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!

Right here we go, lord knows how pmpy has been doing it!

nicknacks has been chucking traumas or rather having traumas about chucking. Tis so hard to decide what to chuck and what not to chuck, my attic is full of chuckable stuff that i haven't been able to chuck so i feel your chucking trauma. Chucking hell that was confusing

thornykate was looking forward to join us and join us she should. Hello! I too have a crappy and unttractive old white sink and I can still fly...bleach is the answer and if the pots are away and the drainer clear then i count that as shiny sink so therefore so should you. Welcome btw .

doric's day went before she had realised it had come, her DD was unfortunately a PITA but she now has wine so all is right with the world (if it makes you feel better,I say it that often to dd that if I say to DD 'what are you?' she says 'a pain mummy' [bad mother emoticon].

pinkcushion has decluttered the bedside table thanks to the wise and sage advice of some fledgling or other and her DH is decluttering the shed. Result!

As per usual sc merely flapped past but managed to dispense some decluttering wisdom but was wondering why she can't take advantage of her own genius...I am forever telling DC's to shut up..never shut up myself mind

pa's torturous weekend with no DC's has come to an end and she is happy again. Bless her . SHe has baked and everything is ok again.

ofm i have decided is superwoman in disguise...running plus 6 dc's plus flying..... She was unecessarily beating herself up a little bit and really shouldn't because she sounds as if she is a fantastic mother. Respect.

sr is another one having DD problems but consoled herself with a lovely pub lunch and a walk in the park to blow away those cobwebs.

blijmuts revealed herself to be a morning person. Snap. I actually blame my parents as they were too. I can get loads done before 3/4pm but am as much use as a chocolate fireguard after that time. The sofa and the wine will always win in that situation!

linzer is still feeling poorly . But was off for some family fun time at the airport . We don't live near a big airport and I would love to take DS. Hope you are feeling better soon.

toffee had a lovely, if slightly interrupted, lie-in and had a busy day planned. Hope the phone call went ok.

ballinderry worry ye not...my whole life is a hotspot

silversixpence joined us . She was all motivated and ready and rarng to go!

skiptotheend was an early bird and a child free bird at that . I can get loads done when I have the house to myself but sod all when the dc's are here which kind of explains the current state .

Phew.... Am going for a lie down now .

Have a lovely evening everyone!

Fab round up! Bravo!

Why thank you kind nicknacks.

Seen as there are sooooooo many of us now, could I ask a favour? COuld you let me know what your hoover is and whether it is any good.

I am fed up of buying new hoovers, they are ok to start with, last a few months, then become a PITA. DH has just agreed that I can buy anohter one, so advice please.

PS. I need to get it quick because the washing machine is on its last legs, but as he has agreed to a new hoover i will get that, cos when the washing machine dies, we will HAVE to get another immediately. If he knows the WM is on its way out, he will persuade me to get that first, then we would have to negotiate for a new hoover.

DCs all snuggled up in bed, bless them.

I have the Dyson All Floors. Quick flick and the brushes lift so i can do the wooden floors/tiled floors without risk of scratching.

Expensive -about £260 3 yrs ago- but i like it.

PA We've got a Miele cylinder, had it for about 5 years and am very happy with it. Miele regularly come top of the best buys in Which. We were talking about them on here a few weeks ago because someone else wanted a new one, maybe about a month ago, if you can be bothered to look at last month's thread?

We are also very pleased with our Bosch washing machine BTW....

I would answer your question pa but i have always had the same problem as you so this time instead of spending lots of money on something i will inevitably wreck i spent the precise sum of £16.99 on an Argos Value one. Bloody brilliant so far but when it packs up in 3 months I won't care . So therefore I have answered your question but with a thoroughly useless answer .

Having said all that, my mother swears by her Miele and there is not a lot my mother swears by as she is a bugger for a bargain and will randomly switch brands to save a few pence but she has always stuck with Miele for vacuums.

Thanks Ellie.

it is my pleasure to dispense worthless information pa .

Hi

Just logging back on. We've been away for the weekend, and got back this evening.

Have:
eaten
unpacked car - DH is now trying to put all models back in cabinets tonight
sorted cats (very unhappy about being left overnight)
phoned mother to check on DS
made chocolate oat crunchies for DS lunch box tomorrow
bins, recycling, food bin out for bin men tomorrow
started porridge
now off to have bath

Will wash up if I have the energy, BUT got 5 hours sleep last night, and have driven nearly 100 miles today, done the WI end of year and financial statements (while babysitting the stand), and am shattered. Afraid sink shining may have to wait for tomorrow .

