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

Crikey Trazzles sorry you and Joe have had such a tough day and that it is still continuing this evening ...hope they give ruddy Peppa Pig a rest soon

[sending supportive Fledgling vibes and restorative amounts of virtual alcohol ]

A warm welcome to PrincessX!

Ellie I'm afraid I lied too when asked about Father Christmas - but dd (I reckon by now anyway) knows I am lying and is playing along with it as part of her still wants to believe ... . It is though when they grow up so fast ...still, I take solace from the fact that I received a supportive note from 'The Moon Unicorn in Eucornia' this morning .. written in deliberately wobbly writing ...

Hope dinner wasn't too nightmarish Swan

Wishing you strength for the long shifts Goth

Arf at Ellie's and Carpe's monobrows!

Pssst - good to share shoe tips Whoknows

Waves to Blue Asheth Toffee Pushme Bitchy and everyone else!

G'night all

x posts Swan!

supper sounds very entertaining !

Guys. Can I get on board here please ? Y'all seem so lovely and I could really use a place to brain dump the mountains of stuf I need to do to get my place sorted ?

Evening all

God trazzles, 6 and a half hours is pushing it even for the most devoted Peppa fan. I really hope the next injection is less painful for Joe . I will be thinking about you both at 1am x

swan and sc mob were quite displeased but mostly not with me, so I'm counting that as a plus they called my client and arrogant arsehole, which he kind of is tbh, so it was worth going just for that

Am I waving across the Humber to you ellie? I've got meetings at Grimsby and Immingham tomorrow, and it hardly seemed worth going home. Perhaps I should have turned up hopefully on your doorstep instead . How old is your DS? I am dreading the end of FC with my two.

I think the cancellation is to be expected if disappointing toffee. It's been probably the most stressful week your DS has had if not ever then certainly for a long time. I'm sure he'll have a much better chance if he can try again once he's had a bit of time to rebuild his emotional resiliance (can't think of a better way of phrasing that but I'm sure there is one).

Hi blue, jdub, princess, carpe, goth and bitchy. And everyone else I've missed

No flying here, but DH has bought a new iron and is excitedly ironing ants and teatowels . But has completely failed to clean up after tea or stack the dishwasher .

Hi jess, of course, jump right in . Be warned we are generally better at chatting than cleaning though

jesstheworstmum welcome aboard!
And hello to princessx too.

Only advice you'll get from me (ha ha, opinionated really) is remember baby steps don't try to do everything at once.

Well, I'm home, done a small batch of ironing and raised DH's hopes by telling him to strip, yes you've got it, it's a late night wash load to give me a head start in the morning

Evening,

Welcome to Princess and Jess, you've come to the right place, just jump in and feel free to ask if we are talking in a strange code. No question is too trivial for this thread.

Trazzles - grrrr to Peppa Pig. When DS had his arm set the other week there was someone in the next room watching Eastenders on a laptop at 11pm, I was not amused, and that was only on one night, the amount of time you've had to spend in hospital I'm not surprised it's driving you to distraction.

Swan - hope you get the electric sorted without too much hassle. We had our water meter installed last week and it has shown that there's a leak somewhere, so I think we are in for repairs too.

Toffee - , such rotten timing, losing the kitten at the same time as the insight week. I don't feel I have any useful suggestions I'm afraid, just want to offer moral support.

Had to do panic Flying today as I had invited my friends over for coffee this afternoon. It was too hot to sit on the patio so we put beanbags and cushions under the cherry tree and had a nice chinwag together, we all act as a valve for each others worries and frustrations, a bit like this thread really, and our coffees are very precious to us all. Anyway that meant downstairs at least was tidy. Forced the DCs to sort out and put away all clothes, clean and dirty this evening, so there is a bit of an improvement upstairs. DS opened the juice bar again today with watermelon juice, lovely.

ta-da!

