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

[ToffeeWhirl]

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.

Ooh, thanks Toffee, will have a proper look later. Sadly Boots don't deliver internationally, or at least didn't last time I checked.

Thanks Toffee - a breakfast of Immodium and Gatorade got me through!

I had a magic eraser from Lakeland and it was fab but expensive.
My next one came from the pound shop and did the job just as well.

Just checked and mine is the Doktor Power one! Bargain
I think Flash did a similar one too

Managed my morning routine today

Just checking in. Dog is still here, cancelled appointment on Friday as she perked up. Went downhill over weekend, went to get today and she behaved like a puppy!!!
She has been put on pain killers and taking back on Friday. She still hasn't got long but she's hanging in there.
I am doing the hotspot thing and I do my bathroom from top to bottom every week so I'm happy with today's mission
But it's the only room I do do that thoroughly

Went to vet today...

mummynic hope you can keep her for a little while longer.

Done:
hoover
dust
changed beds
recycling

Hi MummyNic when my parents very sadly had to put down their beloved dog the vet came to them at home which made it very less traumatic for the dog as she hated travelling in cars and of course the vets. I've not heard of any other vets doing that, but it seemed a really sensitive way to handle a very sad occasion.

Hope things go well for you x

Evening all!

I've posted pics of DD's/DD's friend gingerbread project (the first time I've posted any pics....)

I don't think it's turned out too badly for two 11 year old girls who managed most of it on their own. Apparently, teacher's rules are that everyone has to have a taste, so I'm not expecting anything coming home tomorrow

Meanwhile, I managed most of my plans today with the exception of getting a cross stitch project to the framers. I took it down to find they were closed today...I forgot to check their open hours.....

This is a cross stitch that's taken only about, oooh, 15-20 years to complete . In my defence I can say that I guess it was designed at a time when computer programmes for designing projects were all very new, and this project was so over-detailed even for an experienced stitcher that somehow I was not surprised to see it re-issued about 12-18 months later in a simpler format. I did put it down and refused to touch it for about 10 years, but as it's for Dad, I have finally gritted my teeth and finished it. And now I'm all set for a new (easier) project, and my enjoyment of cross stitch has come back.

OK well one sick child and one child with an appointment here so not much flying done.

Did shine the sink this morning though.

My mum came round to look after sickboy while I took wellboy to his appointment. She loves my new sitting room arrangement and my lack of clutter. In fact she said she hadn't noticed the clutter before, but does notice how much space there is. DH still not sold on the new arrangement, prolly coz 'his' chair is further from the telly.

Thanks for all the motivation - between this thread and my HR app I'm really inspired!

Ta-da list

Morning: Up and dressed
Morning: Start washing machine
Morning: load tumble drier with washing done overnight
Morning: Check calendar
Morning: empty Dishwasher
Weekly Tasks: Kitchen once over
Weekly Tasks: Hoover downstairs
Weekly Tasks: Dust
Weekly Tasks: Change bed sheets
Weekly Tasks: Clean Windows & doors (really just the smudges though!)
Morning: Wipe bench and table
Morning: Load tumble dryer
Morning: Shine sink!
Morning: Hotspots
Focus zone Laundry: Clean lint trap of dryer
Weekly Tasks: Mop
Weekly Tasks: Hoover upstairs
Weekly Tasks: Online food order
Evening: Dinner dishes
Evening: Wipe bench and table
Evening: Empty garbage
Evening: Put away clean laundry
Evening: Hotspots
Evening: Shine sink!
Evening: 5 min room rescue

To do - and taking me to +25 tasks!
Lay out clothes and pack work bag

That's the peak of my week now though. Back to work tomorrow and time will fly until the weekend. But if my sink is still shiny come Friday I'll be happy.

DD and I got home at @8pm last night and it was nice to know that everything was ready for the morning. She had a wobbly tooth come out on the train so had to swiftly organise a visit from the Tooth Fairy!

