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

Goodness, so many messages already. Haven't had time to read them all yet, but hope you're all ok.

I hope you managed to get some rest last night, Trazzles, and are well enough to take DS to the hospital for his treatment today. Thinking of you.

And, Castle, sorry I missed you coming back on the June thread. Good to see you back again.

Had a very positive morning here because DS1 managed to attend his CBT appointment this time. Furthermore, he then had an anxiety attack during the session, but managed to sit through it and stay until the end . Am so proud of him!

Managed to declutter my hallway of coats yesterday. Am now itching to repaint it, get pictures on the wall, new lampshade, new runner, etc. etc., but it all costs money, which we don't have . Ah well. At least it looks tidier.

Hope you are all having a good day today. DS1, ToffeeKitten and I are having a relaxing day in preparation for DS1's first insight morning at his prospective new school tomorrow .

Just your to do lists scare me

I have just about managed to get to the point of functioning. only taken 6 cups of coffee

Ta da
spend morning catching up with dm
Help Dm to sort an outfit for a wedding
Sort out what alterations are needed on one of dm's tops to make it useable again (she has lost weight and it needs shaping a bit)
put on a load of washing
consider the to do list.
start changing calendars to july
find birthday cards needed for tomo
find email address for emailing some important info
discuss new dress design with dm
sort out draft plan for next weekend
find phone charger to get the thing to stop beeping at me
sort out plan for Wednesday evening (which has suddenly got busy when I don't want it to but it is not optional)
find the strong but can still function when take them pain killers
Consider what it was I was actually supposed to be doing today and see if I can find the to do list.

Well done Toffees DS!

I have an hour before I need to leave to pick up dcs. This is what I want to get done before then:
Hang out dcs bedding
Clear pile of stuff on the stairs
Room rescue our room and dcs
Hoover stairs and upstairs

Sorry about all these lists cluttering up the thread but they really are helping me get the house sorted.

Erm mercury list are allowed. it's just we tend to get side tracked by chitter chatter THey do help though don't they. Also have about an hour before collecting ds. All I want to do is go back to bed.

Lists are what this thread is really supposed to be about Mercury although, er, that's not always apparent !! Hope day of house sorting going well

Yes, thinking of you Trazzles hope you are OK x

Not at all Just I take my gin and tonics very seriously indeed!
Good luck with your humungous list and hope twitching subsides soon Btw scrimcloth is largely what my diet must consist of this month if I am going to lose any weight at all!!

Yay! to your ds1 Toffee!! Hope insight goes well for him.

Well done re: your v. productive morning Bitchy!

Just/Bitchy/Blue and anyone else I've missed out - Thanks for all the tips re: dd. You have reminded me that I am generally in favour of boredom for dc - encourages creativity and all that!!

So far we have compromised ... I have been decluttering papers and she has been shredding (although took 1.5 hrs to do one smallish box which is a bit dispiriting). Still, at least that is done. Have managed to get on top of quite a few things on list and do some organising for week ahead too. We have just popped to opticians and are just going off to park. Left butter out so we can bake later on. Will ask her to help me pair dh's 1001 socks (once dry) upon our return which may help her to re-discover her inner artist rather speedily

Keep thinking back to summer holidays when I was a child in 1875. I barely saw my parents - never mind expected them to provide entertainment. I did have lots of siblings to play with though.

Good luck with your packing too Engels And at prospect of 30+ hr journey. Guess you are going a little further afield than Blighty then ...

Goth just imagining your dh carousing with the cat while you are away!!

Good luck with your list Blue! See your ds2 has new bike. Did you choose one for yourself in the end? (If I'm not confusing you with someone else that is)

Hope day is getting better Doris!

Huge cheerful wing flaps to Jdub and everyone else!

Right, off to galumph about with badminton rackets ...

xpost Bitchy (again)

[proffers more caffeine]

Well done to ds1 toffee

just good luck with everything on your list!

I have managed to get some stuff done while DS was sleeping..

Washing up
Clean sink
2nd load of washing is on
Kitchen has been tidied a bit
Have updated finances

Can hear DS awake upstairs now so off I go to do a few bits up there while he's playing in his cot.

Then will hoover downstairs and polish shoes.

