July's Fledgling Flyers: Summer holidays are on their way and the clutter is going to FLY away

[elliepac]

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

Thank you very much to cpmpy for leading us expertly through June- it's been a while since I lead so I can't promise to be as efficient but will do my best . This will start by copying and pasting pmpy's original June post

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'm in. Thanks Ellie and thanks PMPY for last month.

Marking spot. to ellie and to pmpy.

Here are your links for the first day of the month.

Shining your sink. Seems inconsequential but really makes a difference to your mindset.

Your mission for today is here

The Zone this week is Hall and Front Porch and Dining Room

The July habit is Swish and Swipe.

Waves to whoknows and blue .

Parking my bucket and bunions here!!

Thanks Pushme for leading us through June on top of a manic work/travel schedule! Hope you are having a lovely holiday!!

And very good of you to take on July Ellie towards the end of what was, I'm sure, a hugely busy term for you.

Bum ... meant to name change ... back in a sec ....

That's better!

Signing in.

Signing into new thread! Thank you to PMPY for guiding me through my first months flying! And thank you to Ellie for the new thread. Although seeing what the DC can do to my house in a weekend doesn't give me much hope that the summer holidays will help the clutter disappear!

Marking my place.

Morning all. New month, new start. Maybe thread leading will give me the kick up the bum I need.

List for today:-
Washing (already on)
Run (done)
Work
Dd's parent's evening
Ds to cubs
Dinner
Evening routine
Morning routine
Mission

That is my aim this month. To follow routines and do the mission each day.

Have a good day everyone.

I have 3 days of July to pack and make sure the house is left in a decent state!

Good luck with Engelsemama

trazzles can only echo the advice of last night.

Thanks for taking over Ellie and thank you for leading us last month PMPY

this month is going to get to a slow start. I have complete and utter burn out.

I am also trying to figure out how to be in 3 places at once next Saturday.

Going to find coffee as 6 hours sleep is not enough.

Good morning. Coffee break.

Thanks for links Ellie. Ditto this month re: aims (prior to holidays anyway). And going to add in "Bless your Heart" 15 mins of exercise from Body Clutter each day + continue to drink more water (as s&s thankfully already entrenched).

Having said all that, day one, hour one of school holidays not going particularly well! DD already sulking because she has "nothing to do", despite dh and I taking her out for 5 hours between us yesterday and us all going out to tea with friend later on.

You would think one and a half hour's of "having to rely on one's own resources" while I get organised would not be beyond the pail but I think the school spoon feed so much, and her term schedule is so packed, that the adjustment will be tricky initially.

I have explained that we will be going out to the park this afternoon to play badminton and we will be taking her out for a day trip to a safari park on Wednesday, with more friends coming (both days) at the weekend, followed by a week of morning art classes next week. But she is curled up in a ball on the sofa sulking and obviously feels this is deeply unfair. And I am irritated because I feel guilty for not getting this house in better shape during term time. And also sorry for her because life can be difficult as an 'only'.

Dilemma, should I give up now and bake a cake with her to show willing? (She has worked really hard this term.) Or do I try and start decluttering/organising? Or should I hide in the wine cellar and drink gin ?????

Ahhhh, I love the holidays, I really do !! No, no I really do !

Keep going! Asheth

Good luck with the crisis clean and packing Engels

Waves to everyone else!!

To da:
morning routine inc wm, dw, rabbits, s&s, shiny sink
call friend
hang out dh's 1001 socks
clear dining room table hot spot
meal plan for today

To do:
cheer up dd/come to sort of action-compromise!
strip bed
two holiday organisational e-mails
change sheets
wash sheets
prep cold white wash
towel wash
last school uniform wash
dark blue wash
call Dr for prescription + make appointment
today's mission
call sil
put away ironed washing
dd to badminton/park
15 mins boudoir/15 mins home office
text window cleaner
unpack vast collection of bags containing dd's school work/files etc and sort for next year
shredding of papers
MFP
15 min power walk
print out next year's school brochure
knock a couple of items off holiday prep list
prep lamb chops/veg for supper (no Sunday lunch yesterday)
evening routine

Have a good start to the month lovely fledgling one and all!

x post

waves to Bitchy [Proffers strong espresso]

Good morning one and all! Too stressed for personals today, but thanks to PMPY for last month and to Ellie for this.

We're off on holiday in two/three days (Wednesday night). I'm getting uptight. Seriously uptight. It's bloody stupid because:
a) I've got most of this afternoon to start tidying up & packing.
b) I've got all tomorrow to tidy & pack
c) I've got all Wednesday to tidy & pack.

So why the fuck am I so uptight and ready to cry?! We're going to stay with family in this country and in France, we're not staying in the middle of nowhere with no shops so I can buy anything I've forgotten - but I'm so wound up that I've got an upset stomach.

Argh!!!!!

Oh poor you Doris [proffers calming camomile tea] It's NOT bloody stupid - you feel how you feel - and holidays and travel are innately stressful (particularly with small dc). Can you try and cut it down in to small, manageable bites so it doesn't seem so overwhelming? (The power of 15 mins and all that!) You might feel better as you cross each small thing off the list!! YOu can do it!!

