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!

Goodness me, we are rather a sorry lot tonight

Linzer has been to Ikea and is looking forward to (or probably enjoying by now!) a glass of wine. Hopefully this means you are feeling a bit better today!

Doric is suffering from various eruptions having been awoken by a poo explosion (not her own and an overflowing breadmaker.

Frenchfancy is hanging in there

OFM has a horrible cold and her DD has a bad migraine, poor thing . I get the odd migraine myself and know how miserable they are. I hope she is feeling better soon.

PA is having a calm gentle day and has sorted out a work problem. Hooray!

pinkcushion has been busily decluttering and has run out of shredding! She has also discovered to joy of finding numerous previously lost items as part of the process.

OM is tackling a laundry mountain but getting side tracked by more interesting jobs. She has also bought a new bra and I am as I have been either pregnant or breastfeeding for the last 3 years and therefore am getting rather sad of norkage, yet unable to justify new lingerie purchases

leo is feeling a bit better, but now her DS is poorly . I hate being sick too. I hope he feels better soon.

toffee has had a difficult day with a visit to CAMHS with her DS . I will go over to your other thread once I have finished here.

swan is another one who has had a very stressful day as her FIL in Italy has had a heart attack . Fortunately he is now out of intensive care and awake. I hope he continues to improve. Thinking of you all.

blijemuts has quite a long list and fajitas for tea. Yum!

feetheart had a long list and has promised to Go To Bed Early.

star has been exercising and her car is broken - which will presumably help with the exercise

ogre has been inadvertently washing teabags

ihate is another fledgling who has had a difficult day as her DS has been up in the night with croup and wheezing .

balinderry and scout have also popped in to say hello

I am a bit less uncomfortable today and have managed to rewrite 26 pages of a 40 page report that was evidentally written by an illiterate moron

Have managed most of my list today, including hoovering the stairs, but excluding mopping the kitchen floor! DD and I cooked salmon and cous cous and apple and sultana crumble for tea thought which I thought was pretty good going.

Right, back in a minute (when I can find the strength ) with the links

Oh dear swan your poor DD . I wish i had something helpful to suggest. My DD struggles with bedtime too but can usually be calmed eventually with promises of specific lovely things to do tomorrow (usually chocolate toast ), but I guess your DD is less easily bribed than a 2 year old. It is horrible to hear them so upset.

OK then

Tomorrow's babystep is to add and inspirational page to your control journal. Can't say I've ever bothered with this one as I don't even have a control journal

Friday's mission is to sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Hooray an excuse to not do it tonight .

If I recall correctly friday night is date night. My DH is going to visit BIL in hospital so not looking particularly promising here, but hopefully those of you of a more romantic disposition will make the best of it!

Evening all

Swan sorry to hear about DD, hope she settles.

OFM and Ihate hope that DCs are better soon also

Ogre I find allsorts in my washing machine. My DD loads it for me (5) and picks up anything within arms reach, usually whatever is on the stairs waiting to go up.

Star hope your car is fixed soon, mine broke teice last week and cost me over £200 and much inconvenience.

Feetheart hope you managed an early night

Well I have had a good day at school and then shopped and cooked tea before becoming ill and had to cry off Yoga. Did manage to get some uni work done and some more washing today though. Being organised last night also allowed me an extra 15 minutes in bed this morning and a much calmer morning.

Have tonight found approx 20 receipes for my menu plans, which I am going to complete tomorrow and do an online shop for.

Jobs for tomorrow

• Last day at school - write a thank you note.
• Menu plan
• Online food shop
• Parcel package and take to post office
• Buy birthday present for my dad and GP
• 15 minute hotspot in spare room
• Uni filing
• 2 x e-mails to uni
• 15 minute hotspot in my bedroom
• tidy out medicine cupboard

By 8pm tonight I was in my PJs with DDs uniform laid out. Now that DH is home i'm going to do lunches for tomorrow, find my clothes and off to bed. (So much for bed by 10pm plan)

OFM sorry about your DD migraine. What does she take for them? Have you tried Migraleve? Works for me and my mother most of the time.

