The Fledglings' nests will be clean in 2013!

[superfluouscurves]

(With many thanks to Jdub for title inspiration!!)

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 (although some Fledglings find the compilation e-mails helpful)! 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 vocabulary along the way).

Huge thanks to Lauren for being our incredibly reliable and organised shining star in the East and leading us throughout the very busy month of December!!

Happy New Year Fledglings!!

All welcome!!

Hi Everyone,
Just found this thread, i've been doing this since new years day and i love it! I actually cleaned out my car today! Me - who never cleans out her car! and it took 15 mins! I even hoovered!!!!! :))
Cleaned skirting board in the dining room! Very happy with myself!

xx

Doublemum My oven is horrid. I mean really grim, I am embarrassed that I allow people to eat food that is cooked in there!
I started cleaning it with my steam mop (the h2o x5) attachment, but the mop broke. I was doing 15mins a day with the plan to get it clean and then incorporate a quick wipe daily after we'd eaten dinner (oven still warm but not hot)
Thanks for the link toffee
Well done Orchid is a great feeling isn't it? And she is right, you can get anything done in 15mins!

My friend is still here. Him and dp put up the new bed this morning and have now gone to buy a new lock for the door. Dp is looking at a car later so may not actually get it til tomorrow.

Am still feeling a bit under the weather, the pain in my neck is the hardest (no, not talking about dp )

to do
Morning routine done
RR done
hotspot done
detail cleaning
afternoon routine
menu plan for next week
clear out purse and bag
polish shoes done
before bed routine
Put together new bed that came yesterday done (not by me)
Put a new deadbolt on front door as friend managed to break it
Go for a spin in my new car

Quick list from me:

Swish and swipe done while bathing DC's
Load dw partially done will finish after dinner
Put slow cooker on done
Strip & remake bed done
Washing x3 done
Sort dry washing and put away partially done
Nip to town to get few bits for DS packed lunches
Vac through downstairs
Babysteps
Ironing
15 mins decluttering

DH was up before dawn and won't be back until the DC's are in bed and they're rioting today I want to hide under the stairs!

Forgot to stock up on Marmite sc but have one jar left to get me through till our next trip (and they do sell it in Albert Heijn, albeit at a ridiculous price). We were feeling so full after a week of way too much English food we hardly got anything at our supermarket stock up at the end of the week (plus we have been given a million tins of shortbread to get through).

Doublemum and anyone lese ashamed about the state of their oven, I have cleaned mine twice in the last 5 years. This may explain the combusting ciabatta last summer

Have just dispatched DH out to do food shopping so I can finish tidying house.

Ta da
Christmas tree packed away
Christmas decorations packed away in new box
Unpacked most of luggage
Put away most of presents
Bagged up baby toys
Moved playpen and plants to new spot in lounge
2 lots of washing done (2nd lot in td)
Coffee with ILs
Hoovered lounge
Emptied waste paper for recycling

To do
Fit car seat
Take baby toys and Christmas decorations upstairs
Put Christmas tree down in cellar
3rd lot of washing
washing-up
Put away Christmas crockery
Tidy last few presents from dining room table
Order play carpet
Water plants
Write thank you cards
Order birthday present for friend's DS

So many things to do!!! BBL

I'm of all the things everyone gets done.

I have....
emptied and filled dishwasher
put away a load of clothes , put a load in machine and tumbler
tidied and Hoovered lounge
washed up and put away
emptied bins, put them out, and put bags in all bins
stopped ds1, 2 and 3 from killing each other

to do...
make scones
tidy kitchen
101 things I have not even thought about.

dh might not help much but he does clean the oven he might moan about doing it and the fact I don't do it but I don't care as long as he does it

Afternoon all

I survived my night shift. My friend had the dcs today so I could get some sleep which I was extremely grateful for. Im doing the same hours tonight and then thats it for another week.

Silvery congratulations on the car and almost passing your test. It really sounds like you will pass next time. I passed in the summer and it was the most incredible feeling.

