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!

linzer i know what you mean. ive been cleaning bums for 6 1/2 years because ds1 was still in nappies when ds2 was born (ds1 was 2 yr old) and then ds2 was still in nappies when ds3 was born (ds2 was just turning 1 yr 10 days later)so i def want at least a couple of weeks break or ill have been changing nappies for approx 8-9 years straight

toffee- i had that book for ds2. was really good. its prob in the attic, have to get dp up there later with a few boxes anyways so will hoke it out.

hehe

Oh I love these Sent DD off to school with green and gold ribbons for St Patrick's day (clashed horribly with her school uniform )

MissJ so glad your DH is coming home.
Toffee sorry that you're still feeling unwell. I hope you have an easy day.

done

dishwasher unloaded and restacked
shiny sink
arranged to collect communion dress
got a book from the library that DS2 has wanted for ages, he will be so pleased.
hot spot x 1
put money on DS1's new Oyster card
bought new green ink pen for DS1 (v important apparently.)
Top up shop

to do

lunch with friends
hot spot - again
swish and swipe x 2
some more of the house blessing
mission and/or declutter
put washing on
put dry washing away
cakes for red nose day sale
take book back to library (due today) annoying as I missed it when taking back the other books earlier.

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone.

funambulist Hope you enjoyed your lunch.

snot Yes, I also had six years of changing nappies - luckily the overlap second time round was much shorter, as DD2 decided she no longer needed a nappy a few weeks after DS was born (not the greatest timing, but I was just happy that she'd decided of her own accord!).

Toffee I had that book too, but (like the dozens of other things I tried) it didn't help with DD1. Mind you, nothing did! What did you order from White Stuff? Was looking at the dresses, but most looked very short and as if they'd have to be layered over leggings, jeans, etc. (none of which I own).

The house looked lovely and tidy earlier, but is rapidly descending into chaos again so must go and tidy away the lunch things before I pick up DS.

Was just sent yet more urgent work, but said I couldn't get it done until first thing tomorrow (it's too stressful trying to work with the DC around) and the client apparently needs it now, so I don't need to do it after all . At least the non-urgent work is going well; have finished proofreading it on screen so just need to print it all out and reread it.

Felt really yucky this morning (probably due to not sleeping last night) so went back to bed while DS was at playgroup . Now everything is running really late, and I'm wondering whether it was worth it. List has been modified to cope. DS is very engaged with programme about narrowboat renovation, so hoping to get some jobs done now.

Morning routine done
DS to playgroup done
Collect DS done
Washing on line done
Phone insurance company done
Order prescription done
S/s done
Make beds done
Clean washing away done
Online grocery order done
RR kitchen done
Activity with DS
Declutter
Washing up
Hotspot
Vacuum through house
Handwashing
Find and bag library books
Washing on airer
Washing in machine
Cook tea
Tea
Bedtime routine
Evening routine

Probably not in that order, and I can see some things not happening, but I live in hope

Ihatecobwebs - sleep should always be a priority. I'll bet you get more done now than you would have done if you hadn't had that nap. Can any of your things go onto tomorrow's list?

DS2 is watching 'Scooby Doo', DS1 is on his beloved 'Roblox' game and I'm hoping to finish this chapter of proofreading shortly. We had a nice morning of home education this morning because I wasn't stressing about it, thanks to all the good advice on here. We ended up cuddled up together on the sofa, watching 'The Abyss' (part of David Attenborough's 'Blue Ocean').

just as I was beginning to feel guilty about dh being too helpful, I have rung him up at work, and he's cracking open another bottle of wine with business colleague Aha, so that's work in the West End, supporting local hostelries

done
quite a lot of housework
and piano practice but otherwise
have also mislaid my credit card

cobweb narrow boat renovation LOL, get them started early!
ds1 has just come back from choir outing and football club
ds2 had a brief food-related tantrum but is now happily lego-ing
dd is watching a film on her new portable DVD player in her bedroom.

It really does feel like Spring now, bright light at nearly five o'clock, birds twittering madly, hyacinths everywhere in pots, green haze in the garden.

Cobweb sensible break from the general rubbish that is childrens tv imo. Ds loves this sort of program and has done since about 2 1/2 or 3 yo. They are actually really interesting and survivable if you have to watch it with them.

Ds is watching the man that eats disgusting thing bear grills i am hiding. i hate that program. boys are gross creatures.

ds cooked tea today. a very posh tea of fish fingers and potatoe smilies. it wasnt a lesson so much in cooking said items but more using judgement over instructions and set timings. He did pretty well for the first time. He has even eaten said fish fingers which for fish hating child is pretty good.

Not really flying atm.

Hello everyone, hope you're having a good day.

I've not done much lately, RL took over..... and it has reinforced how much I hate writing staff reports for one thing!

I've managed to get the odd post on MN, but then find yet another problem to solve which takes me away from here.

It's incredible how busy we've been, despite each and every problem being such a minor thing in isolation.

Right now I've got the kids tea on, including for DD's friend as both girls go to Guides on Thursdays, and as DD's friend lives all the way across town, it's better if she has tea with us, as then she has time to eat and change and not bolt her food to be ready in time. She's diabetic too, so I oversee injections and weigh the carbs on her plate .

So, today:
morning routine done
work (assistant on leave, boss out also)done
shopping done
collect dcs from school, etc done
tidy and declutter dining room done
tea for kids done
tea for DP and I
evening routine
collect girls from Guides and deliver home inc DD's other friend (driving shared, my week this week)

No lunches to prep for tomorrow or school clothing to fuss about - Special hot dinner for Red Nose day and kids can wear what they like for a donation.

