If your nest is cluttered and getting you down, join February's Fledgling Flyers and turn it around

[pushmepullyou]

Welcome to the February Fledgling Flyers' thread. A very big thankyou to ToffeeChristmasCake (who will presumably return under her non-Christmas name ) for seeing us through the thick and thin of January decluttering.

All flyers and fledgings old and new are very welcome - we have a fairly relaxed attitude to flying 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.

If you are overwhelmed by the mess in your home, start with just one thing: shine your sink. It's amazing what you can achieve by just doing a bit at a time!

Pleased be warned that my month's leadership comes with a bit of a caveat as I am due to have DC2 at the beginning of March so there is a chance I may disappear mid month! Thankfully Toffee has very kindly offered to deputise in the event of the unexpected appearance of DS .

Apologies to Toffee (and by extension Ellie) for blatant intro plagarising and thankyou to Nettie for the thread title

See you all in February!

Nice to see everyone getting stuff done

My list update

15mins shredding done
Finish cleaning ds's room
At least 15 mins decluttering
Emails/letters
Give bathroom a good scrubbing
Descale coffee machine
Make cakes/biscuits for coffee morning
Recycle old mobile phones
Make Drs appt
Pressie for Dad done
Thermal top for dh done

Lots more to do - but need the compulsary cuppa before picking up dcs, will do more when they are at afterschool clubs.

Alice we have builders starting in April - I'm putting all my energy in to clearing clutter - shredding personal documents and packing away non essential items...not too bothered about clean windows but keeping things tidy will be important because as others have said, dust will get everywhere so it best to have everything packed away - will help the builders move around more easily too.

Oh my goodness, I can't keep up here! Still - thanks for the round up.

Thank you Swan and OFM for your advice on home education. It's so good to know other people out there who have done it. It feels a very scary (though exciting) prospect for me at the moment. And it's reassuring to know that your children fitted back into school when the time was right for them (or you).

Apart from other considerations, how am I going to Fly with my son here? I actually think he'll have to learn to share the Flying with me. It would actually be quite a good thing for him to learn how to do some household tasks.

Got side-tracked today, as I walked into town to do my errands with a good friend and ended up spending all morning with her. So haven't done quite as much as I'd planned, but I did have a very nice morning.

List so far:

S&S done
D/W done
W/M done
B/fast done
Lunchboxes done
School run done
Make beds done
Errands done
5 mins on hotspots done

Still to do:
Wash DS2's sheets (wet the bed for second night running )
15-min declutter in bedroom
School run
Update Tesco order
Clean and clear fridge (from yesterday's list)
PM routine
Dinner
Eve routine
Bed at decent time

Back later!

OFM I'm struggling to keep up with the thread as well, despite knowing most of the "older" fledglings - I've never known it to be this busy. I can't compete with everyone's lists either.

Having decided that I didn't really want to wait until Tuesday to see my normal dentist, I now have an appointment at 5.30 today. I'm really not looking forward to it, but know that I'll regret it if I don't go and then have toothache over the weekend.

Update to spur me on:

Washing still in dryer - need to hang up
Ironing not needed
Sew button onto DS's shirt done done
5 minute room rescues in hall, kitchen and living room
15 minutes decluttering in living room
Get metal and glass ready to take for recycling
Check which of us needs tick booster this year
Dentist's

Quick update on my outstanding before we go for a walk

Zone cleaning done
Zone mission done
Eat before kids come done
Mass playtime done - now need to tidy up some of the toys. They did some, but had to leave for school pickup.
Choose craft supplies for toddler group with other mums done
Go for walk round village with DS to deliver cheques, buy fruit and biscuits for toddler group tomorrow - next on the list
Work out craft for toddler group tomorrow (am on duty) done making little foam teddies
Cook tea - baked potatoes, will put in oven when we get home
Tea
Pack bag for DS - is going to stay with my mum for the weekend done
Bedtime routine
Evening routine
WI end of year finance
Our computer finance
Exercise
Item from paper file
Filing done
Find library books for tomorrow done - just one left in DS room for us to finish reading tonight

spider gone

spiders.....spiders I hate spiders if i had a huge spider in my kitchen I would have to get DH to come home and get rid of it [shudders]
have also just remembered that I need to put the bins out tonight.

