Flying into September - a new term for the Fledglings

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Welcome to the September Fledgling Flylady Thread.

This thread is for people with CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome). We follow Flylady, the website with a mission!

All are welcome on this thread, experienced flyers and newcomers alike.

We try to follow the commandments of Flylady as we run our homes, loosely anyway. In between there's lots of chat and support as we go through our daily lives. We have coffee, cake, and a naughty corner for those who want to chat but CBA with their house some days. However you follow it, this thread is designed to make your life a little easier and more fun.

For those who are new to the system (and those needing a refresher), there are several aspects to the system:

1. Babysteps. These build a routine. Some are really useful, some are downright odd and some are, quite frankly, there to be ignored. They build a good foundation though.

1. Decluttering. Flylade is evangelical about clutter. In order to feel good about our homes we need to ditch the clutter. Flylady divides the home into zones, week by week and repeating monthly. As well as babysteps, we have to declutter in the relevant zone. Once that is achieved we move on to...

1. Missions. Also in the current zone, these are targetted tasks to tackle one particular aspect. One a day, they vary month to month.

1. Deep Cleaning. Once we have completely decluttered (some of us seem to be stuck permanently on that stage) there are deep cleaning lists for each zone. Achieve that and your house will be spotless!

One last thing - the Flylady website encourages us to subscribe to her emails - one word - DON"T! You will be overwhelmed by them. Instead come to this thread every morning and the relevant links for the day will be there waiting for you except when the thread leader has been on the

A big thank you to Bitchy for last month, and also for doing this Sunday's links as I am off camping.

Links for Monday

This week we are in Zone 3 - the bathroom and one extra room.

Mission Our sneak peak for the week tells us that the mission for Monday is

Finally finished a bit of belated housekeeping of the most obvious variety...stinky bins, unwashed uniform etc, clean piles of clutter from hall.

However at least I know ds2's school bag is packed..

Spent weekend doing homework with ds2!!! AAARGH. Next weekend I will be better at the techno-forging, I swear to God...

GOOD DONES
all children went to Mass, and took exercise
ds2 participated in most of his homework
wrote letter of condolence to poor neighbour - it was so hard to write and got children to sign a separate one
DD cut herself an asymmetrical fringe and I didn't blench..I am getting earthmothery in my old age. As long as she doesn't DYE it I'll survive. Luckily it is against school rules. And she is only 11!

Jemima your post made me laugh a hollow laugh. Ds1 is meant to be in a non-invitation only wind band, run by his music group for his trombone, but so far he has refused to attend, and it is only 2 mins from our house on Sat mornings. Your children obviously a 1000 times more motivated than mine..

SC sounds like a v peaceful productive Sunday
Ellie I will try harder; like the sound of the evening roast and visiting baby

better go to bed now, another appt rich day tomorrow, what joy

Mostly. Fed up of dealing with attitude from ds but there was a break in it yesterday. And the tv is completely banned atm. Tbh this is the way forward. I know this but sometimes it is just so much easier to allow him to flop in front of the tv and ignore him so that i can get on with what needs doing.

To do list for monday
post office - passport
dentist - missing filling
rubbish out
recycling out
crisis tidy study
book after school club for wed
laundry -1st load on
pick up dis-infectant
sort paperwork
unload dishwasher
reload dishwasher
wash the pots
house bleurgh (Vaccum, dust, mop, doors and mirrors, magazines and catelogs, sheets, empty bins)
take bed apart and put stuff into storage
remake bed.

Morning everyone; raining cats and dogs here at 6am with a real whiff of Autumn in the air but now it's lovely and sunny ...

Lord Ellie how incredibly scary. Glad ds was OK though.

Thanks for links Whoknows

Good luck at the dentist Bitchy and with all your appointments today Swan

Glad you are feeling better Zing

to Blueandwhite and PA. Ditto what Whoknows says about future empty nest. My sister is helping dn pack up (her one and only) to go to uni this Thursday and is being ultra-organised bordering on brusque about it (in her habitual style) but I can tell she is feeling it underneath!

Waves to Stillwearing and everyone else!

I was very organised yesterday morning/afternoon and then er, not so organised last night hence hectic scrabble this morning (forgot I had to write a school letter) so running late here.

