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May-be this time - Fledglings flutter through May 2016 (Flylady thread)

438 replies

CotswoldStrife · 30/04/2016 22:25

Welcome all - and thanks to SpareCrust for leading us through April.

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 support and chat along the way.

Link to the Flylady website

Don't let the somewhat sickly and barftastic language of the site put you off: the underlying system is sound!

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 swamped with masses of bumph. 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 minutes 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.

    There are three key points to keep in mind throughout:

  • No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine and many of us on this thread struggle with this one.
  • You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
  • 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.

    If you are new; then trying to spend 15mins decluttering daily and doing the babysteps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names!) can have scary looking ‘ta-da’ lists but don't let that worry you. Do what you can, anything is better than nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

    If all else fails, a brew + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders!

    Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings

    Oh and don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey, we really aren’t! . Some of us have been on here for years and some of us natter rather a lot – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers are very, very welcome!
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WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 30/04/2016 22:28

Thanks Cotswold Smile.

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SpareCrust · 30/04/2016 22:36

Thank you Cotswold!! [Proffers sustaining Cake ]

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CotswoldStrife · 30/04/2016 22:45

The daily summary - also available at the flight plan which should update automatically each day.

**

Baby-step no 1 - shine your sink

We are in Zone 1 this week: Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room

Spend 15 mins decluttering in Zone 1.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 1 is here

Missions are posted Monday to Friday, free day today - hooray!

The daily focus for Sunday is: renew your spirit

The monthly habit for May is moving in May!

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CotswoldStrife · 30/04/2016 22:46

Blimey, the two of you managed to post while I was copying the links. Must speed up Grin

Here's to a great May for us all Wine

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BlueEyeshadow · 30/04/2016 22:48

Thanks, Cotswold Thanks
and Thanks to SC for April.

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MercuryRising · 01/05/2016 00:48

I failed to keep up with flying or the thread in April but I'm determined to try harder in May Confused

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Toffeewhirl · 01/05/2016 10:37

Thanks Cotswold and thanks as well to SC for leading us last month Thanks.

Am not being a very good Flier (Flyer?) these days, but will try to do better this month.

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MercuryRising · 01/05/2016 11:31

Morning all. The weather seems to finally have realised it is Spring. The sun is actually shining here. It is amazing how a bit of sunshine can lift your mood

We have friends coming over this afternoon so dp and I have been busy getting the house clean. So far we have:
Tidied downstairs
wiped down kitchen sides
washed and dried up
shined the kitchen sink
dusted and hoovered downstairs
mopped all floors downstairs
hung washing outside
put another washload in
hoovered the stairs
decluttered bathroom
emptied bathroom bin

Still to do:
Menu plan
food shop
dust and hoover upstairs
clean bathroom and mop floor

At least by getting all this done we can relax tomorrow and enjoy the bank holiday.

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YesEinsteinsMumDid · 01/05/2016 13:20

Oh for goodness sake don't say the S-word. You watch, there'll be more snow now

I am flying just not posting. I will be lurking though. I am trying to find calm in the middle of chaos so the christmas making has already started. Nothing finished yet but everyone who will have something make has their item planned. Just got to get the needed in May project done now - because I had totally forgotten about it. Whoops.

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MercuryRising · 01/05/2016 13:31

Ssshhh Einstein they are forecasting a heatwave starting on Thursday Hmm my fingers are firmly crossed.

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YesEinsteinsMumDid · 01/05/2016 13:46

Well that sounds right. SATs start Monday. But we had -2C last night and snow yesterday. Plus the heating keeps turning itself on so it is definitely not warm atm. All I can say about nice weather is that I will believe it when I see it. And we are expecting more snow/sleet/hail for a few more days yet. Even the gritters are out twice a day around here. Like midwinter!

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BlueEyeshadow · 01/05/2016 20:44

Hope you warmed up, Einstein , it's been gorgeous here today, and got lots of gardening done. DH finally managed to cut the grass yesterday, and we had laundry out on the line for the first time since we moved in today. Also managed a bit of cooking/baking and to clean up the kitchen. :)

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RookieError · 01/05/2016 21:05

Hello everyone, this is my first attempt at this system and I'm really going to try to sort out my mess of a house. Still a bit confused about what tasks apply to me at this stage, but I can report that I now have a lovely shiny sink!!!

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MercuryRising · 01/05/2016 21:36

Hi Rookie. I think a shiny sink is a good achievement for day 1 Smile

Dp and I finished our list and had a lovely relaxed afternoon with our friends. Hope everyone else is having a good weekend.

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CotswoldStrife · 01/05/2016 22:27

Evening! We were out for a bit today, came home and cooked tea - nothing fascinating happening here!
Mercury - nice to hear the weather is good where you are, we still have lots of variety in each day. Awesome ta-da list there too.
Einstein - Christmas planning? That's thinking ahead - perhaps the snow brought Christmas to mind. I hope the May project goes well.
Blue - baking is always worthwhile IMO
Welcome Rookie, good to have you with us. You're starting in the right place with the shiny sink.

I'll just assemble the links for tomorrow and post them shortly.

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RookieError · 01/05/2016 22:28

Thanks Mercury, I went into my kitchen earlier not thinking about the sink, and it took me by surprise just how shiny it is. Looks weird in otherwise messy room, but a good kind of weird Smile

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WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 01/05/2016 22:31

Welcome Rookie and yes a shiny sink is a good place to start the month. I don't do mine every day (Dh does most of the washing up and he doesn't either) but I did do it last night to get the month off to a good start.

