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 did another kitchen cupboard. While cooking lunch !

It was the easiest cupbaord, just rolls (clingfilm et al) baking implements, plates, cups, glasses and glass cookware.

Next one is easy too.

Then the food ones start and I get a bit more stressy, trying to work out what should live with what.

Hi everyone!

Great to see Lauren back and some new fledglings too!

Toffee I am sad to read about Toffeekitten . ((Hugs)) Glad ds is coping with the new school.

Just Sorry to hear that about your friend.

I did very little flying yesterday, but did finally make it down to visit dMil. I spent the morning and evening with horses/riding - it was blissful! And met a friend for an unexpected lunch in the afternoon!

This morning was spent with horses/riding again. I managed to reboot laundry, wash dishes and make grilled bacon toasties for breakfast. Trazzles : take note! DH did NOT deserve his bacon sandwich. I asked him (nicely) to sleep on his side last night, as he kept me awake with his snoring the previous night. Well he threw a HISSY fit, and stomped off to the spare room downstairs. And didn't come back. So it's not just your DH being unreasonable this week!

Just back from the horses.

TO DO

-shower/change/makeup etc
-grab lunch on the go
-go to school and get a bit of paperwork caught up
-Anti-Procrastination: leave my iPhone in to have the screen (back and front) repaired
-Dinner
-Football training
-Crisis cleaning: the bathroom and ensuite today! Bedroom is looking lovely thanks to Monday's work!
-Argh! That elusive facepack - maybe tonight?!

x-post Toffee - page didn't show your earlier post till I scrolled back a page. Oh, I am so sorry about the kitten. I feel you are being unbelievably strong at the moment - he will leave such a big hole in your house. I'm glad the vet made the decision for you, and you didn't have to decide, because I know you would have looked after him for as long as he needed, and you were doing the finest job in the circs. At least ds1 will have very very happy memories of him being a bit more active and cheerful and enjoying the garden No kitten could have had more loving attentive company.

School can be fun too sometimes, I'm so glad ds remembered the good side of being in the classroom, and he was realising it could boost your confidence, not just destroy it.

Sorry to hear about kitten Toffee

Waving goodbye for now as off to airport soon. See you all in August.

Have a lovely holiday Engels

So sorry to hear about the kitten, Toffee. :( well done to your DS1 though.

Hi to carpe - sounds like you're really getting into the swing of things.

Am knackered after shopping and then standing around for hours at sports day. Ds1 was in 2 races right at the beginning & then it was so badly organised they ran out of time for his last one. Grr! Will try and do some ironing now while watching the tennis. Go on Andy!

Toffee - so sorry to hear about Toffeekitten, thinking of you tonight. Well done to DS1, sounds as though he did really well today. Is the school a special needs one, or a mainstream one that suits him? I wasn't on the thread very much when you started the process of getting him back to school so think I have probably missed bits of info along the way.

I feel really really good.

Instead of a day in Battle Of The Kitchen Cupboard! That by rights should be finishing now, with me limping in putting the last few bits away, having cancelled my evening put and not sure I can face doing dinner.. something different is happening.

I did 2. And feel good not like a failure, cos it was so easy and painless I know I can do two more and then two more over the next couple of days despite "interruptions" like my cake date and getting my publicity posters to the printer. So not doing a big atrack doesn't mean I am putting it off and not doing it, just spreading it into more managable microtasks. That is so cool. And how come I got to 45 without knowing this magic ?

I aslo went to the supermarket (never happens on a Battle! Big Job day) AND I found a bleach spray, and with a cotton wool bud got the gunk put of the shower door runner. Which was making my head go Red Squalor Alert ! So now the bathroom is back on amber cos I did the loo while I was there. A ten minute go over with the hoover and mop tommorow am and it'll be on green.

AND i am cooking dinner, and I am still going out tonight, cos I'm not knackered.

This is the first time I've gone out after dark since I got upduffed with my "baby".

I luffs you lot!

A hello to Ohhelpohnoitsa's and PolkadotRosa and Carpe Vinum

Toffee well done to ds, but I am so sorry to hear about the poor kitten. That?s just so hard on everyone.

Thank you everyone re friend. I?m having to be someone else?s prop over it and in between that and normally none too happy friend being upset at something I inadvertently said, there doesn?t seem to be much space for my emotions.

Ds also got the news yesterday that he?s been awarded an unexpected prize for his voluntary work with others and it got a bit overshadowed, so I?m trying to rectify that.

I?m definitely naughty corner material today, though I?m about to try and do an unenthusiastic swift pre dinner blitz and try and pull myself and everything together.

ToffeeKitten was put to sleep this evening. Have packed all his things away because it's too upsetting to see them. House feels all wrong now.

Oh Toffee massive hugs xxxxxx

Toffee.

Just - well done to your DS, that's a lovely thing to have happened.

Welcome to all the new Fledglings, it inspires me to great efforts when new people come and join in.

