There will be no soot in the Fledglings sacks as they FLY through December and into the New Year

[laurenamium]

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 blue for leading the thread through November (and sc for such a good OP, which has been cut and pasted twice!) and I'll post the first babysteps and mission tomorrow evening.

All welcome!!

[TrazzleMISTLEtoes]

IWipe I refuse to wear shoes indoors as well... I found a pair of flip flops I got free with a magazine and wear them instead because slippers aren't quite the same.

It's about being up and at them really though - I have fallen out of the habit of being made up (sleep is more important at the moment!) but that's what makes me feel like I'm actually ready for the day.

[ZebraInHiding]

I would love to join you but I am terrible about checking in daily and catching up with personals, so I am mostly marking my place so I can read along...

[TrazzleMISTLEtoes]

Zebra

Come along in.

Feel the love.

I'm sporadic at best.

[NickNacks]

Welcome zebra

I'm also waving weakly this morning but for different reasons. I'm ever so slightly lie lie lie it's huge hungover this morning.

Unfortunately I have some jobs that must be done today so will grab some tea and toast and crack on.

How are you this morning lauren ?

[swanthingafteranother]

Aha! I had forgotten it was December, and we had to remind Ds2 to start his Advent Calendar this morning...cue a lot of Lego when he was meant to be getting ready for church Written last whingy post on Nov thread. Thank you Whoknows

So, a typical Swan morning from the house hurricane of doom. Dd has departed for snowboarding in a flurry of confusion...no gloves that match, that's not warm enough...where's L's present? have you any cash.?. Oh, so you were meant to be in netball too!!!Why didn't you let them know? [Luckily turns out no more fixtures till 13th Jan...but only found that out when picked up by snowboarders
Sons emerged in various unironed items (despite there being smart clothes in drawer for church), where are your coats...oh there are none...have a mansized anorak instead or a football top covered in egg over your ironed shirt...husband combusting...why did he ever decide to miss out on the Emphemera Book Fair and offer to take them to church, poor fellow...

Okay..
so this morning
make lunch
sweep floor
wipe table
hoover up something horrid in playroom
hang out clothes
another wash in

done
breakfast in sink
assembled lasagne ingredients
protein for breakfast
dd piano practice
present for friend
all gone to Mass
lay table for lunch

Kirk1 I remember washing nappies, it was an incredible sense of achievement and so much less rubbish to take out! So a little bit of a saving there in housework stakes. Uniform also takes up so much energy doesn't it? It would be easy if they didn't have to have any other clothes, or just one set for weekends.
purple batch cook lasagne...I will dream on..I never seem to get ahead to that stage.

[swanthingafteranother]

Toffee why or why do they always clunk out when it is cold weather..I suspect it is overload when we try and put on everything at once. TG for your beautiful new stove. Is there a lovely swimming pool you can go to for showers etc? Our immersion has been broken for a long time, I dread to think what will happen if the main boiler goes.

[GossipWitch]

Hello all, well its all going off since I last posted, so sorry for all of you who are having a hard time. :(

So just out of interest who has done all there christmas shopping?
despite me having a flychristmas journal and being incredibly organised about it I haven't, as finances have proven tough and were still waiting on certain monies to come in before we splurge, which is really annoying as I have the majority of presents done by september, normally, and it looks like I will be doing an xmas dash on christmas eve!!

[cranverry]

Can I join please? I have a baby and a toddler and our house seems out of control with toys, books, random pieces of food, laundry... We are moving in 4 months and I'd like to be moving with as little clutter as possible.

[swanthingafteranother]

done
lasagne made and eaten
food defrosting for next proper meal tomorrow (pork)
soup to use up old carrots in progress for supper
recycling out
hall rescued
ds1 music homework (Indiana Jones)
dw on
washing hung out

now I am off shopping again for presents. Little and often maybe.

[strictlycaballine]

Eh up everyone. Shiver me timbers. Woke up very early this morning to the sound of dd shrieking with excitement and a blanket of snow on the garden (unfortunately snow is now being washed away by freezing drizzle) but rabbits were very bemused (they had never seen it before) and left lots of maniacal circles of paw prints all over the lawn before returning downstairs to their indoor quarters.

Had lovely (rare) 5 hrs alone with dh yesterday as dd was at a party but felt unwell (dizzy and wierd) in the evening and had to go to bed (which was quite stressful as I kept thinking about all the things I should be doing).

Really battling to get anything done atm. There's just so much stuff to sort out in addition to the usual cooking, cleaning, domestic stuff (twice as much now home and office cleaners away for Christmas). So just came on here to say "yaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh"!! Ah..... that's better

A very warm welcome to Cranvery Zebra

(and to Kirk and Purpletoes again)

Don't feel badly eveyrone - Flying with toddlers and babies is tough going - just little steps is all that is required - 15 mins at a time - or 5 mins here and there.

And don't worry about posting regularly either - dip in and out as much as you like!

Respect to those of you using environmentally friendly nappies too.

Toffee so sorry to hear about your heating - thank heavens you have a lovely real fire (something we aspire to one day)

[hands over double espresso to Nicknacks]

Great to see Arses Mercury Honu Dizzy and Nightshade back!!

Swan respect to you for ploughing on through your hectic Sunday and producing lovely home-cooked food at the end of it [SC thinks guiltily of the all the veg in the fridge that are stillwaiting to be turned in to soup]

Hey Trazzles your house sounds cosy - I would get frostbite if I wore flip-flops here

Whoknows well done re: the decluttering - donutting sounds like fabulous fun btw!

Hope you are OK Castlelough Take it steady x

Bitchy bloody well done on having finished all the present buying/making/wrapping and delivery on 1st December [doffs hat]

PA if you are out there and can access Internet - hope your house move went ok and you still have cleaner!!

