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.

Happy Birthday goth.

Ta da:-
Morning routine
Dc's to CM's
Dinner in slow cooker
Washing x lots
Washing on line
Putting away
First run on C25k and I am not dead.

Plans have changed a little. Was going to do schoolwork this afternoon but it is a lovely day here so I am going to meet up with a friend at local farm park. Schoolwork will still be there tomorrow.

Chess trophies should stay!!!. Put them in a box in the bottom of his wardrobe.

Happy birthday Goth

Thing with abused kids is that sometimes it takes them a long time to realise it isn't normal. And why would they act different to normal kids if they don't think what is going on isn't anything but normal?

I have lost some important paperwork. it is a bit of a problem. need to find it but think i might be too late for rsvp-ing. :(

Hey I am still about but as you can imagine school hols for a childminder is rather busy! :)

Hope to be flying again properly on Saturday and I have a big project for you all to help me with. :)

Just in from work. Have crawled into bed most cosy place to sit in this shithole with a cup of tea and chocolate. Trying not to think about the fact that the fridge freezer may have stopped working. There was no light on in the fridge when I opened the door....and no noise.
Since we moved into this place 18 months ago the fridge has been replaced, the washing machine replaced, and the kettle (four times), the heat pump (twice) .... but the landlady buys everything secondhand, so they never last long. And there is usually a long wait too.
It looks like it will be October before we are in a position to get the mortgage we need to finish our own house.
Sometimes I just am not motivated to fly, living here .

Belated birthday wishes Goth!

Gosh I have been useless at flying this month. Apologies for moaning.

I'm off to join the naughty corner crew today too. Having been away at the start of the week, I was supposed to do my weekly home bleugh today so my list is rather extensive. However a friend popped round during dd's nap unexpectedly and there's no way I'm doing it after bedtime!

To do
Shower, dress, S&S - done
Breakfast - done
Make packed lunch - done
Pack jacket up to return - done
Toddler group - done
Post office - done
Dd2's passport application - FAIL
Dust
Hoover
Clean loo
Clean hob
Wipe down fridge shelves
Ironing
Update dd2's baby book - done
Take paperwork to mortgage advisor - done
Cook and eat dinner - done
Bath dc and put to bed - in progress
Wash up
Shine sink

Dd's passport application is turning into a complete farce. We filled out an application at the weekend and asked a dr friend to countersign it for us. I check it this morning before sealing the envelope to discover that she used lower-case letters and didn't keep her signature inside the box
So I got another form today, filled it out and asked our mortgage advisor to countersign it. She gets halfway through and then remembers that she herself doesn't have a passport that's currently valid.
So now I have to go and get another form tomorrow and fill it out again. For the third time. How hard is it????

Rant over. Grrrr.

Evening all
Good FLYing day here, well I did 15 mins detail and then another 15 mins.
I think I'm going to continue to ignore the missions until I get the place clean to how I want it iyswim.
So I set a timer and toothbrush/bleached the window frame, the tiles and grouting under the cupboards and wiped the top of one wall, around the window and around the cupboards on one side.
Yuk! You can really see the difference on the wall from where I started. Makes me want to finish the whole room, but I don't want to spend all evening doing it, so will be tomorrows job.
I have one entire wall covered with the boys art work from school/nursery, but i didn't laminate it or anything so it's all manky/greasy so think they'll have to come down and I'll keep bare walls. I'll put the stuff that's up in my keeping box and if I put anything else up, it'll have to go in a wallett or something first.

TaDa
Up and made beds
Got breakfast and cleared away
Showered and dressed
Swished and swiped
Rubbish out
Laundry on
Popped to town to get ds2 a new school bag
Went to friends house. Ended up staying there for over 5 hours!
Cooked dinner
Cleaned kitchen
Hotspot
Sorted dry washing
Non iron away
Printed stuff for ds1
Stray items away
Detail x2

Now I'm sat down. Off to catch up.

Bored. On dh's phone/Blackberry thing. Still travelling. Just landed on last leg of journey, returning Sat eve. Can't keep away!!

[Have just been ogling dh's e-mails and six foreign clients have sent us their condolences on the death of Margaret Thatcher. We are somewhat bemused!]

Managed to miss Ellie's and Goth's birthdays! Many happy returns to both of you!

Here's a pick-you-up bunch of for Castle I know how demoralising it can get when you are not happy with your living arrangements so whinge away!

elliepac hope you had a nice day at the park
Have I said happy birthday to Goth Hope you?ve had a good day
Bitchy Hope you found the paperwork. I hate that. Re the stuff I posted yesterday (sorry to put that on everyone, I know it?s not something anyone likes to hear/talk about), I know you?re right, just feel so awful for these boys.
to NickNacks intrigued about this mystery project???.
Castle it does sound pretty shit, but know you can make the best of where you are at the moment.
elles hope you get the passport sorted. What a palavar!

Evening all.

