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.

Just off to bed. No flying just burning at the beach. wasn't the plan but sun was stronger then predicted and I normally hide from the sun. Got a not doing anything day. sleep and avoiding the sun is the plan. Anything else is a bonus.

carpe - sorry you had a difficult day.

Good morning everyone on this stunning wonderful Sunday morning!!

Carpe I hope your head is ok this morning after the wine last night.

Toffee pleased to read about specsavers success and wallet found. I hope the preparations for the holiday run smoothly for you.

SC normal people have cleaners/gardeners/window cleaners, even cooks, but you just have to go one better and get a de-clutterer!! - can you send him here? Is he young, good looking and free?
I hope the ballet was good last evening.

Flying - splashing in the pool with DS is far more important than anything else. I am planning on writing a letter to the 3 DDs we are leaving here before we head off and as I was thinking about what I am going to write to them one of the things was about all the things I absolutely treasured doing with them when they were little and I realised that they are all the simplest of things, like playing in the paddling pool, feeding ducks, going to the park, baking at home. That what matters!!
Enjoy your holiday, too!

Swan thinking of you at DDs first communion today.

Waves to everyone else.

Well, I am buzzing this morning... not sure why and I am positive it wont last!!

Plan for today:
Mountain of ironing - DONE WOW there was loads. 14 pairs of trousers and 22 shirts!
Do bed sheets all through house - put in wash before church so they can dry this afternoon
Church service - not at our normal church today, so I feel I can go without being hassled!
DO a bit of de-cluttering - on my own!! No students available here SC
Get some stuff sorted for car booting - yes, I have decided I will go for it. Thanks for the advise SC, certainly wasnt all obvious, I am clueless!! I am also hoping that I can persuade a friend to give me a hand!
Wash and dry the cross stitch that has taken 3 years to complete, so that it is ready for framing and giving to friend, eventually 3 years after it should have been given
Acclimatization study - yesterdays went well until a friend and her family called round to visit the bunny rabbits - they are going to adopt them from us!!
Oh, I should do some language study, too. Maybe I could combine the 2.

Off I go, have a good day everyone.

Phew, wot a scorcher!!

Hope all you lovely fledglings are out enjoying the sunshine and are ignoring the housework Flying dutifully

Re: the student, he is young, good-looking as it happens!!! He is here with his family from E. Europe (diplomat's son) waiting to gain admission to a rather famous military academy in the States ... . Everyone calm down though please as I am old enough to be his grandmother, never mind his mother!!! Poor lad, you could not find anything less "strategically organised" than this house!! Think it must have come as a bit of a shock, but he is far too polite to say anything!!

Ballet went extremely well - thank you for asking. One shouldn't say it, but normally with these sorts of events, you are waiting for the part your child appears in and are not too bothered about the rest. But the standard of this was so high (professional dancers in with the mix) and so well choreographed, that it was a really entertaining evening. A very long day for the dc though - and the theatre (Royal Albert Hall equivalent) was boiling hot - bordering on the intolerable - and it's all happening again this afternoon for the matinee. DD has been chosen to present a bouquet tonight - and her godfather is joining us - so looking forward to that.

We only got back last night with dd around midnight, so have been taking it very easy this morning.

Had a very early start though - I was so thirsty I got out of bed at 5.30 to go down to the kitchen to get a drink - and I freshened the rabbits' water bowl at the same time. Musn't have fastened the cage probably because about an hour and a half later I sat up in bed having caught sight of a bit of dark fur flashing past my line of vision. One of the rabbits had escaped, found it's way through the hallway, up 23 stairs and in to our bedroom!!!

PA can you bribe persuade any of your dc to help you? Hope it goes well!! And at 14 pairs of trousers and 22 shirts!!!! I would have to lie down in a darkened room after that lot ... Hear hear to the simple things in life being the best btw.

[Tucks light quilt around Bitchy]

toffee great to read you had the rare opportunity of a well-deserved night out

Swan Not sure if correct article but totally agree with Franzen when he talks about the things he dislikes in other authors "sentimentality, weak narrative, overly lyrical prose, solipsism, self-indulgence, misogyny and other parochialisms, sterile game-playing, overt didacticism, moral simplicity, unnecessary difficulty, informational fetishes, and so on". Hope the HOly Communion ceremony goes well today. Pepper plants/raspberry cane = lovely!!!

Morecats hope your friend is OK

Huge waves to Whoknows Carpe Blue Flying and everyone else. Tis time to don tights, coiff the bun and apply the theatrical slap once more ...

