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/

I didn't work today, had an appt in the big city (2 1/2 hours away), it started snowing as I was leaving, it got bad on the roads, so it was scary. White knuckles all the way.
There had been an accident, so we were diverted, I went a different way to all the other traffic, and got to my appt 15 minutes early. I should have been an hour early based on dry roads and the time I left. I'm glad I have myself that extra time!

I had an early dinner with DD, since that's where she lives, it was nice to catch up.
Between my appt & dinner I did some shopping, mainly for storage in the kitchen (to organise).
I did also buy some disposable wipes for the bathrooms to maybe be able to swish & swipe every day. We'll see if it works. I know it's not the best for the environment, but it's quick and easy.

My back is killing me today, so hot tub and yoga is what's needed tonight before bed.
DH already rotated the DW, so that's already done. I did also wash a lol this morning, as DS asked me to wash a tee shirt for pep band tomorrow night (they play at the basketball games).
Back to work tomorrow.

Dilly I forgot to add, well done on your anti-procrastination success! That's a good habit to be in.
I tackled the hotspot in the living room Tuesday so already ahead of it! <adjusts halo> 😇

Yes, that's what makes it more annoying you faff about with the app and then go to the store and find the bins have gone again. I think it would be better if you were someone who passes Boots and buys a few odds and ends frequently, it would have worked for me when the DCs were young and I was in town most days but I tend to be in town once a fortnight or so now and I get fed up of carting my bits along with me only to find the bins gone again.

Morning! Thursday is errand day. I have the products of my latest decluttering efforts to redistribute.

Today's mission is to go sofa diving and remove all of the Grot lurking!

Today's baby step is to spend 15 minutes writing down self care ideas and then to think about how you can incorporate these into your routines.

Morning! Friday is clean out your car and bag day. A lot of us managed this last week - anyone going for it again today?

Today's mission is to put something lovely, just for you, in your living room - Flylady suggests flowers or a plant.

Today's baby step is to follow your routines, and set your timer for 15 minutes while you work out what birthdays and celebrations you have next month thst you need to plan for. In this house we have Pancake Day, Valentines Day, one birthday and three kids parties (so far) to plan for.

Would anyone be willing to take over the thread for February?

I have not properly cleaned out my car, just took out some rubbish and cleaned the buggy for ds to immediately wee in it when asleep. He very rarely has accidents and it was the first sign of an illness. He was poorly yesterday with DH at home, sleeping most the time, and being Sic. . and I've taken today off and he's back to his cheeky self. But I'll give my car another, deeper clean out today.

I really need to wash my Jeep & clean it out. It's been so freezing cold here that it's been hard to do that. It's going to be a little warmer this weekend so I may try to run it through the carwash & vacuum it out.

If no one else is up for it, I can run the Feb thread. Hopefully I won't be MIA too much as things are settling down here. I need to get back into better routines and I do really like the updates on the app & new website, so maybe running the thread will help me to get on top of things again.

I had hurt my back again on Tuesday, driving all day on Wednesday made it worse, so I'm trying to take it easy, stretch it out, etc.

Good afternoon! It's the last day of January, its felt like a long month for me

Saturday is family fun day, im posting from soft play . . .

No missions at the weekend.

The last baby step is to congratulate yourself on getting this far!

It's a pain as it only works well if you go past one regularly. Maybe everyone is jumping on the offer now as everything is getting so expensive?

@DillyDeclutter I'm trying to do project pan, where you use things up. Only getting one eyeshadow palette then using it before I buy anything else.

I've cleaned my actual bag today, does that count? Otherwise I started the week ok, it's not continued apart from tidy as you go which I stick to all the time to try and stem the chaos.

Parrots yes cleaning your bag counts! Well done for keeping up on tidying all week, or really does help to do little & often.

Dilly I feel like January flew by for me, which is crazy to think about, but I think I've enjoyed not rushing around trying to get things ready for Christmas.

I will get the new thread up & running in a little bit.

To dos:
☕️ meal planning for the week
☕️ grocery shopping
☕️ clearing out the fridge
☕️ work on dinner (homemade rolls etc)
☕️ S&S
☕️ laundry
☕️ paint my nails (new colours arrived yesterday!)
☕️ do more organising of cupboards in the kitchen

DH came to the realization that we have way too much stuff (hallelujah! Most of it is his!) And that we should plan to have a yard sale this summer (boo! - it's a lot of work). I'm not sure when he wants to start going through things and setting them on one side, but we're going to need to start soon.
A lot of what he's talking about getting rid of is new, almost new and really good condition, too good to throw away (his words - I would donate it).

@lovelyparrots I started project pan in 2015 after some serious overbuying, and I think I will never, ever finish. Just as I get close in one area I suddenly find myself panic buying something random. I'd nearly finished my eyeshadow palette at Christmas and ready to go on to my carefully chosen backup, when I found myself walking out of Superdrug with two sparkly Morphe palettes . . . That will take me another 5 years to use up . . .

Hazel thankyou for taking over the thread. I might be quite quiet in Feb. Im a bit posted out! I do like a good declutter but have to admit most of it is mine, not DH's.

I have been trying to buy less, spend less, and plan more through January and I've frankly found it all a bit tedious. In February I am going to loosen up a little.

Dilly totally understandable to go a bit quiet after leading the thread. I've been there and done that!
We have definitely spent less in January (mostly), but it always seems like when we run out of things, like cleaning supplies, it's all of them, and they add up!

I need to get moving, I'm still on the couch after drinking my coffee! It's only 9:30am here though, so it could be much worse!

New thread for February: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/housekeeping/5484185-longer-days-shorter-month-february-flylady-thread
💕🩷💕
See you there!