I'm dithering about on MN waiting for my turn in the bath. DH has been here all evening, but "waited" until I got in from the meeting to have a bath . So I have:

made bread (had left it for first rise before I went to the meeting)
cleaned out my handbag - from tomorrow's list
written out menu plan for next fortnight
written shopping list for next week
prepared all bags for tomorrow (toddler group, town)
semi prepped picnic for tomorrow
updated allotment file having bought seeds with DS today
filed meeting notes etc
Washing in machine for tonight
myriad of other small jobs
and STILL I'm waiting

Too knackered to posst last night after a "CAlm and relaxing" day!

No chance to catch up or give a proper list today as I need to iron a load of shirts that DH needs for a trip away.
Need to get to work early,
meet my printing deadline,
Print
Get back home to take DH to boat
Wave DH off for a lads weekend of international rugby in Edinburgh!!
All before 10.45, so must get started!!!

Will think about what will happen afterwards.....probably not a lot!!

Oh and the international supper is now for 100 people, so more planning needed urgently (and much more cooking/baking)

Went to bed unusually early last night, which is just as well as I was woken up at 5 by DS2 having a nose bleed. Once I'd changed his sheets and mopped him up, I was wide awake and ready for breakfast, so have been up ever since.

PMPY - thanks for the round up.

Swan - sorry to hear about your DD's meltdown. It's so exhausting for you and really not what you need at the moment. I hope you managed a good night's sleep . Also hope you hear more good news about your FIL today. Ooh - the 65 and Petersham way: that's my old neck of the woods. Have struggled onto the 65 with a buggy many a time!

Linzer - I hope you have a headache-free day today. Glad to hear you got some good stuff at Ikea and were able to make use of the playroom. I remember the first time we were able to use that facility - it was so liberating!

Leo - poor DS and poor you having to wash all those sheets. Hope he's getting better today.

Cobweb - DS1 had croup regularly and DS2 has had it a couple of times - it's very frightening. Sounds as if you had an awful and worrying night. I hope last night was better - when you finally got to bed, that is (you were being very patient about DH still being in the bath after midnight!).

Makingchanges - 20 recipes? Goodness, that is organised! And I'm very impressed by your efficient before-bed routine too.

OFM - sorry to hear about your daughter's migraine. I hope she's better today.

DS1 has woken up and is pestering me to 'borrow' the computer so he can check his Roblox threads.

See you all later.

Hi all

[waves forlornly from under the duvet]

dh and I ill with some sort of flu-ish type bug just at the wrong time given pil crisis

I've got runs, shivers, general wobbliness, clanging headache. Dh has sneezing, aches & pains, headache. DD fine (touch wood) !! Dh manfully carrying on and I've weakly given in ...although I've got to try and get up at some point today ...didn't manage it yesterday

Haven't read entire thread - just Pushmes terrific round-up - sorry to hear lots of others and their dc ill too!!

Here's to speedy recovery for everyone!!

[crawls back to bed]

Oh dear SC, and everyone else who is poorly. Nice to know that after months of illness I now appear to be the healthiest on this thread!!

Only popped in to say hello hairdressers at 12noon and I don't plan to do housework after that to mess it up so see you all later

Sorry, Still - that sounds awful. Hope you and your DH feel better soon.

My laptop if being very surly this morning and keeps swallowing up my posts
Probably for the best!

SC stay in bed for as long as you can!

Builder's Last Day. Hooray! Only I do have to pay him now

Toffee poor you, what an early start. I feel the sheets are perpetually draped over our bannisters one way or another.
Star lives at one end of the 65 and I live at the other....

PA what is the international menu going to be?

