The Fledglings' nests will be clean in 2013! Part II.

[superfluouscurves]

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

OK, because we are all so good at chatting housework, we need a second January thread ... .

... where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that we 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 us 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 we get when we are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once.

To avoid being inundated with details, we advise not signing up to the Big Tent

We are in the process of 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.]

Flylady site here

Don't worry if you are behind; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again anyway!

Carry on everybody!

Aaargh! Ds sat on my laptop and put it on number lock...had to ring DH to work out how to turn it off

as I was saying....am feeling so drained from supporting DH emotionally. I have nothing left for myself and my job. I find it so difficult to motivate myself to do my schoolwork. I just can't find a balance.

Actually feels good to get it off my chest. I feel like I have to be strong for everyone else - DH, DS, my students and colleagues - , but no one is there for me to lean on. DH is there when I need him but I guess I feel like he needs me to be strong. I have a million things to do for work and no one has any idea that I'm feeling like this. Everyone thinks I'm really organised and together, but in reality everything is a mess - my school bag, my cupboard, my mind.

FL is slowly working for me but there's so much in our house that is out of my control because it's not my junk that's cluttering up the house, it's DH's.

Sitting here having a little cry. Sorry for thread hijack

I need to be pro-active today in doing soemthing otherwise I'll drive myelf insane. I cannot do school work when DS is awake, but maybe if I do a home blessing and a bit of decluttering (have boxes of photos and books and folders in the loft) then I'll feel better.

Sorry for moan - pulling myself together now. DH won't recognise our house when he gets home!

Morning. No time to catch up but wanted to share that my washing cane out fine, smelling of washing powder and for the first time in ages the fabric softener want still in the drawer after wash!

Engels it is really hard. It is hard when you are the support system for everyone else. This is what has been a problem here and tbh created a bit of a melt down in me when those that should cope were just in the habit of not rather then there being anything wrong. I understand exactly how you feel and you have my full sympathy. Moan a way but I reckon that home blessing might help you feel more proactive and in control Good luck.

Silvery wow. Did you remember to do a rinse through wash after the bleach or a white wash? otherwise be careful of bleach spots on the clothes.

Today is not going to go as planned. Ds needs a trip to A&E i think he has an infected break in his finger. So he has yet another day off school but as I have an important meeting I *can't get out of he is going to have to wait til after that for A&E which is a right royal pita but as the meeting will be around 15mins and he is dosed with pain killers hopefully he isn't suffering too much. I don't like having to juggle like this makes me feel guilty would prefer to take him straight to A&E but can't risk not being able to get to the meeting. :(

But the general plan for today is the same although i suspect that he has got out of his swimming lesson, which i am secretly pleased about.

Hi everyone

To do:

Washing up
Clean sides
Sweep and mop kitchen floor

Quick tidy of living room- toys and sides
Hoover
Take clothes upstairs

Washing- enough to dry on clothes horses as the tumble decided to break down last night!

bitchy

FL working her magic now

ta da
ring ex
deal with ds - currently eating ice cream and had pain killers
Drink 2 cups of coffee
Realise that have lost important paperwork and will be playing the hunt the paperwork game.
Strap ankle as went over on it yesterday and it bloody hurts
Check emails and mn
try to get diary up to date

Why does having someone in the house make things take 3 times as long when compared to if you were on your own?

Engels - sounds like you have a lot on your shoulders... Glad to hear FL is working her magic... Hope you have a good day today.

Bitchy - eek! Sounds tough... Yup, I've had to leave really quite ill children at home (with nanny) while I go to work for important meetings etc. Sounds like you are handling it expertly though! (Unlike I did...)

I'm feeling rather exhausted! I think I'm in danger of burn-out and I've only just started. So, I have a more modest (and hopefully accomplishable) to-do list today. I think I'll just list cleaning/de-cluttering stuff here otherwise it could be a v long list.

Done

Tidied up breakfast things
Taken DCs to school/nursery
Baby-step 2: Dressed to shoes (washed hair AND actually dried it plus have tiny bit of blusher on todaay...That = "polished" for me these days...)

To-do

Fold up washing and put away
Shine sink

[Got a lot of other stuff to do today - CV, tax return, into town for lunch (which should be fun but will interupt me getting things done...!).]

p.s. Crikey - I know how you feel about needing to tidy/de-clutter before you get a cleaner... Hopefully the FL plan will help with that! Good luck

for Engels - come and unload on us whenever you need to, the thread is for more than just housework.

Silvery - yay for properly clean washing!