Im going to do the basics again today just so the house doesnt descend into chaos. I think that is the key to the flylady philosophy as it makes you realise that a little housework is so much better than nothing and it really does help. Before I always felt if I couldnt clean the house from top to bottom there was no point doing anything.

Im off for a and to try to wake up. Have a lovely afternoon.

Mountain of ironing done .

Thank-you letters an ongoing struggle...

Hello. Just dashing in and out.

DD had all clear (again) at docs this morning but I did insist on blood test just to check so will be interested to see results. Of course, this morning, she looked absolutely as healthy as can be when I took her in - rosy cheeks and everything (not the pale limp thing of yesterday).

But 3 mins after blood test she slumped in her chair and turned white, so we had to get her over to lie down on doc's examing couch pretty sharpish. Doc was very "oh that's a totally normal reaction after a blood test" and she's probably right - dd's still highest percentile in height and lowest percentile in weight and growing like a weed so that probably explains it all.

May take her to my cardiologist just for an added check (doc doesn't think its necessary but you can self refer here) and I know I'm probably being terribly PFB about it but dd doesn't faint in church, or assembly - or at usual times when people usually faint - so just want to be sure.

One visitor leaving tonight, last one tomorrow. Not sure about dh's movements as mil still quite ill.

Must dash but just wanted to say to Silvery thanks for your kind words about round-ups . The thread is always busy at this time of year and is forever changing with different people coming and going. Round-ups may not be so detailed next week when work/art acad/school/extra-curric stuff starts again but newcomers always welcome and loads of experienced Flyers on here who can answer questions. And everyone takes turns leading so not a problem!

BBL!

Ooh talk of oven cleaning! Mine is so bad I can't use the grill without smoking out the house. I just hate the fumes off the spray oven cleaners....has anyone got a more environmentally nostril friendly method of cleaning ovens??? I bought soda crystals ages ago but haven't tried them on anything ....could they work?

My visitors have left and I am contemplating packing up all over again to go home (3 hr drive) to see my sister off (back to Australia). House is a lot tidier than it was before the visitors arrived (let's not measure cleanliness, for now tidy an improvement!)

To the person who asked about house building and how I am finding it (apologies I can't remember who!) - It would all be wonderful if we had been sensible and gotten a mortgage at the start, but instead we put all our savings into starting the house, borrowed a small bit more (?8k) and ran up a credit card/OD (?8k) trying to do what we could without a mortgage. Then we got stuck for money, and the bank won't deal with us until we have cleared the ?16k (?10k left to clear). So we are renting nearby and it is head wrecking! We have electricity in our house, but haven't started the plumbing so there is no water/sewerage/finished floors......so close, but not close enough! And ironically DH is a plumber! Hopefully by the end of the year I will be flying in my own house! :-)

Wingflaps to everyone, better get flapping myself...

Ps: SC I hope it goes well with dd today.

x posts thanks Castle! Sorry you are going through all those house-building stresses.

Will be back later to do proper personals. Hope everyone's day is going well!

Forgot to say, a v. warm welcome to Orchidskeepdying

and LorisSparkle (sorry if you are a returnee and not a newcomer - it's taking me a bit of time to familiarise myself with newcomers/namechangers etc) Hello anyway [smile!]

Cuddled - so sorry about your news. Expected or not, it must still be devastating losing a parent.

Just - so sorry about your friend?s phone call. It?s not the one that you spent all that time helping, is it?

PA - at the rude santa!

Big hello and a (slightly belated) Happy New Year to everyone! Tried to catch up, worked my way through December but had to give up at the end of 1 January, too much chat!

Just got back from France, walked into the house and my heart sunk at the state. I had managed to get it acceptable for Christmas, but it all got messed up again trying to get ready to go on holiday.

Holiday was badly mistimed. Dealt with DS1 having chicken pox before we went away and a badly sprained and bruised ankle (foot, shin and calf). Chicken pox went before we went away, foot still in a lot of pain, but on holiday DS2 succumbed to chicken pox. Fortunately it cleared up before our return today. But my foot .... thank goodness for ibuprofen and paracetamol....

