June know it's the fledgling flyers?

[Stillchuckingit]

A warm welcome to the June Fledgling Flyers' thread.

If the state of your house is getting you down, this is the thread where we follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style ) with lots of chat and support along the way and where lace-up shoes are definitely optional.

A huge thank you to Linzer for keeping us all on track so splendidly during May and thank you to DroitwichMummy for the thread title.

As usual, we will be following the Flylady three-pronged approach:

1. Baby-steps (a daily step to establish routines)
2. Then baby-steps + 15 mins daily decluttering
3. (And once decluttered) babysteps + daily missions

If you are feeling overwhelmed by clutter and mess, you can make a difference, one step at a time.

For more information, have a look here. You don't need to sign up to Flylady e-mails (we advise you not to do so in fact - you will be overwhelmed - all the information you need can be gleaned from this thread).

All long-standing members, intermittent returnees, lurkers and newcomers welcome!!

Oh, sixth sense with car insurance, luckily it wasn't due till 6th June, I still need to pay it,
and I need to deliver ds1's packed lunch, as all the bread is stale in the breadbin. Oh dear, I shall drink my cappucino and depart from this lovely sports place back to the kitchen of doom...

Have a lovely time Ellie. Ds is an only he can be a lot of trouble although as i have a laid back approach to parenting is ok at sorting himself out a lot of the time. PLus i put in some stupid house rules for the sheer purpose that he is allowed to break them if he leaves me alone

Soooo tired.

Not going to fly today really

list:
pick up thing for washing line
post parcel
clear out car
pack for holiday
sleep
Sounds about right really for today.

Now all i need to do is to find the wish to move.

What ho Carruthers!!

It's a scorcher here ... 27/28°c ...

Feeling a bit better because dh has heroically taken dd to Ikea allowing me to:

tidy and clean kitchen done
boudoir swipe done (still need to put away ironed clothes and tidy shoes)
tidy up sitting room and playroom done
tidy up entrance hall done

just taking a break before:
tackling laundry of doom
putting away clothes
creating something interesting and artistic for littles at dd's school next week on the theme of the sea
afternoon/evening routine

CHB Makingchanges and Swan thanks for your kind comments about the 'only' issue. I feel slightly less hopeless now!! . To be fair to her, DD can play on her own quite happily when the need arises (she's better at doing this with me than dh) but I find she goes through 'needy' phases ...and this is definitely one of them [sigh] Situation at school isn't helping.

CHB Sleep well!!

Swanoh I you your lovely adult evening out!! You have very interesting friends!! Sounds lovely! I'm also dreading the teenage years for that reason. Don't know how I'll cope without my child-free 'calming down alone before bed' time. Will have to convert a broom cupboard in to a teenage-free sanctuary ...Good luck retrieving the sparkle!! You know it's there just lurking under the surface!!

LadyinPink sounds as if you are Flying high to me so no apologies allowed Enjoy your evening out!! You definitely deserve some r & r!

Blue Good luck getting your work done! Hope your dh can quell the fighting!

Top flying marks to you MakingChange 3 lesson plans AND 3 loads of washing AND an hour under the stairs!! That's really good going!!

OK ... I'm heading downstairs to the laundry of doom ... I may be some time ....

So my first couple of days of flying have been mixed. I thought I was doing quite well until I realised this morning (as rushing out the door to get DS to nursery at 7.30) that a. my brother is coming for the weekend and the sheets on the spare bed have not been changed since last guest last weekend (am fed up with 1 night guests) and b. I have literally no food in the house (not even a slice of bread) It seems I forgot to do an internet shop this week despite writing the list and doing meal plans I DID NOT ACTUALLY PLACE THE ORDERThen when on way home DS fell asleep as I pulled into supermarket carpark and I couldnt bear to wake him so now here I am waiting for sheets to dry and still with nothing for dinner!
However my sink was shiny this morning!

Hi all. Sorry have been missing in action all week. had 2 grotty days with a cold (caught off dd, now passed to ds). Had a nice day today at the beach .

Hope everyone coping with 1/2 term (for those on 1/2 term).

PA your 5 DC sound very able. I shall be hanging round your posts looking for tips now.

saffron welcome aboard. How lovely to be in Australia!!

