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!!

SecretSanta arf!!

Silvery thanks, don't get me wrong, he is a terrific dh, great with dd, does loads of cooking and shopping despite working horrific hours. But it's wierd really, he doesn't seem to be very interested in the house at all, but at the same time, it just occurred to me this morning, that for someone who isn't interested, it is set up to meet his needs ifyswim. Don't worry - he knows about it - I groan on at him all the time. I just need to start taking action instead!

Crikey, is that the time? Must go ...BBL!

Hope eveyrone has a productive day

Well done Nicknacks

'See' you all again tonight!

Happy New Year all. How can I stick to my '15 min only' on mn if we are on p6 already and it's only the 2nd Jan? Also struggling with namechangers. Hello newbies - just do babysteps at first and don't bother with the rest, or you will be in danger of crash and burn. My sink is shining. Slow and steady does it!

As for very slow and steady - am pleased to announce a 6lb weight loss since we started this body clutter thing. Can't remember when we started but it was ages ago.

Lovein I empathise totally with the 'rubbish in the evenings' feelings. Clearing up after dinner is the hardest task of the day (except decluttering, but that's a whole different story.

After inspecting the veg crate I am now making Dying Veg Soup.

BBL

Morning all, so far today I have:-

unloaded the dishwasher
loaded the dishwasher
washed clothes
folded clothes
got dressed

to do:-
tidy lounge
get boys to put toys upstairs
take tree down
put washing away
have driving lesson
tidy hallway
do mission of the day

Ah ha - have found something that the boys can do whilst I Fly: write their thank-you letters .

How much has this thread grown since last night? Is it always this busy or are we all trying extra hard as its January?

So here is my Tada list

• Washing machine on
• Washing up from last night done (am going to start doing this as soon as DCs are in bed from today)
• Sink cleaned (so it wont take too much to shine later)
• To Do list started (just need to add tomorrow's task)

To do:

• Drying
• Take clothes upstairs
• Wash DD1's Snow White outfit (its covered in Glitter, which gets everywhere)
• hang up said outfit
• Turn on washing machine while empty to get rid of any glitter. Use Salt Crystals
• hallway
• wash up 2X
• Shine Sink
• Coursework
• Fill up washing machine ready for tomorrow

It looks quite a lot, but a couple of them will only take a minute or two. I think its about an hours work all in excluding the coursework. Ive also added the usual things I do anyway eg laundry tasks and wash up.

Happy new year everyone! I feel very honoured to have inspired a thread title! Will have to work extra hard this month!! Off to inlaws so have a good day one and all xx

Afternoon all, I think this month I should perminantly move into the naughty corner. All I seem to do is sleep! Will have to get my act together when Dd goes back to school. Have been keeping up with missions and ironing though.

And tree away after last weeek's incident with Dd. shortest time up ever! Normally would take down on the 5th.

to do
Put away clean clothes
Do ironing
Put another load of washing on
Today's mission
Nip to grocers for a few veg
Prepare dinner
Shine sink etc.

Hello All

Just - my husband won't throw anything away that might 'come in useful'. We inherited the results of a lifetime's hoarding by a friend's Father who had a sideline in hypochondria. I have been sneakily throwing out packets of plasters and bandages on a weekly basis for over a year.

Cystitis is just about under control and have persuaded the gp's surgery that I really deserve an appointment for antibiotics so hopefully will be better in a day or two. Thankyou for the cranberry extract suggestion upthread, I never bother with the juice as drinking enough to fight cystitis means imbibing so much sugar I would end up with thrush ! so tablets would be ideal.

Ta Da
15 mins spent clearing outside of fridge, faded magnets, out of date school notices etc all gone. Calendar and things that do live on fridge now all moved around.
Planning - filled in the 'Organised Mum' (Ha Ha) calendar for 2013 with term dates, after school activities, birthdays etc.
Washing done and out to dry x 2
Bread made
Each child has to done 2 thank you letters for Christmas presents.
Sink spotless
Hotspot clear

To Do
15 mins clearing hall/coat racks.
15 mins removing fingerprints from walls.

ta da
stuff stuff from landing into box and hide box
stick ds' bedding on to wash - including duvet
make sure ds' duvet has a cover on it. I think i forgot to do that in the middle of the night as he needed the spare one.
throw the bits of christmas tree that are down into a box and remove box from lounge
run hoover over landing lounge and kitchen
and double check ds' room is suitable for visitors.
take out rubbish
put kitchen bins into disinfect

I am currently playing ref to ds and his friend because ds is very stressy and struggling.

