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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

April Fledglings Fly into Spring, Get That Clutter into the Bin

803 replies

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 29/03/2012 22:47

Welcome to the April 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Come and join us for a bit of chat and a lot of housework (or possibly the other way round).

A huge "thank you" to SanguineChompa for leading us through March

If you're house is a mess and you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat and support along the way.

We advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis. Feel free to browse the Flylady website as well, links below

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, and as we are all at different stages we will be using one of the following methods:

  • repeat or start baby steps
  • repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone
  • reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

More info here and here!

All long-standing members, intermittent returnees, lurkers and newcomers welcome!!

OP posts:
Tryingtogetairbourne · 09/04/2012 10:39

Over 2 HOURS and I'm not done yet!!

Oh Carpe if I were there I'd help!! At least your house will be ready for a fresh start after this :)

shit dog weed on settee.......

PositiveAttitude · 09/04/2012 11:21

Honu - thanks for the flowers. Smile

Carpe - I couldn't be further away from NE scotland in the UK, sorry. Smile You can do it! THey are only family, so don't panic.Maybe they will take pit on you and do a mass clean for you while they are visiting. Be realistic on your expectations and prioritise. Half of the jobs could be hidden left for another time.

Trying - SOunds like a bit of a mad day!

Ironing mountain has been conquered! YAY Grin - that is if i ignore the loaded tumbledrier and the loaded washing machine, and the 3 loads that still need to be washed today.

WhoKnows - piddling it down with rain here, too. DS had wanted to go out for a good cobweb sweeping ramble today, but a drive might have to suffice. Hmm
DS and DH get frustratingly idle if they do not get enough air and exercise each day. Hmm

Tryingtogetairbourne · 09/04/2012 11:44

Hi PA well done with lodger btw (had time to read now!) entitled people are not nice to have round, very draining. At least your home is your own now, well done for getting rid! Congrats on ironing pile! There is always more to do...at least pile is gone for an hour

Whoknows will give it a try and will be ready to be amazed!

Carpe how are you doing now?

Anyone feel deflated after monday home blessing? Still have not done hot spot or windows. Just so much work for something that will be undone in hours with kids and dogs and the cat...

Got to take dogs out for an hour with kids in rain...lovely, will take brolly's and some chocolate for them to eat.

Sleeping bag still drying...must be nearly done now...

Right...will go out at 12, take drink, a small easter egg to share, oatcakes. Need to get myself in dog walking trousers, dd2 out of sunsuit into more appropriate wear and convince them to go outside...should be easy enough to do...oh and brollys.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 09/04/2012 13:52

I have just remembered, we're staying at my parents tonight, so I won't be able to post links for tomorrow, so I will quickly do them now, I know it's early but better early than late.

The Power of 15 Minutes

Clean the Kitchen trash can groan.

See you later tomorrow. If the thread really picks up speed again today perhaps someone could re-post later tonight or first thing tomorrow (I'm going straight to work so out till late afternoon)

OP posts:
CarpeJugulum · 09/04/2012 14:37

Right. Upstairs is done (inc stairs) and I have 6 [bushock] bags to take to the tip please let it be open!

The dining room is presentable - I have washing hanging up in there, but that'll get cleared tomorrow once dry.

Living room looks like a bomb has gone off [busad], but nothing in it is for the tip (although I could cheerfully ditch some of DS toys!) so I'm going to head for the tip next and then pop to the local supermarket for bread, milk and butter.

Then home, sort dinner for DS, tidy & dust living room.

And I've swung tomorrow off work, so if I get it all done, then DS can help me clean the kitchen tomorrow morning, and I get his nap to chill.

Tryingtogetairbourne · 09/04/2012 14:51

die on the way to the tip?! Well done 6 bags!!!!! Impressive.

Came back from walk...first time in weeks I haven't been knocked back by less than sweet smell...smelt of flash instead! Really smelt better, and nice upstairs too. I take it all back it is worth it...

Got to work on tea now...soup to use up all old veg.

Think I have the 2pm slump...v tired could happily go for a nap.

If I'm around tonight I'll repost for you Whoknows

Hope tip is open Carpe

NickNacks · 09/04/2012 15:14

Hmm not overly successful day but it is a bank hol.

Two eldest dc are off to friends houses tomorrow and dd should nap so will have chance to catch up before work on Wednesday.

