December already! Fledgings will sleigh the pre-Christmas clutter (and eat all the mince pies)

[GoingGoingGoth]

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 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!

Thanks to BlueEyeshadow and SlimChance for the November thread.

All welcome!! And remember that December is the new January!

Morning all (see I am starting to get up earlier)

Dizzy hope you are ok and power comes back soon. I bet Kendal was lovely yesterday

Merry that's my new thing today, had no idea totty could be a hot drink.

Bitchy you are amazing, I don't think we tell you that enough.

Engles will be thinking of you today, Fx journey goes smoothly.

Silly/trazzles new year, new start. 2014 is going to be great.

Toffee mmm maple syrup pancakes

Feet you are amazing, we loved our walk yesterday but running? I'm just not built for it (top heavy) I don't envy your sister, especially as she will be so aware of how unusual the weather is. Fx she has a safe journey too.

Done
Got up before 10:30
Beds
Windows
Laundry rebooted (Mt Washmore returns)
Breakfasts done

To do
Get DD dressed
Have neighbour's kids over to play (hide cat)
Recycling out
Hem DH's new coat -it's an ex-Russian army great coat
Mend DD's dressing gown
Book cinema tickets for tomorrow
Boil hand warmers
Litter tray
Make sausage rolls & cheese straws (maybe)

BBL

Hi all, hope Christmas was good. Because DH can't really manage in other people's houses we end up hosting a lot. This has been great except that I ended up oversleeping by 3 hours on Christmas morning which made everything in a rush. So yesterday (a guest-free day) was spent clearing the chaos generated by total lack of competence on Christmas day. Today - no visitors till tomo, house now vaguely tidy (except for rooms with doors shut ) and am actually winding down somewhat. I might even read a bit of my new book!

Just are you OK? I see all this about floods on the news and worry that you might yet again be sodden.

Sounds like you have had a busy christmas Honu
I was wandering the same thing about just and keeping my fingers crossed that everything was ok for her.

Ds has asked to be allowed to return to developing his program this morning I have had a lie in and an earlier night then most recently so feel like death was so nice to wake up in the tidier toom that I think if i get chance that i might focus on getting the paperwork sorted so that the room can be completely tidy. I can't remember when my room was completely tidy.

Lots to do today though so will have to see.
Hope you have lovely fun filled family days today.

Morning all
Morning routine done.
Feeling unwell with a cough. DH has gone to work. Just ordered a new kitchen table in the sales :)
House is generally a mess but we are relaxing today so will do bits and bobs and get back into swing of it over the next few days.

I've woken up with a sore throat, no surprise really as DS has had a streaming cold the last few days and my DF who was here on Christmas Day went down with one yesterday. It is very strange waking up alone in the house, I cannot remember the last time that happened. Anyway, doing some OU work this morning, will have a break for some Flying later and then get back on with the work I think. Still got no idea where all the presents are going to go but I did declutter most of a selection box last night .

Morning all, no painkillers yet, in pain but manageable! Hoping that the coffee today will clear it totally.
Just cooking DH some lunch before he goes to work till 10 pm and ds 1 is off out too which means I can sit in the quiet house in peace this afternoon.

ta da
Boil up handwarmers
ds program coding help
laundry x 3 loads
Cut out felt shapes for ds' stick and glue stuff
dear with tearful ds
make plans for new year/look into plans for January
Consider doing something but realise cba.

Ta da:-
The great xmas clean up
All presents found homes for
All floors found
All floors hoovered
All washing up done
All surfaces polished/wiped/bleached
Washing rebooted after xmas holiday
All rooms tidied
All beds made

To do:-
All people bathed
All people fed
All people collapse
Ellie to drink

I like your to do list ellie

Evening all! Just back from the UK. Windy crossing but not too bad. WIll catch up properly later when DS is in bed.