How are you this morning Trazzles? I hope your stomach bug is receding and you are feeling a bit stronger xxxx

Good morning and happy July!!!!
Off to a slow start but the enthusiasm is there, so that's a start!!
Nothing but washing achieved this weekend, as we were out most of the time, so I shall start to address indoors this evening!
Have a happy and productive day x

Morning all.

Ta da! (yesterday evening and this morning)
Room rescues downstairs
Laundry done and on line
Quick bit of gardening
Dusting
Hoovering
Mopped floors
S&S
Front door mission

To do!
Pick up DS2 on new bike
Desk hotspots
Work!

Sound advice from SC, there Doris. Hope things improving.
Likewise Trazzles - hope things are better today.

SC - can you use the power of 15 with DD? Say you need to tidy this one area and then you'll come and do something with her, and use a timer so everybody knows when the time is up?

Good morning! Where did June go?
to PMPM & for ellie

hope to do better this month, but not looking good so far.
2 days off then another 59 hour week,
then the usual 4 days at work,
then 10 days at parents with DD, involving 6 hours train and 1 hour bus (guess which bit is the most trouble) travel each way.
DH will be at home with the cat, so god knows what state the house will be in.
Anyway, tackle that one step at a time

Done
Lie in
Beds
Laundry in
Dry laundry folded and away
Breakfasts
Washing up
Wipe down kitchen sides
Clean microwave
S&S
Trip to library (unsuccessful as it is FULL of baby song time)
Refuse & recycling out

To do
Wait for showers to stop & hang out laundry
Fresh trip to library
Dust
Vacuum
Stick up DD's posters (again)
Mop
Clean windows

Doris I know exactly how you feel! Same here - leaving Wednesday afternoon so have today, tues and wed to pack and clean. DS is at nursery tomorrowxand wed and DH is off from tomorrow.

But I hate packing and am paranoid I'll forget something vital and am dreading epic 30 hour + journey!

Just got back from hour and a half in playground with ds and dn's. Ds now asleep and now time fir me to flsx my fingers and get on.

sc it took me a moment to clock your nc!

I was on a Hen Do this weekend and consequentally very little got done around the house. This wouldn't have been too bad but the house has gradually become more and more chaotic and I have really slipped. I am spending today trying to get the house more organised and tidy so I can start implementing the routines and staying on top of things again.

So far today I have:
Done 3 washloads
Emptied dw
Run cleaner through dw
Made beds
One pile of ironing
Reloaded dw

Before lunch I plan to:
Put ironing away
Hang out final load of washing
Strip dcs beds
Clean bathroom
Room rescue living room and kitchen
Dust and hoover downstairs

I will bbl hopefully posting on here will keep me motivated and help me break the back of Mission Sort The House!

SC the solution is to offer to give dd some cleaning and tidying to do if she is bored. And every time she says it to offer a specific task - not optional to do. Works a treat with ds and shortens the transition time considerably.

to PMPY for leading last month and to Ellie for this one.
Yes to swish and swipe! Probably the most effective and easily useable habit I?ve picked up properly so far. I have to get on top of things this month, but bit of a rough start. Didn?t manage to get back last night, neighbour kicked off and we fled back to bedinshed leaving the dongle behind! This morning?s been taken up with repairing vehicle and the fall out.

*Trazzles? another one echoing the wise words said last night. I think being ill will also make it all seem horribly magnified. I hope you?re managing as best you can and not feeling too awful.

SC I?m trying to ignore the name change from one that makes me think of all things velvet, voluptuous, and rich, to all things scrim cloth, overcooked and parsimonious! (this is entirely my problem over word associations of course)
One thing we don?t have here is bored I think they may have learnt it?s risky to admit to owning fillable time.
I think a compromise could be teaching DD how to make perfect gin and tonics?

Bitchy I?m feeling the same though I can?t afford to. More caffeine, less alcohol here I think. (Though that tends to mean less sleep)

Asheth If you find a way to do routines in the summer holidays, write it up and publish it. You?ll make a fortune.

Engels and Doris good luck, we usually manage to have a massive pre event argument every time we go any were.

waving to everyone else as I must get on

Still to do
Quick bath (have been mudfestclearing)
Beds
Grab all dirty clothes and sort
Washing
Lunch
Washing up
Shine sink
Clean bathroom
Rescue last night?s drying of line
List voucher expiry dates on calendar
Call exam accommodation
Call DFE
PO
Open bank account with ds
Garden recycling
Prompt ds to email prospective employer to say he can do DBS interview
Update HE diary
Research : maths and art resources
Dragon software
Arduino and PICS
Vex robotics
Look at continuation of statement forms
Look at transition forms
Look at LDA assessment form
(emerge from under table and stop twitching)
Find storage contract
Start spreadsheet for insurance claim
Insurance unit for more photographing
Shopping
Launderette for Drying
Write up warning signs of NDN?s deteriorating MH and impact on us
Ironing
Investigate hoover
Hoover (if managed to fix)
Throw skanky people in shower
Prompt ds teeth and elastics
Make tomorrows plan (and put all that didn?t get achieved today into it!)
Dinner
Listen to friend
Sleep

SC that would have looked more as intended if I'd remembered the !