Buy holiday hand luggage bag done
Find two passports and place in it done
Find EHIC's and put in bag done
Mop kitchen
Buy new baskets and fill them!
Wash and dry washing
Move cm paperwork to new kitchen drawer unit
Put filing cabinet in new home
Shift around furniture in playroom
S and s bathroom done
Find home for the gazillion Easter eggs! done
Load charity bags in car
Buy a line prop and use it done
Check online banking done
Post a birthday card done

WhoKnows we are off to Spain next month. I'm very good about being organised for hols- I just wish it would extend to the rest of my life!

BitchyInTheCorner · 09/04/2012 16:07

Trying - have been chuckling at your posts today. How did you get so much done first thing? Shock

PA well done on being so kind to your lodger, don't feel guilty you went above and beyond to help.

Whoknows have a nice trip

Carp Well done on the 6 bags to tip!

I slept, and slept and slept some more.

Today's todo list is pretty meh in its accomplishments.

List for monday:
1 hour walk
30mins core strength stuff hahaha 15mins max more likely
Important must be dealt with now paperwork
Towels away
Bedding away
Load of laundry - just gone on

Ta Da -wasn't on the original list.
The crochet part of a UFO.

Tbh I think I am going to swap 1hour walk and 30mins core with traditional training. Am also seriously considering starting the C25K.

Realistically the paperwork doesn't stand a chance. Will have to be very strict with myself and do it tomorrow.

CarpeJugulum · 09/04/2012 16:41

Well, tip was open, and I managed to free cycle the cd rack I was ditching, so feel extra virtuous!

Kitchen is now tidy except floor isn't mopped and I'll deal with that tomorrow based on DS' crumb habit! Dining room is dusted, but still have stuff on the table to lay away. It's a hot spot that's been good for ages, but is now covered in IT stuff. Living room is dusted, not tidy (but it's toys) and downstairs isn't hoovered - but again I'll deal tomorrow.

So tomorrow now looks like:
Usual morning routine
Hoover.
S&S
Moo kitchen.
Chill.

Could be worse.

Debating a bottle of wine going into the fridge, but I think I'll get some cider in from the garage as I don't think white wine goes with chilli.

BlueEyeshadow · 09/04/2012 19:21

Evening all! Back home...

Ta da!
Two loads of washing
One load through tumble drier
Emergency Sainsbury's shop
Unpacked
Cases back in loft
Easter egg mountain stashed away in cupboard
Boys fed, bathed and in bed...

May need to go and read them the riot act in a minute though - they don't seem to be settling. Also need to get second load through drier.

Will try to catch up with personals tomorrow but waves to all. Well done to PA.

thewaffler · 09/04/2012 22:52

Am actually on a proper laptop rather than on my phone, much much easier to post when have usage of all fingers. Not been in the house much today, so house bleugh hasn't been attempted, but not in too bad a state, will attempt to hoover tomorrow. Main room which needs to be tackled is bedroom, dd's bday party at start of March meant a very tidy house, apart from bedroom which is where i hid most of the stuff i didn't want people to see, needless to say, its still hidden and accumulating other crap - tis true that clutter attracts clutter.....

Have still been managing some exercises before children get up, not sure how likely this will be tomorrow given still up now, usually requires a 9pm bedtime to be able to do it.

wasn't able to get on as much as wanted today, due to poorly chicken. Spent morning faffing on internet trying to self diagnose whats wrong with her - any chicken keepers would be glad of advice - she has a lolling head to the right, and appears disorientated, dh has isolated her. Diagnosis made more difficult as info passed on second hand from dh, Despite keeping chickens and liking them to look at from a distance and enjoy reaping rewards of eggs, i have a slight phobia of birds, flapping pigeons cause me to go all funny and a bird being near me sends me into panic, i've been happily walking among our girls and thats fine, but picking one up is another thing, fear i may have to give in tomorrow and help dh, eek, shaking at the thought of it. I know i'm not a responsible owner, but usually have dh to help in these situations but unfortunately he can't administer medicine without help. The thought of touching a poorly chicken is even worse, arrgggh

list for tomorrow
Check chicken still alive and look at symptoms myself
hoover house (can actually manage this without moving and unplugging, as house isn't that big)
Unload airer and fold cloths
Put wash on
whats for dinner (hopefully not chicken)
Kitchen bin empty and wash
Front door clean (left over from last week)
Sort through filing cabinet top draw

Whoknows am pleased to see that i'm not the only one to bath dc 2/3 x's a week, am surrounded by daily bathers and hair washers and has been making me feel like a bad mummy.

Right, thats it, am off to bed before waffle on and bore people further.....

