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Housekeeping

FLYing through March: Fledglings Assemble

671 replies

SilveryMoon · 28/02/2013 20:10

Welcome to the March Fledgling FLYers thread

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

All the links for the babysteps and missions will be posted here every day and we'll all be here to cheer each other on.

Thanks to SC and Blue for leading us through January and February and for the brilliant OP I've just cut and pasted .

Let's get the old dust balls rolling for March!
OP posts:
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WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 03/03/2013 22:39

Well, my delegating to the DCs programme has worked well today, between them they have emptied the DW, done the handwashing up, two lots of clothes washed and dried, and a small amount of hoovering. Just need to keep the momentum going.

Other than that, not much Flying, I seem to be reasonably on top of the daily routines at the moment but am not getting much of the detailed stuff done. Too busy with OU work and life in general. DH has been away this weekend so just me and the DCs today, we went for a nice walk in a local country park with a lake this afternoon, then on to their swimming lessons.

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mrsbugsywugsy · 03/03/2013 22:49

cuddled I only change beds fortnightly.

silvery thanks for the links and updates

I did everything off my list except paperwork, maybe tomorrow? also haven't washed up but dp says he will do it before bed.

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MercuryRising · 03/03/2013 23:03

Hi all. I can honestly say my spirits are renewed. Dp and I had a lovely childfree day and then I popped to a lovely country pub with my oldest friend for a drink and catch up Grin

I conpleted my list as well so a successful day all round.

Silvery and Toffee your lists are amazing I really need to get on top of things tomorrow.

Toffee I bet you feel much better after cuddling and making up with ds. Its amazing how much distress our dcs can cause us without even realising!

Cuddledup in answer to your question I try to change bedding weekly but in all honesty it depends how up to date I am with other washing as I don't have a tumble drier and only limited drying space. I absolutely love getting in to bed with clean sheets - its one of my favourite things (I know that is a bit tragic Blush)

Quick list dump for Monday:
Dcs up, fed and ready for school
Make beds
Dw - unload/reload
Fold up dry washing
Hang out washing
Reload wm
Mission - kitchen worktops
Clean bathroom
Hoover/ dust upstairs
Hoover/dust downstairs
Mop kitchen floor
Clean mirrors
Ironing
Change beds
Meal planning
Food shop
School run x2
Dinner and
tidy

Shine sink
Declutter microwave

Bath/ bedtime for dcs
Collapse onto sofa

If I manage all that it will be a miracle but at least I have something to aim towards Hmm

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PeasandCucumbers · 03/03/2013 23:52

Well if the weekends are about relaxing then I have done what I should have done and more Grin

Am very pleased to be going to bed with no ironing (but plenty of laundry) to do and a clean kitchen. I even started cleaning some windows today though didn't get that far as we were going out.

Am actually quite looking forward to seeing what the weekly routine is, which for someone who hates housework is amazing!

I am very glad I found this thread and am hoping (optimistically?) that the momentum continues Grin

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Engelsemama · 04/03/2013 07:30

Morning all.

Managed to do everything on my to do list yesterday except go for a run. Didn't really renew my spirit though. I really have to make more effort to get out of the house more, whether or not my grumpy DH wants to come with me (he always says lets go later, then falls asleep, or is ill...either way it's very frustrating! I know it's my failt and I need to be more active and just go!)

To do
Shred with frind this morning
Set of marking
Hot spot
Online banking
Stock up on stamps and post letters/cards

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ToffeeWhirl · 04/03/2013 09:03

I have both DC at home today because DS2 hates school says he feels ill. Now DS1 is annoyed because he likes our days together, just him and me, and doesn't want his little brother here too . No idea what to do. I feel sorry for DS2 and I refuse to drag him into school crying, as I had to with DS1 Sad.

Oh well, at least the house is tidy, thanks to my efforts yesterday.

Ta das :

Packed lunch made
Breakfast
Washing on

To dos :

DS1's breakfast
Home ed
Walk into town - shops and library
Lunch
Collect friend's son from school
Dinner
Eve routine
Wine
Bed at decent hour

Hope you all have a good day.

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ellesabe · 04/03/2013 09:41

Well we have had a very slow start to the day as nobody woke up until 8am Shock

Done
Make beds
Clothes away
Breakfast

To-do
Wash up
Shower
Swish and swipe
Charity shop
Buy flowers
Daily mission
Home blessing hour
Dancing group with dds
Drop mortgage application at mortgage advisor's house

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GoingGoingGoth · 04/03/2013 11:42

Morning,

I seem to have lost my CBA-itus. Grin

Done
Beds
Dd ready for school
Weighed on wii -meh
15 minutes step on wii (it won't last)
Windows
Litter tray
Recycling out
2 loads laundry
Laundry hung out (up 2 flights of stairs, so that has to do some good)
Washing machine on bleach/washing soda/hot wash - it WILL NOT go black again
3 phone calls
Ironing

Stopping for quick bite to eat snoop round MN

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BigPigLittlePig · 04/03/2013 12:10

Hello, am de-lurking as am now largely de-cluttered (sort of) and am determined to get my house looking shipshape!