Hopefull dh is back now so I can go and fetch dd.

Marking spot, just back from a week camping in France which was brilliant, just contemplating unpacking the car

Sounds amazing whoknows no flying here as off on holiday either stupid oclock tonight or stupid oclock first thing. Will be internet free. which i am actually looking forward to but know i will be craving it when i get back.

I have cursed the nice weather as have been out and bought a sun dress as i seem to have packed for every weather except scorching hot well it is england and this temp is not exactly common.

Wishing you all lovely weeks and productive flying.

No internet was part of the appeal of our holiday, alongside no telly, no electronic games apart from the odd 5 minutes on the iphone. The DCs have been fine about this (although DS was a bit anxious about football scores at the start of the week, we watched the Champions League Final in a bar which helped). Needless to say DS has been glued to the Wii ever since we got back, whereas DD has made me take her for a walk to the park and outside to play.

Have a great holiday CHB, hope the weather is kind to you. Back later

That sounds like a stressful day Ineedacoffee. Hope your w/e gets better!! Couldn't agree more about single night guests! We had a family of five staying for one night at Easter - the fact that it took me half a morning to prepare for their stay seemed to warrant at least a two-day visit!!

Glad you are feeling better Scatty. Yes, PA is our parenting guru ...!

Yay! Welcome back Whoknows! I bet the weather was lovely wasn't it? Wishing you 'bon courage' with the unpacking/washing mountain!

Have a great holiday CBH. Wishing you lots of sunshine!

Waves to everyone else!

Baby-step no.4 for Saturday 4th June is here but most of us ignore it frankly (writing routines down on post-it notes) - it's what constitutes the beginnings of yr control journal. Can't be doing with it myself!! (The cj is good but the post-its are totally unnecessary imho)

And newcomers, whatever you do, do not be tempted to enter the land of the Big Tent - oh no

No missions or zones tomorrow because it's the weekend!!

Have a good one!

Well, the boys did calm down a bit, some of the time! Work was quite productive and this evening I've actually made up 2 craft projects so instead of a couple of random bits of cross-stitch, I now have a pin cushion and a bookmark. :)

DH was teasing DS1 this evening, with sort of Donald Duck type noises and got the exasperated response: "Daddy! How many times have I told you not to quack?!"

Welcome back whoknows and scatty. Have a great time CHB. Waves and yawns all round.

Lovely, busy, sociable day today, ending with a night out in the pub with a bunch of mums from DS2's class.

Needless to say, I didn't manage much Flying today, apart from a tidy up of the kitchen, which badly needed it. I don't know where all the clutter comes from, but the 'hotspot' was out of control.

DH was appalled to discover that, after babysitting tonight, he is also in charge tomorrow because I am swanning off to get my hair cut and coloured in time for our holiday next week. But after looking after both boys all week, I think I'm entitled to it.

CHB - hope you have a lovely holiday.

Off to bed now.

Toffee ah but he'll like the new you in the new hair
Whoknows everyone is going camping and in RL too.
Discussing this with friend who has no proper shed, and she said she couldn't camp because there was nowhere in her smart but small London house to put the clobber. But when you think about it, you could buy a tent and four sleeping bags for under £200 (I've sent one new in Argos for that) and give it away every year, buy a new one next season (keep it for 3 months a year), and it would still be cheaper than other forms of holiday
I suppose there is always under the bed....Flylady would be most disappointed.

donealreadyandyesterday
cleared out the car WAYHAY! it was quite revolting. 3 sacks of stuff in there. Then I took it to be cleaned inside and out, but it turns out it would have taken 6 hours to have it valeted so I gave up on that just had it hoovered and swiped inside for a £10. And put back one sack of stuff Sometimes a car needs a resident community of anoraks, manuals, plasters, spare pants, books and crayons, swimsuits and goggles and of course coins!

swept front garden again, rejigged some ailing pots

DH pressure washed the rest of the alley

put away laundry in drawers

this morning: unloaded dw first thing, swiped kitchen, recycling, milkbottles in and out, hung out washing, put away washing, another wash in, swiped loos

Yesterday was very nice, we had a barbecue, and lots of exercise (dcs) and I just felt very relieved to have dealt with the car - sometimes it takes all day to get your head round a small problem... Only problem was that I fell asleep in dd's bed at 9.15 and didn't wake up till 7am (sleeping a bit fitfully fully dressed that's why I did housework bright and early...

toffee I have solved the clutter problem in the kitchen by relocating the paperwork hotspot to the playroom "Desk". However the hotspot remains.
It is a bit like that pink spot in the Cat and the Hat Comes Back.

