August's 1st Anniversary Fledgling Flyers: It's our party and we'll fly if we want to.

[elliepac]

Welcome to the August edition of the Fledgling Flyers where we are going to attempt to restore order in our houses, chatting as we go.

This month is officially our first birthday so we are celebrating sink shining and swishing and swiping in style!

Here you can do any of the following:

• 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

For those who are curious, these are the Babysteps which we all hope will restore order in our homes and make our lives a little bit easier with lots of support (and chat, and wine, and a little more chat )

So please come and join us for our birthday party, old and new, from August 1st.

Hi, everyone and thank you for all your kind and supportive comments - it really helps :)

Not much flying going on I'm afraid and we have had a 'Shrek-fest' (accompanied by chocolate!) this evening - good for the soul if not the teeth

DD1 has had her toe nail removed for the seond time now - and some stuff put on to stop it (in)growing back again. She is being very brave and it now means daily trips to the nurse for dressings. So a shrek evening was all we could cope with!

DD2 is doing b*** all this week as far as I can tell :( I've only asked her to sort out her clothes from our holiday about a million times - wouldn't mind but she is going off again on Sunday! Ah well, she did get dressed today, which is progress.......oh the joys of teenagers

Right, off to bed and to organise clothes for tomorrow - the routines do help.........

Oh, and I recommend Bicester too - always a good day out if you can dodge the tourists!!

Thanks Spaghetti

My list for tomorrow - I dont want a slow start:

Out of bed by 8am
Washed
Dressed
Breakfast by 9am

Laundry X 1
Laundry X 2
Mop kitchen floor
Swish n Swipe bathrooms
Hoover upstairs bathroom
Hoover stairs if time
Organise some toys in correct boxes for playdate
Go to shop for a few bits
Go to garden center for half price flower pot

Prepare lunch ready
Playdate/lunch
Shine Sink
Check Laundry

Go out to park or where ever

Go to gym and do some cardio
Cook evening meal

After this list tomorrow, I am having Thursday off except laundry. I intent to do something nice with my DS animal farm or something.

Friday plan to do some runs to the tip and charity shop from garage and ironing.

There I feel organised.

Morning. Couple offailed days here, sink is full of dishes from last night.

Dh had some good news so we sort of celebrated and then last night went to a Greek restaurant but then he was hungry at 10pm so he is the guilty one really for just dumping the dishes afterwards!

Today I have to go shopping but it's pouring down and I still nedd to shower and make all the beds, tidy kitchen and do alittle bit of work.

Dd will be back just after 11am and ds at 1pm today so a short morning really.

namechange100 good that you put going to the gym on your list. I always forget the 'me' things but it is important to include it.

linzer sound slike your dh has been realyl busy! Do you fully trust him though? Will you not get back and find something missing that he shouldn't have got rid of? That would be the case with my dh. On the last day at the old flat he pulled out a kitchen drawer and just threw the contents in the bin bag! I saved our bottle opener and a few other things when he wasn't looking.

Lovely curry out with the girls last night - have known each other from ante-/post-natal groups so over 7 years now. As we spent most of last night talking about books we seem to have decided to start a book group - chose a book (The Red Tent) and booked table in restaurant for 8 weeks time

Quick list then I need to get DC up and ready to be out by 9.30am

• Work - done
• Morning routine
• DS to mini-tennis
• DD and I to do crafty stuff by side of tennis court for 2 hours :)
• Hoover living room
• Start sorting stuff for trip to parents on Saturday (must remember NI is always colder than here)
• Tackle DD's room - HUGE job but I'm on a mission :) Would like to get it sorted enough to be able to clean carpet before we go away
• Make quiche
• Dig up first new potatoes to eat with above (must buy mint as ours has died which I thought was impossible )
• Ironing
• Early night

Best get a move on
Have a good day everyone :)

Morning ladies,

babystep for today - ispirational - NOT!!!!!

Oh no I need this mission again Who has the most lids and boxes that dont fit together?

Crap morning so far. Took DS and DD2 to the boat at some ridiculous time to go off for a few days. Felt like strangling them both!!
At work now. Will try and do a round up before I leave work, or will do one when I get home, if not.

Have a good morning

Morning,

Why do I always feel cream-crackered in the morning? I really need to start the 10.30 bedtimes.

