Fledgling flyers - it's the month of May: if your house is a mess, try the Flylady way

[ToffeeWhirl]

Welcome to the May Fledgling Flyers' thread. A very big thank you to WhoKnows for guiding us through last month.

Are you living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? 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 do our best to follow these routines (although we also chat quite a lot and sometimes forget why we're here ).

There are three methods of the Flylady system, depending on whether you are new to it 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.

Today's babystep is to shine your sink.

Feedme - my two both started nursery at 9 months old, DS went 4 days a week, then dropped to two when I had DD, who also started two days a week at 9 months. I think I got them in early enough to avoid separation anxiety too much. However it took DS a few months to settle properly, DD settled just fine, but she had been going in and out twice a week from birth to drop off and pick up DS and is a more confident child. I think if two mornings suits you OK and the nursery can offer it then definitely go for it, in the afternoons you are essentially paying someone else to watch them sleep. OTOH it restricts you more as you always have to be around at lunchtime to pick them up. Mine are 8 and 6 now, so it's a long time ago, but they both stayed there till starting school and got a lot out of it, no regrets about them going there. Oh, and if you are going back to work, it is much harder to get places for Tues/Weds/Thurs as that's when most mums work, so if you will need those days try and get them sorted ASAP.

Survived my health check, got a bit upset when I was asked how much exercise I was doing and had to say that I had gone from being able to run 5k comfortably last week to hardly able to walk into town this week, but otherwise OK.

Need to go and tackle my list now.

flying fingers crossed for you
feedme my dd went into a nursery for one day a week at 11 months, my first choice nursery wanted her to go for two mornings as they said a week is a long time to go if they are only in for one day and they forget it from one week to the next iyswim? Therefore to split the days up, so that she did two mornings - however, the two mornings worked out to be much more expensive than a day, and i didn't want 2 mornings, i wanted a day as i need to be at work 30 miles away, so dd went to second choice nursery for a day a week from 11 months and am really pleased with it.

They should offer a settling in period, so although she started in March, for a couple of weeks she went in before hand, initially with me, then the next time for an hour by herself, then they increased it to a morning so that she was used to it. It was hard leaving her and she used to cry a lot when i left, but eventually settled down, she has a comforter that she clung on to when she was there, which i think helped, so you could maybe try that? I probably cried more than she did on the first day and i would say it took a good month or two for her not to cry when i left - although one day after lots of tears dropping her off, realised that she had forgot her shoe, went back to get it and bring it to her and the tears had stopped and she was sitting playing with another child happy as larry.

My ds is going to go to the same nursery next month when he is 9 months old - dd is now 2, so like whoknows ds has had experience of going into the nursery when i drop dd off. Ds is also a much more laid back and confident child and know that he'll be fine and probably settle in more quickly.

Well, had better get cracking again - 2pm and so far have faffed around with faffy, unimportant jobs, rather than what i should be doing - must stay on target from now on!

Write my thankyou letters
Write DD1's thankyou letters (he's just 5) for him to sign later 30!!!
Wipe down appliances
Start decluttering dining room hmm
Eat fruit rather than crap
Load of washing right through to putting it away
Swishy swipey kitchen and bathroom
Find something for supper

waffler I'm faffing too. Will stay on target if you do!

ta da

Get ds to school
go back to bed
sleep
wonder how I am actually going to get anything done
take pain killers and try to accept I am getting old and cant do stupid things like train 5hrs in one day and expect to move.

Hi everyone! I meant to post earlier, just opened up the app again and I must have got distracted as it was still typed and ready to send...doh!

waffler I love the shred!! I find it easier to fit in as its only 20 minutes and the lasting aches the next day remind me to stay on with my diet!

feedme I'm a childminder and when I take younger children I recommend where practical for children to come for an hour or 2 a few times before to ensure they are happy and settled, not sure if this would work in a nursery setting though!

DD went to CM this afternoon while I went riding so I managed to get quite a bit done

Done:
Wash bathroom mat and towels
Today's mission
Walk dog
Horse riding
Ring bank
Wash and put away thick blankets
Put away DD washing
Tea- and washed up and shined sink after
Decluttered 3 draws in DD room (I now have an EMPTY drawer )
Sold and delivered a roller blind that doesn't fit the window
Phone calls re.work and vouchers schemes
Tidied playroom
Washed down counter tops and table in kitchen

I'm pleased with that

okay, have been at work all day but..ta da!

washing up done
kitchen floor swept
fridge cleaned
appliances cleaned

Still have to...

go for a run
put yesterday's washing away
put a load of washing on

Ta-da!

About 3 lots of washing - only 2 needed. Half put away.
Hotspots - some done
Sweep kitchen floor - done
Bring bins back round from front - done
An hour of OU work - postponed till tomorrow
Dr's appointment - done
School run - done
DCs to tennis - cancelled
Out tonight for a quiz evening - to do.

