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!!

Am a bit calmer this morning, everyone round me is behaving very considerately ( must get that cross more often!) have shined one of the two potential sinks, (the other's in use) have been dressed and at it for three hours and just taking a quick break, before returning to de sludgeing.

Still to do:

dry out bed (condensation,)
send ds of to enjoy morning as can't go swimming, fun day or not.
launderette
hang non dryer stuff
de-sludging
photographing damage
take damaged stuff to insurance lock up
take emergency shelving to insurance lock up
build emergency shelving
shopping
re make bed
dinner

Swan, even though they can drive to distraction, they do need the break and lounging otherwise their lives become as unfun as the adult ones can become.

Blue thanks.

Joins feetheart in getting campervan from *Mrs Hoarders post.

Nicknacks hope it?s a swift bug and you?re all ok swiftly.

Hope to catch up with everyone else later.

Waves hello to one and all

Very of all bonfire celebrations. Next year when DS is a little more able to comprehend (perhaps) we WILL have a little fire and some sparklers in our back garden and all the neighbours will talk about the strange English lady who has fireworks in november instead of on NYE

Raining here so not going to go outside and do a jungle taming gardening session. DS sleeping so going to have some writing time as soon as I get off MN and then spend some tyime sorting toys later as my mission for the day.

Happy flying everyone

we are off to Botanical Gardens this morning.

Feeling a bit cast down by all the stuff there is to do here, just like yesterday...so maybe the best thing is just to make a fast exit Have a headache just looking out into the backyard at all the rubbish

The bonfire night cake sounds lovely, whose ever it was

Dh business seems to be tootling along already he is immersed every night after supper! He promises some family time next week.

I am at all the bonfire talk. I love firework night and bonfires, jacket spuds, toffees........ hmmmmm

Anyway, I have just hired my "maid". Oh flip, that is what they are called here, but that sounds like such a Victorian upper class word. She speaks not one word of English!! Eeeeeek I do believe my Khmer is going to be stretched trying to explain what I want, but hey, I will give it a good go!! I think she understands so far......or she was just nodding to keep me happy!
Starts Tuesday, just 2 days a week. This could be heavenly!!! I will let you know.....

Have a good time away SC.

Ooooh DD1 is ready for skype.........

"see" you all tomorrow......

ok i have caught up with last month's thread but over 100 posts on this one was too much atm. Will probably be awol. We are being sent for re-assessment for ds. It has been a very difficult week here.

PA do you get pm's ok? was wondering how dd was doing in school?

Oh, PA! is she going to come to the new place with you, too?

I'm envious of the fireworks parties too. We joined a couple of expat families and tried to have our own last year, but the police turned up and tried to arrest dh. apparently fireworks are against the by-laws etc etc. I don't think we are going to bother this year!!

I know today is supposed to be family fun day, but at the mo the STUFF is overwhelming, and I need to clear it before fun can feature... And I need to get my head straight about this job, which is dragging me down. I'm considering resigning on Monday, so need to work out an intricate budget to ensure that we won't go under if I do...

To do:

Laundry
Ironing
Wipe over kitchen surfaces
Vacuum living and dining room
3x job applications (one needs two lines changing and then uploading)
Clean carpets (only girls room and upstairs hallway - dh will do

Visit store in town to arrange guides gift wrap fundraiser
Place guides badge order online
Plan Tuesday's guides meeting
Budget for resignation and see if I can....
Finish and email reference for child minder
Payroll for not for profit - and deliver cheques after 4pm

Make fruit salad
Make soup
Grocery shop

Deliver dd1 to friends for sleepover (if her room is tidy)

Better get on then!

Just popping in with a wingflap to everyone! At my parents house so very little flying done though some more decluttering awaits me here in the morning!

Bitchy we miss you! Don't worry about 'catching up'. Just pop in whenever it suits you. You sound like you have your hands full right now xxx

Engels and Madwoman delighted to be on Nano with you. Am finding it tougher than I expected, but at least I've made a start!

Feetheart cake sounds delish!

SC enjoy trip away and Swan that is great about DH business! Carpe as a primary school teacher I often convince myself I have them too and it is my worst nightmare ... Just you have the patience of a saint! PA love to hear your tales from Cambodia!

Waves to everyone else (am on iPhone and can't scroll!)

Madwoman LOL at police trying to arrest Dh for fireworks! [although tbh, I'm beginning to wish there were lovely by-laws round here...the sound of fireworks is deafening] Very sweet party next door (we were all hanging out the window to get the benefit...neighbour had about five toddlers round and their parents and put a display on for them...They seemed to be coping with noise and shock, although I did hear the ominous words from hostess to one mum... (1.11yrs) is still hiding in the living room until it's over... You seem to be doing a job already before you even took on the new job, what will all the guides and child stuff, hope you come to right decision.