Morning routine
Tidy kitchen
Clean kitchen and bathroom floors
Two lots wshing
Pilates class
Shopping
4 bags of stuff to charity shop
unpack shopping
clean kitchen and bathroom
coffee
water school garden
school run
paperwork half an hour or so
make dinner

Welcome, princessx and sympathies with the never-ending laundry. (Does anyone else ever see the bottom of their laundry baskets? I never do and I'm not sure I want to know what's down there.)

Hi and welcome, jess - pushme is right about the chatting here. There is a naughty corner for those who've had a bad Flying day too (the bar is usually well stocked ).

Thank you for the wise and consoling words from swan, push, whoknows, blue, ellie and more about DS1/school/poorly kitten scenario. Have pulled myself together now, I think. Told DS1 this evening that we will be resuming home ed tomorrow, as he isn't going to complete his insight week, but we will be studying in a local park (thereby neatly combining home ed with his CBT challenges ).

Teacher still hasn't been in touch to arrange a meeting. I don't understand people who don't reply to emails. I have emailed him three times since last week. Am annoyed with him now.

Trazzle - I'm so, so sorry that Joe was in so much pain. And how awful for you to witness it and be unable to stop it. Is there nothing the nurses can give him to stop the pain? Poor baby - and poor you. I hope tonight is better.

SC - I love the fact that you have a note from 'The Moon Unicorn in Eucornia' .

ellie - sorry about the Father Christmas stuff. It depends so much on the child. DS1, who is quite naive really, believed in him right up until he was about to go to secondary and cried when he realised he wasn't real , whereas DS2 rumbled it in no time and had to be held back from telling all his classmates.

Carpe - I am impressed that you managed to get your DS to study an hour of Maths and an hour of Spanish. Any tips on how you did that, or is it all down to the eyebrows?

Swan - so sorry about the electrics in your kitchen. It's just one more bloody thing to deal with, isn't it?

WhoKnows - we have just had a letter telling us we have to have a water meter too. I don't want one .

Anyone know why I am getting a lot of spiders downstairs at the moment? It's not spider season, is it? What scares me is that they all look like they are from the same family and they are big . DH says they are breeding in the cupboard under the stairs .

Must go and sort out some work for DS1 tomorrow...

Morning all

Welcome jess

pmpy you are indeed waving across the Humber and today within spitting distance. We could have had a fledgling sleepover. DS is turning 10 next month so I knew it was only a matter of time! Thought i might get one more year because he is quite naive but alas it was not to be. Have made him promise on pain of death not to tell DD and that he has to play along. On the positive side he then was ruminating and realised that all presents were actually from us and was shocked at how much money has been spent on him over the years. Maybe, just maybe, he will be a little more grateful!

trazzles having gone through a Peppa Pig obsessed phase with DD, I feel your pain. Hope they have manage to sort Joe's pain out.

Better get on. 8 get ups to go!

sorry some are having such awful times atm.

I think I might have stuffed up the organisation for today. I need to check but I am up and functioning and have had my first argument of the day with ds already. Now for the coffee and the doing stuff. will be a normal bitchy kinda list today. sorry to the new fledglings just do as the others do and ignore it

ta da
fold 1 load of washing
internet stuff
sort through clothes
pin ds down and deal with his infected cuts
pick a second argument with ds re homework
Play hunt the calendar with the info on that is actually needed for today.

Thanks for welcoming me
I'm just buying some supplies in Tesco and then I'm hoping to blitz my kitchen !!

Just warning you jess the fat fairy is very against blitzing. The key to the whole system is babysteps and NOT being a perfectionist. The idea that in little bits, a little of a time you won't need to blitz and you will be on top of things without realising it. Perfectionism is very against the ethos and has caused rifts within the thread previously. We do try to keep up this end on non-perfectionism with chit chat, the naughty corner and it's bar for those that require or just wish to hide in it. Good luck but remember to "only pull out what you can put away in an hour" at any one time.

Right flying on coffee today. ellie be warned the car is being tackled it has to go to the garage in 15mins and I am not sending it in its current biohazard state

Morning all

Trazzles How are you and Joe this morning?

A warm welcome to Jess Yes, slow and steady really is the way to go [Bitchy look away] I confess I broke all the rules and blitzed yesterday and a bit over the weekend though Good luck!

