HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2026!

 ...and I do mean happy.

Good morning FlyFriends,  how are you?

Today we are continuing with our routines and habits that just get 'normal life' done in the simplest way...15 minute chunks.

We are going to use that same 15 minutes (on a timer!⏳️⏱️ ) to continue with our decluttering and cleaning whilst at the same time doing some bite sized jobs as we head towards Christmas so that, when we get there, we are calm, joyful, stress free AND able to enjoy Christmas with our families too!

Sound good?

Well, that's our aim if you're up for joining in. 

All of our jobs will be themed along the lines of our DAILY FOCUS.   So on BAGS DAY,  we'll also be looking at our Christmas budget.  On ERRAND DAY,  we'll be adding little extras of shopping to build up a Christmas store cupboard of items with a longer shelf life like dried fruit, jars of sweet mincemeat, clutter free emergency gifts.  Not only will we be prepared ahead, this also helps spread the cost of Christmas.

So a new week means a new ZONE for decluttering and cleaning meaning our plan today, including our first CHRISTMAS MISSION, looks like this....

* MR 

* ZONE DECLUTTER & CLEAN - SLEEP ZONES 

* CHRISTMAS MISSION #1

* DAILY FOCUS - WHB or POWER HOUR in High Traffic Areas including a .... * DAILY MISSION

* PAMPER TIME 

* ER 

The first and last items really need to be kept 1st and last, but the others can be done in whichever order fits with your routine and time available.

Those of you with children, or who work outside of your home may also like to add a 15 minute AR (AFTERNOON ROUTINE) on your return from school or work to include snack time, setting up homework, cooking a meal.  You decide what needs done in this time everyday and design your own routine, share it with whoever is home, get them on board, make it fun for the children.

So, we are following FlyLadyLand and working in our bedrooms this week, rebooting the decluttering we started last month and doing the monthly clean (not tidy, that should be happening daily when you leave your bedroom in the morning!)  

There's also a daily mission, that if you can do nothing else in terms of cleaning and decluttering, if you can do this one thing you will have made progress, who doesn't like a quick win in that respect?!  Todays DAILY MISSION is to tidy the tops of bedside tables.  Clear the tissues, the water glass, the pile of books and dust the top, the lamp and the photo of your beloved.  Doesn't that look better?

It's also the day to do a quick upkeep clean of your High Traffic Areas, 10 minutes on 6 jobs...or 10 minutes a day across 6 days, a day for each job.  Make it fit with you!

Today's CHRISTMAS MISSION fits with this as it is to take a rubbish bag with you around the house and fill it with rubbish!  Now, if you've done your WHB and your MR where, between the 2, you leave your hall, lounge, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen tidy, you can see how being consistent with daily habits and an upkeep clean of high traffic areas helps to keep on top of basics like rubbish!

So, this one again looks like an easy win....and if you do get to fill that bag with rubbish... well done!  Another winner!

See how it's already starting to happen? GO US! 💪🏻🥳🎄

After all this, it's time for a moment of self care, to pamper yourself, you've certainly earned it today! What will you do?!

Don't forget to close down the kitchen and the house, leave your lounge as you wish to find it tomorrow and get to bed AT A DECENT TIME!  A PAMPER could mean an early night with a good book!🛏📖🕯

Whatever you do today, use it to encourage yourself tomorrow.  We CAN do this.... in bite sized chunks. 🐘🍽

Until tomorrow, 

Toodle-ooo 

Nora

xxx

Your MISSION should you chose to accept it.... CHRISTMAS!

Good morning on this Super Saturday morning!

How are you?

So, first of all don't let the title put you off.  If you don't do Christmas, fine, this method applies to any celebration held in your home.  Tweak it and make it your own.

Second, don't think that because it's still October you've got plenty of time because we all know how that time gets away from us and we end up sitting secretly on the bedroom floor at 1am Christmas morning wrapping the last few presents rather than getting a good night's sleep before a busy day.🎁

We've all been there! 😂😳

Third, a mission sounds a bit.... big ....difficult .... boring.....