Well hello there, you are all very busy and are doing brilliantly...

... a mere 31 posts since my departure this morning!!!

Colourarc and others - glad you are finding all the activity on here motivating!!

Courage to those of you preparing for builders! Looks fairly elementary, but this may help.

I said it yesterday, but it's worth repeating, don't get intimidated by long lists. Some people write things out in greater detail than others, and some have been doing this for a lot longer too. Some people on here - it is true to say - are simply wonder women!!!

It is not a competition though. Keep it realistic and manageable. If you are starting off, ALL you have to do is the steps!!

Having said all that, the beauty of writing it down is that it does give you a sense of achievement at the end of the day - it will give you a better idea of what you are doing and how long each task takes which will help with forward planning and building your routines (and ultimately compiling a control journal - which comes later on) and if you happen to leave your list out on view, it can help others in your household to (a) admire (b) chip in or hopefully (c) both!!

I'm descending now to the laundry of doom where I expect I'll be repeating ColdHeartedBs "interesting" mantra ... often ....

Back to write thesis do round-up after homework supervision/supper/bath/bed routine!!

Keep going ladies ...!

feeling unbelievably tired, not sure why as I haven't done much today
warding off any illness with large quantities of green veg, lemsip, tinned soup which dd rejected, and coffee

did
sewing with dd
started the parsnip/celeriac/curry soup [may be vile]
painting with dd
general tending to dd who is not happy
listened to Fun Radio with dd
picked up other child, ds1 did football and came home himself [yay]

now everyone is watching a screen of one sort or another...may have to stir myself

dusk is falling

Update on my list before I go out for an evening meeting.
Actually it is more like a "plan B" day:

o plan for today was:
Hoover downstairs- grrrrr!! - cunningly got out of this one. DD4s "chore" is to do the dishwasher each day, but for 2 weeks she has managed to evade this, so as a punishment compromise today i told her that her chore is now the hoovering and I will do the DW
Take 8 bin bags of clothes to recycle centre. umm, errrr, No
Dye DDs hair for a special date she has tonight. - 1 year of her and her boyfriend being together, so lovely meal out planned for her. done
Bit of shopping done
Then the best bit - I have the energy to do some baking!! Yeah I must be getting back to normal!! SOOOOOOooooo!! plans so far:
Bread rolls done
Shepherds pie done YuM!!
Apple pie done Yumm!!!
Ice cream done with apple pie was Double YUM!!!
Chocolate cake - no, maybe at the weekend
Flapjack - same as above^
Play with new KINDLE!! oh yes Indeedy!!
Finish reading the book i am reading now, so that I can dig into my new toy. done

Had a note through the door from the post office to say I had a parcel to collect. Cheeky thing as I was here when he put the note through, but didnt actually knock, so I trawled up to the office, thinking it was my Kindle case, only to discover it was something for DD2, which could have waited!!

Right, I am off to see how the hoovering is going. Seems remarkably quiet and I am wondering if DD realises it actually need to be turned on!!

Off out tonight but quick post!

Got everything done apart from one thing which is probably the most desperate but hey ho- I've added it to tomorrow's list!

Morning Routine done
School Run done
Sainsbury's done
Tidy sitting room to guest standard! done
Hoover throughout done
S and S bathroom done
Pay school lunches done
Bins out done
Bins in! done
Email a friend done
Evening routine done -apart from kids to bed, hubby's job tonight!
Wash kitchen floor - not done

Have to say that even though house isn't perfect, all the grubby jobs are done and so i wouldn't be mortified if someone turned up!

I think I'm quite liking this thread!

Off out now so have a good evening everyone!