BitchyInTheCorner · 10/04/2012 00:32

Ta Da - Nothing of this was on my original to do list. Blush

The crochet part of a UFO.
Training Grin
almost finish spring cleaning ds' room
Swap chest of drawer storage between my room and ds' room
transfer ds' stuff to chest of drawers
Half transfer my stuff to chest of drawers
More of the great clothes clear out
clear out the veg drawer of veg having rescued what is rescuable.
Change light bulb in my room
take rubbish out.
Cut coffee intake down.
drink tons of water

2 questions for you cos my brain is tired and I am about to curl up to sleep:

  1. What the hell do i do with a savoy cabbage to make it palatable to eat as I hate the stuff and have been left one that needs eating up
  2. Why is it I seem to be drinking tons of water now that I am cutting back on coffee? Or is this just an optical illusion?
thewaffler · 10/04/2012 03:00

I knew staying up late surfing on laptop bad idea, went to bed at gone midnight and now having to feed ds, therefore phone jabbing reinstated and I'm shattered.

bitchy since having aforementioned ds, my choice of drink has gone from tea to coffee, and I've moved from milk and sugar to black - and lots of it. I've always struggled doing a simple thing like drinking water, but if you were drinking shed loads of coffee like you were, imagine that would have been your main water intake, and like me, drinking often because thirsty? Maybe now you're no longer getting.coffee fix, you're able to see true thirst levels? Well done on.stopping, I've had headaches from hell in the past when I've tried.

thewaffler · 10/04/2012 03:01

Don't know about Savoy cabbage though....

coostoonettle · 10/04/2012 06:54

Good morning Grin

I'm sorry I have no personals and no hope of keeping up so to prevent myself going AWOL I'm going to post list and run.

Get up
Run/walk (don't want to!)
Get showered
Take dd to nursery
Shopping to check shoes with ds
Donate 3 bags of stuff to charity shop
S/s
Sort bedroom
Move washing on
Try tackle paperwork ignored in month away.
Clean car for picking people up tonight.
Buy something nice for ds dinner
Go out for a meal with friends

Hope you all have great day.

NickNacks · 10/04/2012 07:56

Morning!

hi coostoonettle! have a good day.

Quick list dump

Empty dw
Feed everyone
Get boys to shower and dress
Move cm paperwork
Move filing box
Wash on
Drop bag at charity shop
Drop dc to friends
Post some letters
Hang wet washing
Tidy bedroom
S and s
Mop bathroom and kitchen

Last night I sat and wrote packing lists for hand luggage, suitcases and holiday shopping list, I'm pretty thorough but does anyone have any suggestions / good tips for travelling with 3 dcs (1toddler)?

scattyspice · 10/04/2012 10:08

Hi all. Just popping in with a list, will catch up with thread later (hopefully). I have had Dad here all weekend so no chance to MN (or fly).

Today:
swimming baths
house bleugh
banking
book football training
DC to optician
change and wash bedding

BBL

Tryingtogetairbourne · 10/04/2012 10:19

Morning all!

Waffler Flylady says you need sleep. 3am is not a good bedtime is it now? Hope chicken isn't on menu...I'm fine with birds but anything like maggots luckily I don't have pet maggots. Tho maybe I do, utility room honks to high heaven...suspect it could be the broccoli i picked from allot last week Blush and the dead primroses I was going to plant out Blush or it could be something worse ???

Bitchy I'm a fan of savoy cabbage...I'd put it in stew. Serve it as a side to a nice roast dinner (chicken would be nice) with lots of gravy to disguise it. You can stir fry it bit of soy sauce cover flavour a bit. You can have it on toast, with other things too, bit of ham or spam, some apple fried up...had a recipe somewhere. You can use it as a wrap for a rice or couscous recipe instead of vine leaves. Corned beef hash and a side of cabbage. Boil it then douse in butter salt and pepper, fry up some lardons (or just bacon) to sprinkle on top. Or put it in a soup? Still struggling, throw it over my way, I'll eat it :)

So far today,

One load of washing in
put away 4 loads of washing (took an hour!!)
And that's it.

But house still looks good from yesterday...

Going out for dog walk now (talking of dogs, ddog2 has regressed and pooed and weed on kitchen floor this morning ) dh not impressed. I'm not impressed. So add 'cleaned up dog poo and wee and mopped kitchen floor to list. Better reread helpful email from his fosterer again...thought I had cracked it...obviously not!

