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')

Morning all!

Am going to attempt some decluttering today in dd's room. She has so much stuff in there all of which is mixed up, some of which is broken etc. Her wardrobe also needs sorting out of clothes that don't fit her anymore.

So list looks like this:-

Coffee
Washing on done
drier on done
breakfast
Several 15 min bursts in dd's room
Dc's beds stripped done
lunch at mums
Tidy our bedroom

That will do for me! Back late

Morning all,

I managed to get 15 minutes of tidying and decluttering done yesterday evening after all, so can now see the floor of my room again. My aim today is to spend 15 minutes decluttering in the DC's room, but it will probably have to wait until this afternoon.

We're going over to a friend's for coffee this morning - she lives in my parents' old house (they moved just over a year ago) and it's still a little strange going to visit her now, although the house looks quite different (much improved). I also find it quite sad that my parents no longer live there, as I know they were happier there (in the house and in that location); they only moved because the garden was getting too much for them, and couldn't be persuaded that a gardener would be an easier and cheaper option.

FoJo If you click on Customise at the top of this page (just below Mumsnet Talk), you can then change your Talk style there.
I discovered that I do have Mumsnet New but still didn't have a bookmark button, so I changed the 'Display bookmark links' option to 'Yes' and the bookmark button appeared.

Morning all,

Am just realising that there is far more needs doing today than I put on my list last night, so better go and make a new one.

Bob - welcome back, been wondering how you are. Hope you are all feeling better now.

Morning all

Posting on my phone so it will be a quick one as typing isn't brilliant. Focus still on clutter clearing and laundry here. I think I have 8 loads of laundry to do before going back to work on Wednesday! Also want to get at least 2 and preferably 3 runs to the tip in along with various admin type things tomorrow

We are going to a localfarm park/shop for lunch and to hopefully see the first lambs of the year today as well, which I am very much looking forward to.

Will be back later to update

Good Morning everyone

Well, marital harmony is resumed, well Dh is at work, so all is fine now! He came to bed last night and said "you were grumpy today, weren't you?" After he had been a total pain in the arse all day!! I would have walloped him one if I had been more awake!

My last lay in today, so didnt emerge until after 10.00 .
But I have already sorted out my kitchen dresser, which was a massive hotspot.

Not a lot planned fat fairy wise for the rest of the day, just basic stuff.

This afternoon I am going to take my mum out (she has alzheimers) to the new Waitrose store. (Where Dh works) I anticipate it being worse than taking a toddler! I just hope I can keep patient, don't lose her and can get her home in one piece! If I can get all my shopping done too, it will be a bonus.

First morning back to work tomorrow, a bit nervous to be honest. I feel as if I have been away for ages and I know there is going to be a mountainous heap to wade through. I am going to concentrate on getting back to work this week, so my fat fairy lists might be a bit thin on the ground.

Have a great day everyone.

Today I'm going to the recycling centre with lots of stuff. Also will meal plan and do supermarket shop for the week.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback on the control journal. From reading what you've said I think a before bed routine would be useful for me. I never get things organised the night before, and I can see it makes sense.
DOLANETTE, how do you wipe down your leather sofa?

good morning everyone

arabella just to but in but i actually use baby wipes to clean my leather sofa and then once every couple of months blue moon i put leather care cream stuff on it!

I found bookmark button very handy indeed

so far today em well have hung some clothes and partially pulled down dd new hanging rail , beef joint in slow cooker, dealt with an unscheduled painting session. ds found finger paints and started painting with dd. all over floor, clothes and them!! oh an weighed myself i truelly am as round as a figgy pudding just on a gullivers travels scale!!

still to do

washing to infinity and beyond. DD decided she wanted to wear big girl pants, now have no trousers left and are wearing stripey pantaloons
update January calendar
birthday cards for January
research theme park tickets for holiday
Book car hire for holiday
put away outside decorations before march like last year
dismantle and re put up trampoline. dh back at work tomorrow so must do this today.
ds to swimming lessons this evening, first one at new swim school.
drink lots of water every time i think i need a little smackeral of something

Hope you all have a good day, off to start the shopping whilst dh dismantles the trampoline.

Afternoon, fledglings. Have been a bit frantic this mornning. Had to ask MIL to stay in her room, which seemed a bit rude, but it was the only way I could tidy and clean downstairs. She seemed to understand.

This morning I did a 'guest crisis clean' (my mum and stepdad are visiting this afternoon). This was actually my mum's clever idea. You jot down everything you do for the most critical guest imaginable (in my case, my stepmother) and then that is your guest crisis clean. For me, this means:

shine sink
make kitchen spotless
deal with clutter hotspots
clear excess coats from hall
clean windows and mirrors and pictures
polish door handles, letter box, clock plaque
tidy window box
hoover
declutter into box/bag and hide
swish and swipe in bathroom
clean stairs (ours don't have carpet on)
put clean towels and tea towels out
clear bannisters (always have stuff hanging on them) and put bath towels away
put clean tablecloth on table
hoover and mop hall floor
flowers? smelly candles?

