December Flylady - Fledglings fluttering towards the Festive Season

[ExquisiteDecorating]

Well, here we are — Christmas is this month. Yikes. But fear not, lovely Flyladies — we’ve got this (mostly).

This thread is our little corner of calm amongst the chaos — a place to cheer each other on, share small wins, and occasionally moan about the state of the laundry mountain. Whether you’re shining your sink for the first time or just trying to keep the kitchen table visible for more than an hour, you’re in good company.

The Flylady system is all about baby steps — 15 minutes at a time, routines that mostly stick, and being kind to ourselves when life happens (because it always does). Pop in, post your list, or just lurk with a cuppa — everyone’s welcome. Let’s make things calm and cosy as we head into the festive season proper.

Kettle’s on. Who’s flying today? ☕🕯️🧺
This is a long running thread, but we are a friendly bunch and all are welcome to join in. Please ask if you don’t understand anything.

Do NOT sign up for the Flylady emails - there are too many. I have done this so you don’t have to. The Flylady website is not working very well any more so I will copy over from the emails in the mornings and we will get through together.
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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!
Zones:
Entryway, porch and dining room
Kitchen
Bathroom and one other room
Master bedroom
Living room

Daily missions: each day of the week has a different mission. Then there’s:

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, there is an app, but I don’t think it’s working very well either.

Given the broken-ness of the app and website I would advise you not to spend any money on Flylady apps or purchases (we are mostly UK and she’s US based in any case). Sorry Flylady.

Links are below 👇

You can also check out the Facebook page Zones:https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/ Baby Steps: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

Oh that's interesting @ExquisiteDecorating I first found Flylady back in her heydey. Probably 15 years ago now. The website was good and at one point I signed up to Missus Smarty Pants and the getting food on the table lady. The whole lot was very useful at the time. She's got a bit political and puts people off now I believe. What a shame!
Thank you for the welcome.
On the strength of it I have cleaned out my handbag ( and various pockets!)
Car not cleaned out but i did put air in the tyres and wipe the lights and number plates so a good (re)start. Thank you 😊

Welcome @WinterFrogs I use the app for the morning routine. You can edit it and I just found it easier to use than my flylady notebook for that. I use both but for the morning routine. I think I like that dopamine hit from it telling me congratulations. 🎉

We cross posted @Alwayslearning25 Thank you. I like a dopamine hit to so I'll have a fiddle woththe app and see what it does!

I missed a lot! It's been so crazy busy here, so a good thing I didn't volunteer to run the thread!

I've been busy at work, busy making my treats, trying to keep up on housework, running around doing all the errands, but tonight I'm going out with MIL to watch the Nutcracker ballet some local kids perform, then we'll go out for pie and ice cream. It's our tradition and I love it!

This weekend I'll be trying to get all my treats finished so I can work on the games and food for our Christmas party next week! I can't believe Christmas is so close!

Welcome to the thread @WinterFrogs 👋

I'm sorry I'm not able to reply to everyone, I've only got a few minutes left of my break from work.

Hi all, DH and I are both ill, DH actually sick, but I've had a headache all week on and off, been really tired. Thursday and Friday morning thought hard about taking a sick day, went to work. Felt fine Thursday, but so tiered, achy joints yesterday. I partially wanted so badly to have time alone to clean and tidy the house and have a midday nap. Didn't go to the work christmas party last night is paid for.I came down this morning and the kitchen sink had last night casserole dish in. DH does the bulk of housework so it's him being ill means house is messy.. 3 year old is well, fortunately his nursery have a 2 hour drop off party today so parents can do Christmas shopping. We may be napping or crafting with DD.

Alwayslearning25 I hope you & DH feels better soon. That's a really good idea that your nursery throws a party on a Saturday so parents can go shopping/ have a break for a couple of hours! We never had that when mine were little and it would have been handy.

Today's plan:
🍬 get as many treats made as possible
🍬 keep on top of dishes
🍬 go grocery shopping
🍬 catch up on laundry
🍬 clean the washer/ clean the filter (before I wash any more loads)

I should probably finish my list for grocery shopping. We have a tonne of eggs, so need to plan meals around those this week! Or at least for a couple of days.
We are having ILs come over for dinner tonight instead of going there, but we're going to cook an easy dinner.

It's a nice idea so all the children can go, because I don't think many do 5 days at nursery. Also the staff get a day off in lieu in the new year. It's during the school holidays so doesn't matter to us as I said DH works in a school. He had a good time then a good nap after. DH still isn't feeling great. In ok but had a very lazy day. I guess some tadas

Tiny bit of central room hoovering.
Cleaned the drying rack but the kitchen sink and kitchen sink.
...

