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!!

Ta da:
Shined sink
Cleaned counter tops
Cleaned oven
Horses and work (not flying I know)

To do:
Hoover whole house thoroughly including pulling out sofas for mission
Home bleurgh
Clean kitchen floor
S&S
Ride and do stables

I've missed lists!

We have missed you too Lauren. Welcome back. How are you doing?

That was supposed to be waves at bitchy! Not sure if it shows but it isn't on my phone for some reason!

Yay Lauren great to have you back! And of course doing the horses counts as Flying - stables have hots spots and piles of "clutter" too .

[skirts tentatively around a smiley Bitchy ] Just kidding !! Glad things going well for you.

Your gimlet-eyed relative sounds a bit scary Toffee.

Goth yes to fecund papers ... need to do some serious shredding ...
this has some good ideas for Halloween/face painting.

Not making very good progress here. DD won't settle to anything (her knee is slightly incapacitating but she is still very restless. I've already driven her around a bit (she can't walk much), played UNO twice, tried to get her involved with shredding ... saving the Halloween baking until her friend comes tomorrow... trying to think of something creative ...can't get on with anything!!! Arrgggh.

ta da
construct and print out 3 lots of paperwork
clear spot for plants to over winter in
move plants
Sort out plan of action for today
prescription request for ds
training
catch up with a good friend
hunt out test papers...
look at my room in dispair :(
brew up proper coffee and eat cake
Internet stuff
waste time on mn

Updated Done
Beds
S&S
Dd to school
3 laundry washed
3 Laundry out (twice-bloody showers)
Washing up x2
Cat litter tray washed
Weekly bleugh
Ironing

To do
Paperwork
Collect DD
Dinner
DD to school Halloween party (face paint-ARRRGH)
More Ironing

Welcome back Lauren

SC Could you distract DD with a jigsaw, craft (drawing, beads), knitting, book, dvd, iPad (other tablets are available ) How long will she be at home for? Sorry meant to say earlier that I was pleased her op went ok.

Thanks for suggestions Goth DD is on holiday all this week. We're making some underwear for her doll atm (her mean mother having refused to buy two pairs of Corolle doll socks for 16 Euros earlier in the week).

I shouldn't be complaining really as it's only one day, but if I get any time tomorrow when dd's friend is here, I should be spending it working. And thereafter we are travelling. Didn't want to come back to current chaos on 1st floor but that's what you get for not doing the daily 15 mins decluttering!!

You are having a v. productive day Bitchy I'm doing a lot of your item nine and am trying to resist doing item ten ...

I currently have trainers in the tumble dryer and school shoes in the washing machine. Thus it sounds like a herd of elephants and stampeding through the house

I know I've been AWOL - J is having an unexpected stay in hospital with a chest infection. Sigh. But I just wanted to let you all know (because I know how you worry...) I FOUND MY WORK TROUSERS!!!!!

Anyone want to guess where they were? I honestly don't know how it took me about 2 months...

lauren have you just come back from wdw? Or is it next year you're going? What was it like??!!

Trazzle thanks for letting us know about Jo, I was only thinking about you today (in a nice way, not stalkerish) Hope he gets better soon.
I'm guessing your work trousers were somewhere obvious? Back of the wardrobe, or with DH's clothes or in a suitcase?

DD had a great time at her party, we were unoriginal and she went as a witch. Was a bit when she got home, as she said one of her friends thought that she and a boy in her class would be a 'cute couple' - they're only 8/9! DD informed me she didn't want to date yet. Phew. I know it wouldn't be much, but I really don't want her thinking she needs a boy yet for another 20 years

In the garden shed?

Worse. They were in the washing basket

I must have looked through it 100 times. Honest, guv!

Can't leave the thread on 666 posts. Sorry!

Hi, Trazzle! I was going to suggest... you were wearing them all along! Anyway, you have inspired me to look again in my washing basket (haven't seen the bottom of it for some time). Hope Joe gets over his chest infection soon.

Just back from a lovely evening out with friends. Before I left, I managed to get some decluttering done. This meant simply walking round with a big black bin bag and chucking stuff in it. Will have another bash tomorrow.

I was going to say ironing pile.....

Hi everyone,

Had a nice time in East Sussex, saw an old friend who drove over from Lewes to our part, who now has a toddler! Dd was sweet to toddler; usually she avoids small children like the plague (I think she wants to be the small child herself and doesn't want competition [rueful I felt my children were all terribly grownup and cheery/self reliant, very odd feeling

Ancient trees stayed put for the most part, apart from one whopper which we discovered next morning rather like finding Gulliver, surrounded by awed locals remarking what a lucky escape they had had (it went forwards not backwards when it fell, and backwards was someone's house Power cuts though till 10am and no mobile reception at all. Eerie not to know either what was happening in the news or to be able to contact anyone. Soon returned to civilisation though, just a brief moment of feeling like a member of Survivors..(70's programme if anyone is old enough to remember it

