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')

Today's mission is to read an essay that Kelly wrote about the importance of keeping a calendar.

Saturday is 'Family Fun Day'. Saturday's reminders are here. 'Get your routines done fast so you can go and have some fun with your family'.

There are no missions at the weekend.

Still - Flylady is one area of my life where I feel in control, unlike the others. I think that might have something to do with my enthusiasm!

Have caught up with the thread at last:

Nettie - sorry for lack of sleep pixies. Hope the wardrobe chappie didn't really take two hours and that it's all worth it. Thanks for being sad for me not getting to pub with DH. Never mind, we are going to celebrate having the house back to ourselves and DC with a bottle of sparkling something tomorrow night.

Bob - welcome back! Sorry cleaning the garage is getting you down - I'm not surprised. It sounds like an awful job. But I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end. Can you break the job down (a la Flylady?) so it isn't so overwhelming? Btw, how is your DD now?

Swan - good idea, but there was nothing ds wanted to do at school today. In fact, I really don't think he would be bothered if he never went again. You are right about the feeling sick thing.

Chairmum - I can only do a long list because I don't have a baby! Couldn't do a thing when either of my DC were seven months. So much easier when they are 5+. I did baby signing with both mine, btw. Absolutely fantastic! My mum thought I was mad until one day my first son 'asked' for more milk when we were out in a restaurant. Without the signing, he would have been crying and we would have been puzzling over what he wanted. When my mum saw how I was able to understand him and calm him down instantly by giving him what he needed, she changed her mind.

ogre - glad you had a productive day. Good for your DS intending to keep his room tidy.

Still - please don't feel guilty. I only have long lists because I have a lousy memory and I have the time to focus on them at the moment. As soon as I get my next batch of work it will all go to pot. Sorry to hear you've been ill. Hope you feel better tomorrow.

OM - hope you had a lovely lunch with your friend

Feet - how did today go? Another baby signer, I see!

Linzer - glad your headache is getting better, you poor thing. DH had one for three days recently - awful. It's good that your DH is noticing the results of your routines .

Oops - must try to do my 'bed at decent time' thingy.

Night all.

Morning all,

DH has gone out to do the food shopping, which I didn't do yesterday as we have a 10% off voucher that needed to be used with his loyalty card (and I'd forgotten to ask him for it). We've decided to have a lazy day at home today (I want to continue the decluttering I started last weekend) and will probably go to Bratislava tomorrow (will think of you when I buy my salt & vinegar crisps, SC!).

List:
Food shopping DH doing
Get inhaler ready to send (DH has found box)
Pay pension insurance contribution
Post thank you letters x2
Get DDs to write thank you letters x3
Revise weekly to-do list
Buy birthday presents x3
Decluttering

No time for personal messages I'm afraid, as DH won't be best pleased if he gets back to find me still on the computer and none of us dressed, but thanks for keeping us on the straight and narrow Toffee and well done on the decluttering - it has inspired me to carry on with mine today!

Hello everyone! The whole work life balance thing is a little out of kilter at the moment with work taking up way more than it's fair share. Hence periodical absence over the last couple of weeks so I do apologise. I will try and catch up over the course of today. Haven't been doing too bad however as far as keeping on top of housework is concerned barring the reappearance of mount washmore which is easy to conquer on a lovely windy summers day but not so easy on a dank winter day. The environment is going to suffer today because the tumbler is going to be on a lot! Today I am list posting as I need to get stuff done.

Tidy downstairs done
washing unloaded
Drier on
Washing in
Tesco
Pay cm
Tidy and clean bedrooms
Mop floors
At

Back later!

Toffee - I'm still here, def haven't given up just not as much access to computer yesterday. Didn't get all of list done but added a few things to it as I went along eg try on and buy couple of bras and nice scarf in M&S and spend time with friend and her family after DD's dance class. Not Flying related but a good use of time :)

I did manage to:

• Clear out fridge
• Finish shopping list
• M&S to pick up online order
• Asda for shopping and zap it and put it away
• 15mins decluttering in kitchen
• Packed teas for dance class
• Keep an eye on P&O website

Didn't do:

• 5 mins x a few in DC's bedrooms
• Mission
• Few items on ebay

Today is another day and at the moment a quiet w/e is planned so I have cunning plans for some decluttering :)

Bob - completely agree with others about January being such a depressing month. Give yourself credit for sorting out the garage (HUGE job in this house) and cut yourself a little slack about everything else - have you had a chance to unwind and deal with some of your emotions after all you went through with your DD before Christmas?

Right, I can hear the hordes awakening and I need to get DS ready to go out and have a try at the gymnastics club.

Have a lovely w/e all :)

I have not been posting so much, sorry!, because it has been a busy week with baby going into nursery increasingly and me preparing for return to work. I'm still reading lots of your posts though as they provide motivation.