I'm sure I've done more but can't think now

I'm working tomorrow, I work at the hospital so do some weekend work. I stopped nights when I had kids, and allthough Saturday night is good pay, I'm not interested in disrupting my sleep anymore than it allredy is.

Morning, I've been AWOL again!

Am just about, barely, keeping on top of work, Christmas prep, kids school and eating - everything I manage to do in the house seems to undo itself again quite quickly.

I did Cobweb bust yesterday and my handbag is reasonably tidy. We will draw a veil over the rest. January will be better.

Always the party sounds fab! Mine did a similar thing but on Wednesday which is DD's nursery day anyway so no extra shopping for me, I was just at work anyway!

I have no interest in going shopping when it's busy so just went home, had a couple of hours extra rest, lunch in peace, hamma beads with DD and DH slept.

I was really annoyed with myself this morning at how little housework I did yesterday. Also that I'd not got my daughter to sort out cards and presents for her teacher and friend today. She chose a squashmellow for her friend
But DH sort out the card. I wanted DD to choose more things for her friend, but she's really frugal, so I suggested DH put some money in the card too....

I’m barely keeping up either, between my parents and my social life it has been pretty full-on here. Last week was mainly social life though . This week is much quieter with no evening activities planned at all (everything happened last week or is in the last few days before Xmas). So this morning I am having a bit of a home bleugh, catching up with laundry etc. DD is coming home from uni this afternoon which will be nice.

I've left the sick bay/naughty corner today. Tidied my dining room. Cleaned my bedroom best I can, but my Dyson battery is on its last legs so I haven't finished the hoovering.
Done 3 LOLs.
DP has total amnesia about our arrangement for me to have one clear day a week for decluttering and "spring" cleaning rooms. He's been angry, I've been stressed.
Won't bore you all venting but TLDR he feels that feeding the horses twice a day once a week is a gigantic task, while me doing all the cleaning, plus walking our dogs every day is me getting the better deal.
@Alwayslearning25 hope you and DH feel better soon.

I've got three boxes of charity stuff to go and that's the end of the big declutter, hooray!

Well done @CherryogDog ! Grrr to DP though.

Hope you are all feeling a bit better today @Alwayslearning25

Monday - Home Blessing Day, we are into Zone 3, the bathroom and one extra room, could be another bathroom, spare room, office, whatever. Todays mission is to clear and clean all the flat surfaces in the bathroom, countertops, shelves, the edge of the bath, windowsills. Chuck out any empties, put away random hairbands etc.

Morning everyone and thank you @ExquisiteDecoratingfor keeping the thread going despite your busy schedule. I’ve been so pleased with the progress I made last week in the kitchen tackling the drawers and under the sink. Feeling very chuffed with myself. Actually looking forward to this weeks tasks 🤣

Thanks @ExquisiteDecorating. I'm feeling better since yesterday. DS now has some sort of illness. Just a high temperature and lethargic, so we're having a more home based day. May go out on a little trip later. Could probably get lots done. DH did a good bit of housework yesterday when I was at work.
To dos:
Hang up washing
Make beds
15 minutes room rescue:attic
3 minutes hotspots.

I've had a mind blowing realisation this morning (whilst snuggling in my lovely clean bedding, in my lovely clean bedroom 😍😍).
I can now follow the routines without moving boxes and bags of crap around!

This morning, I made the beds and washed the bedding, went out with DS for a quick present shop and MacDonalds. Was feeling accomplished, then when I came home I saw all the mess everywhere, hallway, kitchen and felt disheartened. DH always has a go at me about messyness. But I've managed to rotate the dishwasher and clean the kitchen sink. Then I spotted DH breakfast he didn't finish as he's still not well, but just left everything else out. No I've written it down it's a reasonable about. I'm sat with a hot chocolate, going to walk up to school in 5 minutes. DS looks like he needs a nap, might not because he had a mini nap on the way home but I think he's still a bit hot and lethargic but otherwise no symptoms of illness. It's odd, I'm worried he's about to vomit but he's had a good appetite today.

Tadas: I made dinner
I put on the washing machine.
Todos: evening routine. In really rubbish at this but am actually going to have a flylady style evening bubbly bath to start it off now. Tommmow is up in the air depending how ds does overnight depends on whether I'm going to work and he's going to childminders or not...so I don't know what clothes to get out. I should probably prep for a work day either way.

