Happy New Year, January's here, fly with the fledglings to get clutter clear

[ToffeeChristmascake]

Welcome to the January Fledgling Flying thread. A very big thank you to Ellie, our intrepid leader, for guiding us through the frantic Christmas month.

We are not strict followers of the Fat Fairy and take some of the babysteps - such as getting dressed to lace-up shoes - with a pinch of salt. We also strongly advise against signing up for the FlyLady emails.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, using one of the following methods:

1. Babysteps
2. Babysteps + 15 mins daily decluttering
3. Babysteps + daily missions

Following the babysteps helps to establish daily routines and build a weekly plan.

This month's motto is: You can't clean clutter! See here for Flylady's advice on decluttering.

If you are overwhelmed by the mess in your home, start with just one thing: shine your sink.

And if you need to sort out the house after the New Year revelry is over, a crisis clean is what you need.

Back shortly with tomorrow's babystep .

(With apologies to Ellie for plagiarising some of last month's intro')

Actually I'm going to do my bloody tax return before I forget!

There, done. I only had one section left!

Evening all,

DD's birthday today, full on excitement, DS's is in a couple of weeks too (he will be 7 too Darts). We are doing a joint birthday party next weekend for them, I really couldn't face doing two in two weeks again so soon after Christmas and when starting a new job. That new job is becoming an excuse for everything though, I need to sort out my routines a bit.

Toffree - yuck. They put that bitter stuff in all the household chemicals and stuff too, good idea I say. With regard to Friday's task, I think I will declutter my purse by going shopping!

Darts - sorry you lost an uncle too, I'm going to miss mine even though I didn't see him often.

SC - - wow 18 piles of washing, it just builds up doesn't it? It seems to me that I am never more than about a yard away from a dirty sock in this house, they get everywhere.

Chairmum - DH needs to do his tax return, I am shuddering in horror at the impending annual ritual of finding his P60 in amongst his enormouspilesofcrap filing system.

Didn't do much Flying today, went to work, Sainsburys again, frittered half an hour on Mumsnet, took both DCs to the Sports centre for activities, DD's birthday tea, finally managed to get them to bed about 15 mins ago. DS had a good day at school, he took in some writing he did last night about our trip to London and his teacher was very impressed, plus he moved up a reading level. Am going to go and collapse in front of the telly in a minute when I have done DS's packed lunch.

Thanks SC and toffee. sorry to be such a misery at the moment. Am hoping it won't last for the next 7 weeks, not terribly confident though!

Managed most of my list though

Well done on the tax return chairmum I used to get very dizzy bfing DD as well - I'd forgotten until you mentioned it. Must make more effort to drink next time!

Sorry for the lack of personal messages again . I am reading and caring honestly, but am just too tired to type!

Toffee - I haven't managed my 15mins either today :)

Will have to make this quick if I am to get to bed at a decent time so sorry for lack of messages again!
Apart from lack of 15 mins decluttering I've had a good first day hard-core Flying and some of the house looks better for it.

• Work - did as much as I could, need to pin DH down for receipts/explanations/etc
• 5mins in each of DC's rooms - 1 x 5 in DD's, 2 x 5 in DS's but still not possible to hoover
• Hoover upstairs - nope, see above!
• Bathroom floor - done
• 15 mins decluttering - 'drawing' basket in kitchen - nope
• Mission - done
• Kitchen floor - swept it and cleaned worse bits
• School for intro into Maths for Parents of Yr3 and 4 course - done Starts next week and sounds good. Poor Yr 3 teacher looked rather nervous as we aren't a shy bunch
• DS to swimming
• Made cheese bread to go with soup for dinner
• 2 items on ebay - would have been more but ebay and Firefox not talking to each other
• Sink shined and about to put out rest of clothes and go to bed

Sleep tight Flyers :)

Feet - glad you've had such a good day's Flying and that you can see results .

Didn't get to the pub. DH and DS1 took so long trying to print out DS's homework on his new computer that I fell asleep on his bed. DS then got in with me, but had to go down to DH to complain that he couldn't sleep because I was snoring too much . He had given me a teddy to cuddle whilst I was sleeping!

Came down to a very unshiny sink and the remains of the washing up. Wish DH would wash up sometimes, but he doesn't notice it.

Final result of second half of list:

School run done
Dinner: chicken casserole done
D/w on done
Put dry washing away done
Boys' bedtime routine done
Lay out clothes done
Empty lunchboxes; freeze water bottles; put some stuff (eg fruitbars) in lunchboxes done
Check book bags; sign any forms done
Tidy sitting room done
Shine sink emptied rack and wiped down, but does it count as shiny if there are still a few dirty plates in the bowl? Probably not
Wash face, moisturise, brush teeth doing next
Go to bed at decent hour will do

Have been very short-tempered today, so I think I really do need to do the bed at decent hour thing tonight.

