Fledglings Remember to FLY through November...

[BlueEyeshadow]

If your 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, support and wine along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in weekly designated zones of the house; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with more time to do other more interesting things instead! At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again anyway!

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.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat 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.

[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings. Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound (and you may discover a few of our subversions of the vocabularly along the way).

Many thanks to SC for leading the thread through October (and for such a good OP, which I've blatantly cut and pasted) - - and I'll post the first babysteps and mission tomorrow evening.

All welcome!!

sc how bizarre that going in late is supposed to be a punishment if I was your DS I would have a lovely lie in and lounge around the house at that age!

I've just stopped doing paperwork for the night, I've been really lazy since the summer holidays and so have lots to catch up on, I'm going to work every night for the rest of the week and I should be caught up!

Ta da:
Walked dogs
DD to gymnastics
DD to CM
horse mucked out, brushed, walked and leg bandaged (just a kick but still inconvenient)
Routines
Lots of paperwork
Cleaned sofa and chair in living room
Cleared kitchen hotspot

Due to me having a 2 hour midday nap I didn't get a whole lot of flying done, need to add kitchen floor to tomorrow's list!

Will be back in the morning! Flaps to all!

Evening all.

Once again I've been far too sidetracked by internet shopping, or rather not... Still, I managed the mission and quite a few errands again - felt guilty about doing the school run by car (pouring rain!) so combined it with other things out and about. Took too long and made me miss my afternoon tea - realised later that that probably explained my grumpiness...

swan - more at going in to school late being a punishment!

Bitchy - glad DS's dad is on side at least, and that you're feeling calmer.

SC - DS1 was much cheerier today and doesn't seem to be sickening for anything, except possibly impending endoftermitis.

Glad you've made progress, Dizzy and well done on the tidy house, Gossip.

I think it gets us all like that sometimes sowornout but at least the Christmas shopping being done is something!

SC/ Lauren or anyone else with a burning desire to do so - would be very happy to hand the thread on to you!

*
Links:
Babystep - take care of yourself.
Mission - dusting up high.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day, so let's all get cracking!

Not gone awol again but I must say I hate Tuesday's. Teaching plus meeting till 5 plus pick up dc's from cm and then straight to leisure centre for swimming lessons which means i don't arrive home until 7pm.

Still poddling along here but have managed to restart some flying routines and am gradually getting back into the swing of things.

Back tonight.

Morning fledglings!!

Lauren a million thanks for offering to run next month's thread. (Can't think of anyone more reliable and organised btw - judging from your list!! ) Are you OK on your own or do you want to share part of month?

[Btw I am very flattered that you have confused me with Swan in post below!! (Tis her ds who is taking pastoral day off school - which I agree sounds rather lovely!!)

Swan sounds v. confusing indeed! Wierd that the punishment is delayed like that also. Great that your sil has the support she needs now.

Blue aahhh yes, endoftermitis ... sounds familiar ...dd has a bad case of mathsantipathitis atm... good that your ds is OK in all other ways though!

Hope everyone OK. Don't know about eveyrone else but I'm definitely panicking about Christmas now. Done most of family, friends and godchildren presents but still have all the office to buy for (clueless this year) + teachers + church presents to plan. At the same time am having a minor op, organising/helping with three lots of charity events and school/office/friends social calendar is filling up something rotten between now and the big day. Not as if I am starting off on a good basis in terms of an orderly house either - every room seems to be a complete pit atm!!! Where did November go [plaintive squeal emoticon]???? Seem to be either at art course or in medical waiting rooms atm with very little time in between.

Sowornout I'm very impressed that you have already done some wrapping!! (I somehow always have to leave this to last minute!!)

Top marks to Gossip and Dizzy for being on top of things!!