SC I love furballs in the morning

Isn't it great you persuaded dd to go back to Ballet?

re: Franzen, I especially liked the veto on "informational fetishes", such a great phrase. Have you read Bringing up Bodies yet or Freedom?

Scorcher here too. Luckily, as I wasn't a parent of FHC children just catechist, I was able to go home and collapse after service. All went v. smoothly, and kind Dh didn't go to Bookfair to make life easier. Children went down the aisle at end of Mass to the Hymn Walk In the Light! It was very upbeat.

More cricket, and dd altar served on behalf of a school friend...

Garden not yet a bower, but coming on (at least we can eat in it and play cricket)...bought some more plants from B & Q, dreadful place, nothing to buy!!!!! Found some languishing special offer clematis which did trick though on the new fence. And a jazzy phormium as Dh gets sick of my tasteful woodlanders.

Just taken twins swimming, from where I am posting...

Quiet on here today, hope you've all had good days. Quiet day at home here, the DCs didn't want to go anywhere and neither did I, so that was OK. We've been busy baking, which sounds bizarre in this weather, but the kitchen is shady all day at this time of year and with the patio doors open it's a lovely place to be. Spent most of the rest of the time in and out of the garden whilst keeping out of the sun, same for the DCs, they were out for 10 mins, in for half an hour, out for 10 mins etc all weekend really. Loads of washing done this weekend, loads more to do tomorrow (I've been washing pillows as the weather is rarely good enough to get them dry again).

SC - one of our neighbours rabbits escaped yesterday, they asked us to look in our garden, as I was rummaging around behind shrubs DD went into the kitchen and fetched a carrot which she put on the lawn to entice the rabbit out, which was really sweet. It turned up safe and well in another neighbours garden.

Busy day tomorrow, so I want to go and check my calendar and update my to do lists before having an early night, see you all tomorrow.

Hi all!

I haven't had a chance to catch up on the thread but will have a look tomorrow! Had a bit of a "thing" with a parent and it's made me I have started a thread about it in childminders nannies and au pairs asking for advice and have been reassured that how I was going to deal with it is the right thing to do! I can't link it as I'm on my phone unfortunately but thread title is along the lines of advice re unhappy parent if anyone is bored!

On the plus side blackpool was great! Came back with a lovely tan and spent some time with amazing people! It was the longest I've ever been away from DD and I really did miss her!

I'll be back tomorrow to catch up properly!! I hope everyone is ok and has had a lovely relaxing weekend!

Oh, am up at a silly time again .

Babystep 27 is to plan what's for dinner tonight. I menu plan for the whole week and write it on my calendar so that I don't have to think about it again. I love the fact that the calendar "tells" me what to cook each day and I don't have to worry about it.

Monday's flight plan and daily mission is here. It's the weekly 'home blessing hour' today.

The mission is to spend 15 minutes getting rid of what doesn't belong in your living room. Looking around me right now, I can see that that is going to be one mission I will definitely do.

The kid's challenge is to pick up and put away clothes.

Bitchy - I hope you managed to get your 'do nothing' day yesterday.

PA - impressive list, but should include 'sit down in shade with Pimms' . I agree with you about the little things mattering so much with DC. One of my most treasured memories is of two-year-old DS2 looking up at me, eyes shining, and saying, "We're having fun, aren't we, Mummy?" We were playing with wooden bricks at the time and the funny thing was that, until that moment, I most certainly wasn't having fun at all - I was tired and bored and only playing with DS2 because I knew it was important to him. But his comment, and the realisation that this meant so much to him, transformed the experience.

SC - glad the ballet went so well and I hope the second night went equally well, including your DD's bouquet presentation. at the good-looking young student who also helps with decluttering.

Swan - DD's first communion sounds as if it went wonderfully well .

WhoKnows - sounds like you had a lovely day at home. Agree with you about the excellent washing weather. I have been washing everything ready for our holiday and it's all bone dry when I bring it in.

lauren - your holiday sounds great - and how lovely to enjoy your reunion with DD at the end of it. Sorry you are having trouble with a parent. I hope it's sorted out soon.

DS1 excelled himself today. He managed to come into work with us for a couple of hours and then to visit Grandma for tea (he hasn't been to her flat for about six months). He was convinced that he couldn't do any of this and wanted to be left alone at home (we refused), but was absolutely fine both times. And his Grandma was delighted.

The birds are tweeting. Time to get some more sleep.

Please don't hate me.

That is all I have to say for now apart from the fact it is too bloody hot to work. Oh and I am sorry for being even crapper than usual this month but work has been mad. These teenagers appear to think that I need to work my butt off to get them a GCSE, not them.