Ta da:
school letter written and translated
note written in Agenda
rabbits fed and liberated and chased out of kitchen three times
packed lunch for dd
found dh's wallet, then his keys, his ratcatcher and then, er, his scarf and then his files

To do:
shower yes running v. late
tidy up kitchen from mess left last night
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s
general tidy/home bleugh
dining room table hot spot
recycling
prep supper
walk
French study
boudoir surfaces
office post (this will be bad today I know it)
then write humungously long and scary master list of tasks to be tackled and do lots of planning
on-line shopping orders
drop children's clothes off at parish vestiaire
school run
hwk supervision
eve routine

All pretty boring stuff really. Must plan a get-away for end of month.

Hope everyone has a productive day or at least one that is more interesting than mine

Oops, going back to work does not seem to be good fro Engels/MN relations

swan so sorry to hear about your neighbours child. It really does put everything into perspective.

ellie remembered how to teach yet? It's taking me a fair while and I've been back a month already Hope DS is okay.

Nicknacks so sorry to hear you've been ill. Look after yourself and get well soon.

sc glad to hear DH's op went well. Hope DD is feeling better? Raining here too at 6am but I ignored it and fell back asleep for a few hours and didn't get out of bed till 8

PA so what you’re saying is that if I wait until DS has left home and send DH a few thousand miles away then I too will be able to have a decluttered house

Jemima I actually spent DS’s nap time yesterday ordering Christmas presents I have now sorted out all the children that I buy for and most of DS’s stuff, plus a few birthdays between now and January (including DS’s). Now I just have to sort the adults out. We have told family not to buy for me and DH as they’ll all buy for DS and we’re fed up with getting crap that fills our house. Christmas CD anyone?

My main achievement this week apart from getting up in the morning has been keeping up with my running schedule (doing a 15k hill race in 2 months time). Managed 20k+ over the last week

To do
Supermarket – need to get bits for colleagues coming round later in the week
House rescue! Particularly downstairs since I am hosting department meal this week –for the first time-- Focus on decluttering hotspots in lounge and kitchen and clean kitchen floor. Replce 3 year old photos of DNs in kitchen with pictures of DS
Email colleagues with address/info for meal
Post office – parcels to ill friend and DS
Yesterday’s wash away
Wash on
Ironing
Tidy up front garden and area by back door (that is actually front door)

Wow Engels very impressed with your running achievements!! But did you have to mention the "C" word??? [SC wanders off with fingers in ears whistling loudly]

Hello to Still Wearing, SC is very right about if it took that long to build, it won’t dissipate overnight. (well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!)

Toffee I’m very determined because we’ve come too far to not get somewhere out of it all, but I don’t know if I’m always that positive! Still waiting to see what’s going to happen over son’s situation. I’ve always been totally honest with them but always very afraid we’ll be accused of some sort of fraud as everyone always seems to find what we’re doing and why, suspicious. I think it’s just the era but it seems to come from everywhere these days.

Ellie you’ll remember and feel that long after he does. Hope he’s not to sore.

Who Knows thanks for linking the site map. I’ve wondered how on earth people leading the thread seem to be able to find the correct things (beyond the babysteps) to post each day.

Bitchy good luck with dentist and hope ds is managing to give you a fighting chance.

SC nice to have you back, glad it’s gone well with dh. Can’t see if anyone else’s answered but if not a dremmel is a lovely little drill which you can put attachments on and use for anything from detailed sanding, to wire brushing to glass engraving. (the latter being my favourite use)

PA and BlueandWhite sympathies, but also, the nest is unlikely to stay empty too long.

Engels that's impressive!

Weekends been hard going. After having done so well considering, d/s had massive meltdown, I suspect caused by being the first chance he’s had since starting work experience and this set of exams and heralding getting ill, everyone was good about it but then proceeded to each have their own strop. I have asked when it’s my turn but apparently “Aint nobody got time for that!”

Somehow today onwards I have to achieve so much more than I’ve been managing. My poor neighbour’s taken a bigger chunk of time than I’ve meant and because everything’s so far behind here (sorry flylady but it is!) it’s back to saturation chaos point again. I have to get control and suspect it means being utterly ruthless with everyone and I’m really bad at that.