PA I've got a Miele Cat and Dog - fantabulous. Nearly 5 years old now and never a cross word with it (yet).

PA I have a Sebo K1 Komfort with turbo brush for cat hair. It is miraculously wonderful and I feel more affection for it than I should for an inanimate object. Have had it many years - at least 6? - and it is still like new. (But have heard good things about Miele too.)

2 playdates here this weekend and house was beautiful, but it took us all Saturday morning to get it that way. And every toy basket had randomly mixed-up toys in - really want to get that sorted but it is a Big Job.

This week's babystep, for me: DO NOT go to sleep on the sofa after dc's are in bed. Life will be MUCH better if I do the minimal evening stuff I can manage and then go to ACTUAL BED, instead of crashing for a couple of hours, doing midnight pottering and only getting 5 hours in a proper bed (sorry just shouting at myself here). I have managed it tonight - off to do BBR now, which = dw and laundry putting away tonight.

Hi to all and best wishes to PMPY's BIL especially.

hi PA we were given a miele vac (not sure of model) but it is great - i had a dyson once upon a time and thought it was good until it died and i got the miele - wow. i know they are expensive which is why i am lucky to be given one - good luck, i know how you feel about your washing machine, ours is in our garage and kept freezing in the really bad frost, it is also very old so everytime i put a load on i cross my fingers :)

Thanks for the round up, Ellie and the steps, Still.

PMPY - hope your BIL is feeling better.

Pinkcushion - glad to hear Still's de-cluttering tip worked for you. In fact, I like it so much, I'm going to try it too.

Systems - I fell asleep on the sofa last night as well. Woke up at 3, wide awake, and didn't get back to sleep till 5. All very confusing and not to be recommended.

PA - Definitely the Miele. We used to have a Dyson, but much prefer the Miele

Battery is running low on the computer, so no more personal messages, just quick waves to Ihate, Linzer, Doric, OFM, Ellie, Nick, Ogre, Skip, Thorny, Blij, Silver, Leo, Swan and huge apologies to anyone I've overlooked.

The phone call to my son's friend was awkward and sad. I had to speak to the boy first, as his mum wasn't there, which was quite upsetting because he sounded genuinely upset. Then had a long chat with his Dad, who was very understanding about it and said my DS was always welcome there if he changed his mind.

On the Flying front, DH and I threw out 12 bags of old clothes from the loft. Yes, 12! It was easy because most of them were wet from a leak in the roof and smelt disgusting, so I had no desire to hold onto any of them. We are hoping to do more on Wednesday.

Tomorrow, DS1 is staying with me, rather than going to school, and we are going to meet with a home-ed mum and her daughter. Then DS is going to help me with the home overhaul - that should be interesting.

Got to go and do BBR now, plus 15 mins of ironing.

Hello all you lovely ladies!
So, DD DID wake, as expected when i had my wee rest last night! Finally (at 10pm!) got all the meals into the freezer! Enough for the next 28 days!! 16 dif kinds of things!!! WOO HOO! Am so chuffed!
Managing to shine sink daily! :)
At mum's today, gutting out boxes of my old stuff! (been storing stuff there 7 years!)
DH is home from work tomorrow, so not sure how the sink shining is going to go! Lol!!
Hoping to keep up with you guys! You are a true inspiration!!

Hope everyone has had a lovely wkend!
Hopefully see you all tomorrow. xx

Morning all,

Thanks for the fab round-up ellie and for the links SC.

blijemuts and all those other morning people - I'm definitely more of a morning person too, but am useless after about 5 pm. I also like to get up an hour before the DC so that I can have breakfast and shower in peace and quiet. It hasn't worked this morning, as DD1 and DS both got up at 6.15 am (when I normally struggle to wake them at 6.45 am for school), but at least we're not in such a rush this morning as don't have to leave for the skiing course until 8.30 am.

No headache so far this morning, as it usually kicks in about an hour after I get up, so must try and get as much as possible done before it starts (although am hoping it won't, of course).

Today's list (much of which still ongoing from last week...):

Morning routine
Get everything ready for skiing course and clothes ready for photographer's
Skiing course
DD2 to photographer's (to have school photo taken)
Afternoon routine
Put washing away
15 minutes decluttering in kitchen
Thank you letters x2
Update calendar
Pay gas bill
Check whether I/DC need tick jab
Evening routine

Must get on while I can! Hope everyone has a good day.

I'm still here with shiny sink and tidy hallway. SIL even noticed yesterday! Finding it a bit of a challenge to search through all the posts for the next challenge though.

I have absolutely nothing constructive to say this morning apart from the fact that I hate Mondays.

Oh dear Ellie, dont worry, tomorrow is Tuesday.