Cobweb we have the problem that only one tap can be run at any one time in this house, although we have two bathrooms; Edwardian water supply. Not looking forward to teenagers who lock themselves in the bathroom and use all the hot water.

Push that sounded a delicious supper, and a lot of rewriting!

List
buymilk for builder
bank
new gym shoes for dd if there is any money i my account
hoover bedroomo hoover bedroom hoover bedroom
tidy dcs rooms for weekend serenity
put some books in the loft whilst dh is away
book nice lady to talk to dd and me even if its for a few weeks' time

sort out front room

Next week I will try and get the house tidy again after the builder has taken all his equipment away, I feel like we have been just "surviving" for last few weeks - it's more a state of mind than anything else.

Thaks for the fab round up PMPY

Toffee my washing pile which was actually quite managable last night has exploded with DS projectile vomiting multiple times in vaious beds :( nose bleeds eeeekkk sounds like you have more washing than planned too.

cobweb poor DS, croup is awful.

swan hope you are having a calmer day today.

chuckingit hope you feel better soon

everyone else sorry for not giving more personal messages but hi!

DS1 seems better this morning no more vomitting since 3 a.m. though did not sleep much as he really fidgits in bed and I can't sleep when he squirms. He ended up in our bed and DH in the guest room

todays list
dressed to shoes (DS1 still in PJs)
School run DS2
breakfast
confirm DS1 party details and how many children are coming
reply to some urgent e-mails
hem trousers
loads of washing
put fresh sheets on DS's bed
dw
lunch
dinner

Leo ds2 fidgeted from 6.30 onwards in our bed

Came back from errands to find builder [bless him but still grrr]had rifled through the bins and was extracting things (books and such like)that I had thrown away in a symbolic and decisive act of decluttering. And reading one of the books as if I shouldn't have chucked it....I felt like screaming - what's wrong with these men - can't they accept that I just want to throw something away!!!!!

done
bought ds1 some shirts that fit him(he has shot up, and out)
dd some trainers
everyone new school socks in different variations

tried to buy some M & S easy food for weekend, but spent so long in the queue with heavy bags that finally gave up and went home without it all overpriced anyway

anyway at least I paid the cheque in!
Our local HMV has closed down just when I was looking forward to a little browse. Carpe Diem!!!!Too late. Screen browsing doesn't suit really. (although one avoids standing in a queue and complaining about heavy bags

Oh dear Swan, it sounds like a bit of a stressful day so far. I hope it gets better.

International supper consists of various people from the church, who have connections with other countries are cooking their own dishes. So we have:
Italian
Russian
Portuguese
Indian
Philipino
Chinese
Hawaiin
German

They all make a load up and everyone goes around and can have a small portion of any that takes their fancy. There is always MASSES of food and its a lovely sociable time. Its great!!!
Then there will be a mountain of chocolate cake, lemon drizzle cake, flapjack, meringues, strawberry mousse to finish with.

Anyone fancy coming along?? £4 a ticket eat as much as you like and all for a good cause.
The think is, I think I have been a bit Too good at selling the tickets!!

Bad spelling in the last line there, oops!

Meant to say, everyone from another country also dresses in their National Dress, too - if they want to.

afternoon all

mc you sounded organised last night, hope youre feeling better though

PA sounds a busy morning...hope you get to chill this afternoon!

swan poor you and dd. I did find all DC used to be quite difficult when DH was away in Ireland a lot when PIL was ill...it was a very stressful time and I think they jsut reacted to that ...hope tonight's bedtime goes better. and LOL or at buildre rifling through bins....depending on how you look at it!

leo glad ds seems almost recovered

cobwebs DD doesnt take anything for the migraines, this is only her second ever one. I have used migraleave though which works quite well. I'm going to get her eyes tested again(as my migraines started when I first needed glasses) and then will have to consider what to do about them if they become a rugular thing in the future.
Hope you got your bath in the end!

sc deifnitely stay in bed as long as possible. Hope your better soon

star enjoy hairdressers and new hair!

