Is it October already the fledglings utter? We'll Fly with our broom sticks and start to declutter...

[Slimchance]

If you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and and along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do someting more interesting instead!

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

We advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings. Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound!

Humungous thanks to Whoknows for leading us through the tricky start to the academic year ....

All welcome!!

I've just prepped dinner

Just woken up. DS2 has joined me in bed and we are tucked up together, sharing a hot-water bottle. DH is getting stressed by work and family/house stuff downstairs (complaining of too many interruptions), so I'm staying right here.

Just - you are very kind to be supporting your neighbour, but it seems to me that you have more than enough responsibilities already. I'm sorry your sleep is disrupted too, which makes daily life so much harder. Could anyone else help you with the neighbour? I hope the daily hospital visits go well.

Well done on getting your first Christmas delivery, Jemima. I have a dedicated cupboard to hide presents in. So far, I just have some books hidden in there.

Goth - what's the cake theme? Sorry if I've missed it upthread. I have to make a Minecraft cake for DS2 next month. By the way, your suggestion to dizzy to simply hide the menu planner made me laugh.

Best of luck with the meeting, Bitchy.

Impressive organisation skills there, Trazzle

Toffee you'd not missed it, I hadn't said She's obsessing with Halloween this year, so I'm trying to do 'witches cottage' so hopefully the cake will be covered in green grass, with a log house, and spooky trees the difficult bit
I'll try to make cats, bats, broomstick etc. TBH she did a Room on the Broom diorama for school in clay during P2, so I'm going to do something similar in icing.
If the trees are too difficult, I'll turn it into a gingerbread cottage with lollipop trees.

Jemina I also have a present cupboard and try to get stuff throughout the year. Had fun last week trying to work out what DD was going to have for birthday or Christmas. The only problem is that sometimes I forget what I've got.

I'm feeling quite organised for Christmas this year - started getting bits in July thanks to Reastie's thread.

Toffee I totally agree about neighbour. It’s actually not kindness, it's been a bit of a fait accompli tbh, made worse by seeing them subjected to appalling treatment at hospital and social services saying they’re fine on their own when they’re anything but, and suddenly spiralling downhill.

It’s very difficult, one half of a lovely pair of people I’ve known 20 years falling apart through Alzheimer’s. I'm only supporting them short term while someone else packs up their home and comes to move in with them because the situations broken down following the death of the other one.
Every time something went wrong, either they, or the police, RSPCA, or someone who'd found them wandering, would be on my doorstep day or night, often several times, and each time something went wrong, they spiralled further downhill, and I was finding myself pushed into being responsible because they still recognise me, but the more things deteriorated, the disruption became so bad it made more sense to agree to try support stopping the disasters rather than fire fighting them.
It hasn’t been my brightest failure to say no.

Nooooo, not the C word all ready!

Evening all. Still here. Just hiding under the cushions in the naughty corner.

Sometimes I rock the teacher/management role/mum/cleaner/washer/cooker role. Sometime I suck at it. At the moment I suck at all of them. Can't even ask DH to help as he is literally working all the hours in the day on a new job. Got told off for not reading with DD every night which was embarrassing seeing as I am a teacher.

Apologies for whingy post. Will be back later, either to report flying or drink wine.

And piss off with the C word. Ct as a profanity I can just about handle but Chr*s. . Piss off.

Can I just clarify that by saying I do not use the c**t word myself. I am a teacher. I is respectable. Unless your name is Michael Gove in which case i might whisper it in your direction if I ever had the misfortune to meet you.

C**s shopping has started here as well, really weird when the weather is still so warm, can't believe it's October. I've been too hot all day today in tee shirt and flip flops. And washing still drying on the line too, lovely!

Ta-da!

Morning routine, school run etc, including take a bin liner of old clothes if for PTA rag collection (counts as todays decluttering).
Hoover round house (middles of rooms only)
Decluttered overflowing magazine rack into much more compact new one and chucked most of it away.
Registered cats with vet
Electoral roll registration
Cleaned loo
Cleaned kitchen floor
Pilates class
1/2 hour at allotment
1/2 hour shopping
Play with cats
Decluttered DS's sock drawer
School run
DD went to ballet with a friend's parents
Played hockey in the garden with DS (using golf clubs)
Baked cakes with DS - still need to ice when he gets in from Cubs
Got DS to empty DW
Washed, dried and put away two lots of washing, small ironing pile for later.
Cooked spinach soup from veg box and bread from frozen dough
Started a large batch of tomato pasta sauce (we use gallons of it).
Currently trying to add an extra shelf I found in the loft to the DCs newly retrieved bookcases without success
Just despatched DS to Cubs with another parent

To-do!
OU work
Washing up etc.