No!  It's just a word to break down big jobs into bite sized chunks and work at it a little at a time in a more fun and relaxed way.  This is supposed to be a joyful time, not a stressful time we dread.  So let's do something to change that.

As you know each week we have a DAILY FOCUS,  in FlyLadyLand it looks like this....

Sara from My Merry Messy Life has hers set out like this....

Sorry, it's not the best photo!  But click on the link to read her tips.

This is the basis on which CHRISTMAS MISSIONS are ordered, so I'll be posting in the FlyLady order, but we can do it in any order we like!

In addition we'll have a DAILY MISSION from Monday to Friday and these will be a little extra bonus challenge in the zones as we go through the month.

So our daily plan is now growing to look like this...

* MORNING ROUTINE 

* DAILY FOCUS 

* ZONE DECLUTTER AND CLEAN 

* DAILY MISSION

* CHRISTMAS MISSION

* PAMPER TIME 

* EVENING ROUTINE

Don't forget that your MR and ER are the bookends of your day, get those done and you'll be set for success because all the next things are done or everything is tidy ready for the next person, activity, event or mission!!

You can make a separate Christmas journal, you can buy one or you can simply pop another section in the back of your everyday home management journal or notebook.  You can be as fancy, or not, as you like.  You may want to keep it each year to remind you who you sent cards to, bought gifts for, what you ate or attended.... you get the idea.... and as we start the CHRISTMAS MISSIONS it will become clearer as we progress.

So, there we have it. 

Hopefully yesterday you cleaned out your cleaning caddy and refreshed it with clean cloths and dusters, popped in some bags for rubbish and recycling and ensured you've enough cleaning fluids.  All ready for Monday!  Woohoo!! 🥳🎄

I'll see you then.  Have a great weekend,

Nora

xxx

It's the weekend!

Good morning, it's the weekend!

On a weekend we continue to have a DAILY FOCUS for each day. 

On Saturday it's Family Fun Day, the day to spend time with your immediate or extended family.  Visiting, maybe meeting up for a walk or a picnic or day out at a venue.

It's that time of year when there are Pick Your Own farms doing autumn themed activities like pu,pkin carving, there are Guy Fawkes bonfires and firework events and we are also approaching the season for Christmas markets. 

Why not start looking at posters and getting them in your calendar.

Then Sunday is Renew Your Spirit Day or Rest & Recharge Day.

Maybe you attend church, our family does.  It's great to worship our creator God, thank him for a blessed week and renew your spirit for the next one.  

We also love coffee and cake after, a chance to catch up with friends we would never otherwise have known except through this church family.

This is a lovely church near us dating back to 675AD.

We also have a lunch (as opposed to dinner in the evening) which is often followed by a walk if the weather is good.  If it's not, then it's a chance to get together and play games or watch a film.  When it's grotty outside, there's nothing like a game of monopoly alongside a cup of tea and maybe some scones!  Or cake!

Whatever you do with your weekend, I pray it is relaxing, renewing, fun and full of happy memories of family, good food and days out.

Let me know in the comments what you do.

See you Monday!

Nora

xxx

Last day in the kitchen

Goooood morning FlyFriends!

Here we are at the end of week 4 of our decluttering, cleaning and habit and routine building and, best of all, taking slow, calm babysteps to a hyggelig, fun Christmas.  

This is the last day of practicing our habits and routines before we start our CHRISTMAS MISSIONS! 🎄

More about that in a seperate post.... I'm excited!

But anyway...  on to today.....

This week we've been working in the kitchen, it's a big one so don't worry if you haven't finished because there'll be plenty of opportunity when that zone comes round again.

It's the same plan, different zone....

* MR 

* DAILY FOCUS 

* ZONE DECLUTTER & CLEAN

* PAMPER TIME 

* ER 

In our zone today we need finish up the loose ends, make sure everything is put away even if we haven't done all that we wanted.

Today in FlyLadyLand the DAILY FOCUS is Bags & Budget, Car and Date Night with your husband, best friend or family.

Get all the bags emptied as they re-enter the house.  Deal with smelly towels, dirty lunchboxes and receipts as they pass through your hands.  Get everything clean and reset for Monday.

