Autumn leaves flutter as October Fledglings Fly!

[standclear]

Welcome to the October 2015 Fledgling Flying thread!

Park your broomsticks and cauldrons here!! Or is that just me ?

This is where, from the 1st of the month, we attempt to declutter and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy language and a surfeit of e-mails) with lots of chat and support and mutual motivation (and of course) along the way.

More info available here and here and here.

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach - and don't worry - we are all at different stages. (Some of us are still stuck at the decluttering stage after quite a few years ):

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)
  

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone
  

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.
  

And those of you who have decluttered and are really enthusiastic can throw some detailed cleaning in to the mix as well!

The idea is that we focus on short, ring-fenced, daily steps and routines that will help our homes run (more or less!) on "automatic pilot" allowing us to do far more interesting things instead!

This is a very long-running thread so we may appear cliquey but we really aren't! All newcomers, long-termers, lurkers and intermittent returnees not only welcome to join in but positively encouraged to do so!

Helpful pointers: No perfectionism allowed! If it took a while to create the current C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) in your home, then it will probably take a while to reverse the situation (you can't clean clutter!). Small steps are the key! And you are never behind: just jump in where you are at!

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

[fuzzpig]

Signing in! Thank you for the new thread, SC

[feetheart]

Right, I am definitely coming back
We have a cleaner starting on Friday (one of my very long-held ambitions finally realised ) and I am going to Sort This House Out.

Thanks SC for taking charge this month.

[MrsMook]

I'm noticing a pattern here... The start of a month approaches and I limp back for a week or so hoping to remedy a couple of weeks of domestic inertia. Do you think I can blame my menstrual cycle?

[BlueEyeshadow]

Thanks for the thread, SC, esp. as it's a double whammy for you

[Scattymum101]

I'm trying to get back into routines again to stay on top of things.
I'm on maternity leave with toddler and baby in a tiny flat we're trying to sell. Trying to declutter as much as possible to make it easier when we move.

I've been fluttering for about three years and have really managed to reduce our household clutter by about 75% in that time but all the kids clutter is taking over now and I'm trying to minimise that and to sell some stuff they are now too big for.


This week I'm concentrating on

Swish and swipe before bed
Load of washing a day

I'm already pretty good at the bed making now.

Can't do the lace up shoe thing though!!!

Also picking up some detailed cleaning each week. This week I'm trying to wash all the pillows a few a day.

Good luck everyone. I know my mind feels more decluttered when my house is. The 15 minute cleaning system has turned my life around.

[chickentothefox]

I'm in this month, if I may .

[AsTimeGoesBy]

I'm in, back later

[standclear]

Ooh, lovely to see posters old and new!

Taking dd to doc right now, then back to catch up later!

[CantSee4Looking]

Evening.
Thanks for the new thread SC

[standclear]

Here we go again everyone! Here are the links for tomorrow:



The first baby-step for tomorrow, Thurs 1st Oct , is here! Shine your kitchen sink!! The key stone of the Flylady system!

We will be in Zone 1 for two days this week : Entrance, Front Porch & Dining Room here . Spend 15 mins a day decluttering this zone (and/or do a mission!).

If you are at the stage where you have finished decluttering Zone 1, here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone 1.

Thursday's mission can be found here. Sweep your front porch area around your front door. Shake out your welcome mats and wipe down your front door.

Thursday's daily focus is: errand day : doctor/dentists appts, hairdressers, dry-cleaners, supermarket, present-buying etc.

The habit for October is: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/october/ decluttering paper clutter! (I so need to do this!!)

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan: //www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120.

Remember everyone that no perfectionism is allowed. Take it steady in small steps! And "good enough" is good enough!

***

[fuzzpig]

Paper clutter! Oh heck.

[standclear]

You torturer Can'tsee I lurve egg, ham and chips [reminds me of home - sniff] [Stokes fire and fluffs up blankets]

A very warm welcome to Chickentothefox!

I blame mine MrsMook!! even though I am medically menopausal Good to have you back!!

Lovely to have you back too Feetheart! I was wondering where you had got to!! Great news about the cleaner and I echo all of your sentiments regarding this month with polished knobs on !! Good luck!

Sounds as though you are doing brilliantly Scattymum! Congratulations on all the decluttering! Cannot be easy keeping a flat "viewer ready" with the little 'uns about either! Hope you get an offer soon!

Waves to Astimegoesby, Blue, Fuzzpig and everyone else!

[CantSee4Looking]

Oh no, what the hell?! Oh she got sneaking and evil in her old age! does anyone think she checks threads like this to see what we are avoiding and make us do it?

[Scattymum101]

Thanks stand clear.
My house still looks like a bomb site though. I did tackle the mountain of shredding today which is good so I'll concentrate on filing the rest now.

My brother and partner are staying here on Saturday so need to have the place looking nice as their house is always immaculate.

Feet heart great news about the cleaner. That's now my new life's ambition lol.

Good luck everyone.

[Toffeewhirl]

Marking place for tomorrow. Need to crisis clean in the morning as DM is arriving in the afternoon.

SC - you are a for running another thread.