Just - I was thinking the same about your neighbour, but can see from your explanation how it really isn't that simple. Hope the other person can take the load from your shoulders soon. Also hope that the hospital time is beneficial and provides a bit of respite from it all.

Toffee - hope you and DS2 feel a bit better tonight.

Jemima - I haven't got anywhere in particular for Christmas shopping, except the loft. I tend to be bold and leave things in plain sight but in plain boxes and bags (the state of our house is such that random boxes in corners or on furniture are par for the course and the DCs never look in them). There are several presents within easy reach at this moment if only they knew it. Being even bolder typing this as DD is looking over my shoulder, better go.

Just for you elliie

turtle

doll

goth. Might order myself the second one as a chr***s present.

I have a small yet worthy ta da list:-
Work
Meeting after work
Quick tidy downstairs which has served to keep complete chaos at bay
Washing on
Washing in dryer
Dinner
washing up (first last nights and then tonights)

Dd is doing her reading seeing as i got told off. She is reading to DS at her request. Very cute listening to them, DS is being brilliant with her. Bless them.

whoknows i too had washing on the line till late. Am finding this mild weather a bit odd. My body is telling me i should be colder, finding it hard to sleep!

Ta Da
One load of washing
Two loads of tumble drying (raining here)
Washed dishes
Went to work
Went out for lunch
Wiped kitchen surfaces
Wiped around bathroom and toilets
Collected DC from school
Took DS2 to wind band
Took DS1 to football training
Collected DS2 from wind band
Took DS2 to swimming
Collected DS1 from football training
Collected DS2 from swimming

Evening all!

Waves to Ellie and everyone else (and tries to ignore references to the C word - the long version that is ) have done a bit of advance on-line shopping I must confess but only cos I had the flu. Have dedicated cupboard with strong lock

Congrats on your humungous lists everyone; Whoknows (cat-ownership obviously suits you! ) Bitchy Just Dizzy and Jemima!

[and hands free passes out of naughty corner to Just and Ellie as you have both been working flat out fhs!]

You are all getting loads done [hands out ]!!

I must admit, the realisation that this is the last gasp of summer is lending a certain urgency to my laundry and cleaning operations ...wish it would do the same for paper decluttering ... .

Hope all the poorly kinder are feeling better too! [And you Toffee!] [hands over hot toddy]

Just at social services and hospital letting your friends down so badly. Sounds like a horrendous situation. They are lucky to have you supporting them. Relieved to hear only temporary as it sounds incredibly hard on your good self.

Wish 95% of my kitchen was clutter free Jemima!

Goth something for your dd.

Sorry if I have missed anyone out and for jumbled order of above. Was out for most of day and am now zonked. Still off the booze sadly but loads of the virtual stuff here for anyone in need!

*

x posts

OK so extra helpings of for Ellie and Jemima for their most recent ta-da lists!!

BB with links

Tomorrow's baby-step, no 9 for Wed 9th Oct, is here - reading about decluttering techniques and adding 5-min room rescue to morning routine.

We are still in Zone 2: the kitchen. Spend 15 mins decluttering here!

Once your kitchen is totally clutter-free, you can go on to detailed cleaning.

Tomorrow's mission is scrubbing kitchen taps with a toothbrush or whatever implement tickles your fancy.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day so do something you have been avoiding!

The habit for October is clearing paper clutter.

The daily flight plan will update itself according to date and provides a quick summary of the above.

G'night!

Ellie- I'm really struggling with having to keep the cats in (ie no doors and windows left open) while the weather is still so mild - the kitchen is boiling when I'm cooking and I normally have the back door open in all but the coldest weather. The cooker has been on since about 5.30 tonight and it's like a sauna in there.