For now still to do

Washing
Finish getting new grout of tiles
Sort audio book course work
Confirm books equipment needed for ds syllabuses
Apply for exam centre
Call re has statement gone to panel?
Check emails
Answer urgent ones
Respond to tribunal info request
Urgent filing
House bleugh
English prep chap 3-11
Shopping
PO
Bank
Return mouldy cheese
Shopping
Fuel
Ensure English done and understood
Write up home ed
Repair tee shirt
Work out what else hasn’t been done and stick on tomorrow’s list
listen to friend earlier (as keep falling asleep on her)
sleep.

Hope dentist visit is quick and painless, Bitchy.

Swan - good luck with your appointments today.

SC - sounds like a very busy day. Good idea to plan a getaway - you and DH deserve it after all you've been through recently.

Just - how awful to feel under suspicion so much. So sorry your DS has had a meltdown, but unsurprising, especially given the uncertainty over finances. "Ain't nobody got time for that" made me laugh - that's one of Ds1's favourite YouTube clips.

Engels - good to see you back! I have also been thinking ahead to Christmas and have ordered some presents from a sale at The Book People already (though they may turn out to be Autumn birthday presents instead).

Why do I still feel excited at the thought of Christmas when it is so difficult these days? We will have both mums here and, to be honest, I'm dreading it, as they don't get on AT ALL . Chalk and cheese puts it mildly.

DS2 is still off school. I really thought he'd be ok today, but he's chesty and coughing and said he feels too ill. And now DS1 has come down with it: he's lost his voice (or, at least, can croak in a fairly scarey demonic-sounding voice) and feels awful. I had prepared all sorts of lovely home ed stuff for him to do today, but can hardly inflict that on him now. And this morning he is due to have his first appointment with his CBT therapist following the summer break. Am hoping he can come along for half an hour at least, if only to hear her congratulate him on his recent achievements.

Must go and get dressed now. Routine has gone to pot, thanks to sick children.

Toffee/Engels I love Christmas too really ... it's just that the build up to the build up seems to have arrived too early this year ifyswim... still in summer holiday mode! Have to start getting my head around it somehow ... .

Toffee think you are very brave hosting the two mils. Ours are no longer with us but absolutely loathed one another - they just about managed to be civil but you couldn't have them in the same room for long. Sounds as if you might need a pre-prepared bolt hole (cupboard under stairs well stocked with gin???)!

Sorry you are still battling the lurgies in your household - hope the boys recover soon. DD went back to school today reluctantly.

Engels the thought of having one's colleagues to dinner would frighten me to death (back in the day). Good luck with all the organising.

Just Thanks for Dremel info - and there was me thinking it was related to a Nesbitt in some way ... sounds excellent! [Passes Just full of magic powder designed to inspire ruthlessness ] Hope your ds regains his equilibrium soon. Absolutely awful for you both to suffer unwarranted suspicion on top of everything else. Totally unfair. Good luck with working through your list.

Oops ... meant to be typing out my master plan for the next couple of wks ... keep Mnsetting getting distracted ...

Good morning!
Feeling a bit achy but HUGELY HAPPY today as I did the Great North Run yesterday, beat my time and had a ball - the Red Arrows timed their arrival at South Shields just as I turned onto the seafront and did their love heart shape as I crossed the finish-line :o
Still grinning like a fool and only took medal off to sleep last night, back on for school run this morning :)

Had left DH and DC at home over the w/e so need to do some 'tidying' today

Haven't caught up on thread at all but hope to later, hope I haven't missed too much?

No list yet, just going to get on with it and do Ta Da later.

Have a good day everyone.

Woo hoooooo Feetheart! Congratulations!! That's amazing!!

[really am scuttling off now]

Can't see the dentist until much later this week as it is an insanely busy week.

To do list for monday
post office - passport attempt 1 failed due to missing info
dentist - missing filling appointment sorted
rubbish out
recycling out
crisis tidy study 30mins done
book after school club for wed got forms to return later
laundry -3rd load on
pick up dis-infectant
sort paperwork 15mins done
unload dishwasher
reload dishwasher
wash the pots
house bleurgh (Vaccum, dust, mop, doors and mirrors, magazines and catelogs, sheets, empty bins )
take bed apart and put stuff into storage
remake bed.
Run dishwasher
Put bins into soak with disinfectant.
Collect stuff for charity shop in one place. In progress

Well done Feet - I thought of you when I saw a photo of the Red Arrows on my cousin's FB pages yesterday (she lives near there, wasn't competing).