BBL

SC, new bike is mine with bucket seat on the back for DS2. It was the first time of riding with him on the back and we both enjoyed it despite me tipping bike & DS over at first...

Hope the sock-pairing does the trick!

Right in the last hour I have: put on another load of washing, cut the old blind cords out of ds' blind, messed about on the internet, made and eaten a proper low carb lunch. I suppose that is something

Happy July fledglings!

I am off to a very poor start!
But at least I AM dressed and fed .
Everybody else seems very industrious! Just and SC have particularly scary lists!

Toffee well done on painting the hallway. You will get
around to thd other jobs, bit by bit!
Trazzles I hope you are feeling better today x
SC (love the new name!) well done on getting around DD today! It's hard to believe the holidays are here - I'm having trouble adjusting myself!
PMPY thanks for leading in June, although I mostly languished in the naughty corner, feverishly googling about various fertility issues and solutions
Ellie thanks for taking over the July thread!

To Do

• Reboot laundry
• Do some ironing, clothes away
• Crisis clean in the boudoir and ensuite (main focus today)
• Tidy kitchen, shine sink, clear out fridge, meal plan
• Cook dinner and tidy all over again...
• Make an Action Plan for the week
• Visit DMil
• Do some DIY beauty pampering this evening (facial/nails)
• Find Control Journal
• 30 day Squat Challenge
• Phonecalls
• Before Bed routine (incl. laying out clothes!)

-

Castle - I have list envy!!! Good idea re: DIY pampering and squat challenge. I am newly re-inspired to dust then do that good stuff!

[faints at idea of squat challenge]

Huge wing flaps to Castle!!

Arf at Jdub's list envy (don't think we have ever had that before - although I know Consils lists sometime involve asparagus and lovely picnics!!!

Well done for Flying high Bitchy and Engels

Oohhh new bike sounds fab Blue (and great fun for your ds2)

[Leaves out hefty g & t for Ellie for when she spots over 30 posts approx today ... and .... er .....scarpers]

Ta da
spend morning catching up with dm
Help Dm to sort an outfit for a wedding
Sort out what alterations are needed on one of dm's tops to make it useable again (she has lost weight and it needs shaping a bit)
put on a load of washing
consider the to do list.
start changing calendars to july
find birthday cards needed for tomo
find email address for emailing some important info
discuss new dress design with dm
sort out draft plan for next weekend
find phone charger to get the thing to stop beeping at me
sort out plan for Wednesday evening (which has suddenly got busy when I don't want it to but it is not optional)
find the strong but can still function when take them pain killers
Consider what it was I was actually supposed to be doing today and see if I can find the to do list.
put on 2nd load of washing
cut the old blind cords out of ds' blind
sort out getting all this months birthday cards written
double check all plans for the month
try and get a date for the girls night out sorted
put hand washing in to soak
get ds making cake
writing shopping list for tomo
fold washing
sit ds down and talk him through his new emotional faces cards
find tape for tomo morning
check which bin goes out tomo
have a hunt where I think ds' passport is and discover it blatantly isn't there
disinfect the bathroom bin
check date my passport and driver's licence runs out

[faints again at sight of Bitchy's ta da list]

[faints again at Ohhelpohnoitsa's 10 hr decluttering session]

Of course you can join! Welcome!! [Sounds as though you could teach us a thing or two though! ]

Steamed and Doris I think you have put highlighted something for me, the panicky frustration from feeling one should be able to get something done which seems impossible to do (ie: stop one's children whinging, or pack for lovely holiday) It is all to do with the anxiety that comes things somehow differing from the ideal version, and somehow it is our fault for not being more organised. No it is not your fault, it is stressful dealing with both those things, even if to other they might seem easily solved. I have very unhappy memories of a holiday where I was in charge of kids alone and couldn't even manage to unload dw without someone having a fight in living room, yet it was all meant to be blissful countryside outdoor fun etc, ditto packing for hols which I find so stressful I have given up proper holidays and just visit family... It is all a mindset isn't it, and not feeling cross with oneself, circs, or other family members who shall be nameless...

