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Fledgling Flyers Olympic August thread.

688 replies

BitchyDragons · 31/07/2012 04:01

Ok so not the wittiest of titles but this month we have the Olympics, holidays, return of football season and heading into the new school year. It's going to be a busy one...

Firstly thanks to Blue and Ellie who kept us on track last month! Thanks

Right, most of you should know how this works. It's a three pronged attack.
Phase one: The babysteps master these and you will be working like clockwork.
Phase two: Adding in Decluttering this will help you keep on top of the amount of stuff contributing to CHAOS.
Phase three: Missions Targeted activities to keep the chaos at bay and starting the deep cleaning.

The golden duster of Flying is stage 4: deep cleaning. This is for most, unrealistic and should only be considered once you have completely decluttered. PA might achieve this simply by virtue of some extreme life decluttering. Although I probably won't recommend her method.

Now for those of you who are completely lost, lets rewind a bit.
CHAOS: Can't have anyone over syndrome. Yep you know that state where you are embarrassed to have play dates fucking hate that phrase or people pop in unexpectedly.
The fly lady approach works by breaking the house down into tiny activities which you do repeatedly yep sounds bad written like that but bare with me and then build up into a routine that becomes habit and you stop thinking about it no really, you do.

Clearer? Yeah ok. I have probably lost you but there is loads of support and help on this thread. If you are confused then ask. However, as this thread starts on the 1st on August I refuse to post the first babystep until later today.

This thread comes with a warning: For those of you who have not yet encountered my leadership of the thread. Be afraid, very afraid aware that I have a rather unorthodox approach and that things can get a tad unpredictable. Starting with a namechange. So who?s on board this month?

Oh and spot markers can help themselves to a magic eraser and ensure there are no marks on the thread for the start of the month. Let?s start as we mean to go on

OP posts:
BitchyDragons · 31/07/2012 05:22

Habit of the month: Laundry

OP posts:
Trazzletoes · 31/07/2012 07:01

Hi! Can I start on here even though it's not August yet? < looks a bit scared >. DS is usually at childcare 3 days a week but starts a new place at the end of the month so I thought it would be nice to have him home for a few weeks and do some summer fun Hmm this starts Friday so after that de-cluttering is going to be, well, fun so my project for the next 3 days is to tidy and clean playroom/ kitchen/ living room... And make biscuits as a than k you for childminder. Dd is poorly so this may or may not be achieved! Ds has at least finally managed to master potty training, I think? Which should reduce the numerous washing loads.

NickNacks · 31/07/2012 07:03

Good morning Bitchy!

I'm still in bed at the mo but sighing in ready for tomorrow.

Thanks for doing the thread for August :)

NickNacks · 31/07/2012 07:05

Oh trazzle Chilminders love biscuits :)

Welcome to the thread!

BitchyDragons · 31/07/2012 07:09

Today will be a bit of a mishmash of where are people posting, trazzle. Tomorrow will be clearer.

OP posts:
BitchyDragons · 31/07/2012 07:10

As we will all be over here. can't sleep.
Morning NickNacks!

OP posts:
laurenamium · 31/07/2012 08:59

Morning all!

I second nicknacks! Childminders love biscuits trazzles Grin

Thank you for the shiny new thread bitchy and thank you for leading last month ellie and blue! was it blue?! Blush

To do:
Walk dogs
Mindee and DD to museum and park
Shine sink
Routines
Find some way to store DD blankets
Have potential Mindee visit
Visit friend
Another friend coming here later for catch up
Shred

BBL!!

feetheart · 31/07/2012 11:59

Signing in.

Thank you to Blue and ellie for last month and Bitchy for taking on this month.

After all my good intentions for July I scraped through by the skin of my teeth. House is still messy but sun has been shining, Olympics are being watched (DS is the GB men's gymnastics team you know - we even had to imitate the medal ceremony as it was happening, complete with rapid dash upstairs to swap silver medal for bronze :o)) and cleaning/tidying is coming rather far down the list. It looks unlikely to climb much further up over the next few weeks as we have tickets for the next 2 days - football then volleyball, a family party at the w/e, then the athletics start and I have a funeral next week.

