Is June the new January? - the Fledgling Flyers are doing their flaming best

[pushmepullyou]

Welcome old and new fledglings to the June Fledgling FLYers thread!

Thank you very much to castlelough for leading us expertly through May - I shall try not to be too haphazard with June, although I make no promises

If you're overwhelmed by clutter and general household grub then join us as we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system or languish in the naughty corner hoping to do better tomorrow

As usual, we will be following the Flylady three-pronged approach:

1. Baby-steps (a daily step to establish routines)
2. Then baby-steps + 15 mins daily decluttering
3. (And once decluttered) babysteps + daily missions and maybe even detailed cleaning in the weekly zones

For more information have a look here, although to avoid a cluttered inbox, we advise not signing up to the Flylady emails. The basic principle is little and often and don't worry about perfection (no chance of that 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 and chat our way through the month.

I did start off the beginning of 2013 with these threads, but slipped away. Ive also lost some habits shining sink being one of them and need to get back on track. Plus its always a good feeling having a list and seeing it all done by the end of the day. Im stating from the begining and taking it slowly ish I see the habit for this month is drinking water, I already do drink quite a bit anyway so will make my habit shining the sink.

Today's list
Shine Sink done
2 loads of washing done
put washing away.
Walk dog

Tomorrow's list
Bedding
Shine Sink
Long Run
Bath
Chapter 2 of textbook for AAT course (I went away and have a couple of chapters to catch up on)
walk dog

Hope everyone is well.

I hear what you're saying bitchy, I just don't think it's forany of us to judge. We are here to support aren't we? And for me personally, as I have stastated before, this system stops me doing everything every day and I intend to use the system to how it suits me and my perception of it.
Swear away mate, doesn't bother me at all, what does bother me sometimes is when things are said in a way Iother than supportive, encouraging and helpful.

We are all on a journey and are all at different stages. Maybe some of us do have issued with perfectionism and maybe one day we'll be able to move away from that but I couldn't help take your post as a personal attack, hopefully I was wrong but I am finding what works for me. That will no doubt continue to change as I find other ways but at the moment I'm happy and I'm loving myself whilst still trying to love my home

Hi Silvery Thank you. How have you been?

I understand your point about not aiming for perfection Chaos. For me coming back to the fledgling fold is important because it will help me reestablish routines to get organised so that my family life isnt constantly being upset by things like a lack of school uniform, clean pants and that sinking feeling when somebody unexpected knocks at the door. Completing the routines and lists does actually help me to be more relaxed and fun for my dp and dcs to be around as Im not constantly stressing about housework.

Anyway.... Quick ta da before I head back to work:
Sheets in off line.
Washload in.
Washing put on line.
Hoovering - lovely dp.
Ironing kids uniforms - dp said he will do this this eve - not completely convinced it will happen but fingers crossed.
Sand S.
Off to see Dmum in a minute.

I failed to get to the post office, but did catch up on some sleep, so Im happy.

I will catch up with you all later.

I sort of get what you are saying Bitchy. But we all need to find what works for us. Saturday would not be a family fun day here as DS is generally at school. So it's sort of a normal day. I like the idea of having a family fun day on a Sunday but neither DH nor DS would co-operate I think! I do try not to do too much on a Sunday although if the weather is nice we do tend to work in the garden just because fine days have been few and far between.

Really?

"Wanting to improve any part of our lives is a good thing. The trouble is when "better" stops being the goal, and "perfect" takes its place. Gradually, we concentrate only on what we do wrong, no matter how much we do right."
"Trying to be perfect is the most imperfect goal imaginable. It is not achievable. It doesn't exist...If that's the only thing that will make you happy then you might as well decide to live a life of misery now"
"Everyone likes to feel like a success. That's pretty much a no-brainer. After all, who wakes up in the morning and says, "I can't wait to fail at everything I try today! Nobody"
"Sometimes good enough IS good enough."

Don't fixate on the issue of family fun day. The real issue is the obsession to perfection that is developing on this thread and what was cause the initial meant to be light hearted rant.

Well we have had family fun today - chosen wedding rings, out for lunch and then visited the inlaws. a very nice day. Sod all done at home but not bothered about that today.