So time to get the house in order. Obviously missed zone 1 (which badly needed it!) so guess will move straight onto zone 2 and other crisis cleaning.

thanks, I have tried flying before but have found the I am so piled under with basic day to day stuff that anything on top is impossible.

sorry cross-posted.

Lori I am in the same position of struggling with the day to day stuff at the moment. Is there anyone who can muck in and help?

unfortunately I use up all my dm's generous childcare on working part time and dh is exceptionally stressed with his work at the moment. I just know it won't last forever and should reduce my expectations of myself!

Phew, just turned on the laptop now. Just popping on the net for 10 before I take the dog out

tada
To do

• Wash up
• Turn Washing Machine on
• Drying
• Fill Washing Machine for Saturday (mostly, wearing some clothes I want to put in)
• Go to the Supermarket
• Appointment in town

to do

• wash up (after tea)
• Shine Sink (after washing up)

Anyway got to go, DD2 has just started whining about her cold, poor little baby girl. I feel so bad for her.

BBL

List update

Fit car seat too dark to do now but have taken it out of the box
Take baby toys and Christmas decorations upstairs
Put Christmas tree down in cellar done
3rd lot of washing on
washing-up done
Put away Christmas crockery done
Tidy last few presents from dining room table
Order play carpet done
Water plants am going to do it as soon as I've posted this!
Write thank you cards
Order birthday present for friend's DS done

To do
put away dry washing
read car seat fitting instructions
find DS's other drumstick
clear away stuff on bed
bedside table
put up photo of DS
have a long hot shower and treat myself with all the lovely smellies I got for Christmas followed by delicious pear cider brought back from UK (must find out if they sell it here!)

I should start thinking about my marking but am in denial (will start tomorrow while DS is napping and DH is out doing DIY at his parents).

lori I find that I don't end up doing the missions and 15 min decluttering every day or week for that matter but Flylady has got me to do things in small steps. I've got the habit of always doing the washing-up straight after dinner and it has made the world of difference to my house and my state of mind. Just doing that one thing means I'm more likely to do all the other stuff that needs doing.

Sorry to hear your foot is still painful Lplate - rest up! (I know it's easier said than done!)

Not an entirely successful day - did vacuum and clean hob and kitchen and tidy, before 2 separate sets of the DC's friends came (with their mums, nice chats for me!), but then they made their own pizzas, cue big mess in the kitchen, and I made them popcorn, cue big mess all over the living room floor. I don't think I have the heart to do it all again at the moment, so I will concentrate on getting the washing up done and having a nice shiny sink before I go to bed.
Re. oven cleaning, I hate it with a passion all-consuming and what works well for me is to have a heavy-duty silicon mat at the bottom of the oven. This catches all drips etc and can be taken out and washed or even put in the dishwasher. So at least the bottom can stay clean once it actually is clean.
Mental note take out the disgusting-looking silicon mat at the bottom of the oven and wash it!

Have today SC you're doing a brilliant job on the updates and I hope your Dd is better soon.
Short list today
done
Morning routines
S&s
1 load washing
Daily mission
Set up our printer
Walked Dd (might as well have a dog!)
Collected up & packed away missed Christmas decorations
15 minute declutter in bedroom
Dh did dinner

To do
Wash pots & shine sink
Drag DD off the How to train your dragon website & stick her in the bath
Complete another couple of applications

Hi.
Not a very successful day FLYing wise. No detail, no afternoon or before bed routine.
New bed is up, lock is on door and car is outside.
Will be back tomorrow with a list and to catch up.
Have a good evening everyone and a we all deserve it!

Hanging in there with my babysteps! Will try and catch up on thread and what everyone has been up to properly tomorrow.

No FLYing here at all, in fact I couldn't even manage the usual basics as the Dc's were tag teaming on getting me in a twist and DS2 has hit the first clingy stage. I need a sling.

If I can't catch up at the weekend I will have to start afresh on Monday when DS1 heads to school.

Sink still shiny and have being getting dressed to make up.

Cleared off some of the desk, cleared the coffee table and put away more Christmas presents. It looks better now anyway!

DS in hospital for chemo tomorrow so limited flying but the sink will stay shiny! It will!