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!!

Ok I'm done! Shattered doesn't come close to how tired I'm feeling.

Ta da list

Took tree lights down
Took tree down
Boxed up decs
Window lights down x2
Voiles back up x2
Boxes upstairs
Text DH for brown tape
Breakfast for 4dc
Reopened blocked up door
Wreath down
Tidied hall to use blocked up door
Car seat to car
Hoovered downstairs
Decluttered medicine box
Declutter alcohol
Charity bag to car
Make up travel cot
Helped ds1 with homework
Tidied utility room
Chased one invoice, one to go
Lunch for 4dc
Arrange ds2 to go to friend's house
Changed 3 pooey nappies
Folded clean clothes
Tumbled towels
Put a wash on
Made lasagne
Washed pots
Loaded dw
Put shopping away
Hung wet clothes up
Folded towels
Travel cot away
TD on again

I have actually shined my sink .

i am tempted to write a list of every minute thing I have done today so I can rival bitchy and nicknack's impressive and scary lists but I can't be arsed. Suffice to say I have cleaned the whole house, cooked dinner for lots of people, cleared away from dinner and shined the sink. With a little help from DH;)

I am jiggered. I would have wine but am back on the mfp bandwagon so I can't.

I posted a massive message but lost it. Grrr i'm not retyping it all, just to day visiting children and DH at home hampered my flying today so only limited success but tomorrow will be different.

SC I am taking my decs down on Sunday but am itching to do it earlier...but to do it earlier means the end of christmas

I didn't get half the things I wanted to as DS2 was a boob monster and then our guests arrived. So still have most of the jobs left to do, so my evening won't be too relaxed.

I've also got to find places to store the new toys the boys were given today. I think I'll need a new unit for DS2.

How does everyone deal with procrastination? I need to change my ways.

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
detail - I polished the bathroom tiles and scrubbed round the taps and shower head (I added the bathroom to zone 1 so I could use zone 3 to concentrate on the boy's bedroom)
decorate cakes
went to the park
cook dinner
wipe inside fridge
get boys to bed early - ds2 might have been thrown out the window otherwise
put non-iron clothes away
layed out tomorrows clothes
stray items away

to do
(thinking about) ironing
washing up away
shine sink
look at next assignment
go to bed properly (by this I mean not pass out on the sofa and climb into bed at 5am)

Ds2 (3.11yo) is being especially challenging. Everytime I talk to him he yells "NO" very loudly. He's spent most of the afternoon telling me he's sad with me.

at the size of the lists posted today! I think Nicknack may be the winner and deserves

Done
Put away clean clothes
2 loads of washing on- small ones but wool was did include DD's winter coat, need to get yogurt stains out
Did wrong mission, but front door (& lounge & bathroom doors-got carried away) look great.
Went to Morrisons for a few bits
Fed ducks & went to play park with Dd
Prepare dinner
Shine sink etc.

Also planned 10 days of meals - just got to stick to it now

Still to do
Will do some ironing in front of tv tonight.

wewere no problem with procrastination, I can do it for hours

I find listing here helps.

Phew Im done and my sink is shiney. For the first time in a long time on a night.

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
• 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
• wash up
• Shine Sink

Now tomorrow's list:

• Washing Machine on
• 2nd load of towels (have discovered DD1 has put muck on one and another could do with a wash)
• Drying
• take laundry upstairs
• wash up 3X
• Shine Sink
• Mock exam for my AAT course
• Wipe down front door
• Wipe down Kitchen window sill (I know its not technically in tomorrow's list or that its not even in zone 1, but Ive got no errands to run,plus it will take 5 mins as Im shining my sink)
• Fill machine for Friday's load
• Make out lists for Fri, Sat and Sun

That looks like quite a long list, but it will take 4 hours max to do it all.

God, I feel ill just looking at some of the lists on here!
I have kept on top of the kitchen and delegated shining the sink this evening!
I got dressed to slippers shoes this morning

Also just had a read of the thread that is slating 'Flylady' - those people just don't get it and I couldn't be arsed to grace them with an explanation!

Got to fly! can't resist a bad joke!

Well done everybody there are loads of really impressive ta da lists today!

I finished everything on my to do list and also gave the dw a thorough clean as the plates didn't seem to be coming out very clean. I also have a shiny sink for the first time in ages like Lilleth

I have started taking the cards down Sc but the tree and the decs will come down on Sat. I want the house all tidy and organised for the dcs going back to school on Monday.

Im off for a well earned rest and Vigorous wing flaps to you all

Finally I am sat down. Have been turfed out of the living room as DS has a friend sleeping over and as DD and DS are sharing a room at the moment ( see earlier post re DH's BF) it was the best option for their DVD marathon.

Actually, it's quite a marvellous solution. Complete splendid isolation, phone to mn on and tablet to watch tv on.

Have a good evening everyone.

two meals cooked
washing up in progress
friends round earlier!
run with ds2 (and stayed away from snacks, although I did have some chestnut pudding at supper, delish)
muddy excursion to park with friends; my children are rubbish at football! Tackling is not knocking someone over (which is ds1's technique

so first two NY resolutions achieved today - socialise and keep fit!

