If you're house is cluttered and you're Mad as a Hare, join March Fledgling Flyers and get it all square

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Following on from the February Fledgling Flyers thread, welcome to March. This is the thread that follows the Flylady website (loosely) for getting your home decluttered and your housework into routines, whilst dispensing tea and chat freely.

A big thank you to PushMePullYou for leading us through February ably assisted by ToffeeFudgeCake. We had a huge influx of new posters as well, which was lovely, anyone else who is lurking, please say hello, you will be 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!

Not in bed here!!

Cant sleep!! DH and I went out earlier, had a lovely evening, although for about the third time in 25 years of us being together DH got totally plastered and ended up dancing. Not a pretty sight!!!

I climbed into bed at 2am, only to lie awake with some work going round and round my head!! SO, I got up at 3.30am to type out an email. It is probably all totally wrong and will cause problems, but I needed to get quite a lot off my chest! I could quite well regret this in the morning.

Oh well, I might just look at Active Convos, then head up to bed.......

DS was up at 6 am again this morning, but fortunately DH got up with him again. The girls are still asleep, which is a good thing as they definitely needed to catch up on some sleep after yesterday's sleepover.

I was too tired to complete my Lakeland order last night, but have just checked and it's still in my basket. (Were you logged in when you lost your order, Toffee? According to the top of the page I'm logged in, although I don't remember doing so.) I do have a catalogue MrsMcJ but didn't realise you couldn't use the voucher online - will just have to place two orders, one online to here and one by mail order for the less urgent items to my parents'! I was thinking about ordering the oven liner too, as it sounds very good. So sorry to hear about your friends' baby, by the way.

PA Hope you got some sleep in the end and that your DH isn't feeling too bad this morning!

Toffee Have a lovely day with your DH. of you being able to go shopping on a Sunday; we have go to Slovakia to do so. Still, it means I have more money to spend at Lakeland.

The DDs have just got up and DH is now back from the baker's (the one shop that does open on a Sunday, albeit only in the morning), so will switch the computer off and be sociable over breakfast.

Morning all

PA its good to write it all down. Hope it doesn't cause too many problems

Toffee enjoy your clothes shopping.

Hello to all others

Well tried on all my clothes last night - DH liked all but one in the end and that made me look like a hippo and another didn't fit so not too bad after all. Hes gone to the gym this morning and DD was up early so already done first clothes wash, tidied kitchen that didn't get done last night and played schools.

Others to do.

• Brekkie - sausage sandwich cooking as I type
• 2 more clothes loads
• Zumba (Don't know if really got time for that today)
• DDs friends party
• Take DD to ballet exam
• research micro-organisms for exam
• look up teaching maths for Y2s (Always really been KS2)
• Copy up notes from last weeks meeting
• Update diary
• Contact friend re tickets for show in Manchester
• Clean bathroom
• Mission

That will do for now - back later

Linzer, what do you mean you hope DH doesn't feel too bad???? I hope he feels terrible!! Payment for embarrassing --me- himself in front of all his workmates! Plus I feel pretty bad and I didn't have a drop to drink (driver), so he HAS to feel worse than me.

Grand sum of about 3 hours sleep. I think today might be tough!

List of to do today:
Church
Church lunch - Yah, no cooking for me
washing school uniform
Get to bedtime tonight!
Start again tomorrow.

Oh its a bit early in the day to write the day off!!
And yes, I am regretting sending that email in the middle of the night. Already seen a few mistakes in it! A bit of grovelling today might be called for.

PA - sounds like quite a night out! at your husband embarrassing you himself by dancing. I'm so impressed that you are still going to church in spite of so little sleep. Could you have a nap later in the day?

Linzer - no, you're right, I wasn't logged into the Lakeland website. I'll have another bash when I have more time to enjoy it, I think, instead of rushing it (will remember to log in this time).

Makingchanges - glad your new clothes were OK. Hope I'm as lucky this morning.

Thanks for the babystep, WhoKnows.

Instead of having a lie-in, I have been Flying this morning: b/fasts done, washing up done, sink shined, washing on and now in tumbledrier and bathroom swished and swiped. DS2 is watching 'Mr Despicable' special features - that film has proved to be a big hit with both boys. Off to get ready now, then we're going shopping and leaving mum in charge.

Hope you all have a nice Sunday.

DH has taken the DC off to the cinema and I took full advantage of some "me time" by staying in bed...ahhh 'twas bliss. I'm sure they'll all be back soon

With the exception of school uniforms, making dinner and tidying away plates etc there will be no flying today. Also DH has left a lovely clean kitchen and S/S with a note saying "enjoy a few hours rest". We'll all be going to visit my gran later today so we'll be out for quite a while as it's a good hours drive there and then back again. After this i'll we'll need to get stuck in to DS2 homework. Building a castle from rubbish recycling material.

Interesting FLYlady summary on what people do when the clocks change like changing batteries in smoke and CO2 alarms, flipping mattresses etc. Trying to make a little list of my own.

