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Feisty Fledgling Flyers flutter through Feb with flair, finesse, flaws, failures, fortitude, feedback, fiascos, fabulousness, friendship and fun!

828 replies

sanschocolat · 31/01/2014 12:40

[The fiascos are all mine btw Grin!!]

And just for Just, February is the new January that was the new January before Grin Wink

If you are struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and wine and cake along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework, which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead!

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

It’s up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

  • start or repeat baby steps


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


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


[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings. Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound!

Points to keep in mind:
(1)No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine
(2)You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
(3) It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

Humungous thanks to Bitchy Thanks for steering us through the hectic January thread and for the wise three-line mantra above.

All regulars, lurkers and newcomers welcome!!
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WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 31/01/2014 13:02

Yay, thanks SC and a big thanks to Bitchy for last month. Thanks

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feetheart · 31/01/2014 13:45

I'm in :)

Thanks SC for taking on this month and to bitchy for being brave enough to tackle January specialBrew,ThanksandCake

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CyberMam · 31/01/2014 14:07

Hello can I join you?

I've been trying to follow fly lady since just before Xmas and I can see it starting to make a difference but I keep falling off the wagon so could do with a kick up the bum some extra motivation to keep me going!

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BitchytheGreat · 31/01/2014 16:20

Hello CyberMam. More the merrier. I'm 'Bitchy' I come with a health warning Grin

It's been an intersting day. I forgot to say when i did the links. Friday - fuck fun night. Wink



Btw there is nothing that causes more work then a sick child off school. And I appear to have put down my coffee somewhere...

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NickNacks · 31/01/2014 17:13

What an f'ing brilliant title!!

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Honu · 31/01/2014 18:43

I'm in too! Thanks Bitchy for a never-dull January, SC for a humungous title, Nicknacks for making me laugh, and all of you for keeping my spirits up. And huge support for Just who seems to have had an awful lot thrown at her.

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ToffeeWhirl · 31/01/2014 20:57

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, SC. I was getting lonely back there Sad.

Awesomely alliterative title! Grin

Ta da

School run
Phoned dentist to see if they could see DS2 (wobbly tooth knocked at school and now pressed up flat against his gum, bleeding and painful) - they couldn't (I'm not pulling the bloody thing out, though)
To chemist to stock up on painkillers and topical anaesthetic for DS2
Managed DS1 and DS2 (yesterday's incident still having reverberations)
Played Lego with DS2 (after dispatching DS1)
Made very impressive Lego swimming pool but it was much improved by DS2's diving board and deck chair
Tidied up DS2's bedroom in preparation for DM's arrival tomorrow morning
Put washing on (late)
Cooked two separate meals (one for DC, one for us)
Put washing in tumbledrier
Watched DH do washing up Smile

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sanschocolat · 31/01/2014 21:54

Evening everyone! Park your bop and muckets here!

[SC groans intermittently from reclining position on chaise longue in naughty corner - far too many pancakes were consumed after school today in the name of charity well thats my excuse anyway.] Even dd has been rubbing her back and massaging her bunions (just kidding) this evening having waited tables for two hours solid with barely time to draw breath. Funnily enough, she no longer wants to be a 'servant' when she grows up Smile.

A very warm welcome to Cybermum - don't worry, falling off the wagon repeatedly from time to time is almost obligatory on this thread!

Sorry to hear ds is under the weather Bitchy - hope he (and you!) recover soon.

[Lays out extra-soft pillows with woolly throws and Thanks for when Just joins us.]

Lovely to 'see' you Honu and tentative wing flaps to everyone else (only tentative because I'm afraid I might burst any second!)

Right, time for links ... .

**

(Newcomers read this and this.)

OK, here we go again ... pinch, punch, first of the month and all that. Good luck everyone!

Baby-step no. 1 for Sat 1st Feb 2014 is here shine your sink!

(Newcomers, if you don't know how to do this, look here

Tomorrow, I assume we will be starting again in Zone 1: Entrance, Front Porch & Dining Room although personally I don't usually do zone work at weekends. But I suspect we may only have one day in Zone 1 this month as February is so short. Will update you tomorrow about that once the site has updated too!

No missions because it is the weekend.

The new monthly habit for February is decluttering for 15 mins a day.

The daily focus for Saturday is having family fun.

G'night all!

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sanschocolat · 31/01/2014 21:55

[Leaves out Wine for Toffee and everyone else in need!]

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BlueEyeshadow · 31/01/2014 22:05

Thanks for new thread, SC and for the scary Jan thread, Bitchy

Thanks Wine Thanks

Did a quick hoover of middles of carpets today
Cooked curry
Big project submitted
1st draft of hideous project finished
Glimmer of hope on school front, but don't want to say too much in case it gets snuffed out. But Grin

Toffee - half-term hotel is me & DH having a sneaky jaunt across the Channel (glorified booze cruise) and leaving boys with MIL. Grin Wine

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GoingGoingGoth · 31/01/2014 23:06


Thanks to Bitchy for January and to SC for volunteering for February. Fell off the wagon this week so a bit behind on the thread. Will do better this month.
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sanschocolat · 31/01/2014 23:13

Oooh Blue that sounds promising! Don't want to jinx it either but hope it all turns out the way you wanted it!

From previous thread:
Good luck with Ofsted Nicknacks
Just Shock at those intrusive questions and congrats re: tree!
Dizzy good luck to your dd at County Championships in a fortnight (in case I forget then!)
Swan hope you survived scary rainy drive!

