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!!

[Consils]

I don't love them. I resent the space that they take up. I don't know how to sell/recycle them.

[ToffeeWhirl]

We are still decluttering the loft. Have found a load of old photos and stuff (no porn yet, Engels ). DS1 is out sledging with his friend again, which is just as well as DH is insisting on emptying the entire loft into DS's bedroom (definitely not obeying the Flylady rule of only bringing out what you can deal with in one hour).

The house is now an unbelievable mess (flat-pack boxes and binbags full of rubbish everywhere) and will stay like this for the foreseeable future, as we can't get to the dump until the snow eases off.

But it still feels good to be chucking so much stuff out!

[SilveryMoon]

Food shop done
Also went out with the boys to build a snowman and have a snowball fight. We came in when I could no longer feel my toes and they are now sitting happily with a batch of freshly cooked play-dough.
Now, I could iron, study or crack open my new starters to knitting pack.........

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Consils - do you have Freecycle in you area? OR a FB buying and selling page that you could give them away on? Our tip will take old cables for recycling. Flower pots - maybe your local school/pre-school could make use of them?

[ToffeeWhirl]

We now have 13 bags of rubbish to go to the dump! Plus several boxes of stuff for charity shops.

We can actually see the floor in the loft at last . DH has restacked the boxes we need to keep, all neatly labelled with contents.

Am now beginning the great tidy up and hoovering DS1's bedroom floor so that he can reclaim his room again.

Brought DS1 back from his friend's house by sledge. He was laughing with delight - so lovely to hear. He has had a wonderful time out sledging on the Downs with his best friend this weekend.

Still snowing here and it's five to six inches deep in places. It's very picturesque.

[Castlelough]

Silvery I really hope you chose knitting - you need a break after that busy day!

Consils I was just about to suggest donating them to a school but WhoKnows got there before me!

From a teacher's point of view it would be great to receive a donation like that! What kind of 'leads' are you talking about? If they are dog leads/leashes why not donate them to an animal shelter?

[lorisparkle]

just a quick catch up.

castlelough I play the piano (grade 8) but have not had regular access to a piano since I left home 20 odd years ago. the plan is for me to teach our DS how to play as ds1 is nearly 7.

tada
dishwasher emptied and filled
washing on, drying folded and dryer on
swish and swipe upstairs bathroom
DS fed and cleaned as required
bought more painkillers as ds2, ds3 and dh not well (again)
collected piano books from dsis
made a chocolate cake
watching 'closed schools ' list in hope for dh!
tried to patch up muddy snowmen so ds1 and ds2 might win competition at school.
some clothes out for morning
5mins sorting drawer of papers

todo
really must do ironing
tidy kitchen for morning
read stuff for meeting tomorrow

[LillethTheCat]

Just a quick one

tada

• Change bedding (Just got our bed to make now, will do that as my bath is running)
  
• Wipe inside of windows (even with a bit of air they still get condensation)
  
• Wash up 3X
  
• Build snowman with DS and DD1. (Youd think they'd been to the arctic the way they were behaving when we got in)
  
• Ring parents
  
• Wipe bathroom sink
  
• Wash up 2X
  
• hot spot
  
• Shine Sink
  
• lay out tomorrow's clothes
  
• Fill washing machine for Monday
  
• Help DD1 and DS with homework
  
• remember to put phone landlord re leak under kitchen sink on Mondays list
  

tomorrow list

• wash up 3X
  
• Go to Business course
  
• Go to ECDL course
  
• Shine Sink
  
• Wipe bathroom
  
• Turn on washing machine
  
• Dry Laundry
  
• Put laundry away
  
• Ring up landlord about kitchen sink
  
• go to dentist
  
• fill washing machine for Tues
  
• lay out clothes for Tues
  
• Make beds
  
• hotspot
  

See you all tomorrow.