Been for a long walk with DH and the kids and now having a cuppa before getting changed to go to my parents´for dinner. Love Sunday nights when I have no cooking to do. Will do my "Mission" then. Funeral tomorrow

Where is the summary, MrsMcJ? Will be thinking about you and the baby's family tomorrow. My friend's baby died at nine months; such a terrible thing for anyone to have to go through.

Celestial Sounds like a lovely peaceful morning.

Toffee I've also decided to leave my Lakeland order until I have more time to enjoy browsing the site. It will give me something to look forward to on one of the evenings when DH is away next week!

PA Hope you managed to get through the day OK. Apologies for my earlier comment. I was just thinking of how annoyed I'd feel if DH had drunk enough to put him out of action the following day!

Makingchanges Glad your clothes shopping was successful in the end.

My entire morning seemed to be taken up with changing sheets, making chicken pot pie (which only DH ate) and planning next week's English lessons. No tidying or decluttering done this afternoon either, as we took the DC (plus DD2's friend - the DC always seem to be better behaved if they have a friend with them) swimming, and it shows. Just about to put the DC to bed (late, as we didn't get back from swimming until later than planned) and must then whizz round the house before my energy deserts me entirely.

Thanks Linzer. Actually this is the week´s second funeral a friend who lost his battle against cancer aged 46yrs. So terribly sad. DH was asked last night to write a eulogy and hasn´t started yet - might not get round to my "mission" tonight.

I shall try to find a link to the list of turn the clock forward jobs, it was an email I received.

Can´t do a link but this is what the email said:

"I asked all of you to send in the things you piggy back with the time change. I have compiled a checklist for everyone.

Change Clocks tonight; Spring Forward.

Piggy Back Checklist; Put these things on your calendar to take care the next few weeks.

Filters for Heating and Air Conditioning Unit
Batteries for Smoke Detectors and CO2 Monitors
Change To Toothbrushes
Throw our old Mascara
Change back-up batteries in electric alarm clocks
Check storm windows and screens: clean, repair, replace
Change Oil in cars
Make Dentist appointments
We update our 72 hour kits Emergency Kits. We rotate the food and clothing.
Rotate the mattresses on the beds
Take down the plastic film that helps insulate your windows for winter
Clean my drains using 1/2 cup baking soda dumped on the drain, followed by a few cups of boiling water.
Change the dryer hose or clean out our dryer ventilation system to help prevent fires"

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that MrsMcJ - I did think you'd said that the baby's funeral had already been held, but thought I must have misread your post.

DH has just informed me that his flight tomorrow is at 7 am, so goodness knows what time he'll be getting up - I decided not to ask! No doubt I'll be woken by his alarm and unable to get back to sleep afterwards as usual, so I think an early night is in order.

x posts - thanks for the list MrsMcJ. I definitely need to make dentist's appointments for all of us, but we do change our toothbrushes slightly more often than whenever the clocks go forward/back (DS's toothbrush is generally past its best after a couple of weeks!).

I am sitting next to a very sick DS2 tonight. He has been sick twice so far and is sleeping now, but I think it may be a long night. He was fine whilst Mum was babysitting, if a little quiet and off his food, but went downhill rapidly this afternoon. No school for him tomorrow.

Had a good shopping trip, apart from the horror of looking in all those changing-room mirrors .

Back tomorrow. Good night, Flyladies.

sorry i haven't been here in a while - hello everyone again :)

going to try to catch up on thread.

Half way through March and 31 pages in and I finally get around to coming back! Hi Everyone!

PMPY how are you? To reply to your post from the end of Feb (!) I'm not very good at the newborn bit - hence my slow reappearance now we have reached 16 weeks! I love it now that DS2 is laughing and trying to roll around and interact with DS1.

Toffee sorry to hear DS2 is unwell - I think there is a bug like that going around here too - it doesn't seem to last long so corssing my fingers that will be the case for your DS.

Got to go to bed now before DS2's late feed but going to try and do some proper flying from now on.

A bit of an up and down weekend...
several rows with dh Spring is in the air etc etc

However, like Toffee and MC I went clothes shopping (which dh does approve of with dd. We had a lovely time. I did try her on the professional woman/business suits in M & S but got a resounding "that is not you Mummy"
Love your work tops MC I misread that as as kitchen overhaul to start with

We did some garden chopping too, and a nice outing to the park, and a very delicious brunch, so all is not lost!

toffee sorry that ds2 is ill.

LadyinPink I live in fear of fallng dwn the stairs - before bed I go round house fanatically clearing a path to the front door incase there is a fire and we have to stumble around in the dark. Dd is always leaving her blanket on the stairs. Hope it is just a shock and bruise and you haven't broken anything.

PA I am a fan of dancing husbands!

waves to all because I think I need an early night and to say something conciliatory to dh before bed!

Toffee today I did something in clothes shop which I've never done ...(am I getting very old?) When I found something I liked, I bought three of it in different colours! Just to avoid making any more decisions in the next 6 months about clothes
Still need trousers, shoes and at least one summer skirt though Will have to get the summer clothes out of loft space and see what there is.