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sanschocolat · 31/01/2014 23:13

Big wing flaps to Goth!

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BitchytheGreat · 01/02/2014 00:12

Evening. ds has been despatched to his dad. I can now sleep with only one going to sleep Two whole nights with no one waking me up in the middle of it to make sure their covers are completely parallal to the fucking wall/edge of the bed Hmm

To start my weekend i caught up with an old friend. I am now shattered and just waiting on the kettle so i can take a hot water bottle to bed with me.

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WhispersOfWickedness · 01/02/2014 06:58

Right, I'm starting afresh in February

Did minimal flying this week, just the basics, not many plans for this weekend, just really want to sort out the living room because I'm not sure I can live with it like this for another month.

Thank you Bitchy for running the thread in January and well done to SC for taking the reins this month :)

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elliepac · 01/02/2014 07:33

Happy February everyone.

To answer your question bitchy I was too traumatised and sitting in a dark room miles away from any cake WinkGrin.

Signing in for another month of trying to avoid abject failureGrin.

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EustaciaVye · 01/02/2014 08:04

Hi everyone,
Going to try and reenergise....

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AliceinWinterWonderland · 01/02/2014 09:30

Wow, February already! I was still coming to terms with January!

ta da
washing up
laundry
breakfast for DCs and myself
tidied living room
vacuumed living room

to do
work on cleaning dining room and decluttering

Now that I have both boys' bedrooms cleaned well, next step will be painting and putting up new posters and so on. So that's my February project.

I want to mention this here, as I am keeping it kind of quiet in RL about joining SW, but my first weigh in was yesterday, and I lost half a stone this week. I am amazed!

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CallingAllEngels · 01/02/2014 09:33

Parking my bucket.

Thanks for February bitchy Flowers

And for new thread sc Smile

Hoping to be a bit more present, but for now watching 70s David Attenborough in my pjs and enjoying the fact it's the weekend (wasat school last night for function so didn't get home till past 10).

Bbl.

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BitchytheGreat · 01/02/2014 11:06

morning. Woken up after 8hrs uninterrupted sleep. so needless to say i feel like rubbish. Got a huge list of things that need doing today so i nee somethig to focus me so i don't look at the big picture and panic. Breaking it down will make it easier.

To do
up, breakfast, coffees
laudnry
folding
ironing
put away
lakeland
tescos
training kits
find photo paper and teach someone how to print photos
remove toys from lounge that shuldn't be there
wash sofa blanket
take recycling out
make birthday cake part 1
remake recipe test from yesterday with new tweaks to it

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dizzyday07 · 01/02/2014 11:31

Surely it can't be February already? I did think about offering to lead the thread but now realise that I could never have come up with a title that was anywhere near as great at SC's!!

Dh wants us to spend the day in the pub as the rugby is on (no chance) but he has just got an invite from the bloke next door to go down for the England game whilst DD and I go next door for "tea" with his partner and his twin DD's who happen to be in DD's class. I really don't know what I will speak to her about for hours Hmm as I have trouble with "small talk" at the best of times Blush

Trying to get DH to call Halfords so that we can take his bike down for a service that he has been going on about for months, but he hasn't stopped playing his online pool game yet to do so!

Ta Da

  • Washing load in
  • Breakfast bits cleaned up
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CallingAllEngels · 01/02/2014 12:14

Ta da
Cleaned bathroom
washing in td
made bed
hoovered upstairs
skyped DM

Am still shattered from last night and DS has reached his limit of behaving well while I do housework so time for some Doctor Who I think Smile

A million and one things to do this weekend at home, but for now am happy to put the kettle on and my feet up.

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WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 01/02/2014 12:25

We're in that tense last hour before a DC's birthday party. Unsettled and restless. I hate doing parties. Even when we've taken the easy option and gone for something organised. Back later. With Wine.

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sanschocolat · 01/02/2014 12:36

[taps foot impatiently waiting for special brew]

OOh hadn't realised party was today Whoknows very best of luck with it. [Will open a special crate of Wine for you in naughty corner tonight!]

Good luck with your mahoosive list Bitchy but make sure you do something relaxing/rewarding for yourself while you have the opportunity [stern look]. Fantastic that you finally had some undisturbed sleep! You'll hopefully reap the benefit later even though you feel wretched now!

Great to see Ellie back and everyone else reporting in!

Dizzy argh think I would opt for rugby in pub rather than small talk so sympathies - hope it goes ok - when in doubt just ask her questions about herself!

Enjoy a well-deserved rest this weekend Engels!

Congrats on weight-loss Alice! (I'm starting again this month, having started again in January, and again again half-way through January Blush. Finding it hard going atm as have appetite of large horse on steroids.)

[Wafts energising vibes in the direction of Eustacia] Must admit, I'm finding it very hard to get the motivation to declutter atm, hopefully running this thread will help. Wallowing in a huge vat of CBAness atm.

More power to your elbow with the living room Whispers!

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IsSpringSprangedYet · 01/02/2014 12:45

Ok, I'm giving this another third time go. I know it's Saturday, but I have to do something. So I'm in.

To Do:
Clear sofa and chairs of stuff from the living room floor
Clear main part of kitchen work top
Lunch to do

Ta Da:
Hoovered living room floor (hence stuff on chairs)
Washing in
Dishwasher loaded

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