FLYing through April: Fledglings Spring into Action

[GoingGoingGoth]

Welcome to the April 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 is 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, Blue & Silvery for leading us through since January and for the brilliant OP I've just cut and pasted.

Ta da part 2:-
Schoolwork
Schoolwork
Schoolwork
Dinner

DH asleep and Dd gone to bed very tired after sleepover last night so DS and I are going to have some snuggle time on the sofa and watch a film.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Who-hoo it's the weekend!

Dd got a friend round, so 'to do' is feeding them both.

BBL with round up & links

I'd like to join you if I may. Had a huge declutter when we thought we were going to move in the Autumn, it fell through but the house was finally tidy after coping with 3 young men for many years. They have all flown the nest (well, ds1 comes back a couple of nights a week-he is non diagnosed Aspergers so refers to the big spare room as his and leaves belongings there).
Mostly it is just DH king of the keep these cables they will come in handy one day and myself. There generally isn't a lot of mess these days (those of you with teens-there will come a day when you go to bed and the kitchen remains in the same state when you get up!)
I have been flyladying for a few months as I loathe housework, shining my sink has really worked for me. Being able to go to bed with a clear sink has made me make sure the sides are clear too, apart from dh's blinking work fleece which seems to only live on a kitchen chair
I'll join you to commit to a little housework daily as I'm back to school next week :-)

Ta da:
Pick up DD from DM
Reload dishwasher
Clear rubbish
Help DD with some homework
Get out of bath!
Get dressed etc and meet friends for lunch
Kitchen floor (I usually use those wipes on it but will do a proper clean because it needs it!)
Go to lakeland (oh dear, never a good idea to let me lose in there)
Washing
run (only my second day running, horrifically unfit so decided to challenge myself and have signed up with DD to do a charity run for GOSH and am currently trying to build up my ability to run around the block!! eek!)

To do:

Clear car
Clean handbag
Put away washing (which is currently dumped on DDs bed, oops)
Wash/change my bedding
Shine sink
SS bathroom (I do it later in the day, usually evening)
Wipe round bath
Clean inside windows
help DD with one more homework sheet
Sleep

so havent done a lot of things on my to do list (will tick a couple more things off later) xXx

1st of all welcome to Mumof3men, we all fly to aome extent, so just take it steady, do what you feel up to, and feel free to slouch in the naughty corner if when it gets to much.

elliepac got back on top of the chaos on Thursday night , but has left her schoolwork to the last minute if the holidays, some habits are hard to break, DD started her today too! She's finishing of the day with DS with a snuggle and a film, lovely.

Engels has posted a number of long lists (and my head is about to explode) so I'm summing up that's she's been very busy. Hope you MIL is getting better.

EllieTTF went to Lakeland (going to be controversial here, but that's even better than IKEA, I hardly ever get to go ) She's also signed up to run for GOSH, let me know if you re after sponsors, brilliant cause.

Bitchy had a short list (so what aren't you telling us about?!) and has started gentle training. Hopefully it will give you a boost IF YOU DON'T OVERDO IT!!!

Blue has a skip load of stuff removed including all the cables but one kettle lead!

Silvery has got the JML painty thingy, does it work? I have to admit their mop is astounding, it dries beautifully.
I think magnolia and green sounds nice in a kitchen, and a mix of patterns will look good.

mrs lost her post (a theme this week) well done with the eBaying. DH has just gleefully announced it's free listing this weekend.

Dd had a neighbour round to play when I got home tonight, the friend's little brother was poorly so we kept her up to bedtime, while her parents took him to be checked out at the hospital. Luckily it's just a virus, but he's normally so lively, I can understand while her parents were worried.

Tomorrow am planning to embrace Family Fun Day with DD so going to the cinema (so I can lightly doze) May then nip into the city.

LINKS FOR SATURDAY 13TH APRIL

Babystep 13 is to start doing the missions, but...

No Mission today as the Daily Focus is Family Fun Day

Flight plan for our routines, should update automatically

Laughs at yesterday's training being described as gentle. It was brutel. Todays was gentle.
As for what you are not being told? Well see that is the beauty of the internet. harder for you to tell if I be hiding anything.

Sleepy time.

ooh free listings? that's what I like to hear.

PS the observant among you will notice that I am posting at 6am on a Saturday. this is because dd has decided to feed every two hours last night. just as I thought things were getting better

I may be doing more sleeping than flying today

Welcome mumof3men

Have woken up feelng rotten. MAnaged to get a lot done yesterday - not all my list but the house is startign the weekend in a reasonable state. DH is heading out to do some garden work (the gate stage 2!) so I will be looking after DS.

I think I may stagger through the missions that I didn't do on my working days this week (and maybe read my new gardening books when DH is not looking ).

We went to see MIL last night in hospital. She looks much better but is on oxygen and blood thinners. Turned out she has a pulmonary embolism so good that they caught it in time and they didn't go on holiday yesterday (20 hours coach trip) as they had planned. DH is fuming with FIL though as up until she was admitted on Thurs MIL was still doing all cleaning/cooking and they got the BUS to the hospital (FIL didn't tell MIL DH had offered the drive them, or FIL could have just driven and paid for parking).