I felt mixed emotions this morning as when we came dowstairs she asked if we had come back to the right house. On asking why she thought that, her answer was that it was too clean and tidy to be ours! I felt pride that obviously my efforts are paying off but guilt about what it must have been like! We didn't live in squaler (sp?) but I knew that I could and should do more around the house. But I also realised that I would have no problem inviting anybody in now at short notice as at least the downstairs at least is kept reasonably spick and span.

My window cleaner came today so I now HAVE to do the insides as I have handprints all down the patio doors!

To da list is:

• S&S bathrooms
• planned weekly meals and went shopping (which included buying toiletries which is one of this weeks missions!)
• 10 minute rescue of DS's room as he left it in a bit of a state after going back to Uni on Friday.
• Beds stripped, bedding washed and hung to dry
• Sink cleaned tonight (I have the routine that I do it after I come down from putting DD to bed so I can sit guilt free for the rest of the evening )

Round-up time for today:

JustGettingOnWithIt has a difficult week ahead, including helping someone with hoarding issues. She needs to catch up on sleep tonight so she is ready to face the challenges ahead.

Linzer and her DC have all been poorly, but a good friend delivered food to them and they are on the mend.

cq ran a half marathon , in spite of a stomach bug (Imodium was the magic ingredient).

membership rightly found the Lakeland eraser too expensive (did you know Asda does them as well?)

Dalrymps finished her morning routine and is well on the way to developing her new habits.

MummyNic brought her dog back home from the vet as he had a new lease of life . Hopefully, they will get lots more time together.

Scatty stuck to Flylady's routines and did her home bless/bleugh thingy.

FleeBee recommended the vet come to MummyNic's house (the vet did that for our dog too), although we all hope that day is a long way off.

Darts's DD and her friend finished their gingerbread masterpiece in considerably less time than it took Darts to finish her cross-stitch masterpiece.

Changebags is looking after a sick child - hope he gets well soon. Her mum has noticed the lack of clutter downstairs and likes it .

Bubbles - wow! That is some list - 25 items! Well done!

dizzy enjoyed coming home to a tidy house. She was disconcerted by her DC's comments about the new look, but shouldn't be feeling guilty - she should be proud that it looks so good. It's great that guests can drop in without a crisis clean first. (My own DC made similar comments on the state of our house, but they definitely prefer it orderly and uncluttered, even though they contribute hugely to the clutter and untidiness themselves).

Babysteps coming up...

Tuesday, 17th January - babystep 17 - set a bedtime and stick to it. I'm afraid I fail horribly at this one . But I can see that it makes perfect sense.

Tuesday is your day to plan your week. The routine reminders for the day are here.

Today's mission is here. We are in the bathroom this week.

Good night.

Morning all .

I am in the process of changing my hours of work from 5 short days to 3 long days (should make my life easier). Yesterday I went to the after school club to suss it out. seems ok. For the last 4 yrs I have arranged my work around school hours to avoid the after school club (thinking DC would hate it) so I was nervous breaking it too them that they might have to start going. I shouldn't have worried, their response was like the advert where the parents write a notice saying 'we're going to Disney world!' Apparently they've 'always wanted to go to the after school club' .

Today:
invite DDs friend for tea on Thurs
Talk to boss about changing my hours
Text banking
bathroom
laundry

Right, off to scrape the car.

Keeping up just about, but that?s the first babystep that I really can?t see how to achieve, or a sensible alternative to, other than making it later than I already do. I fall in to bed as early as I can manage to and it?s never early enough.

Toffee thank you for explaining, you should have two pm's from me, but the 2nd one, should have been the 1st!
I have just discovered more clutter. I didn't know I had stuff sitting in my inbox!
Oh well, something to add to ?unexpected achievements today' (as I?ve responded and apologised to all.)

Someone sent me that program on Iplayer after I told them I wanted to help this person. It?s not as bad in there isn?t tunnelling, but it?s the younger sibling not yet full grown, iyswim and trying to gently convince them that most of it just isn?t saleable, especially uncleaned, is proving hard.