I love you all

Quick post as on phone.

Today I have already done one load of washing, and have the next load on - there is a leak from a pipe outside on the pavement and we have informed the water people over the weekend - so we're expecting repairs at some point

Yup, there's a man with a van there as I type. Keep your fingers crossed that he doesn't kill the water for another 34 minutes (timer on washing machine!).

Right, will start with a post squalid weekend list

List
move all books littering front room
neat pile of piano books
sports stuff away in sports chest
garden books away
pile of ironing for cleaning lady
attempt to tidy childrens HORRIFIC BEDROOMS
bank
buy jif
hoover bags!!!!-
Homebase? for hoover bags...
buy bark for flower beds
remove all clutter from hall and landing
strip sheets from beds?
order cytisus battanderi, as Dh has requested this

try and tackle area at bottom of garden but that could take all day

not panic at cleaning lady coming

I am not flying today. I am doing fun stuff.

Hello, new flybaby here.

I will be starting on 1st June, as it seems easier that way. Can I ask a few questions?

1. With that baby steps, do you do your daily lists/ta das as well?

1. Do you dive straight into zones?

1. How can I do it with a clingy 10 week old?

TIA!

Welcome to the thread, likelucklove . Good idea to start on 1st June as we'll be starting over with the babysteps then. In answer to your questions:

1. If you are new to Flylady, start with the babysteps and don't bother with 'missions' and other stuff for now. The babysteps are designed to build new habits into your routines slowly, so that you stick with them. Obviously, you have to do your usual daily stuff, but don't worry about doing it the Flylady way at first. By the end of your first month, if you have followed the babysteps, you will have established a good routine and will be swishing and swiping along with the rest of us .

1. As you do the babysteps, you are introduced to 15 minutes of daily decluttering (the idea - rightly - being that you can't clean clutter so you need to declutter a messy house to get it under control). Once you have done a month of babysteps, you can declutter for 15-minutes a day in the current zone (sitting room and hall this week). Once each zone is decluttered, you can start doing the daily missions. There are no missions at weekends, the idea being that you get it all under control during the week .

1. You can't do any of it with a clingy 10-week old OK, that is tricky! There are tips on 'flying' with a baby here. Personally, I seemed to spend a lot of those early weeks sitting on a sofa or in bed, breastfeeding, whilst the washing and housework piled up. I thought I'd get it all sorted second time around, but found it just as hard (both mine were velcro babies and I remember DS2 crying every time I put him down). In the end, I decided that we are not designed to do it all on our own and it was impossible. As we couldn't afford paid help and I had no family to help, I just had to muddle through as best I could. It does get easier eventually. And enjoy this precious time with your new baby because it's much more important than housework .

Ellie - we love you too . Hope you manage to whip those teenagers into shape.

Carpe - very impressed by those early washing loads

Bitchy - good for you!

Swan - good luck with that long list. (Are you sure Cytisus battanderi isn't some medical diagnosis? ).

Cancelled DS1's lesson this morning because he is in such a state about going to Spain on Friday. He is officially allowed to spend as long as he likes on the computer today so that he can relax, whilst I charge around getting ready.

To do:

Washing on (our sheets first)
Wash up breakfast stuff
Unload dishwasher
Sort kitchen
Put away Ocado delivery (due in half an hour)
Hang washing up outside
More ironing for the holiday
Pack up returns (clothes ordered for holiday that don't fit/look horrible/I am too old for )
Take returns to PO
Bedroom rescue - this will take time
House 'bless'
Go through holiday prep list and tackle as much as possible
Don't panic

Oops - DS1 just reminded me, sorrowfully, that I have forgotten to give him his breakfast (although at 12, he really should be able to manage that himself, but would probably rather starve). Will do that first...

likelucklove try doing it with baby in a sling - but not any cleaning products naturally!

Ignores the fact that she didn't start flying until DS was about um... 16mo?

Oh, and water man has been. It's a leak at the boundary box thank god (as I envisaged us having to pay!) so they'll come and sort it. He reckons a couple of hours to sort it.

Washing all done now, and on to "non-necessary" stuff as it's such a good drying day today.

Cushion covers next I think!

Oh, and my WAH job has just been done so that's good.

This afternoon (if it stays nice) I think I'll take DS to the outdoor pool for a swim. T'is lush!

Have sent off major work stuff and now realise that we're going on holiday on Saturday!

Better start getting organised...

Hi likelucklove and Ellie, hope you enjoy your fun stuff, Bitchy!

anyone?