I already have a sort-of routine to each day -

Make beds
Hang out laundry (washed overnight)
Litter tray (bleurgh)
Breakfast
Prepare what I can for tea

It all takes a while as it is interspersed with feeding/cuddling/playing with 3 month old dd Smile but I'm aiming to get into a good routine wrt the house within the next 3 months, when I go back to work.

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LillethTheCat · 04/03/2013 13:41

Afternoon everyone.

I seemed to have caught Goths CAB-itus. Thanks for that Grin

tada

  • Strip DSs bed
  • wash bedding
  • Dry bedding
  • Go to Business course


to do
  • Remake bed
  • Go to AAT course
  • Wash up
  • Shine sink (if DH has washed up tonight)


Hope everyone is well.

Sorry for no personals, like I said Ive come down with CBA-itus. Am feeling tired and low energy today. Hopefully I will feel better soon.
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ToffeeWhirl · 04/03/2013 14:36

Managed to get DS2 to school in the end Grin. Had a quick word with his teacher and asked if we could discuss his reluctance to come to school and ways to encourage him.

Have walked into town with DS1, bought him new headphones for his XBox, visited the library and been to the petshop. He now wants a gerbil. Easier than a dog, right? And he says he will do all the feeding and clearing out Hmm.

Quick bit of home ed, then off up to school again. I hope all this walking is going to help me lose weight .

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issimma · 04/03/2013 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/03/2013 16:03

Oh dear Issima sounds like a bad start to the week. I either use Magic Eraser block (a JML thing, a sponge that is brilliant for spot cleaning) or bleach to get the coffee stains off the sink, either spray it with Flash bleach spray or put the plug in and fill it with dilute bleach (squirt a bit in the plughole first to clean the grid bit).

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ToffeeWhirl · 04/03/2013 17:31

issima - Oooh, yes to WhoKnows's suggestion - Magic Eraser is brilliant. You can buy it online. It is incredibly satisfying to use. I used it to clean the bath the other day and was finally able to rub out some scratches (from toys scraping the enamel). It gets tea stains off my tea cups, so would probably work on coffee stains too.

DH says we can't get a gerbil because his mother is terrified of rodents and won't come in the house if we get one. I feel sorry for DS1 now. He wants a pet, but DH doesn't want a dog, I'm allergic to cats and MIL is phobic of small furry animals.

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mrsbugsywugsy · 04/03/2013 18:26

toffee how about a rabbit? or a fish?

big pig we are in the same boat, dd is two months old and we are just coming out of the newborn fog of the first few weeks, and trying to get into a routine and clear some junk.

I did 15 mins of decluttering which was very therapeutic. I took some stuff to the charity shop and will put a couple of other things on eBay.

that was about it for housework, as I took dd to be weighed (good weight gainSmile ), then went to a baby group, then went shopping for a birthday present. busy day!

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ellesabe · 04/03/2013 19:13

Tada
Clothes away
Swish and swipe
Charity shop
Bought flowers
Scrubbed kitchen counters
Chucked old coupons out
Dancing class with dds
Dd's dinner
Kids bathed

To do
My dinner
Friend round
Wash up
Shine sink

I attempted to do a 'home blessing hour' today but only managed 10mins of dusting and 10mins of vacuuming before dd2 woke up needing nappy change, outfit change (x2) and bfeed Grin ...so I don't think that counts!

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ellesabe · 04/03/2013 19:15

toffee - how about a tortoise? They are fur-free and hibernate for half the year Grin

I'm currently trying to persuade dh...

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GoingGoingGoth · 04/03/2013 19:22

Lilleth I do like to share

Ta-dah
Beds
Dd ready for school
Weighed on wii -meh
15 minutes step on wii (it won't last)
Windows
Litter tray
Recycling out
2 loads laundry
Laundry hung out (up 2 flights of stairs, so that has to do some good)
Washing machine on bleach/washing soda/hot wash - it WILL NOT go black again
3 phone calls
Ironing
Sort paperwork
Couple of emails
Post Office
Collect Dd
Shopping
Dinner
Wash up & SS
Spelling practice with DD

To do
Another batch of ironing

Plan to do weekly bleugh & mission tomorrow as DH is out of the house

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NickNacks · 04/03/2013 20:00

Hello!

Well today has been largely consumed by admission/ appeal/ waiting list research. Making baby steps in progress but it's keeping me busy.

