April Fledgling Flyers: April Fools we are not, babysteps and decluttering makes our thread hot, step right in and mark your spot.

[NettieSpaghetti]

Welcome, come away in you?ll have had your . This is the April Fledgling Flyers Thread.

Thanks to WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes who was champion at leading us through March.

We are trying to stick to the Flylady © Website and her baby steps and routines to help keep our houses out of C.H.A.O.S and ready for everyday, maybe the odd visitor or two.

Check her website out but don?t sign up for emails as they are likely to inspire but fill your inbox so full we might not see you till August.

The principles are:

Babysteps (one at a time)
Babysteps and 15 minutes daily decluttering
Babysteps and daily missions.

This month I will be posting the links and leading you down the road to building a routine and keeping your house under control.

It is amazing what you can achieve in a simple babystep,15 minutes a day and a little chat.

Well, the home blessing was a bit of a mixed blessing to be honest. I didn't have magazines to purge (who needs 10 minutes to do that?!), and the sheets didn't need changing because I do that on Thursdays, generally, but I spent a bit extra on the vacuuming to make up for it. Most of the house looks a lot better, and the second load of washing is nearly finished, so I am feeling more organised.

On the downside the DDs' rooms are awful. They are at an age where I would expect them to manage most things themselves (12 & 13) but they are bone idle and have not yet worked out that watching tv, playing on computers etc s something you do when everything else is done. Well, TBH I am still working this out at 41 so perhaps I am being a bit overambitious. They have clothes and stuff everywhere - surfaces, floor, windowsills. I didn't even try to vacuum because there wasn't enough floor space to make it worthwhile.

While I finished the rest of the upstairs I tried to work out how to help them to tidy up, and I have concluded that I will try the Flylady '15 minute' idea, but instead of giving them 15 minutes to sort it out, I will offer them myself for 15 minutes and let them decide what they want me to do in it. Obviously they only get it if they put in 15 minutes themselves! If we do this a few times I think we will get to the bottom of it. It's just so disappointing when I have spent hours in their rooms, with and without them, sorting things out and putting everything away so that all they need to do is maintain it, but they never manage it .

Sorry for the rant!

janey - not sure if it helps as my two are younger (8 and 5) but I started the 'sweetie tidy' routine a while ago. DC get a boiled sweet and have to tidy for as long as it lasts. Has been a bit hit and miss (as I keep forgetting) but with the help of a sticker chart we have been doing it every day this holiday. Not allowed sweeties that often so is good incentive :o
Just need to find something that will work for DH now

That sounds great feetheart - I wish I'd thought of that when mine were younger. Now they have many more sweets in their rooms than I have in the cupboard, so I think it might work better the other way around .

My DH thinks he's tidy and that it's the rest of us that are the problem. I have yet to find a way around that one! He still has his Christmas presents in a pile next to his bed. I hoover around them all the time... If you find something that works for your DH please share it!

I took the approach that i didnt touch ds' room and anything that i stood on and got broken when I made his bed/sorted him out in the middle of the night just got thrown out. Surprisingly it worked. I am no longer responsible for his room and he now has his room the exact way he wants it and doesnt chuck everything everywhere because one this is out of place. Not saying it is tidy but I just shut the door on it. The pick stuff up and dump on bed. clean. leave routine works although there are often over tired tears at bedtime when there is no bed to sleep in and the meds have kicked in. It was tough love but nothing else had worked and I was very pissed off with spending hours in there during the day and it looking worse then i started in 20mins flat when he got home.

Am finally having my delayed mid-morning coffee (it's actually lunchtime here) and hiding on MN in the hope that the mess will tidy itself up and DD1 and DS will stop quarrelling. It's not working.

Flying-wise, I've only emptied the dishwasher and washed DS's sheets. At least I've got the food shopping done (which took twice as long with the DC, but I had no choice) and DD2 had two vaccinations that she needed. We ended up going to the paediatrician's as the GP was closed, so I was also able to make an appointment for DS's five-year check-up in the summer. I was slightly surprised when the doctor also recommended that he had some neurological tests as he was born by Caesarean. Left ?80 poorer thanks to the two jabs, so had to have an emergency trip to the bank before we went shopping.

feetheart That definitely makes sense re the running shoes - I'm now starting to wish I hadn't decluttered my old trainers a year or two ago (I'd had them since school, so they were a good two decades old).

Toffee I must get the sticker charts out again, as they're actually quite effective when I remember to use them. DS hates having sunscreen on too; he has dermatitis on his legs and sunscreen seems to irritate it. No problems with sunscreen here this week though; it's forecast to be cold and wet.

