Part 2 of: If tidying your house is your New Year's resolution, Flying with us could be the solution

[ToffeeWhirl]

Welcome to Part 2 of the January Fledgling Flyers' thread. There are a lot of newly dedicated Flyers on Part 1 of the thread - I hope they all find their way over here to Part 2. We are following Flylady's system to get our houses in order, whilst ignoring her twee language.

Flylady's routines 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. On this thread, we motivate each other, chat quite a lot and swap tips on coping with housework and mess.

There are three methods of following Flylady's system, 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: your sink. It seems crazy when the mess is piling up everywhere else, but it works.

blackcat today is another day, hope its a better one for you. flying the situation with the will is truly horrendous - unfathomable even, I hope you manage to get something sorted.

Reading through everyones posts from yesterday, it seems like we're all having bad weeks, although seeing what other people cope with can help put things in perspective. Both my dc are still small - 22m and 4m, so schools a way off yet, but well aware of some of the issues it can bring, previous job working as an educational researcher, spending time with children excluded from, refusing or education otherwise. Quite frankly the thought terrifies me, swan that a ds may be thumped and toffee I'm not sure id be capable of being anywhere near as strong in your situation......

Yesterday started brilliantly for me, morning routine done, washing taken off surer and folded, New wash put on - mum came to pick me up as car being repaired. Dropped dd off at nursery and then mum had ds for afternoon, while I went for a spa and full body massage, friends bought me a mother to be pamper treatment for my birthday last Aug, but as ds made a month early appearance at start of Sept, didn't get chance to use it and voucher about to run out. Had a fabulous and relaxing time, and was super sleepy when got home, so planned early night. Car back in drive on arrival back, FIL had arranged for his mechanic to look at it, as mine is currently in hospital, I know it was the clutch that had gone, so dh phoned his parents to see what I owe him - was expecting 200, but came back as 700! Wtf? Aagggh, was actually winded when I was told and had to sit down. I don't have savings and am on mat leave so no pay. Luckily FIL will pay, and can pay him back in installments when go back to work, this was all done second hand through conversation with MIL last night, so can clarify today what was wrong - she said it was something attached to the clutch, I'm wondering if she means the whole of the engine? Shocked most of all as v unexpected, my mechanic I trust implicitly and know he would have phoned to check before carrying out work that would cost that much....anyway, rant over, its only money (she says through gritted teeth)

Best get on with morning routine, see you all soon

Can I join you? Just discovered fly lady and this thread. I signed up for email blast and now have hundreds! I just want one daily instruction

I've looked all over the website and can only find a way to unsubscribe, not change settings. Anyone solved this?

I am getting started with launch pads and sink shining - although my version is clearing kitchen and cleaning, not shining the sink.

Morning all, Thanks for your kind messages.

Jnice I never joined Flylady (as in entered my email address or anything) but
I still visit the website to see what the baby step etc is.
I don't know if I am missing anything by not joining and I don't know what all the others on here have done.
Hopefully someone will come along with some advice.

I must go now as I have to get the DC ready for school and nursery.

Hi jnice and welcome, I'm fairly new to all this too and haven't ventured far into the website, so can't help you on that one I'm afraid, but there are lots of friendly experienced flyers on here and am sure will be able to advise.

I don't shine my sink either as its s Belfast type one, but do rinse it and clean the kitchen surfaces as part of my routine, a clean and tidy kitchen definitely helps me feel better and hurrah, it is becoming the norm - unfortunately, the pantry attached to it, is still a clutter disaster, but I'll get to it at some point!

The power of 'to do' lists currently being discussed on BBC breakfast news

I just unsubscribed from everything. Can read the website instead. Plus keep up with it here

done
ds2 to school
ds2 bath
ds2 in good mood!
phoned ds2 teacher first thing to forewarn about thumping incident (this was on way home from school, but related to some playground politics, so I thought it best to inform)
phoned ds1 Welfare Room to enquire whether it was alright for ds to just go in for ICT etc...yes fine... so I think I can get him back today. He is coughing still, but he isn't really ill, just low spirited atm. And he loves ICT.
wrote letter to ds1 teacher saying his morale was low
wrote absence note ds1
washing hung out

but DD is now at home [hurrah! ] saying she is ill...Hope I can get her in after lunch. She has been learning touch typing and now curled up on sofa in her pjs..
so no library work today [tears hair out at being an unreliable volunteer]

toffee well done for the paid work you did yesterday though, even if dh thought you hadn't completed your targets..