SC if it is any comfort I sometimes think this house is set up for no-one's convenience, although dh likes it this way; he is after all a collector of curiosities, not of an engineering functional mindset. Now to persuade him that it would be to his advantage to move things around. I'm hoping if he trips over the washing every day it will remind him that the kitchen is not big enough for the washing machine.

Ellie splendid isolation. a shiver as I remember that was something to do with Palmerston and history A level... maybe I'm wrong...

Silvery most TAs I meet are very intelligent. They are often very wise people too!

Ps we are still enjoying the decorations! We will wait till the children have gone back to school I reckon, to tackle them.

Silvery hope ds1 has sweet dreams and enjoyed the cakes, and is more friendly tomorrow.

Very impressive lists upthread! Perhaps that is something I can aspire to in a few years' time. Well I seem to have spent the last 2 hours researching holiday possibilities so I think realistically I'm done for tonight, but without fail I will stack the dishwasher and shine my sink. If I could book a holiday too that would be good, am a bit fed up with it now TBH.
Tomorrow's to do:
Have to pick up dry cleaning
Take DS to playdate
Pick up DS, go to friend's for lunch
swish and swipe
make a cake
make more social arrangements for children

Oooooo swan you are right. I remember that boring me to death at A level History too. Miracle I went on to a history degree. See, am even quoting history in inane ramblings over the tinternet.

Honestly don't worry about the lists - it's all about getting the routines in place and babysteps.

I was at work today so not much flying but the washing up is done, SINK IS SHINY AGAIN!, bags packed for the morning and most of the secs are down.

See you all tomorrow.

Thanks swan I just woke him for a dose of anti-biotics and he screamed "NO" at me. Little monster!
Let's hope he's in a better mood in the morning.

List dump for tomorrow
To Do
Morning routine (get up, make beds, get breakfast, shower and dress, swish and swipe, laundry, feed cats, clear breakfast, room rescue, hotspot)
Check links for tomorrows babystep and mission
Do mission/detail
Do babystep
Ds1 to hospital for hip check
Babysitting
Ironing
Afternoon routine (laundry, dry clothes sorted, non-iron clothes away, start dinner and fill sink, feed cats, wash up after dinner, clean kitchen, sweep floors, boys in bath, stray items away, stories, boys bed)
Menu plan next week and write shopping list
Before bed routine (lay out clothes, shine sink, go to bed)

Think that'll do. May need to add other bits on the morning, but let's hope not!
Hope everyone is having a nice evening. I have just watched Frost/Nixon. I ordered it from LoveFilm (not sure why) but I actually really enjoyed it. Will have to now (well, not now) google the real thing and watch that.

'see' you all tomorrow. Goodnight

Ok - DH managed to put out the bin, take kitten to vet for spaying and to change a lightbulb. In a whole day . DS (9) tidied the lounge. Tomorrow's list will be longer...

Hello Fledglings, just a quick wave as I'm on my way to bed - been trying to get an early night for ages and this is the nearest I've got! I haven't been on the thread much but I have been doing stuff, honest!

Am very impressed by all these lists. I had a long list written down in my 'to do' book, but have only managed about half of it. Still, I did get the tree down and packed away the decorations. Also managed to sling out a load of broken decorations so the rest fit into one box (was it you with about nine boxes, SC?! There's a decluttering challenge for you!).

Also did today's mission and cleaned my sink, as well as the usual daily routines .

Managed to get the boys to write two thank-you letters, but it involved me coaching and cajoling them, so didn't give me time to Fly. Never mind, at least there will be two relatives who can't complain now (I always start with the ones who complain earliest of not receiving a thank you, then work backwards to the least demanding).

Following up our New Year resolution of early bedtimes, we got the boys to bed at a decent time, but neither would settle . Might have to dust off some old reward charts.

Aiming for more decluttering and tidying up tomorrow. Off to bed now.

Hiya, Coming back for another try. My DH gave me the awesome xmas pressie of helping me empty the kitchen and completely clean it! I am now going to attempt to end the day with completely clear sides. If I can keep it up for a month there's a chance it might become permanent :)

I have shined both my kitchen sinks, although a nasty pan is currently soaking in one of them...

Dishwasher is on,
washing machine, alas has died on me :( Poo
Sides clear and wiped,
Dining table cleared.

I'm not even going to attempt Bitchy's level of list! I am also not going to feel bad about it because I want to concentrate on the baby steps now I can have at least the starting one covered :)

I'm still at the babiest of baby steps atm I think, though the hallway and dining room do look better :)

Kirk my washing machine gave up the ghost in the summer, was a bad week or so. Do you have a neighbour who would give you the use of theirs for an hour or so? Though ours had a happy ending, because I got a lovely new machine which I actually enjoy using, and it works so much better than the (very) old one I had before. Hope you have a happy ending too!

Night night x

Wow, so many, so much! Just about keeping up!

Lady Dierdre
Best chance I know of getting a ?might come in useful? hoarder to chuck medications is to prove they?re not of use/ potentially dangerous etc. Asking if they?re safe to give to a child (not as a theory) can bring different responses than asking if they?re safe for you.

SC Not before 12th night here.

loveinidleness I have a new machine arriving on Friday, and a lovely friend is going to wash the load for me that was in the machine when it gave up! I'm dropping it round tomorrow morning :)

Also, Kitchen floor mopped! It was clean for all of two hours...

Blinks blearily.
Happy new year everyone !