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/

YesTaDas:
🎸 grocery shopping for last nights dinner
🎸 figured out what I need for painting (hole filler etc)
🎸 DH returned something he borrowed, months ago, while we were out
🎸 stopped at the music shop to get a few things ordered and bought. We also had a question about trading in DSs trumpet for a bass trombone, since he'd get more use out of it. 😱 so expensive!
🎸 had DS help me make dinner, so it went smoothly with no stress
🎸 enjoyed the evening with ILs as it was our turn to host family night
🎸 rotated DW
🎸 handwashed dishes
🎸 wiped countertops down

It was nice coming into the kitchen this morning with no dirty dishes to face (usually I wait to clear up fully and wash the handwash dishes).

Ta das:
🧚‍♀️ I put away the clean handwash dishes
🧚‍♀️ put my homemade ranch into the jar I washed last night
🧚‍♀️ only drank one cup of coffee so far..

To dos:
☕️ drink my 2nd cup of coffee!
☕️ shower, get dressed into painting clothes (yes, I'm fully aware I'll be getting dusty & sweaty, I'll just take another shower later 😊)
☕️ move the bed with DH (the mattress is super heavy so will probably need to come off)
☕️ fill holes
☕️ sand wall really well
☕️ wash wall
☕️ put painters tape up (which I never usually use, but will this time)
☕️ start painting

It's going to take a few coats of paint, it's such a dark, intense colour and I'm painting it a light blue. I was going to start on it yesterday, but I wouldn't have been done with it before bed. I'm not sure it'll be done today, it depends on how many coats I need to paint on it.
DH just left to go into work so the bed isn't even moved yet. So I'll shower while he's gone!

Two playdates today, my older dc struggled a bit with friendships on starting school so I try to have people over quite a bit. House now in chaos, but hopefully won't take long to reset. On the plus side, it didn't need a mad tidy up before they came as we were in a good starting place. Although, laundry was folded and away by 8am!

I had Friday off and got a whole carful of things out of the house.

Scourgify I love the no mess declutter. It makes so much more sense to me than the "empty it everywhere and cause chaos" process. Or the Marie Kondo "turn your life upside down for a week" business!

Evening all, so much for my resolve to not fall off the thread. Never mind, I have been reading and catching up when I can. It was a busy week last week, out every evening apart from Monday and DH is away for a week now. I do more of the life admin and detailed cleaning / decluttering but he does more of the every day kitchen / vacuuming / bins etc so we miss that when he’s away.

So, over the course of the weekend I have done most of a home bleugh.

✅emptied all bins and put the wheely bin out
✅stripped our bed and washed/dried linen, just waiting to go back on
✅several other LOLs
✅vacuumed downstairs
✅boxed up last few Xmas bits for the loft
✅living room rescue - it was covered in random crap leftover from Christmas and DD’s birthday, giftcards, envelopes, packaging, books, odd small gifts such as new socks. I got a big basket and shoved every single bit in then vacuumed. It looks so much better and only took half an hour. I know I need to sort the basket but that can wait, I didn’t put anything in that would be needed super urgently (if anyone wants their giftcards they can rummage for them).

I have been my own future friend and made overnight oats x 3 and packed lunch x 3 for myself for the next few days. Just need to make my bed and put some clothes away (clothes out for tomorrow) now.

Ta-Das
Vacuumed upstairs I am impressed and horrified what the vacuum picks up , it's a Shark with the anti-hair wrap technology . I could knit myself a new kitten with what it picks up (cats like our room, obvs)

Emptied some random food out of the freezer for dinner (DS cooked )

Bins/recyclining bins all ready for bin-day

To-Do
Take some textiles and kitchen ware to Dunelm to recycle . I was going to do on Saturday but I had to buy cat litter and I forgot to pack it in the car.
I have some of DH T-Shirts to recycle too , not CharityShop worthy , they cam go in the clothing recycle bin.

Washing machine is due another visit and if it is non repairable then I;m looking at its replacement . I hope it can be fixed , it;s a 10kg and though I cannot remember exactly how old , it has an extended guarantee

Some garden tidying needs done but Garden Waste is next week and the bags we have to use decompose if they're left outside and I have nowhere to store them. But I can see the branches need cutting back ....
.

I think things went well today. I started with the pile of toiletries on the spare bed, and put it all in the correct cupboard.

Straightened out the bags and boxes that had been flung into the understairs cupboard over the past few months. Created lots of space for the bags of outgrown kids’ clothes which had been stacked on the settee. DD will take to donate/sell.