Just - I am intrigues by the Dremmel, I remember then being advertised heavily years ago, in some sort of JML cheap stuff sort of way, had no idea they still existed

Toffee/SC - I'm in "can't please everyone/feeling miffed" frame of mind about Christmas already. The ILs are very stuck with their arrangements (not entirely their fault) and nothing will give (apart from the possibility of us spending Christmas Day with them, which I really don't like, cramped house, crap food), so we travel on Boxing Day to them every year, usually arrive mid afternoon (it is DMILs birthday and attendance is not optional). This year DSIL is organising a carvery lunch for everyone, which means a really early start for us, plus packing (too far for a day trip) and I just don't want to do it, but feel mean saying so. I have to say this is about the only fly in the ointment of our relationship, generally they are lovely, but Christmas is a pain.

SC/WhoKnows - sorry you both have/have had IL/Xmas issues too. My bolthole is the kitchen, SC, but then DH is left trying to manage the conversation between two women who have absolutely nothing in common. Unfortunately, MIL has taken a dislike to my DM recently and it upsets me enormously to know that she is judging her. It makes me feel very protective of my mum and adds to the stress because I want to protect her from it.

WhoKnows - sorry you are facing this trip on Boxing Day. It's such a shame, but it sounds as if the fall out from not doing it would be too great.

DH and I have talked through all sorts of scenarios, but as both mothers want to see their GC open their presents and join in the Xmas lunch, we haven't been able to come up with a solution. It might help if other people were here to dilute the atmosphere, but everybody else is off with their own families.

DS1 was too ill to come along to his CBT appointment this morning, so I left him sleeping on the sofa. Had a very good meeting anyway. DS2 was so tired on the way home that he had to sit down on a wall, then I gave him a piggyback home.

Have just finished lunch (homemade soup blended with my new cheap and wonderful Argos hand blender ). Off to hang the washing up outside now, as the sun is shining again.

Er, well, that was short-lived. It's now pouring with rain.

There, done
dropping ds2 at school by car
running , because there was bad traffic so I had to leave car parked in the middle of nowhere
ran to vet's appt
then counted money at church till 1.00pm

back, sent official communications

Ds2 says he is returning home by himself today on the tube. I'm not sure whether to go to the school, lurk, (as car is half way there anyway). Would love to leave him to it. What could go wrong? They aren't allowed mobiles, that's what.

Christmas I hate travelling around or near Xmas or any sort of packing etc. Done it too many times now, to know it just doesn't work for my sanity.

To do list for monday
post office - passport attempt 1 failed due to missing info
dentist - missing filling appointment sorted
rubbish out
recycling out
crisis tidy study 1x 30mins + 2x15mins done
book after school club for wed got forms to return later
laundry -3rd load on
pick up dis-infectant
sort paperwork 15mins done
unload dishwasher
reload dishwasher
wash the pots
house bleurgh (Vaccum, dust, mop, doors and mirrors, magazines and catelogs, sheets, empty bins )
take bed apart and put stuff into storage
remake bed. half done waiting for bedding to dry
Run dishwasher
Put bins into soak with disinfectant.
folding
ironing
File paperwork 2x30mins done
Read through very dry paperwork for an EGM
watch film so can be returned yeah I know old fashioned. need to sort out instant film thingy at somepoint but not got that far.

sorry for the sudden disappearance, I've been under the cushions in the naughty corner!

Looking forward to an enthusiastic week of bathroom polishing

I feel really churlish moaning about the ILs/Christmas situation, when I know so many people don't have family to spend it with, it's just that I would really love to stay at home for the whole time one year and maybe have them come to us, but they won't do that because the rest of the family live local to them and they wouldn't get to see them. Part of me feels we shouldn't have to go for Boxing Day just because it is MILs birthday (we don't make a point of seeing anyone else specifically for their birthday, and I actually don't think she'd mind if we gave it a miss one year, but DH and the DBILs insist we all do it). I just hate having to get up early on Boxing Day, get the house straight, pack up and travel, make the DCs leave most of their presents behind for three days. I would happily do it a day or two later. .

Anyway, onwards, there is still mess and clutter to deal with. Have depressed myself reading another thread about what a lazy arse I must be not to have a perfect house

Bitchy - our local video shop has just closed down, end of an era. Did I tell you about the audio book the DCs got from the library that turned out to be a cassette? Luckily we still have a cassette player.

bins emptied
dishes done, dried and put away
full day at school done
need to think about tea

Don't ask me how but ds managed to talk me into sorting lego. We have spent all afternoon sorting lego. And still have a whole heap left to do. But it is getting tamed again. And ds has survived without his precious but currently banned tv. My bed is currently covered in a load of paperwork I have neither the energy nor will to deal with and I shall be heading for bed when ds doesn so unfortunately it will sit on the chair until I get 30mins here or there to deal with it. Thank fully it is sorted by like so that should help.

