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!

It was Boringstoke CHB, that's our nearest now, we live a bit further inland, I just get drawn back to the coast for days out etc because I get that landlocked feeling here, and there's lots to do at the seaside. Worked in G'port for the 10 years until 18mo ago, and miss it in a funny sort of way [nostalgia emoticon].

hi, haven't got much in the house done today, DD on half term, but;
went to dentist (i have to get wisdom tooth out :( ) DDs teeth are clean and shiny
went to library to return DDs very overdue library books ,
went to healthcentre to find out about DDs eyeclinic appt - i don't think they can answer phone calls ,
took DD, mum and brother to the golden arches which was bunged for half term,
called into DH work as had promised DD we would,
2 loads of washing,
dishes,
still to exercise (weigh in tomorrow :( )
have to finish dishes but corrie is sucking me in

The day has flown in, back into the babysteps etc tomorrow.

swan glad DH is home
cobwebs get well soon everyone

Its one of those places. You keep being drawn back to it but not idea why

And you spend the entire time sat in a traffic jam when you get there .

Well either we didn't trash the house as much as usual this weekend or this Flying lark is starting to work
Since I have started to do things 'properly' ie actually doing what I am supposed to do Flying-wise and not just write lists of -much more interesting-- non-Flying things the house is looking better and I'm feeling better about it. There is still a loooooong way to go BUT it may be working. Newcomers take note - it has taken me over a year on here to realise this when really I should have just done what the Fat Fairy told me to do to start with (within reason of course :))

I also doubt the possibility of the weekly 'overhaul' taking an hour, methinks Flylady is deluded on that one.

Rest of today's list looks like this:

• Hoover downstairs - done
• Hoover upstairs - took hoover up, abandoned it, brought it down this evening, does that count?
• Sort out clothes for DD the wear to friend's party after school and TAKE THEM WITH ME - done
• Bathroom surfaces and floor (easy as tiny!) - easy but not done )
• 15 mins decluttering in living room - no
• Posters up at school - done
• Reading at school - done

I have also made sausages, wedges and beans - obligatory when DD is out as she doesn't like spuds in any form (how can a child not like chips? ) or beans and poor DS loves them, done a jigsaw with DS, picked up DD from party, put last night's ironing away and have shined sink :)
Now need to look for a DS case for DD's birthday next week

Sorry for lack of personal messages but 'hello' to Lair, 'well done' to ellie for having longer list than ihate, 'hope your motivation returns soon swan 'get well soon' to poorly people and hope those of you on half-term enjoy it.

I've just started doing fly over the last week and I'm incredibly impressed at the difference in the house already.

For the first time ever I got home from work today to a tidy living room and an empty sink.

There is still work to be done - lots, but I know it will get a little better every day.

I also cannot get a home blessing done in an hour and [shhhh], can't be doing with this 15 minute business at all, hardly get started in 15 mins. However I try and stick to my weekly routines, and just declutter/hotspot as often as I can, with intermittent missions. But when I do a bedroom, or living room it needs more than 15 mins but I do it less than once a week. So maybe on average 15 mins a week for these rooms, hmm.

Enough, need to go and do stuff (watch Corrie) - DH has vacated the comfy chair and football and I'm going to nip in and grab the remote while he's in the kitchen.

Evening all [SC pins up large, red, tissue paper hearts, distributes Nigella's love buns (which look something horrible, kitsch and artificial that you'd buy from a failing baker but actually aren't and taste quite nice!!) and scatters a few red rose petals about the floor ...

Oh and throws in a bit of and a bit of

Hope everyone is oK.

Pushme I hope you don't mind & I hope I'm not muscling in where I'm not wanted but am worried about you and the bump so am doing round-up (hope ok). So here we go from the top:

Ellie is enjoying the school holidays, has been Flying madly and is immersed in Peppa Pig Party preparations and (like me) has received a twunt apology from her dh (after a bit of power sulking encouragement on our parts )

[Btw - thanks everyone for kind words this morning about my row with dh - we are just about speaking to one another again now (thank you Nigella). Tis a "control" issue something that can be (speaking as an expat trailing spouse) a bit of an incendiary topic ...]

Balinderry has been enjoying Flying and attending to her family's teeth and eyes. Good luck with the exercise tonight!

Linzer had a cracking start to the day and has completed all missions. [Your Carnaval party if very early is it not? I'm getting worried now - haven't started making dd's costume yet (the one I failed to finish in time last year ) Btw - (sorry if I've bored everyone with this before) but a good tip is to insist that bed-making is family activity - done weekly together on Sat mornings - takes a third of the time and can even be made in to fun activity (dd likes the bed to be made "around" her!!)

Swan has been hanging Hoppers and battling with bankers, but on the plus side she has her dh back, and has discovered lots of booze !!

