Flyladies keeping on top of the household in August, it’s going to be a hot one.

[ExtremeDecluttering]

Well, at the start of July it was hot, at the end of July it was still hot (for most of us anyway) and here we are in August with no change in sight, but hopefully we are acclimatising a bit. And now we have holidays, children at home, all the changes of routine.

Whether you're starting to build a new routine, stuck in a rut, or been around for years, join us on the Flylady thread. I'll try to keep us on track for the month, with baby steps, daily missions and weekly zones.
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. I have taken one for the team but use a junk email address I will check them periodically and report anything interesting / useful
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:
☀️Entryway, porch and dining room
☀️Bathroom & one other room
☀️Kitchen
☀️Master bedroom & master bathroom
☀️Living room
Don't worry about finishing it all this month, it'll come around again next month! Flylady is NOT about perfectionism!
Daily focus: each day of the week has a different 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 day. 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 😆
S&S: Swish & Swipe (wipe the bathroom sink & toilet)
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, it's a new website! 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. There is a paid version and a free version. I use the free version. The missions haven't been updating on the app.
Links are below 👇
Daily missions (for the zone we are in):
https://www.flylady.net/daily-mission
Baby steps (on a different website, since the link isn't working on the new site yet): https://mymerrymessylife.com/flylady-31-baby-steps/
Feel free to ask any questions you may have, some of us have been doing Flylady for a very long time, as well as others just starting out. We may have other things to add that we have found works for us that could help you too!

Most of this is copied and pasted from previous months but is all correct, I do get the emails and do use the free version of the app, plus the new look but somewhat sparse website. There may be odd days I don’t post but the links do update overnight so click back to the previous ones.

I did my first home blessing yesterday. I really like the 10 minute chunks and really feel like doing the little jobs like cleaning the glass areas really makes a difference. However, changing the bedding takes a lot longer than 10 minutes!

I'm going to try and tidy away the clutter on my kitchen and utility sides today and give them a good clean, as I have an induction stove which only needs a 30 seconds wipe!

We have Venetian blinds and I bought a blind cleaner in Aldi, the type with several robs wrapped in microfibre cloth, problem is the vertical strings get in the way, they are about 8" apart and therefore divide the slats into 5 columns IYSWIM so it takes absolutely ages. I tend to turn the slats one way and give the whole "flat" surface a good once over with a pledge duster on a handle then turn them the other way and repeat, it doesn't get them perfectly clean but at least it's quick.

I had a feeling they would be a bit rubbish, decided to start as soon as I had posted. My way of doing it doesn't seem to take as long as I thought. I have to 'wet dust' due to allergies and asthma so I use a wet wipe and have to go one 'level' at a time section by section. It only took about 20 mins and about 5 wet wipes in the end so I will do one each day and will have them all done by the end of the week.

Saved myself a few quid not buying another bit of kit to clog the cupboards with!

I took down the Venetian blinds in my bathroom the other day and realised I didn’t even need them so haven’t replaced them. The window is frosted glass and no one can see in from the outside anyway. Was pointless having them up all these years.

I have so many little jobs I want to do in the garden and house but it’s so much warmer today and I’m enjoying the peace and quiet of no one at home. As soon as someone gets back home I’ll start doing stuff. Till then the living room is all mine.

Ok, some babysteps.

Babystep 8 was to start building your control journal, as we were discussing the other day, or the app, notebook or whatever works for you to make a note of your routines. I must admit that in 15 years I am still largely winging it and not sticking to any of these methods, just checking in on here or the emails but different things work for different people.

Babystep 9 was a 5 minute Room Rescue - just do as much as you can in one room in 5 mins, clearing, wiping, whatever.

Babystep 10 is the Power of 15, so building up a bit, what can you achieve in 15 mins? I get distracted and waylaid easily so sometimes I scribble down 2 or 3 jobs on a scrap of paper and try to stick to them.

https://mymerrymessylife.com/flylady-31-baby-steps/10/

Hurrah DS came home so I went in the garden to pick up all the fallen apples and pull up the weeds. Luckily the bin bag was huge and very strong so I just kept going till I filled it. Then had to get DS to lift it to the bin

I'm finding the timers really helpful. Today I managed to clear all the junk off the kitchen sides, give them a good clean and start on the cupboards in 15 minutes. It's definitely helping with the overwhelm.

Any tips for getting my husband to keep the areas I have cleaned tidy and not dump stuff everywhere will be greatly appreciated!

I've been AWOL for a while! Been busy at work, and we went camping over the weekend (in the mountains, with no cell service - bliss!).

I'm sorry I won't be able to mention everyone, especially as I'm about to go to bed. Early. That never happens!

