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')

so tired I am going to bed right now children still wandering around but I think dh is dealing with them

need to e-mail catechism colleague about lost sheep though how precisely to make the story of lost sheep stick in mind of several eight year olds...tomorrow morning at 9.30

no charity shop for me today , various builder related errands and carpet shop, and several samples all o fwhich dh says look like hotel carpet. Dd is sitting holding onto threadbare/dangerously loose old carpet saying I love it I love it -it has always been here..please don't throw it away.

toffee oh poor ds1, hope he enjoys resting with HP.

Evening just checking in.

Been quite flu filled today and instead of taking to my bed for a whole day at dh day in bed the other day, I had to look after Dd who had puked into her breakfast.
Did manage to recourses some of kitchen cupboards and rearrange things to ensure Dd can't help herself to cereal at 5.13am!

Washing done x2
Dw x2

Absolutely shattered so been in bed since 7.15 now wide awake watching mince tv!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Ps is it bad that I'm glad most of us didn't manage much flying today?

Managed to declutter kitchen cupboards

Evening. Not much of an early night and although didnt complete the solar system did also do some work to finishing off some UFOs so I am counting that as working towards decluttering.

Have been out, and very very tired. Ex has texted to say ds projectile vomited his happy meal everywhere. So it looks like D&V was behind ds' dippy tum and not the milk re-introduction. Good but bad at the same time. Poor ex is poorly so he will be in for a rough weekend.

good morning everyone

quick list for motivation

wm
dw
td
s/s
get dressed
change bed sheets in dc rooms.
pay db for family holiday
try do something with dc doesnt require much energy on my part but satisfies their ned to get out.

Should be able to manage that

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Todays list

WM
shopping
meal planning
?passport form for renewal

Finally caught up on sleep last night, thanks to DS2 not waking me until 8.10am .

Today's list:

Get dressed (still in dressing gown )
Morning routine
Take down string for Xmas cards
Bag up and hide bathroom clutter
Clear clutter on landing
Tidy both boys' bedrooms (get them to help????)
Put away Xmas boxes
Wash school uniforms
Scrub dining-room chairs
Tidy bit outside back door where bins are (horrible job - delegate to DH )
Guest crisis clean
Thursday's errands - library, PO, shops
Dinner: cold roast chicken and mini sausages so no cooking required

DS2 is now sulking because I am typing this instead of complying with his demand request that I play pirates (sigh).

Lair - sorry for your sick DS. Hope he gets well soon.

Chairmum - at messy birthday party with car cake. Sounds like the perfect party (for the children, not you!).

Waves to Arabella, Nettie, Swan, Ogre, Linzer, Ellie and all the other fledgling Flyladies.

Good morning everyone (it is still morning right?)

Hope your DS is feeling better soon Lair, and your DD (and you!) Nettie.

I'm going to post a general weekend list today along with my daily one so that I can tackle things as and when. DH has done his back in through being too generally sedentary so is shuffling round the place groaning unable to lift DD or even take the bins out. He's not prone to hypochonria so I do feel sorry for him, but a bit frustrated as my pelvis and back are not feeling very good at the moment and it means that I seem to have (hopefully temporarily) inherited the heavy lifting!

Anyway this weekend's list

Dishwasher
Washing
Put washing away
Empty all bins
Shine sink
Sweep and mop kitchen floor
Clean kitchen surfaces and hob
Declutter either cubby hole behind washing machine or cupboard of doom
Bleach grout in bathroom
Hoover landing
Hoover stairs * 2
Hoover living room
Buy meat, fish, veg
Cook tea * 2
Make soup for packed lunch

Good morning, Pushme. How's the nausea? Is your baby still breech? Sorry to hear your DH is not up to helping much - as you say, let's hope it's temporary, as I'm sure you could do with all the help (and rest) you can get at present. Good luck with that list.

Still not dressed. Am stuck on MN. It's just so nice to sit down for a change. I will get started on my list right now!