Ladies! I've had a revelation!

The dishwasher can go on more than once a day!

Just done some dinner prep, used the food processor and a few bowls and sighed at the huge quantity of washing up.

And then thought "sod it", bunged it in the machine, and stuck it on a quick wash as nothing was too manky, just liquidy mess.

It's a revelation for me! It sounds so stupid, but I sometimes feel a bit naughty using the dishwasher/washing machine etc for little things. So stuff builds up as I feel obliged to wait until I have a full load - and I spend days thinking "oh, I could put on xxx today. Nope, wait, it's not washed." But it's such a lovely day today that I'm running little things through on a 29 minute wash to get them out and drying.

Freedom!!! They can take my water supply, but they cannae take my clean clothing!!! Possibly the worst war cry in the history of cleaning, but mine own!

Yes please, Blue .

Have just been distracted from my list by my holiday Hush delivery and spent a happy half hour trying on various new items .

Have at least put the shopping away.

Will eat that frog now and get on with returns and other dull stuff...

Have been through exactly the same thought process re D/W, Carpe. Then, during one particuarly stressful day, I decided to throw caution to the winds and use it more than once. I have never looked back!

done
pile of ironing for cleaning lady - she ironed it
kitchen decluttered so she could clean it - she cleaned it
and together we moved a lot of stuff around in playroom, and disposed of an entire old carpet 3 m x 3 m by hacking it into bits, hoovering under it, and mopping dust up - something I've been longing to do for ages but need two people to tackle
bought some refreshments, iced tea, green beans, potatoes, cleaning stuff
what's for dinner? turkey steaks, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad
recycling

nothing else on list done but we got the downstairs hoover working

todo now that cleaning lady has gone...
chemistry set in kitchen cupboard
filing in filing cupboard
sort out catechism bag
shake out small rug and put back
declutter back room ruthlessly, now it is no longer a playroom as such....turning it back into light airy "garden room" minus grimy carpet
tidy dcs' bedrooms
remove winter coats and put in loft
quick clean of bathrooms

I use the dw when I need to
Toffee enjoy your new clothes

I am still here - just always too rushed to post. I read the thread though.

Extension work been on hold for past hour due to ' a huge load of wasps' - No, brickies, it's a swarm of bees and they fancy my chimney. Hmm, I can see this being a future problem and not quite sure how to get rid of them (bees, not brickies).

Someone way back upthread asked about Flylady tools. I have the water bottle and it's really good, just like she says (at great length!). I keep looking for one like it in Lakeland, but not seen one yet. However, in the last catalogue I did see something that looked very like the rubba scrubba. She's right about rubber tools (my stiff rubber brush came from Woolies ages ago) - these are seriously the business for animal hair and the only thing I have found for dog hairs on car upholstery. I have also bought the timer as I got bored with looking for one on Amazon and it did exactly what I wanted. Cheapo microfibre cloths are fine except I've not met anything as good for smear-free glass as a real E-cloth glass cloth.

That's an awful lot about housework! Bored with that now.

I have a lot of sympathy with Ellie re exams. Trying to get them to revise maths is very hard as maths is techniques not facts and I tell them 'you can't cram it in during the last few days like you can with history' (Sorry Ellie ) Slow and steady does it - a bit every day (like decluttering if only I could do it!). Many of my pupils are doing A levels and those have just about finished, reducing the workload (and income!)

Good luck with Spain Toffee - DS1 needs a calm Mummy to get him through it, so don't stress yourself.

Lovely to see you, Honu . Not sure what you can do about those bees unless you happen to know a bee-keeper. My childminder had a swarm of bees in her garden once and a local bee-keeper was able to catch them and take them away.

Thanks for the good luck with Spain. You are so right about DS1 needing a calm Mummy. DH is terrified of flying, although hypnotherapy has helped, so it will all be down to me and my very lovely friend (who is well travelled and not at all scared) to jolly the children along and make it fun.

Overheard a very sweet conversation between my two boys this morning, with DS1 telling his little brother how scared he was and DS2 (only six) reassuring him that he'd be fine.

Swan - have had a lot of deliveries this morning , but it has been great fun trying various new items on. I really didn't have anything for hot weather (as I keep explaining to DH). Even treated myself to a pair of sparkly gold sandals for evening (must be the Essex girl coming out in me ).

Ate that frog and have boxed up all my returns for delivery to the PO tomorrow. Also put a big load of washing on. Am now going to tackle our bedroom and sort out the downstairs. No time for lunch. Not sure where the day has gone...