CHB Hope you're feeling better soon. The DC's table manners could definitely do with some work (by British, esp. my parents', standards at least), although I have the feeling my ILs think I'm too strict by insisting on please and thank you etc.

Janey The DDs' room drives me mad, but I definitely need to be stricter with them about tidying up. At the moment I'm the only one who ever tidies it, but it only ever stays tidy for about five minutes - and I've started to wonder whether it's worth tidying at all. Decluttering would be more effective, but they refuse to get rid of anything.

Janey Piles of clothes, books, etc next to DH's side of the bed are the bane of my life too. But he also sees me as the untidy one.

CHB I've found threatening to throw away anything that's still lying around quite an effective method of getting the DC to tidy up.

linzer Unfortunately that didnt work with ds. he lacks attachment to anything except sticks and stones. I must admit after failing to have chocolate egg in the house and not eat it before ds gets it I have gone down the lego route. I am thinking that it might just be a better option in future. A lego kit about the cost of what i would have spent on the egg (ie

Hi quick update:

1. start washing machine with load that it is in it now - done
2. hang washing up or load into drier - done
3. ironing for 1 hour (to catch up and my earlier load) - done
4. wipe kitchen sides - after tea
5. wipe kids table - after tea
6. get uniform ready for school
7. go to post office to post some important letters - done

So Im getting there [busmile] Im even finding my motivation again [bugrin]

DS enjoyed swimming even though he found it cold and he didnt cry once, Im so proud. I think I may have to dig my swimming costume out and get in and help him. His TA did it today, but i think she was needed elsewhere as well. Also the teachers at the pool asked her if they could have another 2 adults in the pool with them. Is this normal or should the swimming teachers provide the helpers for that?

Hi again, so no-one has been on in 3 hours hahaha

Todays list:

1. start washing machine with load that it is in it now - done
2. hang washing up or load into drier - done
3. ironing for 1 hour (to catch up and my earlier load) - done
4. wipe kitchen sides - done
5. wipe kids table - done
6. get uniform ready for school - done
7. go to post office to post some important letters - done

Tomorrows list: Only a short one as we will be out most of the day.

1. start washing machine with load that it is in it now
2. hang washing up or load into drier
3. ironing for 1 hour (to catch up and my earlier load)
4. wipe kitchen sides
5. wipe kids table
6. get uniform ready for school

When it comes to DC's rooms and their toys, my plan is to get rid of the things that they dont play with when they are not there or get them to choose which they want to keep without mentioning whats going to happen to everything they've not chosen. Of course that will only work until a certain age.

Now what to do about Dh's. I wish knew. My DH is good at cleaning up (much better and quicker than me), but he is such a hoarder. He has tons and tons of magazines, DVD's, video games and childrens things such as batman figures (He's meant to be 30 , but Im not so sure sometimes). The thing is I think he'd know if I got rid of things behind his back, I just wish there was somewhere he could put all his stuff

Im absolutely whacked tonight.

Evening everyone!

Back to work today , but only until Thursday .

Was terribly disorganised this morning, paying the price for serious cba yesterday. So tonight I have been a good flygirl.

I have:-

Tidied downstairs
Washing up from last night
Sorted washing
Bathed DC's
Clothes out for tomorrow
Bags packed for tomorrow
Cooked dinner
Cleared away from dinner

As far as the topic of the day is concerned, DS's bedroom is a disgrace and I am liking CHB's approach of tough love. You can't even see the floor in there and he doesn't even seem bothered.

DH's are a completely different breed because technically they are old enough to know better. Mine is an all or nothing kind of guy. When he can be arsed he is better than me at keeping the place clean and tidybut unfortunately the times when he can't be arsed outnumber the times when he can . However, we are going in the right direction, 12 years down the line .

I am very glad to see everyone has had a lovely Easter break, it's a bummer that we have to go back to normal .

Well, my idea for offering my help to sort out bedrooms was not well received. Both DDs said thanks, but they'd rather do it themselves! When they came home from school they sloped off upstairs a bit sheepishly and although neither room is perfect they are both better than before. So it's a kind of result, but I don't think it will last and there is much more to do. The DDs are terrible hoarders and they don't have big bedrooms, so there's always a problem.

My parents were tougher with my sister. I remember my Dad saying "Just leave anything you don't want on the floor or bed and we'll throw it away for you..." on a couple of occasions. It did work .