Hope your ds is ok Justgettingonwithit

Whoknows very impressed by your mincemeat prep!! (Which reminds me I must put in a big order from Britishexpatsupermarket or some such!! Vegetable suet is a rarity over here ..; and can't survive Christmas without Carrs table water biscuits, Marmite and j-cloths!! The only thing they won't ship is crackers!) How has your return to work gone btw? HOpe it's not tough going.

Congratulations on your weight loss Ellie that is terrific!! And just in time for Christmas too!!

Castlelough very sorry about your aunt It's good that she has you and your mother there for support. Hope you are taking care of yourself too.

Hey bitchy glad things are a bit calmer for you and ds (and you are getting a bit more support). Take it steady x

Nicknacks glad things are now back on a more even keel for you. Tis great what you are instilling in your boys btw - my 17 year old nephew (lovely though he is) can't even make toast and I pity his future dp/wife (unfortunately his father is still living in the 1950s ...)

Well done to all of you who have sorted out your gardens. My terrace looks like an old pond atm. [Adds one more pre-Christmas task to list]

Huge wing flaps to Trazzles Toffee Engels Feetheart PA Nightshade Turquoise Consils Mumat39 MrsHoarder Systemsaddict Notquiteperfect Honu Carpe Maggie CaptainHoratio Trumpalot Paneer Shifty
Issima and anyone I've missed

Half school day here so had better get cracking. Have a good anti-procrastination day everyone!

[squeals with delight]

my somewhat erratic fortnightly in reality more like monthly ironing lady has arrived!! Yippeeeeee!!!!

Wow you've all been busy while I've been away! Huge wing flaps to all .

No time for personals except v sorry to hear about more flooding.

Today, I need to take eBay items and crochet square to the Post Office.

And tidy tidy tidy. A couple of days away and it looks like our house has been in the path of a hurricane .

Swan - I hope your twins are better today. That's a silly punishment for DS1, btw. DS2's teacher has threatened to take away the class's privilege as 'buddies' to the reception children if they don't behave, but DS2 hates being a buddy (he's shy), so he's very confused by the supposed punishment.

lauren - thanks for offering to run the thread in December. I agree with SC, btw - you always seem very organised and reliable.

sc - at your ironing lady.

Bitchy - glad DS is a bit calmer and that your DH 'gets' it now. It's a shame things had to get so bad for him to understand. I experienced the same thing (in my case, with professionals). For some reason, people seem to think you're exaggerating and need to see things for themselves (don't know why any of us would lie about these things ).

Blue - you are so good to manage the mission. I haven't done one for ages . I should make an extra effort so that the house stays nice for Christmas.

ellie - hope your busy Tuesday went ok.

Gossip - congratulations on your tidy house . You certainly worked hard on that .

sowornout - like sc, I am also impressed by your Christmas wrapping. I have only just started ordering presents. Incidentally, I regularly can't find 15 minutes to do the missions (although, of course, I do seem to find 15 minutes to go on MN ).

dizzy - well done on making progress on the house (and fitting in sewing as well).

Just - hope DS feels better today. Best of luck and more sympathy on all your mopping up .

No more time now, as I have to start doing some home ed with DS1. We have just started reading 'A Christmas Carol'. My favourite part of home ed at the moment is reading it out loud to DS.

The house is already looking untidy again. Its occupants are not picking up after themselves and I was lazy yesterday and didn't sort the kitchen before bed, so the mess is creeping back. Will have a purge today and try to keep on top of it. Lovely cleaner is coming tomorrow, so hopefully we can fight the tide of dirt and mess together.

Waves to all that I've missed in the messages above.

Right - taking it easy isn't an option this week. It is one from hell so accordingly the lists will be long. Last night ds blitzed his room himself. He has left me two drawers to de-junk that he wants doing asap

As I had lost some important paperwork I have taken my room apart to find it this morning and lost my bed in the process. I need to deal with that later. I don't want to but I need to.