Ta da

Ds2 bed stripped and washed
Daily laundry load
Swept dining room
Large bag to charity
Swish and swipe
Bills paid
Kitchen tidied after dinner

Tomorrow's list

Daily laundry
Make ds2 bed
Clean clothes away
Loads of shredding
Have a bloody good tidy of playroom!

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MercuryRising · 04/03/2013 20:17

Hi all.

Just quickly popping in as Im exhausted and am planning a soak in the bath and then an early night with my book and a hot chocolate.

I am very proud to report that I completed
my list today. Im really hoping that I can keep up with flying this month as I always start really well and then become less and less enthusiastic as the month goes on.

Sorry for lack of personals.

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SilveryMoon · 04/03/2013 20:19

Evening all How are we?

Ta Da
Up and made beds
Got breakfast
Swished and swiped
Cleared breakfast
Showered and dressed
Took boys to cm
Went to work
Quick Tesco run
Harvester for dinner
Laundry
Washing up
Clothes out
Cleaned kitchen
Hotspot
Mission/detail (wiped kitchen cupboards, skirting boards, counters)
Sorted dry washing
Non iron away

To Do
Catch up with thread
Drink Wine
Empty washing machine

Contemplating
Study
Irioning

ROUNDUP
WhoKnows has ropped her dc?s into FLYing, they are doing very well and got loads done yesterday. Well done to them.
Mercury had a good childfree day yesterday and managed to get to the pub for a catch up with an old friend.
Peas Was looking forward to seeing the routine of FLYing. Hope it works out.
Toffee Has had both dc?s at home today. Hope ds2 is feeling better.
BigPigLittlePig de-lurked to say hi and share her morning/daily routine. Is looking good, well done. It?s all about baby steps, so keep with it Smile (welcome, btw)
Lilleth Has caught CBAitis from Goth lol Hope you?re feeling ok and not coming down with anything.
issimma wants to know how to get coffee stains off a stainless steel sink. Not got the foggiest personally, lemon juice? White vinegar? Bicarb soda?
Toffee What about a bird? I love budgies and would have some if it wasn?t for the cats.
ellesabe 20 mins of home blessing def counts! We?re all heading in the right direction.

Impressed with everyone's lists, we are doing well and keeping busy. Well done everyone Grin

OP posts:
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ToffeeWhirl · 04/03/2013 20:23

I'm afraid DS1 finds rabbits and fish a bit boring. He used to have fish, but the only person who loved those poor fish was DS2. I love tortoises, but I don't think you can buy them anymore and they aren't exactly cuddly.

Am looking into hypoallergenic cats now. I think I'm more of a dog person, but they are so much work, whereas a cat would look after itself mostly. I just don't want to spend the next 18 years wheezing and sneezing, with swollen, red eyes.

Those of you with babies - you have more than enough to do without worrying about housework. I know it has to be done, but please don't beat yourselves up about it. I remember the endless demands of babies - they are a full-time job! Anything you achieve in the house is worthy of congratulations, in my opinion. (Personally, I think all new mothers should have staff Wink).

DS2 is in bed. Have to go and do some more home ed with DS1, then promised him I'd watch 'Freaky Friday' with him. Am ready to go to bed, actually, but have poured myself a large coffee to stay awake.

Night all.

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SilveryMoon · 04/03/2013 20:31

LINKS FOR TUESDAY 5th
babystep 5 another crap one that most of us ignore. Identify the negative voices in your head and write down something nice for yourself.
I say this is crap, but I did on Jan 1st start up the positive-note jar here so when good things happen, I pop a note in the jar and we will open it on NYE and celebrate the good things that have happened this year. I have 5 notes in there atm.
mission de-clutter plastic containers and food storage
flight plan if anyone wants to look at a basic daily routine.

I've not been pasting the detailed cleaning lists as I think that's a step further than where most of us are..........
please, if I am forgetting to do anything, link to anything etc, just let me know and I'll do more. Grin

OP posts:
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issimma · 04/03/2013 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpecialCircumstances · 04/03/2013 22:04

Silvery that sounds like a lovely idea! I might have to steal it...
Well my washing basket has refilled alarmingly quickly- DS is full of a cold and being sick after every meal- last night he was sick in the night and we didn't hear him, so woke up to it dried onto his sheets, babygrow, sleeping bag and hair! Have aired his room all day so it doesn't smell to badly now. I feel really bad that I didn't hear him, but neither did DH and I usually wake up at the first whimper as I feed him back to sleep.

Ta da
Two loads of washing done and put away
Nappy bin cleaned and disinfected
Clothes for work sorted out and ready
Made tea
Washed up, put away and wiped down kitchen and dining room

To Do
Post parcels
Hoover
Dust DS room (how many days has this been on my list!)

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