Bitchy - hope DS ges seen quickly and isn't in too much pain

SC - hope your tummy settles down quickly.

OK, I'm a bit behind today so need to go and do some work. Stayed at school doing reading till 9.30, been catching up with washing and paperwork, now I need to do some paid work, some OU, lunch, swimming at 12.30, coffee with a friend, school run plus stop to talk to teacher after, then home and Brownies tonight. May not get much housework done!

Oh yes, building works started 1st Oct and the roof isn't finished yet!!

The old roofer was sacked and we've employed our own. Turns out the old one hadn't even attempted to melt the felt!! He'd just used sealant around the edges (and it was like a patchwork quilt )... So wonder it was like a waterfall into our extension and our lounge.

DH thinks it'll be another 6 weeks, I'm more realistic and have plopped 3 months down as my estimate.
He forgets we've a wall to come down, and RSJ to go in, a new window to be cut, floor to be raised.....

I could cry

I'm sorry, Shifty. It's awful having building works and they always go on and on . It will all be worth it in the end. Just stick with it.

Engels - so sorry you are feeling overwhelmed. Maybe it would be a good idea for DH to go back to the dr, if he shares your concern that his depression is coming back? Better to nip it in the bud. In the meantime, thread hijack all you want. This thread is about so much more than Flying.

SC - oh dear, you do sound poorly! I hope you and DS are feeling better by now. Do you want any help with the thread? Am happy to take over tonight if you need to just go to bed and sleep.

Bitchy - well done for staying calm at yesterday's meeting. Good luck at today's. I hope DS's finger is easy to treat at A&E.

BeginnerSAHM - welcome to the thread. Your list yesterday was very impressive, but you are right to watch out for burnout. That is why Flylady is keen on 'babysteps'. Thank you for the link to Mr B. I had a lovely time browsing through the website. What a wonderful bookshop.

Honu - great to see you back here. I think of you whenever I struggle with Maths with DS1 (trying to cover fractions at the moment). Our decluttering may look impressive, but it has taken us 11 years since we moved into the house to get round to it (having two babies distracted us somewhat ). Now we've started, we don't want to stop!

Oh dear, have run out of MN time and have to go and continue home ed now. Very impressed by DS1 this morning because he worked independently on handwriting and science whilst I was out at the physio.

Dining room is a mess again . I did a room rescue in here yesterday, but it looks worse than ever now .

to do

Home ed
Lunch
Routines
Washing
School run

That'll do for now.

WhoKnows - sorry to miss you! Looks like you have a full day ahead.

Afternoon everyone.

tada

• wash up
• Turn on washing machine
• Make beds
• Wipe inside of windows (even with a bit of air they still get condensation)
• Dry Laundry
• Go buy a carpet

to do

• wash up 2X
• Put laundry away
• fill washing machine for Thurs
• Shine Sink
• lay out clothes for Thurs
• coursework
• Move everything out of front room as carpet is coming tomorrow

Who knew that they would come and get our carpet fitted the day after we ordered it? There we were paying for the carpet and the man asked when we would like them to come to fit it and he suggested tomorrow, like a daft cow I said yes that was fine. So now we have to sort out the living room tonight. Luckily our Dining room runs off the living room so we can move everything through there with not too much hassle just the couple of corners with clutter but once its done its done. So from Friday I can start to keep the living room clutter free

Going back to my oil going down quick. I decided to change the timings of hot water etc and found out it was on for an hour and half in the morning no wonder it went down so quick. Ive taken that down to half an hour and to half an hour in the afternoon too, so that's taken hot water off for an hour and half a day. Also the heating we've changed too so its not on till we go to bed, but turns off half an hour earlier than before too. Ive also turned the thermostat down by 2 degrees in the hope that we wont notice a difference in heat, but it will use less oil hopefully.

Anyway got loads to do today. BBL (hopefully)

Quick list dump:
Ta da
Dw emptied
Dw cleaned
Dw reloaded
Dcs books stripped
Ss
Our bed made

To do
Make dcs beds
Dust throughout
Hoover throughout
Rr living room, kitchen
Ironing
Calender
Gps
Dinner
Bath and bed for dcs
Read with dcs

Best crack on.
Will be back to catch up later

Thanks so much for offering Toffee but I'm actually fine now thanks stomach just a bit growly and windy

Colleagues had had probs in the night too, so we were able to pin point
yesterday's lunch as the problem (I ate the leftovers in the evening) - fortunately had made separate pasta dish for dd - and I was OK by 10.OO am and able to volunteer after all with the help of a bit of caffeine.