@CherryogDog congratulations on decluttering.

We just pulled and layed out the presents for our children and botwe don't need to buy more. But DD7 has more than DS 3. I found a very old toy of DDs she barely touched to add to DS pile and we removed a few things from DD to be given for her birthday instead.

You all have been so busy, thank you so much ED for keeping the thread going.

Ta das:
Saturday
🎄meals planned for the week, with help from DH & DS
🎄grocery shopping
🎄cleaned washer with help from DH
🎄rotated DW
🎄cleaned up the kitchen
🎄worked on treat orders
🎄enjoyed the evening with ILs

Sunday
🍬 I spent 12 hours working on my treat orders
🍬 cleaned up the kitchen
🍬 nothing else!

Monday
😴 worked all day
😴 worked on my treat orders. I just have to add the finishing touches to most of them. I do need to make more treats though..
😴 cleaned up the kitchen

I have a lot to do tomorrow, and not much time! I really need a week off work, not a day!

Cherry I forgot to add: well done on clearing boxes etc so you're not having to move things around all the time. It makes such a big difference!

I have everything everywhere right now (for my treat orders), it'll be nice once it's cleared in a day or two.

Thank you all, it is a bit tricky keeping up with the thread at this time of year but it does help me keep on track.

I have done some of the flat surfaces in our bathroom and chucked away an empty reed diffuser. We have several open shelves so it does take a while, will try and finish tonight. I also just swished and swiped so gave the toilet and basin a quick clean, that is supposed to be part of our daily routines. I also did a good bit of decluttering in the dining room last night.

Our mission today is to declutter thr laundry area. We don't have one as such, our WM is in the kitchen, dryer in the garage and ironing board in our bedroom. The dryer area is still looking immaculate after I blitzed it last month (you may remember me saying it was covered in random chargers for cordless garden tools etc and now they are neatly coiled labelled and in a basket). Anyway I digress, chuck out any empty containers, straighten everything up.

Just popping back in to post this link to a handy list of babysteps, as I have not been finding time to look them up every day.

www.collington.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Flylady-beginner-baby-steps.pdf

The ones I find most useful for adding to routines are:

Swish and swipe (quick wipe down in the bathroom)
A load of laundry a day
Put out your clothes the night before
Go to bed at a decent time (not very good at this)
Get dressed to shoes/slippers
Shine your sink
Hotspots
Whats for dinner

And in exciting news, I have just discovered that Flylady has a new website! It doesn’t seem to have much content but the missions are up to date. The app is still stuck in zone 4 however.

https://beta.flylady.net/daily-mission

Well, I didn’t manage the early bed one but I am up and feeling ready for the day because I put my clothes out last night after sorting and putting away a pile of clean laundry that’s been accumulating by my side of the bed for over a week. Also I spent an hour dealing with an accumulation of mail that has been building up on the breakfast bar for the last few months - I am dealing with my father’s finances as he has gone into a home and it is creating a lot of paper. So it was nice to come down to that looking tidier.

So, Wednesday. Our mission today is to clean doorknobs, handles and lightswitches. I know it’s only about two weeks since we last did this but there are germs everywhere at the moment and we are all indoors a lot.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day. In today’s email Flylady suggests making a list of all those niggly lilttle jobs that you keep putting off, such as sewing a button on (I have two pairs of DS’s trousers waiting for this in my bedroom), re-potting a plant etc and do one every day.

As for the festive preparations, deep breath and make a list, what do you still need to do?

I'm going to try and pair odd socks with my 3 year old today. He might enjoy it, or throw socks everywhere)hide them.

Meal planning needs a serious look at in our house. DH historically has been charge of cooking, but since September I am not working Monday and Wednesday but have ds. I was hoping to cook those two days. DH also does grocery shopping. I guess he has the 'mental load' but sometimes he opts out in the hope I'll pick up the slack but I don't know the organisation system and nothing is written down, it's in his head. Today, I had my daughter's concert then she had archery so I picked up pizzas. I was planning to do leftovers with it, but have pulled them all out the fridge and I don't know what day they are from/ if they're safe to eat, except for what I cooked on Monday, we also ate on Tuesday. DS never eats his dinner, so it mostly goes in the fridge. I took to risk and ate his leftover beef stew from who knows when So I'm just feeling overwhelmed. I think I have ADHD, I have dyslexia and recently discovered ADHD is common with it, and being a mum, I can't deal with the organisation needed. I think we'll just have the pizza...

How do you all do meal planning in your family?