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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

It's August - can the Fledglings keep FLYing with children underfoot?!

830 replies

BlueEyeshadow · 29/07/2011 14:32

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome to August's edition of the Fledgling Flyers,
Meine Damen, Mesdames, Ladies! (although any Herren, Messieurs and Gentlemen would be very welcome too, I'm sure, and apologies for the show tunes now lodged in everyone's heads ...)

If you're trying to keep out of CHAOS over the summer holidays, with the dear children creating havoc all around, then pull up a chair, roll up your sleeves and join in the fun.

Fly Lady's website is here, but we don't recommend signing up for the emails unless you want an ironically cluttered inbox. I'll post the links to the information for every day this month and try to keep up with all the chat.

There are babysteps to get you started on forming a routine, and missions to do once each room is decluttered and, as the Fat Fairy says, it's amazing what you can do in fifteen minutes. We'll be starting August in the entrance, front porch and dining room, and sifting the sense from the cutesy language. :)

I notice from the archive that it's the thread's second birthday so I'm sure there'll be cake as well as plenty of Brew, Biscuit and Wine - virtual, so no calories - along the way. Finally, a big thank you to CHB and Swan for leading us heroically through a hectic July! Grin

OP posts:
swanriver · 08/08/2011 08:54

me next!

done
drunk coffee
realised that our extension plan far from being work of genius has flaws, so much for alcohol fuelled inspiration Hmm How does one connect a dining area with a kitchen if there is a bootroom/camping cupboard/downstairs loo in between???Confused

Dh said how much he enjoyed our evening out Smile

cleared breakfast dishes, soaking baking dishes to dw
wash on
wash hung out
DH ironed 6 shirts for himself

todo
find kids and force them to get dressed
ring Sports Centre and attempt to get dd to sportscamp for one day (ds2 refuses pointblank as he says they play football outside! The idea Shock
take ds1 (and remaining children) to see school nurse to be weighed advised etc..
get dressed myself
tackle branches in front garden with axe/saw?
roast chicken in fridge

PositiveAttitude · 08/08/2011 09:12

Morning everyone. Smile

I need to get myself in gear today before I drown in CHAOS when I return fully to work tomorrow very early morning.

So list for today:
Dishwasher unload
Clear back lounge of suitcases and their contents. Blush
washing is now all done, but the mountain of drying/sorting/ironing needs conquering.
Small bit of local shopping
Take DD3 for hospital appointment
Deal with the outcome of appointment, which I fear may not be brilliant news!
Home for lunch for everyone
Rearrange DD3 & DD4's bedroom
Full weekly shop as cupboards and freezer were all very reduced in preparation for our holiday, now everything needs restocking.
Chicken Pie for tea
Take DS and his mates to football
Take DD1 to work. (She has a job at a bar for Cowes week, working 8pm - 2.30am)
Try to fit in some reading of the shelf load of books we have been told to read for a venture we are hoping to take up next year
Try and fit in a walk with DH as we have not managed one since our return.

I still cant hoover until the new filter arrives, so that will have to wait until later in the week. Wink

Right, that will do for now, off I go......
Oh, i need to catch up with a few work emails first, mustn't get distracted on the computer, though Hmm

Have a good day everyone.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/08/2011 09:13

Fingers crossed for DD3's appointment PA. Venture sounds intriguing?

messymammy · 08/08/2011 09:29

hi guys, hope all is well

Ive yet more laundry to do, so hopefully when dp gets up this afternoon we can go to the laundrette.

ta da list
showered, dressed and fed all three of us
dd2 nap
dw
hotspot x2 (kitchen counter in corner and top of microwave)

to do list
think of something to make for dinner with chicken fillets
mop bathroom floor
find out arrangements for party
washing-hang up, sort, fold
grocery shopping

to do this week
bottle bank
charity shop
laundrette
bins

PositiveAttitude · 08/08/2011 09:29

Thanks WhoKnows. Re the venture, I am dying to tell everyone what we have planned, but we need to discuss it with the DCs first and need to time that right - has to be discussed before middle of September, so I will share with you all then. Very exciting!!!! Grin

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 10:49

stumbling through. Couldn't sleep so started on today's job s last night.

Laundry 1st load on
defrost cake out of freezer on bench
tidy dining room recycling to be removed
tidy lounge over half done
tidy hall
Hoover through downstairs
Get ds to ice cake
Play with the lego with ds with aim to get sets made up so it can go away
tidy ds' room
15mins decluttering in my room
Give ds crazy custard in progress
Clear up crazy custard
put clean clothes away in correct rooms and half done
take the rubbish out.
early night.

