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.

Hmm, thought I'd posted earlier but apparently I didn't.

Oh well. Have been to Zumba so definitely Moving! Need to go to bed now though.

Just to say, don't worry crafts - I mentioned the blog on the last thread and Doris was asking about it there.

Hi all, I'm vaulting over the April thread fence into the May field...

broad green sward dotted with SC's daisies and little tables set up with plenty of pies and waffles. No litter and no clutter, and if there is, may it be re-labelled "picnic sundries"

Rather a lot of cats here, I think I have been uncharacteristically outfluffed.

Just I sympathise in that the same problems seem to remain month after month...only one's method of dealing with them can really change.
Trazzle a big hug to you

today pluses
new playroom/telly room looks very welcoming if we can keep the evil cat that keeps coming in through catflap and spraying it at bay
new kitchen is blissful - I am loving having a sink near to the cooker!!!! My old kitchen was so badly arranged I shudder to remember - how did I put up with it for so long?
did food shopping
ds2 to literacy tutor - she says she is worried about his hearing, and misunderstanding of phonemes, and he needs to see an Ed Pysch before secondary
Family Therapy in morning

felt knackered by 3.30 and went to sleep for an hour on sofa with cat no 2 (Fernando)
hideous fight between sons over a game of cricket which ds1 did not want to play, ended up with 13 year old swearing and me hiding the wicket
stirfry for supper
helped at Beavers
washed uniform yet again
Dd spent most of afternoon at a friend's house
reloaded dw twice, and kept worktops clean
cat maintenance and love-ins!

Blue v interested to read your blog. Dh is a German who finds it impossible to move between languages, he can think/read in English or in German or in Italian but not translate.

Better go to bed now...another day of trying to sort stuff out tomorrow, still an enormous backlog after building work - garden, paperwork, children's lives, social life. Every day I try and do one "backloggy" thing, today it was paying a bill (maybe that doesn't count as backlog but centrelog) but there is always more NEW stuff coming at me to unravel before I've even tackled the old stuff...

Right tomorrow I am determined to order a receptacle of some sort for my room so there is somewhere to store my socks/tights/undies. At the moment they are all in a heap in a basket for last five years, and Dh has a chest of drawers. Even a plastic chest of drawers would be better than a basket! And I need to tackle the garden or in June I will still be looking at an empty flowerbed...

For once I achieved everything on my list! Yeah! (Well, apart from the shred... Oh well )

Today:

Quick tidy of living room before visitors arrive
Take DD to nursery
Laundry reboot (I am SO happy to have a washing line again!)
Empty dishwasher
15 minutes on desk hotspot
Sketch meal plan for next week
Make sure house isn't too awful for community nurse visit at 8am tomorrow
Oh and phone community nurse to make sure she brings the right stuff.

Thank you for all the welcome backs!

Whoknows - have a fab time over there and give a big wave for me as you drive round. Are you going back to your usual haunt?

A fairly productive day so far for me:
I managed to get washing out and have now also washed all the pillows and sheets are soaking for the next load. Pillows are out drying in the sun.
Language lessons at 7am - ridiculous time!!! A good lesson - reading and writing today. I am beginning to read quicker and understand far more. A very good lesson today.
Coffee and cake with a friend
stopped at shop on the way home
Came home ready to sweep and mop the downstairs floor, but lodger had already done it! YAY!! Love him!!! So, I could have then gone and done the other 3 floors, but no, me being me, I sat down!!
Did some work on laptop - day off really, but it needed doing.
Flippin' hot today. Hopefully we will have a storm to break it a bit later.

To do this afternoon:
Wash sheets,
dry
make bed (only have 1 set per bed, so timing of drying is crucial to avoid wet beds at night) - should put before this pray for rain to stay off until sheets are dry!
Bake choccy cake
tea - not sure what yet, dig in freezer and see what appears.

Have a good day everyone.

Hi Trazzles big ((((hugs))))

I'm here. I'm shite at flying. honu twas me that said it works if you do it properly but am unable to follow my own advice

Big waves and welcome backs to pa and trazzles.

Got to go to work. Boooooo.

Quick post to question something as I'm on my phone - I'll post properly later when I'm working.

How often do you people dust? I dusted on Tuesday as I had people over, but I'm sitting on the couch and I can see the dust on the coffee table - not thick dust you can write your name in, but more little bits of dust from people moving about IYSWIM. Dusting isn't on my list today, but I think it might have to be

Hmm, very rarely is my answer to that, Doris . I have a cleaner who comes once a fortnight and she dusts. Apart from that, I only dust if I can see dust.