Ta da looks like this:
school run
1 load of towels on to wash
destroy room
find paperwork
start removing stuff from the car - it is horrid again.
make sure ds' swimming kit is ready for tonight
remember to take allergy tablet for a change
speak to a friend about a few issues -hers not mine for a change, so really nice to be able to return the favour.
Be really really cross at inconsiterate pricks who woke me up last night when I went to bed and fell asleep early - result being i was up most of the night with no energy so feel like shit and got fuck all done.
find all paperwork for meeting this morning.
drink the first three cups of what will be a hell of a lot of coffee drunk today.

Right gotta run. Need to head off for a meeting in another town. Bbl

DH FUCK NO!!!! NO dh just a fuckwit ex who was never a dh For god sakes toffee don't you go marrying me off. It's bad enough school and medical people try to do that.

Quick list dump

Wash ds2 bedding (wet last night :( )
Remake bed
Clean washing away
Rubbish outside
Ds1 to do bins out to road
Empty dw
Quick s and s
Nursery run
Hoover downstairs
Mop kitchen

Will see how I get on. Wednesday are my busiest day with mindees and going out to see Michael McIntyre tonight so need to leave house reasonable for my mum babysitting.

Sorry bitchy but your reaction was hilarious'

Courtesy of school, we have had a lovely lazy morning and didn't wake up till 9am! Which is when Dh starts his working day . Dh says he was up at 7.30 as usual, and I believe him, as he has put out the recycling again for me.

Ds has now trundled off to school. He is having problems with friendship, and it is one of those impossible things to resolve for a child in secondary, being past the buddying stage The person he is fighting with is in the chamber choir; and chamber choir was meant to be a place he had high self esteem and have a small friendly circle, so it is all a bit depressing He still seems to appear to love school But seems determined to annoy people to get attention from his peers. I am trying to get him a Dyspraxia referral but it seems to be like getting blood out of a stone. I think soon I am going to have to re-refer him to private OT, as the school does not able to do more than go round in circles.

SC you are way ahead of me. I have not organised a single present (except that I know I am giving Niece duplo) Online shopping is a mire, and I always end up ordering too much in a sort of panic, whereas a RL shop seems to bring out my natural meanness. Are you sure you should schedule in any helping after an op? Isn't it best to just say you CAN'T help? I've started refusing invites too, it is a tremendous relief to just admit defeat in some cases.

Twins are still here, sneezing away. Dh has gone to some business meetup in town.

todo
order Duplo for niece
help at Beavers
reheat stew for supper
fold up sheets and put away
order dd stocking fillers
order something from GudrunJorgen for mum - she says nothing in normal shops fit her, so that might be a nice discovery
try making something - soothing craft activity
supervise dd making at least three Xmas cards
book hairdresser!!!!

Right ill get brave and take on the challenge, I've been here more than a year now I should really take a turn ill make the thread tomorrow

Quick to do:
Kitchen floor
Walk dogs
DD to singing
Friends for lunch
Paperwork
Bathroom and wash bath mats and towels

swan and sc sorry for the mix up I post from my phone so have to remember who said what when I'm writing!

Also at your reaction bitchy!

Very at you going to see Michael McIntyre tonight nicknacks, I love him!

not even a stealth boast- I have 3 presents left to buy and they are ALL wrapped thanks to the bargain thread in the Christmas section

at Bitchy

It'll be all right!

On the subject of wrapping, I rather like doing a mega wrapping session at the last minute - it makes me feel all Christmassy! Boys are sorted - must stop buying them stuff! - and know what I'm getting DH, my parents and maternal ILs. Just got to sort out a few friends, paternal ILs and find out which of DH's other relations we're actually going to see. Oh, and DB, SIL, BIL... maybe not that sorted after all...

But I need to be working.

Oops, sorry Bitchy

Lunch break. Have had reasonably productive morning for once although there is still loads to do.

Go Lauren!! [Presents new thread leader with one inaugural pkt of 60 dernier tan tights and a pair of extra strong leather shoe laces and a bottle of gin ]

Yay Trazzles good luck with the hurricane trail. I have been doing something similar in the boudoir all morning. Was quite pleased until some bright sunshine illuminated all the dust on the empty "paths" and "surfaces" already cleared...