Clean out the car, shake the mats, bin the rubbish and wipe over any marks. When was the last time you checked oil and water?

Decide on tonight's dinner and what you're doing for the evening, and get it organised.  Find the film or game, defrost the dinner, chill the drinks!

Once you're done with those, you'll have earned your PAMPER.  A little bit of time to yourself before a weekend of fun, family and reset.

What are you having for dinner today?  We're having something quick, maybe a butternut squash and chickpea tagine as we've another busy day.

Don't forget to score your mood and your home and keep comparing the scores to where you started from, this is a great way to see the small improvements that we don't give ourselves credit for, it's a way to encourage ourselves.

See you tomorrow for an introduction to our Christmas Missions.

Nora 

xxx 

Thursday in the kitchen...but not!

Goooood morning FlyFriends!

Here we are in week 4 of our first round of decluttering, cleaning, getting into habits and routines and, best of all, taking slow, calm babysteps to a hyggelig, fun Christmas.  

This is the last week of learning our habits and routines so let's get a good focus on those so that we do them naturally,  almost autopilot.  This will help us in the coming weeks as we move into.... CHRISTMAS MISSIONS! 🎄

We deserve to enjoy Christmas too, and the best way to do that is to do little bits each week and progress towards it without exhausting ourselves. To this end we're going to start a little game with ourselves each weekday from next Monday.

But anyway...  on to today.....

This week we've moved into a new zone, the kitchen, it's a big one so there'll be plenty of opportunity to have a go at decluttering and cleaning whilst we practice our routines and habits.

It's the same plan, different zone....

* MR 

* DAILY FOCUS 

* ZONE DECLUTTER & CLEAN

* PAMPER TIME 

* ER 

In our zone today, we need to pick a drawer or cupboard to declutter and clean, I'm not sure what's left, but I do know that it should be easier once I've done my MR as I'll have already wiped worktops & table and loaded the dishwasher or washed up.  What are you choosing today?

Today in FlyLadyLand the DAILY FOCUS is OUT & ABOUT or ERRAND DAY.  The day to do the shopping, the errands, top up the car with petrol, visit the chemist, vet, dry cleaners, florist...... get all those out of the home jobs done in one day.  This saves time and money making it a long but productive and economical day!

Once you're done with those, you'll have earned your PAMPER,  you could even put onto your shopping list a small treat.  A plant for your dining table, a candle or some yummy treats for your PAMPER basket.  My treat (most unlike me!) is a new lipstick 💄.

You could always spend your PAMPER TIME listening and decluttering along with Diane....

What are you having for dinner today?  We're having jacket potatoes and salad....yum!  We're both busy today and it's quick to bung these in the oven whilst youre doing something else they cook themselves, then quickly chop a salad.... job done!

Don't forget to score your mood and your home and keep comparing the scores to where you started from, this is a great way to see the small improvements that we don't give ourselves credit for, it's a way to encourage ourselves.

Ok, I did my errands yesterday because hubby has the car today.  So I'm doing my odd job day which is to continue putting up plasterboard whilst my husband is out visiting a couple of his friends!!  I know how to live it up!

See you tomorrow!

Nora 

xxx 

Wednesday in the kitchen

Goooood morning on this Wonderful Wednesday!

Here we are in week 4 of our first round of decluttering, cleaning, getting into habits and routines and, best of all, taking slow, calm babysteps to a hyggelig, fun Christmas.  

This is the last week of learning our habits and routines so let's get a good focus on those so that we do them naturally,  almost autopilot.  This will help us in the coming weeks as we move into.... CHRISTMAS MISSIONS! 🎄

We deserve to enjoy Christmas too, and the best way to do that is to do little bits each week and progress towards it without exhausting ourselves. To this end we're going to start a little game with ourselves each weekday from next Monday.

But anyway...

So....what's the plan this week I hear you say!

This week we've moving into a new zone, the kitchen, it's a big one so there'll be plenty of opportunity to have a go at decluttering and cleaning whilst we practice our routines and habits.

It's the same plan, different zone....

