Flying into 2026: January Flylady Thread

[DillyDeclutter]

Welcome to all Flylady regulars and visitors, if you have been reading along on previous threads why not join us again this month? It's January and a new year! Traditionally (in my house anyway) a time to resolve to sort our lives and houses out top to bottom all at once, before forgetting it all in February . . .

This thread is our little corner of calm amongst the January gloom — 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.

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. The Flylady website is not working very well any more so I will cobble together something each morning and we will get through together.

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 just now (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/

Hi, I love the power of 15, currently sat with my coffee after 15 minutes of general tidying/laundry. We're not doing Saturday clubs for the kids at the moment. Chilled morning with toys.

I dragged myself out of the sick bay to fill a charity bag with clothes. Started another but was too tired to continue.

Gj Cherry.
I'm at my father's this weekend, so all the jobs are to help him. Agree timers help loads.

Morning all!

Been a busy week here. New job going well. Littlest DC under the weather mid week but back on form now. Yesterday spent running around doing XYZ. Today is chill and tidy day.

I think I need to do home blessing on Sundays because its my only day I dont have stuff I have to leave the house for.

Ta da
🧹 LOLs rotated
🧽 Hand wash pots washed
🪣 Front of fridge decluttered and wiped down
🧹 1x worktop decluttered and wiped down
🧽 Air fryer bits soaking
🪣 Christmas cups and bowls put away

Hello all, I've been a bit AWOL the past few days. This week has been really busy. Full week of work, had to stay late Thursday to take minutes for a meeting for my boss, and not much flying since Tuesday.
DS did vacuum at least on Friday, not sure if he did anything else though. He now has a part time job, so keeping busy.
I did get some laundry done yesterday, 3 loads, and I rotated the DW.
We went to ILs for dinner last night, so no cooking even!

It's been nice to have calm, quiet days off, without the running around getting ready for Christmas and hosting a bunch! I'm trying to take it all in and enjoy it, but also finding myself getting bored!

I don't really have a plan for today. I do need to get the Jeep washed, but the queues to go through have been outrageous! Everyone is in the same boat. I may try again today, but early in the day (it's just past 9am here).

I am planning on making some of my treats for valentine's day, so should spend some time planning that and create a pricing list for fb.

I also have a nice, long weekend next weekend, and I'm thinking of repainting my kitchen cupboards! DH will be happy - he hates the colour they are now (we bought the house that way). The colour is coming off of the doors in places, so really need to be redone anyway.

Sorry for rambling on. I really should post more often!

I did a bit more clothes purging, my aim is to create enough space in one of my wardrobes for my coats.
Started sorting through my t shirts.
Tidied my undies drawers. Bagged up my Shock Absorbers and Runderwear pants from my running days, hanging on to them in case I ever lose enough weight to get back in them 🙃
Still under the weather so not pushing myself too much.

Good morning! Back onto it with Monday! This week's zone is the bathroom and laundry room.

Monday is home bleugh day again.

Today's mission is to quickly declutter in your bathroom and laundry room. This isn't an area that tends to build up in my house so an easy one for me!

Today's baby step is to spend 15 minutes on a digital declutter- choose an area like photos, files or emails.

cherry im still hoping ill fit back into the runderwear one day!

Happy Tuesday! Today is plan and play day.

Today's mission is to sort old linen and towels to dispose of; and to hunt out any socks that have fallen behind the dryer.

Today's baby step is to spend 15 minutes cleaning- set your timer.

I didn't even know there is underwear for running! What's the difference to normal underwear? I'm intrigued. Not that I'll get into running. I like the idea of it, but chances are I would twist my ankle when I'm far from my house and have to limp all the way back home, shamefully!

To dos:
☕️ get dressed & ready for the day
☕️ strip my bed & wash sheets
☕️ take dogs to groomer
☕️ bathe dogs
☕️ bleach bathrooms
☕️ vacuum
☕️ mop
☕️ wash a gentle load, include outer shower curtain
☕️ wash DSs sheets
☕️ go to the bank
☕️ go pick out some cabinet paint for my kitchen cabinets (I'm super excited by this!)
☕️ pick up some salad/ veg for the week
☕️ wipe down/shine the front of my washer & dryer (they're pretty dusty)
☕️ clean up an unknown mess in the spare bedroom, on the dresser (probably cat puke that DD didn't see - I let her bring her kitten at Christmas, I'm allergic, so we're a no cat house). I'm not looking forward to this. I'm putting it off, then I forget about it 🤦‍♀️

I really should get moving. Ugh.

Hazel runderwear is a (UK, expensive!) brand that is made from wicking fabric and doesn't have any seams. One badly placed seam can do a lot of damage over 10 miles or so!

I cleaned out the inside of the tumble dryer today, not the normal fluff catcher bit but the inside section that is accessed via a Special Panel. There was a lot of hair and dust clogging it up and for some reason it was all wet. Very yucky but very satisfying. Then I dried a load and it did seem to be quicker.

I am missing the stress and fun of planning for Christmas, is anyone else?

Dilly I never would have thought a seam could be so problematic! I am also missing the lead up to Christmas, which is probably why I've decided to paint my kitchen cabinets. It's like I need to have stress in my life!

I have some ta das:
🐶 sheets washed and in dryer
🐶 2nd lol in washer (delicates, so includes the shower curtain)
🐶 took dogs to groomer
🐶 bought dog tags for the year (dogs have to be registered within city limits)
🐶 bank
🐶 picked out paint for the cabinets 🥳
🐶 grocery store for a couple of things
🐶 cooked and eaten my lunch (DH isn't home for lunch yet, but I got hungry)

Lots more to do today!

