Heat Waves & Holidays with Flylady - August thread

[HazelNotHungryLC]

Summer holidays can be crazy! 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 has a different mission for the zone we are in.

Daily focus:

• 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. Although there are some issues with the website and app right now, so bear with me!

Zones: https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/

Baby Steps: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

Ahead of today's mission by having recently bought a new cutlery tray! Feeling pretty smug about that.

Today's wins:

• emptied and refilled dishwasher
• changed Brita filter
• de-stained kitchen sink with Vanish
• refilled dishwasher salt
• changed bins
• cancelled current window cleaners
• fixed quote for new window cleaners
• 1x LOL washed and dried

Cherry it sounds like you have a good plan!

Cabbage well done on being ahead of the mission! You had some good zone cleaning as well!

I may have to post links late (in the morning, my time). My phone is about to die!

Sorry about my phone dying! It was low enough that the charger I had on hand would not have charged it quick enough!

Anyway, the links:
Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.
Wednesday's mission is to clean out your fridge. I actually did this yesterday 😇. Throw away anything that will not get eaten before it goes bad, throw away anything that you don't recognise or is growing a fur coat 🤢

Baby Step 6: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-6/
Learn about hotspots and how to deal with them.
Set your timer for 2 minutes and tackle a hotspot. You will be surprised at what you can achieve in 2 minutes!

YesTaDas:
🌻 took dogs to groomer
🌻 LOLs x5
🌻 school registration (in person)
🌻 repainted my nails (fingers and toes)
🌻 cleaned out fridge
🌻 meal planning
🌻 grocery shopping
🌻 handwashed dishes (& put them away! 😱)
🌻 DS rotated DW
🌻 cleared kitchen countertops (put things away)
🌻 wiped countertop under microwave
🌻 deep cleaned the sink
🌻 got clothes out for the morning

I did not vacuum, mop or clean the bathrooms, I didn't even have DS do them 🤦‍♀️oh well!

Reverting to my previous username, as some schools are back next week and I need to force myself into something approaching a routine.

Today is fridge tidy and clean, and do as much as possible around the garden and garage, interspersed with attempts at paperwork.

To do today:
Clean both bathrooms.
Change dog bed.
Hoover.
Very manageable and I think part of that is because it's straightforward, there's no decisions on things staying or going. Which obviously is the point of decluttering (am aware I'm just waffling) but it's nice to not be having a mini breakdown about housework. Although I'll be back decluttering next week.

Now for my really embarrassing confession 🤒
Due to my disabilities, hoovering the stairs is supposed to be my DPs job. But he doesn't unless I nag him. And even if he does it he never thinks to wipe down the skirting boards.
Just before Christmas he came down with flu, I was starting to feel ropey but I had a mini blitz including hoovering everything.
And that was the last time my stairs were hoovered...
@HazelNotHungryLC just reading your TaDas exhausts me 😄

Cherry that used to be me, but not because of a disability, it was laziness! When we first got a dog (black lab), shortly after getting married, I maybe vacuumed every couple of weeks to once a month. The carpet was blue, you couldn't see hair.
Then we moved into a house with cream carpet. Oh I was horrified! I started vacuuming every day (downstairs only) but the stairs only got vacuumed every few months.. same with upstairs.
It sounds like you have a good, solid plan for today though!

Scourgify you have a good plan for today as well! Routine is what I crave!

I'll be back in a bit with links, sorry I'm not doing a good job of that this time! We got busy pulling weeds out in the garden last night!

Thursday is errand day.

Thursday's mission is to declutter your foil, cling film, ziplock bags etc. Sort that drawer/cupboard out.

Baby Step 7: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-7/
Get your clothes out for the morning, tonight, before bed. Continue with the other steps as well.

Three full garden bins out for tomorrow. Didn’t do much else as the bins are very heavy, and a great excuse for putting my feet up for a snooze this afternoon.

I’ll do better tomorrow 😀

All my ToDos are TaDa'd!
I spent about two hours cleaning the shower, we do rinse and squeegee but it's ages since I've properly cleaned it.
I got a little (sad 😆) thrill when I came up to bed to see the glass door all shiny 😍
Sadly my family aren't coming this weekend due to illness, I'm disappointed and part of that is the pile of stuff I'd put aside for them to root through is remaining for now.
DP actually volunteered to hoover the stairs WITHOUT ME ASKING, but I did it anyway because I was hoovering everywhere else. Not that he noticed 😆

Not much flying lately but the coffee machine was descaled recently so I'm hoping I can get away with probably not getting around to it this week.

Yesterday I finally printed a label for a spice mix we use. It's from a recipe box we used to have delivered and keep replicating and we've recently bought little reusable tubs so we can premix them so it doesn't need to be done fresh each time we make the recipe.

Just dropping in with links, I'll catch up with the thread tomorrow.

Friday is clean your car and purse day.

Friday's mission is to check your cleaning supplies, add whatever you need to your grocery list. Are there things you don't use? Do you need new cloths? Only spend 5 minutes on this.