Hope that headache stays away Linzer.

Thanks for all the hoover advise. I think i am off to look at the Miele and persuade DH its worth the extra money.

Feeling very lethargic this morning after being awake half the night for no apparent reason whatsoever.

DH's day off today, so my day is sort of dominated by what he is doing. It sounds a bit too windy for too much bike stroking, so he could well be around the house for the day. Oh joy of joys!!

I am not awake enough at the moment to think about what needs doing today, so no list from me.

Waves to everyone, sorry for lack of personal messages, but it all seems so overwhelming that there are so many of us now. Very good to have everyone here though.

Toffee - really pleased to hear you are havinga day off with DS. I typed out a long post to you yesterday, but then it wouldnt post on your other thread. I will try to get a couple of minutes later, but just wanted to say, you are doing the right thing and you probably wont realise how stressed you all are until you realise how relaxed you are in a few days/weeks time (if you decide to hop out totally). We are all so brain washed into thinking that school is the only way and everyone has to do it, but when DD had to give up I just wished I had done it for all of mine years ago!! Good luck!!

[wards off Linzer's headache with garlic and prayers] oh think I've missed something in amongst the mieles and the weekending - Linzer I presume there is a break from school atm for you to be ski-ing. Fab!

I am sitting here trying to gather my wits after school run. Dd is watching Cbbc. Ds2 has been instructed to buy her a present from the Science Museum (yr 4 school trip)
I slept much better, dh slept much worse, cue argument this morning about ironing board, tiles and other fragments of civilized life Dd also in baaad mood.

Can't even think what my list is.
Coffee
Hoover our bedroom.

bbl

Toffee enjoy today

Right, proper list
breakfast table
iron rest of dh shirts whilst watching lovely film with dd - positive approach
hoover master bedroom
tackle ds1 and dd's room, hoover
restore bathroom 1 to peace and serenity (contains all items chucked out of bathroom 2 which is being tiled/revamped)

more testing list
what's for dinner - chicken casserole from yest & couscous
buy new bathroom seat/laundry combo browse internet
pay in dh cheque
get dd to practice her singing for lesson
bake traybake for this afternoon with dd
find out if dh going to Devon tomorrow or not, and if so book babysitter so I can go on Ladies night out after all...
go to the rubbish dump with dd in car with some rubble
buy some purple gravel for front garden as today is GARDENING DAY
find thank you letters that ds1 wrote and send them
write note to dd's godmothers thanking them x 2 (thank you Linzer)

dd illish friend round at 2pm to do drawing
another dd friend over after school to play
take ds2 to Cubs at 6.30
pickup other Cubs 8
drop ds1 to Scouts 8
pick up ds1 from Scouts 9.30

doesn't look so bad written down

swan, I sooooooo get where you're coming from with the ironing board level of arguing that happens when people are tired. Last night DP and I had a row about chip butties

List (small because I'm going out this afternoon)

• Phone tax credit people done
• Fold yesterdays so-far-unfolded clothes
• Tumble dry yesterday's white wash
• Clean down surfaces and shine sink (DP did dishes but needs, er, finishing touches )
• Dig something out of freezer for dinner
• Put away now mountainous basket of folded clothes
• Stick breadmaker on

I have two choices this morning:
a) go back to bed and pretend today and this house doesn't exist, or
b) stop faffing about and get on with it!

Unfortunately, for my mood, it's going to have to be the latter. House is a tip, result of the weekend. Washing up not done (was just too tired last night), bags waiting to be unpacked, models not all put away and NO boxes put away (DH too tired) which means living room is scattered with a dozen large boxes, most of which can't be stacked, rest are in kitchen, and I overslept so late collecting DS.

Make DS lunch done
Collect DS from mother and take to playgroup done
Email re meeting this week done
Meat from freezer for cottage pie done
Got DH out of bed, and off to work done
Breakfast - half done
Wash up
Try to make some semblence of order in living room so we can at least get to the door without stepping over boxes
Room rescue living room
Room rescue kitchen
Clean washing away
Washing on airer
Washing in machine for tonight
WHBH
Collect DS from playgroup
Activity with DS outdoors
Activity with DS indoors
Garden - 15 mins
Zone cleaning
Zone mission (when I've found what it is)
Decluttering - must get back in habit of doing this, has been drifting of late
Make tea
Tea
Bedtime routine
Evening routine
Baker Ross order
Finish WI end of year
Write this month's birthday cards
Finish letter for mother to sign
Plan this week's activities for DS
Log in library books

See how I get on with that lot, and dream of bedtime

Looking at Doric's list reminded me, must make bread - so best get started on that now.