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!

Please may I join you? My house is in a state and I just don't know where to start. My sink is currently soaking with bleach and then I'm gonna scrub it til it shines :-D
Doubt I'll get much else done today dd is home poorly, has been throwing up most of the night :0(
Baby steps sounds good!

Morning all. Am mid-morning routine here. DH has started decluttering in the loft, but knows I have to do "that Flylady stuff" before I can help him.

Managed to get both boys to school this morning, but I'm fairly sure DS1 has an ear infection: pain in one ear and says he can hear his voice in his head. Does that sound like an ear infection? Poor boy, I felt bad dosing him up with medicine and sending him in, but I really want him to go to the school group on social skills this afternoon. Have made an appointment with the dr for after school.

It's lovely to see all the newbies getting to grips with shiny sinks and suchlike. Very good advice from Still. I can honestly say that my house looks better than it used to and that when it does descend into chaos again, it takes me a shorter time to sort it.

Welcome, Frenchfancy. There are always more interesting things to do than housework, there is no doubt about that. I recommend a timer. Flylady says, "You can do anything for 15 minutes", which is pretty much true. Managed to tackle my oh-so-dull laundry basket yesterday by setting the timer and promising myself I'd stop after 15 minutes. It makes it more bearable somehow.

Right, must get on otherwise DH will never believe me again when I tell him that I really, really don't spend all day on MN .

Welcome, Jackie. Sounds as if you have had a tough night and need to go easy on yourself today. I know how depressing it can be to feel exhausted and see all the housework and clutter piling up, but Flylady can help, I promise. Shining your sink really does cheer you up and give you back that feeling of being in control.

Sounds as if you and DD need to try and take a nap together if you can, or snuggle up on the sofa and watch a DVD.

Hope DD is better soon .

stillchuckinit thanks for the Pringles

swanriver I hope you DD is better this morning. Yes I used to live in Turkey moved back a few months ago (you have a great memory)

PMPY thanks for the round up and the links too. Also thanks for the Anti-procrastination reminder I need it to get on with my assignment.

Well today
Dressed upto shoes (though I don't wear shoes in doors but did put them on for the school run does that count?) done
School runs done
Post letter which I forgot yesterday
Laundry
DW
lunch
dinner
Cleaning dining room walls and windows!
not much else today as need to get in a 3000 assignment for my degree course done by friday.

Happy flying everyone!

Going great guns so thought I'd update to cheer myself along :)

Jackie I think it's duvet day for you - poor DD :(. And Toffee when my DP goes into the loft we inevitably end up with a load of tat coming down and distributing itself around the house to collect dust before he moans that it's taking up space and should be put in the loft

Wash up and shine sink done
Washing - load to tumble dry done, 2 loads to fold
Make binoculars for DS done
Post a parcel and pick up shopping
Make lunch
Keep an eye on eBay as I am waiting for payment from a couple of people done
Make dinner (think that'll have to be a slow cooker job) done
15 minute declutter

Right, off to the Post office.

Hello everyone. I found Flylady on FB and was thrilled to see this thread :)

I started yesterday with my babysteps and also had a major de-clutter in the kids room.

It was great to wake up to a shiney sink this morning!
Today I have to:

Dressed to shoes - but now have slipper on
Washing 1 done 2 to go
Put clothes away
sweep and wash floors
15 minutes de-clutter from the bookcase.
Make lunch
Tidy toyboxes
Make dinner
Unpack a box of photo frames.

Can't wait to keep on top of things once I'm clutter free!

Hope you are all well :o

I have a solution to the loft problem. This is our first house and we simply have never bought a ladder and therefore nothing has ever made it up into the loft!
Simples!

Hello can I join? Dc3 due early March so need to restore order!

Morning Ladies halfway through my working day so time for a cup of coffee!! List for today:
Get up and get dressed (5.30am) done
Lay out breakfast table for my guests done
Serve breakfast and clear when finished done
Get up DC and make their lunches done
Take youngest DC to school done
Clean guest breakfast room done
Clean kitchen and shine sink done
Clean guest rooms (no 'leavers' today so just tidy,clean towels etc.) done
Put first wash on
Go to Curves for half hour exercise
Walk dog
Have lunch with DH
15 min de-clutter
Put 2nd wash on
Afternoon routine kids
Dinner
Hoover ground floor and breakfast room
Feed animals
Read book club book for 30 mins min.MUST FINISH SOON!!
Check in last arriving guest (10pm)

Best be off now if I want to stand half a chance to finish this list

A warm welcome to Geisha Jackie and SkiptotheEnd (if you haven't been welcomed before)

Same to all newcomers on here! Don't be put off by the length of the thread constant nattering on here - we do Fly sometimes as well

Nicknacks re: ladder!!