Managed to send my mega order of photo printing off to Kodak last night (took till midnight).

Today:

Since the freezer defrosted itself while we were on holiday I have an over supply of plastic tubs which were in the freezer with stuff in and are now all over the place. Might just stack them empty and shove them in the freezer....

Clear desk area. It is the one area downstairs that contantly still looks like a tip. DH installed a new scanner last night, so there are boxes and cables everywhere. Also DH has an unopened pile of mail a foot high teetering at one side, plus there are far too many jiffy bags bursting out of one side of this desk.

Also need to go to town and go to the library, top up food shopping etc, and have arranged to meet friend with same age DCs for kickabout in the park later.

MrsD - I had a 10:30pm bedtime didnt wake up til 9:30 and still unable to get going this morning.

I am on my second coffee for the day and have picked veg in the rain it wasnt raining when i started. Beginning to just about feel more awake.

Today's list is:
Dump unwant computer programs off laptop 30mins worth done will come back to this later
Important phone call
Sort and start laundry
Put away ironed clothes
Put clean washing away
Wipe down plastic sheet on ds' bed with disinfectant
Tidy 15mins on my room.
15mins in lounge
15mins car stuff bag
15mins on kitchen
15mins on dining room
15mins in utility room 1 lot done
Cut fabric for project 1 fabric done 1 to go.

You are all very productive and i am trying hard to keep up but not spend too long on the computer. Struggling with personal messages atm but i think that is cos i am struggling generally.

Can anyone remember what the body decluttering baby steps were that we started. I think i need to go back to doing those too. I think one was to drink lots of water and another was to walk a certain amount a day. or am i making this up?

If i get chance want to escape to fabric shop to finish picking stuff up for project. Need batting and zips.

Pictures will go up later. the big project plan is up on profile.

Just posting completed so far list as i tick off as i go to keep me on track and I need to reboot in order to apply so of the program removals Hopefully it will no longer take 45mins to boot up

Dump unwant computer programs off laptop Done
Important phone call
Sort and start laundry sorted and 1st load on
Put away ironed clothes done
Put clean washing away done
Wipe down plastic sheet on ds' bed with disinfectant done
Tidy 15mins on my room.
15mins in lounge
15mins car stuff bag
15mins on kitchen
15mins on dining room
15mins in utility room 1 lot done
Cut fabric for project 1 fabric done 1 to go.

Yeah it works !!

Hi all, just a quick update on list.

Out of bed by 8am no way
Washed done
Dressed me only in comfy house clothes
Breakfast by 9am done

However after this hopeless lazy start (but better than yesterday) DS said he wanted to go back to bed? I gave him a drink of water and he threw up and it went on ewly cleaned carpet . I had to cancel playdate (felt very bad because we hav'nt seen them for a while) and he has been on the sofa with the 'sick bowl' all morning. So I have tried not to use it as an excuse to do the jobs I planned:

Laundry X 1 done
Laundry X 2
Extra job Laundry (DS blanket)
Extra job (DS Blanket No.2 plus cushion)
Mop kitchen floor done
Swish n Swipe bathrooms done inc bath
Hoover upstairs bathroom No
Hoover stairs if time No
Organise some toys in correct boxes for playdate Not needed
Go to shop for a few bits Not needed
Go to garden center for half price flower pot No
Prepare lunch ready done
Playdate/lunch Cancelled
Shine Sink Done

Bonus Jobs
Used my new found VAX tool to clean upholstered dining chairs (pre-treated with a bog standard laundry stain remover). They have come up a treat .
I also had a handyman drop by to give look at some jobs to prepare quotes. I've decided against a wooden floor because carpet cleaned well!

Inspirational thingy...well I've learnt

Don't write something off because it looks scruffy,stained and shameful until you've had a good de-clutter and clean. I now have no intention of replacing carpet at least for another year.

Go to gym and do some cardio Can't go now
Cook evening meal

I have been limited to what I could do today. I have noticed from other peoples lists that they still go out of the house and do stuff and I havnt been. I think I will allow myself the rest of the week and parts of next week to get on top. Then after our holiday I must strike a balance between house stuff and leisure things. Its almost like I have been punishing myself by not doing stuff to make up for months of coffee/gym/play/shopping days !

Anyway DS seems to be better now as he is eating two scrambled eggs .

