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

662 replies

laurenamium · 29/11/2012 19:30

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!) Thanks and I'll post the first babysteps and mission tomorrow evening.

All welcome!!
OP posts:
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Jdub · 03/12/2012 11:03

My Monday looks something like this at the mo:

done:
1 bathroom swish and swipe
load dishwasher
everyone dressed and fed
me - to work
bank stuff

to do:
take stuff to charity shop
make tea when I get home
finish thank you cards for DS2's birthday (this involves much cutting and sticking!)
load Advent calendars with tomorrow's treats
Receipt sorting
Feed my Christmas cakes with brandy
Locate and retrieve Christmas decs that can start to be put up (not the tree just yet though)

I think I shall treat myself to a spangly new duster at lunchtime and some new Mr Sheen!! And I'm looking forward to all of tonight's Christmassy chores!

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feetheart · 03/12/2012 11:16

Toffee - hurrah for hot water and warm house :)

Welcome to the newbies, take it slowly, it will get better

Need to be quick as have lots to do this week and the quicker I finish work the quicker I can start doing more fun stuff! So:

Ta da

  • All up and out
  • Leaflet re school disco in for copying/sending out
  • Stuff to Treasurer (School Assoc related)
  • On-offer gammon bought


To do
  • Work - Invoices, VAT, bank rec
  • Into town for vests for DC (all far too small Blush), sparkly leggings for DD, things for MN Santa parcel, 'door present' for DH for breakfast networking meeting this week
  • Look on ebay for coat for DS


That will take till school pick-up time
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ToffeeWhirl · 03/12/2012 11:48

Yes, it's so nice to be warm again, Feet! Am really appreciating the hot water in particular. Was able to have a proper bath this morning instead of making do with a kettleful of hot water. Have felt very Victorian this weekend Grin.

Both DC are at home with me today. We all have colds, so the heating is doubly welcome.

Done:

Phoned school because DS2 woke up with a cough and cold
B/fasts
Hot bath and hair wash Grin
Physio appt
Put rubbish out

To do:

Lunch
Home ed
Washing
Sort out kitchen

That'll do for now.

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nightshade1 · 03/12/2012 11:56

im going to attempt to sort out the kitchen today, it looks like a bombs gone off with piles of dishes, and general clutter and crap.

  • we finished the sorting and decorating of the living room and hall and stairs over the weekend but unfortunatly although they are all neat and tidy and organised the kitchen has become the dumping ground for all the excess stuff - bin bags at the ready!!
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GossipWitch · 03/12/2012 12:38

Haven't read the thread, sorry but just have to quickly fly around the house as my father will be turning up to sort out the bathroom I broke, I have managed to remove the majority of the paint around the bath whilst peeling fablon off the walls, ready to gloss, but now i cant gloss the walls because they are no longer smooth !!! aaaggghhhhhh did try and get hold of manshape but his phone is off !!!!!

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Purpletoes · 03/12/2012 14:21

Hi
Thanks for the support and will keep repeating mantra small steps

List for the day
Done
Breakfast
Dressed
Online shop ordered
Nursery contacted about start date
Dishwasher on
Counters wiped down
Lunch


To do
Quick wipe of bathroom
Dinner and dessert (friends coming for dinner)
Quick clean of floors
Declutter hallway
Hoover
Back to work forms
Filing
Get ds to have afternoon nap
Empty dishwasher

Wish me luck

Have a caffeine fix Brew

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GossipWitch · 03/12/2012 14:59

manshape is home, and says its not too bad a job which is good :)

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BitchyDragons · 03/12/2012 15:13

Tbf manshape is still a god awful term. Is it necessary?

Last week's misadventures are catching up with me. Ds off school and I am spending the day asleep as much as possible. Flying? what flying?

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WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 03/12/2012 16:04

Afternoon all,

Having trouble keeping up with the thread but it's lovely to see so many new people joining in. I'm trying to limit my time on MN a bit but failing.

Yesterday DS was decidedly out of sorts (he is very rarely ill) but this morning seemed quite perky and decided to go to school, I told his teacher this morning and said please send him home if necessary. He came out saying they had had a different teacher this afternoon and that he had said he didn't feel well but the teacher had said see how you are in a while and then forgot. He came out looking quite tearful. I think he will be having a day off tomorrow.

Anyway, ta-da!

A bit of cleaning and tidying
Some paperwork
One load of washing
Smile nicely to bin men and ask them to bring my wheely bin round from the back as DH forgot to put it out and I am still not strong enough, the man was nice and even put it back away afterwards (usually find it lying halfway down the road).
Wrapped up the presents that need posting
Ran out of paper
WEnt to town for haircut and odds and ends
School run.

Still to do

More washing
Clean bathroom
Let DS get on the computer, BBL.