Ta da
Packed car at hotel/dm and df's (had left most of present there to save lugging up to hotel room then all the way ba k)
Read most of A Room of One's Own on drive back to distract me from hidepjs weather and dh's driving
Dinner (soup)
Wash on
Started unpacking and finding homes for things

To do
DS to bed
this evening crash in front of tv
Shower and wash the travelling off

Just wanted to pop in and wish you lovely lot a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! :)

Will be back for January :)

:D

SillyBob so glad that you can start to relax and enjoy all the possibilities of the New Year without endless worry hanging over you

Blue I like the existential angst from a child of ds2's age- clearly v intellectual upbringing
Programmers you have completely and utterly lost me

Feet I cannot believe you have never had an afternoon nap before..you are superwoman indeed

Today dd and I have been trying out all sorts of different cheap scent, so I now smell like an airfreshener. She wanted to buy the Meeow scent by Katy Perry for a friend but luckily we agreed it was pretty foul despite the lovely cat shaped bottle. I want some expensive scent, but I have vowed that until my room is tidy, and I have paid the milkman, and properly perused the Mumsnet perfume threads I will wait.

Bought ds1 a pair of enormous cheap school shoes in a sale. His feet are size 11, and he is still growing.

A nice day, lots of chats with various people on the phone and on the street I find myself bumping into all sorts of people.

Dh has taken ds2 to see Wind In The Willows at the Aldwych. Ds1 has taken himself off with his Christmas money to see Hunger Games again and go shopping in Westfield. Dd is wrapping her friend's present, a neutral (think black, beige and cream) Union Jack cushion from Argos!

done
hoovered kitchen
washing in
washing dried
bit of cooking and washing up, but not much

otherwise NOTHING!

Engels is that the book with the sad bit about Shakespeare's sister and the two meals VW ate in mens' and womens' colleges (one sumptuous the other Spartan) I used to hate VW, but I suspect I like her more now I'm older.

That's the one!

LINKS FOR 28 DECEMBER 2013

*
Babystep 28 is to eat right, drink enough and get enough sleep.

This week we are in Zone 4 the bathroom & 1 other room. Detailed cleaning list for those that can be bothered here

It's Saturday so Family Fun Day and no missions.

December's monthly habit is Pampering

Flight Plan for today.

***

Hope everyone's Christmas is going well?

I'm not flapping this week. Am curled up in Mammy's nest. Tis nice.

ROUND UP

Bitchy, Merry & Toffee's DSs are getting into coding. It's a good thing, if they're going to be obsessive about something. Future 'Bill Gates's

(ohh just found the redo button on my iPad keyboard)

dizzy had a quiet day in Kendal yesterday. And it sounds like her DD will be a film critic (I hate differences between books & films, excluding LOTR)

Silly's future looks bright again. Just checked your other thread, hope J's temperature drops.

Feet's ran 5k yesterday! Not surprised you needed a nap. Her sister was flying today (hopefully)

elliepac has dealt with the post-Christmas mess (aren't we all?) helps, once you drink enough you can't see straight let alone see any mess.

Honu has had a break from hosting over Christmas, hope you had a nice relaxing day.

Eustacia & WhoKnows are both going down with the lurgy

Waves to all. Will come and find you in the New Year as off to DH's family tomorrow and my phone doesn't seem to like MN...

Guten Rutsch! (A good slide into the new year, as wished bizarrely in German.)

Hi all, just popping in, will catch up with thread in a minute!!

He is behind you!!! Have been at the theatre today watching this years Pantomime, with all the dcs, dh, dm and dmil.

Been a long but enjoyable day. Had to pick up dm - 40 minute round trip, make lunch and tidy up, 40 minutes to Theatre, 20 minutes to find a parking space, 40 minutes back, make dinner and then 40 minutes round trip to drop dm off.

Giving the totty toddy a miss tonight in favour for some Mulled wine.

Very limited flying done today, except mending a Hobbit Hole.
Tomorrow I am at the Hairdressers and then visiting friends, think there is not much hope for any flying then either.......
The house is a tip!!! But I worry about that next week.