It was lovely to come down stairs this AM and see clean carpet and a completely clutter free everywhere.

All the things upstairs are now in there correct rooms (or doorway/landing piles!) and just need to be stored properly. We have a clothers storage issue in Master bedroom, and there are some boxes to go to garage. DS has too many toys to fit in his little bedroom, but this is the only room to delcutter now (have done his clothes)

Out? go out? erm only to take rubbish bags out. Got too much to do today. Maybe tomorrow when i know the shop i need is open.

namechange - wow your lists puts mine to shame. and bloody hell can you be determined to get stuff done. thanks btw it has kicked my ass into action.

Another quick update:

Dump unwanted computer programs off laptop Done
Important phone call
Sort and start laundry sorted and 4th load on
Put away ironed clothes done
Put clean washing away done
Fold the newly washed clothes
Wipe down plastic sheet on ds' bed with disinfectant done
Tidy 15mins on my room.
15mins in lounge
Empty and tidy away contents of car stuff bag done
15mins on kitchen 2 lots and it has been discovered completely
15mins on dining room 3 lots done it has almost been discovered
15mins in utility room 2 lot done
Cut fabric for project 1 fabric done 1 to go.
Send broken part back to Lego -they were fab and have replaced it but want to see the broken part.
Upload in progress pictures done

Got my lego bits order will play with that later.

Namechange - I don't know which to be more sorry for - your son or your newly cleaned carpet. I mean - he was sick on your newly cleaned carpet? Argh! My son was sick on a brand new carpet which had just been laid on our landing - it was right next to a linoleum floor in the bathroom. I remember begging him to move a few inches whilst he threw up, but he was too ill to move. Poor boy. Hope your son gets better soon.

Your list makes me feel exhausted. When are you going to stop? Please have a break! Re: going out. I often don't go out except to do the school run (school hols are different as we have to get out daily then). I have started to do Flylady's thing of doing all the errands on Thursday.

DEM - you are exhausting me too. I hope you are now playing with your Lego .

Well, the boys and I managed our long journey yesterday and all went well. Nice ticket man managed to knock £11 off the price and then we were allowed to travel first class because the train was so full .

It's lovely not being at home surrounded by chores, but I'm finding that I can't switch off my Flylady routines. As a result, I have automatically swished and swiped in the bathroom and have just done all Mum's washing up, shined her sink and washed her floor. She has a pristine cupboard under her sink, so I can't tackle that (my one at home is appalling and has been on my mind for ages).

Lovely weather here. The boys are enjoying my Mum's big garden and we -

Oops. Was interrupted by terrible screams from the other room. DS1 had bounced his ball indoors and it had gone straight into DS2's eye. Have spent the last 5 minutes holding a pack of frozen beans on it. He may have a black eye in the morning...That'll look good in the family photos .

Hope you are all OK. Bye for now.

Nope but am busy on a very special project that was on my todo list and is fairly urgent. Cant explain only stopped to stick a plaster on my finger as i managed to cut it instead of the fabric

Hope ds is feeling better namechange

toffee hope you are managing to relax a little bit. It is a fundamental of flying too. Look at the 11 commandments if you dont believe me! Ouch for the eye though.

Well done Toffee for getting all that way (I ssume it long as you getting umpteen trains and buses etc) Get you with the FLYING whilst visiting - do you want to come to mine next?

I think I have done enough, even though I feel I am on a roll, it is not fair to DS if we stay in anymore like we have been. We would normally be at least at gym as this doesnt cost us anything (monthly payment) and we can swmin, softplay or DS can go in childrens acitvities while I am supposed to be like - whoever a fit person! ha ha

Well I have washed all three of our 'camp' blankets as he was a bit sick on each and some of the scatter cushions.

I think I need to decorate as I can't orgnaise storage unless I move DS into new bedroom.

He is definately better as he has had fruit and now tucking into shepherds pie.

DEM never mind my list - I am alway in awe of people who iron regular. !

Just dashing in to tell you I have not abandoned you all.

Took car for MOT .... dont think we are going to be able to afford the bill, so its bye bye car and down to just one small one. Made it up with DS and DD2 who drove me mad this morning.

New phone is also driving me crazy. I hate new things like that... I like what my old one does and cant get my head around all this new stuff. Takes ages to text now, I suppose I will get used to it again.