PA awaiting the news of the venture as the more hints you give the more interesting it sounds Grin

Wishing you all productive days!

Stillchuckingit · 08/08/2011 11:30

Morning all

Had rather disturbed sleep as it poured and poured with rain and I was worried that our cellars would flood again so I was down there with mop and bucket in hand at 4am, ready for action, but fortunately nothing happened. Still very dank and miserable here though. So cold that the office heating has come on ...

Ta da:
all up, bathed, breakfasted and dressed (and managed 10 plaits on either side of dd's head which is a record!)
packed lunch for dd who is off at pony club all day
emptied dishwasher
prepped veg for tonight
made crumble
cleaned kitchen surfaces, brushed and mopped floor
cleaned, hoovered and mopped hall and downstairs cloakroom
tidied, dusted, hoovered sitting room and playroom (avoiding dd's playmobil field of horses)
cleaned out gps
nipped to office to collect work that I shouldn't be doing but have been landed with

To do:
work
wrap parcel for UK plus dd's birthday thank you letters and post
chemist to get prescriptions
recycling
wash more bedlinen (still dealing with back-log of having 12, then 7 people to stay)
no roast yesterday so sausages, pots and broccoli tonight followed by apple crumble
drop letter through friend's letterbox
tidy master bedroom
on-line clothing shop for dd for autumn

To do this week:
more laundry for holiday next week
change all beds (am out of routine because of visitors)
sort present cupboard
sort sock and pant drawers master bed
sort and clean out pantry
declutter my wardrobe
buy dd some school shoes
buy dd's school supplies
tidy up home office a bit

Huge waves to PA hope appt goes well
CHB arf at crazy custard
Stir-fry Messy?
Whoknows think I have read Bodyclutter book at some point, don't think I was overly impressed but please don't let that influence you as only dim recollection! Don't worry about not managing home blessing in one hr btw. I can only do downstairs properly in that time, and only just.
Swan your itemised list of the contents of your dd's room makes me feel a whole lot better! (Especially the 10 rubbers Grin) DD has more handbags and notebooks than I do!

Waves to Blue Nicknacks and everyone else!!

swanriver · 08/08/2011 13:19

SC that is a home bless par excellence Smile

Was pouring last night here too, I felt as if I was in Noah's Ark, battening down all the hatches under leaky roof (veluxes were all ajar)

Quite good morning. Dd despatched to Sports with two friends; sons and I went for long walk/errands to Health Centre, Library (where we collected lots of HP story CDs) and to deliver dd's packed lunch.

School nurse turned out to have be quite plump herself, and also had autistic son (showed no suprise about Ds2's various quirks), and was generally supportive, (a little too supportive if you ask me), suggesting in front of Ds1 that a small bar of chocolate every now and then was a good incentive for healthy eating Shock Anyway she referred us to dietician but said dietician would probably tell us to go away because Ds1 wasn't quite fat enough yet. She said all the measuring of Year 6's was driving her mad, because it was using BMI rather than centiles and the time she spent dealing with irate parents was better spent going into schools and persuading children to give up crisps and Fanta. She also repeated the mantra that they will shoot up during puberty, so that is reassuring (several people have told me this, but I was beginning to doubt it, and wonder whether ds is destined to be square forever as he is already extremely tall)

Ds2's friend has just rung to arrange a playdate (here unfortunately Hmm tomorrow)
need to tackle smell of fish and laundry pile now.

swanriver · 08/08/2011 13:22

Actually, I feel knackered already.
Strong desire to go off and read Robert Harris instead. Ds2 has already pestered me to build him a lego racetrack, I don't think I'm going to escape for long.

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 14:48

Swan glad the nurse made you feel a little better after speaking to the nurse.

Right been a bit crazy today and here is the list update so far:

Laundry 3rd load on
defrost cake out of freezer done
tidy dining room recycling removed, but laundry to do on floor
tidy lounge did but am mid decluttering stuff from study in there now
tidy hall done
Hoover through downstairs
Get ds to ice cake
Play with the lego with ds with aim to get sets made up so it can go away
tidy ds' room 15mins decluttering done
15mins decluttering in my room done
Give ds crazy custard done
Clear up crazy custard done
put clean clothes away still in correct rooms and half done
take the rubbish out. done with exception of frutility and kitchen bins
Declutter the junk contains of 2 boxes and 1 bag from study done and half way through 3rd box
Sort out stuff of ds' to go live at his dad's house done
Sort out stuff for his holiday with grandparents in progress
Sort out stuff that should be in car done and waiting for rain to stop so it can go in there
Ds to play out in the rain his idea and in progress
early night.

Right now need to return lounge to tidy and put everything that is sorted away.