Goodnight all

Toffee ds2 ate a firelighter once with no ill effects

Push hope you feel a bit better soon, and get a rest thsi weekend.

ogres yes I know that double triple birthday feeling (mine are all in March/April, brings me out in cold sweat)Hope job is refreshment to the soul as well as hard work!

feet you are kind to do dh tax return; I don't think I would ever manage to find dh's P60. His desk is a mystery to me. And I like it that way

Chairmum hope you got to bed and didn't stray down decluttering path

moredones
swept floors (several)- why do I keep finding more and more pineneedles?
helped at Communion Meeting washing cups etc
uniform washed
unmuddy shoes found
uniform hung to dry for tomorrow
table/worktops wiped
recycling assembled
sink shone
dw filled
some dates on the calendar

off to bed now,
tomorrow
take car to be serviced
PAYINCHEQUE
iron shirts iron shirts iron shirts, dh on last one in cupboard...
pick up laundry!

Ogre -I'm glad I don't have to do H's tax return any more, although with so much child free time and me giving him all the documents he got his done before me!

Swan - I did get to bed but got caught up doing a tesco order for DS's birthday next week. Was asleep before 11 tho, which is ok.

Today I've got the following

Morning routine half done (baby still asleep so can't get dressed yet!)
Declutter handbag and purse
Take kids to signing class
Errands in town
Evening routine
Early night!

I'm sure I'll think of more as I go along

Have got my morning routine and decluttering done, and am now tempted to take it easy for the rest of the morning (I only have just over an hour until the school run as both girls finish at 11.50 today) so must post my list before I give in to temptation! At least my headache finally seems to be getting better (I've had one for days but was reluctant to take anything for it as I get rebound headaches), but I suppose that means I have no excuse for taking it easy now.

Morning routine done
Mission no - done last week and hoovered thoroughly yesterday, which I consider sufficient
Decluttering done
Coffee making
Write thank you letters x2
Revise weekly to-do list
DD2 to DS's friend's (NB PE kits for DD2 and DS)
DD1 to dyslexia lesson
Afternoon routine
Force Encourage DD1 to write thank you letters x2
Evening routine

DH got back from his business trip yesterday and noticed that the kitchen is looking better, which is definitely a result.

Will try to come back and catch up properly with everyone later.

swan - I'm not kind, accountant does DH's tax return (and mine now). I needed him for work purposes, I do the accounts/book-keeping/Sage stuff for his business. Still need him today so I can finish what I need to do but he has cleared off to see a client - the joys of the self-employed
Pine needles are like glitter, they invade the very fabric of your being and you are still hoovering the damn things up at least 6 mths later - sorry.

Chairmum - signing class, that takes me back. We signed with both DC and DD features in the British edition of the David Garcia book, found a copy in local Oxfam last week and had a bit of a coo over her picture at 18mths (she is 8 next month )

List for today:

• Morning routine - done
• Clear out fridge
• Finish shopping list (did menu plan at breakfast so all got a say)
• M&S to pick up online order
• Asda for shopping
• 5 mins x a few in DC's bedrooms in an attempt to get floors clear enough to hoover
• 15mins decluttering in kitchen
• Mission
• Packed teas for dance class
• Few items on ebay
• Keep an eye on P&O website - parents are on cruise and due to go through Suez canal in next day or so. DS and I watched them go through Panama Canal last year and it was very exciting. All the ships have webcams so you can see where they are. Worryingly webcam not working at moment but tracker thing shows they have arrived in Port Said at head of canal. Hopefully they will stay there today and go through tomorrow so we can all see it. Wonderful way of teaching geography :o

Pop Master over so need to get on now :)

Morning all...

Just a quick post today so sorry for no personal messages.

Today:

Morning routine done
Strip our bed done
Ironing done
Washing
Drying
Swish and swipe done
Clean bathroom/en suite done
Meet friend for lunch
Declutter
paperwork

See you all later...