I've actually submitted an application for voluntary redundancy from my public sector department. I've plenty of experience but no actual qualifications to back this up, so if selected I plan to update quals and look for something similar. I currently do a 60 mile round trip to work, so my aim is a job that's closer to home with fewer costs. I guess I can look at a lower wage as I wouldn't then be paying out for fuel.

I'm also spending extra time at the moment helping DD with homework and SATs prep. Her main problem is her desire to do everything so perfectly she runs out of time to get stuff done. I suppose it's akin to teaching exam technique and time management skills because the knowledge is there it's just getting her to display it. Her teacher admitted to feeling frustrated as she knows DD has the ability, it's getting it all down on paper! Having said that, I offer guidance for homework but feel it must be her work or she'll not learn anything and not get that sense of achievement at her own work.

Oh, it is busy today because I was working this morning.

Get dressed done
Make bed done
Bathroom done
Laundry done
Hall done
Plan today done
Quiet time
Dinner done
Shine sink
Daily tasks done - been to the post office
Zone cleaning done - baby's bedroom tidied and old clothes packed away
Lounge
Exercise done
Emails done

Hopefully MrGangly will come home from work soon and we can enjoy what remains of the evening.

Errands day today!

Swimming with DD done
Clothes to the clothes bank done
Return jeans to shop done
Buy a swimhat done
Watch DS swim done
Write cheques for school done

Have been mostly distracted with watching Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave breaking world record for Comic relief on the red button so less done than should have but I'm fine with that as had a lovely day! Think I'm due one- no sick kids, no wet beds, and a full nights sleep!

Sorry no time for personals as i need to have a quick tidy for minding tomorrow.

Toffee - I do feel better for the sleep, but still as if my brain is working in slow-motion. I'd already postponed some stuff from today's todo when I posted that list. I've left the handwashing, can do that at the weekend, but the rest is vaguely done.

Swan, Lost - DS really likes the engineering, mechanical, industrial type programmes, prefers them to CBeebies most of the time. He likes to know how things work properly, and doesn't like getting fobbed off - cue me having to remember how electricity is created, the physics of gravity, how anything and everything is made etc etc. His playgroup diary this week had a note that he wanted to know how the tree surgeons tools worked (were working next to playgroup), and he was concerned about the correct setting up of the marble run so the marbles would reach maximum velocity! But how is it that he still puts his shoes on the wrong feet?

Off to have a bath, then probably back to bed again

Morning routine done
DS to playgroup done
Collect DS done
Washing on line done
Phone insurance company done
Order prescription done
S/s done
Make beds done
Clean washing away done
Online grocery order done
RR kitchen done
Activity with DS done
Declutter done
Washing up done
Hotspot done
Vacuum through house done
Handwashing done
Find and bag library books done
Washing on airer done
Washing in machine done
Cook tea done
Tea done
Bedtime routine done
Evening routine done

Ihate because scientists see the questions that no one else does but dont see the necessary stuff that everyone else sees. Perfectly normal Find the discovery channel if you can, they how does it work/how do they do that programs are great. I have only once had to turn over and that was because they were making tampons and sanity towels which i couldnt face having to explain what they were and how they were used.

Full of cold came home after doing reckons and been in bed since

I too tried that books whose author ought not be named for ds potty training. One good thing she did let me in on was if ds didn't know what wet and dry was I had no chance. Tried to train ds at 18 in desperate attempt prior to arrival if dd.

Discovery channel etc sound fab so much better than the recently fanatical ben10 we are getting recounted every work and move. Think I'll try that tomorrow afternoon and set dd up with her moon sand maybe I'll get to rest.

Better get off to sleep. Hoping to get to work tomorrow without streaming nose and eyes.

Night all

Evening everyone,

Well, I gave myself a day off today and went shopping, new bag, two pairs of shoes and some red hair spray stuff for the DCs Red Nose Day tomorrow. Did hoover downstairs and manage one load of washing as well. Tomorrow I have to go to work though .

MissJ has had good news, DH is due back tomorrow, hooray!

Feet was up early googling taps

Swan made a good start but had a late night so was expecting to flag later, whereas her DH has been having an early

Nettie was planning to go to the gym

Toffee ? I regularly leave the DCs to watch telly on their own, no way am I sitting through the crap that they like. They seem happy enough. If I was in the room I would be wandering around picking stuff of the floor and blocking the view, or we would be arguing about who gets which chair etc anyway. FWIW, I am full of admiration for the way you have taken charge of DS's home eding when it wasn't planned and as for managing to keep up paid work as well, that is really quite something, so please don't be too tough on yourself.

Linzer was feeling more on top of the paid work

Cobwebs was feeling unwell this morning, hope things improved as the day went on

Lost had tea cooked by DS and made me laugh out loud about not wanting to explain to DS what tampons were. Reminds me of an anecdote told to me by a former colleague, whose 6 year old was exploring in his grandmother?s bathroom, ?Granny, what are party liners for??

Darts came back to say hello, having made a big decision and applied for voluntary redundancy. I have to say, I did this about 18 months ago and it has proved to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I would have been made redundant a year later anyway as it turned out, and I got to stay at home for DD?s last pre-school year, which was brilliant. I also found this thread, which may not have happened otherwise!

We also saw Snot, MrsMc, Cinders, MrsGangly, Nicknacks on the thread today, and MiniM late last night

Right, off to do links. And a new thread. I will post the same links on both, but tomorrow?s roundup will be on the new one.

Friday

Babystep Read Flylady's 11 Commandments.

Mission

New Thread

New Thread