A much better day here today, as well as feeling flustered about visitor arrangements yesterday I was feeling irritated by a couple of people I encountered at Cubs last night (one mum and one child, not related) and flustered that I had made a hair appointment at a silly time today which was going to make me late for school pick up. I didn't sleep well as a result of all this going round in my head last night.

Anyway, today went well, had a good chat on the way home from school with a friend who is feeling equally flustered with her life at the moment and felt much better. Went to work, came home early and did a rescue of the downstairs, before getting hair cut, hairdresser did well and I was at school on time (had warned the DCs i might be late). Visitors (as discussed yesterday) phoned and we agreed it was all too complicated and we would leave it this time. Nearly all went wrong when I took Dd to the guide hut for Brownies having forgotten they were meeting in town tonight, so had to dash back, grab DS and the car and get her to town in the nick of time. Watched Murray win. DCs went to bed happily.

Flying

Washed, dried and sorted one pile pf washing
Re-booted DW
Tidied and hoovered downstairs floors, cleared a few hotspots
Swish and swipe
Sorted a big pile of filing and found a few jobs I need to do, nothing major

Toffee so very sorry.

greater efforts I mean, I don't think I actually achieved great today, just more than some days iyswim.

Well, today I had a whole 6 hours at home to myself and managed to completely tidy our living room. Also vacuumed downstairs and did some financial bits that had been looming. Cleaned the downstairs loo. Managed to find the en suite behind the giant suitcase which is now under our bed as DM has managed to clutter under her bed so it doesn't fit there anymore.

Also did a bit of sorting in my bedroom and shone the sink!!!! With bleach and everything. In doing so, I discovered the source of the "drain" smell that has been lurking in the kitchen for, well, a while and I have now cleared and cleaned to the best of my ability (though it still needs some proper mr muscle sink unblocker) the sink overflow. God only knows how it got so bad.

I've also been spending time trying to work out best how to approach DM about her hoarding. I think slow and steady may be the ticket... It's upsetting me quite a lot though. As is being in hospital as it reminds me just how sick Joe is and how unwell he could become. On the ward there's a notice board with the ward heroes on and you're encouraged to pin up a picture of your child. It used to make me smile. Now it makes me cry because I know what's happened to all the children where their names are followed by "stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma".

Just I hope you are doing ok today. I've been thinking of you lots.

Toffee still sending you hugs.

((Toffee)) so sorry.

Oh no Toffee that's so ... remember you gave him a lovely life while he was with you

Words are perhaps a little too poignant and I know he wasn't black, but lovely song for imagining him leaping from fence to fence in the sky. x

Hope your ds1 is holding up OK. Well done to him for doing so well at new school today (and for getting there on his own!!) And hope yr ds2 wasn't too distressed at the news.

Just huge congratulations to your ds for his award! I am terribly sorry to hear the very sad news of your friend though. How deeply unfair when he was making such progress. And what a lot you are having to cope with on top of everything else. x

Carpe gosh I love your kitchen!! And so pleased system is making such a difference to you - it's truly inspiring to hear

Blue sorry sports day organisation left much to be desired. Just saw ending of Murray match - really was thrilling!

Safe travelling Engels hope you have a fab holiday!

Castle snoring traumas here too (emanating from dh I might add!) Tempted to sew tennis ball on back of his sleep t-shirts - apparently that is a traditional remedy - and very approp. for this time of year!!)

Welcome back Fireandblood hope your dd's arm is ok

Hope you can get meds sorted Bitchy feeling drowsy all the time is awful

Vicar Swan congratulations on doing such spectacularly good art hwk!!

Whoknows hope you sorted meeting out ok in the end

Trazzles that was quite a list for someone who is trying to take it steady. HOpe you get some time for yourself to rest up a bit.

Had a day away from the screen today and was really able to crack on with things in the house because dh (unexpectedly and heroically) took dd and one of her best friends out on a day trip. It's good to make progress for once!

Waves to Ellie Goth Lauren Asheth PolkadotR Ohhelpohnoitsa and everyone else

G'night all

x posts

Whoknows glad you are feeling a bit calmer and logistics worked out ok in the end

Trazzles sending lots of un-Mumsnet hugs (and prayers). You are under such unrelenting pressure on all sides - so unimaginably hard - xxx

More hugs to Toffee for kitten. Swan has said very nicely what I would like to say. :-(
And hugs to Trazzles for having a tough day today.
Just well done to your ds - wonderful news!
Happy holidays Engels!
WhoKnows I'm glad you were able to be assertive about the unexpected visitors.
Carpe You are full of enthusiasm! :-)TO DO

Got through most of my list except the actual cleaning bit with the exception of Crisis Cleaning and the face pack.

(I am having a week of CC because flying hasn't been happening here for quite a while. Every room is in a state, and as it is the summer holidays I will be having visitors coming and going and I don't want to be Crisis Cleaning at the last minute. Trying to do a bit each day!)

Tomorrow is going to be productive........!

Someone talk me through crisis cleaning please!!!

what the fat fairy has to say about crisis cleaning

Evening all. Still finishing Report writing so I will post links first thing if that's ok. So sorry.

((toffee)) so sorry about toffeekitten.

Back in the morning.