Remember, remember to Fly through November, but Fledglings will chatter a lot

[BlueEyeshadow]

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 SlimChance for leading us through October and such a copy-and-pasteable OP....

All welcome!!

Thanks for clarifying re: ellie sc. I thought they were the same.

Hi ellie not sure if we've met but lovely to " meet" you!

Waves to Jemima too - that's my niece's name

Off to work today so I need to get in the shower post haste.

Morning everyone.
Need to get lots done today and plan rest of the week as next week is crazy - School Assoc Christmas crafts every lunchtime [eek]

Ta Da

• Note to Treasurer with invoices I found from July Good news is I am owed money :)
• Wake up DD and return book to DS - he got it for his birthday and I keep sneaking it out to read it

To do:

• All up and out
• Washing up from last night Both awake from 4am yesterday so crashed as soon as DC went to bed
• WORK
• Sort paperwork to look for really important document
• If find above make appointment at solicitors
• Attempt proper Morning Routine for first time in ages
• Return charity shop bags to car boot - DH had to borrow car to shift some big stuff so my 'storage' was dumped in new hallway making it full and messy
• Sign up for runs I have promised DS we will do - thanks Buddha for running chat and making me realise I was all talk :)

Have a good day everyone.
Hope to be back later but we will see.

Oh god.

I am rubbish without sleep!!

To do
Get up
Get the boys up
Breakfast and school run.

feet I will be booking the Bedford Santa run, as my DS will love that. The 1/2 marathon training was going to start today, but that won't be happening!

Slightly more thorough round-up:

Angry Buddha oh dear [proffers oil of cloves and painkillers] hope you can get to the dentist and they can sort it quickly. And you deserved a good night's sleep after that humungous list yesterday! (How is the Tardis construction going btw?) Love the Malteser bribery technique - going to steal that one! Arf at 28 bird feeders!

Bitchy ummm, considering the timing of your post, I'm thinking 'bed at a reasonable time' is an entry for tonight then . I'm a fine one to talk of course. Top marks to your ds for getting himself up and off to school. Hope meetings went well and top marks for blanket progress!

Btw, fwiw, I think the tip for putting away clothes efficiently/quickly is to turn on the 15 min timer + a very loud music track and have all drawers/receptacles/wardrobes ruthlessly and constantly decluttered and spick and span and very ordered ie everything (and I mean everything) having a place. Then it doesn't seem like such a chore. Nothing more off-putting than drawers that won't shut and wardrobes rammed full of stuff and 'ambiguous' storage areas full of miscellaneous items. Good training for dc too as easy for them to put away and find things when it is all arranged with military precision. Unfortunately, I only seem to manage this level of order for dd's and dh's clothes and not my own!

Alice I'm afraid I read it that way too! Going mad trying to balance office Christmas budget here. Excel spreadsheets are not my favourite things. Yay to kindly gentlemen in supermarkets!

Jemima Congratulations on your new job but sorry all things domestic are so overwhelming atm. The day you describe sounds like a bit of a killer and not sustainable, I would have thought, in the long-term - I would definitely get a cleaner if you can - sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Your friend will love the chicken soup Toffee just the thing to boost morale and wellbeing in this weather. Well done re: wardrobe decluttering. You have inspired me to do a bit of that myself today. Great news about new year kitten. And well done to your ds1 for completing his cbt!

Feetheart hope you caught up with some sleep last night and running alongside 300 Santas sounds brilliantly mad!

Arf at toy cat nose-mending Goth and top marks for your long list (including mince pies). Getting even more worried now when I see you have marzipanned your cake already. Haven't made mine yet!! Must do so this w/e! Hope your dd is feeling better now.

Yes, ditto what Toffee said about taking it steady Sillybilly Hope your dh is feeling better and you can catch up on even more much-needed sleep!

Castle It must be hard for your dh and you to lose such a good mentor . Hope new foster pony settling in ok. Tb foal sounds wonderful!

Sorry you missed the exhibiton Swan but hope your ds2 can be persuaded in to school without too many hassles this morning (Thanks. I'm sure that's true about secondary school choices. But we have just discovered that, [yikes!], owing to new inscription/point qualifying procedures, that she may not even have a choice of one unless dd and I move back to uk or move her locally for last year of primaire - all v. disruptive.)

Everyone was talking about that Amazon programme in the office yesterday btw. Feel a bit guilty now as I have just placed huge Christmas order!

(I'm another one who is only making it to Mass every two or three wks btw. New Pope luring me back although, after years of disillusion, trying not to get too hopeful.)

Stillwearingoldsocks Good luck with balancing all the demands of work and home. Small steps and all that ... !

Dizzy at 80 lengths!! Blimey O'Riley! That's amazing going! at the thought of snowdrops and crocuses.