Lilleth Your list looks good. Think a major part is actually writing a list and taking a good look at it to realise that really, it's not actually that much iyswim.
It normally is very busy in january, but people tend to fall off the thread (guilty) either through lack of time once everyone gets back to work/normal life etc (guilty) or from taking on too much straight off and burning out.
IIRC, last year, this thread was split into 2. One for the people who have been here for a while and another for the newbies. There are posters on here that were here when I joined the very first time nearly 4 years ago. i drop in and off every now and again but am going to try to stick it out, is so much easier to follow the system with this kind of support than alone.
What course are you studying? I'm doing a level 3 award in supporting teaching and learning. I've been a SEN TA for 2 years and thought it was about tile I went for a qualification. Don't know why I didn't go straight for the certificate though. Probably because I'm not that intelligent

Managed to drag the boys out, just down to Tesco, but we got out. they now want to make cakes, so that's us this afternoon

I am doing 3 courses. NVQ in Business and Admin (just started and waiting for some work experience in the new year), ECDL (All computer stuff that I can do, but with a certificate I can prove it) and AAT (Accounting course). I have worked in accounts previously, but was made redundant a couple of years ago and had another baby and moved house, so now looking to get back into work. The few interviews Ive had have given me good feedback, but there was always someone else who had more recent experience or who had proper qualifications so I decided to do something about it. I am still looking for work at the same time, but hoping that my courses will make me more employable.

Good luck with your course Silvery Im sure you are that intelligent or you wouldn't be a TA. DS has a couple of TAs (he is statemented and has autism) and they never struck me as not being intelligent.

Right Ive been procrastinating on the laptop for too long, best get some coursework and housework done.

Hi all

After a fly-free start to the ny I am aiming for better things today and embarking on my annual deep clean of the kitchen. Have started at the sink and am working my way clockwise round the room

Nice to see so many old and new flyers, BBL with hopefully a Bitchy-esque ta da list!

Thanks Lilleth I meant it in a kind of, not intelligent enough to realise that I'd have to do it all again when I sign up for the certificate. At the time I didn't realise the award was lower than the certificate and that I still wouldn't be fully qualified, so when this is done, I have to enrol on another course, pay out more money, to do the work again that I am doing now. It will have to be with a different college so will just resubmit what I've submitted for this one, iyswim.
It's ASD that I'm working with atm. Right now I'm in KS1 but my comfort zone is early years, hoping to get back into that next year.
Your courses sound very impressive, you must be so busy! Well done you. I struggle to find the time, i subit a piece of work once a month.

ta da
Get up make beds
S&s
Shower and dress
Reload washing
Get out the house
Tesco
Room rescue
Hotspot
Clean fridge
Babystep
made cakes

to do
detail/mission
cook dinner
get boys to bed early (ds1 has hospital check in morning - nothing serious)
decorate cakes
wipe inside fridge
put non-iron clothes away
look at next assignment
go to bed properly (by this I mean not pass out on the sofa and climb into bed at 5am)

Hello! Just flying by with a list dump!

To do:
Routines - ongoing
Clean around the doorway and windows in tiny entrance square thing
Buy packaging for post item, print label, post said item
DD to rhyme time (if its on)- wasn't on so had a play date instead
Clean bathroom
Wash bathmats and towels- washing
DD laundry away
My laundry- waiting for washing machine
Walk dogs
Clean out guinea pigs
Planning and newsletters

BBL!

Can't be arsed to scroll back to see what my list was as am on phone but.....

Elliepac and her DH's ta da list:-

Xmas decs down
Xmas pressies found homes for
Living room cleaned and restored to normal
Dining room cleaned and restored to normal
Hall cleaned and restored to normal
Bedrooms cleaned and restored to normal
Bathroom cleaned
Washing away
Washing on

I have another new year's resolution to add to my list. Next year, sod the nice smell I want a tree that has been chemically treated to within an inch of it's poor little life which won't leave me with a carpet of fecking pine needles. Those things are called needles for a fecking reason and everytime I think I've got all the fecking little bastards they fecking spring out of fecking nowhere. Remind me of this next year please.

Rant over. As you were.

Had an enforced day of idleness due to a tummy bug, hoping it is not the dreaded noro virus. Managed to wash pots and put a load of washing on, that's all. Just going for a long soak in the bath so hopefully that will liven me up.

Hi all!

I think Im going to have to get in here a couple of times a day just to keep up with the thread it is soo busy!

Im feeling reenergised thank you SC

So far today I have taken the dcs for a walk with the dog through the muddy forest. The dog is asleep but my dc are still managing to argue constantly despite having my friends dd back to play!

Anyway quick list dump:

Ta da:
Dress to shoes
Ss
Make beds
Dw - load, unload, reload
Small pile of ironing
Pairing laundry
Hanging washing out
2nd wash load on
Lunch
Wipe sides/ clean kitchen after lunch

To do:
Put laundry away
Put ironing away
Clean hall doors
Hoover throughout
Make dinner
Unload / reload dw
Wash pots
Shine sink
Reading with dcs
Collapse onto sofa with dp

Hello everyone

Well done to those of you who have completed or almost completed their lists for today such as Mercury, Lauren ,Silvery Bitchy LadyDeidre, Gossip and Ëllie

And thanks for reminders about thank you letters (Toffee and LadyD) need to get dd cracking on those ...