Mummynic following on from Fleebee, I had to help someone?s anti social cat who was terrified of people it didn?t know, when he perked up and then went downhill when the owner was away.
I found a lovely 'only mobile' vet who went on standby for us. I hadn't known they existed. She didn?t have premises and provided all forms of at home care. I later found out that both local vets would come out by pre - appointment, but she provided a ?within two hours? service and was brilliant and very kind. (if it's an option you want, you do need think about what you want to do afterwards.)
Hope the time you have is good.

Thanks for your PMs, Just. Scatty - that's so funny that your DC have always wanted to go to the after-school club! I hope it lives up to their expectations.

DS1 is at home as he is now openly refusing to go to school. He just says he can't do it . However, he has just agreed to go in for the final lesson of the day, which is Art. I think he just needs to ease himself back into school again.

Off to make us breakfast, then I'm going to do yesterday's one-hour home thingy as the house is in a mess .

Morning :) Didn't shine my sink last night as cba and crikey am I noticing the difference today! Am in a right pickle and all behind schedule as there was loads of washing up to do! Must go and throw myself back into it but thought I would share as missing one step off flylady causing such havoc must mean that its working brilliantly normally!

Me too, Valium . Completely messes up the morning, I agree!

Hi,
I've not been so good the last couple of days and it has made such a difference, not just to the state of my house, but to my state of mind! I have had a quick look at your posts and am motivated again - thank you! I am going to spend just 5 (more) minutes relaxing and MNetting and then I will go and sort out my DW, put washing away and pack swimming kits for later, spend 2 mins rescuing DC's rooms, while my DS (dressed as spiderman) 'helps' me!
Looking forward to work tomorrow, just for a rest!

My DS has also been 'helping' me this morning, Katy, although, at 12, he really should be able to do a decent job of it. I got him to tidy the sitting room, hoover downstairs and then tidy, dust and hoover his room. He complained that he'd already done his room last week. I don't think he's quite grasped the essence of housework, ie it's repetitive and boring!

I have finished the house-cleaning session, with Flyboy's reluctant help. Still have an awful lot of washing up to get through, thanks to not shining my sink last night. Also had a horrible wrestling match with several full binbags full of rubbish, before I realised that the entire batch of binbags had holes in their bottoms! Ugh. Rubbish all over the floor.

BBL.

Back from work

Done:
invite DDs friend for tea on Thurs
Talk to boss about changing my hours

To do:
Text banking
bathroom
laundry

Ds doesn't understand the concept of housework either toffee he meticulously dusts 1 corner of a surface then becomes 'tired' and has to stop .

BB after school run

Scatty - I'm relieved to hear my DS isn't the only lazy one. My DS always pleads 'tiredness' too .

Where is everyone? The thread is very quiet tonight. Just doing bedtime routines, but will be back later with tomorrow's babysteps.

Phew - I had slipped a bit off the Flylady thing (although I kept the sink shining throughout!) as I've been so busy at work. Anyway today I played catch up

Ta da
huge mound of ironing (including 16 shirts and 3 sets of bedlinen!)
Changed all 3 beds
4 loads of washing, dried and put away
Dinner cooked
Picked up library book I'd ordered
Dishwasher unloaded and restacked
Kitchen surfaces cleaned
Sink shined
Packed for business trip tomorrow
Sorted out kids swimming stuff and football kit for whilst I'm away
Hoovered
Swished and wiped bathrooms

I love the 15 minutes idea about Flying - and broke the tasks into 15 minute segments, plus managed a couple of (timed) 15 minute breaks for a cuppa and catch up with the news.

I still need to sort out my hotspot tonight which is worse than it has been since starting flying.

Hmm, as for lazy ds's, I agree. My ds won't help unless bribed whereas my dd frequently offers to help me. She's a bit young to be much help but it's nice to have the company.

I'm away for a couple of days so won't be flying/around. 'See' you at the weekend!