The hardworking friend who doesn't have any camping stuff (very tidy friend) said to me - Don't you find you never get to the end of your list? I felt like crying but said, "I given up having a list at all..."

Dh is already reading a novel (no doubt in a sulk because I never appeared last night) on sofa...so I had better go and talk to him!

Swan - I don't know where to relocate the paperwork clutter though as everywhere else is also a hotspot . It usually ends up being piled up in our bedroom, as that is the only room nobody sees apart from us. Re: hair. Well, I hope DH appreciates it more than my skin. I asked him this morning if my new Liz Earle skin routine had made my skin look better (I started it because he told me my skin looked 'dull') and he said no, only with make up on . He is just a bit too honest sometimes. (Am still sticking with Liz Earle though cos it smells nice, so there, DH!).

No wonder you fell asleep early last night, Swan - it sounds like you had a very busy and productive day yesterday. Well done on cleaning out the car. DC and I have all been begging DH to clean out the car before our holiday next week. I wondered about getting it professionally cleaned, but the trouble is they always seem to use horrible smelly stuff, which is often worse than the original smell in the car. I think DH will just have to go in there with the hoover and a wet J-cloth one day.

Am very relieved to say that I am not hungover after my night out last night. I was very careful how much I drank because I really, really didn't want to sit in the hairdressers for two hours whilst waves of nausea washed over me (I have done that before and it made it rather a trial rather than a pleasant experience).

Will go and scrub my dull skin now (grr) and get ready. We are going to the farmers' market first, then I'm off to get my hair done and do a bit of clothes shopping afterwards. Sod the housework!

Have a lovely day everyone.

Arggh Just lost my post!

Blue at your dh's quacking. Well done re the sewing. I can't contemplate doing anything seriously creative (sewing-wise) until I've sorted out my home office ... only 4 weeks to get it done

Toffee Too right you are entitled!! Go for it!! (We're out tonight too!)

Swan well done to you for dealing with the holiday aftermath so swiftly!
You are on a roll!

One of my kitchen hot-spots has been hidden downstairs and has merged with the one large continuous hot-spot known as the basement which is crying out for attention too

Dh has again been a hero this morning and taken dd swimming, allowing me to complete my morning routine and get seriously stuck in to the washing.

Hoping to do some gardening this afternoon and watch the Derby.

Then we are off out to a friend's (if the baby-sitter comes good)

If anyone is remotely interested, it is family fun day in Fat Fairy land

See here for Saturday reminders!

Have a good day everyone!

I think hotspots are a fact of life, as is never reaching the end of the to do list (or laundry basket).

Today is freezing compared to yesterday! Damn this british weather. Its so confusing!

Have been to dd swim lesson and finally applied for bus passes for DC. Ballet this aft. Am avoiding the towering ironing pile.

hello stillchuckingit et al... Please can I join? Been SO busy have neglected my flat and it is in need of both tidying and cleaning. I am just trying to get started on the kitchen first and then will try to catch up on all the steps for June!!!

I agree Scatty [despondent emoticon]

It's 30°c here and I'm sweltering. Have every opportunity to get some decluttering done but I'm not doing it. Washing (and drying outdoors) going ok though - if only neighbours would desist from grilling fish every three hours ...

A warm welcome to Hystericalme You haven't missed much - we only really follow one of the four steps so far!

The Fat Fairy's welcome letter is here Don't be tempted to sign up for e-mails or look in the Big Tent - you will be inundated. All essential info for next day posted here every evening. Steps posted concurrently with date.

More info about baby-steps here

Ignore cutesy language on the Flylady site and all the barftastic acronymns - underlying system works well once you get the hang of it.