PS has anybody seen that this thread is nearly full? I dont want to miss the next one

Have a good evening and I hope that the snow is exactly what people are after (either a snow day where required or no snow where needed)

[superfluouscurves]

Hello everyone - hope you have all managed to keep warm!

Well it snowed from 5am until 2pm here today, on top of what was already there, so we have a good foot and a bit on the ground. Tried to make a snow rabbit in the garden, but snow is the type that doesn't stick together! So we pulled dd on her sledge to the newsagent/bakery and back in a horizontal gale and apart from that, we have all been confined to barracks (riding was cancelled).

Dh is much better and he and dd have been messing up the house as fast as I can tidy it [grrrrrrr]!! Will be glad when they are both back at office/school tomorrow (schools don't ever seem to close because of snow here - hope this is the case tomorrow!). Unfortunately though, the flu has been doing the rounds in the office and I will be required to cover so art acad is off again ... so I think I am officially giving up from here on in ... really gutted but it was worth a go ...

Apart from that: did laundry, laundry and more laundry. Tidied bathroom, read papers, faddled about with reader thing that dh bought me for Christmas ... oh and managed to get dd to have a bath and wash her hair without shouting so that was a success.

Back with links, then catch-up

[superfluouscurves]

OK lovely fledglings, we are starting week 4.

Tomorrow's baby-step, no 21, for Mon 21st Jan is one you can ignore if you want - it's about going to website and checking out daily 'AskFlylady' Q & A

Tomorrow, until the 26th, we will be in Zone Zone 4: The Master Bedroom here

Try and declutter for 15 mins per day in current zone.

If your Zone 4 is already decluttered, you can progress to detailed cleaning

You can find tomorrow's daily mission and all the missions for this week here here Tomorrow's mission involves fishing & then hoovering under the bed (I can't believe I actually did this last week - whey hey - that's a first!!! )

Monday is home bleugghh day here (Fat Fairy recommends 10 mins per task)

As you know by now, the habit for January is here keep shining that sink!

Summary of above = flight plan

Reminders (just because I haven't posted them for a while) here

Have a productive week everyone and go safely in the snow!!

**

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Still plenty of snow here, we had about 5" on Friday, no more has settled but it hasn't really gone away either.

DH has been at work for the entire weekend (I've only seen him for half an hour since Friday morning as he stayed out on Fri night, I went out the minute he walked in last night and he still isn't back tonight). So not very productive Flying wise but the DCs and I have had quite a nice time (tempers have frayed a little at times but nothing major).

Ta-da! (whole weekend)

5 lots of washing done and put away
Our bed sheets changed
Run vac round
Keep kitchen fairly clean
Clean bathroom
Henna hair (did those two in the wrong order and need to clean the bathroom again tomorrow)
General tidying blitz tonight

Took the DCs to the local softplay today and managed a bit of OU work in the cafe while they let off steam. We used the sledge to get there, then did a bit of sledging properly in the playing field on the way home, so that was nice. Homework was then done and back to the sports centre for swimming lessons, we walked this time, it's only about half a mile, I sometimes drive in order to get home more quickly, but it was nice walking back on the silent snowy roads. A bit of a palaver changing though with thick coats, gloves, hats, scarves as well as all the usual clothes.

[BlueEyeshadow]

Ta da!
Finally managed to take the boys sledging (on a tea tray as we don't have a sledge)
Finally built a snowman with DS1 (snow on the ground for a week!)
Cooked roast dinner
Cleaned kitchen up again
Slobbed around feeling full.

Really hoping they'll go into school tomorrow, but betting they won't as it's been snowing all evening. Going a bit loopy with it all now. Still, friends supposed to be coming over after school, which will be nice if they make it... The forecast for next week does include some positive numbers though, for a change!

[superfluouscurves]

Trazzles so sorry that your plans for your dd's first birthday will have to be postponed. That must be so disappointing. No wonder you feel so frustrated.
Well done for keeping on top of washing up/kitchen & bedroom btw which is no mean feat with everything else you are juggling atm. Respect to you.