Not a bad day all in all. Managed everything on my list plus swimming lessons which I nearly forgot about!

I'm lying, I didn't do my schoolwork but I did have a lovely afternoon in beautiful spring sunshine at the local farm park. Far more important than writing schemes of work. Tomorrow is another day and all that.

Going to go and watch some tv.

I feel bad that I've lead you to believe this might be an exciting project and fear you will all be disappointed and beat me with a stick

Eeek so many posts, and I've got

Lovely day thanks, quiet at work, but I did have someone come to bowl, 1st one this year! So after a good bit of sweeping round the club house, I got some reading and knitting done. I still can't believe I get paid for this, it makes a lovely change after 16 years of stressful office work. Not much done this evening, apart from usual chores, will send DD into the bin tomorrow!

ROUND UP

Silvery had a lot of her Dad's birthday cake, a visit from a friend, and then found some out some distressing news
Re DS, he will get there, DD was still getting wet in the day up to last summer, mind you that's because she always 'to busy' to go.
Looking at that list, it sounds like you've got your motivation back.

elliepac did collapse in front of the tv last night, and seems to be planning to do again looking at today's list. And is another one undertaking long runs, I hope we're not all expected to take it up!

feet has a DD sewing bee organised, followed by cooking.

Louise is getting on top of her budget, I have a box I stick all my receipts in, and then input them about once a week (could be a Wednesday job)

Blue has a DH that can throw away electrical 'stuff', treasure him, I have to sneak stuff out. Chess trophies, I think I'd keep those, but I'd probably box them up.

Bitchy has lost some important paperwork! I hate when that happens, do you get that tense 'hot' feeling?

NickNacks is understandably busy, and has a project for us all!

Castle is having fridge freezer and landlady problems, it's difficult to be motivated when you don't like where you are. October will come quicker than you expect.

ellesabe visited the naughty corner as was distracted from the weekly bleugh by a friend. And is having a passport nightmare, I don't think I know of anyone who has it easy. One friend took 5 goes to get her stepdaughter's completed.

SC is bored as she's still travelling, obviously she comes to us, as we are so scintillating.

Links next

LINKS FOR THURSDAY 11TH APRIL

Babystep 11 is to write inspiratioal phrases in your control journal.

Daily focus for Thursday is errand day.

Today's Mission is to wipe down kitchen applicants/white goods. Not a full clean, just 15 mins to get rid of spil, fingerprints etc.

Flight plan for our routines, should update automatically

Forgot to add my cat's present today was arriving back home after going AWOL overnight. There I was at quarter to 12 last night creeping around our shared gardens with a torch doing a shouty whisper.

I couldn't sleep last night as I'm used to him being curled up on the bed (usually squashing me)

DH found him just before lunch today, he'd got stuck a few doors down. Now he's huffy with us! Little bugger chose to stay out on his own.

DD has a friend coming over today so will be busy later!

To do:
Get bum out of bed
Shower
Get dressed
Breakfast
Empty dishwasher
Reload dishwasher
Put washing on
Get acrylic nails taken off
Clean DDs room
SS bathroom
Shine sink
Mission
Put away clean washing
What am I giving the girls for lunch? (No idea!)
Take DD and her friend bowling
Cook dinner
Give house 15min once-over to check it isn't horrific
Have early night

I think I'd better get a move on.... Or maybe I could sleep a bit longer xXx

Morning!

We were all in bed by 9:15 last night so feeling very energised and have a whole day at home today to do stuff

To do
Shower, dress S&S
Breakfast - done
Dust
Hoover
Clean hob
Wipe down fridge shelves
Lunch
Wash up
Send email
Dark wash
Clean loo
Meal plan
Shopping list
Clear bathroom hotspot
Dinner
Bath dc and put to bed
Wash up
Exercise DVD
Shine sink

Have finished my morning routine which consists of
Getting up and making beds
Getting breakfast
Showering and getting dressed
Swish and swipe
Clear breakfast
Rubbish out

To Do
15 mins detail - more wall/tile work in kitchen
Laundry
Ironing
Study
Send dp to Tesco for some bits
Get ds1's literacy activities cut up and ready to start
Hotspots
Sort dry washing
Non iron away
Play/tidy
Stray item dash
Cook dinner - boys are having sausage and mash, me a cheesy chip baguette
Clean kitchen
Homework - get it out of the way today
Check what's for tomorrows dinner
Lay out clothes
Shine sink

Remember I was choosing jobs to do on set days f the month to kind of replace the crap babysteps? Well, I've now decided that's a bit unrealistic as they are mostly big jobs (cleaning oven etc) that I don't get done within the detailed clean yet. I think I need rto re0introduce the room rescue and work it that way or I fear that doing a job like cleaning bin/oven/chip pan will be too much to do and still do detail for current zone.
I think I may be over thinking this...........

Hello, lovely fledglings. Took my boys to visit my DM for a few days, but am back home now and feeling reinvigorated and ready to Fly again. Am planning to update my control journal and then try to stick to a daily routine again.