PMPY thanks for fab roundup

everyone-else...HI

right, well I have been very productive this morning for a change.

so far have done:
rebooted laundry
6 dc up, dressed and breakfasted
S&S bathrooms
tidied dining room shelves
hot spot (papers on top of microwave)
Tidied breakfast things
school run
rebooted laundry
thorough clean of kitchen: surfaces, doors and cupboards,cleaned windows
sorted out fridge
rebooted laundry
swept and mopped hall, dining room and kitchen
dusted dining room
attempted to tackle our Very out-dated technology situation - threw out video player (that no longer works) and about 15 videos, untangled and organised masses of cables behind TV, re-connected wii in more sensible way (DS1 did it after Christmas )
dusted in lounge
hoovered lounge
sorted out DVD cupboard and re-organised all DVDs
lunch - me and ds
put away shopping delivery

phew....

have attempted to put ds for a nap...but can hear muttering from upstairs so think that plan has failed...

Still to do:

Lots of clean clothes to put away
write menu plan for week
tidy,dust and hoover bedrooms

It has turned quite birght here though...so may just head out to playground with ds if he doesnt sleep...

right...off to check on ds...

BBL

swan I hate in when anyone goes through stuff I want to bin in front of me. at your cheeky builder going through the bin, tell him to stop being so nosy.

so far I have

todays list
dressed to shoes (DS1 still in PJs) done
School run DS2 done
breakfast done
confirm DS1 party details and how many children are coming done
reply to some urgent e-mails
hem trousers
loads of washing- in progress
put fresh sheets on DS's bed done
dw
lunch done
dinner
hoovered the upstairs done

My ecloths have arrived yay
DS says he can only manage some dry cereal for lunch :( but atleast he is feeling well enough to eat.

X posts OFM that'll teach me to not refresh the page after wandering off for a bit. Glad you are having a productive morning.

My DC are currently parked on the sofa watching Mulan

Flying by, hello to all
swan I did the same thing at M and S yesterday! LOL

Finally builder has gone [Swan sways slightly]

now I can get my head the right way round

todo
shower
mop
hoover
scrub
wander from room to room aimlessly, feeling freeeeeee

OFM amazing stuff, and so satisfying sorting out tangled wires.
Yes, I think dd really needs to see much more of the gps, and she needs them in her life - hence very violent reaction saying she hates them and doesn't care tuppence what happens to them. She loved seeing my B and SIL at w/e although we are not very close to them at all. Tangles tangles tangles!

swan enjoy the freedom of having your house back.

Stillchuckingit hope you all feel better soon.

Thanks to Pushme for another great round up.

Waves to anyone I've missed but need to run and pick the small people up from school.

Friday has never been a great day for housework, so this list is deliberately short

Run done
Coffee with the ladies done
Quick tidy done
Kitchen Cupboard - decluttered done
Guest room - 15 min attention done
Hoover - everywhere. done

My kitchen is now feeling more organised - only a few cupboards to go but it's making cooking a lot easier - I can now find whatever I need without hoaking through 5 shelves to find it - why I have never considered organising my store cupboard I don't know - but I'm loving it.

Might tackle the dreaded garage this weekend - but what I really mean is - I'll supervise dh in his battle with the 8 legged monsters - moral support is a vital job!

Have a great weekend ladies!

Flying by a little late as I went to a town about an hour away to meet my old school friend who I haven't seen for 2 years!
We had a good old natter but I haven't sone much flying...
I have:
hoovered downstairs
rebooted laundry
S and S all bathrooms
Bought a whoopie pie tin!!
Emptied dishwasher and reloaded it

So, not bad. Still need to iron and do some paperwork(you all know how I love it so...). DH just phoned to say he has tickets for Twickenham tomorrow so I'm v.v. excited!!

SC sorry you and DH are ill - sounds horrendous.
Big wave to everyone else on the thread!!