Procrastinating? Don't!

Good morning on this Wonderful Wednesday!

How are you today?

Today's plan of action goes something like this....

* MR

* Daily Focus 

* ZONE 1

* PAMPER TIME 

*ER

Todays Daily Focus in FlyLadyLand is Anti-Procrastination Day.   It's the day to do stuff you've been putting off!  Quite often we chew things over...do we....don't we.... and quite often we spend more time chewing than doing!

The idea of Anti-Procrastination Day, or I call it ODD JOB DAY is to DO.  It's that simple!

I have a 'to-do list' which is mainly one off stuff like cleaning the washing machine filter through to DIY jobs.  I'm currently putting it new steps and a path in the garden and returning our loft space into a nice room after a flood.  It's he sort of day to change tap washers, lightbulbs or batteries.

I write down jobs I want to achieve and come ODD JOB DAY I decide where I'll work based on the weather, if it's fine, I'll be in the garden.  If it's wet, any other job will do as they're all indoors!

Get a sheet of paper and start your 'to-do list'.  Give yourself 15 minutes over a cup of tea to write down as many jobs as you can, if you can do 1 or 2, great!  

You'll find when you write them down that you'll empty quite a lot out of your brain... you'll feel so much better.  Keep the list handy so that you can add to it as things arise.  It'll stop you getting distracted, prevent you forgetting and get much more achieved than you thought.  Then refer to it on ODD JOB DAY and start getting these little bits done.

Next up is to return to your WELCOME ZONE.  It's another 15 minutes decluttering.... or cleaning.... or a bit of both.

I suggested some cleaning strategies yesterday, but how about a bit of a declutter and clean-along with Diane....

So, that's the plan today.  Remember to use your timer and keep topped up with water.

Don't forget your PAMPER TIME!  🧶🧵🎮📖☕️🫖

Finish your day with your ER and set yourself up for success tomorrow. 

See you then,

Nora

xxx

Declutter masterclass

Good morning on this Terrific Tuesday!

How are you today?

Don't forget to....

* take your temperature (you and home)

*MR

* Daily Focus

* PAMPER

* ER

Todays Daily Focus in FlyLadyLand is DESK DAY (or Plan & Play).  The day to get out your calendar and make any appointments for dentist, haircuts...or vet?!  

Also the day to check your fridge for things that need using up.  Plan your menu for the forthcoming week to include those and make a shopping list of everything else you need ready for shopping on Out & About Day  (Errand Day).

Once those things are done it's time to continue decluttering in your ZONE 1 - WELCOME.  In FlyLadyLand this is the entryway or porch, hall, stairs and dining room.  In my home it's the entry hall, stairs, landing and family study.

Here's a really great decluttering video from Diane in ZONE 1...

If you're all decluttered you can clean for 15 minutes by...

* featherdusting skirting, corners, ceilings... get those cobwebs!

* dusting flat surfaces

* polishing glass like windows, mirrors and glass in doors or pictures frames

* finally vacuuming carpets and rugs or mopping hard floors

Don't forget to use your timer so that you don't get too carried away.  Make time for a drink, I also take a glass of water with me, dust can make your throat dry.  And don't forget that PAMPER TIME!  You need to look after you!

OK, that's it.... let's go!

Byebye,

Nora

xxx

NEXT!

Good morning on Marvellous Monday!

How are you?  Take your temperature, compare to previous scores and try and work out what gives your best improvement and bear that in mind. 

So with a refreshed cleaning caddy and 2 weeks of routines and habits under our belt, we moving forward and in to a new Zone.

This week we're going to have a week in ZONE 1, I call this my WELCOME zone because it's our entrance.  The front door, hall, stairs and landing.  Some folks include their dining room in this, I include my office because it's at the top of the stairs,  so it makes more sense.

Make the system fit your home layout and your lifestyle.

Again, we're going to start by ensuring we've done our MORNING ROUTINE  (MR) ........