* MR 

* DAILY FOCUS 

* ZONE DECLUTTER & CLEAN

* PAMPER TIME 

* ER 

In our zone today, we need to pick a drawer or cupboard to declutter and clean, I think I might go for the book and spice shelves, they're quite easy wins to declutter...and de-powder!  Our spice shelves also include our home grown tea and really suffer from a generous layer of coal dust from now until next Spring when the fires are shut down for the summer!

After that, clean something, it should be easier once you've done your MR as you'll have already wiped worktops & table and loaded the dishwasher or washed up.  Maybe you could clean the filters on your cooker hood, empty the toaster crumbs or descale the kettle?

Today in FlyLadyLand the DAILY FOCUS is ODD JOB DAY.  The day to pick something from your 'To-do list ' and do it without all the overthinking!  That's the reason it's also called anti-procrastination day!

Once you're done with those don't forget your PAMPER,  a walk in nature, listen to your favourite playlist, paint yout nails.  My PAMPER TIME at the moment is spent knitting myself a pair of socks!

Maybe you want to spend yours listening and decluttering along with Diane....

What are you having for dinner today?  We're having a mushroom pasta dish, hubby is cooking....yum!  

Don't forget to score your mood and your home and keep comparing the scores to where you started from, this is a great way to see the small improvements that we don't give ourselves credit for, it's a way to encourage ourselves.

Ok, my odd job day is to put up a piece of plasterboard before i head out to do some errands...wrong day I know!!  

See you tomorrow!

Nora 

xxx 

Tuesday in the Kitchen

 Goooood morning on this Terrific Tuesday!

Here we are in week 4 of our first round of decluttering, cleaning, getting into habits and routines and, best of all, taking slow, calm babysteps to a hyggelig, fun Christmas.  

This is the last week of learning our habits and routines so let's get a good focus on those so that we do them naturally,  almost autopilot.  This will help us in the coming weeks as we move into.... CHRISTMAS MISSIONS! 🎄

We deserve to enjoy Christmas too, and the best way to do that is to do little bits each week and progress towards it without exhausting ourselves. To this end we're going to start a little game with ourselves each weekday starting next Monday 19th October!

But anyway...

So....what's the plan this week I hear you say!

This week we're moving into a new zone, the kitchen, it's a big one so there'll be lots to have a go at decluttering and cleaning whilst we practice our routines and habits.

It's the same plan, different zone....

* MR 

* DAILY FOCUS 

*ZONE DECLUTTER & CLEAN

* PAMPER TIME 

* ER 

In our zone today, we need to pick a drawer or cupboard to declutter and clean, I think I might go for the cupboard under the sink today!  That's where I keep my cleaning caddy,  so I might have a go at that too.... or maybe top up my washing up and hand wash liquids.

After that, clean something, it should be easier once you've done your MR as you'll have already wiped worktops & table and loaded the dishwasher or washed up.  

Why not use your POWER HOUR OR WEEKLY HOME BLESSING DAY list to clean the zone by dusting and featherdusting, polishing glass and sweeping and mopping floors.  

Our DAILY FOCUS today is PLAN & PLAY DAY or DESK DAY, the day to make appointments,  write birthday cards, check supplies like cards, stamps, sellotape, pens etc.  You can also plan your menu for the week and write a shopping list for the things you need.... don't forget to check what you already have in the fridge and freezer. 

Once you're done with those don't forget your PAMPER,  a walk in nature, listen to your favourite playlist, craft time.  My PAMPER TIME today will be a soak in the bath and a hair wash after a dirty job this morning, ill then be nice and clean to pop out on a shopping trip with my friend Julia this afternoon....she'll appreciate that! 😂

Maybe you want to spend yours following along with Diane....

At the end of today, tidy your lounge before you leave, take your cup or glass with you to the kitchen and ensure its tidy and closed down for the night. Can you put your dishwasher or washing machine on a timer ready for the morning?

What are you having for dinner today?  We've just decided we'll have we're having a salad....yum! 🥗

Don't forget to score your mood and your home and keep comparing the scores to where you started from, this is a great way to see the small improvements that we don't give ourselves credit for, it's a way to encourage ourselves.

Right, I must be off and get doing!! Again!

Nora 

xxx