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!

Oops. I'll have another go at that.

Well done everyone, some good FLying going on today.

Hello to Asinine, Spiderbabymum, MrsRhettButler

PA -

Asinine I know.. I hate it too, I'd been avoiding it for a year

I still need to dive down to the second level of paperwork sorting i.e. correctly ordering papers in the pensions folder, household bills folder etc etc which is a whole other to do list

But I like this babysteps principle so I'm thinking one folder each evening in front of the tv

In the meantime, the god awful mess is no more. And it will be clean in 10 mins!

Keep going everyone it's such a strange and lovely feeling when the job's complete

Simonedeboudoir - congratulations on the paperwork! My paperwork is a complete mess. I have recently started putting all the papers together in a shoe box ready for filing, but then DH tidied up and lost them . He thinks they might be in the loft, in which case I'll never find them. I had been feeling so well organised, briefly, too.

Niecie - well done on tidying up the car.

Makingchanges- hope your ant visitors disappear soon. Very annoying about the dry cleaning, especially if you have to take DD with you as well now.

Welcome, MrsRhett .

Minda - your office sounds bookish, which is better than tidy, I think .

Waves to Feet, Ihatecobwebs, Nicknacks, Linzer and Asinine.

Like Linzer, I'm not going to post my list this time because it doesn't need much updating yet. Am going to do an hour's work now before the school run. Will try and fit in another hour after school. Hopefully, MIL will entertain DS2 whilst I can get on with stuff. She has bought him some new Playmobil, so that should keep him happy for a while.

Welcome, Funambulist. I like your plan. That is what I'm doing with MIL today - bringing her lots of cups of tea in the tidy sitting room and hoping she doesn't go anywhere else!

Toffee is today Secondary Result day for you too? I see Darts on the other thread had good news.

Kind MIL to bring playmobil.

Ds2 is meant to be one of Cressida Cowell characters for WbKdAY - I think he wants to be Toothless

lost in the psychedelic mist with the Ravers...very impressed by your dancing/energy everyone! [stumbles back to the edge of dancefloor muttering about modern music - and dons ear muffs]

I have done nothing. I am exhausted by looking after SIL's lovely baby. I'd forgotten how you can do practically nothing with a small lively baby except cuddle it and feed it. So so sweet, enjoying her mobile and playmat too
I ironed some shirts for my brother too!

Dh is at home, having taken the day off because I was off helping SIL, and he decided ds2 was too snotty for school...very confusing. And he didn't realise SIL was going to return from hosp early. Ds2 seems in excellent spirits, dh is now decidedly fed up with being stuck at home. He has just watched Blue Planet Toffee with ds2!

Preparing celebration meal for Secondary Results at 5pm when the system CRASHES.

My builders have hoovered and mopped the floor, before leaving! Maybe I laid it on a bit thick about the broken leg and they were feeling sorry for me. It's great that I won't have to do much extra before the kids get back from school.

Thank you Toffee. Hope you manage to keep MIL in the tidy part of the house.

Hmm. Have been perusing the FlyLady's website.

Is it just me or are some of her rules a little pointless? Pretty sure I can clean and tidy in my slippers....

Anyhow not going to be cynical.

Don't have a dining rooom. Have a dining kitchen so spent some time in their today.

Got rid of recycling to garage.
Around sink is clean and clutter-free (and will remain so - hard stare at rest of family)
Floor mopped - including under fridge
Breadmaker on
Dinner sorted
Emptied and reloaded dishwasher
De-cluttered some more.

Also
DD1's bed stripped, washed and on line
Laundry off airer.

Rest of house absolute bomb but feel very satisfied that kitchen looks better than it has done in ages. (Apart from pile of unsorted paperwork - next on list)

their? There, obviously.

Yikes! Can't keep up with this thread! You're all being very productive today. A warm welcome to all newcomers.

Just dashing in and out before picking dd up from homework club

PA lol at pancake day confusion. If it makes you feel any better ...I have somehow missed an entire week and didn't realise the 1st of March was today - thought it was nxt wk - (this with a huge calendar in front of my desk and despite having signed invoices and letters with the correct date all week) Think I have finally lost it ...where did February go??? [pitiful wailing emoticon]

Well done to MissJulie's baby for sleeping through- yay!!

Have a great evening Ellie

Molly yes - don't worry - we all think some of the Fat Fairy's rules are a wee bit ridiculous superfluous. That's partly the objective of this thread - to cut out all the cutesy language and wierdo proselytizing and cut to the chase with basic steps and missions and the bits we really find useful. Having said all that, I do find the "getting dressed to shoes" rule useful on days when I am not in the office. But that's because I have a tendency to curl up on sofa and read a book if I don't!! Others are probably more disciplined! here is official justification for it anyway in case you are interested but best to adapt entire system to suit yourself and your schedule etc. Well done re: your kitchen!

Asinine and SimonedeB sympathies over paperwork! I have same problem ...as soon as I shred it all ..more appears

Afraid no more time for personal messages - must dash but huge waves to everyone else. Got rabbit in headlights feelingagain ...suddenly have loads to do...and not enough time ...it can't be March already, it can't be .....

oops, forgot to say, any news Swan?

MollysChambers - no need to whisper! We all think some of Flylady's rules are a bit pointless (though we are divided on the 'get dressed to shoes' business). And don't get us started on the saccharine language. That's another reason it's best to stay on this thread rather than join the Flylady website.

And, Molly, congrats on all your successful Flying today.