Also dusted everywhere, emptied the kitchen bin and threw out the papers.

So that is what I've been doing this morning.

DH has just come back with DS2, so now have to stop them making a mess anywhere. Will be back later with babystep for tomorrow.

Sorry, no time for personal messages, except to say

Bob - I'm sorry you were ill over Xmas

Pushme - 8 loads of washing!

PA - glad for your sake that DH has gone back to work!

Hello all and HNY! Back to work tomorrow so routines need to kick back in. The house is looking remarkably un-trashed though - it helps to go away for most of Christmas!

My New Year priority is to get back on my low-carb diet, for good this time, as I know it'll give me much much much more energy. I'm on day 3 now and feeling de-toxy but still have hoovered and tidied much more than usual. So this month my babysteps are prioritising all the Fly stuff which will help with food preparation:

• shine sink - plan meals - regular shopping day - declutter kitchen.

The next priority after that is to Put Clothes Away When They Are Clean, but I am forcing myself to focus on one thing at a time!

Tomorrow's babystep is to write down what you are doing so far. This is the start of your control journal. Personally, I never bothered with sticky notes, but I did find writing it down for reference very useful.

The mission for tomorrow will be here.

If you want to see a 'sneak peak' for the rest of the week, click here.

Out for dinner with my mum and stepdad tonight, leaving MIL to babysit for the boys. Can't wait!

Thanks Linzer, I now have the bookmarks! (Not done much else, but theres time yet!)

Evening ladies

Just breezing through and marking my place ..

I can't keep up with the chat on here, over 100 messages in 3 days !

Will start on routines properly tomorrow. DS is at home still, playgroup starts next week, but DH will be back at work (and I can finally get on! - It's his first time in the office since we had the snow before Christmas.)

Was going to do a WHBH today, but I got sidetracked, so it hasn't happened. Instead I have taken down and packed up Christmas, sorted and packed away Christmas crafts, springcleaned the living room, and did the usual routine stuff.

Now left to do today:
Large pile of rubbish and recycling in the kitchen to sort out
Aga to clean (have turned it off as engineer due tomorrow for service
Clean washing to put away
Washing on airer
Washing in machine
Evening routine

Tomorrow will dig out my CJ and get my lists in order for the week ... then trying to get back to flying again.

lovely people good evening

productive day but with onset of auntie flo grumps i am updating my list and running to bed before i eat any of the forbidden foods for a hepfalump like me.

washing to infinity and beyond-still more to do
update January calendar-nope
birthday cards for January-nope
research theme park tickets for holiday-nope
Book car hire for holiday-nope
put away outside decorations before march like last year-(round of applause please, this is done woo hoo and its not even february never mind march )
dismantle and re put up trampoline-done and its brill, think i might go for bounce before bed!
ds to swimming lessons this evening, first one at new swim school.-done he loved it
drink lots of water every time i think i need a little smackeral of something-doing

toffee have lovely meal out.

humungous waves to fojo ihate bob linzer lair orgetriplets missb sc darts arabella dolanette systems pmpy pa ellie camdancer dtg wTD bessie sweet feetheart bumper mm dwm

any wonder its busy in here

hands round lotsa chocolate biscuits 9these people need fattening up

lovely people good evening

productive day but with onset of auntie flo grumps i am updating my list and running to bed before i eat any of the forbidden foods for a hepfalump like me.

washing to infinity and beyond-still more to do
update January calendar-nope
birthday cards for January-nope
research theme park tickets for holiday-nope
Book car hire for holiday-nope
put away outside decorations before march like last year-(round of applause please, this is done woo hoo and its not even february never mind march )
dismantle and re put up trampoline-done and its brill, think i might go for bounce before bed!
ds to swimming lessons this evening, first one at new swim school.-done he loved it
drink lots of water every time i think i need a little smackeral of something-doing

toffee have lovely meal out.

humungous waves to fojo ihate bob linzer lair orgetriplets missb sc darts arabella dolanette systems pmpy pa ellie camdancer dtg wTD bessie sweet feetheart bumper mm dwm

any wonder its busy in here

hands round lotsa chocolate biscuits 9these people need fattening up

i like to make sure im double sure ive been heard

Thanks for the chocolate biscuits Nettie - you've reminded me that I need to stock up on hobnobs when we go food shopping tomorrow. DH has already packed three suitcases, which leaves two for food - although I think one will probably be enough. It will certainly be easier on the train if we only have four cases to carry.

Ihate I can't wait to restart my routines either, but we'll only be at home for one day before we're off again (to my ILs) so it will have to wait until next week.