Have a good day all

GossipWitch · 10/04/2012 11:06

1 week of easter hols + 3 boys = mess, so whilst I have 3 meals a day to cook and having hand in the sink whilst separating arguing boys, and filling the washing machine with my feet, and finding activities for kids to play and get on with, flying has been an issue however under the table is still tidy and the sink is still shiny before bed (mainly thanks to bf). Im planning on flying properly next week after all the humdrum has quietened down, and kiddies are back at school so that they don't create messes behind me. :)

BitchyInTheCorner · 10/04/2012 11:48

Tbf waffler i have only about halved my coffee intake. From 8 cups down to 4 Blush but will halve it again next week and then again the week after and hopefully then ditch the coffee.

Slept really badly last night and completely overslept this morning. Just about to start on my second cup of coffee for today and finish getting up.

Trying if you were local you could sooo have the bloody thing. I hate veg with a passion but in two days have managed to put a whole small cabbage, and half a broccili out of their misery (amazing what adding a cheese sauce can do) Not a fan of gravy or stew but have some soy sauce so will use that and give it a go. I have also been left with a swede. So i am going to roast it with herbs and a few new potatoes.

So i think I can safely say the diet is going Hmm Mornings - bacon, egg, sausages.
Tea - Huge plateful of veg + small amount of carbs.
Ideally the carbs will hit lunch but been skipping lunch because of waking up stupid late the last few days.

And before anyone says it. Yes I know the fry up in the morning is very unhealthy but until my body gets used to not surviving on only chocolate I need to focus on veg in and food in. Once that is done I will have a chance to reduce fat and dairy as is truely needed. However, for me to be eating 2 proper meals is huge huge huge progress. Blush, especially as before today I can't remember when I voluntarily ate veg. BlushBlush

Right I am procrastinating again. List today looks like this:
get up
Important paper work
my bedding
dress ds' room so it looks all posh for him to get back.
keep logging all food and exercise in to diet tracker thingy
Polish mirrors and doors

Ta da
check FB, email and mn
eat breakfast
check house bleurgh stuff. (hoovering/mopping/dusting are impoosible but the rest can be done - goes back and adds to list).
Diet tracker thingy up to date

must move. have good days!

Fanty · 10/04/2012 11:57

Hello everybody. I have a simple strategy. I bought a roll of 20 bin bags.
I am going to fill them between today and thursday.
Right, back to the ditching of crappppp.

Fanty · 10/04/2012 11:59

Hello everybody. I have a simple strategy. I bought a roll of 20 bin bags.
I am going to fill them between today and thursday!!!

NickNacks · 10/04/2012 12:38

I like that strategy!

BitchyInTheCorner · 10/04/2012 13:10

Sounds like a brilliant plan. fanty

Gossip - hard to be motivated when the mess is being created faster then you can tidy.

I am drowning under the urgent paperwork. :(

Missing ds now. :( He has been away a week now. Not even spoken to him. be glad when he is back. But must get this stupid paperwork gone so that I can get on with making the most of him being away and clearing of the clutter. Bet he is having a lovely time Envy

thewaffler · 10/04/2012 14:18

trying am usually a big follower of the bed by a decent hour rule, but my son, like your dog, appears to have regressed, had thought we had the sleeping through cracked again - dh says its my fault for jinxing it, when SIL asked yesterday how he was doing, confidently said he had been doing really well, he then woke at 10, 12, 2, 3 and 5. One of the upsides of being awake has been checking mumsnet - my posts have nosedived as his night feeds have decreased, although not spending hours roaming internet on phone has definitely been good for the purse strings and the cessation of numerous parcels from the postman and ill judged purchases i thought may have been a good idea at 4am in the morning and subsequently forgot about.

Have been rubbish today, despite good intentions, need to get cracking -

ta da
wash on and drying on line
been to dentist

to do - everything else - rather shamefully have not checked on Mrs Welsumer the chicken, i daren't (insert own joke) if she's really poorly, there won't be anything i can do until dh comes back, so have reasoned that no point. Have been able to walk among the chickens but thats it so far, am going to undertake some aversion therapy so if this situation arises again, I am slightly more useful, maybe stroking a chicken may be next step - i once spent a day in doors because our cat had brought a very large black crow to our front door (luckily dead) but couldn't physically bring myself to step over it or look at it, gip gip gip

bitchy good going with the slow caffine decrease, reckon I'm a 5 cups a day gal, although truth be told, most remain half finished, so hoping less, the headaches i had when i tried to stop were truly horrendous, lying on bed flailing about type ones, although may have been a tad dramatic, recall them being horrid, i did go cold turkey though

Right, i should really stop procrastinating and get more things ticked off,

tt4n