FLYlady followers flock together! Join the May fledglings – our nests we will feather!

[Castlelough]

Welcome to the May 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 and Goth for leading us through since January and for the brilliant OP I've just cut and pasted.

Did I post at all last month? I think not! Still, have been following the thread and attempting to fly. Thanks Goth for last month and Castle for being brave enough to do this month

I think it was Elliepac who said this Flylady thing works if you do it (my italics). She's right but it's worse than trying to rollerskate - you just think you're getting the hang of it then you fall off again.

I find the more I put into the routines the more I get done, but it all seems to take up too much time (too many routines looking after DH and he moves so slowly!). I have made a list of tiny jobs (eg winding clock, putting salt in softener) that only take less than 10 mins in total and do them all on a Tuesday morning which means I don't have to think about them the rest of the time.

Have now run over my 15mins MN time so will go and see what's in the May naughty corner

done
Made beds
Washed up from last night
Laundry on
Swished and swiped
Showered and dressed
Packed school bags
Dropped boys off
Came to work

Waves to all.
I couldn?t face coming in here last month and saying that we got back from the break to find the whole insurance deal had fallen through, half our worldly goods (and all the damaged stuff) in storage with the bill unpaid, and we?re still in bedinshed and up the creek sans paddle.

I was hoping I?d still pull it all back together, but we?ve also had a death, and illness, and exhausted CAB and CLS resources, and I?m running out of money.
So new plan: is cut all losses, and not rely on anything but my own abilities which may not be great, but at least I?ll know if I?m going to let myself down!

Additional personal habit for May is going to be trying to learn to recognise I have my own messes to deal with, and don?t let other people?s overshadow them, and put myself first. (if that sounds selfish, sorry)

May has to see many changes happen here.

Still to do
Washing
Strip and remake bed
Shopping?
Contact people re funeral
Attack kitchen
Prep practise ISA for d/s
Research psychology module

Work out what else I should be doing
Sort dinner
Call friend but just don?t be dragged in

Just! How awful for you, you are not being selfish, you need to make yourself a priority. Sometimes you just have to say enough is enough.

Just not selfish ABOUT TIME!!! You need to look after yourself. Am sorry everything went tits up. hope you can manage to resolve the situation such that it is a considerable improvement on what it currently is.

Whilst I lacked motivation at the start of yesterday, I did discover it as I went along. Today I am suffering the effects of burnout and a 20hr day. feel like death frozen.

Ta da
laundry
dough in bread machine for pizza for tea
folding
sort ds' kit out
make my bed
plan of action wrt ds and school.

Need to gather the will to get into ds' room. he appears to have blocked the door so only skinny little people can access it again.

Afternoon all! Returning to this thread after doing flylady about 18 months ago and then stopping and umm.... Getting a very messy house. Was planning to start yesterday but cba, mentioned it on twitter and was then reminded to come back over here by blue eyeshadow so thank you! (I think?!?) am a sahm, with a 2yo and pregnant and morning sickness has left my place in a state. Still one step at a time! Going to hang some washing out now and try to pop in everyday, just tried to read the proper flylady site and wanted to kill her within 20 seconds so much nicer to come here and be given instructions!

trazzles so lovely to see you sweetie.

blames chocolate, lack of sleep and hormones if anyone wonders about the lack of bitchiness

Well hello there!

I am shame facedly having to return to this thread after a massive ding dong little "mis-understanding" with my cleaner and her walking out and me shouting rather crossly at her down the road!
So, until we can find another, more reliable and less hormonal cleaner who does not expect to be paid for a week she didn't work when she didnt bother telling me she was going on holiday! then it is me doing the housework and I really need to keep on top of it, so I will be looking here for a bit of encouragement and a massive kick up the massive backside

So, although its a bit different over here (I live over seas for those who dont know me) and priorities are very different, I am here and hope to hang around this month.

Just had a quick scroll and I noticed some "old" names, so hi to you and hello to all those who have not had the pleasure of my company before Have some of you name changed, too. I might need an idiots guide to any name changers.