Ellietrying the distribution of chores and recalcitrant dps and dhs are recurrent themes on here, so you are not alone! Hope the system will help (and once it starts having a bit of an effect, it has been known for the odd other half to join in) [SC stoops to avoid flying pig.]

Picturesinthefirelight Hope your dd's dance assessments went well!

Engels Christmas cards are staring at me too! Every year I am terribly organised and buy them early. And then I procrastinate horribly over getting them written and posted! The photo album for your dh sounds like a fab idea. Arf at your ds riding the hoover!

Mercury I'm with you on sock-pairing despair!

Rowingboat Sorry you are finding work v domestic chores a difficult balance, you are not alone on here. Yes, don't worry, zones all come around again all too quickly! As for 'routine claustrophobia' I know what you mean although probably don't do them regularly enough to suffer the full effects! . Tbh, I think all housework is pretty demoralising and can get you down. There is nothing creative about it because all the hard work is undone pretty soon after it has been completed.

I've watched a few of the 'obsessive cleaning' progs that have been on the tv recently and I'm torn between wanting to get up and take everything from my house and dump it in a large skip and being horrified at the monotony of their daily rituals and wondering how they can possibly withstand the boredom. They do all look terribly fit and healthy though! I identify more with the saggy hoarders

How are you getting on KatcatKat?

Hope you are feeling better now Silversixpence and have fun filling up the filing cabinet [SC looks shiftily at virtually empty filing cabinet sitting in awkward position in office surrounded by stacks of unfiled papers] Good luck with dinosaur knitting!

Big cheery wing flaps to Jdub!

Blue had a peep at your blog. Sorry it is all such a nightmare!

Whoknows love the Nordic snowflake duvet! How amazing you were there for the raising of the Mary Rose! Talk about living history!

Huge big waves to Honu Just Elliepac PA Saturn Lauren Nicknacks Imadoozer and anyone I've inevitably missed!

Have a good day everyone!

Slimchance I don't have a clue how to do spreadsheets. Wish I did. I'm sure I could do, but nobody's ever shown me how. I wonder if there's an online tutorial or something. Must look. All my budgeting is on paper.

Morning!
Just checking in, so I don't slip out of the thread into oblivion (again!)....

SC thank you for the fab round-up, and thanks everyone for the kind comments.

I'll be back in a little while with personals!

Ta Da:

*A cooked breakfast; DH was up with the lark to drive 6 hr return journey to Dublin airport to collect neighbour's son... had to send him off with something in his tummy!

To Do:

1. Shower etc, feed cats and be ready for lift to work (both my cars still in various garages, the irony!)
2. Must clean ensuite today. MUST.
3. Dinner, dishes, tidy.
4. Cancel piano lesson (have no way of getting there )

If I manage that much today I'll be happy.

PS Alice, I do spreadsheets in Microsoft Word. They do just fine for my personal needs. When you are in your document, click INSERT (it's up among the other tabs) and then click on TABLE. Then select how many rows and columns you need...

Right.....dashing!

xposts

strong to Angrybuddha

Feetheart¨glad to see you have been able to get a bit more well-deserved shut-eye. School Christmas crafts for me too next week unfortunately.

Have a good day at work Sillybilly!

Woken up feeling OK today so hopefully haven't succumbed to dd's lurgy. She on the other hand is really feeling under the weather with a horrible chest infection. Doc has signed her off school until w/e. Which means (because dh is travelling) that I have had to radically reorganise my week.

And it's this time of year that I am traditionally thinking "why the effing ¨*&é"§ç!" didn't I do x, y or z before now, because I could then focus on Christmas preparations instead! Ah well ...

Plus loads and loads of social/extra-curricular stuff happening - all of which need to be prepared for - and well, borne, frankly .

Still also feeling v stressed by the considerations surrounding dd's schooling as it has thrown up all sorts of other deeper issues, bluntly, do I want to stay an expat for the next decade or do I want to split the family and go back to Blighty? Which is a bit of a Hobson's choice!

Loads and loads of good thing about living here, primarily education and health-care, and it would be more than awful if dd lost her languages after all the work she has put in to them, but also feel very hampered by expat status sometimes, as (even with a reasonably decent level of French) am much more dependent (financially and otherwise) on dh than I would choose to be, and it makes you much more passive than is ideal for various reasons (ie in situations where you are unsure of cultural or linguistic nuances). It's like living your life with an arm tied behind your back sometimes.

Plus I really, really miss my sisters and green countryside and sometimes I think dd would really benefit (socially and self-esteem wise) from a few years of not being 'the outsider'. I dunno. Dh would hate it if we left (he has no choice but to work here) and unlike me, he's not good on his own. But I gave up a job I loved and have been here a good long while now ...was never really given a choice about whether I wanted to stay or not ... it just happened. But I would feel horribly guilty if dh had to commute all the time on top of everything else - he's exhausted enough after just the usual travelling he does. So all very confusing.