Swan sorry - neglected to see that the twins were ill - hope they recover speedily. Week day lie-in sounds luv-er-ly btw!! Sorry to hear about your ds and friendship issues . That's a tough one when you aren't able to intervene any longer. Hope situation resolves itself quickly.

[sneaks away to Google GudrenJorgen]

Ironing lady has come and done her magnificent stuff - yeeehaaawwww!! She is really, really good at ironing (a real skill I think) and speedy too. 5 paniers plus countless shirts and trousers on hangers.

Very happy for her but she is going away for five weeks over Christmas and as she cleans the office this is going to be a bit problematic. Need to find temporary cover from somewhere (have already asked my weekly Polish cleaner but she is going away as well). I think Mrs Muggins here may have to take up her mop and bucket again ...

Have fun tonight Nicknacks

Arf at Bitchy

Wretched rabbits love their refurbished accommodation but have just noticed that they have decided to use their brand new suede effect dog bed as a urinal when they have a perfectly good (huge) cat litter tray which they have elected to er, poo in. I must admit I am quite impressed by the way they have separated out the two areas/functions .

Had better get back down to the laundry and wield a Dettol bottle ....

Swan forget the clothes, I'll take the horse

Toffee.
Tis ok toffee.

Just a quick update. Not entirely sure the fat fairy would count all of this as flying but she'd get over or be told to do so

Ta da looks like this:
school run
1 load of towels on to wash
destroy room
find paperwork
start removing stuff from the car - it is horrid again.
make sure ds' swimming kit is ready for tonight
remember to take allergy tablet for a change
speak to a friend about a few issues -hers not mine for a change, so really nice to be able to return the favour.
Be really really cross at inconsiterate pricks who woke me up last night when I went to bed and fell asleep early - result being i was up most of the night with no energy so feel like shit and got fuck all done.
find all paperwork for meeting this morning.
drink the first three cups of what will be a hell of a lot of coffee drunk today.
Meeting
Drink a lot of caffine and consume inhale chocolate and jelly babies
Quilt and machine apply edging strip for late present which has to be ready for friday - just trimming and handstitching to do (planning to do that tomo whilst watching ds do stuff)
Consider wtf to do about my bedroom. and settle on a day of paperwork and laundry
Yet another load of towels
Put stuff into loft that should be there. consider accessibility of christmas decorations. hahaha
fish out the advent calendars and look for the Candle but didn't find
Fall off the diet specaturly - it bloody hurt too. Going have a bruise tomo.
find stuff for laminating and scanning.
consider whether to sign the permission slip for a school trip for ds. I am seriously considering refusing tbh.
Fish out some decorations to keep ds happy and focused on house getting ready for christmas.
Go through the present's pile and come up with solution for sis.
Avoid doing paperwork.
See if can get hold of sis to speak to her - left a msg
another load of washing.
find missing bandage - thank goodness - put into washing mountain
fish out christmas activity stuff to keep ds occupied whilst i am busy.

right more stuff to do. bbl

Thanks for volunteering for the next thread Lauren. If you get stuck finding the links. Give a shout and there will be help.

I have a week to myself over christmas. I think I might redecorate my room. I need to keep green a main feature (and a particular shade of green) but any ideas. Curtains are staying but room is looking a bit tired and in need of a refresh.

And whilst that is going on i need to sort a whole heap of paperwork kinda stuff. Going to be busy. lol

A green bedroom sounds really restful Bitchy

have a look here

and this site is good for ideas sometimes here (scroll down to get to next page)

[and you certainly need somewhere restful having seen your lists ]

Done more stuff. but avoided the paperwork, it's gathered together in a pile on the floor. But tbh as soon as ds is in bed I am asleep. final. Soo bloody tired it is unreal