Welcome back and ((hugs)), Trazzles. Very impressed that you are doing the shred. I looked into it and ran a mile decided against it.

PA - great to have you back too. Sounds like you are doing really well with the language. And that you have a great lodger too (maybe you could train him in the ways of Flylady ).

Just - I'm so sorry things have been so difficult again, but I'm glad you realise you need to put yourself first right now. Any good friends will understand that.

Have too many people coming round today . Think I might crawl into the cat box and hide. DS2 is off school with a cough and cold, so I also have both DC at home all day. Think a crisis clean might be in order.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Probably not a la fat fairy friend, but my mum always used to say, leave the dust til you can see it, then damp cloth it away - if you only "dust" you are just unsettling the dust, so it will re-settle as soon as it stops floating, IYSWIM.

Right, working early today as my boss' computer decided to take a terminal swan dive, so had to talk him through how to sort it out. Not fun at 8am before your first coffee!

Thanks for the comments on dusting - I do damp dust (except my piano which nothing wet ever goes near!), and it does work, but DS plays with his toys on the carpet, and then on the coffee table so it transfers up - I think I'll just have to wipe it a bit more often - and look forward to the day when he can play in his own room!

Today I'm planning to:

• washing (beds and towels hopefully)
• possible trip to the supermarket
• possible grass cutting (looking ropey by looking at the clouds)
• possible anything else

In short, I have no clue what I want to do and when I want to do it. I may just have a play day with DS.

Right, back to the real work now! Is it too early to hit the bar in the naughty corner?

Like the tip about damp dusting, PA. That sounds logical.

Play day sounds good, doris, and I'm sure DS would prefer you to do that than dust .

DS2 is sulking because he wants to play hairdressers and I won't let him cut my hair.

I dust when I can see it TBH. Some places catch the sun and are done more frequently than others. Either damp dust (if I've got time to move stuff) or a quick whizz in and out of everything with one of those disposable Pledge dusters on a stick, which do pick it up pretty well (and don't leave swirls on the TV like a damp cloth does).

Work today, boo, it is a gorgeous day, just got back from school and need to peg out a couple of loads of washing. Tonight I need to tidy the landing which has got a lot of stuff on it following the big clear out of DCs room yesterday.

good morning!!
May already! THAT is bonkers!!!
The sunshine really highlights the dust everywhere! MUST rectify!
We've been dealing with a poorly DS so everything has gone to pot, but now, normality has been restored, and so I MUST try and restore some order out of the chaos!!
AT least it's a bank hol wknd coming up - yeehhaaa!x

so far
three dcs to school (and ds1 has forgotten his socks and his lunchcard, and dh gave him yesterday's smelly shirt to wear [grrr]
cat litter cleaned
some clothes moved from one floor to another
dressed
dd piano practice
rang dyspraxia OT to demand my report!!!!

okay, now
breakfast finally
put clothes away
iron remainder
hoover kitchen floor
morning routine - wash in, dw, worktops, dirty washing in pile, rubbish in bins, quick tidy of front room

then more catching up indoors - will concentrate on hall mess today, then bank phone call

Morning all,

Well an overexcited DD going on a school trip to the Science Centre today, I am so pleased I didn't know my rota bottled helping out.

Done
Beds
Dd to school via shop to get a bottle of water
Back home via greengrocers who didn't have baking potatoes!

To do
Hang laundry out
Take cat out

Litter tray
Empty bins
5 min room rescue in DD's bedroom
Finish weekly bleugh
Paperwork
Collect Dd via somewhere that does has baking potatoes
Library
Supervise homework/spelling practice
Dinner
Wash up /SS
Skype friend

That's doable

Re dusting, I tend to have a half hearted flick round as part of weekly bleugh, I really hate dusting

Hi everyone!

Wow - only been away one day (dd off school for public holiday yesterday and today) - and see that loads of familiar faces have returned to the fold!!

Tis brilliant to see you all PA Trazzles Just Honu Elliepac Craftsonsea!!!!

PA feel really badly for being out of touch - pls forgive me - will make up for it soon I promise!! Take care doing the family laundry - electrics sound a bit scary!