Today we are having a family fun day. So probably not much house stuff will get done. My list is small

Family fun fun Fun!
Kitchen cleaning and dishwasher unloading and reloadingbeing done by DH
Made roast chicken for dinner last night so leftovers meal today
Christmas decs into loft (are in spare room still)
?date night tonight
Buy nursery bag for baby

Still thinking of toffees DS and wishing him well.
Hello to everyone else[lots of waving]

good afternoon.

had nice lie in this morning followed by quick routines then hairdressers. dh has taken ds to soft play party. so thought we could do some girl bonding over the little mermaid. dd not remotely interested!

so will have to get on with tidy up, clothes to sort, my room to tidy, living room toys to tidy up before babysitter comes (off to a grown up party this evening me and dh), dinner to make something with mince!

Hope you have a nice day everyone

Done

yesterday managed to wash and iron (drumroll - most unusual, I never ironed any of my baby clothes) the old baby clothes for new little niece...glad to see SIL was already peering into secondhand shops and thus won't mind my cast offs..
dcs to music/football
visit baby with dd
helping with communion class first thing
lunch out with dh and dcs
ds2 and I are now exhausted so I'm going to bed and he is playing on the Wii

tidied playroom, front room and kitchen last night, not very well but better than nothing!
so I think that's one bag of rubbish and one bag of declutterng down...

ds1 has reminded me he has actually written his thankyous, except that I have lost them oh dear...still have got nowt out of dd or ds2..may resort to writing letters from me to their godparents...if only dcs liked showing off their drawing life would be easier!!!!!

Updated list:

Food shopping done
Get inhaler ready to send done by DH
Pay pension insurance contribution
Post thank you letters x2 done
Get DDs to write thank you letters x3 no
Revise weekly to-do list
Buy birthday presents x3 done
Decluttering done 1.5 hours
Pour half a glass of wine over myself done
Wonder what happened to my alcohol tolerance done (six years of pg and bfing to blame)

swan I am still trying to cajole DD1 into writing the rest of her thank you letters. She is an expert at procrastination.

Nettie Lol at new name! Enjoy the party.

arabella Hope you managed some family fun today - shorts lists are always good at the weekend.

feetheart I have given up on ebaying as it's so hard to find the time - I just want to get things out of the house!

ellie I don't know how I'd cope without a tumble dryer - my mum doesn't have one and it takes about 3 days for things to dry (admittedly it's far wetter than it is here).

Toffee The headache is much better this evening thanks, although I don't feel like I can complain too much as I've had far worse headaches; it was just a bit of a pain (quite literally) that it wouldn't go away.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend.

Just a quick check in. Got thrombin my hectic day despite a few tantrums. DS decided he wanted to go to Daddy's tonight so I will get more of a lie in tomorrow morning.

Now, quick poll, should I declutter tomorrow morning while the kids are out or go for a run? Or go for a run then declutter?

Just routines and some dedcluttering tomorrow I think - gonna try for some quality time with the kids.

Took MIL back to her home today. Spring cleaned her house for her, as it has been empty for 11 weeks. There was a fair bit of dust, but the house looked incredibly tidy - mainly because my MIL has absolutely no clutter.

Tomorrow's babystep is to make your bed.

Sunday is 'renew your spirit day'. Do something for yourself today. (Easy for me as it is my lie-in on Sunday and then I will be celebrating being another year older with family and friends. Now MIL has gone, drinking, swearing and unsuitable topics of conversation will be mandatory. Children will be allowed unlimited access to computer games and TV!).

There are no missions until Monday. Remember to do your before-bed routine on Sunday night to set you up for the next morning: lay out your clothes; check your calendar; 2 mins on hotspots; shine your sink; wash face etc.; and go to bed at a decent hour. I also prepare lunch boxes, polish the boys' shoes, put socks in shoes and check that book bags, coats, hats, gloves and scarves are ready by the front door.

Am yet again failing at the 'bed at decent hour' thingy, but hope I can catch up on sleep in the morning. Hope you all have a lovely Sunday.

Happy birthday Toffee - hope you have a lovely relaxing day today.

Chairmum How about going for a run and then decluttering? I always find I have more energy to do things after exercising (which admittedly happens very infrequently ).

We're off to Bratislava once everyone is up, but I'll check in again later.

Morning all and a massive happy birthday to toffee hope you have a lovely day and enjoy your lie in .

chairmum welcome back , bit slow on the uptake me! I agree with . that's all I have to say!

Not sure what I am going to do today yet! I know I am going to my mums for a couple of hours, she is really quite poorly with flu so am going to go and do some washing etc. Other than that I will see where the day takes me

Back later!

