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!

frenchfancy - one babystep at a time and NO perfection.
Also IGNORE everyone else's scary lists and concentrate on what you can achieve.
I've been here over a year and often have days where I only get a few things done. Makes me feel rubbish but a few things are better than none.

morning all

mc yes, it is so easy to see how many children miss out on what they need/deserve. Makes me very cross. Actually had half hours rant at DH about how so called "professionals" could get away with being so useless (not that DH is a useless professional - he was just here so got to listen to me LOL)You sounded V organised last night, well done

doric Poo explosion at 10 to 6 is not an ideal way to start the day! But well done to DS for sleeping through

PMPY thanks for fab round up

right well...day off paid work so aim to catch up a bit...I am STILL fighting of yucky cold,blocked head and gunky chest though so have decided to be realistic and pace myself and maybe even get a bot of a rest...shock

so ...first list for me today
6 dc up, dressed and breakfatsed underway
reboot laundry
write shopping list done
on-line banking done (not as bad as feared!)
tidy d/room kitchen post breakfast
school run
shopping (small ammount)
home
snack ds2
utilise new Curious George DVD to entertain DS whilst placing big on-line grocery shop!!
sticking with ds
lunch me and ds
ds nap?!?...crossing fingers!
tidy/dust our room
tidy/dust girls room
sweep downstairs floors and mop
laundry reboot
school run

right...think that will do for now...

BBL

Well said feetheart. I swing from the house being total CHAOS to it being passable, but when it is at its worse I now know that it is manageable in small steps rather than knowing its going to take days weeks of manic sorting.

Waves to everyone, sorry for lack of personal messages. Thanks for the round up,its brilliant to be able to keep up with that when there is so many of us, rather than scrolling through pages.

I returned to work last evening and the problem that had me pulling my hair out for hours yesterday was sorted within 20 minutes! GGGrrrr!!! But I felt good for getting it sorted.

Day off work today, so a gentle, calm plan:
Dishwasher unload/load
Clean Kitchen
Washing machine load
Tumble dryer load
Sort out Mount Everest of clean washing in back room
Put Bolognese in slow cooker
S & S bathrooms x3 (neglected recently and now showing! )
Return a purchase in town
Small bit of shopping
Return broken purchase to Argos
Governors meeting this afternoon - 1st one since being ill, so I hope I get my head around it as council want to make huge cuts and we will need to fight!! (it a specialised unit, not a mainstream school)

Right , off I go........
Have a good day everyone.

I have added a picture of my breadmaker efforts to my profile for your amusement :)

It looks like a chef's hat!!

Doric did the bread taste good? - because that's a great start - persevere - my homemade bread not looks perfect with very little effort. I only make the dough in the machine and prove it in a proper bread pan I'm not keen on the shape of loaves from a breadmachine - the slices are too big!

After a day of self-imposed internet denial (would not recommend) I have completed more decluttering and have now run out of items to shred - hurrah! It's nice to be back.

List for today

Help out at school
Dr's Appt
Pick up prescription
Birthday present
Go to library
Paperwork
Clear out fridge
Declutter a kitchen cupboard
15mins declutter in guest room
Recycling centre
Make Bread

Oops I mean it now looks perfect!

Morning all!!

Doric - am loving the bread pic- I see overflowing tins are your thing!! Thanks for the washing machine tip. I shall whack it whilst cleaning down its surface (a la Kelly's Missions!)
PA - I thought you were having a gentle day ???. You take care missy...
OFM - It's sooo annoying when so called professionals are so patronising - but then they probably think you're are on your first child and don't realise you have 6 and have seen it/heard it all before - have a good day!
PMPY - thanks for the round up.
Morning Pink, Feetheart , Linzer and fancy...
Right today:

post letters
pay in cheque
DO LAUNDRY (Mount Everest here and competing with PA!
IRONING (Himalayas)
School for a Parent Info Eve (with teacher hat on this time!!)
Find rugby kit x 2
Help DD bake cakes for her 7 orders!!
Declutter

That'll do for now.
I have a quick question for anyone who might know...since DD had fluey thing a few weeks ago her face is v. blotchy and red from v. dry skin round her mouth and eyelids...Tried loads of moisturiser/E45 etc to no avail. She's 15 and a bit embarrassed therefore keeps wearing v. light foundation which I don't think helps...any ideas????

BBL

OM - does she suffer from Eczema at all, anywhere else on her body? I think the foundation is probably prolonging the healing process, but I know how hard it is to try and get a blotchy 15 year old to understand that they will not self-combust without any!!
Could she have developed an allergy to anything?
When a similar thing happened to DD1 she used absolutely no products/soaps on her face, just water. But she did end up needing steroids to clear hers, but that caused a lot of problems itself, so hope your DDs clears up quickly.

Quick update seen as I am here loitering with intent. - intent on doing as little as possible!!!

Dishwasher unload/load - done
Clean Kitchen -done
Washing machine load
Tumble dryer load -Done
Sort out Mount Everest of clean washing in back room
Put Bolognese in slow cooker - done
S & S bathrooms x3 (neglected recently and now showing! )x2 done
Return a purchase in town - done
Small bit of shopping - done
Return broken purchase to Argos - cant do as realised that DH needs to remove a part from the wall.
Governors meeting this afternoon - 1st one since being ill, so I hope I get my head around it as council want to make huge cuts and we will need to fight!! (it a specialised unit, not a mainstream school)

Not a bad start.....all down here from now I fear!!

morning everyone,

Feeling marginally better this morning so trying to get the essentials done.
DS2 fell over just outside DS1's school yesterday and has a massive bruise on his head.