Box off settee onto shelf. Box of strings of lights into kitchen for dark spots under shelves. Still can’t sit on the settee quite yet lol!

Several boxes off the top of two bookcases. Keep for packaging. Small prints and pictures into one of the boxes and onto shelf for hanging later.

Found some letters that belong in office-cupboard and need attention. Oops!

Felt triumphant when TeenGirl needed a needle, and the wee tin was in exactly the same place as last time in the sewing basket.

Dreaming that's good that it didn't take long to get your house visitor ready!

ED you've been busy! Well done for being your future friend too, it really helps so much!

70 I'm the same way re vacuum and dog hair! We got a new Dyson, as well as new carpet, (last year) and really the carpet is too thick for the vacuum. It's a workout to vacuum now!
I hope you can find somewhere to put the bags. Do you have a garage or shed?

Scourgify that's a great ta da list, you've been productive!

Ta das:
🎨 showered this morning, felt better for it
🎨 prepped the wall in our bedroom (after moving the bed with DHs help)
🎨 painted the wall
🎨 washed all the walls in the bedroom
🎨 vacuumed & general cleanup from painting
🎨 showered, scrubbed, shaved
🎨 applied self tanner

I'm glad I got it all done today! I'm currently sitting with my feet up, drinking a mojito. I don't work tomorrow so I'll be able to get more done in the house, including laundry.
I have attached before and after pictures. Dark blue is before, light blue is after.

Didn't manage much at all, not even the work I took home. Pain in hip (replacement is in the summer) flared up really badly and had to take the 'good' drugs which make me sleep. Did manage to
Get ready for this morning
Do dishes
Make the bed
Put some dry washing away
Throw the hoover around

I'm dreading how little of January there is left with all my work deadlines but can't wait for it to be over.....

Good morning everyone ☕️

I'm currently hiding in the naughty corner. I have had some tests and scans and I've been a little poorly (unrelated to the test and scan investigation, just the usual back to school bugs ) so not much has been done in the house. I am going to re-establish that structure and routine that I had before the Christmas craziness! I will be back with an update before work 💪

I hope everyone is well? The thread is busy this month ❤️

Bedroom looks lovely @HazelNotHungryLC
Yesterday’s efforts,not sure when something is a Tada-
🎉Calm meditation,2 video & 1 live online yoga practices,the live particularly beneficial( Sarah Beth Yoga)
🎉dog walked,not far ,she’s been paw chewing so limping. Got her some dog socks to try & stop her but she chewed through one last night🙄
🎉made bed
🎉cleaned small bathroom
🎉dusted & polished living room
🎉prepped roast though Husband took over
🎉dumped some old skincare
An’achieved’ day when I see it like that

Hip do you mind me asking what you do for work? I haven't worked anywhere that I needed to take work home for, so anyone that does interests me. I know teachers have to grade school work etc and prep their classes and some would rather take it home to do.

Searching I have pumped up the cushions and blankets in the naughty corner and made a chamomile tea with honey for you to help you feel better! I'm also joining you in the naughty corner, but because I forgot to add links last night 🤦‍♀️
I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you yoga it's nothing fancy, but relaxing.
All of those are classed as ta das! It's anything you have achieved that day (even relaxing counts!).

Monday is home bleugh (blessing) day.

It's a new week, so we are in a new zone. The master bedroom.

Today's mission is to deal with the clothes pile. You know the one, on your dresser, the chair, the floor. Clothes you've worn for a few minutes or was going to wear but changed your mind etc.
Set your timer for 15 minutes, grab some hangers and start folding. If there's something in that pile you keep bypassing, maybe it's time to let it go!

Baby Step 20: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-20/
It's time to add laundry into your daily routine. She suggests not starting another load until the first is washed, dried and put away! That doesn't work for me, but it does help to keep mount washmore under control.

Yoga I was going to ask, do you know why your dog is chewing on her paw? It sounds painful, poor thing 😢

@HazelNotHungryLC she caught her pad digging the lawn up(!) I think she nicked it on something and has got into the habit of licking it. There’s a tiny bit that looks pink but it won’t heal properlyuntil we can stop her licking,hence the sock. Definitely a bit of performative limping though,when the sock is off she belts round the garden as normal,no trace of a limp or even favouring that paw🙄Love her,she’s my weirdo rescue🧡

Thanks for the cushions, blankets and camomile tea @HazelNotHungryLC I'll bring us some cake whilst we're in the naughty corner and maybe a baileys too !