Even nicer to be home though. Today has been quite relaxed, apart from dd just crying and crying over nothing really, just tired and emotional and feeling a bit fed with life. She is now at her friend's house, which I think what she needed - escape from family life I mean!

done
reorganised playroom a bit
big pile of rubbish
supper from freezer (pumpkin soup and lamb stew)
watched Obsessive Cleaners Meet Hoarders with ds2 at his request. Ds2 was rivetted. A bit upsetting really. It is like some Roman Gladiatorial display, why can't they just ask a sensible person to sort out the hoarders' houses instead of people who have their own serious issues? It seems to confirm prejudices on both sides. I loved the partner of the man with the dogs who lived in Margate, who said he couldn't bear it there (in hoarder's house) so he lived with his mother instead and dug his (beautifully neat allotment) - the answer to both hoarding and excessive cleaning (gardening I mean) How did we all end up with so much stuff??All very strange..

Ellie Gritted teeth over Ofsted, I seem to remember last one went really well, despite a hiccup with their lesson evaluation, and then that was remedied. Very best wishes with it.

Whoknows that is lovely that dd is going round with her friend; it is a special time to go round with a friend, even if ds is a bit left out this time.

Ds2 does not find Halloween easy. He adores the dressing up, he loves the sweets, but he hates the crowds and he likes going round on his own so he is centre stage. We had some scenes in recent years, so I need to put my thinking cap on now. hopes Halloween will go away and we can just have a nice quiet evening watching Top Gear without drama

ARRRGH we have no cold water, we do have hot water though!

Am going to go to bed and will ring letting agent in the morning.

Ta da:
Countertops
Cleaned oven
Shined sink
Swept kitchen floor
Home bleurgh
Hoovered throughout- pulled out sofas a la mission
Carved 2 pumpkins
S&S
DD laundry away

This is my keen first day back list, ill deteriorate from here on in warm me up a space in the naughty corner

sc I'm glad stables are allowed to be flying, I have 2 horses and a pony now so 3 stables takes more time than my house

At stampeding elephant shoes bitchy

trazzle I hope Jo feels better soon! I have indeed just come back from wdw! It was fantastic, DD loved it and it was nice spending time with DM. And I love rollercoasters and sunshine so it was perfect! DD has turned into a diva on her return though so I'm currently retraining her

Good luck with ofsted ellie

Waves at goth engels toffee whoknows swan and anyone else about!

Evening all (actually, that should be 'morning all')... just stopped working. Dh and I were like ships in the night this evening. As soon as he walked in the door at 7.45pm, I walked out ... . And have just found out that blonde bunny has gone missing again .

Big waves to Trazzles!! Sorry to hear about J's chest infection, I imagine the last thing you both want is extra hospital stays. I hope he gets over it soon. Relieved to hear that recalcitrant trousers have turned up [no pun intended].

And welcome back Swan! Glad you had a good break away and thank heavens tree behaved itself and fell in right direction. (Agree, so much telly seems horribly exploitative atm.)

Lauren two horses and a pony !! No wonder you are busy! Is the latter for dd?

That's a bit odd Goth. Usually it's the other way around (cold and no hot - are the electrics OK?). Snap! DD dressing up tomorrow as a witch with her friend (although no trick or treating here) and is also at yuck stage when it comes to boys atm.

Toffee like the new direct approach to decluttering!

Arf at *Bitchy's stampede!

Big waves to Whoknows, Engels and everyone else!

Sorry, seem to be posting links in the early hours or crack of sparrows atm and never when anyone is around!

Wednesday's baby-step for 30th Oct is about checking the calendar for next month and learning about routines.

This week we are in Zone 5: the sitting room. Spend 15 mins decluttering here!

Once your sitting room is clutter-free, you can go on to detailed cleaning.

Wednesday's mission is spending 5 mins dusting the decorative items in your sitting room.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.

The habit for October is still clearing paper clutter.

The daily flight plan provides a quick summary of the above.

Have a good one everybody!

*

DD is on half term this week and so far I have just been pottering around the house avoiding any flying but the basics whilst she plays with her friends. Knowing they will be in and out of the house makes me make sure it is not a total tip!

It is her first session of early morning swimming tomorrow today so alarm is set for 6am and I came to bed at 1.45 which is unheard of! Shw is a bit reluctant to go but I think that is because we are unsure if any of the girls she knows will be there. Will report back how we get on

Morning
Dc and I had a lovely day catching up with my old friends yesterday and to top it off I had the best news. My friend had a mc in May but is now pregnant again and has just had her 12 week scan
Sorry to hear about Joes chest infection Trazzle I hope he starts to feel better soon.
Ds has woken up full of cold so we are going to have a lazy morning at home before going to collect a parcel this afternoon. Dcs are doing such long days at the moment so it won't do them any harm to have some proper down time.
To do
Make beds
Dw
Dust
Hoover
Washing in/out
Fold any laundry to put away
Make veg soup
Clean oven
Online ICT lecture this evening (ICT is definitely not my strong point so I'm sure I will learn a lot)