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!!

Bum, that took me so long to write (+ interruptions) that I've missed the party!!

[Distributes cans of party string, dives on to cakes inc. Goth's flapjacks and Lilleth's biccies! Swigs Toffee's ]

Come on in Gossip!!

How do you do that luv-er-ly squirly writing Bitchy???

Well Silvery I re-post same list day after day because I never usually get to the end of it ... but I know that's not the question you are asking. I guess all I can say is that housework is repetitive - ground-hog day and all that - so best to do it as fast as poss and move on to something else more rewarding!

Have another and a !!

oops - that should have read 'dual' nationality

another error

'identical to Whoknow's'

Ooohhhh Gossip Good luck for test tomorrow. Am sure you'll be fine. I had mine last week and seriously, it was no where near as bad as I thought it would be.
I was convinced I wasn't ready, had been breaking down in the car during lessons etc, and it was fine. Just stay calm and remember, even if you think you've done something really bad or think you've warranted a fail, it might not be as bad as you think. My examiner said he would have let me off bumping the curb because the rest of the lesson was good and i did some good driving (it was notg looking properly at a roundabout that failed me).

sc Loving your good news list! Thanks for the birthday song and . Don't worry about me, I have a glass in hand so feeling ok. I get spat at most days, so I'll survive, just not nice when it hits your mouth. Ho hum. I love my job and accept that's a part of it at the moment. He just gets very stressed during transition times and when he doesn't get his own way. The spitter is still my fav in the class.
Just to confuse snow I have thread leader posts in purple, mine in green and MNHQ in blue (although it's called silver ) bet you're all glad you know that!

Maybe I need to adjust some of my bits. I don't get half as much time with the ds's as I'd like.
I have started doing 'special time' with them though. The plan is that when I get in from work, me and ds1 will have 'ds1 time' where he chooses what we do and we do it together for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, it's ds2's turn. Then I get on with my bits that need doing and they are happier that they'd had me for a bit to themselves. It might sound bad that I am setting a timer for time with the dc's, but I figure 10 minutes of 100% attention is far better than an hour of 50%.

Snowgirl you may find this link useful!

Tomorrow's baby-step, no 8, for Tues 8th is here writing out routines (if you want to) it's the start of your control journal - by no means obligatory!

We are in zone 2 (the kitchen) until the end of the week here

Try and declutter for 15 mins in the current zone.

Once you have decluttered, you can start on detailed cleaning

You can find tomorrow's daily mission and all the missions for this week wiping down cabinet doors

The daily focus for Tuesday is planning!! - menus, events, appointments, wardrobes, holidays, etc etc

The habit for January is shining your sink

In summary, have a look at the flight plan which updates daily.

G'night all! Have a good day tomorrow!

Special "dc" time doesn't sound bad at all - the reverse in fact!

at your benevolence towards "the spitter"!

And - oooh- I'm obviously behind the times with Mumsnet's range of highlighters !! Please note Snowgirl!! (Sorry if I have mislead you - technology not my strongest suit either!)

G'night again everyone!

That last post was to Silvery btw!

Bum "misled" you!! Not "mislead" you!!

You see "Wewereherefirst", now I've mentioned typos, I can't stop making them!

Really am going now!!

Happy birthday silvery I failed my last test by not noticing an old lady crossing the road at a crossroads and had to perform an emergency stop. Luckily I have learnt from it and spend the majority of my time observing any potential hazards than I do changing gears etc, but they are coming more naturally to me now. My instructor said today that if I drive like I did today then I'll pass, also I have consulted some witchiness and that sounds positive too, although I wanted a house move more than passing my test, which is unlikely to happen according to the witchiness.

Sounds like you'll be fine then. Witchiness?

Well, I got everything on my list done except OU work and thank you letters and I am cream crackered. House looks pretty good though.

Going to have a go at the OU now, thank you letters are postponed because I have lost the notebook where I write down who has given what. Oops.

Thank you for your brilliant roundups SC. Happy Birthday Silvery. Good luck tomorrow Gossip.

SC, I'm queen of the typo, I blame the bloody autocorrect Id be inclined to blame the even if it has been a while since the last glass The busy mind does not fuss over such fripparies.
It seems that most of us work/worked in roles that require us to be super organised and when we get home we just CBA to do the extra work and just want to spend time mumsnetting relaxing.

Well, I didn't complete all my tasks, the floors are invisible due to the smeg that is on every visible inch [sigh] but DS2 is teething again and just wants to nurse, so I've taken it as a sign and relaxed as much as I could.

I did make Ds2's new flatpack toy box, all by my very own self. I am impressed that I did it quicker than DH did the first one and I had DS2 trying to 'help' by stealing the screwdriver.

I have hotspotted the sitting room and now all the clutter has gone and it looks very bare, but I've not got all the photos back on the mantel, only the one my sister gave us for Christmas (it's of DH, DC's and I).

DH is ironing this current wave of helping has lasted a month now, maybe my explosion of anger our last 'talk' had some impact!

Will sort tomorrow's list once I've wrote it in my book and sorted myself out.

Good luck tomorrow Gossip!

[Grin] at 'witchiness'

Eugh is still the word of the day. Work was fine but developed a stinking headache and have yet to shift it. Feel like shit and am off to bed in a mo.

In a more positive note I did manage morning routine this morning and although no flying as such tonight I have laid out uniforms, packed book bags and made lunches.

Night all.

Happy Birthday silvery.

Thanks for the welcome superfluous and silvery (and happy birthday silvery). I'm sure you'll be dying to know that I've gone for leaders posts in green :)

I've shined my sink, done a 15 min declutter in the kitchen and got my clothes ready for tomorrow. I'm taking flylady's 'don't burn yourself out' seriously .

See you tomorrow!