Hope you have all had productive days.

Evening all.

Ta da:-
Work
Washing
Dinner. (Beans on toast, see info re BF below)
Gym
Washing up
Clothes laid out
Drank coffee with BF (popped in for a quick cuppa with dc's at half 5, she only just left)

To do:-
Bath
Bed

engels getting there. 66% of my timetable is KS4 this year which is way more than usual and 3 Year 11 classes so have had to hit the ground running!

feet Well Done! That is amazing.

I sympathise with all of you having parental/in-law issues. I am blessed in that department as DM and DMIL get on pretty well. Not sure they would be friends in another life but they are lovely people so male a good show of it. As we live near both of them there isn't a great clamour to see DC's either. MIL likes to spend Xmas in her own home with her partner and gets a bit stressed with lots of people round (DH is one of 4 plus associated wives and lots of grandchildren) so we kind of do a rota. We normally pop round on xmas morning for a quick visit. Dsis and I take turns to host dmum who would be on her own otherwise. Not my turn this year.

Anyway better go and get a bath. I am tired.

Absolutely WELL DONE Feet Amazing!!! And to get up and do the school run today.....well, just hats off to you!!!

All this talk of Christmas.....I am trying to do an impression of someone with their head stuck in the sand........ignore and it might not happen......

Dentist went well - only a clean and polish needed - 1st visit for 17 months!! Wow I was surprised and more than a bit smug happy!!

I have had a day of what appears to be not doing a lot......but I seem to have been running around all day doing "stuff", mostly out of the house. I don't think I would ever have time to do any of these jobs that I keep applying for....where does the time go? WhoKnows do you have the answer yet?

Feet up now, so done for the day.

Whoknows The end is in sight with the PTA for me. The next AGM is at the beginning of next month, and after 3 years as secretary I am signing off. I'll still help, but my organising days are done.

Swanhilda You can hollow laugh some more as today DD brought home a letter saying that she has been nominated by her teacher for the beginner strings ensemble, which is a "fun group" for younger children that leads on to the Junior Orchestra once they are old enough. So just as I have sorted out how I am getting DS2 to Wind Band, she now wants to go to the Strings Ensemble at the same bloody time!

OK, am starting to get back on top of the housework after the busy weekend.

Ta Da
Lots of washing, drying and ironing
Changed beds
Hoovered downstairs
Cleaned kitchen, bathroom and toilets
Tidied up

Tesco delivered tonight so my cupboards are full again. DS1's birthday was today, but we kept it low key (apart from a giant chocolate cake that he made himself under supervision) as they are all so tired from teh weekend. DD had Brownies tonight then came home and fell asleep on the sofa. I am going to bed soon to try to catch up, I was dead on my feet in work today.

Tomorrow I am going to look at the FlyLady lists for the week. Better late than never, yes?

Evening all,

More decluttering for me today, I am hell bent on getting rid of stuff at the moment. Something just snapped over the summer, I couldn't keep the place clean because I couldn't get to the surfaces and I have had enough. So, I am casting my beady eye around the house at every opportunity, bin bag at the ready! Put more stuff in the loft today, and took down a bag full to get rid of, plus gave away an old computer printer and donated some books to school. Other than that, pilates class, coffee with friends this afternoon and lots of baking this evening to last the week.

Jemima - I'm going to stick with the PTA this year, been doing it for 4 years now, class rep for 3, secretary for one, probably both this year, but next year will think about ditching out and just being a helper. I enjoy it, but it is quite time consuming and the novelty of me helping at events has really worn off on the DCs now, they are tired of having to saty at the end while I help clear up etc. My school year is a lot easier this year though, as both DCs are now in KS2, so only one of each type of event to attend thank goodness.

PA - that's how I feel a lot of the time. I only work 10 hours a week and I really struggle to fit them in some weeks!

Bitchy - glad you and DS managed without the telly.

PMPY - wondered where you'd got to! Have you seen Nettie under those cushions at all?

Links in a minute.