Also managed a bit of paid work plus quite a big pile of paperwork, so not too bad all in all. Chucking it down with rain since about midday, hence no tennis, the DCs and I have had a lazy afternoon. DD had a bath after school and was wandering around naked while I was sorting the washing, I turned round and there she was wearing one of my bras and stuffing the cups full of teddies. Awww.

Engels that's what I aspire to, flying and working together, although accomplished none of the former and only dubious amounts of the latter due to aforementioned faffery, foad I hope you did better than me.

lauren pleased you like it, recall recommending it previously but aware that others sustained injuries following it, I couldn't rate it more highly for being doable and motivating though.

whoknows at dd, bras and teddies, I found dd other day with all my bras (or booby pads as she likes to call them) round her neck.

Waves at bitchy in naughty corner and flaps at everyone else missed

Hi everyone.

Ta-dah....

beds made
finish hob hoorah! I should have taken a picture of it, it was disgusting.
finish fridge
finish bathroom - no, but nevermind. a job for another day
wipe down appliances
declutter lounge
washing
dishwasher
washing up
baby as required
cook tea
email man about pictures
chuck out dead plant
pick up prescription - tried, but my local for local people doctors shuts at lunch on Thursday
all bins out
visit nursery
take stuff to charity shop
organise social stuff for tomorrow
organise to get broken toilet fixed

That's not at all bad considering I spent a fair proportion of the day talking to my mum.

Thanks Lauren and waffler for the advice. I'm thinking that it might be better to get her in for two moirnings a week instead which I can easily negotiate with work. I also talked to mum about it and she suggested getting her in for a few hours once a week from 6 or 7 months to get her used to it so the separation anxiety isn't so bad when the time comes to leave her for a full day. It will give me a bit of time too, although I'm not sure what I'd do with it. Maybe go for a swim?

The nursery have settling in sessions and you can do as many as you need to so they're pretty good on that front. I think I'd go with her to start with - it will give me a better feel for what the staff are like on a day to day basis too.

Waves to all.

We were indeed out most of the day but at least it didn't give us time to make a mess!

Still shattered and tomorrow's my birthday so trying to get an early night.

at bra full of teddies WhoKnows

Well this is my last night away. Had a good meal out with my friend. Have packed all I can in eagerness to get home...

AF is 4 days late now and no symptoms of anything really!!!

Poas tomorrow evening

Wow, this time next year I might have a 3 month old!!!

at flying - fingers crossed for you!

Was feeling bad because of no flying done but have only just read today's baby step and realised I have done it anyway!

Also always always lay out tomorrows clothes for self - was doing DDs uniform when she was at school but she is finding her own clothes in the pile on her chair now - what are my chances of getting 13 yo to lay out clothes night before I wonder

I have found what looks like good place online to buy storage stuff - should I post link here or organisation thread?

Any way hope everyone had good day tomorrow - I have a Tesco Ocado delivery coming

Night

< notices bitchy sleeping in naughty corner and puts snuggly blanket over her>

Hi Flybabies!

Haven't caught up with the thread, just a quick post to say that MY SINK IS SHINING! And most other babysteps are going well. (Haven't bothered with sticky notes....)
Going to make tomorrow my errand day this week. Must:

collect boots from the cobbler
drop off dry cleaning
try to find a new battery for my small clock - jewellers
print out some wedding photographs from the disc the photographer gave us (still have to pick photos for the proper album, haven't printed a single pic out yet...ten months on....
pick up some additional groceries for the weekend
send flowers by interflora to a friend's mum
buy stamps
buy stationary for the control journal
buy a duvet for the guest room, dad coming to stay on Sat!

Busy busy afternoon! :)
Like the idea of an errand day, and planning for it properly. Especially as we live a twenty minute drive from the nearest village/town, and thirty minutes from the nearest proper town... Can spend a lot of time in the car if I don't organise myself!
Am feeling a little bit more organised!
Happy Fridays to you all! Almost the weekend! :)

Babystep, day 11: add an inspirational page to your new control journal.

Today is Friday: declutter your handbag and car day. Today's mission is to spend 15 minutes cleaning the outside of your large kitchen appliances (fridge, etc). Today's reminders, including the mission, are here. Friday is also meant to be 'date night', whether it's a date with yourself to watch a favourite film, a date with friends or a date with your partner. However, I can't find anything about this on Flylady's new website (has she scrapped date night? Perhaps Mr Flylady is in the doghouse ...).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLUE!

Just a quick post as on my phone before grabbing a shower. Slept with DS again last night, room Karvol'ed to high heaven. He woke at 11.30 and came onto the mattress with me (poor soul was too hot) and then zonked again until 3am, woke me to get some water, then zonked again.

So I got a reasonable sleep too.

