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')

Hello all, I'm still at the very beginning and working my way through the first few babysteps. This is a question for those of you who have been doing this for a while. I've been having a look at the flyshop and wonder if any of you have used the products, and if so are any worth getting?

Also, do you all actually have a control journal? Is this important?

Hello all, does anyone remember me? I went a bit AWOL last month, RL/children took over! But one of my new yrs resolution is to be a better housekeeper!!

Today I did
3 x 5 min room rescue
Mopped all downstair floors

My hoover is on it's last legs so thinking of getting a Dyson, anyone have opinion on them?

Happy New Year :-)

arabella I don't keep a control journal, sounds like too much work!!!:)

Hi Dolanette, I remember you, you joined us a couple of months ago IIRC. I also don't have a control journal, but I have a folder sitting near my desk which is supposed to be it and I think I will try and do it this year. When I get round to it! Have never had a Dyson, but there's bound to be someone on here that has.

Happy New Year everyone

Welcome to new ones and welcome back to those who have been away.
Can't believe I have been here for a year now, thank you for the support and chat, it has made the battle-against-the-house so much more fun.

Quiet night here last night with a nice lie-in and bath this morning so feeling quite refreshed.
Lots of resolutions that I need to write down at some point rather than store randomly in my head - most involve DECLUTTERING (which I still haven't got to grips with ) and a personal revamp (feeling a bit frumpy!)

Out for dinner tonight at a neighbour's and off to family 'do' tomorrow in Surrey.
Flying will start in earnest next week.

Dolanette - don't have a Dyson and used to covet one but haven't heard brilliant things about them on MN. Now waiting for ours to die so I can get a Miele. Apparently better and cheaper

Ours is a Miele too, and think it's very good.

arabella I don't have any of the FlyShop products (although I did buy a timer specifically for flying, which I find invaluable), but I do have a control journal. The first section is divided into my morning, afternoon and evening routines (in plastic sheet protectors so I can tick off items as I go along), and the second section is divided into days of the week, with each page including a list of the tasks that I do on particular days. Those are the two sections I use the most - I can't remember exactly what I have in the remaining three sections and I don't have my control journal with me, but it includes printouts of useful articles from the FlyLady website. One of my resolutions for the New Year is to make full use of my control journal!

Right. I'll have to look into the control journal and the timer then. Thanks very much

Oh my goodness, you have all been chatting whilst I've been away. I do have a control journal, but it looks as if I'll need a thread-control journal to keep up with you all.

I'm going to do a round up (drum roll, please ):

Firstly, the new year has brought in several brand new recruits. Welcome to: Sweetandtenderhooligan, who had a sore head this morning, Camdancer, who didn't, because being pregnant is dull, and Bessie26.

A few other Fledglings also admitted to sore heads this morning: Ellie, Nettie and Did (who blamed hers on dust and central heating ).

Droitwichmummy is making New Year's resolutions, in particular flying one day at a time and rationing MN.

Pushmepullyou is pregnant and feeling grotty, but, in true Flylady style, still planning to do some cleaning. Luckily, she had DD to help her .

Linzer is still on holiday and therefore can be excused Flying duties at present, although she is keeping her hand in by decluttering.

Arabella is awarded today's gold star for having cleaned up last night's New Year's Eve party by 8.58 this morning. She is asking about control journals, although it sounds as if she is managing very well without one (I can't manage without mine, but don't use the Flylady one - just bought myself a folder and scribbled stuff down).

Camdancer is another pregnant person who is not taking things easy. Instead, she is taking down her Christmas tree and decorations today. (For those of us who have not started on this yet, we have until 5 January to do it, otherwise the tree spirits will wreak havoc in our houses. Apparently.).

MrsDinky has been spurred into decluttering after visiting a spotless house on New Year's Eve (maybe your friend is a secret Flylady, MrsD). She is going back to work on Tuesday after 15 months at home.

PositiveAttitude coped with a houseful of teenagers last night, so it's not surprising that she always runs out of bread from her breadmachine. She is also going back to work shortly. (Glad you are feeling so much better now, PA).