I should have said I agree with linzer..... it's early!

Ellie - I'm a single mum, I've gotta keep going or go nuts in the mess!

No run this morning, my sports bra is stinky! Oops! Will do frenzied decluttering to make up for it :-)

Thanks for the birthday greetings! It's party time at the Toffee house today! DH is just opening a bottle of champagne. Am not sure I will be in a fit state to post later, but will try to remember the babysteps through the haze.....

Afternoon. Sorry have been more then a bit awol recently. Not great around here. FLying, or generally. Am hoping to jump back on track next week. Not sure quite where to start next week either so will have to see what happens as it happens.

Today:
school uniform wash
kit uniform wash
ds' reading
ds' homework
rubbish sweap.
uniform laid out
kit laid out
school run stuff laid out
Alarm set for 4:30am
ironing pile sorted
early night

Monday:
post office
library for photocopying
write, print and drop letter off at school
trip into town and hand paperwork
fabric shop
ironing
folding
rubbish sweep
bedding wash
early night

or at least those are the plans.

Happy Birthday toffee have a fab day, enjoy your champers and rude consersations

lair sorry things not going well. good luck with your lists.
ellie nice to see you well done on still flying in amongst all your teaching work.
swan well done on your ironing. a round of applause. (have rammed all my dd clothes into black bag for dn [BLUSH]
linzer lol at drinking half and pouring half glass of wine on yourself. Hope you had a lovely time at Bratislava.

huge waves to everyone ive missed.

well last night was lovely i even got to dance with dh only 3rd time in 16 years including one dance at our wedding. Bit on the fragile side today. have been to B&Q and sorted out wardrobes 12 weeks ah well be great when we do get them.
home for nice lunch and a play in the garden. I did an hour decluttering the brambles that are growing all over and inside our garden shed!
now all watching mary poppins, well ds is, dh is asleep and dd is playing.
dh has filled dishwasher after a wee chat yesterday.
i swept the floors this morning.

plans for the rest of today.
get through till bedtime, dinner waiting to go into oven, lasagna made yesterday.
tidy up clothes ive dumped on floor in my bedroom and dc bedrooms.

i have felling if i get that done will be a miracle.

enjoy your sundays

Just whizzing by to say Happy Birthday to Toffee. Will try and return to normal this week.
Gone slightly AWOL due to being knackered trying to get back into work mode. - Getting there!!!!

Sorry I missed that earlier. Happy birthday Toffee!!!

Amazing what a restorative coffee can do. Have:
school uniform wash done
kit uniform wash doing
ds' reading
ds' homework done
rubbish sweap. done
uniform laid out done
kit laid out done
school run stuff laid out done
Alarm set for 4:30am done
ironing pile sorted doing as becomes clean
Folding doing as clean
early night
30mins room rescue in lounge done it looks lovely in there now.
Play several games of monopoly deal done
Load DW done
Pack bag of stuff to do for tomo done

Happy birthday Toffee!

Toffee, a happy birthday from me, too!

And hello to all you lovely people.

Sadly I'm not having much luck with the pc at the moment . Tried to install an update for the anti-virus programme, and it went completely wrong. Had to totally uninstall, and reinstall free version then load up the licence file to get it to work. I've only just got it all sorted. But hey ho, there we go!

I've done evening routine today, then tomorrow:
morning routine
work (no boss tomorrow, peace)
collect dcs from school
library (dd has lost her card/get some books)
re-arrange dining room (it'll surprise dp, it's his idea and he was going to do it a fortnight ago)
declutter
shine sink
tea (a cold one, at request of the kids)
evening routine
prep for school governor meeting on Tuesday.

And sometime this week I want to colour my hair (sadly I take after dad's family, we all go grey very early - I was 23 when it started turning)

You know, I might not be getting all the steps right (i seem to get them out of order...) but I can see a difference in the state of the house. I'm sure I'll get there yet!

Hope you had a lovely birthday toffee! Going back to your earlier comment about control, I can certainly relate to that! You can't control children and ex-husbands but you can control the state of your house (or at least make yourself feel like you're having an effect on it)

Lair - why 4.30am?

I wish I could get up early and make a child-free start to the day but my 2 little hot water bottles wake up when I get out!

Plan for tomorrow:

-morning routine
-DS off to nursery
-bus to LLL meet with DD via a bit of window shopping :-)
-kids to XH
-more decluttering while child free
-Weightwatchers weigh in
-pick up DD from XH

I think next week I might try to fit in a quick gym run before Weightwatchers :-)

Happy Birthday Toffee

Quiet w/e but managed to:

• Declutter my underwear drawer - room for more now :)
• Declutter DD's sock drawer and pants drawer
• List stuff on ebay
• Make bagels and eat them :)

Back to normal tomorrow after early night.