Blijemuts Dag! Spreekt u nederlands? (Your names sounds as if you do!)

Dashing off school run ...

Wow, have just spent 3/4 hr catching up with thread
No chance of remembering it all though so I'll just wave frantically and smile (like that step!)

Lair - as others have said, we will miss you, come back for a chat when you feel like it. Now GO TO SLEEP

• Both children to school - done
• Morning routine properly - done
• Dispose of HUGE box that has lived in kitchen for past 2-3 weeks (enormous server for a client apparently that has at last been installed - more joys of DH being self-employed) - done
• Work - need to email someone re invoice
• Mop kitchen floor properly (evict cats and close catflap first)
• B&Q and Homebase to sort out bathroom design/ideas/prices for rental property I manage for a friend
• Email said friend with results and persuade her she really has to do something about it!
• Pack up ebay thing and post
• Make shepherd's pie
• 15mins decluttering in living room which needs it FAR more than hall/dining room

That will do for now, must actually do some of above :)

Hello everyone :)

I have been the worst fledgling ever, pretty much since christmas :( dd has been scaring me silly and now has strep throat and an ear infection which at least is a manageable problem but means she wants cuddling all day and the house is a tip. Dp is working lots and doing a lot of the running around for ds that I usually do. I'm feeling very overwhelmed by everything, it all seems like a huge mountain. Sorry to come back to complain, I hope everyone is well.

I will try to do better, trying to get the routines back on track this week

He stillchuckingit,goed geraden!!! Ik spreek Nederlands ja!! My name was given to me by a good friend who told me I'm of a happy deposition and really quite silly hence de blije muts . Kom jij ook uit Nederland? Sorry everyone I know it's rude to ramble on in a foreign language but discovering a fellow countryman/woman on this island usually brings a smile to my face.

LOL at Dutch speaking, go for it! anything that makes us smile is worth it in my book!
Hi all
Well I have lots of my list after having a nap on the sofa this morning - only got a few hours sleep - feeding Baby DS in the night and not being able to get back to sleep afterwards!

To do
Def 15 mins declutter!
sweep the floors!
Bake buns with DD
Wash baby mats/gym/blankets etc
Tidy up DD's bedroom
School run then ballet
Think of something to console an upset friend - any ideas other than the usual flowers?!

Hope your DS is ok, Toffee

Welcome lovely newbies. Love the tip on never buying a ladder to prevent lift filling. Another tip is build more rooms into loft space so no loft left- slight consequence is the toot that everyone normally shoves in their lofts is sitting in huge pile in conservatory!!

bob lovely to hear from you so sorry Dd is having more health problems. Poor love, sod the sink! Glad you got dh to help too. Take extra special care of you. ((hug))

Afternoon all

so impressed by all you early birds ~ I thought 5.30 only came in the pm :o

today has gone a bit hay wire, but I've got the shopping done for the next couple of days, the meal plan is done til Sunday, but I've missed out on putting a wash load on early!

This PM I plan to:

15mins declutter
wash load on
something with DC - possibly crafty
make a prototype card for a batch that I'm going to be making

after tea and DD in bed ~ last DVD fest with my boys until Sunday!

My sink is still shiny & I got dressed to shoes this AM!

happy flying xxx

The entire morning was taken up with work and the English lesson, so once again flying has fallen by the wayside. I think I need to do some crisis cleaning... but my condensed version, so only 5 minutes rather than 15 minutes per room.

Colourarc I'm an hour ahead of the UK, so it looks like I'm posting an hour earlier than I actually am. If I'm awake enough to post when I first get up (very rare), it can look like I'm posting at 4 something.

NickNacks / Nettie I have another handy tip for avoiding loft clutter: buy a house without a loft! Lofts are virtually non-existent here, but we do have a cellar - filled with a ridiculous amount of clutter. It's just far too easy to take something down into the cellar if I don't know what to do with it/want to get rid of it but am worried the DC might miss it. The stairs down into the cellar are an awful hot spot too.

Bob Lovely to see you again, although sorry to hear DD is ill. Take care of yourself and don't worry about the flying; that can wait.

Wendy Could you take your friend out for tea/coffee/lunch? Depending on whether she actually wants to go out, of course. Flowers sound like a lovely idea otherwise, though (and/or chocolates?).

blijemuts Sorry to disappoint! Ik ben een totale fraude! Ik ben een "expat Brit" (in België) en Nederlands (Vlaamse) te leren met mijn dochter als ze gaat maar zoals je kunt zien zijn niet zo goed nog niet!!! I just loved your nickname!! Tot ziens!!

Yay bob great to 'see' you!! Sorry life is so fraught for you atm though and that your dd is poorly. I hope she feels better soon. Please DON'T apologise about Flying! You need to put your feet up instead!!

