Fresh February for Flybabies - Feb 25 Flylady thread

[DillyDeclutter]

February is a nice short month to try something new with housework! If you're looking for 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! Especially not in the shortest month of the year!

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. 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/

Thank you Dilly for running the Feb thread!
I ended up having a date night with DH, since DS didn't want to come to dinner with us. We watched a movie at home too, it was really nice!

Good morning, it's February!

The 1st baby step is to shine your sink. https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/#google_vignette
It's so nice to walk into the kitchen to a clean, shiny sink 1st thing in the morning.

The Flylady week starts on a Monday, so technically the next two days are Zone 1, entrance hall and porch, but there are no missions at the weekend so no tasks . . . I am going to try to tidy round in there today as it's the sort of cold dark space that isn't very appealing to tackle after work.

Saturday is family fun day! We will be swimming and going on some return playdates.

Thank you Hazel for running the January thread. You always have such nice plans!

Morning all, thank you for the January thread @HazelNotHungryLC and for this one @DillyDeclutter .

Off to Parkrun shortly, brrrr.

Morning! Thank you for taking on January Hazel and thank you for leading February Dilly 🥰

I wish I could say I was up and at ‘em but nope 😝

Right, need a power of three to get going 😳😴

po3.1
❗️breakfast
❗️make sure Cagletini is getting ready for dance
❗️shower

Also need to check dishwasher as I have a bad feeling I never switched it on last night 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thank you for the new thread @DillyDeclutter

I have done more LOL than a Trusthouse Forte Hotel laundry room.

My new WM arrived so I was playing catch up.
Three lots of bedding washed and beds made
Did my work uniform
Tidied in the garden ( found a bone - absolutely picked clean.. I;m hoping it's a foxes dinner not a scene from Midsummer Murders )
Made some AirFryer toasted sandwiches (they were ok but I;ll stick to my ancient panini press I think)
Made a filo pastry quiche ( Nadia recipe)
Pushed DS out in the cold to clean the airer lines

ToDos
Wash towels and hang out
Wash the remainder of the laundry pile ( this might not happen)
Get petrol
Go to Primark with DD while I'm out
Couple more things to drop off at Charity Shop
Weed some pots in the garden because there are bulbs in them growing through but I cannot for the life of me remember what they are . Nice surprise

My crazy work hours are over now it's February. I got about half way through the baby steps in January. Will start again with the little list of chores for each evening and try to get them ingrained and a habit through February. Hopefully in a few months when the basics are done each day and easier, I'll be able to tackle chunks of the bigger things xx

Sunday is renew your spirit day. We go to church here but with two small children I don't always feel very renewed afterwards!

https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-2/ Baby step day 2 is to get dressed to laceup shoes as soon as you get up - a controversial one! (We are a Shoes Off house!)

No missions at the weekend. I didn't get any of my jobs done yesterday but I intend to tackle the entrance, my stash of used postage bags that "might be useful" (let's face it, they mostly won't be) and to hoover the edges and corners that my cleaners miss upstairs.

ED hopeyou enjoyed parkrun, I haven't been for a few years but always enjoyed it. Was on 93 runs or thereabouts!

sing how did you get on?

70 that's quite a list! Impressive!

nearly same for me re work- all filed, phew, can destress a little now! I definitely found it got easier and easier as things started to become a habit and the mess got less entrenched.

Thanks for the thread, Dilly.
I also go to church but not usually on the 1st Sunday of the month as the main service is held further away and we only have a small Matins locally which doesn't give me the same feeling.
It's obviously a pretty weak plant, my Christianity .
Today is the Come Dine with Me omnibus and the leisurely making of Sunday dinner through the day. Tonight it's a curry with lots of side dishes. Saffron parathas are one element; mine are improving but not as flakey as I'd like yet.
After answering the door to some JWs yesterday, I noticed it was quite finger-printy so gave that a clean. Then discovered that the bannister didn't need repainting as I'd thought, I just hadn't been cleaning it with enough welly. So that looks better too!
Happy Sundays all and thanks again for last month's thread, Hazel.

Morning everyone! Ended up with a nice day yesterday and for once actually managed some family fun - after the girls’ dance lessons I took DS and Cagletini to see Sonic 3 as they’ve been keen for ages. Not remotely a productive day housework wise but I did make a nice simple dinner and the way things have been lately that feels like an achievement in itself!

Today I’m determined to renew my spirit too - might play piano or something later but I think a key part of spirit renewal will be planning next week, I really need to focus on doing that every weekend to prepare. I did manage a bit during dance lessons to be fair.

I definitely need to try and do the monthly habit of decluttering - CHAOS (can’t have anyone over syndrome) needs to end! I want to host friends but I’m ashamed of my house currently.

I also decided though that my own focus this month really needs to be an evening routine. I’ve resisted this since H moved out as he was always reluctant to follow anything and I’d just end up feeling like the bad guy, but I need to embrace the fact that I’m in sole charge now and I can run my house how I want to! So I’m starting with an earlier more consistent bedtime for Cagletini (who is here 4 nights in 7). Hopefully by the end of the month I’ll have ADHD medication top ups in the afternoon which will make it easier to add housework into the evenings too, so I’m not waking up the next day feeling like I’m chasing my tail again!

I’ve had a surprisingly productive couple of hours! It’s sort of productive procrastination in a way as really, given I want to host more, my bedroom is surely my lowest priority. But it’s also by far the worst room in the house and I feel better for having spent some time tackling it. It’s nowhere near tidy but it’s nice to have improved it!