Always baby will be here before you know it! Do you know what you're having?

unicorn I'm also waiting for any tips re DHs and clear areas. It's like mine sees a clear surface and just has to add stuff to it. It's not even useful most of the time! If it's not out, he can't see it. It drives me crazy.

ED I do want to mention a big thank you for running the thread this month. I know you have a lot going on in your life right now too.

And everybody else posting ta das, they are all very motivating, and reminds me that I need to clean my oven too!

Morning!
Thank you @HazelNotHungryLC as it happens this month is a bit quieter than usual, on the elderly parent front DB (teacher) was away for 3 weeks till last weekend but as he’s not at work again for a few more weeks has agreed to step up, so now when Mum badgers me by text I am saying “ask him” because she can be relentless and it does do my head in a bit. Also not so much in the diary. Sept OTOH I have two trips away plus a day trip to London and DD moving back to uni. Glad you had a good weekend.

@Frumpyunicorn that really is the bane of my life, the DCs are like it too. I have found the only thing that works with DH is name and shame and tell him off for setting a bad example. Or do it generally “whose is all this junk on the kitchen table please move it” even when I know perfectly well whose it is. I sit things down too, but I do come back and move them, and I put a lot of things away immediately. He just dumps. So for example he cleared out the garden shed on Saturday (it’s all hie archery stuff cluttering it up) and brought out a random pile of crap including a kitchen knife, a small lump of lego building, a baseball cap and a bag for life, he dumped them on the patio table and they are still there. I find the timer really useful too, it is one of the most used functions on my smartwatch.

Anyway, our mission today is to scrub down the counter tops properly, moving any resident items such as toasters and fruit bowls to do so. We have quite a lot of small appliances out, I don’t like the bare counter look, too showroomy for me, so this does take a while.

Don’t forget your load of laundry a day. I let the clean stuff pile up last week and it was a mistake as it is sorted but mine is still not put away because it feels overwhelming usually I am good at putting it away as soon as it’s sorted (again no one else does though, aargh).

Happy August you lovely lot!

We have had our family summer holiday which was lovely and are settling back in to normality.

I work reduced hours in the holidays so will be using the extra time to get on top of things in the house, prep for September and of course plan some fun stuff with the DC.

So far today Ive made a cuppa and checked out my online Tesco shop!

Morning 🌄 everyone.
I fell of the wagon (again) and I'm blaming the heat.
My bedroom looks like a teenager's, I tried to tackle it one evening last week but it was too hot.
Made a start yesterday, 5 LOLs put away, another clothes charity shop bag started, it's still a mess.
I've been through my towel mountain, some were brand new, I've put some aside for the dogs/horses, and the decent bath sheets are in a charity bag.
Embarrassed to say I couldn't find my Dyson, it's that long since I've vacuumed 😳 found it hiding between bags of laundry.
While the dogs were eating their tea last night I put away the big bag of clean tea towels that I'd left in the hallway to see if DP would do it, three weeks ago 😅
Washed all the big pots.
Then I tidied two more drawers and a cupboard, found a random selection of tupperware lids at which point I felt overwhelmed by the clutter and mess everywhere.
I'm constantly LMS at DP because he won't sort through his junk, he brings random crap home that people give him like scratched up pots and pans, huge heavy blankets for the dogs which won't fit in the washing machine, and a huge TV that's sat in the dining room in my way.
And breathe..... 🙂

That sounds frustrating cherry fwiw I fall off the wagon every month and then claw my way back on briefly 🙃

Our living room table (husband has laptop on it plus we eat at it, we haven't got a dining room) has always had a stack of papers on it - just the one, but does my head in. Since I've started clearing stuff and cleaning the house, he's quietly got rid of the pile - there's just a neat stack of CDs now which he's using, so that's ok. I'm not sure if he's done this out of consideration, or (more likely) fear of reprisals. The end effect is the same.

@CherryogDog that would drive me insane too. Can you just shove the random crap in a bin bag and either bin it, or charity shop it?

Did a quick clean of one kitchen counter top yesterday, the other's ok, so this morning I cleaned the window - it fills the whole wall from side to side and up to the ceiling, so it's a pain (and I'm short) but it's done. Used vinegar with some essential oil. Used the same mix to spray the floor, left it while I had my shower then mopped it up. Kitchen now looks much cleaner but smells like a monastic chip shop.

I cleaned behind the microwave too - and noticed that it hasn't got that bad since the last kitchen deep clean, which was months ago, can't remember when. Also occurred to me that if I keep on top of it all - no, WHEN, my cleaning cloths won't be so grim either. They're now out on the line. Haven't really got enough for a wash load, and that's fine, that'll be done tomorrow.

The nicest thing is, we've got visitors on Thursday and the feeling that I won't have to spend hours cleaning beforehand is just the best thing. God/deity-of-choice bless Flylady.

Checking in.