Tada
🎉 everyone up , washed , fed and ready for the day
🎉 beds made , dry clothes folded and taken up to rooms , breakfast pots cleared
🎉 washing out of the washer but didn't have time to hang up 
🎉 school run then work
🎉 a much needed coffee break after work!
🎉 washing hung on airer, quick bathroom tidy , washing gathered and put in baskets , washer on
🎉 tea made (leftovers so only needed warming through 🥳)

Dd1 is about to go on her driving lesson so I will be crocheting what will be her uni blanket whilst she's out , trying to make it whilst she is out is proving quite tricky - I'm really hoping it will be completed in time ! Then possibly a bit of time on the living room as part of the home bleurgh depends on energy levels.

Yogachick performative limping made me laugh 😂 what breed is she?

Searching that does sound tricky! Can you put another blanket on top of it while you're crocheting? Would that make it too hot for you? Would she still be nosey at what you're doing?

I haven't done much today in the house, just laundry (1st lol in the dryer, 2nd in the washer). Although I did look at flights and rental cars, as well as air bnbs for our trip home in June! I just need a little help figuring out the final plan and book it!

@HazelNotHungryLC I'm an accountant and the deadline for personal tax returns is end of the month!!!!

@HazelNotHungryLC she’s boxer/german shepherd/akita/doberman/spaniel/chihuahua ! The people who had her before us had her dna done
Ta Das for me
🌻meditation &30 mins yoga
🌻made bed
🌻shower,dress,face on
🌻LOL, now on drier
🌻hoovered
🌻dog walk
🌻dropped some paperwork at accountant

clothes pile still present but it’s the clothes I use from bleach jobs, so that’s my excuse

That makes sense why your deadline is so crucial Hip!

Hip snap, I'm in tax too (corporate), not getting much done around the house this week or next! Roll on February!

House is clean enough for the cleaners to come tomorrow, that'll have to do for today.

Slept dreadfully last night, so baby steps done, the house has been half bleughed, and I hoovered our bedroom. And that is all I had energy for.

Yogachick that's quite a mix of breeds! We miss have cross posted as I hadn't seen your post.
.

Dreaming what do you have your cleaners so for you? I have a feeling I've asked you that before, I apologise if I have. I'm sure it really helps having cleaners, especially during this stressful time.

Nellie lack of enough sleep is awful! I have to say though that you did more than me today! So you're doing well on not so much sleep.

Ta das:
✈️ put clean clothes away
✈️ rotated DW
✈️ cooked dinner early and put it in the slow cooker to keep warm
✈️ dropped DS off at his guitar lesson
✈️ picked DS up when he was done
✈️ took him with me to the band booster meeting. They went over lots of information to do with fundraisers, competitions, trips etc.

DD stopped by for a few minutes on her way back home. She was staying at a friend's house this weekend.
She turned around and came back almost halfway home as she wasn't feeling good at all. It's a D&V virus, and of course I didn't think to sanitize everything she touched 🤦‍♀️ I'll do it tomorrow (Tuesday).

Tuesday is plan & play day.

Tuesday's mission is to set your timer for 15 minutes. Spend 5 minutes clearing as much as you can that doesn't belong in your master bedroom. Spend the next 10 minutes putting those items where they belong.

Baby Step 21: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-21/
She wants you to send her an email with a question.
Keep working on your routines.

Last night tadas
🎉 some time crocheting
🎉 bathroom tidied
🎉tinted dd1 eyelashes and eyebrows
🎉 a few minutes tidying living room
🎉 before bed routine (makeup removed , teeth, clothes out for next day , a little time reading my book)

I have a meeting after work today so I have not got very high expectations housework wise . Daily routines and hopefully update the diary and calendar.

Alright, new week new me. Doing things AND posting about them! 🤣 I've started writing my February to do list and endeavouring to keep it short... The post EcoEgg laundry continues, though we're down to work clothes and woollens so each wash is waiting on an empty airer to be run. We might have guests staying with us this weekend so there's a lot of tidying on my mind. We'll see how it goes.

This week's wins:
5x LOL
Returned duplicate Christmas book
Washing up palooza
Rearranged my study!
Cleared study floor
Vacuumed study
Sorted through "questionable papers stack"
Shredded all "pending shredding"
Christmas things into loft
Cleared both stairs landings
Car through car wash

And a special mention to a long delayed errand: Dentist! Three fillings 🫠

January to do progress:
List unused maternity things on eBay/Vinted
Return rented breast pump
Return rented baby sling
Sort out initial cloth nappy system
Rearrange my study
Get Christmas things away and lofted
Setup Roomba schedule again
Soak the kitchen sink in Vanish again
Finish decluttering DW's study/craft room
Finish washing all the things