I think we are all trying our best here, Bitchy, and doubt that anyone thinks they will achieve perfection. I'm just relieved if I've managed to do anything!

Haven't done any Flying today and it was a Family Fun Day, but that was more by accident than design.

KitAndKat - congratulations on your impending marriage! How exciting!

Evening all. So I have decided I am going to go to the school reunion so am shortly going to go and get ready in the vain hope that the last 20 years haven't aged me at all.

Fwiw, I think chb was just trying to say in an entirely lighthearted non-judgey way that we should try and remember that flylady encompasses an attitude to life not just the housework and that balance between fun and work must remain. I speak here as a fledgling who has failed to complete the babysteps in a month......ever........in 4 and a half years on this thread. silvery it was not a personal attack on you, more an observation on different methods of flying. This thread was started as a thread which welcomes all and a safeplace for all of us who were a little scared of the full FLY threads. And it still is. I am proud of this thread and the friendships I have formed and the friendships i hopefully will continue to form in the future. The point about perfectionism is a valid one but at the same time we all have our different approaches, always have and always will.

The spirit of this thread is babysteps, support and encouragement. That is why I love it. It is not about endless lists and beating yourself up about what you haven't done. It is a place to unwind, congratulate, commiserate and have a good old chat. It is more than FLY and I for one hope it remains so because I luffs you all.

Right, off to go and get a bath and drink .

Oh Ellie rather you than me! Not sure I'd be brave enough for a school reunion - I've put on far too much weight!

Ta da
Phoned best friend and dm
Took ds to circus fun day at nursery
Played on tablet while ds and dh were sleeping and did not have tantrum trying to turn off predictive text
Washing up
One load washing
Cleaned bathroom floor because ds managed to poo in the baby bath

o'clock!

Have a gd time ellie. I'm going to a uni reunion in August and am really looking forward to it.

narky don't be so impressed until I report back tomorrow. I have actually lost loads of weight recently so I think am more or less same size. But those wrinkles.......

They do say you have to choose... Arse or Face - you can't have both! Ha ha!

Ta da!
Coerced DS2 into having passport photos taken
Shopping
Nagged Talked DH into putting up the blind so bathroom finally finished :)
Dumped some tools and stuff back in the shed
Played too many games with the boys (actually probably not enough!)
Coerced DS2 into having a hair cut (would have been better before the photo but hey!)
Beer and pizza for tea.

And best of all, nobody actually killed anybody else!

Well boys (and I) am delighted with lovely curtains up in our new rooms. :) had to swap them all round to support the bedroom swap but unfortunately that included the poles too so big job (3 windows). Pleased it's done now though. :)

Oh dear I didn't mean to offend anyone.
It was me that mentioned the wishy washy babysteps.
I'm glad they are there, they allow a little breathing space.

Smells and heads to source!
Waves to everyone, welcomes Lileth home, and hello to CiderwithBuda, CaptChaos, Asheth, and IsSpringSprangedYet.

to Castle for last month and PMPY for this one and the thread title!

Todays been dedicated to fixing vehicle after it forced it?s way to the front of the queue of things needing doing, loudly and caring little about fun days.

Shiny sinks aren?t really compatible with oily battered hands needing scrubbing, so it?s been and gone..

Peers at Bitchy. What?s this 28 days? I was rather hoping 28 months might get me there.

KitAndKathi and congratulations, that sounds like a very nice day. Congratulations.

WhoKnows, sorry to hear about ds's broken arm.

Still to do
File remains of broken nails
Oversee systems mat revision.
Dinner
Call friend.
Sleep

Mercury a little belated but DON'T BE DAFT!!!!! Joe IS doing really well at the moment. If it wasn't for the tube in his nose, patchy hair and not being able to walk(!!!!!!) you would think he was any normal boy.

Focus on the positives there is still a chance he will live to 90!

Goodness me what an eventful start to the month. I'll post tomorrow's links first then attempt a round up!

It's the 2nd of the month so the babystep is get dressed to lace up shoes. Not one I hold by personally. and that's not just because the only lace up shoes I have are steel toe capped boots.

We're still in zone 1 and the Flight Plan is here

Sunday is renew your spirit day. I shall be renewing mine with a trip to the gym followed by a toddler party.