Off out tonight with my besty buddy. We both have decided we need a sanity evening ...... although normally quite crazy when we get otgether, so not sure that will be too acheivable!!

Sorry for lack of round up this morning, I will be back to normal in the morning, I promise. (No really early morning dash to boat tomorrow, and no work early, either, so all good.

Will catch up in the morning

Evening everyone, just a quick pop in from me. Dd in bed worn out and ds out playing with his new best friend from the caravan next door. I wanted to make an apology. For all the times I have remorselessly taken the p out of those of you flying on holiday. here I am shining my blardy sink and swishing and flipping swiping. I hereby offer my grovelling apologies and will take the p out of myself royally when I return from my jollies. pa you are doing a fabulous job, far more professional than me. big waves to everyone else! Hope you are all ok and getting on with those stupendous lists I have skim read particularly namechange glad you joined while I am on holiday so you don't scares too much . am now going to imbibe wine because I am on holiday and the law says I must!

Chuffing phone. Apologies for all the typos ......it is not because I am drunk.....not yet anyway

Despite my complaining about the local shops yesterday, I seem to have spent most of today shopping. I think I have now stocked up on everything except food, which I'll be doing tomorrow morning - I've even started packing for our return journey on Saturday too. Must remember to check in online in the next day or two, otherwise we'll have to fork out a ridiculous amount of money at the airport (40 pounds per person iirc).

Nettie Good to see you! I have been chatting on here rather than flying, I must admit. DS is already planning his next postcard but we couldn't find a decent one today (despite the fact that we're in a seaside resort). He wanted to send one of a train (which we haven't been on) so I might have to go for that instead!

admylin DH is far more cautious than I am when it comes to decluttering, so I'm not overly worried. He was quite upset with me recently as I'd managed to persuade him to get rid of all his old primary school exercise books a few years ago - but he now wants to compare them with what DD1 has been doing...

PA Hope you have a lovely evening! I also had an aargh start to the day - had to laugh, or rather cry in sympathy at your FB status - thanks to my dad (I apparently didn't say good morning to him with enough enthusiasm). Why do I feel like a teenager again whenever I'm back home?!?

DEM I vaguely remember the body decluttering steps from when I first joined the thread and could definitely do with them too as a) I am ridiculously unfit, and b) I only ever drink tea, coffee and wine (not necessarily in that order).

namechange I also feel quite exhausted reading your list. Sorry to hear about your carpet - glad that DS is feeling better though.

Toffee Good to hear you got to your mum's OK. I travel on my own with the DC to my parents about once a year and used to dread the journey (an hour or two to the airport, followed by keeping them entertained for 2.5 hours on the plane and then another 3-4 hours on the train) but it's starting to get easier now that DS (the youngest) is 4 - I still don't particularly look forward to it, however.

ellie Another one flying while on holiday! I don't think my routines/baby steps are engrained enough as I haven't got beyond decluttering here. My parents' sink is generally very clean (if not shiny), but a swish and swipe wouldn't go amiss. It's only now that I'm sharing a bathroom with my brother that I realise how little I can complain about DH!

Evening all,

Have just sent DH out for fish and chips as CBA to cook. DCs are watching the football.

Another one here who could do with the bodyclutter thing again (fish and chips for tea, oops), have only been to the gym once since school broke up, and that was a bit half-hearted.

No progress on the deak area today, or the under-sink cupboard. Have done washing, and general tidying, dishwasher etc but not much else.

Sorry about your car PA. hope you have a good night out.

Ellie - hello, glad holiday is going well

Namechange - go for it, you are doing very well by the sound of it. You too DEM.

Toffee - well done on your epic journey.

Feetheart - hope your spuds were good, planning to get my first lot out tomorrow (in sacks) but fear they won't amount to much because I have been a bit lazy on the watering front.

Waves at everyone else.......