I think when you have had a few too many there might be a slide that takes place in the transition into the new yeah

The power was only off for about half an hour in the end but the wind kept up all night!

DH needed numerous attempts to get the car repacked even though there was slightly less stuff to go in (DS now having his pressies). Even with a discount the hotel cost us an arm and a leg so I think we will be living on value beans for the next couple of months!

The A66 was closed due to a caravan overturning so we detoured over a tiny B road over the Pennines! We were stuck behind a car that spent most of its time straddling the centre libe and the rest almost braking to a stop every time a car passed going the other way. we concluded that perhaps it was a foreign driver in a hire car - either that or a 12yr old taking DDs car for a spin!

Arrived at BIL just in time to all go and see Frozen together and then have pizza afterwards. Kids all hyper but now safely tucked up and asleep

The situation with ds is keeping me up. He has regressed to toddler like behaviour when he is not bursting into tears. There is also a refusual to return to see his dad as per the arrangements that were made for chirstmas and new year. I am beginning to wonder what on earth i can do to improve things. The answer is I don't know because I don't know exactly what has gone on. All I can do it pick up the pieces and try to de knot the complicated moods and feelings of a kid. Needless to say it is almost impossible.

DS1 has been very helpful and stripped his bed and gone to friends as ds2 is coming home tomorrow with his girlfriend (he worked over Xmas-if people could please stop being arrested I might get all 3 ds home one year!!!). DS1 has also investigated why the spare single bed gave ds3 a bad back and discovered all the springs have gone in the mattress! He has replaced this with the spare mattress and we are now set to go-well, we will be when all the bedding is washed.
I need to hoover and wrap a couple of presents still.

The only problem is I have discovered the series The Tunnel on box sets and am now entranced by it....

Oh Bitchy I have no wise words

DH is determined to make a start on Joe's new bed today (was planned to be done by the end of November). This means I have to clear DD's room to somehow fit Joe's current bed in there with DD's cot, and also make enough room in the playroom for DH to paint.

He also has grand plans for me to make curtains sigh

I'm being dispatched to a food shop this morning and as a special treat I can take DD. Yay. We're stopping for Costa's though which is something... I caught her nibbling my posh Christmas chocolates this morning. Not even 2 yet and already she has expensive tastes!!!

So my flying today involves clearing everything and hoping Joe's temperature stays reasonable enough for him to stay at home. This cold is never-ending.

I'm trying to work out a plan for the New Year. Coinciding as it does with the end of Joe's treatment, there's so much I want to achieve. I need a tidy house, I need to lose weight etc etc. I need to start budgeting properly... Basically everything needs to change. But if I take on too much I will burn out. I don't know where to even start... Argh !

Silly - maybe you should prioritise one thing and concentrate on that. I agree with you that you will burn out otherwise. More importantly, I think you need time to come to terms with what you've been through/are still going through with Joe and should be careful not to overdo things.

Bitchy - oh dear, that's so hard, especially when you thought you were going to have some time to yourself. I hope DS calms down today and that you are able to sort out a good solution.

Blueandwhite - how lovely that you'll be seeing DS2 tomorrow. I don't know what 'The Tunnel' is, but enjoy.

dizzy - glad you arrived safely at BIL's and had a nice evening, though the journey sounds a bit harrowing.

Another lazy morning here in the Toffee household. Have just served pancakes with maple syrup again and am about to do my morning routines. Taking DS1 out to the skatepark again today. He has admitted that he's lost his nerve, so we are back to small steps as before. I will try not to get cross if he won't try the new skateboard again - lots of praise for what he has achieved, not focusing on what he hasn't. It's so frustrating though when he was doing so well.

Have finally run out of turkey , so have to do some food shopping later.

MIL is coming round for tea this afternoon, so that's a good incentive for me to tidy up this morning.

Hope all the fledglings have a good day.