House is tidy atm - I gutted the dining room hotspot last night (so basically the whole room! ) but I need to dust and hoover all the downstairs - not a huge task, but I'll be happier once it's done.

Also need to do a bit of baking and my WAH job.

Then lord knows what I'll do with DS this afternoon :-$ anyone any ideas for a choked up 19mo?!

castlelough - I can beat the wedding photo thing. We got married nearly 7 years ago (had to think about that!) and still haven't printed any out!!! Didn't go for an album so have nothing in printed from at all

bitchy - hope you are aching less. Ignore the age-catching-up-with-you nonsense. I am much older than you and am still 20 years younger in my head :)

whoknows - :o at DD and bras. My DD keeps making bubble bath boobs for herself though she is on the way to having real ones

flying - will be awaiting POAS results later :)

morecats - storage porn needs to go on both threads I feel :) Didn't realise organisational one was still going. Read it ages ago and picked up some great tips, some of which I have managed to use. Must not get distracted today by rereading it.

Have nothing on today so need a list to make the most of it:

• A little work
• All up and out with times tables done on walk to school - new plan this week and it seems to be working :)
• S&S, washing in then out on line, washing up, cat litter
• Mop kitchen floor
• Clean bathroom
• Room rescues in every room
• Remove inches of dust in living room
• Hoover throughout
• Stuff into loft
• Menu-plan, shopping list, food shopping
• Sweet peas planted

Hmmm, a few of those have been on there all week but will be lovely to have clean house for w/e so need to keep on track and not be distracted by MN or birdbox-cam.

Will try and do work stuff in next 10mins before its time to get moving.
I will be back to update to keep myself going today.

That took too long to post!

Morning Carpe - fresh air is always good if its not raining where you are. Wrap him up, take plenty of tissues/wipes for snotty noses and go to park to wear him out. That was my fail-safe for any/every toddler related situation and often still is even though they are now 6 and 9 :)

:o :o Happy Birthday Blue :o :o

waffler I am determined to keep flying on the days I work (only 2 at the moment) especially since DH, who was at home yesterday, didn't do anything except keep DS fed and clean However, DHhas already told me that he's making a surprise for dinner tonight, which sounds like Date night to me

fx flying

Happy Birthday blue

well done castle !

Ditto on wedding photos. we got married last August, me 7 mo pg. We got a friend to do it, the photos are still in a raw format on DH's pc and backed up on a hard drive. I'm waiting for DH to convert the files so that we can pick out the best and get some printed!

I am amazed at the difference in my fridge just from giving the shelves a quick wipe and throwing away half a mouldy lemon

managed a run last night in torrential rain, but when the thunder and lightening started we decided it might be wise to head home!

I really must get going...

pop into town and get Mother's Day voucher for MIL
DS medical appointment
food shopping and bottle bank
hotspot (it's still mocking me)
get rid of old clothes before I change my mind
mark set of essays
put away last night's wash

blue happy birthday!

I got married 4 years ago this year, I DID print the photos out, but they still remain in their packets and not in the album I got. This was meant to be one of my mat leave tasks when I had dd 2 years ago, then ds 8 months ago, now mat leave has finished and I can't see it happening any time soon.

What do people do with photos? Normal photos I mean, not just wedding ones? I've got loads on the computer but once they're there that's it.

I don't work Fridays so ought to make the most of it. Have been up, since 6, bit have remained in bed since then and all plans of early morning exercise out of the window.

Will start by putting clothes on airer from last nights wash.

Happy Friday everyone

Oh I forgot, morecats yes to link please!

Morning all.

I'm tired today so don't know how much I'll mnanage to get done but here goes...

beds made
appliances wiped down
chuck out dead plant
prescription
administrivia
visit nursery
spend afternoon with friends if weather permits
dinner
baby
date night

That will do for me today.

Fying - I have my fingers crossed for you!

Happy Birthday Blue

Today I'm getting stuff ready to sell at the playgroup Nearly New sale. That counts as a major declutter (as long as it all sells!).
Need to shop
Get 9 yr old bday presents x 2
Find supper

Not doing inspirational page in control journal because that might make me vomit.

Right, no hoovering done as my WAH job grew legs and arms - so have spent 3 hours instead of my customary 1-1.5 hours Still, nice to have the overtime!

But I have done 3 loads of washing, ironed all outstanding clothes (except the stuff just out of the washing machine), done my baking, done my WAH job plus the extra stuff and persuaded DS to eat something.

He seems to have perked up, so would consider the park, but it's started to rain quite heavily, so no clue what we'll do now... thinking cap on for this afternoon I feel.

Probably not going to be about this weekend as I have a weekend off planned - DH will look after DS for a bit and I think I'll sleep (if DS will let me!) and hopefully get some crochet done.

I will however stalk the thread for the POAS result, with all my fingers and toes crossed! Good luck Flying!

Have a nice weekend everyone! I prescribe lots of for those who can, and for those who can't!