I'm still lurking in the sick bay.
DP has been carrying the boxes of charity shop around in his car for weeks (procrastinating as usual). I got an email last night from Anglo collections, I'd totally forgotten I'd booked them.
So everything came out of his car and into their van.
I'm still clothes culling but no flying.
@HazelNotHungryLC I loved my Runderwear, I like my pants to cover all my "cheeks" and stay in place, and they do that!
I also had the Decathlon version but they changed the material and were a bit too skimpy for me.

Cherry I hope you feel better soon! There's a flu going around here that's a lingering one. I hope that's not what you have!
It sounds like you made a lot of progress re decluttering.

Ta das:
💐 arranged a bunch of flowers that I got when I went to the grocery store. It's nice to have some colourful flowers on display!
💐 bathed dogs
💐 vacuumed
💐 mopped
💐 cleaned bathrooms
💐 LOLs x4 total
💐 cleaned mirrors and French doors
💐 wiped down washer & dryer
💐 cleared hotspots
💐 rotated DW
💐 cooked dinner & cleaned up as I was going
💐 remade the bed
💐 got my clothes out for tomorrow

I still need to get my lunch sorted for tomorrow, but that'll only take a few minutes.
I only have 2 more days of work this week, then I've got 5 days off! Woohoo! 🥳

My flylady app has updated and is working! Hurrah!

Today's mission is to throw away outdated (unfashionable) cosmetics.

Wednesday is anti procrastination day. I need to email someone to ask a favour . . .

Today's baby step is to start using a calendar to keep track of your commitments.

Cherry great that stuff has actually left the house, that's always the hardest part!

interesting that it states to throw away when in UK it is so easy to recycle the make-up!

Actually says "toss", interpret as you wish! I find myself carrying old makeup in my handbag for weeks before I eventually remember to put it in the recycling bin in the supermarket. Tbh I dont really understand how they actually recycle it and im not convinced they can or do, but at least I've tried.

Thursday is errand day and I've been so busy with my errands (shopping and GP appointment) that I forgot to post . . .

Today's mission is to use your errand day to restock the bathroom. Today i bought 6 tubes of toothpaste to meet every family members current and backup requirements so suppose I've sorted that one.

Today's baby step is to start making your bed each morning.

The lack of recycling here where I am in the states is shocking. There is none! Other than cardboard. Some other places are much better, but here? Terrible!

So I'm going to have a few days off work. 5 to be exact. I'm going to paint my kitchen cabinets. It'll be a job and lots of prep, but it'll be worth it in the end. I just have to remember to take before pictures!

Good morning!

Friday is clean out your car and purse day. Both of mine need attention!

Today's mission is to shine your bathroom sink and bathtub. Also, to spray over and wipe down your washing machine and tumble dryer.

Today's baby step is to read some testimonials on the Flylady website or (even better!) The lovely new Flylady app (which is free).

Morning everyone.
@HazelNotHungryLC hope your painting goes smoothly.
I have 17 empty clothes hangers after my recent wardrobe cull.
I also pulled out my 4 boxes of clothes that I no longer fit into, put 5 items in the charity bag.

Morning, checking back in again, the thread feel off my TIO.

I have never managed to recycle make-up, occasionally a bin appears in Boots of Sainsburys but then I bring things in and find it’s gone again. Same with blister packs. I do take my contact lens stuff back to the optician though.

Feeling a bit more back to normal routine wise now, everyone is out and I have been pottering around tidying up this morning, just wondering whether to hang washing out as it’s sunny, but damp and no breeze so probably not much point.

I'm definitely not missing Christmas prep. Left these threads as it's not my thing l. Love Christmas in some ways eg crafts but DH does house side mostly.

1st paragraph I wrote a few days back. 🙈 I'll have to check out the app. My car needs a serious clean out. So many tissues mostly. My husband gave me a car bin, which is nice, but, I need to chose a place to secure it as the kids love it too much. At the moment it's on the frount seat at risk of tipping over as the lid is under a chair probably.

I had my first Monday alone and it felt great doing the afternoon school run after having some alone time. But I wasn't very productive. This Monday I will complete a home blessing, after doing some of it over the weekend.

Thank you Cherry I've not started yet, still enjoying my coffee (just gone 9am here though). It is warming my soul this morning so taking it all in!

ED I was thinking about you this morning, that you hadn't been on here in a while, so was worried. I'm glad to see you back! It's good to see that things are settling down for you too.

Always sometimes it's just nice to enjoy the quiet of alone time, especially when you have little ones.

Plan for today:
☕️ finish my soul warming coffee
☕️ get dressed, hair etc.
☕️ take before pictures of the kitchen
☕️ clear the countertops completely
☕️ dig out a couple old sheets to throw over stove & anything else I might need to cover as I go
☕️ remove handles from all cupboards
☕️ start on the rest of the prep (washing, sanding, washing, sanding, primer etc..)

I'll report how much I get done later on. It will be interesting as I'm not actually going to remove the hinges and doors this time! I painted the kitchen cabinets in my old house and it took over a week!
It will also be interesting to see how much sanding I'll actually have to do, hopefully not much 😬

Thank you @HazelNotHungryLC I do sometimes find after a thread leading month I haven't got much to say that I haven't already said IYSWIM so I don't post as much. Plus I must have accidentally removed it from TIO. But I'm here and we're all Ok, just been very busy with work, parent stuff, DC stuff etc and trying to get an exercise routine established again.

Morning . . . Nice to see you ED!

Saturday is family fun day, no missions at the weekend. DH is away this weekend so just me and the dc, not much Flylady is likely to get done.

Today's baby step is to set yourself a sensible bedtime and stick to it.

To dos
Change Sheets
Make bread
LOLs
Rotate DW