(and "thank you" Toffee in general because your brilliant-after-11-years-inspiring-decluttering-putsch has really inspired me and given me hope that all is not lost in terms of decluttering this house!!) And bravo to your ds1 for working so well and independently.

How have the rest of you got on today?

Oh dear Shifty I do feel for you . [SC also shudders at memories of renovation projects past & present] It really does get you down after a while, especially when you are having to put right stuff that has gone wrong. The stress is awful. Can you take yourself away from it for a weekend? Hang in there and (easier said than done) try and focus on how wonderful it will be when it is finished. [Leaves out and more for later]

Engels you are absolutely NOT feeling sorry for yourself so no need to apologise. (As you know, I vent for England/Belgium constantly on here!! - and have done so again tonight I'm afraid.) Agree with Toffee and Whoknows when they say this thread is about so much more than housework. In fact, housework is about so much more than housework ifyswim!!!

I'm so sorry that life is such tough-going for you at the moment - it must be hard being the one that keeps going no matter what - particularly being an expat without your immediate support system around you. Anyone would find that difficult. (It's hard enough just being abroad - working - and looking after a lo) Hope your dh can be persuaded to get to the gp and resume meds or get them adjusted. Hope your ds feels better soon too. [Hands over more

Honu [another one who knows all about being the mainstay of the house] Hope the snow-clearing wasn't too onerous and that you managed to get out for a bit (and to re-stock pantry). V. v. impressed by your Excel spreadsheet (and your self-disciplined approach to Mnset).

Liletth glad you can tweak oil/heating system a bit to get better value out of it and good luck with mammoth sitting room sort out tonight (it will be worth it when you see your lovely new carpet) [Leaves out strong coffee]

[SC tries to keep up with Whoknows as she whizzes through her day ....]

Beginner well done re: realistic list-writing (and blusher! - not to be underestimated how imp these small boosters are)

Bitchy hope your ds's finger is on the mend now (no need to feel guilty about A&E - sounds like you are doing a great juggling job) and that you find the paperwork - and yes - it beats me how one can do things 20 times as fast when alone ... it should really be the opposite when there is "help" around shouldn't it???? Never works out like that though [Leaves out healing embrocation for ankle]

Hello BorninaCrossFireHurricane sorry - not sure if you are newcomer or a namechanger (sorry if I have missed you previously) Welcome and hello anyway!!!

Glad you fixed the wm Silvery and all ok

[Huge-whingy-PFB-vent-alert]
... Dh heroically volunteered for ballet run this afternoon and got a bit of a shock when he saw how dd "tried it on" in terms of trying to squirm out of it (after many promises to reform) and he really lost it (he is such a gentle giant and and mild mannered normally that it comes as a HUGE shock to dd when he loses his temper). He gave her mahoosive lecture on not letting people down, being resilient & reliable, turning up on time/when expected etc etc and then she burst in to tears and told us the reason she is so tired all the the time (aside from low blood sugar issue) is that she is staying up late at night (after lights out at 8.30) to read and mess around for an hour or so; reading and writing and colouring/cutting out etc which frankly explains a lot ...why she is constantly in bad mood - not wanting to do things - looks constantly white and pale ... and I realise we have been very remiss in checking her since she turned 9yrs

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (that's meant to be a cross between a "phew" and a "bloody hell, why does nothing go easily?" sort of sigh) ...

anyway, feel much better now that dh has taken on the mantle of wicked witch for a change ...let's hope the message gets through.

But how to get her to sleep??? She admits she is exhausted and fights it (I was exactly the same as a child so have no clue how to tackle this). Move her in to a different room with just a bed and no toys/books etc etc????? I dunno!

Oops - they are back - dd still protesting and message not getting in - dh's face like thunder - had better go ...

xpost

Waves to Mercury looks like you have started to make real inroads there!

sc Hope you?re feeling better.
Engels sorry to hear about dh. Hope things get easier soon. I think you need to talk to someone about it all. Obviously off-load here and we?ll all be here, but it?s not the same. Want to give you some very un-mn-y {{hugs}}
bitchy yes, I did a rinse through on machine, so was all fine. Now I just have to train dp to wipe out the rubber rim when he empties the machine. Am very proud of him for actually jumping in and helping around the house, so I will leave it for a bit. Won?t start nagging.
Hope your ds is ok.
sc hope you can start getting dd to sleep earlier. Bless her. She must be knackered.
Mine are 3 and 5 and I never check on them after I?ve sent them to bed. Lately, with the hope of getting a lay in, I?ve started letting them take their ds?s to bed on a weekend night and still hear them playing and talking when I go to bed

Not much flying here. Have done normal routines, but ordered dominoes for dinner and haven?t done the mission.
I haven?t really been doing the baby steps either, but have decided to leave that for this month and try to pick them up in Feb and just now concentrate on trying to get my ?need to do daily/routines? in order and running efficiently iysim.