.. and don't forget to wrap your day up with your EVENING ROUTINE (ER)...

and we've done or are going to do our DAILY FOCUS, mine is ODD JOB DAY (anti-procrastination)

Our ZONE task across this week is first to declutter and also to clean.  You can declutter everything first and then clean later in the week, or next month.  Or do a 15min declutter followed by 15 minutes of cleaning, something in alignment with the jobs you'd do in your POWER HOUR (or Weekly Home Blessing).

With the change of seasons, my job will be to wash and put away some of the lighter jackets and get out winter coats and accessories.  Another day will be to clean and put away summer shoes and get out the cleaned winter ones.  I'll also have a paper purge and shredding and filing day in the family office or study.

I always do my glass when I'm in the zone like mirrors, windows, glass in doors or pictures.

Area by area, we are moving forward stress free.  We are stopping to rehydrate,  giving ourselves a break and a pamper.

We are taking small consistent steps towards a clean, clutter reduced home ready for whatever celebration you're having you're family over for or...just for yourself...why not?!

I'll be back tomorrow with some more prompts, until then, have a great day.

Nora

xxx

It's the weekend!

But don't think it's a rest from routines!  That's how things start to fall apart!  We think days off and we forget that we need to wear clothes, eat and sleep plus get prepared for the week ahead!

Doesn't sound like fun?  Well, that's the attitude that's got to change.  That's why you fall behind, because you listen to the charmer in your head saying.... 'come on, it's the weekend, don't do housework, don't worry about next week, just go out and eat-cooking is boring!  Chill out, relax.....'

Sshhhhhhh!

Quiet THAT voice and listen to sense!

You don't have to go mad!  

Because of our habits and routines last week we are on top of the laundry,  we have food in the cupboards, the house is in reasonable shape....BUT, we need to eat, maybe have some time out as a family, pack bags for the week ahead (get that homework or presentation done!)...the everyday basics to get us through the weekend and meet next week's deadlines...plus.... do something we'd like to and have time to refresh.

Saturday in FlyLadyLand is Family Fun Day and Sunday is Renew Your Spirit Day, I actually either do mine the other way round or I combine them because spending time with my family is a way to relax!  I also find Sunday busy what with church in the morning, sometimes entertaining at lunchtime and sometimes church in the evening too. 

The non-negotiables are your MR and ER, those will keep the basics rolling along.  We need to switch those up from 'a drag' to 'a safety net'.  Something that grounds your day and provides familiarity, auto-pilot for the days when life isn't feeling so great!

The other must have is PAMPER time, sounds ridiculous, but it's time to slow down, reflect and do so thing nice for yourself.... paint your nails, a pedicure, a chapter of a book or Bible...it's a little daily recharge.

Did you refresh your cleaning caddy on Friday along with school bags, swim bags, gym bags, handbag?!  You'll thank yourself you did these on Monday when they are a fresh start for the week.  Listen to what Diane has to say about 'setting yourself up for success' as opposed to sabotaging your week!

OK, time to actually 'do'.  Have a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Toodle-ooo

Nora

xxx

Last day in our SLEEP ZONES!!

Good morning Fabulous Friday! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻

I sound more fabulous than I feel, I'm fighting a cold, determined it's not going to beat me, but I'm less than 100%.  Nevertheless......

Today is the last day in this ZONE so it's our chance to do the last little bits for our 15 minute declutter and 15 minute clean, it doesn't all need completing this week, just improving.  Why?  Because we'll be back here next month to go again.  It doesn't have to be perfect, just better than when we started!  Todays bonus is to change the sheets so we have a cosy, clean bed tonight!  🛏🥳

Todays MR (Morning Routine) as always, make sure you are dressed, fed, bed made, kitchen tidy and prepped for a meal today before you start anything else.  How's that LoL ( Load of Laundry)? Can you see your sink?  Is the bathroom tidy enough for guests (swish & swipe - S&S)?

For today's Daily Focus there are 3 things.  

* Clean out and refresh all bags.  Get the stinky gym bag emptied, clothes washed and repacked ready for next week.  Same with school bags, find that lunch box!  What about your handbag?  Throw away the snotty tissues, the old receipts,  the used lipstick and refresh it for the week ahead.

* Car.  Top up with petrol if you didn't do it on Out & About Day, give it a clean out of rubbish and shake the mats, if you can do more, great!