Need more coffee. Grin

Toffeefudgecake · 08/08/2011 15:28

Ta da list:

DC's breakfasts
Get dressed, wash hair, etc
Swish and swipe in bathroom
AM routines
Put washing on
Clear out fridge
Walk mum to station and wave goodbye Sad
Shopping
Ride home on top deck of bus, much to DC's delight
Lunch
Tidy bookshelf in dining room
Take DS2 to friend's to play for the afternoon
DS1's English lesson with dyslexia tutor
Hang washing out on new washing line
Put dry washing away
MN time, Brew and biscuits for me Smile

My Mum is very intrigued by Flylady and has been reading the book. She now uses some of her phrases, such as 'swishing and swiping'. She doesn't need any help running a house, but even she has learnt a few tips.

Inspired by PA's washing line and neat little basket of pegs, DH and I visited Homebase yesterday and bought a retractable washing line and an identical basket. The only thing I don't have is the stick to push the line up in the air, but mum says she can give me one from home. In the meantime, I can now hang my clothes up outside instead of wasting pounds using the tumbledrier. It makes me feel very efficient to see all the clothes flapping on the line.

WhoKnows - did you remember to buy the bread? Wink
Swan - glad you had a good evening out with DH and were able to make plans without interruptions from DC.
PA - good luck at DD's appointment. I hope it turns out OK.
Messy - good luck with your washing mountain.
CHB - what is crazy custard? I'm intrigued. Hope DS is better now, btw.
Still - sorry you spent the early hours in the cellar instead of your warm bed. I see you are dealing with a laundry mountain too. Good luck.

DS has finished his lesson and now he wants to show me something on his computer game, which means I have to - reluctantly - drag myself away from MN.

Toffeefudgecake · 08/08/2011 15:30
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 08/08/2011 15:47

Hello

DS has finally gone off to do something by himself. Are all boys this reliant on being entertained? Confused

Swan has your DS got health problems? Or is it just his BMI? There is a mum at playgroup who has the most adorable little boys but they are huge. My DS is on the 50 - 75th centile for height and weight and one of these boys is only a month older but about twice his size. The HV's will not leave the mum alone about it, although they have a healthy diet and are quite active. But she has said they were 10 and 11lbs when they were born, so unlikely to be small, plus the older one has really slimmed down now. I think there is too much interference over minor things tbh.

Think i know why DS has taken himself off so i'll make this quick....

Still to do today:
Do todays mission (have done one corner already)
Put the 'not quite dry' washing into the tumble
Do 5mins declutter on kitchen worktops
Start dinner (stirfry)
Put washload on
Clear up dinner
Dishy on
DCs bed
More painting (hoping to crack on with the base coat this evening)
Bath
Make up bed on sofa (paint fumes are not nice!)

To be done by the weekend:
Finish painting our room (walls and skirting boards)
Start painting mantlepiece, door and wardrobe doors
Tuesday - go shopping in big nearby town?
Wednesday - party
Thurs - garden furniture delivery
Friday - visit family

We are having a party here for DS (1st birthday!) a week on saturday, so really need all decorating done and house being put back to normal by then.

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 18:30

I think i must be sick. Hmm I have just turned down a training session so that i can do some more decluttering Shock

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/08/2011 18:47
pinkhollie · 08/08/2011 20:28

My tada's for today

Plumber rung about leaky tap
Cupboard under sink decluttered before plumbers arrival
Load of washing done and put on airers
Spare room organised
Lunch cooked and eaten
Friend visited
Dinner cooked and eaten
Washing up done

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 20:34

Grin Whoknows.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/08/2011 20:49

Evening all,

Today's to do list, now a ta-da list

Shower and get dressed to shoes (I know)
Phone company that is fitting our new front door
Get DCs dressed
Take DCs to tennis camp
Either go for a run or find an adult to play tennis with in meantime
Take DS to swimming lesson
Lunch
Take DCs to town to get new trainers for DD (start looking for school shoes too)
Maybe go to library and change books for reading scheme (if I can find the ones they've already done)
BUY BREAD

Toffee - as well as bread I managed to buy lots of snack food and 2 DVDs Blush. That's what happens when I take the DCs to Sainsburys. We managed to get the trainers but not school shoes, so we will have to travel further afield tomorrow, an afternoon out in Winchester I think. I love the sight of washing flapping on the line too, and it smells lovely afterwards, especially love the smell for my bedding.

Back to the list - I also had a look at the sneak peek for the week and cleared out the cupboard with all the spices, stock cubes etc in, anything more than a year out of date went so that's looking a lot better. And I ordered the Flylady book from Amazon.

