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!!

Thank you SC for such a comprehensive set of links, especially when you are feeling under the weather.

Not much achieved today, but DH has been really cracking down on the DCs and tidying, which is great as I am sick of being the bad cop. Also feeling pleased as I had a moment of inspiration last week and realised that if we moved the DCs bunkbed ladder to the other end of the beds we could fit a tall bookcase (which has been in the loft for 10 years) in by the bed, not only that but we have chucked out DS's toddler desk which was fairly useless and fitted in the second bookcase of the pair. This should make a massive difference to keeping their stuff under control and there is still plenty of floor space to play in. Best of all it has cost nothing!

I will be undertaking Home Blessing tomorrow, plus want to fit in an hour at the allotment.

Hello everyone. Would love to get my FLY mojo back, so will be joining you this month, if that's ok!

Wow - really? October? How?

~~staggers a bit & checks calendar ~~

I just did my 15mins decluttering living room and spent the whole time rearranging th ornaments on the mantelpiece. Does that count?

marking my place for the coming month. need to sort out tomorrow a place for all DD's new birthday presents to go and tidy away the carnage of all the extra beds and bedding used at the weekend!

Welcome to the newbies - take it slowly, it does all make sense eventually and if you actually follow the system it does work. However following it in a half-arsed fashion and chatting lots still helps :)

Up far too early stressing about tenant situation. Am about to go for a run (first one since Great North Run over 2 weeks ago - oops!) for a little head-space and then see what the day brings.

Morning,
Im just having a quick before ironing the dcs uniforms - can you see how bad things have got?? BUT Im determined to get back on top of things this month
Glad to hear your ds has now settled at school, it's awful having to drop them off when they are unhappy.

Morning! Signing in.

Massive thanks and to whoknows for September and to sc for this month.

I am a teacher, today everyone hates me. I am going to hibernate

To do list:
Laundry reboot
Empty and reload dishwasher
Get DD to nursery
Accompany DS to nursery and try to encourage him to enjoy it
Clear hall. Again.
Meal plan.

Ooh are you striking today Ellie? I don't think we have this in our area, must be in the 2nd half on the 17th- in fact i even have parents evening later!

I have written myself a list and will do my best to crack on- Tuesday is fairly quiet usually and I might have a couple of hours free with dd this afternoon.

Things aren't looking good for sil but I don't have any news just yet- please fingers x for her

Sssssh nick, don't want you lot to turn against me just like the whole of facebook.

Sorry < la la la nothing to see here...>

No strikes here as Education is devolved to Cardiff and the WAG is in talks with the unions, unlike the Westminster government.

Ta Da
Tumble dried 2 loads
Put another load on to wash
Washed dishes
Wiped around kitchen
Wiped around bathroom and toilets

To Do
Dry another load of washing
Ironing
Put clothes away
Tidy up hallway
Tidy up dining area

We're in the 17th Oct area, no indication about strikes from our school so far - there has not been any strike action since my DCs started there though.

Ta-da!
Morning routine plus two loads of washing on line and school run.

To do.

Home blessing
Pilates class
Hour on the allotment
Break/paperwork/sorting kits for tonight
DD and friend to ballet
Tea
DS to Cubs
Ironing

I need to get started on my next OU module this week too. Hmm.

The run worked as I hoped it would - there is something very calming about running in the dark looking at the moon. Shame I have to run round the streets at this time of year though.
Feeling clearer mentally and have a PLAN. This will involve going up to the flat today (40 mile round trip) but it needs to be done.
So between now and when builder gets here and I can leave:

• Write and print off notice for flat
• Find address for someone I need to visit
• Sort out paperwork I need to take with me
• Contact various tradesmen - some for problem flat, most for lovely tenants here.
• Washing on
• S&S
• Rest of breakfast dishes
• Soup out of freezer
• Print off DS's homework photos - playing up last night
• Try not to stress

Morning one and all.

At work so not much flying today. Have late meetings as well so DH will be taking care of dinner.

To do
Teach, mark, plan, meet!
Ironing (I have to do this tonight or I won't have anything to wear to school tomorrow!)
Run
Washing up

Thanks for the links sc

Good morning everyone! Great to see all the regulars and newcomers filing in.

Beautiful autumnal day here with sunshine no less! Feeling a bit better so tottering about doing laundry.

How are all of you?

[eyes drift to still-locked door of naughty corner]

A very warm welcome to Kalinka! Don't worry, we will hold your wing and arf at 34 yrs! Fwiw I've been with my dh on and off for 30 yrs (married for 19 of them) and if it's any consolation I can't honestly say that I have got my act together yet

Jemima very, very impressed to hear that you are moving from decluttering stage to detailed cleaning stage after a month I've been mouldering on here for years and haven't got to that stage yet. Top Flying marks to you!

Violet I have no idea about granite sinks I'm afraid, but is this of any use?

Great to have you back Mercury and congrats on starting teacher training. Hope it's going well and that you're enjoying it.

Thanks for lemsipBlue! [sips gratefully]

Actualy Swan my washing machine is a bit of wreckage

Pleased to hear your ds3 is a bit more settled at school Asheth bless him, it's so stressful when they are unhappy in the morning, kind of haunts you all day

Good luck with the furniture rearranging Whoknows! It's amazing the difference a strategically placed bookcase can make. Good luck with your OU module and the allotment...