Nettie has a sore head. In spite of this, she has shined her sink today. Well done!

MiniMarmite has popped in to mark her place.

DidEinsteinsmum decided that the hell of struggling through the January sales was better than the hell of staying at home alone with a grumpy child. She has a good excuse for not shining her sink today.

Stillchuckingit's DH has prioritised painting the sitting room, rather than tidying up after last night's party, taking the decorations down or packing for the trip tomorrow. You must be very patient, Still. Hope you have a lovely trip tomorrow.

Dolanette went AWOL, but is back to try again. Re: your hoover query - we used to have a Dyson, but it wasn't brilliant and we now have a Miele, which is much more efficient and more compact.

Feetheart is celebrating one year on this thread! Congratulations! She wants to revamp her house and herself, which sounds like the perfect excuse for a shopping trip .

Hello, can I join? I'm not sure how to approach this as I have a 3 month old and a 3 year old.

I'd like to get dh involved too. We both gave different styles of housework. Dh spends a whole day about once month blitzing the house, which lasts all if 24 hours. I do things as I go along or try and do 3 things at once, never quite finishing anything as I get sidetracked meaning that it looks like I haven't done anything.

Sunday is "renew your spirit day" in Flylady's parlance. You are still meant to do your daily routines though, I'm afraid.

Sunday's babystep is something Flylady seems quite obsessed with and most of us (though not all) choose to ignore.

Welcome, Bumperlicious. Very good idea to get your dh involved too. This link on Flying with Preschoolers might have some useful tips.

Welcome back to Bumperlicious and Dolanette - great to see you both again

And thank you for fab round-up Toffee

I'm feeling quite chuffed because today I have managed to:

• control my comments towards dh and his choice of timing (re decorating)
• supervise dd's bath and hair washing
• clean up kitchen and cleared dining table
• unmade guest beds for third time this Christmas hol and made ours up again (huge bedlinen pile to tackle on return)
• have switched all the bedrooms around again and put us back where we usually sleep
• tidied up our master bedroom again
• tidied and cleaned bathroom
• packed our suitcases for tomorrow
• and am in the process of washing towels

-just have to ice Christmas cake no.2 to take with us on our trip, tidy up kitchen again, and pack up some other goodies and have bath/wash hair/lay out clothes prior to early start tomorrow

Arabella this is what I posted on Dec thread when someone asked about control journals - hope makes sense:

"I have a cj and I find it useful. It contains my list of routines, zones, list of jobs that I do weekly, monthly, quarterly, every six months and annually (not that I always do them but they are listed! ). Also meal planning details + on-line food shopping details and emergency numbers of doctors, vets, gas, plumber etc etc. It also includes routines for looking after guinea pigs and looking after/locking up house. As you say, those sorts of details are very useful to hand over to a house sitter when you are away or in the event of an emergency (such as burst pipe or some such). It also contains useful bits of info such as laundry symbols and stain removing tips and info like that."

I've only bought Flylady's diet book (do not particularly recommend) and haven't indulged in any of the other stuff. I think others have found products from this site helpful though.

Mahoosive waves to everyone. Have a productive first Flying week of the year! 'See' you all when I get back! xx

So much to catch up on and its still only the 1st!!

Just had a skim through and have to say to Dolanette I bought a Dyson after my mum and sister swore by theirs. I had to return the first one to the shop within 2 weeks. Second one went into be mended at least 5 times over the first year and despite having a 5 year guarantee I ended up giving it away as I just could not cope with having to take it in to be mended so often! Would never touch another Dyson with a bargepole!!
Sorry if you have your heart set on one, I am just being honest about how i found mine!

SC - not a good idea to allow Dh to decorate after a few too many. Dh decided one evening to strip wallpaper after a few too many! He blew the electrics of the house, we had water pouring from the light socket and we still have an un-decorated hallway 7 years later.

Massive waves to everyone. I am off for a bit of dart watching tonight, see you all tomorrow.

Hello Bumper! Just thought I'd track you down and say hello, happy new year and all that. :)

A gold star - Yippeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! Wooohooooooooooooo!!!