Castlelough and Cuddledup so sorry for mixing you both up yesterday (that's what comes of posting far too late at night!!)

Castlelough brilliant going with weight loss - well done!!!! (And for incorrectly accusing you of eating horse burgers!! That's unforgiveable!! I'm obviously going a bit batty in my old age!! At least DEFRA now has the bit between its teeth [sorry!]
Hope anniversary mass for your fil was a comfort and that you enjoy Les Miserables tonight!

Cuddledup arf at eating burgers while discussing weight loss!! (That's my kind of diet preparation!!) Hope your dh had a lovely birthday! (Dh and I are also contemplating 5:2 btw - so far we have decided on Tues & Thurs as fast days - going to take careful planning though - did you both decide to go for it in the end?)

Engels celeriac soup is really good, HFW recipe here or, I really like it in a winter salad: shred finely (add lemon juice so it doesn't discolour), add to shredded carrot, season well and drizzle with fairly robust home-made vinaigrette (can add walnut halves if you like) and toss together. A classic French variation is celeriac remoulade but I don't particularly like heavy mayonnaise dressings... . But you can always do a "slimmers dauphinoise" to go with roast chicken ie finely slice celeriac and carrots at an angle, lightly butter oven-proof dish, stack in alternate layers (add bit of garlic if you want) seasoning as you go, add chicken stock (or chicken stock made from cube) and place in oven while chicken is roasting. Arf at your dh's 'specialist' magazine collection btw

Well done re: your efficient lists Lilleth and thanks for heads up about thread - can't believe we are at 962 posts already!!!
You and Silvery have both had hugely productive days - well done! (Silvery hope you felt less stressed as day went on)

I see you have been plugging away too BakerofCakes doing all the bathroom missions and home bleugh in one day! Top marks!

Loris¨sorry that your ds2, ds3 and dh are suffering again - hope they recover soon. V. of you and others on here who can tickle the ivories ... Well done re: your list and hope school pet survived the weekend !!

Crikey Toffee 13 bags!! That's brilliant!!!!! [SC faints on reading the sentence >"DH has restacked the boxes we need to keep, all neatly labelled with contents". The words "died" and "gone to heaven" spring to mind!! Well done BOTH of you!!! And aw at hearing your ds1 laughing that's so lovely after everything he's been through! Hope your ds2 recovers soon.

Consils well done re: the decluttering. Agree with others that best bet might be to get them to your nearest tip/recycling centre....

Really recommend it MrsPennyapple - it's a bit of a 'Marmite' sort of bk though - you'll either love it or hate it!

Huge waves to Whoknows Ellie Feetheart PA Justgettingonwithit Honu Madwoman Arses Doublemum Carpe Goth Gossip Bitchy ep1977 Blue Mercury Lplate Snowgirl Jdub and many others I am sure I have forgotten!

'See' you all tomorrow when I intend to follow Ellie's good example and actually start doing all the routines and steps properly and not in my usual half-arsed fashion

[GoingGoingGoth]

Evening :-)

ta-dah
Started Weekly bleugh today as meeting up with some Woolly Huggers tomorrow
Changed beds
Dusted
Vacuumed
Windows
Ironed
1 load washing

Cut DD's hair she's been nagging for it to be shorter for months, and as I haven't found a hairdresser yet, I said I could do the MN cut, and she said yes! It looks ok, and she likes it-phew

Took Dd to feed ducks & visit play park

Build wooden dolls house with Dh. MIL bought it, she has a mania for buying Dd too much stuff. Don't want to sound ungrateful, but we only have so much space, and she doesn't need to buy DD's affections!

Dinner, wash up & SS

Still no snow here apart from the occasional flake.