Hello all.
Hope everyone has had a lovely wkend. Haven't read thread....yet.
Have been so so busy!
done list
tidied house, hoovered, cleaned bathroom, cleaned kitchen, dusted, watered plants, filled bird feeders, emptied bins, sorted recycling, sorted water damage due to hellish night's rain which poured in through porch roof, windows, living room window and kitchen window. Planted sunflower and sweet pea seeds. Put away 3 loads of washing. Did load of washing (Still to fold and put away), shined sink, prepared DD clothes and meals etc for tmrw, made 70 meals and 38 puddings for DD - all in freezer now, and am now in pjs, collapsed in a heap stuffing my face with some well deserved galaxy chocolate! Phew! xx

Hello, made a lovely roundup earlier, MN froze and I lost it, sorry, not going to do it again.

Monday's Links

Babystep Read an essay about how to use a calendar

Mission

This week's zone is The Bathroom and one Extra Room

Oh whoknows how frustrating for you!

missj I bow in wonder at your awesome levels of energy, that lot would take me a month ...

Toffee hope he feels better soon and hope you get some sleep tonight.

MrsMc tough week for you all.

Hello to everyone else. I write from my New Desk!! First time since birth of ds (now 4 1/2) that I have had my own proper space to work. Given that I should be working evenings fairly regularly, this is a Big Deal for me. Up until now I have had the laptop balanced on the kitchen counter which is far from ideal. But all this decluttering has resulted in enough space in the dining room to squeeze a little desk into the alcove hence posting at half eleven - well past my bedtime - have spent an evening with flatpack, screwdriver and hammer, but I now have my space! This will really help in tackling the paperwork monster - next week's focus for me. I think I can do it now.

Yay for pa's new desk

Good to see you mm

erm the one who is always changing her name has another new name atm but please dont link it back to the old names.

Good morning everyone

Well, I survived yesterday with a mixture of giggling hysterically because I was just too tired to think straight and grunting at people because I couldn't be bothered to think of the words I needed. A little insight into teenage psychy I think!! DCs thought it very funny that DH and I were worse than them.
Thanks for the strong coffee and red bull Celestial - much needed.
Swan - you would not be a fan of my DH dancing!! Or maybe for comedy affect he would be good fodder .

Toffee - Hope DS is better this morning and you didnt have a bad night. Church is not "optional" here as DH is on leadership team and I work there, although not officially paid for Sunday's, i do more work than during the week most weeks.

to MMM. Welcome back to the land of the living and to this thread .

Its System who has the new desk, not me .

Lostintheblackhole - I think your last sentence is a huge hint to anyone on here who has read your posts on here before .

WhoKnows - Look out for your post today or tomorrow .

Massive waves to everyone else on here, too many to name now .

List for today:
Ironing work/school shirts/skirts/trousers - done
DW - Unload/load
Do online order for school uniform and try not to faint at the price
Sandwiches
Work - job number 2 - deadline looming, but feeling fairly positive about results so far
Waitrose for weekly shopping
Cook tea
Evening finance meeting at church, which could be very interesting......
If I get time today I need to sort out DD4s drawers as they are overflowing with screwed up clothes

Hmmmmmmm a little lack of fat fairy fun today!! Maybe I will try to squeeze some in, but realistically there is only 24 hours in a day!!

HAve a good Monday everyone

Morning all,

DH got up at 5 in the end, so too early for me to get up but not early enough for me to go back to sleep (may have to pinch some of your coffee and Red Bull later if you have any left over, PA). He is now en route to Brussels and I have three evenings of pottering to look forward to.

After a lovely sunny weekend, the sun has disappeared again but at least it's much milder than it was. The baker's has just put two tables out so spring must be on its way!

Well done on your productive weekend MissJ - am very impressed at the 70 meals for your DD!

systems Great news about the desk.

WhoKnows Thanks for the links; how frustrating to have lost your round-up. I almost always copy my posts before trying to post them, but have still managed to lose a few recently.

Lovely to see you again MiniM and hello again to ballinderrymum.

Toffee Hope you got some sleep last night and that your DS is feeling better today.

List:

Morning routine
Mission: bathroom
Mission: home office
15 minutes decluttering in home office
Recycle paper
Shredding
Plan English lessons
Check UK bank account
Pay membership subscription
Pay friend our share of birthday present
Paid work
Afternoon routine
DDs to piano lesson
DD1: letters x2
DD2: letters x2
Send photos to GPs
Collect DS plus friends from birthday party
DS: postcard
Evening routine

good morning everyone,

so far behind with you all. Hope to catch up this evening.

Flying is going to be scarce as we are having a rare family day. First day in over a week that dh has had a day off.

Have a good day

I have been doing the roundups in a Word window and copying in, but because it was shorter last night I didn't bother, serves me right!

Lost - what have you gone and said this time?

PA - thanks!

MM hello! Welcome back.

Busy day today, see you later.