Good Morning everyone.

feetheart oo very fancy. maybe i should have a look as i have no idea where suez canal is
ogre love the idea of decluttering purse by going shopping
pmpy hope you feeling bit better today and not so sick.
swan hope you felling better today and work coming on at home.
linzer Hope you squeezed in a sit down.
Glad dh noticed the kitchen
chairmum well done on getting tax return done and getting to bed. (passes chairmum glass of water)
toffee i got really excited at the thought of you managing a trip to the pub with your dh and then was sad you never made it hope you had a nice sleep though
SC wii been useless here. keep telling myself will use it. dh bought it when dd was 2 months old and i certainly never got round to it.

huge waves to dartzattacks arabella ellie om systems

Today dh has gone to boat show. had huge debates aout best way to get him to train station for 8am resulting in dc booked into early club at nursery as im working. DS lamp which is on a timer didnt go on so we all slept in. Cue run round and all late

I have a huge pile of work sage and customer account queries to get through but no idea how to solve it and Dmil is away at hospital for a treatment so i cant ask.

Consequently i have been wasting time on the tinternet.

have managed to
load dishwasher before i left this morning and take out of freezer a random pot of leftovers for my dinner.
register out works team for Relay for Life in July and set up fundraising website.
printed off some flylady bits. really do think i need a journal.
looked at purse nothing to declutter
will do car in a bit.
Currently eating pontefract cakes

have a good day everyone

Swan - at your DS eating a firelighter! Makes me feel better about the bubble mixture though. DS is fine today, apart from the bubbles floating out of his nostrils .

Quick update on today's huge list ( Ihate - am competing with you today!):

Get dressed done
D/W done
W/M done (before school run!)
Boys' b/fast done
My b/fast plus vitamins done
Lunchboxes done
School run done
DS1 - hand his hwk in done for him - he's off school again
See DS2's topic work at school done - lovely
Tumbledrier on done
Second load in w/m done
2 mins on hotspots did dining-room table and kitchen corner - big improvement
5-minute room rescue dining-room done
Defrost shepherd's pie mixture doing
Recycling out done
Lunch done

That's half my list done. Am just about to attempt 30mins decluttering in our bedroom. DS1 is off school again - he slept badly, had nightmares, was up in the night and feels sick today. He thinks he is ill, but I think it's all psychosomatic. He has spent a good part of this morning decluttering his bedroom of DS2's stuff, so he is doing good work Flying at any rate.

Will reply to posts later - don't want to lose my momentum!

Feet - how is your Flying going today?

30 mins decluttering in bedroom done

I have: half a bagful of stuff ready for the charity shop; half a bagful of rubbish for the bin; and one box of previously lost paperwork. Whoohoo!

Bedroom looks better already and I now feel that there is hope. Maybe we won't always live in a tip after all....

Off to collect DS2 now.

oops picked up dc/snacked/tv on. lunch for me in my room to watch something other than peppa pig and i fell asleep!!! i havent done that since mine were lil newborns

have just had my phone doing mad bleepy thing to tell me a chap coming tonight at 6pm (brilliant planning dh away and both dc go to bed at 7 and they told us could take 2 hours ) to measure up for fitted wardrobes.

Everywhere has not been tackled by the sleep pixies who are supposed to come when you are sleeping and has actually been attacked by the dc monsters of mess!!!

toffee well done on bedroom. sorry ds is off school but great flying in your house. Think he should get the gold star!

be back later better get dc fed and ready for bed.

I've been failing miserably and wallowing in self pity all week after spending all last weekend clearing the garage. I need a massive kick up the bum to get myself going, as everywhere is a mess and it's very depressing :(

Fittedwardrobes ooh can I have some, I won't mind the bleeping
Bob January is very depressing. I think sorting out a whole garage would be enough to knock most people out

low points of today have been and gone - tryng to be more positive now,
supper on
took some clothe supstairs
paint on bannisters nearly dry
dd has been to her singing lesson, had a row with me, and hopefully is now ready for supper

needto
prepare for catechism meeting tomorrow
explain to dh that we do not have a car for rest of weekend and that's why there are several bin liners (from car)in front room

toffee anxiety really does make you feel physically sick But, Well done ds1 on the decluttering and ds2 on lovely display.
I think the only thing that makes dd realise she didn't want to be "ill" was when she goes in and has missed something she would have enjoyed like making a Roman Shield or suchlike. Is there anything ds likes particularily at school - any subjects he gets satisfaction from that he might not want to miss out on? Or even PE that he likes doing?

feet dh is talking about becoming self-employed

Toffee : wow what a list!

I had a few minutes after DD was asleep (DS with dad) so did yesterday's mission - discovered a good few crumbs in corners etc :-)

I've also printed off my application for income support so I can start collecting all the info and any supporting paperwork! Just going to finish my telco order then I'm going to sleep - I need to rest for tomorrow's busy day!