Bitchy ds2 has been very strange today. We had quite a long outdoorsy energetic day, and he has been full of beans, keen, enthusiastic, cheery, but suddenly completely impatient (ie: refusing to wait for a a bus on way home, and doing all sorts of sensory oddities) Then he had tantrum at supper because ds1 said the wrong word. I am realising how thin the line between tolerance of everyday life and complete inability to cope. He has calmed down now, and laughing hilariously about his day, treetop walkway, chatting...but still...I just feel we are making it up as we go along, as we never know what to expect next from him. He has had to go to his room a few times since he came home, it seems to be a good solution.

Waves to everyone else...still no flying

done
threw away some magazines
lamb stew
exercise for all
bulk cat food purchase
dd having friend round for sleepover
good night's sleep!!!!!

PA people have explained to me time and time again that cleaners just "know" what needs to be done... unless one has some seriously odd personal habits or expectations; ergo no language required. I find myself going into great detail to our cleaning lady and the truth is she just wants me to leave the house and leave her to it But no, I insist on saying complicated things, like....don't hoover ds1's bedroom, or touch his desk, but would you mind putting clean sheets on the bed, except the sheets aren't dry yet, they are the ones hanging over the bannister (sorry). No there isn't any flash, but perhaps just rinse the bathroom floor, and don't worry about the bath it isn't that dirty, what really needs doing is the floor round the loo and so on...
I am sure you will be 1000 times better at the maid lark than I am.

Another quick post with just links...

Gardening weekend highly successful, but exhausting so off to bed. Will catch up tomorrow.

Sunday is "renew your spirit day" so no mission, again.

Babystep 4 is another one - sticking post-it notes all over your house strikes me as creating clutter, but hey.

Big waves to all, and good night.

The house is a tip so should do flying (washing, washing-up, downstairs needs a hoover again, lounge table piled high with crap, still haven?t sorted DS toys) but also desperately want to write

Blue you?ve reminded me that garden is a mess and needs de-jungling (and one of the benches needs to be put away for the winter) and finally sunny after rain yesterday.

Have a stack of marking, tasks and emails to write for school.
Heading out for coffee in half an hour so need to stop dithering and make a decision so at least something gets done.

Help!

Think I will stick with washing-up so I won?t have to listen to DH moaning this afternoon when he goes to make batch of pea soup for dinners this week and freezer.

Sorry very little time so no personals except to say to Bitchy Keep your chin up. This stuff is very draining on parents.

D/S sent off for day out to renew spirit for all of us. I know it?s not quite right but better than nothing, and he?s feeling very excluded by the world at the moment.

To do
Get temp shelves up in kitchen
Rescued stuff onto shelves
try and get soggy cupboard emptied
More de-sludgeing
Get more stuff down to insurance unit
Photograph it
Ironing
Check sand bags and drains
Check English progress
Prep h/e stuff for tomorrow
Dinner

Sorry, have been too caught up in RL to contribute, though I have been trying to keep up with the thread. Have just waved goodbye to a good friend who has been staying for a few days and am now getting ready for a visit from DC's Grandma. Also have to make a Tudor house with DS2 for his school homework this afternoon. I usually love things like this, but could do without it right now, to be honest.

Bitchy - sorry you are going through a difficult time with DS. I hope the assessment leads to more help and that you don't have to wait too long (I know it can take months though ).

No time for any more writing, but am sending good wishes to all of you.

Afternoon all! Sorry I have been AWOL, had a family day yesterday with not much flying and then no Internet this morning!

I'm now the proud owner of 2 gorgeous tiny guinea pigs! Charlie and Lola are settling in fine, my springer seems to be desperate to meet them though hopefully he's not eyeing them up as a tasty snack!

BB tomorrow with normal lists!

Ta da:
Stripped & re-made 3 x double beds, laundering of sheets etc ongoing.
Replaced bulbs in 3 lights, tidied & de-cluttered light bulb storage (why do I keep bulbs for lamps we discarded 5 years ago?)
Sent 2 x awkward e-mails been putting off for a while.
Took meat out of freezer for dinner, tidied & de-cluttered freezer.
Emptied & re-filled dw, wiped down counters.
Emptied, wiped out & de-cluttered & re-filled toilet bag from recent trip away.
Swept kitchen floor.
Took stuff out of my wardrobe that didn't belong there & put in correct places.

Ok it's hardly splitting the atom but feel sense of achievement!

To do:

Keep on re-booting laundry.
Hoover & de-clutter car.
Make dinner.
Check on paperwork for tomorrow's meeting (volunteer at Women's centre).
Bit of filing.

Happy flying week everybody! x

hi Toffee oh no Tudor house sounds like it would need weeks of forethought. I almost feel sad at thought we never got the "house" homework, for some reason parents rebelled at project type homeworks in Yr 2, and then that was that, apart from the space projects in Yr 5. Glad you had a visit from friend, hope halfterm was restorative generally.

I am exhausted again LOL.
done
sleepover last night
dcs x 4 to Mass (included friend)
dd altar serving
all home for lunch and play
dh rude about my salad [narked]
otherwise all quite calm...house exceptionally grotty but roll on tomorrow and a chance to tackle it all (luckily cleaning lady not coming till Tues, she is usually my bete noire as far as actually organising anything)
Dh looking forward to tomorrow and a chance to work from home in sweet solitude

todo
ds1's room is so depressing, and his homework ditto, although he claims he did it (also lost some of bits of paper, so I suspect tomorrow morning the false security of halfterm will leave him)
hall hideous mess
no tights at all left

I think I am going back to bed now... First need to send dd's friend home.