Right, I'd better go and try and follow some of my own advice

Sorry - that wasn't very clear

Neighbours constantly barbecuing fish over the wall (smell impregnates everything - including my clean washing which I'm trying to dry outside)

I'm sure she only does it to avoid smell of oily fish in her own kitchen ... just imposes it on the rest of us. Even worse for poor souls who live above her (we live next door to an apartment block)

Wouldn't mind it occasionally, but it's twice a day when the sun is out - without fail

Grrrrrrrr

(tosses sardine onto the barbecue) (yes I do have some sardines in my freezer which seriously need decluttering)

(tosses clothes peg over fence to SC)

(toffee yes the car does smell strangely of synthetic strawberry now - but that is still better than real banana skins)

Done
feeling very pleased that I drove on my most dreaded dual carriageway to Syon Park - felt very frightened, but we managed it! And had a lovely walk round deserted stately home gardens and picnicked from yesterday's leftovers - where are all the Londoners? Camping?
Back home in time to throw take bickering children into swimming pool, until dd's friend came to play.
Children are still bickering incessantly unless divided into small groups though. Ds1 stood in the swimming pool screaming complaining that the twins were annoying him, but refusing to swim away from them. They were jumping up and down and pretending to be dolphins.

Toffee Dh has an unnerving habit of making compliments which are in fact damning. On Thursday he said "Today you look all glowing and beautiful, yesterday you looked like an old woman "
Where are you going on holiday?

Ah ds2 has just given me a kiss to make up for Dh
So I had better switch off the computer and do 15 minutes of something useful. Sheets hang out would only take 15 mins... or 15 mins of piano practise would be even better...

Or in fact 15 minutes of ironing to clear the new stuff...

Afternoon all,

Well, just about to put the 6th (I think) lot of washing on the line, we are probably about 95% unpacked, I have to say it is a lot easier now we have decluttered sufficiently that all the camping stuff has a regular home and isn't just jammed into sheds and cupboards. Also has helped that today has been very warm and breezy for the washing.

Swan - re camping storage and your friend, if we didn't have a decent shed and loft for our stuff (and actually it takes up less space than I would have thought) I would buy one of those plastic lean to shed things for round the side of the house. The roofbox is the biggie, luckily our shed has a big eaves shelf that it can go on, together with the camping chairs.

Feet - glad you had a good camping trip too, was it some sort of festival?

SC - I have just posted on a thread about smells that make you go your neighbours BBQ would certainly qualify IMO. How inconsiderate of them.

Toffee - horrible car cleaning stuff would also qualify, DH's car developed a musty smell a few months ago, so he doused it with Febreze, which was distinctly worse. It has taken about 3 months to fade away.

I'm off out tonight too, with some of the other mums from school, planning ti take it easy on the alcohol as the camping trip has left me tired, it was very enjoyable but I didn't sleep brilliantly several nights due to cold or DH snoring, or both.

Afternoon ladies

It's been a day catching up with jobs, so not left the house as yet.

Have so far done

Helped make a B'day card with DD for DH
Made a card for her teacher
Read reading book with DD
Read promised book to her
Gone through her elocution poem with her
Gone through drama lines with her
Piano and recorder practice with DD
Washing and ironing pile all finished so up to date now (until tomorrow - eek)
Countless other little jobs

Out for a meal tonight with friends so will prob only do a pizza for DD for easiness. DH may want something more substantial as he's worked hard all day.

SCI your neighbours sound a nightmare, i think I'd have to casually mention about the fish making your washing smell especially as it's twice daily in the summer - very unreasonable of them.

It's been so hot today but that horrid muggy hot weather. Apparantly we are due a thunderstorm very soon - def need it.

[dons nose peg]

Oh no Swan dh has been banned from barbecuing ANYTHING since he tried a marinated sardine dish. Even though he grilled them right at the bottom of the garden - a large cloud of blue/green stinking smoke hung in the air for at least three days - I felt so sorry for the neighbours. Maybe Madame next door is getting her revenge (although ours was only a one-off event I hasten to add, not twice daily throughout summer!!) Having said that, they are delicious but I shall be eating them in a restaurant from now on ...

Well done re: the driving!

Congrats on all that washing Whoknows and have a lovely evening

Hope everyone will forgive me but I'm off out tonight too and am just about to begin dd supper, bath, baby-sitter tidy up, try-and-find-something-to-wear-that-I-don't look-fat-in routine, so shall post step for tomorrow early ...