Have you tried a Nordmann Ellie? Sorry, explanation here in French but basically it doesn't shed as much as an Epicea (or whatever that is in English) and the needles aren't as spikey, apparently...

Hope you feel better soon Bakerofcakes

Good luck with your studies Silvery and Lilleth

Lilleth don't worry - thread always mahoosively busy in January - and usually er, calms down, later on ...that's been the pattern for several years anyway.

Good luck with the kitchen deep clean Pushme - mine desperately needs the same treatment!! Won't be far behind you!

Glad you are feeling better LadyDeidre V. impressed by your calendar sort and fridge door clearance etc. Must do the same.

You were really busy before Christmas Goth so you probably need the sleep! Good idea to enjoy the rest while you can!

Enjoy your sojourn with yr in-laws Jdub!

Hope you survive the playdate Bitchy

Hope driving lesson went ok Gossip

Honu arf at 'dying veg soup' (a regular on the menu chez SC too!) And a massive well done on your weight loss!! (Not easy over Christmas!)

Today has been a bit frustrating and I have been a bit shouty with dd. Still working through yesterday's list ....

However, I'm heading out in an hour (we are an hour ahead of UK here) with visitors so won't be back on here before tomorrow.

Posting steps before I go though ...

Have a good evening everyone!! Huge waves to anyone I've missed!

Baby-step no. 3 for 3rd January is here repeat first two steps.

We are continuing in Zone 1 until the end of the week: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room here

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

If your Zone 1 is already decluttered, you can progress to detailed cleaning

Tomorrow's mission is here sweeping porch area, entrance mats, wiping down front door etc. (Sure I read up-thread that someone was wiping down their font door today but can't remember who!! They are ahead of the game anyway!

Thursday is errand day here

The habit for January is (if it's the same as the previous two years) shining your sink more info here

And if I've missed anything or you want a quick reference to tomorrow's tasks, have a look at tomorrow's here which should update daily.

If you are a newcomer and don't understand anything - don't hesitate to ask!
**

Blue sorry - missed your post earlier. Yes, thx, definitely need to take them down before 12th night ...must stop dithering and decide!

Oops - error - penultimate sentence of links post

should read 'have a look at tomorrow's flight plan which should update daily!!

Yay! I have wiped down my front door! This may be the only time in 2013 I am ever ahead of a cleaning schedule.
Ta da list
swished and bleached toilets and bathrooms
vacuumed and swept downstairs
unpacked, repacked and unpacked DW
made 2 loaves of bread and some rolls (well, they're rising but they will be made!)
tidied living room as that's next to hallway, rather than dining room.
put laundry away, and about to reload WM
done grocery order
wasted time on pinterest

To do list
shine sink without fail!
clean cooker
clear hotspots - table and kitchen worktop
figure out what to cook for PILs at weekend
figure out what to do for summer holiday

That sounds like a bit of a pain having to do the same work Silvery, but at least the hard part will be done and you should fly through the course. My courses sound better than what they are. The ECDL and Business and Admin courses are very straight forward for me as I have worked in offices since 2001, Im just using them to hopefully become more desirable to perspective employers as Im having a hard time trying to get a job. The AAT requires me to think a bit more, but even that Im not finding too difficult at the moment, though this will change if I can stay on to do the further 2 years which are obviously harder.

Sorry to hear you haven't been very well bakerofcakes

Right Im getting on ok today.

So here is my Tada list

• Washing machine on
• Washing up from last night done (am going to start doing this as soon as DCs are in bed from today)
• Sink cleaned (so it wont take too much to shine later)
• To Do list started (just need to add tomorrow's task)
• Drying
• Take clothes upstairs
• Wash DD1's Snow White outfit (its covered in Glitter, which gets everywhere)
• hang up said outfit
• Turn on washing machine while empty to get rid of any glitter. Use Salt Crystals
• hallway
• Coursework
• Fill up washing machine ready for tomorrow
• Washing up after lunch

To do

• wash up
• Shine Sink

Will hopefully come back on later with tomorrows list so I know what I am doing when I get up.

Right off to take the dog for a walk and to get muddy while DH cooks Spag Bol.

Just got to say I just read this: unpacked, repacked and unpacked DW unpacked, repacked and unpacked Darling Wife Took me a while to realise it was dishwasher. Wish I had one of those, it would make shining the sink before I go to bed a whole lot easier

to do list that has been done (not by me but dp- starting to wander if he's psychic or been snooping on my comp?)

tidy lounge
get boys to put toys upstairs
take tree down
put washing away
have driving lesson
tidy hallway
do mission of the day