Toffee Enjoy your meal out!

I've had a day of visiting friends and caught up with an old school friend this afternoon, which was lovely. I've also more or less finished my decluttering, although still need to tidy the DC's room. I'm planning to have an early night with my book tonight, as we've all been getting up later and later and I'd like to have a slightly earlier start to the day tomorrow (esp. as we'll need to be up to catch the 7.30 am train on Wednesday).

Thanks for the babywipe tip Nettie!

Everyone seems to have been so productive today. All i have managed to do today is to remove ds' carseat cover and wash it.

I am really looking forward to school restarting so that normal routine can properally restart.

Tomorrow's list:
washing
clothes away
Find spelling book
find some motivation.

Love the crisis cleaning list Toffee
But then I love lists generally

systemsaddict Putting Away Clean Clothes is a horrid job isnt it? One place I struggle too

LMAO @ Nettie's Buzz Lighttear level of washing- can totally relate
And WELL DONE on getting outside decorations down. Mine came down in Juky last year

What are the calender updates people are doing? I am concerned I am not doing something I should be

Not done much, just got tree down and dropped the boy with his dad for tomorrow's inset

Have done 3 lots of 7's today as well

Put/ threw away 7 things from each of the downstairs rooms. Ran out of things in downstairs loo after 2nd bit, and that is now looking spotless
Hallway, lounge & kitchen each had 21 things put/ thrown away and 7 things from the basket at bottom of stairs are gone. I just need to do the other 63 things!!!
Back to work tomorrow and back to school on Wednesday so need to get back in routine VERY quickly

Calander updates: putting birthdays and known important dates onto new calanders. Only need to do this if you bought a 2011 calander and not done this already

Evening all,

Bookbags and books found - check
PE kits found and contents checked - check
School shoes fond and polished - check
Menus checked and dinner money into envelope - check
School uniforms out - check
Packed lunches made - check
Water bottles found - check

Feeling a bit nervous tonight as I am starting my new job tomorrow, need to go and find some appropriate clothes, having lived in jeans for the last year. Aargh!

Evening everyone! Have had another good day today.

I have:-

Decluttered dd's room ( 4 bin bags of broken/missing toys )
Cleared out and reorganised dd's wardrobe
Cleared out and reorganised ds's wardrobe
Taken ensuing bags of clothes to recycling/toys to tip
4 loads of washing
Tidied/cleaned our room
Tidied downstairs
Shined sink (2 days in a row....might be a record )

Phew. Don't panic everyone, I haven't turned into some king of flying genius after nigh on 16 months of being crap . I am merely trying to get some form of organisation before I go back to work and the chaos descends once more!
Good luck tomorrow ogres

See you tomorrow!

First, messages while I can still think of them:

[confused} Linzer are you decluttering your parents' house?
nettie I ate a lot of choc today, although tomorrow I will start on celery, feels like a compulsive twitch to gobble up chocs I don't even want just to remind myself that I really don't want them ever ever again
ellie how did you get so much done? dcs are preventing any action here at all..unless removed and taken to a frosty field by dh and covered in mud (which then makes even more mess when they return home)
Droitwich that is nice that you have come back!
PA how are you able to feed these trillions of teens? Is there a secret? Three dcs seem to hoover up a week's snacks in two days here. I've had to hide all biscuits and fruit and ration them.
SC it sounds like it all went wonderfully, hope guests suitably impressed by your kindness
MrsD & PA good luck in new jobs

and Toffee I shed a tear at your description in Dec thread of dc2's winterwonderland with sequins and track..what a sweet little boy. Ds1 goes through bad selfdoubting patches too, I think they lock on to some problem and then can't extricate themselves emotionally. Do you think ds1 wants you to give him his confidence and sort of say, I believe you can cope, I value you and know you can manage. Meanwhile I think HE can work as a final stage before secondary; I know boys who have managed very well at secondary after missing yr 6. I suppose it has to be a very very positive move not a defensive move, not a hiding away thing. If he absoltuely hates school, school is doing something wrong to him (if not to others) and they need to help you with a stategy. If they can't you are perfectly justified in removing him. I know people who have done it. It is not the end of formal education.

As to flying...
um er well..

back from holiday cottage in Eire, where I maintained everything to a high degree of spotless and order no really, meal planned ferociously etc etc. avoided burst pipes, had water, heating, lovely views, relations to visit.
All around in Westmeath were burst pipes, no water, general collapse of civilization, we were very very lucky

Now back home to London ironically
NO HEATING
NO HOT WATER
and burning last year's xmas tree (2009 last year)to keep warm.
one electric fire which we are moving from room to room, will have to buy another tomorrow

and CAT PEE in kitchen

The secret to my success sr was Alvin and the Chipmunks, Peppa Pig and a Playstation 2 .