Trazzles you have so much more to manage than the rest of us, hope today got better. I wonder whether when we are really low the easiest thing is to blame other people for something, anything, which is probably what your dh is doing

done
interview for dd at new school - she had done well in her NFER (or thingbobby whatsiname) test so was told she should be getting B's and A's in new school! Good news, she was chuffed! They asked her bring in a sample of her work she was proudest of, and she brought in a rustic slipper she had sewn herself (very rustic, think clog in textile form), which slightly threw them, as I think they were expecting some essay or composition. [evil laugh - serves them right for not making it clear it was meant to be written work, quite frankly I've had enough of written work)

Counted money at church this morning.

Then so tired I fell asleep at 2.45 for a while, followed by drama with neighbour's dog being brought round by another neighbour as it had escaped, and neighbour out.

So I've given up. And had a row with dh this morning about fact that he never cooked anything more elaborate than ready battered fish.

Better go and cook spinakopitta then to show him what can be done.

Oh and dog has been rescued by its owners Dd behaved really well and came and played with him, so I am proud of her.

Toffee I hope that you can get ds to his insight day by hook or by crook. Would they allow you to stay there so he knows that you are always around to rescue him if needs be, which might release a bit of tension? He is being very brave to go.

Just I think you have just about beaten Bitchy in the list stakes.

Castle Too much exercise!!!

Oh, just lost a long post . Can't do it all again.

Swan - well done to your DD . You must be so chuffed for her. Thanks for your good wishes for DS1 tomorrow. He is so, so nervous, poor love. I feel jittery all the time, as if I'm doing it with him. I have arranged for a friend to take DS2 to school tomorrow so I can go in with DS1 as well as DH. We will stay for a bit if he really wants us to, then go and shop nearby, so he knows we can be back within minutes if he is too anxious.

Thanks everyone for the well dones to DS1 for today. Am hoping it bodes well for tomorrow.

Managed to get loads of washing and ironing done this afternoon. Not sure how that happened.

Ta da
spend morning catching up with dm
Help Dm to sort an outfit for a wedding
Sort out what alterations are needed on one of dm's tops to make it useable again (she has lost weight and it needs shaping a bit)
put on a load of washing
consider the to do list.
start changing calendars to july
find birthday cards needed for tomo
find email address for emailing some important info
discuss new dress design with dm
sort out draft plan for next weekend
find phone charger to get the thing to stop beeping at me
sort out plan for Wednesday evening (which has suddenly got busy when I don't want it to but it is not optional)
find the strong but can still function when take them pain killers
Consider what it was I was actually supposed to be doing today and see if I can find the to do list.
put on 2nd load of washing
cut the old blind cords out of ds' blind
sort out getting all this months birthday cards written
double check all plans for the month
try and get a date for the girls night out sorted
put hand washing in to soak
get ds making cake
writing shopping list for tomo
fold washing
sit ds down and talk him through his new emotional faces cards
find tape for tomo morning
check which bin goes out tomo
have a hunt where I think ds' passport is and discover it blatantly isn't there
disinfect the bathroom bin
check date my passport (depressingly too long left with that photo) and driver's licence runs out (will need a new photo soon)
finish sorting out the hand washing
sort out stuff to go to childminder friend
find some more science resources type stuff.
find a periodic table for laminating tomo for ds
sort out a file for ds related education stuff
put yet another load of washing on to wash
15mins in my room
make sure ds has taken his sleep med
make sure ds has school uniform for tomo
be shocked at the fact that ds has just sorted and tidied his desk himself without being asked
find ds the folder he has requested
start putting folded clothes away
put away comp dress
collect old glasses for going to the opticians that recycle them

I am seriously considering going out to clear out my car. erm...

JDub!!!!!!!! List envy is allowed, but for God sake's choose a better list!!!!!

I have spent 3 hours in the bedroom (decluttering and cleaning!) and I am STILL not done in there .
DH is bringing in hay, and God knows when he will want dinner - am sure to be up to my neck in a face pack! if I get as far as face pack. Still haven't called to see DMil
I'll be back!

Heading to NZ sc - last holiday like this for a while 20 years or so

Visiting Dsis and best friend on our travels. In 2 days time we'll be at the gate waiting to board

Packing is getting there. Clothes sorted, just all the other little bits. Though honestly as long as we have our passports, credig cards and driving licences everything else will be fine nonmatter what I forget (though obv nappies, wipes and spare clothes are a must for ds!).

bitchy I love reading your lists

castle make sure you enjoy your facepack!