Pardon my French but f*ing hell ladies, ( I feel I must swear in the absence of lair) I spend the day at work, come home to post my measly list and there are 3 new pages since I last posted late last night. ihate's lists I can cope with because she always does that but the rest of you need to calm down as I am struggling to keep up despite having been here since the inception of this thread and I like to be nosy know how everyone is! I am therefore not list posting to save feelings of inadequacy but shall say that I have a relatively tidy house (I can see the floor), I have a relatively clean house (only a few cobwebs and dirty skirting boards) and I have shiploads of washing to do. trinity and everyone else do not be put off by scary lists, do what you can, when you can, we are only human and if in doubt adopt chbs motto .

I have one last day to get some serious flying done before the school holidays next week, but events are conspiring against me and yet more work arrived this afternoon. Am trying to get as much done as possible this evening (I have little energy for flying in the evenings) so that I can devote most of tomorrow morning to decluttering - provided DS is back at kindergarten, of course. He seems fine now, so he'd better not have a relapse tomorrow morning.

My toothache turned out to be caused by an impacted tooth. I'm hoping it settles down soon as the dentist suggested removing the wisdom tooth up behind it as an option, which sounds rather scary. (Oh, why didn't I have my wisdom teeth out when I was 18 and told it would be a far more difficult operation if I had to have them out when I was 40?)

Must go as DH has appeared with a bottle of Sekt.

Ok so I've done 2 days of flying now, well sort of.

Yesterday I was ill, managed to shine the sink and make the bed, but not much else.

Today I was at work in the morning whilst DH looked after the 2DCs who are ill. I came back to find he had:

Tidied and cleaned the hallway (and he didn't even now it was supposed to be done today)
Vacced and mopped kitchen floor
Put on wash
Made lunch

(yes I know I am lucky, he is very good, but his cleaning prioirties don't extend much beyond the kitchen)

I have, shined both the kitchen sinks
made the bed
finished tidying the hallwall (DH had done the shoes and the floor, but left a big pile of stuff on the chair, on the banister and on top of the chest of drawers)

All in all not a bad start.

evening all

everyone is indeed SO busy today...must be Spring in the air!

positiveattitude I hate it when Postie does that! I now have a sign on door asking for parcells to be left...useful for when we're out, or when we're in and they cant be bothered to knock!
Your baking sounds yummy indeed...baking on my wish list for tomorrow I think...

linzer bottle of sekt sounds good (no idea what it is...but I'm assuming it's good LOL )

swan hope soup was nice...

toffee must admit FLYing whilst Home edding was a challenge! But it is really just about adjusting routines...takes time to get used to, but can be workable...also I think getting DC involved in FLYing is a good idea....(ignores constant nagging of DC now to tidy up after themselves....)

OK...everyone else ...HI

List update:

finish menu planning for next week (almost done)
whites in WM done
S&S downstairs bathroom done
partly make dinner (meatballs in tom sauce with pasta) done
tidy hall - todays mission done
hoover lounge - again...sigh
hoover stairs
sort massive pile of paperwork on top of microwave done yay
school pick up - dd4 only done
park with snacks done
collect dd3 from sports club and dd 1 and 2 from signing club + DD1 friend done
drop dd1 friend home done
home done
dinner for dc done
4 mile run (leaving dh to deal with reading and bathtime )done
shower done
eat done
sleep! soon!

List for tomorrow:
6 dc up , dressed and breakfasted
unload TD
whites to dry
dark colours in wash
S&S up and downstairs bathrooms
school run
pop to shop for butter...forgotten today
masses of clean clothes to put away!
clean our ensuite
good tidy/dust/hoover our room
hoover lounge ansd stairs
plant iris in front garden
tidy out car
bake????
easy tea - freezer!
email HR about new working hours

right...that'll do for now...

now just need to resist eating hot cross bun...(why did I buy them????)

BBtomorrow

Ellie - my thoughts entirely...
PA - glad you're enjoying new toy!!

Just pooped in to say I have done my list - yayyy and we've all had chinese for supper. Both DSs are stuffing their faces with chocolate cupcakes that DD made and duly charged for!!.

White wine/red wine/nibbles open and on the side as we've all worked so hard today!!

om I really hope you didn't poop in the thread . And as for dd selling cakes to her dear siblings I think that shows initiative .

Wine is gratefully received and is being consumed!