I'm extremely chuffed

Thanks for the fabulous round up Toffee (and for excusing me from flying for the time being); I must admit I've been struggling to keep up with the thread today.

SC Have a safe journey tomorrow and enjoy your stay in the UK (IIRC).

Welcome to sweetandtenderhooligan, camdancer, bessie26 and bumperlicious.

I really wanted to get the New Year off to a good start and shine my sink, but I don't think my parents' sink needs shining and so I've restrained myself. I shall also refrain from wearing lace-up shoes tomorrow, although - unlike at home - I do actually have a pair here.

I have also:

• decluttered yet more clothes (now have a bag full of clothes to take to the charity shop)
• bathed and washed hair of all three DC (accompanied by plenty of protests and a small amount of screaming)
• been unreasonably annoyed that DH, my dad and my brother managed to finish a bottle of wine in the time it took me to drink half a glass (left from the previous bottle), so had to miss out on a top up

Off to check whether there's any mulled wine this evening, as I'm still feeling deprived.

Evening all. Busy bees today I see. I spent this morning nursing my hangover headache. Cooked lunch for family plus mother, watched Mary Poppins, and did bugger all flying. Starting the way I mean to go on........ behind .

Welcome to all those who have joined us today, so lovely to see new faces and welcome back to those who have rejoined..... You can never escape the call of the fledglings .

Am hoping that tomorrow will be better. Decorations coming down and the ensuing cleaning will mean I will have to do something.

I might shine my sink...... I might not >.

Fab roundup btw toffee.

Amnging to retreat to the sofa and eat chocolate because it needs eating up .

sc am loving the new name btw. ( Ellie prays that she hasn't had it for days\months and i haven't noticed, if that's the case I am sorry )

Hello Fly Ladies

Hoping I can join your thread...although may be a bit of a lurker.

I have 3 children under 5 and dh works away during the week so seem to have had little time/motivation with the house and I have found myself sinking under a sea of clutter.

With the resolve of the New Year (and the internal grubby feeling that comes with a stinking hangover), I finally feel ready to start taking baby steps and have just snuck off to polish my sink!

I'm off to ready more about this fat fairy and hope to keep you updated with my progress

read

(blame hangover)

Evening. Can i get a refund on 2011 already?

So far today i have:
15mins in bedroom
3hours worth of ironing
folding
1 load of washing
dealt with mucus puking child
and play a very exciting game of guess who owns the dead cat. Cat thankfully was dead due to natural causes rather then car impact but still.

I am afraid to be lying about catching up. I am dosed up with meds, had enough of whining (ds has just gone to bed) had enough of mn and computers for today but barely been on them and going to put the christmas decorations away because i am feeling very very bah humbug.

Welcome to all the newcomers, the returns. Waves to all!

i promise to trying not to be such a grumpy ass tomo.

hello back as promised. brill round up toffeebut can i ask a quick question? 'will the tree spirits still get us if its plasti and the cat has put her protection around it by peeing all over my christmas tree skirt??

had nice day, trip to park and a bit of small tidy away of christmas cards and a few decorations. Followed by dh doing some diy and theinlaws coming round for aforemntioned indian meal....

after 2 hour wait and a very irate mil who complained bitterly that 'they' had destroyed our family meal by being 2 hours late and threatened to go home without being fed and only staying as ds 4 said 'no nanny i want you to have dinner with us' Top all that with the regular 'you cant keep eating and really outta move your fat arse and get dieting talk' and well the spirit of goodwill is free flowing

dolanettei have a dyson and honestly have had one for 7 almost 8 years and am on my second. personally i dont rate thembut mil does and she got us them so cant complain. suction problems and my first one had same 5 year guarantee and had every bit renewed in its time! my personal opinion is dont bother!

welcome tobump sweet calm bessie wtd dont even though it dont look like she is sticking around.

Passes did a smiley face mask and wishes her less grumps

Humungous Happy New Year waves to all [grin}

so you know what is going on. You will know who it is but PLEASE DO NOT OUT ME!!!!