MrsD - ours are in bags too - 3 lots in total. First lot were small but very yummy. For the first time we had home-grown potatoes, courgettes and tomatoes on the plate and home-grown rhubarb ice-cream for pudding. Felt very 'Good Life'

PA - sorry about car :(

Today has gone pretty well

• Work - done
• Morning routine - done some of it
• DS to mini-tennis - done
• DD and I to do crafty stuff by side of tennis court for 2 hours - done
• Hoover living room - no
• Start sorting stuff for trip to parents on Saturday - no
• Tackle DD's room - HUGE job but I'm on a mission - DONE and can't really believe it! Did get DH to take DC to park after dinner so I could finish. There is lots more to do but I have done enough to be able to clean the carpet tomorrow :)
• Make quiche - done
• Dig up first new potatoes to eat with above - done
• Ironing - no
• Early night - maybe, if I get off here

Night night

Opps not done well at the early night. will pay for it tomo. Have been very productive on my project but cant show pictures as it isnt finished and this one is sssshhhhh til later.

Good morning everyone,

Posting links at the top of this message, so that I only post once......

babystep here. Delete those emails. But as we dont get the emails, just stick with the routines we have been doing so far.

brave enough to get into your food cupboard? Go on, it feels good afterwards and I bet you find something you forgot you had in there.........

Right, you all had a ridiculously busy day yesterday!

Toffee Glad the journey wasnt as bad as you had dreaded.

Ellie nice to have you popping in to check on us all and I'm pleased you will no longer be laughing at the rest of us being obsessed with shiny sinks on holiday!!

DEM Hope you arent suffering too much after your not so early night once more.

Feetheart and MrsD I am of your potatoes. Bucks palace is now sat on our veg patch, so its local veg shop for me.

MrsD - Hope you enjoyed your fish and chips. I must admit, I always look forward to that treat, only do it once or twice a year, and always end up feeling disappointed cos I thing they are going to be nicer than they actually are. In my head its a real treat, but reality I dont think I even really like them.

Namechange Hope DS is feeling better today. sick on your carpet, too.....Oh no!!!! How typical, just as you had it all nice and sparkly!!

Linzer sounds like you are having an interesting time. Yep, teenagers were a pain in the morning yesterday. Anybody would have thought I was waking them up to take them to a prison camp for horrendous teenagers for a week, instead of dropping them off for a lovely camp that they will both have a fantastic time at!! My dad always makes me feel like a naughty teenager, too.

namechange seem to remember you are planning a day off today, so hope you have a good day and let yourself relax and feel smug..... you have done sooooooo well.

Nettie you are allowed to lurk, but look forward to your return.

MissB - Poor DD1 and her poorly toe. Her first one wasnt that long ago, was it? And I nod in agreement about the pain joy of teenagers - grrrr!!

AD I'm glad your DH had good news.... are we allowed to be nosey??? Your DH sounds just like mine. He would do exactly the same with the drawer and the binbag!!

MrsD - I know I have already done you a message, but I just wanted to say I have doen chicken in slow cooker and never died yet from food poisoning. Skin is a bit yuck though and gets thrown here. Not crispy and yum like in the oven, more pale limp and slimy!!!

Good morning waves to Nick, and Ihatecobwebs (Hope you are ok and we havent put you off......come back....), DWM, SC and anyone else I ahve missed.

DH has gone off to the mainland for a long seesion of bike stroking today. I came home last eveving after a lovely time to catch DH watching a DVD about how best to clean and maintain his bike
He is planning to do a 100mile race in September/October sometime, so apparently he needs to go and train on the mainland, as he can only do 70 miles here before he is back to where he started from.
SOoooooo that leaves me a day of no work and not a lot planned Relaxed day for me. I may try to do some paid work and sort out some paperwork.
I am off to go abck to bed now with a good book before i start the day again.

Have a good day everyonne. Happy flying

Ok, so where are you all? lost in your food cupboards????

I ahve been up to wave off DH, quick check on MN and back to bed, only to be woken by my car alarm going off because a bus went down our road too fast and too close to the car!! . Never got dressed so quickly!!!

So my llist now for today:

Sort out paperwork
Sweep floors
Hoover hallway and back lounge
lots of other things that i cant think about........

Oooooohh I am here.....slightly hungover, got up late as usual and I have a funny ache on the right side

I am having a lazy day today. DS said he wants to stay in (he's happily playing with his castle and knights ...at last, thought they were a white elphant) We are:

Washed done
Dressed done if lounge wear counts
Breakfast done
Shined Sink - casserole dish to wash
Laundry x 1 in done
Folded and shove away laundry done

That will be it for now. I will catch up on chat later.

It is raining anyway.

Meant to say thanks for all well wishes for DS and erm carpet

Sorry if my lists exhaust people