Lauren thanks for links and hope you are not feeling too down x

Mahoosive waves to Feetheart Ellie Carpe Madwoman Justgettingonwithit Sowornout and eveyrone else I have inevitably missed!!!

Keep warm everyone and enjoy the rest of your Sundays!!

[strictlycaballine]

oops, that should have read Cranvery and Zebra

Missed out Engels too!!

Incidentally, think I could just about survive without a td (just one 9 yr old dd) but absolutely could not live without a dw. They use less hot water (especially teh way I do the washing up) and end up paying for themselves in the end. It sterilises everything at 60°c too. I put everything in it: pots and pans, toothbrushes and combs, rabbit bowls (not together obviously).

[Kirk1]

Thanks everyone for words of encouragement! Just arrived home from hectic morning and afternoon activities. I've been face painting (with toddler in tow) for the children's centre Christmas fair. Only two hours but busy! Am now exhausted but feeling happy to have accomplished something worthwhile.

Swan, thanks for the reminder of why I'm doing the cloth nappies, I was always terrible about emptying the bin regularly and I'm sure disposables smell worse than just the baby odour of the cloth nappies. Right-o, I need to take advantage of baby nap time to get dinner done....

[TrazzleMISTLEtoes]

Kirk just to say that I'm watching you and noted fashion photographer MISTER Nigel Barker is STILL mine no matter what thread we're on...

[laurenamium]

Hi all, I have a hangover from hell! but it was definitely worth it last night was a fantastic night! How was your night nicknacks?

toffee what a nightmare about your boiler! They always seem to wait for what seems like the coldest weather before they pack in as well!

kirk I agree with the other flyers, and definitely prioritising things like nappies over having a shiny sink sounds like the best idea!

Well done on the decluttering whoknows sounds like you got loads done this weekend.

Huge welcome to zebra and cranverry, come on in the naughty corner is always cosy!

Gossip my christmas shopping is just about finished, I have been following the bargain christmas threads since they began in October and I have managed to save a fortune using discount codes etc that others posted on there!

sc you deserve a flylady medal for flying in the office as well as at home so close to christmas! A day just you and your DD sounds lovely though. I love days like that

[laurenamium]

Links for tomorrow...



Tomorrow it is babystep three: http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-3/ checking out the big tent . This is one to avoid. Don't sign up to the emails or you will be swamped!

Decembers monthly focus is pampering . Sounds good to me!

Mondays daily focus is the home blessing hour . My favourite .

The mission is here. Hopefully it will update over night as it is still on this weeks missions.

We are moving into zone 2 the kitchen. For those who are up to detailed cleaning the detailed cleaning lists are here

[laurenamium]

Sorry babystep three is checking out the big tent

[NickNacks]

Thanks for the links lauren

My night was also excellent apart from the 3 toes which have no skin on them due to shoes rubbing :( so I've been hobbling around today.

Looking forward to tomorrow. :)

[MercuryRising]

Hi all I am very pleased with myself. After putting off decluttering the dcs room for months inspired by you all I have finally done it! 3 black bags of crap later and it is looking fab I also cleaned under the TV cabinet which is exactly the right height to showcase the dust bunnies that had taken up residence beneath it and decluttered the microwave!

Gossip I haven't finished my Christmas shopping yet but DP has the day off tomorrow so we are hoping to finish buying for DCs then we only have family and each other left to buy. I really hoped to be done by now but because of other financial commitments the rest probably won't get done until the week before. Oh well at least it will feel lovely and festive when I'm running around like a maniac.

[Jdub]

Evening all! Been a weekend of really fun children's parties (at other people's houses) but tonight, at least, I have washed my kitchen and hall floor, filed a load of school stuff and cleared the mantle piece of ds2's birthday cards in preparation for the Christmas ones!

Tomorrow's to-dos include amongst other things, the completion of thank you cards!

Time for a cuppa! Night all.

[GoingGoingGoth]

May I join in, have lurked for the last thread, about time I got off my arse and did something.

[laurenamium]

Morning all!

Welcome to the thread goinggoing

Just a list dump here, I finish work at 1:30 but have LOTS to do after a really lazy weekend!

To do:
DD and mindee to playgroup
Home bleugh
My laundry
DD laundry away
Wash bedding
Front room hotspot
Put tree up and associated cleaning
Wash inside of windows and put snow flakes up in front room and playroom
Tidy playroom
Walk dogs
Food shop
Wash dog beds
Routines
Invoices and newsletters
Filing
Put things in summer house now the floor is down
Pay council tax
I don't have a kitchen bib for mission so will clean out my cutlery drawer

I think that's it BBL!

[ToffeeWhirl]

Our boiler is back on - we have hot water and central heating again .

[Kirk1]

Morning! today's aim is:

2 loads of washing,
Put out the bins for tomorrow they come early....
Find the kitchen floor. I know it's under there somewhere. Any idea how I train the family to PICK UP things they drop/knock over? I always seem to end up with drifts of discarded stuff in the corners especially in the kitchen.

Trazzle still not willing to share the lovely MISTER Nigel Barker? :( I'll have to let him down gently then...

[IWipeArses]

Morning!

Listing-

done -
washed all the pots

to do-
everyone dressed
hang laundry
load in
doctors
DS to school or no?
lunch
clean fridge
Tesco delivery
today's mission

do for now

[GoingGoingGoth]

Time to dive in

Done:
Beds changed
Rubbish out
1 load washing
Yesterday's washing ironed

To do
Vacuuming
Wash pots
Clean windows
Online shop
I'm sure this list will increase