BTW Swan - re: white vinegar: best to use detergent/washing up liquid first, then vinegar to remove ifyswim ie I apply a sort of "salad" dressing to stainless steel top of stove - remove dirt with washing up liq, then apply white vinegar and dry off, then shine with bit of oil (if that makes sense)

Feetheart has been making heart-shaped sandwiches while her cats have been making mischief

Toffee and her lovely Flyboy have been going great guns bless them (brilliant news about positive meeting with the headmistress btw)(And thanks for brill round-up on Sat which I missed thanks to the lurgy)

Poor Ihate has a house full of patients but has still managed to fly. Funnily enough - that sounds exactly the same virus as we have had - we've been peeing for England/Belgium too!! Wierd isn't it? If it's any consolation though, the worst is over by 4th day. Hope you all recover soon!!

MissJulies dh has had to leave on six week trip which is extra on Valentine's day [hands over big bunch of red roses and large bottle of ) Don't forget you are welcome to vent on here every day (we all do!!) (Feel very now about rowing with my dh this mornng)

Yay!!! CHB is back and flew brilliantly today (in between camel spins of course)!!!!

Ogre has been buying new running shoes (respect for wearing the old ones out!!) Hope you are all feeling well tonight

DoricPatter has had a very civilised day

Sorry everyone - that was a bit of an essay wasn't it?

Back to do steps!

xposts ...

Ogre and Feetheart

I agree about the home blessing "hour" being more like two ..

Can't abide that "hoover up the middle of the room and not the sides" nonsense either!!

Hello to AnyFulekno. Glad it is working for you!!

And well done on your progress too Feetheart

**

The baby-step tomorrow, no. 15, for 15th February is here!

Make your bed. This is an important one but personally I hate making it before it is aired properly - so do after s&s and morning routine etc (have to come back upstairs to brush teeth after brkfast anyway, so do it then).

We are in zone 3 all this week (bathroom + one other zone)

Tomorrow's mission can be seen in 'sneak peak for week' here and will pop up tomorrow here

It's quite scarily accurate - how does Flylady know I have mucky finger-marks on my bathroom doors and a toppling pile of paper to the right of my computer???

Tuesday is a "free day" in Flylady land to do with what you will, but she suggests watering plants and doing an extra 15 min in current zone.

Final thoughts

(Sorry - succinctness is not my forte)

Meant to say earlier that DoricP had civilised day (excluding estate agent visit)
[hands over ]

Thinking about the home blessing hour issue, I'm not at all sure it's possible, but I think maybe the Flylady view is that it only takes that time because (if we are following baby-steps to letter) everywhere is increasingly uncluttered, hotpots are sorted, the zones where the detailed cleaning takes place come around and around again, and so IN THEORY
it should only be a quick 10 min dust and hoover.

It doesn't work quite like that in my house of course!!

What does everyone else think?

Oops and forgot to say

Pushme if you are out there, hope you are resting and OK and contractions have stopped x

still - many thanks for the flowers and the wine!!!!
I shall vent, don't worry!!!
Feeling very teary! Should really go and do the dishes........... :(

That's it exactly SC, I never quite manage all the other stuff, so the home blessing takes twice as long. Oh well.

Corrie's good tonight!

Same here Ogre !!

How long does everyone else take as a matter of interest? (I take 2hrs 30-ish)

Poor you MissJ

BTW OverflowingMum any news on the photos?

Evening all! Quite a successful day here. All rooms bar dc's bedrooms tidy and presentable, mount washmore gradually reducing and sink is shiny! Dc's really enjoyed playing out in the garden this afternoon and were out there all afternoon!

In answer to the burning question of the day about home blessing, the quickest I can get it down to is about 3 hours and that's only if everyone else is out of the house. It takes all day is dc's are here. I fully accept that this may be because I haven't decluttered properly but I still think it would take me a couple of hours even if I had. My bf has offered to do cleaning for me for a couple of hours a week for a very reasonable price and am seriously thinking of taking her up on it. Not a huge dent in finances but would have a huge impact when I am working all week. Lazy or practical, what do you think?
due to taunt of a dh so am pooped. No ton time for lots of personals but chb am super impressed, pmpy hope you are ok!

Hi all

Me and the bump are fine thanks . He seems to have decided to stay put for now (phew!) and I am feeling much better.

Sorry about the lateness, busy at work until late and then trying to have a romantic meal with DH, although what actually happened is I had my one glass of wine, he had the rest of the bottle and we are both all sleepy

I won't duplicate SC's wonderful roundup, but I am working from home tomorrow so should be around a bit more.

Sorry for the me, me, me post, will definitely try and have a proper catch up tomorrow. In the meantime happy flying

Ellie - if your friendship can cope with it, then I would say yes, go for it.

Linzer - this is weird - but, this morning, when I asked you what you meant about the tea icon, it still appeared as a cup. This evening, it has turned into a mug. So does this mean Mumsnet updated Austria before they did the UK ?

I liked the cup. Think I prefered it to the mug.

Had a lovely afternoon and evening with best friend. Yet again, I really cba to shine my sink tonight. I'm going to have an early night again instead.

Incidentally, I am very suspicious of the one-hour home blessing too, as it usually takes me much longer. I did find I did it in about an hour today, however, mainly because I was very slapdash about it all. I think this is what we are meant to be, which is why we are meant to do a quick hoover and ignore fiddly bits like corners. I could never change all our sheets in an hour however. Absurd idea.