Wendy personally, I always love flowers. Or a book or music CD - to take my mind off things.

Linzer/NickNacks/Nettie I think we should all just wall up our basements and attics - a definitive and practical solution!

Waves to Feetheart Colourarc (and Ogre who I missed out before) and eveyrone I've missed

Must stop procrastinating Mumsnetting and finish second half of list ....

Afternoon - will post and run, as DS wants to do an "activity" rather than play this afternoon

Morning routine done
Walk DS to playgroup done
Washing up done
Tea out of freezer done
Clean washing away done
S/s done
Make beds done
Handwashing done
Playgroup paperwork done
Zone cleaning done
Zone mission done
Collect DS from playgroup done
Lunch done
Clean fridge done
Menu plan done
Shopping list done
On line grocery order done - first time I've tried this
Play/activity with DS
Make biscuits for tomorrow - DS has 3 friends (plus mummies) coming to play after playgroup tomorrow
Wash cleaner filter
Mending
Tea in oven
Tea
Bedtime routine
Evening routine
Exercise
Filing
Cut material for cushion
WI end of year
Our computer finance
Hotspot

Feelheart I understand your server problem. We have had a fax machine from DH's work floating around the house for months. Every so often he takes another photo of it, then leaves it "float" again. I'll be very glad when it can go back to the office again.

Tomorrow DS has 3 friends from playgroup over to play, so I need to do some play area demarkation, and put away some fragile stuff (and things I know he won't be happy to share!)

DH and I managed to take six bags of old clothes to the dump and then went out for lunch together. We are hoping to do more decluttering after school, but first have to take DS1 to the doctor to see if he has an ear infection.

Started my Ocado order, but it was so expensive I'm going to try Tesco instead. I love Ocado too .

I love all the loft tips, especially the ladder one, Nicknacks. We have actually had a loft conversion, but still have space under the roof which is stuffed full of boxes and bags.

Mustn't stop and chat, but will check back later.

Waves to you all.

Have done well with my to-do lists yesterday and today though still more I'd like to tackle. Did 15 minutes decluttering the entryway (don't have a dining room) and got it almost completely cleared out. YAY! Also did a 20 Thing Fling thing in the living room and that took almost no time at all (have lots of stuff to fling, I guess).

I like the idea of dreaded chores (folding laundry/matching socks) in 15 minute bursts. I do add them to my daily to do list but tend to put them off the most. I think knowing a 15 minute limit will give me the focus/motivation I need to do it.

Thanks Ladies!

It's great to read how everyone's lists are working out and to read the tips.

I don't have a loft but if I did I think I'll never buy a ladder for it!

I have a huge box in my bedroom that a friend gave me when I moved. It was for a 40inch TV so is huge and that is full to the top of junk. If I had an entire attic to stuff I'd be concerned about the ceiling falling on me I think I'll do a daily 20 thing fling on that box!

I've not done too badly today. Just got 2 things off my list to complete :)

Toffee - I'm doing a dump run on Saturday. I'm stupidly excited about it!

Am I too late to join? We badly need it here, but is coming in 3 days late a Sign of How Things Will Be?
I have tried flylady in the past but found it not really my thing (the shoes!) - your approach might be just what I need.

Just a quick post, as I don't want to stop around for long while the kids are out! - Will hopefully do a catch up once they're back and asleep

Today's list

Done:

• long day of activities, including playgroup, lunch, buying a new buggy board and 2 music groups (one for each child!)

-30 mins of decluttering in my spare room (my junk room that is going to be my adult haven as my kids have taken over my bedroom!)

• yummy sarnie :)

ToDo (in the next hour or so)

• 15 mins in lounge (tidy, hoover, wipe down table etc
• 15 mins in kitchen (did not leave it shiny yesterday)
• 15 mins decluttering laundry / storage area
• 15 mins putting washing out / away

Once the kids are asleep I am going to take some time for myself!

Evening everyone! Better day at work today, spent some time resolving issues from parents evenings and the rest of the day trying to get hold of year 11 parents to arrange meetings for mentoring. Am currently at swimming but have managed to:-

Morning routine
Washing on
Put washing away
Prepped dinner to cook when get home from swimming
Paid bills

Ds announced at 8am this morning that he had to make a postcard for Chinese New Year so this evening will be spent doing that.

Have had a quick read of everyones posts.
nick . you are my kind of lady .
Wendy I echo a lunch out or a coffee perhaps but I would also love flowers since dh never brings me any

bob lovely to see you but sorry to hear that dd is unwell. Keep popping by to say hi and don't worry about the flying, I never do .

toffee how is ds feeling?

Big waves to everyone else. Back later if I manage to get the postcard done!