My migraine has finally gone , so I can try and get back to normal. Thurs and Fri were not very productive flywise. Thurs I took my mum out for the afternoon, to a quilting shop and to get her groceries. DS came with us, and it was a late night by the time he got to bed. So Friday he slept til 9.30am (I laid in until I heard him wake up , so only had a short while at toddler group. In the afternoon I had to take DS to optician as he'd bent his glasses - fixed now. Then library and home.

Today - DS slept in again, so I did too!

Morning routine done
s/s done
make beds done
finally sort out elec bill done
Started Sunday tea - defrosting and soaking done

To do
Evening meal
WI paperwork
Start on Freda the frog for DS
Evening routine

cobweb ah, bless, it's lovely when you can adapt to a child's (good) sleeping patterns.

Had a bad night worrying I wouldn't wake up ths morning for Catechism (as children usually sleep till about 8.20 if not woken) and for some reason forgot to ask dh to set alarm...only to find all children woke up at 7am.[bangs head against brick wall) and then I was too tired to get up

Catechism class fun, music classes for dcs uneventful, lovely lunch which dh organised (ready snack sort of meal) so heartened by this was able to

tidy playroom completely and hoover
bit of piano practice
go to bed!
discuss carpets more rationally with dh - I think we are now keeping manky landing carpets and changing stair carpet

The annoying thing about fitted carpet is that parts of it are always in v.good condition and other parts just horrid after 13 years...suppose tis to be expected...

In an attempt to stay motivated and see that I've achieved something, I'm updating my list:

Get dressed done - very late
Morning routine done
Take down string for Xmas cards done
Bag up and hide bathroom clutter
Clear clutter on landing
Tidy both boys' bedrooms done DS2's
Put away Xmas boxes done
Wash school uniforms
Scrub dining-room chairs
Tidy bit outside back door where bins are (DH refuses to do it!)
Guest crisis clean in progress
Thursday's errands - library, PO, shops done
Dinner: cold roast chicken and mini sausages so no cooking required DH doing

Must keep going and fight against the overwhelming feeling of cba.

Another fly through to keep myself motivated. When it's all done I'm coming back to catch up properly, honest!

Done

• breakfast with toddler who insisted on coming home with me last night when I collected DD
• gym with friend
• rest of shopping for DS's birthday party tomorrow
• soccer tots with DS including bus home
• made Moroccan lamb for dinner
• made 2 batches of fairy cakes for party
• started cleaning up kitchen chaos

Currently bathing DCs :-)

ToDo

• DCs bedtime
• 2 batches of icing for fairy cakes
• prepare party bags for tomorrow
• finish cleaning chaos
• pour G&T

-

You deserve that G&T, Chairmum .

at toddler insisting on spending the night in your house. It must be fun there!

Good luck with the party tomorrow. You sound very well prepared.

Have finished tidying and hoovering both boys' bedrooms. They look lovely (apart from the toys DS2 has already scattered over his floor) - but I still have the rest of the house to do . Everything has suddenly degenerated into chaos. I suppose that's because I have three members of the male species making mess everywhere as fast as I tidy up.

Have had a glass of wine to cheer me up. Now running DS2's bath and am going to bag up the clutter on the upstairs landing, whilst keeping an eye on him. Rapidly running out of spare cupboards for all the clutter.

The laundry bin is full to overflowing again, thanks to not doing any laundry yesterday. I hate the way you have to keep up with the routine relentlessly, otherwise everything goes pear-shaped.

Back later with babysteps...

Party preparations well underway here too, 2 lots of fairy cakes made and iced (pink and blue) and very pretty if I say so myself.
Party bags packed.
Party food bought, will make sandwiches in the morning

Just assembling all the stuff we need to take with us to the village hall, binliners, balloons, kitchen roll, matches, the list goes on and on.

DS are excited and tired, I'm just tired and will be glad when it is all over. Even though we've done a fair few parties now I still get quite nervous.