Evening all optimisticmumma - mmm choc cup cakes, does your dd take postal orders

I have done ok today

sink shined done
breakfast cleared away, sides wiped done
downstairs hoover done
kitchen and hallway mopped done
washing in done
washing out and hung to dry done
cook tea and clean up done
shine sink again - need to do

didn't manage to do any ironing or start labelling the stuff for the nearly new, looks like that'll be a mad dash job tommorrow evening as per usual!

Lol at OM pooping in the thread. The chocolate cupcakes sound delicious, even if DD1 did tell me off earlier for eating too much chocolate (when I complained I had toothache).

OFM Sekt is Austrian/German sparkling wine, and very nice it was too (we like to mix it with creme de cassis). It was only a small bottle so I didn't feel at all too guilty about indulging.

Sorry that I don't have more time for personal messages but you're all far too prolific and I'm aiming to have an early night for once!

Wheeee what a fast thread! Glad you got to see the dentist Linzer - hope it stops troubling you soon. at OM's pooping! Thanks for all your efforts PMPY and good luck to StillChucking - you'll need it!

Of my piddly list of 3 things I achieved two of them :(. Folded washing is still piled in a basket looking at me - too late now as the DC are in bed. My excuse is that I've had a really busy day and DD has been a wailing misery for most of it.

Still, kitchen is clean and sink shiny. Now I just need to sit here fretting about DP - he's just set off for work in horrendous weather. We've got severe gales here and there's a drifting snow warning out for the road he travels to get to work, but I sent him with leftover spag bol, an extra coat, wellies, torch, shovel, hat and gloves. He thinks I'm in a needless panic so he took the piss by packing our camping stove as well

my Brother has just told me my very shy SIL is feeling very isolated with her new 3 wk old baby - as she doesn't know any new mothers in the area, or anyone really (who isn't at work). So I need to try and pick up her up in the car next week and bring her out here. It's not far, but it is unfortunately two bus journeys. I know the only solution is to find some other mums...but it is difficult to know in the early days where to find them. Anyone with young babies and with recollection of early days have any good ideas? I just can't remember knowing anyone except NCT people, and SIL doesn't have more than two local (who she already doesn't really like...)

done
supper in three variants including Pumpkin Ravioli for grownups, and with three sittings.
saucepans still lurking
dd long story
dd more colouring and drawing - I think she is beginning to feel a bit more relaxed now

Linzer - oh dear on dental

It is difficult with new mums though, you don't want to barge in and boss them around, and you don't want to disturb them if they are asleep or might want to go to sleep - the only solution really is to live next door to all relatives.

First chance to post as today went tits up at about 11.30pm last night.
Call from tenants to say they had no water. Downstairs have gone traveling, left yesterday morning for 3 mths and had turned the water off........to both flats!!
Hence mad dash round this morning to find details, phone numbers, keys, etc (all via texts from Singapore!) and get bl**dy plumber to sort out HIS cock-up. Easy to sort out in the end but DH and I had turned up with bolt-cutters and plans to break in to get at Mains water thing which is in downstairs' cellar
Managed to get back by skin of my teeth (flat is 20 miles away) for Maths workshop at school but had NO LUNCH :(

So today, apart from crisis management whilst clutching bolt-cutters, I have done:

• Morning routine
• Managed not to throttle dim plumber
• Thrown together shepherd's pie that was prepped yesterday (and which both DS failed to eat a morsel of )
• DS's swimming lesson
• Menu-plan
• Shiny sink (I bought an e-cloth yesterday :))

Need to:

• Put out clothes
• Order from Book People
• Finish shopping list for tomorrow
• Early night

PA - glad to see you are back on baking form. Must be getting closer to 100% again. Going through a bit of an ice-cream phase here - currently have vanilla, rhubarb and mint choc chip ice cream and raspberry sorbet in freezer though not for long I think :)

PMPU - fantastic round-up, hope trip away is enjoyable even if it is for work

Toffee - glad you got a night out. Its a rarity here too. Hope you are able to sort out the best strategy for you and your DS.

