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Housekeeping

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Original poster

If tidying your home is your New Year's resolution, Flying with us could be the solution

999 replies

ToffeeWhirl · 29/12/2011 17:30

Welcome to the January Fledgling Flyers' thread. A very big thank you to BlueEyeshadow and IceColdBitch for guiding us through the busy Christmas month.

Are you living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? We know the feeling. We follow Flylady's routines, which aim to help you take control of your home, tidying and decluttering and setting up daily and weekly routines that keep your home looking presentable. We also chat quite a lot and swap tips on coping with housework and mess.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes. There are three methods, depending on whether you are new to the system or have been following it for a while:

  1. Babysteps
  2. Babysteps + 15 mins daily decluttering in current zone
  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.

Oh, and don't - really, really ^don't^ - sign up to Flylady's emails.

The first babystep will be posted on 1st January 2012.

Happy New Year.

Smile
OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 29/12/2011 20:39

You don't really need anything special, but E-cloths are very useful.

NickNacks · 29/12/2011 20:41

Oh my Toffee you've a busy evening rounding up! :)

openyerlugholes · 29/12/2011 20:42

I use kitchen towel for swishing the bathrooms each day and shining my sink. Oh I use window cleaner on the sink.

Jas · 29/12/2011 20:47

I'd say e cloths are worth geetting if you haven't got any, but other than that, no special products are required.

My house is significantly less full of clutter than last time I was on these threads, but my routines have gone, and the menu planning (which was really helpful in avoiding emergency pasta dinners three times a week) is sorely missed.

Ponders · 29/12/2011 20:50

my sink doesn't shine Sad

it's rather worn white granite-effect - never shone in its life Grin

I could varnish it I suppose...

openyerlugholes · 29/12/2011 20:50

It's the deep cleans that I am sorely in need of catching up on. Everything looks fine on the surface but a closer inspection reveals all sorts of horrors.

Doesn't help that I work more hours now than I did when I used to FLY. Finding it much more difficult to keep on top of things.

ButterPopcorn · 29/12/2011 20:51

Great, thank you- will get some e-cloths Smile

openyerlugholes · 29/12/2011 20:52

ponders Grin. Mine shines, but that just shows the scratches up more than usual!

Ponders · 29/12/2011 20:53

e cloths are fabulous, I have them in several different colours for different jobs (well in theory that's what happens)

recommend getting them from aldi, twin packs are 99p I think & they come in at least 4 colours

cartblanche · 29/12/2011 20:59

Oh God should I join this? I tried a few years ago when I had the one child and it certainly helped. I remember I signed up for the emails and THEY DROVE ME MAD. So the appeal of just checking in on this thread does make it a more attractive proposition. Getting up and dressed straightaway IS a big challenge to me - I tend to chaotically dash around in PJs sorting uniforms and clothes out and ironing stuff - and then throwing on something and dashing out the door. Now I think about it, I really NEED to do this don't I Blush

Jas · 29/12/2011 21:10

My sink shines. I have a new kitchen.Grin

The only thing I still always do as a result of previous FLYing, is get up 1/2 hr before the children. I love my bed, but mornings are so much easier if I have a short time to myself to drink that first cup of tea and get dressed and maybe even get time to make the packed lunches, before the madness begins

Dysgu · 29/12/2011 21:11

May I join too. DP and I both work full-time and he is probably better than me at keeping the house in a not-too-bad state. I have tried shining my sink in the past but got no further than that. I think I will have to get him involved too - i think he will like the place to be tidy on a regular basis and then we could start decluttering.

Jas · 29/12/2011 21:12

carteblance - I don't iron! If you can get into the habit of folding/hanging washing as soon as it is dry (I dry school shirts on the hangers) then almost all of it is fine without, andit is one less job to try and do.

countlessbabychams · 29/12/2011 21:13

Thank you to those who translated my dish pan query!

Now....where do I put all the crap currently under the sink to fit my washing up bowl there?....

I can see a 'job for tomorrow' coming on as I'm liking this idea already...!

cartblanche the dressing bit will def be a challenge for me too - usually I get dressed last of all and sometimes at the weekend I don't manage at all....

SuePurblybilt · 29/12/2011 21:13

I have just been to clean out my massive linen and sewing cupboards (barely closed before cos of rammed-in linen and fabric).

This thread must be working already Grin

Haagendazs · 29/12/2011 21:16

My house is getting more and more cluttered by the week. Can I join you? Please?
I already shine the sink regularly, but other than that i seem to live in 'chaos' - does this mean I'll fit in?

countlessbabychams · 29/12/2011 21:18

Jas it's definately one of my resolutions to get up before the kids and get something done.I'm too knackered usually in the evenings but it's amazing what you can crack on with in the mornings with a spare half hour or so,isn't it?

ButterPopcorn · 29/12/2011 21:19

I am thinking about clearing my wardrobe out tomorrow Confused Grin

Ponders · 29/12/2011 21:23

sometimes at the weekend I don't manage at all....

me too, babychams (I do my best housework in pjs, whatever the flylady says Grin)

Magneto · 29/12/2011 21:27

I'm going to try and join in and stick to it. House isn't horrific, but is sooo cluttered. And I'm hoping the cleaning will help me stop spending!!!

While I was on mat leave I managed to get a good routine of a quick tidy up of a room per day and laundry at weekends but since going back to work I just can't back into it.

Going to have a read of those links now.

countlessbabychams · 29/12/2011 21:36

Ponders I sometimes even do my best gardening in PJ's too.....Grin

GTbaby · 29/12/2011 21:51

our house isn't to bad, however have to build up a routine.

so will join you lovely ladies.

coccyx · 29/12/2011 21:57

Going to try to do this. We always seem to be in a mess, and fully understand the need to put off people dropping in! Find it gets more depressing and harder to tackle

superdragonmama · 29/12/2011 21:58

Can I join? Completely, utterly new to this Fly stuff.

Oddly, the insides of my cupboards and drawers aren't bad; it's all the uncontrollable, endless clutter on every surface, everywhere, that drives me insane. And the sheer grubbiness!!

Find it hard to imagine doing more than merely getting dressed and making packed lunches before I leave the house in the mornings though . . . . .

HeyNonnyNo · 29/12/2011 22:05

May I join too please? Have flapped rather than flown for a couple of years. Now in a house twice the size of the last one, with a newish baby, a rampaging toddler and a hairy dog, I've crashed in a crumpled heap of feathers. I found baby chewing a handful of dog hair the other day .

We have too much stuff. Decluttering is where I'm starting.