Sorry - that was very 'me' 'me'. Should be thanking my lucky stars for the fact that I have some choices I know! [Note to self to look at all the positives and stop whinging!]

Going to stop typing now and get on with the day's chores. Also, can hardly hear myself think because, just one week or after all the major construction work on block of flats has been completed two doors down, the institution opposite has started a major renovation project. There is a 40 ft lorry (I kid you not) full of sand for cement permanently reving (high decibel reving too) outside our front door. DD cannot sleep or recover. And I am going mad with the noise. Off now to gather my inadequate Flemish and quizz scary looking driver!

Have a good day everyone!

xposts

Alice yes, I budget on backs of envelopes too! And then put it all on Excel to keep dh happy.

Blimey Castle you are a devoted wife. Dh left at 4.45 am this morning and I am afraid he had to help himself to whatever was in the fridge !

Yes, Microsoft tables a lot less scary than Excel, but doesn't do the sums for you!

Oh well, lorry drivers were Italian and charming

Have left stroppy message on the boss's answerphone instead!

Unfortunately Yes it did mean another sleepless night budha Yes early night is on the to do list SC And i was in bed but the sleep part was very lacking. :(
I am going to have to give up and take the strong pain killers that mess with my mind for a week to break this cycle. Am so so tired.

Yes Alice there are only line tutorials for using excel. I don't have time to hunt out now but will try to remember tomo morning as some are good some are bad and you will get bogged down. However, excel for dummies was good when I was getting into the more complex functions and I know that it covered the basics well. I love budgeting in Excel because it does the totals for me and colours the boxes yellow to warn me when I am possibly going over budget and bright red when i do.

Right, must must must get on. Really don't want to but must.

DH was working ftom home yesterday writing a report. I was upstairs trying to finish a few sewing projects and I kept hearing what sounded lke chirping and whistling which I eventually realised was coming from DH's laptop (he said it was music)! He had taken DD to school but I had to remind him of all the bits she needed to take and then throw them out the door because he wasn't concentrating on the time!!

• Name tags sewn on school tops
• Christmas tree ornaments sewn and ready to send (these are for a crafty swap I am in)
• Fabric cut for next quick project
• DD to Brownies
• Tea made
• Pots washed and sink shined
• Swimming gala #4 applied for. This is a Level 2 one so DD needed a minimum time to enter and it will be her last chance to get as close to the County qualifying times this year

I need to go to the shop to get a few bits this morning as it is DH's birthday tomorrow although he is away to Lomdon for some swanky lunch with work and won't be home until late!

Alice the MoneySaverExpert site has a good budget spreadsheet, I used it as the basis of my spreadsheet (but then I'm an Excel nerd) but I think it works well as is.

Sounds like Bitchy will be on offer soon, warning to those that haven't tried it before, it's like rocket fuel, but will get you through the day like the squirrel in Over The Hedge Hope you get soon sleep soon/pain eases off.

Castle hope your DH appreciates you, mine would probably get a 'turn the bloody light off' at that time in the morning.

SC you think DD would be happy I'd mended her toy, 1st reaction was that the thread colour didn't exactly match! She was told it was that or nothing, and I could always unpick it if it bothered her that much!
I've only marzipaned the cake 'because it was there', and I'm not out at work. I am stressing a bit over Christmas cards, DD's school is fund raising by getting the kids to design a card each and then getting them made professionally with their names on. So I've ordered a pack for the family, but I don't know when they'll arrive.

Done
Beds
S&S
Dd to school
Washing up
Laundry on
Dry laundry away

To do
Drape laundry
Mop kitchen & bathroom floors
Bake chocolate cake (mince pies were a bit hard)

That's it so far. I'm sure something will crop up! BBL

Indeed goth. Pot of special brew on the side for those in need.

To do list:
important emails
banking errand *x1 done need to go to bigger bank in next town
paperwork
sort ds' pack up tea
sort training kit
make sure lounge is tidy
meeting
comp for ds
BED at a reasonable time.
Run errands in next town
empty car

I have music but i think i might have to change it as it is annoying me something loud, good beat and bouncy is needed today...

PA! how the devil are you? Nice to see you btw.

Goth I'll look on MSE. I'm a regular on there anyway, but haven't ever looked at it.

Bitchy Thanks! I like the sound of it adding up totals for me, and pretty colours to warn me of impending skintness !

PA hello no idea why you're whispering. We seem to be a chatty bunch.

Slimchance I think Christmas is a normal time to feel a bit homesick, isn't it? Would it help for you to have a short visit back?