I will try my best to keep up with the routines is all I am promising.

ToffeeWhirl · 31/07/2012 12:07

Marking my place. Will try to do better this month Hmm.

BlueEyeshadow · 31/07/2012 12:21

Signing in. Thanks Bitchy. :)

PositiveAttitude · 31/07/2012 12:57

Signing in from far away.

Welcome Trazzle

Let's guess who the childminder's are then, Nick Nacks & Lauren [grin

Hi Feetheart, & Blue

THanks for the thread Bitchy

Toffee - maybe I will put a list on tomorrow morning so that you can see what a day here is like for me.
No Cambodian update today as I am bathed in sweat and too exhausted!!! Blush

ToffeeWhirl · 31/07/2012 13:41

Yes, please, PA. It livens up my day Grin.

Makingchanges · 31/07/2012 13:47

I agree PA Its really interesting to see what you are getting up to.

I'm signing in for August too. Thanks Ellie and Blue and thanks Bitchy for the shiny new thread. I need a really good month and although I am away for 10 days I have high hopes of getting my housework under control and in some sort of system before I start supply teaching again.

Today though I'm doing the minimum as DD has gone away for a few days and DH has promised me a night out at Nandos and maybe a few drinks so I am cleaning the kitchen, I've been to the local cafe for a quiet lunch on my own (Which I really enjoyed) and that is all.

I may be back later but if not I'll be back to start August tomorrow.

Engelsmeisje · 31/07/2012 15:45

Signing in. Thanks for the new thread Bitchy.

July was a bit patchy for me - end of school year, holiday - so am ready to start August afresh as long as I don't get TOO distracted by the Olympics

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 31/07/2012 17:03

Signing in - back later

laurenamium · 31/07/2012 19:33

Hi all, just a ta da dump before friend comes round. This week is going to be really busy for me both in the days and on nights so I'm not sure how well I will do with catch ups but I will try my best!

Ta da:
DD and mindee to museum and park- they loved it
Potential mindee visit- went well but they need to find out if they definitely need to move childminders yet and are letting me know
Routines
Ate lots of food Blush
Tidied playroom
Picked up dog poo
Folded DD laundry
Visited friend
Monthly budgeting
Walked dogs
Put bins out for tomorrow

BBL!

NickNacks · 31/07/2012 20:27

I've had lovely day today, took my ds's and mindee to the cinema to watch ice age 4- was really good!

Good luck on the potential mindee lauren :)

My mindees and their parents know how much I like biscuits, as a leaving present recently I was given a new biscuit barrel complete with biscuits!

Off to charge phone...

NickNacks · 31/07/2012 21:01

Ok that's better... Now for tomorrows list...

Take dc and mindees to local lake for scootering and maybe picnic
Write invoices
Hand out invoices- very important!!!
Mop kitchen floor
15 min of clean clothes away
15 min decluttering
The mission

I'm making an executive decision to declutter in other areas since I'm always really keen at the start of the month before it tales off in the second half. Hence my hall, dining room and kitchen look great well better than they used to and the rest of the house barely gets touched.
Anyone find the same?

NickNacks · 31/07/2012 21:03

I have a feeling that should be tails off...

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 31/07/2012 21:56

EVening all,

Well, the big declutter of the children's stuff has continued into today, I filled my car up with bags yesterday, but didn't feel strong enough to take them all to the charity shop myself (mostly books so heavy) so we swapped cars today so DH could take it all in and I started on filling his car up. Only hitch was that he forgot, so my car is out of action for the DCs until it is clear or they will want it all back again. I'm ignoring zones till I have got the DCs bedroom completely decluttered and sorted out, it was just not working with the amount of stuff they had.

I managed to injure my foot yesterday by dropping the clothes line prop right across the instep when barefoot, hurt like buggery for the rest of the day, seemed ok this morning till I put on some sandals with a wide strap over the instep and the first step had me nearly screaming, it is very badly bruised. So I had to wear an old pair of open top shoes to work. I'm sure nothing broken though, it is fine so long as nothing so much as brushes the top of the foot.