Not quite in the right zones this week as I am having to do things in a certain order. I have a new bookcase being delivered next week for my hallway, so that has been getting most of my attention this week. Almost there. I have also moved my grit bin outside as I realised it does not need to live in the hallway (it's only food waste bin sized, not a big yellow council grit bin!),

That sounds frustrating and very like my Dad @CherryogDog It's one of the reasons I can't live with someone / have a partner. You have no real control over what they do or don't do.

Anyway, DW load done, sink shone, Eufy has done her rounds. Few more little jobs to do, but ticking them off nicely.

Very frustrating as DP has commandeered the very large outbuilding, plus loft and huge lean to, while I've got a small corner for my horse stuff.
I didn't originally mind because the deal was he didn't fill up my garden with random crap like in my old house.
Half of my garden is full of random crap...
Anyway, I've had a little tidy up of my dining room, and then spent time dead heading and repotting some plants.
I've had some passion flower cuttings in water on my window sill for ages, and I've potted them up and put them outside. Fingers crossed they take, I've tried before and not been successful.

That's annoying @CherryogDog my DH doesn't take up quite so much space but guitars are his thing. He had a moment where he realised he had too many and sold/ gave some away...but has since bought more, but I actually think that's slightly better. We also have a friend's guitars and amps as she was moving house and wanted tempory storage space, but she turned down the new offer she's decided to stay in her very small council flat. I'm trying to make space for the baby. My DH has done a great job with the kids yesterday, took out a redundant futon in DDS room and her bed and replaced it with my old loft bed, I always wanted her to have. DD put lots of her stuff on the shelves underneath and she now has her own desk plus floor space.

It's also made wardrobes easily accessible, one was blocked by a futon... that one has a few camping stuff, guitars and old winter coats DH hasn't worn for years. I suggested the little shelves in there would be great for DDS or babies clothes but he said that's his wardrobe, I have more wardrobe space in our room.... except I don't have loads of clothes most of my wardrobe space is children's clothes ready for them to grow into!

Maybe I'll just sneak some baby stuff into that wardrobe... I don't want to get the changing table out of the attic eaves as it's just a space waster when we the space if we organised it.

Ooops, sorry, went swimming and then to work and forgot to post. Today's mission is to scrub the kitchen taps. get right in around the handles and round the bottom. I tried this last night with a normal sponge and it didn't do very well, need to get a brush to it, and some limescale remover.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day

I always soak kitchen towel in vinegar and leave overnight and ta da all limescale gone

DW and swish and swipe was all I managed. But tired today after drinking to much wine with friends last night. I enjoyed watched the eclipse though tonight and handing round my eclipse glasses with my neighbours.

Today I did

• the usual swish and swipe
• emptied all bins out (bin day)
• load of laundry
• dishwasher - emptied last nights run early this morning so was able to load as I went today
• removed everything from kitchen countertops and did a full scrub down (not just round things)
• Removed the oven doors(!) and cleaned the bits that I can’t get to when the doors are attached.

lived here about 8 or 9 years, oven came with the house and first time I’ve done this!

Made lemon muffins today. Juice and zest of two. Used the four 'empty' quarters of lemons to clean the kitchen and bathroom taps. Works a treat every time.

Waste not, want not.

Thanks for the tips re limescale - I can’t leave anything on for long as we have quartz worktops and might damage them, I mainly scrub away with barkeepers friend, the problem is that the sink is undermounted so we get splashes around them from wet hands and if anyone is washing/rinsing things under the tap (we have a DW but do wash up odd items in the sink) and no one except me ever thinks to clear it up. I got up this morning to a total mess left by the two DCs who both cooked after coming home v late by the looks of it, words will be had.

Anyway, Thursday is Errand Day, I need to pop into town to get something from boots and hopefully recycle my blister packs.

Our mission today is to wipe down the big appliances, dishwasger, fridge etc, splashes, fingerprints whatever.

I will try and catch up with the babysteps later.

Thanks for the tip - I made some sun cakes this morning and shined the sink (and drainer) with the empty halves. Looked amazing!

Hoovered sofa as the cushions needed turning, wiped surfaces, cleaned bathroom floor (toilet and basin done at least once a day). The nice thing is I haven't had to panic clean because people are visiting - it's already done. Yay!

This week has been a bit of a test as I have been in the office twice and also yesterday felt really ill. I have been keeping on top of the bathrooms with swish and swipe, finding the kitchen harder (not helped by our lack of dishwasher at the moment) but have been off today so back on track. I scrubbed the kitchen floor with a floor cloth and it's amazing how much better it looks, the spray mop never gets the corners and edges properly. My hall and porch feel so much better after last week so I am trying not to let clutter build back up.

A quick question what do you all use in the toilets? I usually use bleach but don't really like putting that down more than a few times a week