Hope your day gets better Bitchy!

Sorry teacher hasn't got back to you Toffee how frustrating. Well done for ploughing on with home ed though. Ditto what Pushme said about trial week coming at worst possible time for your ds1 - he did v. well to get as far as he did in circs. Loads of spiders here atm btw. Lots of webs spread across bushes etc - maybe cold spring triggered early 'nesting' or whatever it is they do.

[Also have creepy crawlies of a different variety in our sitting room. DD has one of those hatching butterfly sets which comes out every year. Live caterpillars arrived yesterday and are already cocooning (normally takes at least a week or so). Must be the heat.]

Another one who had an eventful evening Pushme! Glad you survived the meeting. Arf at your dh ironing ants!

Whoknows coffee with friends under the cherry tree sounds absolutely idyllic

at Goth stripping her dh ....(for Flying purposes only )

Hope you get the electricity sorted Swan and the contents of freezer/fridge haven't suffered too much in the heat

Waves to Ellie Carpe and eveyrone else ...

whingy bit part 1:
It's three steps forward, one back here. Had arrranged for a gardener, a builder and two dynamic ladies to come and help me this afternoon with special cleaning projects (following on from my major sort). But, having felt fine all day heaving boxes up and downstairs, was up all night heaving in another way, and doc says I apparently need to have more investigations (stomach and cardiac). (Already had some minor treatment for both.) So have cancelled everyone (except gardener) which is deeply frustrating. This all sounds a lot worse than it is - as feel tired but OK this morning. (Have huge fear and loathing of doctors/hospitals though so dreading the forthcoming appts.) Feel badly for dh though who has been up most of the night and has hugely busy day in office to plough through.

whingy bit part 2:
Am a bit with my brother over my sister's 25th wedding anniversary card/present and arrangements. Trying to get them to participate and "they don't have time". They are in UK, v. active family and understand it is very frantic time of year. But equally, said sister always puts herself out hugely for them so am disappointed on her behalf. Men eh?

Well there is something seriously wrong with electrics, but he has done temporary repair till next week. I feel CALM about it, for some reason it doesn't feel like end of the world.

So the plan for this morning is Go to postoffice with five parcels
return with food! we need some
throw away contents of freezer, luckily mostly horrid stuff I am glad to see the back of
tidy and hoover my room

have done
kitchen tidy before electrician

Ellie mine know that FC doesn't exist but they still believe in him ifysim, even at 13/11. They feel the mysteriousness of the presents arriving at the end of the bed must be more than Mum and Dad. It is strange, but sometimes I think I believe in FC too, even though I know I am him Too much Polar Express and Raymond Briggs...

Children are all at school, and there is a slight relaxing of tension over homework/tutoring etc/music practice as term ends, but they are still physically at school. This feels like the real holiday tbfrank.

ta da
fold 1 load of washing
internet stuff
sort through clothes
pin ds down and deal with his infected cuts
pick a second argument with ds re homework
Play hunt the calendar with the info on that is actually needed for today.
put on a load of washing
empty the boot
remove rubbish from car
remove recycling from car
remove hair stuff that shouldn't be in the car
remove most of the junk from car
deliver car to mechanic
drop repeat prescription request for ds' meds
request a telephone consultation re ds
put on 2nd load of washing
hang out 1 load of washing
fold 2 loads of washing and sort ironing out ready to go
get changed into sports bra and bikini bottoms (need to buy a new bikini and tops don't fit anymore)
drink my 5th cup of coffee for this morning and 1 1/2ltrs water
look at my knives forlornly and wish I was at training where it is nice and cold
5 mins decluttering in my room - stupid hot in there so can't do much in one go

right next job ds' clothes away and his packing for wkend.

SC How organised and positive to get those people to help you. CBT person said I should pay to get declutterer (probably cheaper than CBT sessions In fact she said one of my problems was not accepting help, paid or otherwise.
Sympathy over party pooping mindset and you having to put up with other people's tiresome behaviour. I'm afraid I'm probably a bit like your brother and I curl up in a ball when people ask me get enthusiastic about official celebrations. It is a vice. My sister's trying to organise has organised my father's 80 birthday celebration and I'm not helping her at all, basically because I hate parties (like my mum) although love my Dad So I must try harder. My sister has told me to write a poem for an anthology, so that at least is a small thing I can be getting on with.