Going to have lunch, spend some time with DS and then hopefully get some more done

70 yay for your new WM! I'm sure the bone is nothing sinister, at least, I hope not!

Hip it will get easier and the routines will become natural, then it will be easier to add in the other stuff.

Dilly we are a no shoes house too. As long as I get dressed and do my morning skincare routine, I'm ready to go for the day and more motivated.

LaMarschallin isn't it crazy to all of a sudden notice fingerprints etc that you hadn't before? It happens here too, then I panic, thinking back to who may have noticed. No one ever does, it seems!

Sing that sounds like a lovely day yesterday! Having an evening routine is never a bad thing imo, my DC loved it when they were younger, as they knew what was coming and could wind down easier. Planning for the week really helps too!

Yesterday DH & I went to look at hot tubs, and found one we like! We do have to prep where we are putting in, we're going to use paving slabs instead of building a deck. DH is also going to get the electric ready for it. Hopefully we'll have it delivered within the next month or two! We're excited!

I did get some grocery shopping done, but it was mainly for last nights dinner, so I still need to meal plan for the week and go shopping again (or place a grocery pickup order).

We still have Christmas decorations up outside in the front! We really need to get them down, but it's been too cold. It's a little warmer this weekend, so if it stays dry enough today, I may take them down. Our Jack Skellington is still up from Halloween 😳 but he was "helping" me put lights up for Christmas, so he stayed up! That will take all 3 of us to get him down (he's like 7ft tall), so he may have to stay up a little longer.

I do have to catch up with laundry as well. We shall see what I can get done today!

Ta das so far:
🚲 2nd lol in washer, 1st lol in dryer
🚲 spin bike workout (feels great to do it, I must remember this feeling!)
🚲 shower, scrub, shave
🚲 applied self tanner
🚲 ordered 40th birthday present for SIL

I'm currently sitting down with my feet up, drinking a cup of herbal tea. I really must get my nails done today though, they're looking terrible!

Morning, happy Monday!

Monday is home bleugh day. I spread this through the week, Monday is just bin day for me.

Today's mission is to spend 15 minutes putting out the hotspots in the living room / family room. This month's habit is decluttering for 15 minutes a day.

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.

LaMarschallin your cooking sounds fab. I admit to buying frozen parathas . . .

sing everything is progress and at least if your bedroom is tidy there's somewhere to hide everything when visitors come (that's not Flylady thinking I suppose!)

hazel, you're always so productive!

You're very kind, DillyDeclutter 😊 quite
They were quite good this time; I tried Italian 00 flour which someone had recommended. Next time I'll add some yoghurt - the acidity is supposed to help.
Most of the time I'll buy things like that but Sunday is a nice day to potter in the kitchen.
Hazel you inspired me to fix up my pedicure last night. Not a complete overhaul but a fresh coat of colour and top coat at least.
Today was family fun day because my DDs and DGD came for the morning, so not much housework done so far.
Tomorrow I'm having a haircut and am trying to decide whether to continue letting my fringe grow out or have it cut back in...🤔
So house bleugh will be split over Wednesday and Thursday.
Just pleased to be back on the FL path 🙂

Thank you for January, @HazelNotHungryLC and to @DillyDeclutter for this month.

Routines running more smoothly in the morning. Evenings not quite as good yet. Teens pointed out that there is no school next Monday and Tuesday. After that, a nine-week stretch till Easter. I don’t enjoy the broken weeks, but two months without any kind of break is going to be tough on them.

Gave away a small coffee table, and a chair immediately became the hotspot! I’m seeing untidiness more now because there’s generally less of it.

LaMarschallin I'm glad I inspired you! I did actually get my nails done, both manicure & pedicure!
I ended up doing 4 LOLs total yesterday, so that should help for tomorrow as I want to do other loads, like the blankets from the couches.

I'm currently in the carwash on my lunch break! The Jeep needed it.

Scourgify that would frustrate me no end! To get rid of one hotspot to have another appear right away!

Dilly I haven't been quite as productive as I should lately, I'm hoping to make up for it tomorrow though.

Ha, very true dilly re my room! I was actually thinking half the reason it’s so bad is because that’s where stuff ends up if I don’t know where to stash it.

I continued my productive day yesterday, I sorted a large Kallax that had been full of dusty clutter. Today has been busy with some work, life admin and social time, but I still managed to fit some housework around that (yet more proof that the meds are working) 🥳

Morning all from the naughty corner ! I hope you are all well ?

Popping in to say 2 black bin liners have left the house and arrived at the charity shop and 2 carrier bags full in the bin 🥳 my routines are all over the place, however, I'm slowly pulling them back into place and will hopefully be back to organised chaos soon !

Morning all!

Today's mission is to do a detailed vacuum of the sitting room, getting under all the furniture and to the skirting boards. (I did this at Christmas- do I really need to do it again?!)

Baby Steps day 4 - is about sticky notes . . . https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-4/

LaMarschallin didyou make it to the hairdressers?
Scourgify we have three more weeks to half term, my dc need a break already too
Hazel well done on the LOL. We have overnight cheap electric so I only do one load a night. Got a bit of a backlog just now!
sing & searching that sounds very satisfying! And very on mission!

Yesterday-
✅meditation/yoga
✅bed made
✅dog walked
✅clean bathroom 1
✅LOL washed,dried,put away
✅ironing done
✅paperwork for pension gathered

loft stuff still waiting to be sorted and pension stuff needs to be sent off