[fuzzpig]

I don't imagine I'll fly much tomorrow! Receiving Tesco delivery, hopefully will finish the laundry and put away, DH is doing the kitchen first thing then after his interview - must dig out his portfolio in the morning - he's taking some stuff into work for me and swapping library books, I have a pupil in the afternoon but other than that it's just carting DCs between activities. Tomorrow it's trampolining, rock climbing and for the first time they are going to St John's Ambulance (Badgers! The SJA club is called Badgers. How cute is that. DS will now be a Beaver and a Badger :o). DCs better sleep well after all that.

On another note I seriously can't believe it's October already. I swear it's only just been January

I need to really try hard to get into better habits this month. I've let everything slide, house, self care, routines for the DCs, sleep, everything.

In case I don't get on here in the morning Toffee good luck with the interview, will be thinking of you!

[Toffeewhirl]

Thanks, fuzz .

[Shannaratiger]

Morning all

Having a stress clutter meltdown this morning over piles of paper clutter and FLYlady then jumps in as well!

Back later when found the red package card from PO.
Have a good morning everyone

[standclear]

Good morning all! No, I can't believe it's October either!!

[We all got up this morning at the usual 6.30am in anticipation of dd's return to school. She got up, showered and put on her uniform and then declared she was still feeling too ill to go; dizzy with with stomach ache to boot. Oh dear. She does look very white it has to be said. Doc did sign her off today so no problem there, but I'm really worried about her missing so much work so early on. The pace is furious and it's difficult to catch up. At least she didn't miss Monday which was a teaching day.]

Rather selfishly, was hoping I could get on with chores without distractions today but I am just going to have to really try harder to be single-minded!

Just popping on here to wish Toffee and Fuzzpig's dh well for their interviews today!!

And to send lots of positive vibes to Blue for finalisation of house sale today!!

And good luck with your visitor prep Scattymum! (Nowt like guests to get one motivated I find.)

Good luck everyone!! The fledglings are behind you!

I know Can'tsee the Fat Fairy (I can legitimately call her that now I am v. porky!) seems to get sneakier and sneakier with age as her website becomes more and more out of sync with the actual date

[Warning - talk of the 'C' (tinsel) word follows]
Absolutely DETERMINED to do better this month!! And I know from previous sorry (v sorry!) experience that it is absolutely vital to focus on the house and get it sorted in October, because one is plunged in to Christmas prep in Nov. And for the first time ever, dd breaks up at a with a decent interval before Christmas this year (rather than Christmas eve!) so need to be ready even earlier this year!

Definitely need to focus on paperwork crapola too - which basically means clearing out the entire home office.

Hope everyone has a good start to the month anyway! [And I hereby solemnly promise to whinge less and do more ... .]

On that note:

Ta da:
ignored furry one [part of new training ]
ironed dd's school jumper and skirt
signed all essential books, medical forms and certificates
sent e-mail to etudes surveillée lady
made dd lunch
hung up her uniform again
found her clean pjs
made her comfortable on sofa with drink
walked furry one [but it took ages to get out of door because of new training system]

To do:
morning routine inc animals, empty dw, wm, dining room table hot spots, s&s
baby step one + mission
make healthy salad lunches for me
make healthy soup/veggie dish
Fr
exercise
boudoir
paper shredding
laundry
pack and send back yet more on-line parcel returns
evening routine

Hope everyone has a productive day!

[standclear]

x post

Hope you find it Shannara!!

[BlueEyeshadow]

I don't want it to be October. We were meant to move house in September.

Good luck with the interview, Toffee.

[standclear]

Glugs gratefully!

It will happen Blue!! It will happen!!!! Sending positive vibes across the channel!! [crosses fingers, toes, and all bits of extraneous anatomy]

[Scattymum101]

Sorry Blue. I know how you feel. We were meant to move in May :-(

Good luck today Stand clear. Hope the animal training goes well and dd is feeling better soon.

I have the dr early today so then going to run some errands and play with the kids this afternoon. Hubby is away to football tonight so planning on doing most house stuff once kids are down then getting an early night.

X

[Toffeewhirl]

I ordered an interview suit from Next and received an email yesterday saying the trousers would be delivered on 21 October - no bloody use to me at all! Now have to work out what on earth to wear instead. Have no trousers other than jeans and no suitable work-type skirts. Think I will have to wear the White Stuff dress I wore to my last interview, but not sure it's as suitable for this company or job. Argh!

Packed off boys to school. DS1 has done ONE SENTENCE on his English essay. I despair, really I do. Apparently, listening to my advice is cheating and I don't know anything anyway. I give up. Have emailed his teacher, reminded her he's been off school for about four years and asked her to handle it.

Focusing on house crisis clean this morning (DM arriving this afternoon), possibly a quick dash down to the shops to see if I can find a skirt or trousers (wrong kind of shops, so unlikely), then revision for the interview.

ta da

Cats fed
Laundry on
Washing up done
Kitchen surfaces cleaned
Packed lunch done
Boys' breakfast
Boys dispatched to school
Breakfast

SC - sorry DD is ill. Hope you still manage to get everything you want done.

[standclear]

Oh no Toffee that's so inconvenient! I'm sure you will do well whatever you wear though!

Good luck with your long day too Scatty!

If anyone hasn't read it yet, and like me, suffers from dithering and indecision when it comes to paper clutter, Flylady's instructions are worth a read here, scroll down.