SC again. Sorry to hear about the medical stuff bombarding you again, and dragging you down. It is so frustrating when the mind is willing but the body won't play ball. Good luck with it all.

Must go now, into beautiful sunshine and dappled streets...

What if its just so bad right now tho I can't function in there ?! How do I get it to the point where I can do the small maintaining stuff !!

Thks Swan yes, like you, normally loathe having other people "help" in the house (think they almost create more work than they achieve sometimes - except fortnightly ironing lady of course who is ace ) but stuff I have to do is unmanageable for one person. Needed some one-off help to move on a stage ifyswim so frustrating to have to delay/cancel and costly too. And now future building plans (which might make difference to aforesaid practicality issues) are on hold again too - arrrgghhh.

Db saga worse than you might imagine. No party involved (owing to differing travel plans) - not only are dcs "too busy" to draw/design part of card, they are too busy to sign it and send it on apparently

Enjoy the sunshine!

Sorry everyone - know these are very "first world" problems and not nearly as bad as things some of you are facing. Better go, dd back from holiday art club.

Swanhilda I definitly believe in Father Christmas! There's no way I could have possibly bought the huge pile of toys and chocolate that appears at the end of the DC's beds each year is there? Surely even I'm not that stupid! Given that it will be me who will end up picking up all the toys all year!

Jess I think the idea is that you just tackle it for a set chunk of time every day so that you don't burn out ie consistency is the key. Kind of like eating an elephant. Clear entrance first, then path-way, then establish a bit of a plan for the rest.

Having said that ...(Bitchy look away again ) .. it's going against "the rules" but I sometimes think it is more efficient/doable to do a big lot of clearing in one go eg wardrobe sorting when you actually have to dust/hoover inside the wardrobe (so clothes have to go on bed at some point) think it is personally more efficient to finish the job however long it takes, rather than having clothes lying around everywhere.

Just adapt the system to suit what works for you best. A big "blitz" at the beginning might be appropriate to get you going, followed by more regular maintenance thereafter, as long as you have the energy ....
Good luck!

Asheth

Thanks so much steamed cabbage ! I think I will do as much as I can for short bursts keep going in and out there ..

I just read a tip online to sort my bathroom tile grout so I went and did that - bicarb bleech and an old toothbrush so I'm hoping its gonna look good after a soak :))

SC aha! Now I think I see what is happening with your DB. I think they probably want to be the one to think of their present and doesn't like sharing what they perceives to be your present/card/brilliant idea. Very very unwarranted, and dog in the mangerish. I would just go ahead and make your card and present as lovely as you want it to be and not feel responsible for their flouncy tiresomeness. You have done your best and teeth grinding is definitely in order.

Alright, I have spent all morning packing addressing and sending off a heavy parcel to my cousin of old and beloved books. (Toffee I am in admiration of anyone who manages this on a daily basis - as it is an admin tour de force finding packing materials, money, addresses etc and actually going to the wretched PO! I just hope she doesn't throw them in the bin, or it will be me grinding my teeth. And also I now have a blister because none of my summer shoes fit!!!! Aargh.

Also done
food shopping
cleaning out freezer, and eating the surprisingly good things (okay they looked revolting but they taste alright) at the bottom of it.
physical exercise
decluttered some books to tip

now
tackling second PO run
some soup

jess I think big blitzes are fine, to start off with - it is only when they become a regular habit that something is backfiring - speaks the person who finds it tremendously difficult to get little things done.

Sadly think db is just very wrapped up in his own world Swan They are not planning to do anything themselves. Partic maddening because he is always very anxious to remind us about dear niece's birthdays or dpil's birthday. [Back to teeth grinding ]

Sympathies over blisters. Have two "shoe difficulty" threads going atm!!

Good luck with it Jess!