Happy birthday Silvery!

Good luck tomorrow, Gossip

SC - The backpacks are ones we use rarely and I wanted to get them clean and put away. I put them through a gentle wash and a cool dry on the tumble dryer. If I washed DS's school bag I think it would fall apart!!! (And the lego key rings on the zippers would be a pain to get off before hand too)

tada

• DS1 up, fed, dressed with school bag and (VERY reluctantly) out the house and off to school (DH kindly went into work late and did the school run so that I didn?t have to do the walk, and take DS2 with me)
• DS2 fed and calmed down (has had a lot of together time with big brother!)
• 1 load of of washing done and hung up
• 3 backpacks through washing machine and dryer

(and ready for storage)

• 2 loads of washing in machine, dried and put away
• breakfast dishes all in dishwasher
• kitchen counters tidied
• drink bottles all washed (but still on draining board)
• declutter, decobweb, dust and degrime above cupboards on LHS of kitchen
• putty up cracks and wood edges above cupboards
• declutter 2 boxes and 2 bags (sitting 'temporarily' in the kitchen)
• decutter area near radiator (including stuff which has fallen behind the radiator!)
• declutter, decobweb, dust and degrime above cupboards on RHS of kitchen
• declutter and reorganise recipe book shelves
• sweep and mop 1/2 the floor
• school pick up
• trip to the park with DSs

The kitchen is looking really great, except for the counters which have managed to become recluttered . Given up, too tired and I need a good night's sleep. Will finish the kitchen in the morning before I start a new room.

Basically tarot and pendulem, I know not everyone likes or believes in things like that so I just call it witchiness. It pretty much goes for anything pagan related really :)

Slinking in to wish Silvery a happy birthday and whip a flapjack out of the corner!

Blitz the downstairs yesterday morning as the Outlaws were coming for lunch so that entailed: hoovering lounge, dining and hall (after unblocking the hose of carpet fluff - WHEN DO NEW CARPETS STOP SHEDDING??), brushed kitchen floor (again), cleared dining table and set for lunch, RR lounge, S/S cloakroom & made an apple crumble. DH cooked lunch so I had every one of our pots to wash afterwards plus half a dozen serving dishes!

Day was brightened up by a text from DS saying he was coming for the week - so he's been collected from the station today :)

DD got to school on time this morning with all the required bags/stuff - though we couldn't find her hat so she wore an old one of DS's. Uniform laid out for the morning and just nered to iron DH a shirt.

I'm the odd ball as my past life does not involve teaching or anything intellectual! Previous jobs have included: lifeguard, groom, draughtsman, trainee civil engineer, working on a stud breeding racehorses, and lastly Human Resources - or "hiring & firing" as I like to call it !

Happy birthday Silvery!

Waves to everyone else. I have found homes for most of the boys' Christmas presents but not achieved much else today. Have also spectacularly lost it with them several times today. Currently reading "Raising Your Spirited Child" and realising it applies as much to me as to them...

Anyway, am going to attempt the "decent night's sleep" thing and turn off the pooter. Night all.

Rather late in the game but Happy Birthday SilveryMoon Hope the ironing wasn't too bad! One year my DH booked a visit to the bank manager on my birhtday (the date didn't ring any bells he said ) another year we painted fences. The joy!

At the moment I am getting to grips with this flying business but I know that one little thing will send me a drift and I will struggle to get back again.

So tada...

Big boys to school - on time!
Dishwasher emptied / filled
Washing on / dried
Ironing done (basic amount though!)
Looked at ceiling in kitchen and remember that I 'hoovered' it just before Christmas so gave that a miss
Spend 10 mins on Hotspot and cleared it - I was amazed
Spend 15 mins decluttering the stairs and stair gate at bottom is now off (how long that will last I don't know)
Started a couple of reports
Lounge and dining room looked so shiny I was able to invite a friend over at the last minute
Clothes put away and clothes out for boys for tomorrow
Looked at routines and started making a few notes

Also decided that DS3 might be getting his last set of baby teeth in. He has been 'orrible for the last few weeks and now is chewing on his thumb, has reddish cheeks and nasty nappies. Otherwise he is just a toddler and will get over it when he leaves home!

Oh yeah biggest acheivement was to post thank yous!

Ooh I missed the party!

Belated birthday wishes Silvery!
And good luck with your driving test Gossip

I did not get to sleep til all hours last night, then got up at the last minute and had to rush like mad.
Tomorrow my focus is on a calm, organised morning!

Ta-da:
Hmmm.....
Work
Folded and put away some laundry
Spent time with horse, DH and I replaced his entire bed and had fun watching him roll in it afterwards
Arrived home to discover cat had eaten the defrosted chicken I left out this morning
Cleaned out the fridge, washed inside.
Transferred flour into shiny new Kilner jars
Did Shred Day 1

To Do:
Lay out clothes...
Bed....now!

Tomorrow Must Do :

*Ring uni regarding my distance learning exemption, have procrastinated so long they sent me a letter today asking me did I want to opt out of the course
*Make a gynae appointment re recent mcs..

Morning all!

Thankfully am feeling a bit better this morning and ready to face the hoardes.

Ta da:-
Washing up (didn't do last night as felt crap)
Washing in
Dryer on
Beds made
Dc's up and dressed
Quick tidy downstairs
Swish/swipe bathroom
Kitchen sides wiped down

Morning routine second day on trot. Must be January.

Ellie you have done so much before 8am - I am most impressed! My Ta-Da looks like this:
Have pressed Snooze button multiple times....

Morning! Another late happy birthday to silvery here too!

Quick list dump before mindee arrives

To do:
DD and mindee to gymnastics
Walk dogs
DD to CM
Horsey afternoon
Clean bathroom
Routines
Kitchen hotspot
Today's mission

BBL!