Swan - yes, I should hear about secondary school today, but there was nothing in the post and other mums haven't received anything yet either. Maybe the LA post it today . I'm not worried because we have applied to the only local school, rather than one further away, so it would be unusual if DS didn't get in.

Just back from school run. A small, but irritating matter to deal with now - the rubbish men haven't collected our bags of rubbish. We have two weeks' worth because we were away last week. I don't want to have to bring them all in again (have to carry them all through the house and put them out the back).

Apart from anything, it is embarrassing to have so much rubbish outside our front door. We do recycle, honestly .

X-posted, Still. You have just backed up my 'we are divided on the "get dressed to shoes" business' point to Molly .

Sinks done, dd's bedroom gutted. Think I'll follow your guidelines ladies, the hardcore stuff is a little too freaky for my taste!

Good distraction tbh as I'm also waiting for allocations...

Swan - Just had an email through. Ds got the school we wanted. Whether we will get him there is another matter (currently home educating him for those who don't know).

Good luck, Weblette.

Happy March everyone welcome all you newbies.

started reading the thread and colourarc made a brew yesterday, so i made one.

busy day here but again not much flying.

dw on
wm on
td on
s/s bathroom done
ds dropped off at montessori
trip to tesco for big girl pants (spent too much, there is a very good reason i do my shopping online )
cleaned up lotsa wee, added lotsa soiled clothes to laundry mountain
took dd swimming
came home tried to book conference tickets.
picked ds up from montessori
chicken in the oven (oops running late)

to do
dentist appointment, new dentist old one left, try not to cry in chair or waiting room as its only a check up!!
sort out a mountain of clean clothes for dd to take with her to nursery,
lay out clothes for dc
try and force myself to go to the gym and not fall asleep in front of the tv at 7.10am

March is my month- new wardrobes and storage being installed on Thursday so then i will have no excuse not to get organised. might even be able to lay out my own clothes

im gonna scoot off and try and catch up with all you lovely peeps later. ooo hark at us pretty pretty

Have been trying to get ahead of myself as the rest of the mornings this week will be even shorter than usual. DH has annoyingly announced that he'll be leaving for work later than usual tomorrow and the day after (why can't he come home two hours early instead?!?), I'll be at school for the English lesson tomorrow and DS and I have an appointment with the lung specialist on Friday morning (we were there for nearly two hours last time).

DS's friends have been picked up. Asked DD2's friend whether she'd prefer a pizza or Jause (like the meal that swan described yesterday, with cheese, cold meats, tomatoes, peppers, carrrots, cucumber, etc.) and she said she'd prefer a Jause. After I'd got it all ready and put it on the table, she took one look at it and announced she wasn't hungry. I am starting to get paranoid.

Nettie Hope dentist's goes OK; I never like going either, even if it's just for a check-up.

Toffee How annoying about the rubbish. We seem to be expected to recycle virtually everything here, and were initially provided with a normal-sized wheelie bin that was emptied every four weeks and shared between five households! It used to fill up within a week when the younger children were still in nappies. We now pay more to have a bigger bin that is emptied once a fortnight - still shared between five households, though.

Mollys I just can't wear shoes in the house either - it feels wrong (you're also expected to take your shoes off when you're visiting other people's houses here). I can sort of see Flylady's point and always make sure I'm fully dressed and have some make-up on, but slippers are good enough for me too.

Any news, swan?

Must get back to my afternoon routine, which I have only just started.

Hi all hopefully back and to stay now!

Toffee How are you and your son getting on with the home ed'ing? He must think anything is better than school, bless him!

Nettie I feel for you with the dentist trip- I haven't been for a few yrs now- i hate them!

Molly I agree about the OTTness of the Flying website- that's why i prefer it here where it's dumbed down for me much simpler!

Linzer I hope the appt with the lung specialist goes ok!
I've nearly finished my list for today- just evening routine to go!

BBL

Evening. No flying here. Slept all day, picked child up from school, survived battle to get to swimming lesson, got child home again, thrown food at him and left him to watch tv.

Just catching up on emails mn before chucking ds into bed early and going back to bed. I will shift this bastard headache. Even if i have to sleep all week.

Tomo's todo list:
Hospital to collect meds
drop off squad uniform order form
banking
drop off meds repeat prescription form
laundry.
Nap as needed/possible
early night

Hope you have all had productive days.

lots done today. enjoying all the chittering here :)

DD got dreaded vaccinations today and there were no tears - super impressed with her - 2 jabs, one in each arm :(

Having a lazy tea tonight, as only me here atm (DH will be home later and his "proper" tea is in the fridge, so I won't let him starve ). Crackers, celery, cheese, kiwi, mandarin - no cooking

Morning routine done
Walk DS to playgroup done
Get DH out of door done
S/s done
Make beds done
Clean washing away done
Washing on airer done
Playgroup accounts done
Washing up done
Pack bag for DS done
Milk from freezer done
Zone cleaning done
Zone mission done
Filing done
Paper file item done
Collect DS from playgroup done
Take DS to DM so I can go to meeting this evening done
Book quilting course done
Our finance done
Make tea done
Go to meeting
Evening routine

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
[anger]
[anger]
[anger]
SO need to vent! Sorry!
Fucking parents just did an hour long trip to see if we were ok as it took me 4 hours to reply to a text!!!!
FFS i'm 34 & have my own life!!!!!
GRRRRRRRRRR
Am so so angry
Typing so hard and banging on this laptop - hope i dont't f'ing break it!

Back later