[superfluouscurves]

Blimey Whoknows hats off to you for >sledging>soft play>study>sledging>hwk supervision>sports centre>swimming>then sledging again (never mind 5 loads laundry)!!! You must be exhausted!! Esp. as you and your dh are on different schedules atm. (Be careful not to overdo sledge-pulling in light of recent op either!!!) Hands over restorative

Well done, you've been busy too Blue! (I'm rather good at that last item on your list btw!!) Arf at tea-tray sledging!!

[superfluouscurves]

Well done for getting through your list Goth and for having the bravery to cut your dd's hair!! Sympathies over dolls house btw - I don't know where dd's new Playmobil house is going to go ...there's no room for it in the playroom ...I'm just hoovering around it atm.

[superfluouscurves]

Forgot to wave to Lauren pushme MummyD ComradeJ and Nicknacks and I'm sure, many more!!

G'night!

[SilveryMoon]

No school tomorrow! Woo-hoo. The boys school is still open though.
Tonight, I tried knitting again, and have remembered why I didn't stick with it last time.
I've also sat here for a long time soaking my fingers to get these acrylic nails off.
Giving up now so will need to do it again tomorrow. But I now have little bits of acrylic on my freshly hoovered and mopped floor.
Off to bed now, see you all tomorrow

[bakerofcakes]

Just a quick check in whilst listening for travel news, hoping for a snow day, but not looking likely.

Desparately need some work done in my bedroom, it was used as a dumping ground during my Christmas clean up, so time to get it sorted out. 15 mins a day decluttering should sort it out.

[Cuddledup]

Superfluous re: 5:2 diet - me and DH talked about it, but he doesn't need to do it as he doesn't eat carbs (i.e.:pasta, potatoes,rice) and has lost a few stone in 2 years. When the weather warms up I may do it but at the moment as long as the cold weather lasts it's feast not famine in this household!

Ta da
Got up and dressed to slippers

To do
Unfortunately DD's school isn't closed so I've got to spend 15 mins waiting for her school bus (which will inevitably be delayed) and then I've got to bus to work and be late! Grr

Re: Getting overwhelmed by Flylady's lists etc, I have also suffered from this and have given up in the past but then I remember her phrase " Just jump in where you are now" and how we should give up on perfectionism. Also if I'm feeling uninspired I watch her Youtube videos which always make me roar with laughter.

Have a good day all and try not to slip over on the ice

[ToffeeWhirl]

I've never watched Flylady on YouTube, Cuddled. I might pop over there for some inspiration this morning.

Thanks for the encouragement, SC. It feels really good to have labelled boxes in the loft, instead of piles of stuff. Once the junk is out of the house, I need to work out how to store/present our memorabilia, eg. family photos, boys' artwork, cards and school work, letters, etc.

All the schools are closed here today. I may end up with three boys at home as DS1's friend may join us. DH is going to attempt to get into work. He is hoping his winter tyres will get him there.

Having emptied the contents of the loft into the house, it now looks like a bombsite, so today I'm crisis cleaning.

[SilveryMoon]

Fly lady has videos on YouTube? So logging on to that today!

[Engelsemama]

Thanks for the suggestions sc I think it will be celeriac soup on the menu tonight!

We had snow yesterday afternoon and it's coming down again now. Roads look pretty clear. I have to go out and fill up car and pop to Hema for some bits though - I would much rather stay inside!!!

Today's list
Online banking
Order birthday present for friend
Fill up car
Pop to Hema
One load of washing (in at the moment)
Make delicious celeriac soup for dinner
Do some schoolwork for tomorrow (I have been a very lazy teacher since Christmas)
Perhaps brave a walk in the snow or at least a play in the back garden with DS

[BitchyDragons]

Today I have a short list: whole fecking house

Ds is stuck with his dad as the report for the road i need to use is that it is closed, as are all the alternatives unless i do an extra 200 miles. So he can stay stuck tbh

[BitchyDragons]

Also SC can we have a part 2 thread pretty please. This one will be full by the end of day or first thing. Thank you!