* Date Night - could be just you and a significant other cooking a special meal together or Family Fun Night, get in some popcorn and watch a film together!

Do your best 15 minutes at a time and remember to pamper.  I decided my pamper today would be the first thing I did.  I had breakfast by candlelight.  Lovely fluffy pancakes, coconut whipping cream,  berries and a lovely filter coffee!

You could use your pamper listening to Diane for encouragement...

Whatever you decide, pop on some music, enjoy your day, take drink breaks...and don't forget to take your temperature, maybe think about how things have changed since last Friday, or last Monday when we started.  No beating ourselves with a big stick, look for the positives and rewrite your brain with good stuff!

See you soon,

Nora

xxx

Thumbs up?

Good morning!

Are we giving a thumbs up for Thurs?  Or are we not sure?!  Take your temperature and see how it compares morning and evening and also Mondays scores to today's.

Today, we're continuing to work in Zone 4 - SLEEP.  But first make sure your MR (morning routine) and Daily Focus are both done.  

A few suggestions for your routines might be getting something out of the freezer for dinner, moving on a load of laundry (LOL) from washer to drying or folding, ironing or putting away.

Daily Focus today is Out and About or Errand Day. Time to shop, visit the library, top up with petrol.....

Finally our Zone, back to the bedrooms to declutter or clean.  Choose another area to declutter like books, sweaters, shoes...what haven't you done yet? And after that use you Power Hour (WHB) list to clean your bedroom.

Don't forget to finish the day with your ER, close down the kitchen, put things away where you've been sitting and tidy the sofa or coffee table.  Get to bed early for a change instead of doom-scrolling!!

Above all, don't forget some pamper time, maybe read a chapter before bed, apply a face mask or some hand cream.  Or watch Diane....

Enjoy your day and see you tomorrow xxx

Getting fruitful!

Shall we get fruitful today? As we do what we're 'doing', let's recognise the fruit of what we're doing?  We are achieving!  Let's celebrate all those little wins as we transform our homes and ourselves. 

This is no small thing we're doing because each small habit and routine we form, each small item of clutter being removed, each small surface that shines.... well, it all adds up to something big! And that's the key!  We want to achieve, it looks overwhelming, maybe impossible.... until we break it down into smaller doable tasks that add up to one big achievement.

Don't get all 'perfectionist' over it, anything is going to be better than the current state of affairs, we'll be back in these zones again at least twice more before Christmas, so each time we'll build on last month's achievements.  Do you see?  

Use that timer to stop you going overboard, wearing yourself out and feeling defeated.

Let's start with a 'temperature ' check of yourself and your home. Are you hiding under the duvet or bouncing around wating to invite friends over?

Make sure you've done your morning routine (MR) and your DAILY FOCUS for Wednesday.  Here's what my day looks like...

Once they are done, we're going to continue to work in Zone 4 - bedrooms or SLEEP ZONES.  

We've started to declutter because you cannot organise or clean clutter, it needs to be gone! Take some bags or boxes for DONATIONS, RUBBISH, RECYCLING and if you're packing things away because they dont yet have a home, a box for that. Remember to label them so you don't get mixed up!

If you're already decluttered, thats great! 🥳 Use your Power Hour or WHB (Weekly Home Blessing) task list to clean the bedroom.

You could do both! A 15 minute declutter of your wardrobe followed by 15 minutes working on your WHB list dusting, cleaning windows and a quick vacuum. If you want some company why not work along with Diane, or if you're not sure what to do, have a drink break and watch her to guide you, here she is...and with an extra mission 

What's for dinner? I'm not sure yet but it will be rice based.

Don't forget your PAMPER habit! And if, at the end of the day, you're not feeling like you've done much, look at your '✅ in boxes', look at your bedroom and take your temperature again.  If the scores haven't improved then I suggest, you're being hard on yourself.  The scores are for today, not for the imaginary picture you have in your head, but real achievement.   OK?

We can do this!  GO US! 💪🏻😊  Keep putting one babystep in front of another 👣👣👣

Nora

xxx