I am also 6 hours ahead of you, so I have given up for tonight already. Today has been busy with work and way too hot to actually move any muscles other than the essential ones, and have done the hugely embarrassing total of absolutely nothing other than cook tea. Oh, i did put some washing in the machine - yes, I have a machine now, but the electrics are scarily dodgy, the power cable causes serious danger of strangulation whenever it is on and I have to time my washing to not be going if there is any danger of any rain as the power point is outside - yes, really!!! (kitchen is outside) BUT the washing is still in the machine as I can't be bothered to get it out tonight, I will do it first thing in the morning. Must remember or it will be mouldy by this time tomorrow.

Hi Bitchy - Id recognise you anywhere!

hello Pa

Waves to PA! How are you?

I'll slink in but can't promise to post every day, I'm pooped each evening.

Quick list

Send home sick child
Renew PLI
Collect new driving license form
Fill out said form
Post form

Cleaner has been here this morning so I'm gutted that a sick child has puked all over the floor. Means extra bleaching for me, very phobic about vomit too so I feel awful right now.

Thanks for running the thread castle. :)

Afternoon all.

Waves to crafts - nice to see you. :)

PA and Trazzles - lovely to see you too.

Just so sorry to hear you've had more troubles.

Well so far, I've mainly been working, but have come to a grinding halt due to half the footnotes being missing from this text. I've done some ironing and wondering whether to go and play in the sunshine or whether the rest of the text will appear in my absence if I do.

My list is:

Do the washing up
Replace broken washing line
Laundry reboot
Take out bins
Spend 5 minutes on desk hotspot
Clean coffee table
30 day shred

Already done:
Been to town for fun and frolics and waffles
Made bed
Hung out last night's washing

Hi everyone, I hope you have all been keeping well. Thanks for having me back. Just I'm sorry to hear you have had such a horrible time. You aren't being selfish at all.

Posting from train on way home from office.

Today my ta-da is basically

• get up
• DS to nursery
• go to work and actually work!

Not hugely exciting, but I'm quite pleased in that I've also started my first 5:2 fast day, and I'm quite hungry, but it's not terrible and I've got dinner to look forward to

Now, more importantly, Blue what's your blog?!

Oh well, if you insist, Doris it's on books, reading and translation and called A Discount Ticket to Everywhere.

If you're looking for blogs to follow, check out the Mumsnet Bloggers. crafts has a lovely blog there too.

Well that's my evening reading sorted

Thanks - looks interesting!

Sorry if I outed you blue!! Still aiming to get sink clean tonight but can't imagine doing the full fly lady instructs on cleaning it, has anyone else done this? Also not feeling like the worlds best housewife after setting new tea towel alight while cooking dinner, sigh...
Good luck Doris with the 5:2 :)

Just popping in, not done much at home today, but did get back from work to be greeted with DD in bed, a bowl of strawberries & cream, a cup of tea & DH doing the washing up! Plus he'd mended my walking boots

Have put a load of washing on for the morning, and put all of yesterday's washing away.

Craft I only do the full shine sink when it gets in a really bad state (surprisingly not that often) It did need it when I started Flying &I do make sure it's all wiped down every night, and that keeps it up to standard.

OK this time I'm really back after completely falling off the wagon for the whole of April

A bit of a non-day today I think. Let's see...

Breakfast done
Shower and dress done
Toddler group done
Lunch done
Another toddler group done
Dinner done
Bath dc and put to bed done
Attempt to fix sewing machine fail
Countersign friend's passport form
Finish my book

Trazzle - Fun and frolicks and waffles eh? Sounds like my kind of day!
Castle - Thanks for the thread
Crafts - Ooh pregnant! My dd1 was 2 when my dd2 was born. It's a lovely age gap. Remember to put your feet up. You get first dibs on cake in the naughty corner
PA - In useless at keeping up with name-changers...

Goth I just had a vision of your dd in bed with a bowl of strawberries and cream and a cup of tea

Evening all

Doris - I had my first fast day yesterday and it went well, next is tomorrow. Pigged out a bit today though .

Good to see so many returners back on the thread.

Just - so sorry the insurance hasn't covered things and that you are still struggling, also that you have suffered a bereavement

PA - I'm off to your neck of the woods (the British one) for the long weekend on Friday, we are all very excited.

OK, ta-da!