Waves to all. Night.

I have started on the dessert wine Ogre most delicious, and cannot stop talking...dh had to go to bed in the end to escape the incessant chatter

Exhausting evening rushing around London like a mad quacking duck rounding up ducklings, redeemed by the gloriousnous of Radio 2 in the car! I love folk night (or perhaps every night is folk night on Radio 2..not quite grasped what the scheduling is all about..it's disco in the morning and obscure folk/rock in the evenings)

The hearts on the walls are wonderful! I recommend it to everyone. POP ART!

SC you sound as if you are feeling better
Ellie go for the friend cleaning. It's also an incentive
push glad you are feeling a bit less imminent

Oh yes, and I swept the front path! Gardening day accomplished...

Off to bed now...shall I take the hoover with me so I can hoover first thing or would that be very unromantic?

Everybody in bed, DS asleep, DH nearly, but I'm fidgety so thought I'd browse MN then try and sleep.

Re DS UTI - finally had phonecall back from GP. Sample was fine, but she's booked him in to see a GP tomorrow afternoon, and I have to take another sample in then. She wondered if it was potty training problem (we passed those ages ago) or if it was attention seeking/OCD type thing (but he has been leaving favourite tv programme, playing, and our reading time to shoot to bathroom), so I don't think its that.

Re one-hour home blessing - I can actually do it in an hour, BUT with the following provisoes and covering notes:

• floors to be previously cleared of detritus, only vacuum areas which have been decluttered (currently excludes DH's side of bed and upstairs craft room), furniture not moved
• beds: cats are not allowed to play on beds whilst being changed, only have 2 beds
• no interruptions
• continually moving at a "brisk" pace (ie belting round like a racing ferret
• kitchen floor only to be mopped, bathroom floor is carpet

Will be back tomorrow with list, and a DS in tow, as I'm keeping him home for another day. Will need to plan in some extra activities to make up for not going to playgroup - potato chitting, seed sowing, keyring making and pirate hat creating come to mind.

Evening. This late night training plays havok on the routine. Not quite got into the swing of it yet. Only been back about 20mins. Must shower and collaspe into bed. Hopefully, will sleep tonight although on past experiences I expect to sleep around ds' bedtime tomo. Perhaps i should just go do some decluttering or something... Nah.

Happy flying Later!!!

Morning!

Get some sleep!! The de-cluttering can wait!!! xxx

Hooray! I'm ahead on babysteps for once, I've been making my bed every day for the last 3 weeks

It might not sound like a big acheivement, but I think I have made the bed more often in the last three weeks than in the last 39 years!

Interesting to hear that others struggle to get the weekly home blessing done in an hour - it was just about manageable when we lived in a two-bedroom flat (with just two beds and a cot sheet to change), but it would probably take me well over two hours now. I think that even if our house was completely uncluttered, I still wouldn't be able to get everything done in an hour - it would take me 10 minutes just to lug the hoover up and downstairs... I used to be quite strict about sticking to the 10 minutes (before we had a cleaner - now I just hoover downstairs as and when it's needed), and allowed myself 3 minutes per floor plus 1 minute (!) for the stairs - but it hardly seemed worth taking the hoover up to the next floor and plugging it in just for 3 minutes, so I would inevitably end up taking longer.

Toffee Very strange about the - it must be due to the time difference. I preferred the cup too.

PMPY Glad to hear you're feeling better.

ellie Definitely go for the cleaner if you can afford it - we've had one for about a year now and it does take a lot of the pressure off. There's still more than enough to do on a daily basis, but at least I only need to worry about maintenance cleaning (e.g. swish & swipe rather than having to give the bathroom a thorough clean) or more detailed cleaning, such as the kind we have to do in the missions/zone cleaning. An added advantage is that it forces me to tidy up properly once a fortnight!

SC That's a good idea about making sheet-changing into a family activity; I know I would have been able to remake our bed far more quickly with DH's help (and was quite tempted to leave it until he got home!).
The carnival season has already started here (as far as I can tell, it just involves eating doughnuts - with the odd party here and there). The big day (Faschingsdienstag - Carnival Tuesday) isn't till early March so I thought I had plenty of time to find a T-shirt for the kindergarten party, but found out this morning that DS needs to take it in this week.

frenchfancy Well done on the bedmaking! I've only started making our beds regularly since I joined this thread, and it does make a huge difference.

Right, on with today's list:

Morning routine
Mission - bathroom
Mission - office
15 mins decluttering in office
Put paper in recycling bin
Take metal and glass to be recycled
Phone national insurance place
Finish preparing English lesson
Confirm hotel booking for Easter and pay deposit
Afternoon routine
DD1 to IT class
DD1: thank you letters x2
DD2: letters x2
DD1: homework for dyslexia lesson
Update calendar with recycling dates
Buy exercise book for DD1
Find knee-length white T-shirt for DS's Fasching party at kindergarten (none of the DDs' T-shirts are long enough, so will have to buy one if I can't find anything in the boxes of clothes to grow into)
Evening routine