Baby Step 8: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-8/
Baby steps we have learned so far are broken down into morning and before bed routines.
Today, grab a folder and paper, or even a notebook, and write down the baby steps so far, as morning and before bed routines.

sorry I'm not doing a good job of that this time!
You're doing a brilliant job, imo, Hazel.
I don't post a great deal but am really grateful for these threads and everyone who runs them - they certainly keep me on track and make me feel a lot better about the house (and myself!).
I'd cleaned out my cutlery drawer recently and clean the hob each morning, so instead of those I cleaned out the herb and spice shelf and the oil, vinegar and condiment shelves in the larder this week.
However, today's mission chimes right in with what needs doing. My cleaning cupboard needs a good going over - it'll take rather more than 5 minutes but it's always very satisfying!
It also means I can check if I've got Oven Mate before the kitchen comes around again as that dread job will need doing then...
Hope everyone is doing okay today and looking forward to the weekend 😊

I've got cleaning stuff in 5 cupboards plus 2 cupboards with vacuum attachments. Means that when I want to clean something I'm not going up/downstairs for stuff.
In a not too distant future I'll go through it all and bin stuff that I don't find effective (although tbf if I cleaned regularly any old cheap stuff would work 😉).
We get a lot of limescale build up and I've loads of Viakal and the Lidl stuff, but prefer the HG products.
I bought the Pink paste and electric scrubber ages ago, didn't rate it, but used it on the shower yesterday and was impressed with how it cleaned up the grout. Not so much with how I managed to cover myself in it though 😁

Scourgify I think the nap was well deserved!

Cherry a shiny door is very satisfying! I do the same thing 😳 (admire something I've noticeably cleaned). That's also a lot of cleaning supplies, but I'm sure it's very handy to have in multiple places around the house.

Cabbage good idea to have premixed spices!

LaMarschallin I'm glad to hear the thread is helping and motivating! I need to clean my oven too. Mine does have a self clean option, but I've not used it yet since having the oven installed last year!

Mine does have a self clean option, but I've not used it yet since having the oven installed last year!

A friend of mine runs the self-clean every time she uses the oven.
Mind you, that's once a fortnight at most as she happily admits 😊
I did find Oven Mate so was wavering about cracking on today, but - phew! - I don't have a replacement liner so, obviously, I can't.
Love to, naturally, but can't <whistles innocently>

Darn it LaMarschallin maybe you can get to it next time, or maybe something else will happen to make it so you can't 😉🤣

We sorted out our vegetable garden this evening. Apparently if you don't have somewhere for your cucumber plants to grow up (like a trellis), they grow wherever the heck they like! 😂

Saturday is family fun day.
There are no missions on the weekend, just enjoy it!
We (DH & I) are going to be helping to set up the fair booth for the band. No, they won't be performing, they will be selling food.
DS may or may not be practicing with his section, getting ready for a parade they'll be in this coming week.

Baby Step 9: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-9/
Today, learn about how to declutter. Personally I don't think there's one right way to do it, do whatever works for you, but be willing to try something different in case it works better for you.
Also, add a 5 minute room rescue to your morning routine.

Checking in for the weekend. End of the week fairly productive. Shined the toaster and kettle and vacuumed downstairs so that's nice.

Parcels to send and collect today and maybe a bit of weaning baking too. My app is telling me I need to deep clean the fridge but I get the feeling that will need to wait another month (at least!) too.

Checking in!

I have now left my job. 3 weeks off until start the new one. Should mean I can start September in a fairly organised manner 🤔

Checking in. Holiday is over. We drove for 3 hours, plan was for ds (2 years) to sleep in the car, we left at about 7:30. He was behaving very overtired at dinner time then stayed awake and happy chatty, asked for potty at 10pm, after that slept for the last 20 minutes. DH didn't come to bed for ages, he was unpacking. Now I'm the only one awake, enjoying a coffee and planning the day.

Todo
Morning routine
Laundry (not too much we did some when away)
Unpack
Ds new nursery admin.
Declutter...not sure what yet.

Morning all

First full week off with the DC this week. Looking like the weather will be lovely, currently browsing amazon for some low cost garden bits for the dc. This is first time we have had a garden you can properly enjoy. Shame I can't throw more money at garden toys but anyway. Thinking about a small padding pool or one of those splash mats. Any suggestions?

Tadas:

Morning routine
Laundry in wardrobes and away
Unpacked
Discussed and planned nursery start.
Prepped fruit for apple crumble.

Ds was been in a terrible mood, back from holiday, fortunately he's napping now. But he's not eaten much.

DD is enjoying getting herself reaquated with her toys.

I have ordered today a card deck called fairy play online. It was recommended for me. It's about opening a discussion in a couple about who does what around the house, with different jobs on different cards, so you could have a list of responsibilities each. We hear about mums having the mental load, but DH does a lot, however, lots of things neither of us have considered, I do find im doing admin id rather not do because I'm dyslexic and have not paid bills properly, and DH avoids these because he dislikes them, but I think would do them much easier and quicker. He would rather cook, clean and garden.

To dos
Make crumble topping.
Pack bag for work tomorrow. 😥
Fill a charity shop bag.

THIS enjoy the break between jobs!
We've never bought a splash mat, just pools throughout the years. Although have played in the sprinkler with the DC when they were younger. Either one could be a good option. With a pool you may need to think about pool toys as well. Would those be in your budget?

Alwayslearning25 glad to see you home safe and sound. I hope your DS wakes up in a better mood. He must have really enjoyed the holiday!

If your DH would be better at admin/finances, it would totally make sense he does it. Do you have bills set up to come out automatically? If I didn't use auto pay I would lose track and miss a bill, I just have to make sure the money is in the account!
I've never heard of those cards, it sounds like they would really come in handy though.

Yesterday we weren't home much. We helped set up the fair booth, ready for yet another band fundraiser! Both DS & I will be working at the booth during the week.
We then went to the camper dealership to see what our options are in regards to maybe trading our camper in for one that would better suit our needs. While there we found out we paid way more than we should have, so that was frustrating. It'll be a few years before we can do that. We do love our trailer though, but wanted something a little more comfortable to sit in if the weather wasn't cooperating!

We went to ILs for dinner last night, then before bed we put a pork roast on the smoker so we could have pulled pork today. Depending on the time it'll get done, they may join us to eat some as it's huge!
My plan for today is to go grocery shopping, harvest some rhubarb (I still haven't done that lately) and cook it! I should really get some weeds pulled and cleaning done in the house as well, but we'll see!