of snow, had breakfast enjoying the view. Met a friend for a 3 hour lunch and then me and DH tackled a bit more of a jigsaw we started at NY.

Searching I hope getting back into routine of school & work goes smoothly for you. You've had a great start right, with being your future friend!

Walking I'm sorry to hear your washing machine has broken! Could you get some clothes to a laundromat while you wait for it to be fixed?

Welcome @Ineedashero 👋 there isn't a page/ printable page that I'm aware of on the website, that I have seen anyway. Each day of the month has its own page. They are at the bottom of this page (day one): https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

Broccoli too bad they didn't bring a meal with them!

70 good luck with the drawer of doom, when you do get to it!

LaMarschallin thank you! We don't get to see DD very often, she moved over 2 hours away! So it's nice to spend time with her when she's here.

Conquerer can you start on what needs to be done first in the bathroom, then work on the rest later? Or is it a complete renovation?

Binman that does sound like a very good spirit renewal day!

Ta das:
🧚‍♀️ showered, shaved, scrubbed & self tanner applied
🧚‍♀️ teeth whitening strips applied
🧚‍♀️ nails done
🧚‍♀️ tree down
🧚‍♀️ vacuumed main living area
🧚‍♀️ washed a set of dog beds & blankets, brought over by ILs
🧚‍♀️ rotated DW
🧚‍♀️ shopping with DD

Tomorrow I'll be picking up ILs dog to watch him for a few days. DHs other grandma passed away last night, so they are going to visit his sisters.

Monday is home bleugh day. Change sheets, empty bins, vacuum quickly. This can be done a different day or spread out across the week.

We are moving to zone 2: the kitchen.

Monday's mission is to use an old toothbrush and scrub around the taps, get all the nooks and crannies, it goes along well with our monthly dicuss of shining the sink!

Baby Step 6: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-6/
Learn about hotspots (places where things gather in your home, like mail)

Won't set myself up for failure so no list today. Have a surgeon's appointment this morning and then work and will have to work the missing time back, so will be home late. All I want to achieve today is get the dishes done after whatever food I find for myself tonight and set myself up for Tuesday morning x

Struggling to keep up with the thread, @HazelNotHungryLC you are doing a great job with it.

Everyone was out except me on Saturday so I got on with some decluttering. There has been a big tub of old toys and games on our landing waiting to be dealt with for at least six months a while, so I sorted them out into bin, charity shop and recycle. Put the charity shop ones in my car boot as that is where I stash things till there is enough to take. Then I got onto two carrier bags full of the DCs primary school exercise books which I got out of the loft in November and have been waiting, went through them and tore out a few pages to keep, recycled the rest.

Last night I got the Christmas decoration boxes out of the loft and packed all the decorations away. Last year must have been done in a rush as they weren't very tidy when we got them out so I had a complete sort out including sorting two shoes boxes full to donate and a few bits into the bin.

Our loft is boarded and has a light and pull down ladder, all put in by the previous owners. We have lived there for 20 years now and there is far too much stuff up there, DH just chucks things up there. So we have:

Christmas decorations plus a smaller amount of Hallowe'en and Easter ones
Suitcases of all shapes and sizes
Old boxes in case needed again
Some beach stuff (little tent, body board etc)
Boxes of old photos and keepsakes - too many really, they are on the list for a sort out this year.
Keyboard and stand that no one uses and we don't have space for - must sell this
All sorts of DH's random crap including CDs and other stuff

I made it a rule last year that I wasn't allowed to go up there without bringing something down to get rid of, so a lot of old toys etc have now gone, plus quite a lot of the empty boxes etc. But a lot of it is DH's now and he isn't so good at decluttering.

YesTaDa
🍐washed Cagletini’s judo stuff
🍐sorted some drawers of doom in my room - they were so awful
🍐piano

po3.1
❗️breakfast, water, vitamins
❗️LOL
❗️phone psychiatrist for new prescription (my last one expired before I could actually get hold of the meds, national shortage)

Bleughs done, there is no way I can get it all done in an hour though. Even if I do an even more half arsed job than normal.