Will be back later when I've sorted out the children.

Morning!

dizzy Your wills may well be fine, but I would strongly recommend getting them checked out by a solicitor just incase. I wish dad had listened to mum - she had a gut feeling something was wrong with the company that drew up their wills.

wizzler thanks. I hope something can be salvaged.

Work this afternoon so getting as much done as I can this morning.

Ta da

Up and dressed to shoes
Swished upstairs bathroom
Made bed
Hoovered downstairs
Emptied and refilled dw (actually dd3 did that)
Wuped floors
Shined sink and surfaces
Folded and put away dry washing
Put on 1st load

Detail cleaned our bedroom - yay!

To do

Swish downstairs bathroom
Hang up 1st load
Put on 2nd load
Hang up 2nd load
Hoover and dust younger girls' bedroom

thewaffler - it's nice of you to say I'm strong, but I think I'm just used to it all now and at least professionals are working with us, not against us anymore (started out blaming us for being overprotective parents - the usual story. "Why do you want to medicalise your son?" one counsellor asked me. Er, maybe because I think he has a medical diagnosis, you silly cow? I should have replied).

Swan - I have not met my book targets this morning either . There seem to be an awful lot of other things to do that are also important - like the school run and printing out work to keep DS up to date with his schoolwork. I will try to do some later though and this should be possible as DS2 is going back to a friend's house after school. It's good that you have arranged for your son to go in just for ICT. That is one of the few subjects my son would choose too. I hope the thumping incident is sorted out - what an awful thing for your DS1 to cope with (and you).

BlackCat - so glad you haven't left us!

Jnice - welcome to the thread.

FlyingLugholes - that's an impressive list!

Dragging Taking DS1 to the library now, then home for some 'home ed' as the teachers have sent through lots of work for him to do.

toffee good to see the school sending work home for ds. Saves you from having to find material for him!

Dds have been working on their maths and english this week. One loves maths, the other loved english so at least one of them is happy at a time!

Well, dh has decided he doesn't need me in today which is great. Have some work I can do from home and will pop to the shops at some point.

Ta da

Up and dressed to shoes
Swished upstairs bathroom
Made bed
Hoovered downstairs
Emptied and refilled dw (actually dd3 did that)
Wuped floors
Shined sink and surfaces
Folded and put away dry washing
Put on 1st load

Detail cleaned our bedroom - yay!

Swish downstairs bathroom
Hang up 1st load
Put on 2nd load
Hoover and dust younger girls' bedroom
Cleaned out pigs cage (dds did that - I cleaned up after them...)

To do

Hang up 2nd load
Make shopping list
Go shopping

Just pooping in to say "Hi". I am trying to get back on track but starting with small steps.

Hope everyone is o.k. (haven't had chance to read through the thread up there)

*Popping in not pooping in

at 'pooping'.

The oddest thing has happened! As if by magic a letter has appeared in post inviting Ds1 (the tantruming off school, one not the thumped one (he's 9)[) to a Nurture Group at Secondary. What a relief..that at least they've got him on their radar as needing some support.

Dd is making a space model for school atm out of a Xmas kit, and Ds1 has gone back to school. I sorted through his bag before he left and found the remains of some science test on breastfeeding and breastfeeding trends on all things...he had answered every question wrong - the question of why a law had been passed in Scotland making it an offence to stop someone feeding in public he had replied because it is "disgusting and embarassing " [wrong answer]. Why is breastfeeding good for baby humans? Because it helps "the organs"...I don't know, far from having too much homework supervision he clearly hasn't learnt anything, certainly not from Mumsnet.

done
bit of gardening
sorted out ds bag
lunch for all
rang planning office re: conservatory application
rescued kitchen
recycling
dw
beds
catfood clean dish
rescued hall

That's great news about the nurture group, Swan! And very funny about the answers to breastfeeding questions. He obviously has strong feelings on the matter!

swan chortle chortle at breastfeeding homework, toffee I HATE not having appropriate repoiste, can think of perfect ones after the event, keep it up your sleeve for future meetings, although good to hear you are slowly getting the professionals on board.