Alright, down to business.

ta da
normal morning routine, school runs (yay finally!!)
farm foods shop for toilet roll and frozen veg (much cheaper there)
paypoint to pay bill, put money on electric and gas meters
slight detour to Greggs for a festive bake (yummmmm )
laundry - in washing machine
tidied living room
stripped beds for next load of washing

to do
washing up
second load of washing
sweep kitchen
vacuum living room
clean crayon off living room walls (yes yes, I know 4yo thinks he is an artist much to my dismay)

[thirstily guzzles Bitchy's brew] Yes, also like the sound of the budget warning colours!

Waves casually to PA as though she had been there all along

I know Goth the pernicketyness (if that's a word) of 8/9/10 yr old girls never fails to astound me! DD is exactly the same!

Stressing about craft stall here ... it's going to take a miracle I tell you ... .

Dizzy enjoy the retail therapy (even if for dh) and after that 80 lengths down-thread, I now understand where your dd gets her swimming prowess from!

Goodness, what a lot of posts!

PA! Good to see you, even if it was only a brief glimpse .

SC - I can understand your dilemma. It must be really hard feeling torn between DH's country and your own.

Sorry for sleep-deprived Bitchy and Buddha. I'm rubbish without sleep too, Buddha. And my face shows it more than it used to .

Lots of discussion about budgets here which I'm ignoring.

Both boys off school with tummy aches today, which has thrown a spanner in the works. I'm looking after them this morning, then DH is coming home from work early to take over, so I can take lunch round to my poorly friend. Going to the dentist after that.

DS2 has been warned that the Lego City will have to be dismantled and taken up to his room before the cleaner comes tomorrow.

to do

Morning routines

Hi all, no more whispering, just feeling a bit naff at keeping up with you all!!

Huge waves to all you lovely lot!! I would like to say that life has been manic....but it always is so nothing new there....I just don't seem to be able to get motivated to do anything or come on here at the moment. I am really struggling with the cold!!! For goodness sake anything less than 25 degrees was considered a cold day for a year!!! I feel as if I am living in a freezer.....but trying to keep the heating costs to a minimum.

Sorry Alice missed you out by mistake! I doubt if we will be able to fit in a trip to Blighty this Christmas (going to see fil and sil in France) but hopefully will be able to go pretty soon thereafter as missed out on summer trip owing to dh's op. A bit beyond homesickness atm in fact - complicated by fact that I don't feel totally at home any more in UK - or here really!

Arf at festive bake! [was waiting for the C** references!]

[Grimly determined to keep up with thread ... ...]

Toffee sorry your boys are ailing - they have really been in the wars recently. Aw at Lego clearance. I love having toy cars and Playmobil spread across the floor! Must be something to do with having an only child and having her late at that! Just happy to have toys in the house and knowing they won't be laid out across the floor for much longer ... I give it two or three years max [sniff]. Good luck at the dentist!

PA your temp control must be all over the place after returning from the tropics! [Proffers fluffy hot water bottle and cashmere socks.]

Bliss! The revving has stopped for an hour for lunch-time. Must go and do stuff while I can think!

Slimchance believe me, I know the feeling. I don't think I'd feel "at home" at my own country any more either, although I do at least feel at home here now, for the most part. Every now and then I get agitated over it, but more from a "I just want to fit in and sound like everyone else so nobody asks me where I'm from" thing IYSWIM. It instantly sets me apart from everyone and it can be a bit isolating sometimes. To be fair, I'm not remotely interested in going back to visit, I'm happy to stay in the UK, but mainly because it's people I miss more than places. But it still hits (illogically) occasionally. (if that makes sense)

Toffee oh no!! My sympathies. We're finally (fingers crossed) out of the stomach bug - it was awful. I hope yours get over it quickly and don't have it too badly. LOL at burying your head in the sand over budgets.

Hi all,
Just back from the dentist, which went ok. My dentist is a bit of a Eeyore, but he is quite informative with no drama. He said he spends most of his day fixing people's aging fillings (including mine). Now have a saggy face and am on the liquids so that I don't eat my tongue.

Pictures thanks for the heads up on the Christmassy things! :0)
We are hosting this year and I would like to do a little 15 mins towards preparing. Nothing elaborate, but it would be nice to get some of the decorations up before Christmas Eve.

Slim what are these programmes about cleaning - sound awful! ;0) I have been reading about people who clean obsessively. It seems to be an area where some people feel they can control things when everything else is crazy. I can't even control that!
I don't find life that uncontrollable, so that must be why I don't feel the need to control my home (hahaha crazed laughter as an avalanche of old newspapers lands on head)

So far the 15. Minute declutter has happened once in The sitting room, but will try again tonight. Not really sure to declutter, I have shoved everything into cupboards - hmmm! Cupboards!?

Off to work now, so will attempt the zone clean
I nominate my kitchen table as a hotspot and will start on that tonight is it 5 mins?

Waves and wing flaps to everyone!