Welcome back PolkadotRosa!

Stillwearing I know, where did September go? [And yes, ornament rearranging definitely counts, I'm sure there's a mission involving knick-knack dusting somewhere ...]

Good luck with tenant situation Feetheart, hope it works out. All v. stressful for you. Moonlight run sounds v tranquil though.

That's fab that your ds is going to nursery Trazzles!!! HOpe your dd enjoys it too.

[Hands over emergency hibernation kit to Ellie containing large cardboard box with holes in, straw, fluffy pillow, extra large bar of fruit and nut, and ]

Sorry to hear about your sil Nicknacks sending positive thoughts and prayers ...

Sending and to sustain you through your long day Engels and some for when you get home

Enthusiastic wing flaps to Dizzy Bitchy PA and anyone else I've inevitably forgotten!

[Scans horizon for Goth Just Honu Castle Pushme Toffee Shannara Saturn Blueandwhite and anyone else who may be lurking but hasn't made an appearance yet ...and waves to them too ...]

you are amazing SC how do you remember everyone!! wow

done
all dcs in school bright and early
did some more grocery shopping
school related admin and tearing out of hair trying to get through to the right person (why is it so impossible to get an answer about anything??? No-one seems to know anything. In this case I'm trying to find out dd's Fronter password so she can use the school internet. And no, no-one seems to know who I'm meant to ask, least of all poor dd. I've left a message for her Form tutor but she only sees her every few days, so more frustration there. BRING BACK TEXTBOOKS!!!!!

ordered some more school uniform for dd. That took forever too. Why have things on the list which the dedicated uniform shop doesn't know anything about?

Oh dear I am becoming Mrs Ranty this morning.

Whoknows I love that feeling. I love the permutations of the existing furniture and that lightbulb moment.

Alright, I am going to pull myself together and resort the kitchen and all its drawers full of admin/stationery and try and stop myself feeling overwhelmed by these minor admin crises. [now that the grocery cupboard is full, that is)

There is no mention of a strike here. Possibly because Open Day and Eve are round the corner and it would really be impossible to combine the two with any dignity. I think the teachers in both the secondaries I know of work impossibly hard. I'm thinking of the way they have to combine looking after a whole 30 students pastorally, AND then the formal teaching load, and extra curricular clubs that most are expected to run. The music teacher alone turns up every Sunday to accompany the chamber choir to Mass, and he has to run all the peripatetic music programme as well as the entire music curriculum from Year 7. And A-levels. One other teacher for music.

I blame the Management never the teachers...The administrative set up never seems to be very easy for parents to fathom.

Afternoon

to WhoKnows for September & for SC (nice nc btw) to help get her through October.

Ok, parents arriving on the 10th & DD's birthday on the 11th

On the plus side have finished work so now distractions there, however the weather is so beautiful that I've spent all morning out on my bike, on my own-bliss

Done
Morning routine
Laundry out
Dried laundry folded & away
Visited council for HB forms
Just stuffed myself with roasted veg, soft cheese & wraps, will start tackle body clutter AGAIN tomorrow

To do
Mountains off paperwork
Collect DD
Library
Dinner wash up & SS
Make the lounge today's 15 min room rescue.

Big wing flaps to everyone, BBL

Mission? Me? Goth. As October is the new Janurary I have celebrated the fact by sleeping a migraine off this morning. Still feeling rubbish. Set up a pretty self colouring spread sheet last night so that I can see what is going on where. It is quite lovely.

Decided a gentle day is needed today to recover from the weekend. Cos clearly I didn't do that yesterday really. And hope to hit the ground running tomo.

No strikes here, but ds' school doesn't do strikes. Which is brilliant. Need to find the slip for parents evening so I can return it too. Not entirely certain I am actually either awake or functioning yet. Just drinking my coffee and about to get breakfast.

Arrgghhhhhh... I reviewed post, posted post, watched post cease to exist!
No time to redo so for now to WhoKnows for September, more for SC for October, hello to newbies waves to returners and oldies hope to catch up at some point...

Shockingly late arrival! Don't think I even made it into September! New month - new resolution!!

Hi - I'm here - and on the 1st too.

Thanks to Whoknows for September (but where did September go?) and SC (much nicer punny name) for this thread.

I'm in awe of Jemima - detailed cleaning to me is like getting a degree when you're struggling with GCSE - I can't do the decluttering bit which seems to be the basic literacy part of it all. My only skill is laundry - could get gold stars for that!

We have carers in for 4 weeks now. What happens after 4 weeks? - no idea. 'Tis lovely having DH washed and dressed but a pain when they are parked on the drive when I am late to teach. And DH (night owl) v unimpressed with 8.30pm bed!

If anyone vaguely medical is here, I have a thread in general health about an incision wound I could do with advice on. :)

Maybe my clutter threshold is just really low To be fair we live in quite a small house and there is nowhere to hide clutter, so you have to keep on top of it. There is still some clutter upstairs, but downstairs is a pretty clutter free zone. Which is fine, as nobody ever sees upstairs except us!

Today's To Do list has been severely impaired by the fact that I've hurt my knee running and have spent the afternoon icing and elevating it But I've done lots of washing and have done the minimum of wiping around surfaces, cleaning toilets etc. Am now going to see if I can stand on my knee for long enough to iron the uniforms for tomorrow.