Hip that sounds like a plan to me! On these threads we have a saying: all fed, no one dead. Sometimes you just need days like that.

ED thank you! I must admit I was falling asleep last night and worried I posted some random letters/ words 😆
Great job on decluttering! I need to focus on that this year. I know I have lots that can go.

Sing I hope you can get your meds quickly!

Nellie I'm not surprised you couldn't fit it in an hour. It usually takes me 2-3 hours when I do mine on Tuesdays.

Ta-das:
Upstairs home bleurgh done. I'm another who can't get the whole thing done in 1 hour. Upstairs takes 1 1/2 hours, downstairs a little less.
Cutlery drawer cleaned out and tidied. Hadn't done that for a while so very satisfying.
Shopping list done for tomorrow.

I'm inspired by your self-care, Hazel. I've never been able to use self tan without lots of streaking (even the gradual body lotion ones) but I should get back to doing a facial, mani/pedi and hair treatment once a week. Sort of slid coming up to Christmas - partly busy but also laziness and enjoying slobbing on the sofa on dark evenings.
I may even go mad and grow my fringe out...!

Many thanks again for these threads - definitely helps reading how other people get things organised

What a day. We have dodgy electrics somewhere that mean one circuit fails when it rains heavily under investigation so we had my father (electrician) round to check it out. No joy today so more tomorrow. Fingers crossed. We signed up baby to a research project that needs a weekly video but the instructions were so unclear it's taken until now to get sorted. Hoping I can do those on Mondays henceforth. Then, minor injury to baby broccoli meant a lot of A&E time getting seen and checked over. Just home now! All good now but wow we're all exhausted. Using Mumsnet to regulate a little before sleep. Cleaning all out of zone today.

Before then:
Baby osteo appointment
Took down Xmas tree and packed decorations
Vacuumed lounge carpet
Completed weekly research project task

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

Ps. Tomorrow's Tuesday plan: washing up, descale coffee machine, Vanish sinks. Maybe even more Xmas decor removal/packing. Further electrical investigations.

LaMarschallin I was really focusing on self care last year when I got a new skincare set for Christmas. I have been able to continue that throughout the year, and got a new set this Christmas.
The self tanner I use is b.tan and I got the mitt as well, which is the key, I think. I highly recommend it, and it looks natural too, even when I've done it darker (I was asked where I went on holiday multiple times!).
It's definitely worth spending the time on skincare, if you can.

Broccoli I'm glad baby Broccoli is okay, it can be nerve wracking when they get hurt, even as they get older, but especially new babies.
I hope the electrical issue is sorted soon, that's a little scary!

Ta das:
🫖 drop DS off at drivers ed (6:30am)
🫖 work
🫖 met with DD to complete her passport app
🫖 picked up ILs dog on the way home
🫖 fed said dog, he actually ate, so that was successful! (He doesn't eat when he's not comfortable or knows somethings up)
🫖 helped DS cook dinner (he did most of it)
🫖 helped clean up from dinner
🫖 handwashed dishes
🫖 wiped countertops

I'm sitting with my feet up, drinking some herbal tea before I get ready for bed. I'm tired today.

Tuesday is plan & play day.

Tuesday's mission is to wipe the fronts of your cupboards and drawers. Try to get rid of the grease and fingerprints. Just some washing up liquid will work, especially if it's a grease fighter. This can make a big difference to something that you may not notice on a daily basis.

Baby Step 7: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-7/
Continue with all baby steps:
Shine your sink
Dressed to shoes
Read flylady emails (or look at the website instead, you'll be inundated)
Look at your posted reminders
Recognise the negative voices
Put out a hotspot for 2 minutes

Today start building your bedtime routine: get your clothes out ready for the morning (this is a time saver for me in the mornings!). Put them where you'll be getting ready. I keep mine on hangers and put them in the bathroom, where I get dressed in the morning.