Not much else done, but I did manage to go for a run, I have started the couch to 5k thing, today was my 4th outing. Enjoying it so far. Need to get my map out and find some more varied routes, I don't really just want to go round the streets I walk around all the time anyway (partly because its boring partly in case I see anyone I know, I am at the red puffing stage at the moment). Also want to avoid too many hills, which is quite tricky here. Better go, have wasted far too much time on here today.

Night all.

Sorry to have been absent for the past few days; I've had something in between a nasty cold and a mild dose of the flu, which confined me to bed for two days. Am starting to feel more human again now, though, so hope to be flying again soon! (And DH has been great in the meantime.)

Ogre Good luck with the party tomorrow. I always get very nervous beforehand too, but you sound very well prepared and it will all be worth it in the end, I'm sure.

Toffee It's frustrating how quickly everything can descend into chaos, isn't it? At least it doesn't seem to take quite as long to get back on track when you've been flying for a while, but it does feel like the tidying up is never-ending some days.

Chairmum Hope the party goes well tomorrow; am very impressed by all the fairy cake baking that's being done on the thread!

swan Well done on the playroom tidying. I'm going through a shutting-the-door-and-forgetting-about-it stage with ours.

Ihate So glad your migraine has gone; it must feel like a weight has finally lifted. I've only just got rid of a headache that went on for about a week; thankfully not anything like as bad as a migraine (which I only get very occasionally) but it felt like it was never going to go away.

pmpy Sorry to hear about your DH; I hope he's back to normal as soon as possible as it must be very hard for both of you.

arabella I have nightmares about arriving at the airport only to discover that one of our passports is out of date - there seems to have been one to renew/apply for almost every year for the past 5 or 6 years. The next two are due for renewal in 2012, so we get a year off this year.

Nettie Sorry to hear you've been feeling under the weather too; hope you're managing to get some rest over the weekend.

Lair Hope your DS is better soon.

Waves to everyone else; am not going to scroll back any further, as I'll be here all night, but I have read all your posts.

toffee - apart from the playroom, I have to say I JUST PLAIN GAVE UP today. Can't even be bothered with sink...
have moved a pile of Friday's dry washing heavenwards..and ended up with it on my bedroom floor (not right place...)
dh has done a bit of essential routine today though - the good thing (one of many) about him is that he has dw OCD/hates the dw loaded wrongly, so is always unloading it and reloading it

however have played piano to children, read stories and been quite mild tempered

now in bed again, looking up stuff for builder on laptop..

Evening everyone

Dishwasher done *1
Washing done 1
Put washing away done
Empty all bins
Shine sink done
Sweep and mop kitchen floor done
Clean kitchen surfaces and hob done
Declutter either cubby hole behind washing machine or cupboard of doom
Bleach grout in bathroom done
Hoover landing done
Hoover stairs * 2
Hoover living room
Buy meat, fish, veg done
Cook tea 2 done *1
Make soup for packed lunch

Quite pleased with today as far as flying goes as I've got a fair bit done.

Less pleased with the life elements as DH is still very incapacitated, the car has broken down, DD has suddenly grown to the point that she can reach the high windowsills and managed to break a large assortment of glasses and flowerpots before I realised. She also discovered tonight that she can climb out of her cot I shouldn't be surprised really, but I was hoping to put a bed off until after the baby is born so I could keep her captive a little longer!

Quick hellos to toffee (feeling less queasy today, thank you, baby still breech though), linzer, chairmum, ihate (glad you are feeling better), ogre (the cakes sound delicious, good luck with the party), nettie, arabella and everyone else I've missed

OGRE very good luck with party, and ENJOY it too! You sound like you have everything perfectly ready, and what can go wrong with a lovely hall to run around in?
chairmum enjoy your party too
Linzer hope tomorrow is day of rest too for you, and not too much catching up
Push and Ellie hope you got some rest this weekend after all. Push please don't overdo it and get a bad back too. Cut some corners, just for a while.

x post Push Cars
climbing toddlers can do amazing feats - I used to use a toddler sleepign bag zipped at back then she couldn't climb out, I think she was about two before she went in a bed.