Morning routine
Gym for 9am
Take kids to a birthday party for 11
Take DS to soccertots for 1.40
Get home and collapse :-)
(possibly go shopping with STBXH for a bike for DS's birthday)

January is definitely depressing! And nettie, hope your kids get off to bed without too much disruption

Evening all,

Productive day today, I have been having that "painting the Forth Bridge" feeling that you get one room tidy, move on to the next one and the next one by which time the first one is a pit again, so I have had a real push on tidying this week. DS has said he wqnts to keep his room tidy till Christmas Eve so Father Christmas will be happy with him (believe me Father Chrismas won't be the only happy one if it happens). I tidied DDs room yesterday, and today managed our room, kitchen and lounge, also two loads of washing, changed sheets, and put away several clothes piles.

Toffee sorry DS is feeling the way he is about school, he is lucky to have such a supportive mum

Bob, glad you've come back on to report progress sounds like you need a bit of cheering up, Wll done for clearing garage, especially in the middle of winter that's no mean feat.

Nettie hope wardrobe measuring went ok.

Feet/Swan - another slf emplyed DH here, it does mean very random working hours and having to jump to it when the customers demand but he has far more flexibility than he would ever get as an employee, which is very useful forf sick children, class assemblies etc.

Chairmum gym on your list, well done, I haven't made it for about 6 weeks

PMPY sorry you've beenf eeling rough, hope things improve a bit soon and that you get a bit of rest over the weekend. When do you start mat. leave?

Waves at Ellie,OM,PA,Linzer,Darts,SC,Arabella,Systems anyone else I have forgotten, have a good weekend everyone.

Hi all,

Nettie Toffee and Swan your long lists are making me guilty

I've been in bed with a tummy bug for most of the day (which started in the middle of last night) but hopefully it's just a one-day wonder as I feel better tonight and have just scoffed the last pkt of my precious store of English salt & vinegar crisps so I can't be that ill! I also slept for most of morning so feel full of energy now - I might even morph in to one of Nettie's sleep pixies and go and do some moonlight tidying.

Thanks Wii info and for spade Nettie btw. I need it to clear the aisles!! [I love Pontefract cakes btw - they were my late father's favourite treat and always remind me of him]

Toffee I'm sorry you didn't get your night out last night - it sounds like you could do with a bit of r & r. And sorry to hear your ds is still stressed about school which in turn must be so stressful for you. Congratulations on your mega-decluttering!!!!

Chairmum good luck with your list tomorrow! It looks very full on.

Hey Bob well done on the garage!! That is a major achievement!! Award yourself a treat!! I understand about the January-bleak-house thing though. I'm still in trough of doom about it. The more I do in it, the more there seems to do.

Ogre hope your dd had a lovely birthday yesterday.

Pushme don't apologise - nausea is so depressing - when your stomach is not right, nothing else is!

Linzer hope your headache cleared!

Mahoosive waves to Darts PA Ellie Optimistle Arabella Lair Systems and everyone I've missed.

Have a good w/e!

Mahoosive waves to Swan

Sorry Swan - scrolling went funny there!

Feet, where are you today? Don't give up on the challenge yet!

Rest of today's list looking good:

School run done
Put washing away done
MIL's washing done
Tumbledrier on for MIL's washing done
Dinner done
Dishwasher on done
Shine sink done - even used bleach!
Lay out tomorrow's clothes did mine
Tidy sitting room done
Brush teeth. Face did face. Teeth to do
Bed at decent hour intend to do shortly

Am feeling very chuffed about the decluttering. The clever thing about Flylady is that she helps you to focus on what you have achieved in a slot of time, rather than what you still have to achieve. 45 mins (over three days) of decluttering in our bedroom has made a noticeable difference and I'm not obsessing about the rest of it because I know that if I stick with this routine I will clear the clutter eventually.

The house is far from perfect, but sticking to the routines for the last couple of days means that I don't have to worrry too much about having company over on Sunday because it's basically ok. Usually I have to spend a morning tidying everything up and making it all presentable, so that is a big difference .

Tomorrow, we are driving MIL home to her house. I'm going to be a Flylady there too as we will be returning to a house that hasn't been lived in for 10 weeks and I want to give everything a good clean and hoover. The neighbours are looking forward to her return, so I think she will get quite a welcome. And we are looking forward to finally get our house back to ourselves!

Back in a min with tomorrow's stuff. Apologies for lack of personal messages.

It certainly sounds as if the strategy of "surrendering to the almighty FF" is paying off Toffee Brilliantly well done on your decluttering, particularly with everything else you are having to manage at the moment with your mil staying, your ds's school anxiety AND keeping up with us lot on here!!! Top, top marks!!!

PS I forgot to wave to Feetheart!