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Engelsemama · 03/12/2012 18:28

I could never call DH manshape Bitchy (coz with his lovely bellt he looks a bit more like me at 5mo pg Grin )

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Engelsemama · 03/12/2012 18:28

belly not bellt Blush

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ToffeeWhirl · 03/12/2012 18:31

I hate it when they do that, WhoKnows. My DS1 came out of reception class white faced once, fell asleep on the sofa for hours as soon as he came home and had to be carried up to bed. I took his temperature and it was about 103! When I told his teacher and asked why she hadn't phoned me, she said, "Oh, he was probably just tired!" Hmm Angry. I think some teachers assume that children are just fussing when they say they feel ill. In fact, one of the reasons my DS1 became worried about school in the first place was because they would never phone me when he said he was ill, so he lost any trust in them.

Gossip - you are doing brilliantly dealing with the bathroom DIY. Am all in awe, as I am hopeless at practical stuff like that. Incidentally, my DH's phone is usually off too - are they trying to tell us something? Wink (ps - I have to agree with Bitchy about that term, by the way).

Bitchy - glad to see you are getting your priorities right and putting sleep ahead of Flying.

Well, I managed one of the things on my list, ie lunch. Home ed was called off because DS1 felt too ill. At first, I tried to be brisk and chivvy him along, then I looked at him properly and realised he couldn't breathe through his nose and looked white as a sheet, so I despatched him to the sofa to sleep instead.

Didn't get any washing done either and the kitchen is still a mess Blush, but I did manage a walk into town when DH came home and started my Xmas shopping (phew). Then came home and spent some time reading to DS2 and chatting, which was much more precious and fun than housework Grin.

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Engelsemama · 03/12/2012 18:32

Ta da:
Did errands in town
Online banking
One load of washing, dried and folded
Changed DS bed
Made dinner (lasagne) and did washing up
Made cappuccino cheescake (in the oven right now!)
Ordered more clothing labels for DS
Replied to a few emails from friends
Put bins out for tomorrow
Sent a mass of work emails to colleagues and students

Glad the hot water is back toffee

Waves at one and all, old (and I mean that in the nicest possible way Grin ) and new.

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WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 03/12/2012 19:03

Yes, it was silly of me to make him go in today really, I've made this mistake before and poor old DS has not felt he could ask to go home and the teachers are so busy they only take notice if someone actually throws up or something (no disrespect to teachers, but when there are 34 in the class I guess someone being a bit pale and quiet really doesn't stand out). Hope DS1 feels better tomorrow Toffee.

We have had a nice tea, just need to get the DCs off to bed early I think, then I want to write some Christmas cards / do some OU work / drink wine and watch telly (delete as applicable). I will have to take the day off work tomorrow I guess as DH is too busy at the moment.

Back later (again)

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BeginningtoffeealotlikeXmas · 03/12/2012 19:28

Have just put on my Christmas nickname .

Couldn't afford a new one Sad.

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GoingGoingGoth · 03/12/2012 19:46

Beds changed
Rubbish & recycling out
1 load washing
Yesterday's washing ironed
Vacuuming
Wash pots
Clean windows
Online shop- including forgetting verified by visa password & then completley messing up re-doing password Blush
Cleaning bin
Plus clearing sides and mopping kitchen floor (away Thursday & Friday, so thought I'd squeeze a couple of extra tasks in today)
Watched DD do homework
Shine sink
DD in bed!

To do (tomorrow)
Clean windows

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GoingGoingGoth · 03/12/2012 19:48

Love the nickname Toffee

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swanthingafteranother · 03/12/2012 20:41

not much to offer in the way of housekeeping except

the cleaning lady tidied my kitchen beautifully
and changed two beds
and did all the ironing Blush so I'm just enjoying that Monday evening feeling [by Tues the mess has returned]

drove ds1 to school with violin
I counted money for church all morning
did weekly grocery shop (still finishing frozen stuff from Ocado order two weeks ago Shock
I cooked lovely supper (pork and mushrooms)
dw/washing machine/washing up from supper
dcs went to football/choir
made two three difficult phone calls [phew]
made dcs finish birthday cards for their Dad

Everyone is watching Variety Performance...I hate that sort of thing so I'm on Msnet.

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WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 03/12/2012 20:53

I hate it too Swan - didn't know it was on actually but I will continue to not watch it now I do know!

Cards, must write some cards.

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laurenamium · 03/12/2012 22:01

Hi all, have read the thread but I'm too tired and my heads too confused to post anything other than links. I will be back tomorrow to catch up properly!

Links for tomorrow...



Tomorrow it is babystep four: starting a control journal . Lots of the fledglings have control journals but I have never got round to it Blush.

Tuesdays daily focus is planning.

The mission is cleaning your counter tops

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

**

OP posts:
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BlueEyeshadow · 03/12/2012 22:52

I've never got round to a control journal either, Lauren.

Glad the heating's fixed, Toffee.

Not much flying done today or expected tomorrow, but will wave to everybody and get well soon to poorly kids.

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coostoonettle · 03/12/2012 23:13
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WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 03/12/2012 23:15

Nettie! Good to have you back!

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coostoonettle · 03/12/2012 23:18

I'm sure I added a message but I can't see me GrinShock hiya xxx

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coostoonettle · 03/12/2012 23:24
Grin
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