Trazzles great to 'see' you - you, Joe and the whole family have been much in our thoughts x

Just great you are back but ohhhhhh nooooooo!!!! I am so sorry the insurance deal fell through - that is just awful. Terribly sorry to hear about your family bereavement too. Sounds like a good plan to focus your energy and resources on you for a change!

Honu couldn't agree more about roller-skate analogy - I've only managed to Fly "properly" for about three weeks consecutively I think ... but doing it imperfectly is much better than alternative I reckon

Elliepac I can't follow my own advice either but haven't done anything else worthwhile such as nurturing the minds of the nation's youth either!!

Congratulations on your pregnancy Craftsonsea!

Thanks for links Castle I am very pleased that the habit for May is "moving"! Determined to get a bit fitter this month!

Swan really like the idea of doing one thing from the 'backlog' pile each day! Arf at 'picnic sundries' and being outfluffed!

Jdub ditto - the sunshine here is not only highlighting the dust, but the dirty terrace (looks like an old pond), the windows covered in masonry dust (desperately need cleaning) and the cobwebs in the corners of the ceilings!!

Whoknows well done re: your blitz on the dc room - sounds fab!

Hope you manage to get some time for yourself today Toffee

Doris a play day sounds good!

V. impressed by your blog Blue!

Silvery arf at hoovering the walls ...whatever works

Hope you survived the vom Nicknacks [hands over bottle of Dettol]

Bitchy think you have hit the nail on the head there when you say that you lacked motivation at the beginning but you discovered it as you went along! I'm going to try and remember that as the last thing I want to do every morning is housework but it's usually fairly OK once I start!

Arf at your dd in bed with strawberries and cream Goth

Thought it was an eminently sensible/pragmatic decision by Queen B to abdicate Engels

Waves to Ellesababe and anyone else I've missed!

Got to go. DD is trying to enact what it would be like to live inside a sausage roll and I am being called upon to roll her up inside a large camel-coloured fleece!!

baking potatoes are a rare commodity over here too Goth

SC I wouldn't comment, but we get some from there probably around once a fortnight! More often if I'm short of meal ideas. Think they're pushing the new potatoes this week.

done
hall
morning routine (apart from bins)

Thanks for all the kind words re the blog. Interesting about your DH, Swan - just goes to disprove the old myth that anyone who speaks 2 languages can translate.

Theoretically, I dust once a week as part of the house bleugh but it's the 1st thing to go if I'm pushed for time. Do more detail when it comes up as a mission.

lunch break

dd and I have tidied up her room

bed linen from master boudoir is being washed

I have done 2 x 15 mins decluttering in boudoir and done the morning routine/dw etc (late)

going to carry on this afternoon plus spend some time playing with dd. dh is still travelling so we can live on baked beans and spend more time doing fun stuff. Yay!

[Does anyone else feel they spend a large proportion of their time peeling veg btw? I seem to spend a humungous amount of time chopping onions, peeling garlic cloves, prepping carrots, celery, pots, skinning tomatoes, de-seeding peppers, washing mushrooms, prepping salads etc etc. Seems to take forever even just for 3 of us. Do tend to batch cook though]

going to re-start MFP today too (I am eating healthily in the main, but portions far too large)

Goth I'm with you - baked potatoes are one of my all-time favourite suppers and no-one seems to eat them over here. Can't find broad beans for love nor money either. Parsnips only started being imported 4 years or so ago ...Belgians eat loads of veg/salad in general but are very conservative with their selection.

Phew, last visitor cancelled. It was all getting too much. And have been so busy with visits that DS1's home ed hasn't been done and now I have to drag him off the XBox.

Also managed to shut the kitten in the downstairs cupboard in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. Poor kitty .

At least the house is clean now, thanks to my wonderful cleaner .

To do:

Sort out pile of clean washing on our bed
Do as little ironing as possible
Put clothes away
Tidy DS2's bedroom again (did it yesterday ) because it will turn into a guest room this weekend
Dinner

Today I have been chasing red tape. You will find me in the naughty corner drinking a vat of I might share. But depends.

It has been on eof those fucking days.
PA that is a good point re the dusting........Doris I do mine over the weekend. I can see dust on the tv stand now but I won't do anything about it until Saturday/Sunday. For me, I find it more important to stick to my systems and routines than have the place looking perfect. I know that sounds odd, but that's me. If I didn't have lists and set times to do these things, I'd do them everyday and that is exhausting. I have learnt not to let it bother me.