SC there's no way I'm showing her them, so much baking to do this week

Not done the bookcase yet, good job it's Wednesday tomorrow

However m'Lud I would like the following to be taken into consideration:
Collected DD & friend from school
Dinner
18 witch's hat (cinnamon) biscuits
24 bat (vanilla) biscuits
Washing up & SS
Ironing

Phew, finally got the DCs to bed and the kitchen cleared up (DD did some washing up after tea but my cookathon left a lot to do later). Got the shelf fixed too. DH has just rung to say he will be home from work about 11 (the perils of self employment, another dinner in the freezer, he didn't tell me he was working late till after 6, grrr).

Anyway got the telly to myself for GBBO, hoping the cats might appear.

Evening all! Firstly, apologies as still haven't caught up with what everyone else has been up to you're all just so chatty on here!

Thanks SC for not classing me as an epic fail yesterday . Think I just need to keep plodding along and trying to do as much as I can and not just give up.

I know a few don't like the getting dressed to shoes, but that does seem yo make a huge difference to me in a morning and I'm not rushing out of the door late shouting at DD...managed to get to school on time this morning relatively stress free...

Anyway, enough rambling on...

Ta da
Dressed to shoes
Sink shined
Clothes laid out for tomorrow

Well done to everyone else who managed to get done whatever they got done today and will try and catch up properly tomorrow (try being the operative word I think!!)

Thanks for the hot toddy, SC. Am feeling very sorry for myself. I hate colds. Useless, irritating things.

Today's Flying duties were delegated to DH, although I did manage the basics and swished and swiped in the bathroom. S&S always cheers me up, for some reason, especially if I give the taps a quick polish too.

Am going to bed when I stop sneezing. I may be up for some time...

Morning all.

(Hope you got some sleep eventually Toffee [hands over freshly squeezed oj]). Tap polishing nearly as satisfying as knob polishing then eh?

I'm another rare beast who likes the getting dressed to shoes bit Saturn so you are not alone! And yay to plodding along and not giving up!

[Stands on tiptoe and tries to catch lovely baking and cooking aromas wafting by from the homes of Whoknows and Goth]

Nearly forgot Goth (ignoring fact that you are over-loaded) but dd and I also did very successful ghosts with blood sauce last year (meringues with blackberry compote) like this

Bit of a grouchy cross morning. DD has just embarked on the last of the three, two-year cycles of primary school, at the end of which is the national exam which all dc here have to pass in order to go on to secondary school. Unfortunately for her (or fortunately - depending on how you look at it) there is a "physical endurance" component to the exam for which her class has "training" every Wednesday morning - basically running around an indoor track until they drop (or faint which happened to dd the first week and two of her classmates the second week). All done with barking teachers and whistles. Oh they- certainly know how to instill the joy of exercise here dont you know . At least Wed afternoons are free so she can recover!

So, to that end:

Ta da:
morning routine inc s&s, wm, dw, rabbits
prepped laundry room for fortnightly ironing lady [bliss!!]

To do:
school run
cook nourishing lunch for dd
dining table hot spot
bake for dd
more laundry
boudoir * (the anti-procrastination component)
hwk supervision
paper decluttering
French study
exercise
ring up retailer of pricey and supposedly good quality school bag and complain about zip busting in only sixth week of use
cook nourishing supper for dd [dh out at business dinner]
watch yesterday's GBBO
evening routine

All rather boring but necessary ..!

Have a good Wednesday everyone!

Morning all.

Wow, SC that does sound hard!

Need a list today, getting a bit overwhelming...

to do:
Work
Blogging
Send stuff off
Dusting
Paper clutter
S and s
Bleach loo
Renew library book
General tidy up
What's for dinner?
Laundry away

Better get cracking. Back later.

Today i am feeling like i have woken up in a parallel universe. I overslept. Ds did not. He made school on time. this is winning but he also put the basket of clean folded clothes and bedding that i left in his room away. without being asked.

I am currently drinking my first cup of coffee of the day and pondering how many it will take to allow me to function. The to do list is rather long, and i cba to post it. Also i appear to have lost my glasses. again.

So i suppose i should start the ta da list...

ta da
1st load washing in machine
1 load in dryer
sort next load of washing
ds to school on time
ds' clothes away - by ds
internet stuff

right 2nd cup of coffee coming up...