The DCs are off to clubs tomorrow, so I need to go and do packed lunches etc, then an early night is needed.

pushmepullyou · 31/07/2012 22:04

Hello, I'd like to rejoin if you'll have me? Smile

Not sure if anyone will remember me, but I've missed you all and my house is less than gleaming so I would love to come back if that's OK?

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 31/07/2012 22:15

Oooh, that's spooky, I was thinking about you today PMPY. I was casting my mind back to when I first joined this thread (as MrsD) and wondering about various people who we haven't heard from for a while, good to have you back.

BitchyDragons · 01/08/2012 01:08

So as we venture into August we start with Trazzle, NickNacks, Lauren, Feetheart, Toffee, PA, Blue, WhoKnows, Emgels and the return of the lovely PMPY I am hoping that as the month progresses and schools start to return that we might see the return of the lovely Linzer and a few other mio fledglings who have been fully occupied with the adventures of summer holidays. However, I expect many will have holidays and activities that mean that this month will be fairly quiet.

So far this month we have established that childminders like biscuits, PA is charged with thrilling us with her adventures in the heat and the wandering PMPY has returned to the fold.

Last night I browsed the fly website contents/advice on returning to school. It was long winded but essentially:

  1. set up a system for letters/bags,
  2. make sure you have the stationary supplies and spare sets/re-ordering system in place (most of us will be spared this),
  3. try to go through uniforms for what will last early and only buy what is needed to be replaced.
  4. Don't leave it to last minute.
  5. Set up routines for the dc for morning, after school and before bedtime with clear tasks for then to do (eg packing bags /laying out clothes the night before, teeth/clothes/make bed before school etc)
  6. The last tip was the most useful: A week before school is due to restart, move the bedtime back 15mins per night until bedtime is back into term time mode and mornings start at school time.

This year i have had the rule that if it has been bought it needs labelling straight away. My goal is that by the end of the week the old stuff will be gone through and grown/worn out removed and the uniform/pe kit/bag is made up and ready to go and stored in it's term time position. I will have shoes to get but ds' feet are growing so they will have to wait.

So I will leave you with that thought and the fact that september is a mere 4 and a bit weeks away. So make the most of anti-procrastination wednesday?

Which brings us nicely to our daily focus: Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.

Which means all those jobs that you have been putting off are your focus. You know the ones, the box of paperwork/art master pieces/ clearing out the under cupboard. Making that appointment you are dreading. Doesn't have to be big, but you do need to just get it done. Go on, you can do it!

Yeah i know probably lost any newbies. Ok I might have forgotten to mention the daily focus. Every day has a focus.
monday: home bleurgh blessing
tuesday: planning including meal planning
wednesday: anti-procrastination
thursday: errand day
friday: this used to be date night. Not sure what happened with it though as it now seems to be clean out car day.
saturday: family fun hell day
sunday: renew your spirit day.
These are designed to focus you on stuff that you need to do every week. Plus ensure you remember to focus on your loved ones and yourself a bit too. Clearer? if not delurk and ask, you know you want to... otherwise sit tight and it might become clearer as we go through the month.

Right the first of the month. The Shiney sink baby step. don't just clean it shine it to within an inch of its life. It's motivating, no really it is.

Got the hang of the babysteps? Ok so the zones for August should be found here First up is zone 1: Front porch/entrance (hall)/dining room. Your next task is to spend 15mins in this zone decluttering. yep that means getting rid of the rubbish/broken/unwanted stuff, relocating stuff that should have a home else where etc.

Once you have decluttered there are missions, short tasks to focus on ensure the zone, once decluttered, stays that way. So your mission should be found here You might need to scroll to the correct day.

Some where there is in depth cleaning lists. As I understand it, this is currently unneeded. However, should you have completed the decluttering and are regularly managing the missions, let me know and I will find the link for you.

So now you have everything that you need for the first of August. Time to get enjoying the month. Ready, Set, Go...

Happy flying. Torch

OP posts:
BitchyDragons · 01/08/2012 01:13

Sorry Engels. Blush Didn't spot that typing fail.

OP posts:
BitchyDragons · 01/08/2012 01:13

Arses creepy wee brackets/strikeout fail BlushBlush

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