Chairmum and Ogre - loads of luck with your parties.

Linzer - sorry to hear you've been ill, but glad you are on the mend.

Swan - that sounds like a lovely day and much nicer for your DC than having you doing housework all day. I would definitely have had a cba day today if I hadn't had my SM visiting tomorrow. Having her here is like having a hotel inspector visit. She scrutinises everything and is not afraid to tell you what she thinks.

Pushme - you achieved an amazing amount today, but I second what Swan said: don't do too much. Glad the queasiness was a bit better today - long may it last.

Listing my list so that I can see that I really did achieve something (I don't feel as if I did):

Get dressed done - very late
Morning routine done
Take down string for Xmas cards done
Bag up and hide bathroom clutter
Clear clutter on landing done
Tidy both boys' bedrooms both done
Put away Xmas boxes done
Wash school uniforms
Scrub dining-room chairs
Tidy bit outside back door where bins are (DH refuses to do it!)
Guest crisis clean in progress
Thursday's errands - library, PO, shops done
Dinner: cold roast chicken and mini sausages so no cooking required DH did this

Have a long list for tomorrow morning, which I won't bore you with.

Back soon...

Tomorrow's babystep is to find your control journal. Some of us have them, some don't. Personally, I find mine incredibly useful, particularly when I am feeling brain dead and need a list of instructions to follow.

There are no missions at the weekend, so just do the basic routines.

Sunday is the day to 'renew your spirit'. This is the day to take time for yourself.

Probably won't get a chance to post during the day tomorrow, but I hope you all have a lovely Sunday.

Todays list

more laundry
dishwasher
pack babys bag for nursery in am
pack my bag for back to work in am
find a work outfit in wardrobe
make lunches for tomorrow

Yesterdays list done except for passport form, oh well!

I've managed to grab half an hour to myself now. After a whinge, XH has come round at a decent time to watch the kids and I've managed to blitz the kitchen. 45 minutes to bowling. I think I'll put some makeup on too!

Toffee : I really needed the G&T too! I don't think I'm more fun than his daddy, but I am Mummy and we had had a very good day together (after days of wanting everyone except me)

It can get you down that every day is another load of washing. I try to just think that if I slip and its two loads, that at least its not a mountain!

Ogre - good luck with yours! At least mine is just 8 kids including older nieces! Glad you're enjoying the running - I've managed the gym with running 3 saturdays in a row now, and although I'm a bit achey now, I have been feeling great for it!

Swan - sometimes you just need a day off, and it sounds like it has been good for you :)

Today's list :

• clean kitchen done
• swish and swipe bathroom
• put a wash on
• tart myself up
• toddler party
• clean out guinea pigs
• XH cooking dinner (we take turns on a sunday)
• collapse with children

Lots and lots of luck to Chairmum and Ogre for the parties today. I always get very nervous before my children's parties and vow never to do them again. Then I go and do them all over again the next year .

Arabella - lots of luck to you going back to work tomorrow. It sounds as if you are very organised.

Have just waved off DH and DS2. DH is taking him out for the morning so that I can blitz the house. My list is making me feel panicky, though I suppose all the adrenalin will spur me into action.

In the next two hours () I am aiming to:

Clear bathroom clutter
S&S
Tidy towels in bathroom
Hoover downstairs and put hoover away
Unload d/w
W/M - nb school trousers
Shine sink
Kitchen hotspot
General tidy up in kitchen
Empty bin
Clear recycling
Put excess shoes in cupboard
Polish door brass
Clean wooden stairs
Put out clean towels and teatowel
Put clean tablecloth on table
Clean dining-room chairs (at least scrape off the dried ReadyBrek - lovely!)
Clean the bin
Mop floors
Tidy shelves
Wipe surfaces

Oh, and get myself washed, dressed and made up. Still in dressing gown at moment. Think I might defy the Fat Fairy and do the cleaning first.