Urgh! What a weekend but we are finally all better. Everyone is a bit lethergic but just cooking a lovely roast dinner so should perk us up.

Quick list for this evening and will come back for personals tonight.

One load of washing, dry, fold and put away
Read with ds2
Get ds1 to do some homework
Quick tidy downstairs
S and s
Hoover downstairs
Tidy up kitchen after dinner
Mop kitchen

See you about 8pm :)

blue - didn't you get cold gardening? I've got jobs that need going but can't bring myself to go out in the cold!

swan - your DS sounds like hard work, but it sounds like for the most part he had a good day

madwoman - I just stopped working for a while (though being a single mum on benefits, even with a reasonable ex, is hard!). Its awful when you're not enjoying your job

justgetting - it all sounds horrible. When DS was little (and XH had just left) my downstairs was flooded after DS broke the stop tap(!) and I remember the chaos from just one room, and that was only clean water.

I've had a productive day, working and playing in 15 minute bursts all afternoon, and the house is looking pretty good so far. I've also done menu planning and internet shopping for delivery tomorrow.

I need to be all ready as I've got a busy day, and hopefully a new PC arriving tomorrow, which I'm really excited about as I should be able to get on with my mission of retraining myself - I wrote software once upon a time but I'm completely out of touch, so I need to get back up to speed by the time DD is at school, and this PC is much too slow to run what I want.

Anyway, might be able to get a couple more 15 minute job sessions in before the kids get back, so I'll be off!

Good evening all, my lounge is really taking shape and we are going for as minimal as possible in there, which means a mirror, a clock (yet to be put up) and a boarded up hatchway that has now got matching wallpaper and will have one of those fancy wall art thingys with tealight holders in. Then the furniture which consists of the corner sofa, a coffee table, tv cabinet, toy box and dining table, and of course my massive rug. All thats left to do is, gloss and put scocia down, and fill and touch up some holes and thats it for decorating

so tuesday onward will be the kitchen :)

Evening all,

Lounge sounds good, Gossip - hope the kitchen goes well too!

Chairmum - To be honest, it was DH and FIL doing most of the gardening, and they were doing heavy stuff like digging out massive tree roots... Did get a little chilly but not too damp, so can't complain!

NickNacks - hope roast dinner did the trick!

NQP - Good going!!

lauren - aw! to guinea pigs. :)

Toffee - hope the Tudor house went well and that having visitors was/will be fun rather than stressful.

Bitchy - don't worry about keeping up - just pop in when you can, there'll always be a or cushion in the naughty corner!

Big waves to everyone else. Hope it's a good week for everyone back to school after half term.

Links:

Babystep 5 - be nice to yourself!

Mission (I hope this will show tomorrow's tomorrow as it's showing today's now, if you see what I mean... ) We're heading into the kitchen for the new zone tomorrow. Mission is to look up and clean the tops of things.

Can I join? I seriously need some order amongst the chaos in my house! We're a large family of six and I'm a childminder for 60 hours a week, DH works 65 hours a week (at least) as a restaurant manager so as I'm home a lot, it's all down to me and I feel like I'm loosing control

Crazycake welcome and with a name like that I think you will fit right in!!

So, today I feel as if I should do a major crisis clean in preparation for the "lady" coming tomorrow. (I seriously cannot call her a maid!!) But DH insists that is like having a dog and barking yourself! He also goes onto say that he knows I am barking anyway, - which he finds hilariously funny for some reason!! Do I clean, or shall I leave it for her to do. She is doing 2 morning s a week and I dont think there is too much for her to do, so timewise I think she will be fine. I suppose I just don't want her to think that we are snobby, slobby, sloppy white folk!!

So my list today could be:
A) Whole house crisis clean
Sweep and mop all floors
Clean shower rooms
Clean toilets
Shopping
Cook tea

Or B) Catch up with emails and work this morning
Shopping
Cook tea

I will let you know, but I think B) is winning so far this morning!!!

Ah, how timely, baby step 5 due on the day I resign

Have totted up everything I can think of, and as long as nothing unexpected happens

Right it appears to be an early start here. So first things first, school uniform into dryer, coffee and breakfast. No that I have finished painting my nails. did 3 quarters of it last night got tired and went to bed. Yes Bed! Was asleep by 10pm!! Need a plan for the week too. It's a bit insane here atm. Thankfully ds seemed a little calmer last night when he came back from his dad's.

I need to get on top of my room this week, need to get on top of the Laundry, and a major report to write and need to get on with the crafting projects that are cluttering up the place. And deal with normal life craziness too. Tonight is homework catch up night for ds. It will be loud and stressfull I suspect so on the to do list is acquiring a small bag of chocolates for bribery purposes!

Right time to move. Coffee is needed the house is freezing this morning!!!!