I will however remember to shine my sink tonight.
I also need to do some ironing

I'm sure it'll be worth it but all enthusiasm left me about 2 months ago

DS is ill with a high temp, severe ear infection in both ears, runny nose and runny eyes.... He ate half a sandwich today, first food since Saturday

On Monday night he coughed and made himself sick.... Yesterday he coughed a bit more and was coughing / choking last night... Today he was coughing and whooped at the end of the cough, this has happened a few times today.

Rang the doctor he saw on Monday, he's got an appointment to see her tomorrow, my guy feeling is its whopping cough, I hope I'm wrong.
But why would you whoop if it wasn't?

Dominos for dinner?

We sat in A&E long enough for ds to annoy everyone and completely exhaust me. BUT his finger isn't broken and isn't currently infected. SO that is something. Just trying to wash and dress a poorly finger on a child that doesn't do still is near on impossible without causing pain. Hopefully should heal fairly soon though. Will confess to sticking tv on for ds when we got home (there was no point sending him to school) I curled up and slept. A whole 3 hours. Was lovely. Ankle will be fine is just needs rest driving is the biggest problem but with ds off training for a week or so and me being off training for nearly 2 weeks I should be able to get some rest on it. Decided how to work around the party thing for ds. Birthday treat.

SC does she need the time to wind down? Would it be worth sending her to bed a little bit earlier to building in the messing about time into the routine? I used to take forever to wind down at the end of the day, still do. And this was how my mum managed it. slightly earlier bedtime with reading/colouring in time allowed for a little bit. Need to get back to this kinda thing for me i think.

Ds has been fed tea. most of my list for today was ignored. Need to have a productive day tomo.

Glad your ds's finger is OK Bitchy and thanks for winding down advice. I'm thinking of re-working the whole hwk/supper/bath/bed regimen in fact (bringing it forward) and investing in a surveillance camera - it can cover the rabbits as well !!!. Am also going to factor in colouring/winding down time (she is always read a story but only 10 mins) and the change from "full on everything happening day" to "being alone in room in silence" is a bit too abrupt atm. Thanks again.

I'm not surprised about you running out of enthusiasm Shifty - apart from anything else - you've had to put up with the worst weather for renovations ever. And now so sorry to hear that your ds is so ill - poor little lad, the symptoms sound awful - and it is the last thing you all need right now. Don't know about whooping cough (there's a standard vaccination for it here) but hope doc can give you good advice tomorrow. Hope you and your ds manage to get a little sleep tonight too and he recovers quickly. Take care of yourself too x

Silvery arf at dominos for dinner! [Might require a bit of ketchup! ] The irony is that I used to check dd obsessively at night up to the age of about 6.5/7 yrs and of late have stopped doing it, partly because I didn't want to disturb her!!

In fact, I realise I need to tweak the monitoring on a lot of things atm.

When she couldn't do the exercises I tested her on, DD also admitted tonight that she has just been 'ticking' that she has done her French hwk in her agenda when she hadn't studied it at all ...and ....that she can pull the wool over her teacher's eyes ..... I pointed out firmly that it was her responsibility to get the hwk done and she shouldn't try and shift the blame (but privately I think I am going to have a word with teacher too)

Sorry again for 'me' 'me' 'me' PFB posts!!! Like many of us on here atm, just feeling generally frazzled and trying to wrestle with present indicative imperfect verbs, the conversions of dms in to cms and metres (and back again) with dd, on top of no sleep has got to me this eve!!

Going to post steps now, tidy up supper things, iron a couple of shirts and then hit the hay. Will pick up any further posts early tomorrow morning. G'night everyone!!

Hi all. A quick update from me whilst I sit outside the village hall waiting for ds and friend to finish at cubs.

Today I slept through the alarm amd ds woke me with a scent 45 minutes to spare before we had to leave the house. I "just" managed to shower,
dress,
feed and release chickens,
feed guineas
Feed ds
Defrost car
Grab bags and go.

Darn it - posted too soon.

After work ive washed up and SS after dh cooked dinner
Cubs run
One load of washing washed and in dryer.

That will have to be it for menu think (except I'll fold and put away washing before bed).

Have good days tomorrow everyone.