I have 2 queries, sort of related. First one, what's your control journal like? I proper notepad/diary type thing, or do you download fly lady routines and put in a folder? what other things in there have you got? round flying, I couldn't see the point, but this time can see the benefit

Mine needs to be fleshed out somewhat, as of last night, I have a folder with 2 sheets of paper, one a toad in the hole receipe, and the other, suggestions for bday pressies I don't want to forget. I obviously need to add the routines!

One bit I really really struggle with, is the 'whats for dinner' part - answer, i havent a clue. I can look in the pantry and see nothing, dh sees the same stuff and comes up with 4 or 5 ideas, he has a definite knack for knowing flavours and likes cooking, which is great and I've always benefited by yummy food being handed to me on a plate. As lovely as this is, I do feel somewhat deskilled and a crap mummy, I manage pasta, I can make Yorkshire puddings and a cheesecake - the latter 2 being result of practising and therefore getting to grips with, when we've had people over for Sunday dinner, and those have been the bits I'm in charge of, and dh does the rest.

I tend to see a receipe, cut it out, try it, it doesn't taste brilliant, so I don't attempt again. Tuning tends to be an issue for me, ad in I get it wrong, burn onions for too long etc and now realise I need to focus on the task at hand and not try and tidy up at same time. Dh not very helpful, as he doesn't follow receipes, so difficult to explain. This week I did toad in hole as left over Yorkshire mix, was fine but saus went in for too long before the mix, and don't have non stick pan, so it stuck (but tasted nice). Then attempted pork chops in slow cooker ad per suggestion on another thread, for building up a repertoire of meals, but I put far far too much soy sauce in - then get disheartened and stop for a while.

Anyway, can you let me know a couple of ideas from your menu planning - I know this should really be in food thread, but see it as essential part of flying.

Do you have a couple of stock meals you always fall back on?

Sorry for waffling....

swan your DSs test questions made me smile!

More constructive day here. Ta da:

• Load of laundry washed and drying (must follow through with the putting away!)
• hoovered and mopped kitchen floor
• cleaned out guinea pigs
• cleaned and shined the hob and oven door fronts
• put load in the DW
• shined kitchen sink

To do:

• put away laundry
• make tea
• Hoover lounge carpet (tis filthy!)

Taking DS1 to his school disco at 5pm so might take myself off to Costa while he's there and leave DH with DS2 + 3 with DH. Although they'd better not mess up the place while I'm out!

thewaffler we're having a chicken Korma type thing tonight. It started off as a Jamie O recipe but I've "made of my own" but taking out the chilli and adding veg. JO did suggest the paste too, I'm not cutting corners:

Fry an onion and some garlic in a saucepan and add some grated ginger if you have it (we don't more often than not). Add a couple of table spoons of Pataks Korma paste and a tin of coconut milk. Then add a couple of chicken breast chopped into cubes. I also add whatever cooked veg I have to hand such as potato, carrots, cauliflower, etc and some fresh coriander leaves. Serve with rice. It's mild enough that all three DSs will eat it. And it's quick to make.

Talking of which...should prob go and get chicken out of the freezer!

Black cat, :o at pooping.

Could any kind soul link me the room rescue? Am going in circles looking for it.

Swan, old one from son?s book bag:
Why does seeing a homeless person make us feel guilty?
Answer: ?It doesn?t, because there isn?t anywhere in our flat to put one.?
(A comment on the size of it, rather than state, but nowadays?)

Hi all . Having trouble getting on the computer (seem to be last in the queue after ds, dd and dh). Have quickly skimmed the thread.

swan at BF questions!
waffler the secret to 'whats for dinner?' is menu planning imo.Also you have the same age gap as I do (though mine are 8 and nearly 7 now).

Washing machine fixed (at some cost). So the list for the foreseeable future is:
laundry

Best dash - school run

Toffee, I think they may feel they used to be a hoarder but have reduced adding, and now just have a housework problem. Not sure tbh, am treading very carefully. They want me to sit down and go through it all item by item in the state it?s in, which would be hugely time consuming and tbh pretty awful, so I?m trying to clear, clean, sort into order, and get them doing little tasks alone, like untangle a few tights, or sort a bag of old magazines, but am meeting resistance, they just put it aside for ?later.?