Today's list
school run
Dishwasher
wipe kitchen counters
load of washing
lunch
dinner

Morning everyone. Went to bed far too late last night thanks to trying to get the online Tesco order to go through (something wrong with their system), so I feel very dopey today. This morning's home education so far has consisted of me sending DS off to read his book so I can go on MN and promising that I'll come and listen to him read out loud in a minute.

Normally, I do my errands today, but I don't have any to do, so will just stick to basic routines.

We have our appointment with CAMHS this afternoon. DS is very cross about it and says he doesn't want to talk to any more people ("I hate psychologists", he says).

Hope everyone has a productive and happy day. I won't start on personal messages, if you don't mind, as I should go and listen to DS reading.

Back later.

just posted a message but it's vanished.

Bad news here, as FIL has had a heart attack, and op, and dh has had to go to Berlin very suddenly to be with MIL. We are not sure what outcome is as he is in intensive care atm. All brought on by PILs getting a large garden in Berlin ready for tenants, FIL and MIL aged 80, and refusing to employ a gardener.

So dh has left at 6am this morning, and I've been up since 4.30 chatting to him. Last night was horrendous as all the children were screaming and dh was trying to book tickets on computer that wouldn't accept his cc.

So tidying up now, as nothing else I can really do except wait and keep home fires burning. Dh will be away till Sunday. I feel lucky in comparison to you SC as at least dh can just drop work for two days without too much problem, or more if he needed. xx

Morning All!! Thank you for all your messages of sympathy!! Didn't really deserve them but still very much appreciated.
Morning routine breakfasts/guests/small people/animals done
1 stayer,1 leaver today,3 new arrivals so 2hrs to be spend on rooms.
Do little shop/swap unwanted top
Get hay for animals
turn/and dry 4 machine loads of washing
dishwasher unload done
dishwasher re-load and put on done
put herd of washing away
iron shirts DH,DD,DS
Dust & hoover ground floor
Pick up DS after school football
Pick up DD after school hockey
Pick up DH at train station (he has to attend a conference in London today)

Make Fajita's/ Eat fajita's

Check in all the new guests
evening routine
put small people in very warm comfy baskets
settle on sofa with cuppa T & slab of chocolate
Read in my basket and ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It is all made more complicated by the fact that PILs live most of year in Italy in small flat, but all their relations are either in wrong side of Berlin (from their flat) or (us)London.

Swanriver,so very sorry to hear your news

Wishing you strength and thoughts are with you and your family.

Blijie thank you! I must get on, MIL is a very busy bee, and she would not want me to sit around moping...

Toffee - hope meeting is productive. Can't say I blame DS for being cross and fed-up with it all.

Quick list:

• Reply to email from friend re her house (= more frustration and more work here - grrrr! - done
• Email accountant re scary letter from HMRC - done
• Print posters for 2nd Hand Uniform Sale - done
• Morning routine - done
• Wash lost uniform for Sale - on at moment
• Laminate posters
• Make Chorizo sauce for dinner and freezer
• Ring re another quote for bathroom in above property
• Email builders re different variation on original quotes
• Text tenants and try to explain delay
• Work
• Ring re Craft workshop for DD's birthday
• Maths workshop at school this afternoon
• DS to swimming lesson
• Dinner
• Collapse in heap and GO TO BED EARLY (shouting at myself as failing badly at this and I'm another early bird so lack of sleep is catching up )

Best get moving............

Morning all
Sorry to hear your news Swan It gets hard when family and friends in need are in different parts of the world.

Right Time for list

Collected DH stuff from Doc done
Brought a parcel box to post stuff to friends too big!
To do
Wash Ds's Linen. We have a hospital appointment now so this might be a thing of the past.
Gym
Food shopping
make beds
Tons of laundry
Lets go with that for today.

X-posted Swan - sorry to hear your news. Thoughts are with you, hope you can keep yourself distracted.

Star!!!there you are...was wondering what had happened to you.

Are you still on for tomorrow morning? Carpe Diem etc..Is it raining then? I need to pay the Cat facility to send messages on MSNT. I could also look back on search for your email which begins with S doesn't it?

Swan - sorry to hear of your fil - thinking of you...
Toffee - poor old DS - I don't blame him either! Sounds like it's all going well otherwise!
PA - yes DD does have eczema from time to time...I guess I'll ask a pharmacist but thanks for replying...
BBL

No, can't find your email address on search.
Can you message me on msnt re: tomorrow or another date.
Sorry, a bit all over the place here.

Swan - I'm so sorry to hear about your FIL. Why on earth won't older people employ anyone? - we have had the same issue with MIL and my grandparents before that. It is so frustrating, but maybe we'll be like that when we are old. Anyway, I really hope that your FIL is ok.

Have done a S&S and that's about all. Just about to start on the kitchen. DS is doing maths practise now. My brain is really befuddled today. Must try and polish it up before the meeting this afternoon.

Morning all (just)

swan, so sorry to hear about your FIL, thinking about you.

frenchfancy 15 minutes is your friend! I have transformed most of my house over the past 12 months in 15 minute bursts! I try and make sure I do at least one 15 minutes a day, often whilst making a cup of tea or just before bed so that even if I'm not moving forwards at least I'm not sliding back!

Just a quick (and short) list from me today as I am working from home, but have an awful lot of paid work to do.

Dishwasher unstack and restack
Think of something nice to make for tea with DD and make it!
Washing on
Clean washing away
hoover kitchen stairs (still )
mop kitchen floor
complain to Sainsbury's re state of online shop
Finances