To do
Fold yesterday's 2nd wash and put away
Washing on
Post letter
Missions from last week (wipe down kitchen appliances, kitchen taps, countertops)
Tidy handbag (didn't get that far yesterday)
5 mins hotspot
Sow sweet peas
Washing-up
Take DS outside either in garden or to play park for an hour
Email Dsis
Pop out later to Makro with DH

Good morning :-)
I have sprayed bathroom with cleaner (all tiled bathroom) and left alone to soak, cleaned loo (blech), pulled out the outside wall sofa and scrubbed whole wall behind (think it is damp but a good clean keeps on top of it), sorted out council tax and filed paperwork,oven prided top and bottom oven and am now taking a tv break.
To do
ironing (school holidays mean I have two weeks worth of ironing to do-no dcs washing though so shouldn't take more than half an hour)
Put away ironing

finish oven in two hours time

wipe down bathroom (will watch one episode of programme on sky planner then do that and combine with a loo break :-) )

Cook tea, easy tonight, minted lamb chops with chips for dh and salad for me

Have a tidy day people x

Bathroom wiped and threw in a quick bedroom, kitchen diner and lounge dust to boot!

to mumof3men Welcome to the thread
Had a lovely evening at my friends house with pizza, wine and an old favourite film.
Just got back home and the boys (who apparently have been fine) are now in my face and whineing non-stop, have just started now fighting and yelling at each other. Think I should have stayed out longer......
The good news is that ds2 has a birthday party to go to in a while and they are both staying over at their friends house tonight.
Will probably do my bleugh today and the food shopping.
Hope everyone is having a nice day.

DBiL popped round whilst I was in the kitchen making Krispie cakes with DD. I tried to stay hidden as I am still in pjs with no bra on. Oh well! Haha.

Ta da:
Make Krispie cakes with DD
Bath
Washing on
Unload dishwasher
Load dishwasher
Put drain unblocker stuff down sink
Cleaned DDs inside windows

To do:
Assessments for work
Put away washing
Buy profiteroles
Do more washing
Give DD a bath
What's for dinner? (Leftover potatoes/veg with probably pork chop)
Lie on sofa eating profiteroles (my Saturday night treat!)
Go for run
5 min general tidy
Lunch (jacket potatoes in the oven)
Clean bathroom
Shine sink
General wipe down of kitchen counters
Help DD with homework

Need to try to actually complete my list! xXx

(wants profiteroles now)

Ta da!
Oven cleaned and tin foil put down at the bottom to help in future cleaning, now on to 'burn off' smell of cleaner and all windows in kitchen (well, there is only one) open.

Rewarding self with first episode of new American tv thriller series

still to do
ironing and dinner

Just flying through to report a minimal ta da!

Ta da:-
Washing
Putting away
Food shop
Dinner
Washing up
Quick tidy

That's it. And will remain it. CBA has set in and I am going to lounge around for the rest of the day.

Sounds like a plan Ellie

ta da
sleep
find model of DNA for ds
internet stuff
1 load washing in machine
1 load in dryer

feeling a little bug eyed today. going for another coffee and then sink in the bath that I have run.

Ok so my little massive project I was telling you about...

We are switching bedrooms with our two boys. They share a small double and we have a very large double bedroom, which with good furniture arrangement can be made into two good sized spaces for them to have one each. We only sleep or lay on the bed to watch tv in our room so it seems to make sense to swap. Ds1 is off to middle school on September and I'm a childminder so they need space to escape to if needed.

So any tips or advice? We've started a good sort out today and will carry that on tomorrow. DH is moving the beds next Friday and is then away from Sarurday until Monday. He hates this kind of project so I have promised it will all be finished by the time he gets back on Monday night, despite having our 3 dc and working (CMing!) on Monday. Am I barking mad? Can you help?!

I can't help as those days are long gone for me, I suppose toy throwing is out of the question in case it comes in handy for childminding?
My hubby hates having to face the jobs too!

Ta da
Ironing done and,whilst the iron was heating up, I emptied the wii basket (full of games and accessories) into one of the three pine storage boxes we keep in the lounge, (they have cushions on for extra seating and hold loads) and now all the wii crap stuff is out of sight. This did necessitate moving dh's cds that have just come in from his car into his cupboard, it'll be weeks before he notices.

are you looking at physically dividing the space?

is it three dc to share the space of the bigger room?

NickNacks So you want to switch bedrooms with the boys to give them a bigger space that can be divided into individual space for each of them?
Does indeed sound like a big job.
How are you thinking of dividing the bigger room?
Do you have any tall bookcases/units you could use to separate the room? But then how old are the boys? Suppose you can't have units in the middle of the room if they are small.
Curtains? A rail attached to the ceiling and curtains used to offer privacy? Cheaper than buying proper room dividers.
Do you have loft space? Toy rotation sounds like it would be worth a thought if you need to clear space (should really do this myself. Maybe that's the detail job for zone 3 next week..........)

Dd has her own room so we are just swapping with the 2 boys. The room is long with the door in the middle of the long side, a window and radiator is at Each end on the small sides. Yes was thinking of dividing it with a ikea expedit unit. They are 9 and nearly 7 so past the climbing stage and pretty sensible.

sounds good to me. if you are considering painting you could do each half in a different colour...

ta da
sleep
find model of DNA for ds
internet stuff
2nd load washing in machine
2nd load in dryer
build bookcase
rearrange ds' books
physio stuff
soak in bath in peace
sort out plans for tomo
sort out plans for tonight
handwashing
training part 1