Morning routine, school etc
Shopping
Home for lots of procrastination and a little bit of gardening

Then decided to get stuck into the DCs room, which has been a tip for weeks (badly arranged furniture, not enough storage boxes). 2 hours of sorting and shifting and it is SO much better, lots more floor space and everything sorted out (well, a couple of big tubs of stuff to put away in other rooms, but the back of it has been broken).

Also managed to tidy and dust/wipe down the spare/playroom, which was fairly tidy having been mainly used as a guestroom in the last few weeks.

My daily zones seem to be working well this week, definitely better than Flylady style weekly ones.

Night all.

ellesabe swap the tea for a book and it would be her idea of heaven (mine too)

Good evening all
Castle thanks for running the thread this month
trazzles Good to see you. Have also been looking in on your other thread. {{hugs}} to you. Lovely to have you back
Hello craft
to PA good to see you

done
Made beds
Washed up from last night
Laundry on
Swished and swiped
Showered and dressed
Packed school bags
Dropped boys off
Went to work
Popped to Tesco (yes, that?s every day this week so far)
Collected boys from group
Home
Cooked dinner (chicken jambalaya)
Fed cats
Laundry
Re-dressed ds2?s bed (trying to get him dry at night)
Homework
Sorted dry clothes
Non iron away
Pley/tidy
Stray items away
Put out clothes
Packed school bags (minus lunch boxes and uniforms etc)
Mad epacked lunch
Detailed clean (hovered the walls and skirting boards in hallway, entrance and bathroom - dp thinks I?m crazy, but I don?t like feather dusters so use the hoover and do the entire wall instead of just the ceiling corners. Am I crazy? Probably)
Study (yay)

Now having a glass of wine and watching Grey?s.

LINKS FOR THURSDAY 2nd MAY

Babystep 2 is to get dressed to your shoes in the mornings.

(Many among us find that slippers do just as well, though shoes or wellies mean I?ve no excuse not to wade out to the washing line or the compost bin etc?)

The Daily Focus for Thursday is Errand Day.

We?re in Zone 1- The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room until the end of the week. We are decluttering, or detailed cleaning, in this zone for 15 minutes a day.

Today?s mission is to rescue the Entrance area of your home ? tidy away abandoned shoes, coats, and books.

The Flight plan for our daily routines, should update automatically.

Finally, the habit for the month of May is to get Moving!

Good night evening, lovely fledglings!

The thread has been very very busy today! Everyone is full of good intentions for the start of the month - let's keep it this way!
Mind you, I am not going to manage the lovely round-ups that Goth did - I'll do my best, though, hopefully that will be okay

Firstly....a very warm and enthusiastic welcome back to Trazzles , Honu , Just , Crafts , NickNacks , Ellesabe and PA . We missed you!!!

I think Honu had the best line of the day: This Flylady thing works if you do it. She's right but it's worse than trying to rollerskate - you just think you're getting the hang of it then you fall off again. Wishing everybody a successful month!

Since our habit this month is Moving I just wanted to mention that last summer a few of us became friends on 'MyFitnessPal' (website/app) to encourage each other on the bodyclutter front. My name is the same on that as it is here, if anybody else wants to join us!

Just - it sounds like it is TIME to put yourself first! And it is NOT selfish ? you seem to have an awful lot to deal with at the moment. Sorry to hear about the death in the family.
Crafts - I?m quaking in my pyjamas here! Do not overestimate my ability to lead this flock better than the FLYlady herself! And by the way I?m not in the running for world?s best housewife either after burning the beans this evening And congrats on your pregnancy!
PA I hope you get your new cleaner sorted quickly and Bitchy I hope you get the heating fixed although I hope you don?t get the weather you are expecting

Big wingflaps to SC , WhoKnows , Goth , Engels , Blue , Toffee , Silvery , Swan , LPlate , Louise , Elliepac , Ellietrying , Doris , Lauren if she is about , and anyone else I have forgotten to mention!

Ta Da:
Hmmm .... I nailed the Moving bit (morning walk, 4 mile run after school and then gaelic football training this evening) today, but may not be able to move at all tomorrow!

To Do:
Shine my sink as in: wash dishes and wipe it clean
Practise crappy keyboard piano
Bed!

Nite all!