Dedalus - DS (7) is still far more reliant on adults for entertainment than DD (5). I have to resort to the TV / Wii more often than I really would like to.

CHB - do please explain the crazy custard, is it another scientific thing?

SC / Swan - poured here last night too, absolutely torrential. Black clouds have been swirling all day, even though it has been largely sunny, very dramatic.

Right, need to get something to eat. I have just started using the MyFitness pal app for weight loss, you tap in your food and it logs all your calories for you - has anyone else tried this? Last time I stuck it for precisely 3 days then Easter and all its choccies kicked in and I gave up.

I also need to put away mountains of clean washing from the weekend so that I can get to my bed tonight Sad.

NickNacks · 08/08/2011 21:34

SC I am ever amazed at your lists- your house must shine! :)

Toffee One of my most favourite things is to watch my laundry blowing in the wind...... :)

WKWTTG Putting the clean washing away- my worst job. I hate it! It takes sooooo long and doesn't even feel like a great achievement once you've done it. :(

So today I started on the kitchen. I moved the broken (six months ago!) microwave closer to the back door and will get DH to visit the dump. Will probably have to be after our holiday now but I'll try and get a carfull of stuff together for it to make it worth his while!

Does anyone live without a microwave? We've got by so far but a few things we miss.....warming up milk and the wheatie are the top 2 i can think of right now but are they enough to warrant spending at least £50?

So tired tonight and have a day out tomorrow so heading off to bed....

Night Night!

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 22:39

what crazy custard does

Recipie:
Ingredients

2 cups cornflour
1 cup cold water

Instructions

Pour the cornflour into a bowl. Add the cold water slowly, stirring constantly and stop when the water is barely absorbed by the cornflour.

The resulting solution is fascinating to play with. It can be scooped up with the fingers as a mouldable material, but flows like liquid back into the bowl. It will brush off clothing as a dry powder.

But beware it is very messy. I let ds do this in the kitchen and then ban everyone from the room to let it dry off before i hover it up. If you chose to mop it up it will take several washes to get rid of it all. Outside on the grass is good to. But i save this for a cheap rainy day activity Grin

CHBitchy · 08/08/2011 22:49

DDPW - could you linky the microwave meriguinue (sp) recipie pretty please.

BlueEyeshadow · 08/08/2011 23:08

Round up:

Linzer?s decluttering skills are in demand elsewhere -

Swan?s alcohol-fuelled inspiration proved flawed, but the school nurse was supportive. So long as the smell of fish isn?t in the laundry pile you should be OK?
PA dropped intriguing hints. Hope work goes well tomorrow.
mm was heading for the laundrette while thinking what to do with chicken fillets.
CHB fascinated us all with crazy custard and decluttered instead of training.
SC posted an impressive ta-da list despite being up all night with a mop and bucket?
Toffee was also flying high and now has a shiny new washing line.
DDPW was decorating and party-planning ? hope it goes well. I don?t know about all small boys, but mine are hopeless at entertaining themselves. DS1 even needs someone to go with him if he has to go from the sitting room to the kitchen, or whatever. Hmm
pink has been decluttering and getting things done.
WhoKnows has been shopping with DCs and clearing out spices.
NickNacks has moved the microwave closer to the door ? babysteps! Wink

Had an unpleasantly dramatic morning when DS2 got a wooden egg stuck in his mouth ? nearly ended up calling an ambulance! Did manage the kitchen mission and to declutter some old sippy cups from the cupboard too though.

Here come the links:
Babystep: all about decluttering.
Mission (when it updates): Clean out under the sink.

Yawns and retires. Night all.

OP posts:
swanriver · 08/08/2011 23:24

I'm wondering what is happening in our local area with the riots. I can hear sirens and fire-engines but far off. I hope it is just preventative.

We've had a lovely day. Managed a bit of rescuing, but was defeated by ongoing mess creation.
Dd had a great time at sports with two friends, and they came back (two sisters) and did all sorts of dressing up and singing and dancing routines. Sons joined in too! Ds2 is an excellent dancer, but he is reminiscent of something from West Side Story (a Jet perhaps?) Ds1 is much cooler Smile

Hope everyone stays safe tonight.

swanriver · 08/08/2011 23:40

Dh has just appeared to say he's heard on news that main High Street (not our local one but bigger better one nearby) is full of looters - strangely quiet here though.

My thoughts on ds2 being like someone from West Side Story could not have been more inappropriate Sad
Luckily we are just behind a police station. Apparently when residents in nearby area complained, they were told to just turn their lights off and lie low Sad
Still quiet Confused

swanriver · 08/08/2011 23:41

Now I can hear sirens.