We got up early (for us) and headed off to a local NT property to see the bluebells and have lunch today, which was lovely, the weather was warmer than it has been in ages (we've had frost every night for the past week or so). Then home, supermarket shopping and unpacking, DD's swimming lesson, dinner and OU work for me.

Flying wise - bunk beds stripped, sheets washed and replaced. One other load of washing from yesterday put away. General tidying and not much else today, but things aren't looking too bad generally. DCs emptied bins, put all their clean laundry away and had a baking competition.

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CotswoldStrife · 01/05/2016 22:38

The daily summary for Monday - also available at the flight plan which should update automatically each day.

**

Baby-step no 2 - getting dressed to shoes

We are in Zone 1 this week: Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room

Spend 15 mins decluttering in Zone 1.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 1 is here

Mission for Monday clearing the hotspots in this week's zone

The daily focus for Monday is: weekly home blessing hour

The monthly habit for May is moving in May!

Have a fabulous Bank Holiday Monday everyone (if it's a Bank Holiday in your part of the world).

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CotswoldStrife · 02/05/2016 08:38

Morning everyone, we already have the traditional Bank Holiday weather here (it's raining as I type). We'll see how the weather is this afternoon as it may alter our plans.

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Shannaratiger · 02/05/2016 11:33

Morning all

Another month, another start, will try and visit regularly but doubt it. GrinBlush
Cotswold thanks for taking the reins this month.
Rookie welcome, shiny sink most important achievement for me as tidying eminates from it. Still rubbish at sticking to the zones after 5ish years of FLYing!

Weather here is cloudy but dry and warm ish. Dc's are playing Roblox on the computers, even though both tablets are fully charged! I'm therefore in the kitchen on the phone with the doors shut so I can almost not hear them arguing! Hmm

Ta Da
Tesco online shop for tomorrow
Moonpiged 4 birthday cards, only 1 will be late. Shock
Went to local shop as completely run out of potatoes.
DD bathed and hair washed

To Do
Put clean washing away.
Referee dc's
Sweep up cake crumbs which have traveled through all of downstairs despite only being eaten in the kitchen!?

Had better get moving.
Have a nice bank holiday, back later.

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SpareCrust · 02/05/2016 14:09

Hi all,

Ta for links Cotswold!

A warm welcome to Rookie

Whoknows I have bluebell envy!

Amazing list Mercury!

Einstein wow at Christmas pre-organisation!! Seriously impressed!

Big wing flaps to Toffee Blue Shannara Cag Honu Knitting Ellie Feetheart Grey Dogsbum and everyone else in the coop!

Beautiful spring-like day here. Slightly discombobulating because of Bank Holiday in UK but not here (schools shut here on Wed, Thurs Fri). Managed to get a huge amount done yesterday morning ie went to church and assuaged my guilt by doing double shift for volunteers whom I had let down earlier in week, then did a bit of card writing and parcel wrapping. Then cleaned up house a bit (at which point back started to crump) had a bit of a set to with dd who didn't seem to 'get' that it was an "all hands to the pump situation" but she did eventually do some hoovering, then cooked a pudding and bunged in main course and main salads for friends with whom we had a lovely afternoon.

Spent most of this morning clearing up (3 dw loads), running errands, dog walking and some laundry. Just getting ready for school run now. Nowt very exciting!

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SpareCrust · 02/05/2016 14:25

On the positive side of things:

(a) sitting room didn't take a lot of clearing up having been decluttered

and

(b) a bit of Shock space Shock has appeared in the corner of the home office that wasn't there before. Still loads to do but it's a start.

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Dogsbumhair · 02/05/2016 16:00

DP has taken Meerkitten for a walk so I'm making the most of the opportunity to briefly post. Meerkitten got better again on Tuesday and bounced back so quickly that we went swimming on Wednesday morning. Have been down to see my parents this weekend as it was my dad's birthday and that all went very smoothly, Meerkitten managed to be the adorable grandchild at all times and she even slept ok at night, a bit hyper the first night maybe but generally it went as smoothly as a long trip with a baby ever can.

I went to the Home Education play group again on Thursday and I definitely plan to go regularly and it feels good to know that as I'm starting to check this world out early that I've got plenty of time to work out what is right for me and Meerkitten.

I really like how comfortable the other children there are at talking with adults, I do hate the segregation between generations in this country and I love how much more comfortable adults and children are at talking with each other on the continent, so hopefully attending the group will bring that additional benefit.

I need to pop out and do a mini shop for tea before the shops shut here with it being bank holiday but I hope to pop back in again shortly. It's lovely and sunny here, I hope it is where everyone else is too. Smile

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MercuryRising · 02/05/2016 19:53

I have had a reasonably lazy, relaxed bank holiday.I managed to get some washing dry on the line before the inevitable rain made an appearance. I also changed all the beds and spent an hour denitting dd (oh the joy!)

Other than that I spent time with the dc and visiting my mum.

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RookieError · 02/05/2016 21:37

Hi everyone I hope you all enjoyed the bank holiday.

Thanks for your welcome Sparecrust, Cotswold, WhoKnows and Shannara.

Mercury I feel for you, denitting is such a pain but a nice feeling when it's done isn't it?

Like Shannara my shiny sink became the starting point today and I cleaned my kitchen counters and inside the microwave and did some washing up. Then in the bathroom I cleaned the sink and mirrors and stuck bleach down the loo. Strangely enjoyable it all was!

Goodnight, sleep tight.

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