MyHouse - I do sympathise with the DH clutter, mine is in his 40s and has a massive stash of Judge Dredd comics, an old Playstation and games, etc etc.

Feet - I was listening to Radio 5 today about the Olympic tickets and how many people are worried they may have over stretched themselves, one woman had potentially spent £22k on tickets if she got everything she requested!

Linzer - would really agree about getting proper running shoes fitted, they do cost £60-£80 in the UK, but really make such a difference. Mine are the comfiest shoes I have ever owned and I have not had so much as a twinge out of my legs or joints during this running programme since buying them. The shop made me run on a treadmill and videoed my legs so they can see which trainers will give you the correct support as you run.

Janey - DCs bedrooms - had a blitz on my two tonight, with help from DH. DS keeps his fairly tidy, the main problem was a pile of clean laundry which needed putting away. DD's is a bombsite though, she plays in hers much more. I did a massive overhaul of her wardrobe this afternoon, putting away winter / too small stuff and then hanging up clean stuff. DH then did the toys with her.

Otherwise a busy day with school work, gardening, more bike riding training for the DCs after school cooking, cleaning, shopping, aargh. I haev got a very long to do list at the moment and really need a day at home, hoping not to have to go to work on Thurs (I work Tue/Wed/Thur but figre that if everyone else gets 2/5 of this week off then so should I).

Also, my Sky+ box seems to have packed up.

good evening everyone,

sorry meeting just finished. As i hosted i combined with a few but now am unable to see straight enough for roundup.

Ill pop back in the morning and hopefully catch up properly then..

Linkies

dinner planning, big difference it makes when i do it!

dust your nicnaks

have a good morning, see you tommorrow.

Things to do tomorrow:
Strip beds
wash sheets
hang up washing and stuff from tonight
put away laundry
phone calls
dusting
go to look for better trainers for Zumba - do they do fitting for dance ones too?
filing
tidy bedroom
prepare dinner
Zumba!
Several 15min slots in sitting room
hotspots

Somehow among all that I need to squeeze in routines and work...

Ooh, look - royal smilies!
[csad] re Sky+ MyHouse. Fortunately our remote has started working again. I think it must have just dried out from DS2 dribbling on it!

The boys share a bedroom and it's untidyness is still mostly my fault leaving clothes and nappies around [cblush]. They're getting better about putting books and toys away, though, and I've been teaching DS1 to make his bed this week. DH knows we're both as untidy as each other, but he does seem less likely to see the clutter!

Hope the antibiotics have kicked in now, CHB.

I'm feeling vaguely as though we should have applied for Olympics tickets, but we haven't. DH will watch any sport under the sun on TV but said he didn't think he wanted to go and see anything live all that much. [chmm]

Waves, yawns. Off to bed I go.

Having technical problems here and might go awol. nothing personal but no idea when i will be able to get back if the technology fails. it will also be sudden. will try to post as long as the technology holds out.

you are all fabulous.

chb hope to see you soon.

Nite all

I hope you get it sorted CHB !

I didn't think I did much today but when I looked at my to-do list I suppose I have :)

Showered dressed etc, out of the house by 7:45
Work
Beds Made
Emailed photos to SIL (small thing but I'd been putting it off)
Requested books from library
Signed DS up for summer T-Ball and Soccer and next year's preschool
Pet Care
Dishes (not all done sadly :( )
Laundry (washed and dried but not put away, this is an issue of mine)
Cleared and wiped table (Hot Spot)
Made large pot of rice and beans for tomorrow's dinner
Went to second job
Tidied DS's room with him

But I've realized I always take the easy way out and just post what I've done instead of what I've meant to do. So, teeth gritted, here's tomorrow's list:

*Call for a sub (only going to be at work for a bit tomorrow. DH's great-aunt has died and we're going to the funeral. She was a lovely woman and we'll miss her :( )

• Shower and dress

*Beds made

*Swish n Swipe

*Funeral :(

*Clean under dining room table (don't know why it's such a haven for junk!)

*PUT LAUNDRY AWAY

*Mission

*Yesterday's mission (by the time I wanted to vacuum DS was asleep so I couldn't)

*Finish dishes so I can

*Shine sink :)

*Not putz about on MN all day

*Get to bed at a decent hour!

Morning everyone,

The DC are back at school today so I'm going to do a crisis clean in an attempt to get the house back into some kind of order. Will try to get back to the missions and decluttering next week, which have been sadly neglected this month.