Re Interhigh, not everyone there necessarily does the exams at all, or not in every subject studied, or at the standard age. Igcse syllabus is a more rigorous curriculum so stands those later doing GCSE?s in very good stead. Lots go for a bit and either return to mainstream /return from abroad/ cease to have seasonal engagements etc.

As with all schools it?s not perfect, and not for everyone. It?s not the only online school with funded pupils, but is one I?m happy to recommend. (have worked as LSA with children attending there, but don?t work for them)

Don?t know all potential funding routes, but some: school solves it?s unauthorised absence problem by school keeping child on role and ?subbing out? (marking child as off site on register) school pays out of pupil budget, independent of LEA.
Another?s via SEN statement, and/or (if not statemented) LEA using draw down funds from DFE to reimburse school if staying on school role, or pay direct if not.

A couple of enlightened LEA?s propose it, but generally it requires the parent to do the legwork and show everyone how it works and is the better option for the student.

If it all becomes something you need to know more about, I will be de-cluttering for a long time. :O

Tonight ds is learning to cook baked potatoes in the microwave. That is what we will be having, with cheese/tuna etc type toppings.

We have about 10 recipies that go around in a 2 wk rotational pattern. Not ideal but we have balances btwn allergies/conflicting food tastes/time constraints. Which makes it a bit problematic.

Flying - hahahaha. RL - hmmm. Sums it up really.

Hi Everyone, Have neglected my flying this week. I just don't get it naturally so really have to concentrate and have slipped this week and it's easy to get into a big mess again, and think about giving up.

I shall progress and update my lists and try and get back on target. I'm only on the babysteps, so I'll never manage once the real work has to be done.

I'm really struggling with DD2. She is 2yrs 8 months and we are just battling over everything. I'm a SAHM so I spend every day all day with her and we're just at loggerheads over every little thing and her sleeping is attrocious so me and DH are falling out over how best to manage. I feel like I'm loosing my lovely little girl and we are just going to be at opposites ends for ever. I'm probably over exaggerating as DD1 was a 2 year old once and has now come after the other side, but I don't know why I feel so different with DD2. I hope we both get through this sticky patch.

Sorry for the moan, I don't have anyone to talk to in RL.

Thanks for listening

Fleebee dd was a bit like that, she always wanted to be carried when I wanted her to walk, and to walk when I wanted her in the pushchair, and not to eat what was on offer...and she needed her sleep desperately. Do you think your little one is just very overtired? She also was a very very busy bee (although that tired her out of course) and desperately needed to be out and about seeing other kids as well as lots of cuddles of course. She needed someone to play with at all times, and still does! She certainly didn't like being the youngest and just fitting in with everyone's plans....
much sympathy. If I could go back in time I'd probably read How To Talk So Children Listen rather than SuperNanny..., distraction and involvement being the key rather than too many showdowns...

someone's korma sounds delicious. I confess I'm a bit like Waffler because I find the more exciting recipes often don't get made if I plan them, but like Icey I end up with rotating about 12 recipes. But I want to break free! Hence Ocado order of lots of [freezer] ingredients so I can be more inventive. There is a large swede in the vegetable box that no-one is going to eat except me, I know it..

Scatty glad your washer is mended. Mine seems to have mended itself, most odd, clearly a midlife crisis [miele - so has several years to go] Perhaps there was something stuck in its innards which has dislodged, anyway it has stopped leaking...

done
good afternoon
ds1 screamed for about 10 mins about getting down to hw, but then did it. (It took him ten minutes) Success! School seemed to have been alright, and he said he felt much better.
friend visited for coffee BUT
planning officer turned down conservatory plan without visiting [grr] apparently he peered over neighbour's fence but hey ho, some money saved as no building work nec now... Until the next plan...
ready meal of Chinese Duck for supper, I'd forgotten how much they like wrapping up food
twins playing nicely! what more could one ask...

Dh away so it may deterioate, They are watching the Simpsons now.

Hi guys, Just checking in before bedtime.

Today felt a bit like two steps forward three steps back.
Made a bit of effort with stuff around the middle of the day and now feel a bit like I'm back to where I started. I suppose housework is like that though.
Seem to go round and round in circles!