Linzer - I had wisdom tooth out last summer under a local and it wasn't as bad as I had expected - helped by dishy young French dentist I seem to recall :)
Hope yours settles down quickly

swan - thanks for tile/bathroom tips. Luckily I am starting with v plain bathroom in rental house and friend (whose house it is) wants it as cheaply as possible so that will be white then! When we get round to ours I should have a bit more practice!
Would love to see picture of yours when its done, I'm intrigued.
Am also taking note of tips about builders as we may be extending at the front to add downstairs shower room at some point this year. MUST concentrate on decluttering.

Re SiL - poor girl. I was new to area with new baby but could never be called shy!! I would have trawled every baby group going if necessary but didn't have to as HV ran a group, a sort of post-natal group rather than ante-natal. All the babies were about 6 wks old, a group of us just clicked and are still together now, the 'babies' will all be 8 this month
Maybe something like baby massage class or similar would help as its nice and gentle, focuses on the baby but there should be like-minded Mums there to chat to. As for living next door to relatives....NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

CHB - am filing mantra for when needed. Would have been useful last night

Cobwebs - hope you and your DS had fun afternoon and little friends didn't trash your house

Nick - love 'tidy sitting room to guest standard'. I've been here for a year and that is what I am still aiming for most of the time and rarely reaching

frenchfancy - using DH as proxy Flyer is to be encouraged :0

Must post this before thread grows even bigger :)
Huge waves with new yellow e-cloth to everyone

Blimey, that was even longer than usual!

Right ladies

[SC rolls up sleeves]

No pooping on the thread now!

Sorry if I'm a bit late with this (just watched the end of Michel Roux's traineee programme - blubbed a bit a the end - brilliant stuff.)

You have all done wonderfully well today. All you newbies to the thread have been far too efficient and finished your lists. Us oldie fledglings (slightly longer of feather and beak) had better start shaping up!!

OK starting from the top:

Linzer has been battling against toothache, work and decluttering deadlines ahead of half term holidays and has rewarded herself with a well deserved snifter

JackieP has been the perfect Flyer and completed 99.9% of her list

Ellie is also quaffing wine, swearing and contemplating her skirting boards in the knowledge that she has achieved a relatively clean house in addition to full on job (which is brill). We're all about relativism not perfectionism on here.

PoOptimistic (forgive me, I couldn't resist ) has managed to support her dd's charity work in Africa, eat Chinese food and choc cupcakes, AND has completed her list

Overflowingmum is another efficient fledgling who has completed a long list and is all set for the morrow. (I think you are right btw, there is definitely a hint of spring in the air. Mornings still grim, but noticed it was much lighter after school today! Can't wait!)

FrenchFancys dh deserves a special fat fairy award today for stepping in to the breach as does FF* herself for managing a good lot of chores despite having only just recovered from feeling ill herself. Hope your 2dcs recover soon.

Nicknacks is another who has completed her list and kicked the grubby jobs in to oblivion. [She also quite likes this thread] You can stay then Have a good evening out!

[SC at this point starts to feel a little ashamed that she didn't even post a list today, never mind finish it. ]

But, all is well in the world because PA is back in the kitchen! Hurray! A sure sign she is properly better! Pleeease save us the crusty bit at the corner of the shepherd's pie tin. (Btw I have extreme Kindle )

Swan is feeling tired and a bit ill this evening following a fantabulous craft fest with her dd today. Hope you vanquish the microbes and the soup turns out ok.

Leo and Alice have made their feelings known about spiders (as opposed to Ellie who provides them with a warm and loving home)

Ihate is scaring impressing me with her humungously long lists as usual. Frankly, I think I'll just give up and move in if that's OK

Toffee is contemplating combing HE and Flying and canvassing advice from all you lovely lot on here.

Pinkcushion has been busy preparing for builders. (Wishing you courage and a never-ending supply of PG Tipps]

I'm going to post this now before I lose it (the post, not my sanity ) and come back to finish second half ....

Hi, I would like to join too. No idea what to do but will follow the thread with interest. Someone suggested I follow this when I was asking for help to get on top of the house. I go back to work after ml in 3 weeks so need all the help I can get :)