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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 22:11

Wow, such a lot of people!

Countess - I may have been doing this for two years but I am still no nearer giving up my undersink cupboard for dirty washing up. Mine goes in the bowl which lives in the sink or in the DW. The general routine for me is DW on and any hand washing up done and left on the drainer at night, then DW and drainer cleared in the morning, bowl lifted out of sink and sink/draining board shined before staring to fill it up with odds and ends again during the day. It may not be perfect Flying but it works pretty well for me. It is done in my PJs and slippers.

countlessbabychams · 29/12/2011 22:17

WhoKnows I must admit I do have visions of smelly,festering baked beans encrusted plates overflowing the washing up bowl under the sink and stinking and attracting mice........(like it does on the worksurface at the moment Grin)

openyerlugholes · 29/12/2011 22:26

Haagendazs you sound like the perfect new recruit!

Tomorrow I plan to clear out my linen cupboard, tackle the horrors that are lurking under the stairs and do a bit of the filing that hasn't been touched in over a year Blush

BerylOfLaughs · 29/12/2011 22:27

Used to fly a very long time ago. Got sick of the emails but my house has continued to be better than it was before. Will give it a go again on this thread as I need to step up a notch.
Thanks to whoever mentioned the homeroutines app, looks great.

TeuchterInTheCity · 29/12/2011 22:28

I'm in, in desperate need of a declutter and to be completely in control of my life by the time DC2 arrives in July!

ElfOnTheShelf · 29/12/2011 22:29

Marking my place Smile

DharmaBumpkin · 29/12/2011 22:30

Have been looking at these threads for months but sadly that hasn't made the house any cleaner, so I'm signing in... Roll on a tidier 2012!

thinks glumly that it's probably no coincidence that my phone autocorrected 'tidier' to 'torturous'

daisylulu · 29/12/2011 22:34

Marking my place too please. DD is 8 months old and house has turned progressively messier over last 8 months. Need to work out how the hell I get this sorted before I return to work in a few months....

BerylStreep · 29/12/2011 22:35

I would love to join if I may?

House not too dirty, but quite cluttered. We move our clutter from room to room.

Would love to get a good list app.

I have competing new years resolutions, my priority needs to be to lose weight and get fit.

obrigada · 29/12/2011 22:39

Oh please can I join . . Begging emoticon! My house is really really bad. Almost pass out if someone knocks on my door in case they expect to be invited in . . Shamed emoticon!

openyerlugholes · 29/12/2011 22:40

'thinks glumly that it's probably no coincidence that my phone autocorrected 'tidier' to 'torturous'

hahaha! Classic dharma!

maxylou · 29/12/2011 22:54

Going back to work in january so i need to be organised, would like to join and get some inspiration

Casmama · 29/12/2011 22:58

Can I join too please? I really identify with CHAOS syndrome and have had enough of it.

Casmama · 29/12/2011 22:59

Excuse the double syndrome! Xmas Blush

thetasigmamum · 29/12/2011 22:59

Hello. Can I join please? We definitely live in CHAOS and I hate it. :( I am actually the sole breadwinner and the DCs are at school (all different schools, nightmare routine of after school activities, and DH's life is made more difficult by the fact that while sometimes I work from home, other times I am away, either in London or overseas - most trips will be two or three days but occasionally it can be as long as a week). DH does try but basically he is rubbish at cleaning and not much better at tidying, I'm also rubbish at these things but for a different reason (very dyspraxic, makes it soon difficult especially on bad days). We need help. This thread could be the answer. I blooming hope so. Am so fed up of not feeling we can have people round.

On the plus side, I did all the paperwork yesterday so at least that aspect is all sorted. I do need to submit my tax return but can't do that till my accountant is back at work next week anyway, and at least I have found all the info and sellotaped it to the notice board area of my workstation. Grin

SmileItsSeasonal · 29/12/2011 23:05

Help me too! Tried it for a couple of weeks last year but was overwhelmed by the emails. DH likes the shiny sink... I only remember the home blessing hour (due to post-it note above desk). How does the thread work?

feetheart · 29/12/2011 23:07

My oh my - hordes of new (and returning) Flyers. I feel a collective noun coming on.......a flutter of Flyers.........a Wine of Flyers..........a naughty corner bar of Flyers :)

Just marking my place for a decluttering 2012. I have been here for 2 years, have some routines that work well and have gained some control over my house in that time but still have a loooooong way to go.

See you all on 1st - nips back to December thread to calm down :)

SmileItsSeasonal · 29/12/2011 23:11

Any more information about home routine apps? Will they work on android?

HenriettaFarthingay · 29/12/2011 23:14

Ok, I'm in! Have been trying to have a tidy house for almost 40 years - 2012 could be the year it happens!

libbyssister · 29/12/2011 23:15

I have just cleaned my kitchen sink and it sparkles! Won't still be like that come 1st Jan tho Grin

Barbielovesken · 29/12/2011 23:15

Hello Smile another newbie here if you'll have me please?

I've actually being waiting for this thread to start Blush and am fully commuted to giving flying a genuine attempt - I signed up (stupidly) before and was overwhelmed by the emails/ didn't quite get the whole thing/ found it confusing etc. Am hoping with the help of this thread I can transform our home into a nicer environment for us all to enjoy and once and for all stick to a proper routine.

We both work full time, have 3 dc aged 6 years down to 6 months and really need help. I try very hard but it quickly gets out of hand. Am already motivated by the to do lists some of you have mentioned.

Am off work until the 9th (both of us) so hoping to do some serious deep cleaning to start on a good foot before return to work.

Am inspired and am off to fill the dishwasher, shine my sink and throw on a wash. am also going to download the home routine app (thanks to whoever mentioned that)

Tomorrow I'll be buying 2012 insert for my Filofax, more cloths, bleach, polish and window cleaner.

Looking forward to a lovely tidy, clean and organised home in 2012 Smile

Makingchanges · 29/12/2011 23:17

openurlugoles I'm not sure if I spent that right. I was on the old thread with swan and grouchy etc. I remember you too jas grouchy popped by a few months ago but not seen her since. ofm was on those threads as well, if you remember her.

Anyway marking my place but a new job in jam means not sure how frequent a flier I'll be for the first few weeks.

HoneyandHaycorns · 29/12/2011 23:17

Oh, can I join please? Someone recommended on another thread that I try flying, so I'm ready to give it a go as long as I don't have to wear shoes.

Here's to a tidier 2012 for all of us! :)

mintchocchick · 29/12/2011 23:20

It sounds great here! I'm excited at the thought of living in a less cluttered, tidier way though I'm a bit worried that I'll get really into it, DH and kids won't be bothered at all and I'll end up doing it all myself!

How do you experienced flyers manage to rope other family members in and share the routines? Or are they quick enough each day that you don't mind doing them yourself? I'm afraid I turn into a bit of a screaming banshee when I'm busy cleaning and others are lolling around the place! I think it's why not much gets done at home.

Really hoping this will help instill some quick, easy routines that don't leave me feeling I'm cleaning every evening after work.

Makingchanges · 29/12/2011 23:21

smileitsseasonal one of us each month take a turn to lead. This month toffeewhirl is our esteemed leader. She will post links each day to babysteps if you are a beginner. They will ease you in. She will also post missions, for when you get into it. There will also be a round up. Many people post lists of what they intend to do each day and then later, what they actually did but you can use the thread how you feel best. Read the first post and toffee has explained it much better than i ever could. Many we chat and offer support.