No missions as it's the weekend. Hooray

Re perfectionism and lack of same I think it's probably worth a quick recap of the Fly Lady flying lesson for baby steps...

'Your home did not get dirty in one day, and it will not get clean in a day, either. You have been living in clutter and CHAOS for many years; you are not going to get your home clean in a day. I do not want you to crash and burn. If you try to do this all at once, you are going to be mad at me, because this will be like every other ?get-organised? method you have tried. I want you to take your time. As you establish one habit, you will very easily be able to add another one to your routines.'

The basic rules for baby steps are:

1. Establish small routines first and then work up to more items. Don?t try to do a full-blown routine the very first day. Pick three things for the morning and three things for the evening.

2. Consistency is the key. Routines do not happen over night. It is the result of tiny changes over several months. If you try to accomplish this without taking the BabySteps, your habits will not be everlasting. BabySteps are the key. Yes, you can do your routines by looking at a list of things to do, but they have to become automatic, a part of you, for them to be life changing.

3. Take your time and enjoy the process. Don?t feel pressured to do it all at once. This is worth going slow. It takes 28 days to establish a habit. It doesn?t matter if you miss one day; just get back on your horse and keep taking those BabySteps. It is the practice that makes it work.

Obviously all of us on the thread will be at slightly different Flying stages, but many (probably most!) of those of us who have been here a long time are not particularly good at housework by nature. But, the Fly lady principles of 'a bit at a time' and just doing something (anything in my case!) are good ones. It's about small sustainable changes that mean I no longer have a 2x3 m pile of crap behind my sofa that is 'hidden' with a grubby throw. I will never have a show home (as if ) but I'm no longer too ashamed to let the man in to read the meter!

One of the nicest things about this thread for me is that it is very friendly and open and like ellie I have made some great friends on here over the past few years and look forward to making more in future . I feel like I ought to make some sort of intelligent point now, but I've got Mojitos and I haven't had my tea yet so I'll just smile benevolently and wander off to the naughty corner as usual

And the first June roundup...

Welcome back mercury and lileth I am the champion of the in again out again school of flying. Well done on the teacher training mercury

Silvery posted a mammoth list and has had a busy day of toddler birthday parties and the park.

KitKat chose wedding rings - I'm all nostalgic now

Goth went to work with a tidy flat and an empty laundry basket

Toffee shined her sink by half 10 and was feeling pretty smug, but Doris is ahead of the game and got it done last night while her DH was poorly - hope he's feeling better today.

Narky's boys have tidied their rooms. Mine on the other hand emptied out his toy basket and shouted 'Mess Mummy mess. Mummy do it!' I think I need a lesson.

Bitchy was up late in the naughty corner bar and reminded us all in her own inimitable way that the fly lady system does not require or promote perfection in housework

engels is signing (has signed?) up for a 15k run, which makes me feel tired just thinking about it!

Castles is put having a sneaky non-drink to celebrate her sister's engagement. Wonder if she's been rumbled?

Whoknows DS has broken his arm - poor boy, I hope it's starting to feel better today. I've broken a few many bones and they do generaly settle after 24-48 hrs. Is he in plaster? How long before he's expectd to be able to use it again?

Trazzles is starting to declutter the hallway. II think it's very natural that you don't want to get rid of Joe's craftwork. I hole punch pictures and keep them in lever arch files which helps keep on top of it a bit without throwing things away. I have stackable tuff crates for larger items and shove them down the back of the piano

Just is heading for the . Don't blame her . There's always another day to shine your sink!

ellie has gone to a school reunion this eveing. Braver than I am, am very afraid of the interveining 20 years. Have had a bit of a FB search for people I was at school with though and was very happy to find that at least 50% of them have fared visibly worse than me. So I am at least average .

Welcome to new flyers CaptChaos, Asheth. IsSpring and Cider. Don't be scared off - most days are much less eventful

Blue and PA still hate the Karcher add. I've blocked it myself, which I would highly recommend. I think there is a link on how to do it posted on the May thread, although I can't remember who posted it and i'm not sure

Hello to everyone I've missed and any lurking flyers

Thank you Trazzles