WhoKnows Thanks for the advice about the running shoes. I don't know whether they have anything that high tech here (the friend I asked said she bought hers from a sport shop but just tried them all on to find the most comfortable), but will have to look into it. I'm sure I could buy expensive trainers here, but whether I'd get any proper advice is another matter. I try to buy the DC's shoes in the UK when I can, as they don't fit children's shoes here (and there are no width fittings), but it's not always practical. If the worst comes to the worst, I'll have to wait until August before I can get some properly fitted running shoes - at least if I'm still running then, I'll know it's worth spending a bit more on them (and will not use this as an excuse not to start Couch to 5K until the autumn).

I'm BACK from IRELAND. Sun sun sun, warm, magnolias, bluebells, primroses lots of dogs everywhere I am feeling more and more dog orientated[bungrin] kayaking, lake, loads of children to play with, endless football, and games of hide and seek. [!] Fair amount of housekeeping though in holiday cottage though [bunsmile] although DSIS and Dgrandparents had us for a few meals.
London Home is far worse challenge though, like Linzer I may be crisis cleaning today [bunhmm] Kind dh did all the washing, and put it away, but otherwise a layer of crud and mankiness, and cathair over everything in kitchen, and the hall is TERRIBLE. The house also smells mouldy and of bins [bunblush]

Children been safely despatched to school with PE kits and satchels.

Feet glad you also had a good time
Nettie you seem on top form
Toffee I can only remember a bit where you were pretending to be a bear in the garden, rather reluctantly
Linzer I did so much walking this holidays (car was AWOL for a while due to sharing arrangements) and I didn't have the right shoes, (thought I had left a pair in holiday cottage - but found only one of them [bunblush] it was TORTURE walking in thin flat shoes, unless on a lovely soft woodland track. I think tomorrow is shoe buying day.

List
breakfast table
hoover playroom

oh dear not Easter anymore clearly...sorry for all the buns

Morning all - Back from my jollies - Unfortunately I didn't bring the sun back to Sheffield with me. Had a lovely hot week away, lots of relaxing and fun activities.

Afraid can't possible catch up with all that has gone on but did read yesterdays messages. Feet good look with olympic tickets. Linzer I did couch to 5K last year and loved it - But I also paid £80 for trainers after having my gait analysed then ended up twisting my kneecap cos I went too hard too fast so take it careful and enjoy. CHB hope you are feeling better soon.

Today I have to make a start on the pile of uni work I have and the washing so my list

• Post office to post two parcels
• Uni essay - at least 1000 words today
• 3 loads of washing minimum
• online shop
• hoover around downstairs
• rubbish and recycling
• Sort out letters from whilst away

I have already unpacked yesterday so thats one less thing. Be back later

I am in lego hell. again this time it was ds' idea. fuck. it bloody well is stopping at what ever point we reach at tea time. You will need to rescue me. please.

On a plus note ds is using his imagination.

still. help

Hello MC and CHB
Lego is always worth it!!!!You may have a budding engineer or an architect in your care CHB!

MC I'm also unpacking

done
cleared two hotspots
breakfast
recycling pile
some rubbish

still a long way to go though

todo
pay in cheque
order trousers for ds (dh bought him three pairs from M & S with size 32" waist before hols, not one fits, all far too large especially after the running around in hols so I'm trying Boden which seems to be only place which has waistbands for fattish teens. I don't what dh was thinking, ds1 is not Augustus Gloop [grr] They may do me however!!
menu plan for next two days
wipe worktops
sweep floor
post mountain in hall
hoover chairs of cathair
hoover playroom
schoolbag hotspot in front room
unpacking

alsotodo
buy watch battery
pay music school cheque
pay in ds1 cheque (tomorrow)
buy new shoes (tomorrow)
pull up spent daff and tulip bulbs
mow lawn (tomorrow)
hang up net curtain in bathroom
find drawing pins
find step ladder
find summer uniform (boys)
ring friend with sick husband
find socks for sock drawers where are they are all?

done
unpacked and sorted contents thereof
sorted shoes
and hall riffraff
hats and gloves upstairs

I've had to put Abba on again - how am I going to get through this lot...?

hall basket contains multipack of needles, a duster, a dustpan (no brush) 4 swimsuits, a bible text, coloured pencils, 2 spare mini knapsacks, an outgrown boot, an empty binliner

found drawing pins though
spawned about 10 new hotspots mostly consisting of school stuff, music stuff, random homework stuff. A project dd never seems to have even admitted she had?

CHB lego is the least of your worries