Had a burst of enthusiasm after returning home and finally tackled the kitchen hotspot, then tidied and cleaned the whole kitchen and mopped the floor. So nice to come down to a clean and tidy kitchen this morning!

Things have been difficult with DS1 (his OCD has got very bad and we're waiting for treatment), which knocked me back a bit, but (I think) I have my fighting spirit back now. To cheer us all up, we are getting a kitten . DS1 has wanted a pet for ages and we looked after a neighbour's dog for a bit, but that convinced DH that he didn't want a dog in the house. MIL has a phobia of rodents, so gerbils and hamsters were not an option. And I'm allergic to cats. But then I did some research and we are now getting a Balinese, which is less allergenic than other cats, supposedly .

Thanks for the roundup, Goth. There's too much thread to catch up with, so it's great to be able to read what everyone is doing.

Ta da so far:

B/fasts
Washing on
Dishwasher on

Bye for now .

Hello Toffee, nice to have you back. Not surprised that DS's OCD sapped your Flying energy, it must be so hard on you all. Hope treatment comes swiftly and effectively.
Kitten sounds lovely (really hope the antihistamines aren't necessary) DS1 does know that the kittens/cats own you not the other way round doesn't he? He will be but a minion :)

Castle - hope you feel a bit more positive today. I'm with SC in understanding how living arrangements can effect how you feel. I have got it better than both of you I think (I live in DH's childhood home) but it can feel like I'm battling so much more than general everyday family mess.
I am hoping that having the extension will make it feel more like my home too

Goth - thanks for round-ups and links, even if I am ignoring the latter

List for today:

• Try to get friend round for DS to play with but they are all away - done but failed
• Deal with distraught DS who accidentally broke his breakfast bowl (had made it in a pottery place with Granny in NI so very special) - done
• Panic a bit as plug plants arrived in post - wasn't expecting them for a few weeks and it's far too cold for them to go outside. Think DS's windowsill will be pressed into service as it's the coldest place in the house - done
• All up and dressed - work in progress fueled by bribe of biscuits :)
• Morning routine - mostly done
• Quick tidy of kitchen and living room
• Soft play place with friends
• Bring home DD's friend for sleepover
• Diving
• Bolognese for dinner

That's more than enough.
Better feed DC before softplay or they will be having cake for lunch

feet despair not...I hear rumours of 20deg sunshine at the beginning of next week

Afternoon all. Gradually hopping back on the fly wagon.

Ta da:-
Morning routine
Washing on
Washing drying
Putting away
General tidy
Dinner cooked
Tax return for DH

BF and her dc's are coming round this afternoon. This means that everything I have done this morning will be undone.

Have a good day everyone.

Thanks everyone for the bolstering comments.
I actually came out of the naughty corner and shined the bathroom sink and scrubbed the shower last night! Wonders will never cease!
Lovely to see you back toffee and feetheart and so much of elliepac too this month.
DH is taking a very rare night off tonight (as it is my birthday on Sat, and tonight is the only night he can find somebody to work for him...) and we are staying in!

Can't wait! Dinner at home and a few glasses of wine beer for DH and some quality time together!

Goth thanks for roundups and links. Mist go off and practise before I take up the mantle next month

Feet - thanks for the advice about the kitten. I will bear that in mind! . So sorry about your DS's broken bowl. Poor thing.

ellesabe - nice to meet you! I have been Flying for two or three years now and can honestly say my house is much, much better than it was, though far from perfect. If I followed the Flylady rules, instead of regularly falling off the wagon, I'm sure it would be better.

elliepac - good to see you! Hope you have had a nice time with your friend this afternoon (and that the house isn't too wrecked).

Castle - thanks for the welcome . Hope you and DH enjoy your evening together.

Have had a lovely afternoon with a new friend. Her son gets on really well with DS1, so we are doubly lucky. And DS2 has been playing with Lego in his room for hours, without needing any adult input at all.

Have just opened the evening wine. Will leave a bottle in the naughty corner for anyone who pops in...

Ta da!
Cleaned downstairs loo
Bag out for charity collection
Dumped broken toys
More boxes and bags to charity shops
Blogging/work admin etc
Boys to hairdresser (not too traumatic...)
Lunch at café
Aldi shop
Bought new computer mouse
Realised DS2 had left his hat in one of the charity shops
Back halfway around town to retrieve it
Just about home in time to let friends in
Shopping away
Survived 4 small boys tearing in and out of the house
Rearranged toy boxes and dumped more broken toys
Boys' tea

To do
Zumba
Our tea
Get DH to sort out the back of wires
Get more stuff ready to dump
Collapse

Waves to Toffee and feet - have just checked weather forecast and nearly fainted in disbelief! Will be glad of the chance to wear the new smaller sized summer stuff I've been buying from charity shops though! :)

Hope you have a good evening in castle.

Ellie - hope you also survived visiting DC!