Fledglings don't makes resolutions in January, they fly through the babysteps.

[BitchytheGreat]

So here it is the dreaded January thread. The thread of resolutions and good intentions for the year that you are lucky if you see through to the end. Welcome to the start of 2014!!

A quick note for newbies, this is a long running thread. We do like new blood around here. However, we do ask you to be respectful that for a lot of us just getting off our arses is not going to help and to avoid suggesting this. We all know life is more complicated then this. So here we do things a little differently. A little bit of flying and a lot of chatter and moral support. Feel free to jump on board and join us in flying.

For those who are new to fly lady she recommends a three step program:

1. Get those babysteps into a habbit
2. Get rid of the clutter.
3. Get that deep cleaning done.

Don't worry if you think you not doing it right but not getting up to it. Some of us have been here for years and we are still decluttering. Because clutter has a nasty way of multiplying if you take you eye off it, especailly if you have kids.

Fly lady ethos tells us a few things that I want you to remember:
No perfectism this is harder then you would imagine
You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

So jump on board and lets get started.

Oh and I forgot the proper introductions. "I'm Bitchy and I shall be your guide to the fly lady system for January" better buckle up as things normally get a little crazy when it is my turn to take control. good luck

SC Missed ya and your fabulous posts! Hope dh is recovered and you had a good christmas

Happy new year one and all!!
Very late arrival here, but filled with good intentions nonetheless! As a result of this thread, over the past year, I have noticed a big difference in my and everyone else in y house's attitude to all the jobs that need doing. So BIG UP 2014!! Bring it on! And 'Thank you' xx

[dabs eye with crumpled hanky] You too!! xxx

and take care driving in that car of yours - esp with weather as it is x

Aw, what a lovely post (as ever!) Jdub! Great to see you!!

[dabs corner of eye with handkerchief again]

done
6.45 start as usual
woke up with another sore throat - I think this is all sleep related
sent children off to school with dh's help, minor crisis over spellings
went back to bed for 30 mins sleep
took car to be MOT'd and cleared rubbish out of it beforehand
long walk back from MOT (2 miles?) hopefully absorbed a bit of winter sun/Vitamin D levels zap
bought some Japanese food from Japanese supermarket
salmon for dinner with noodles

now back home and collapsed in bed again...going to try and book my train tickets to a 50th birthday party up North next week
and look at garden plants on the Crocus site or another supplier - I need to get out in the garden for my health!!!!!

todo
tackle playroom/office/tv room again - there must be a better way to organise things in there [despair]
sweep slippery death trap yard, and deal with more yucky objects abandoned out there

SC This is a horrible time of year. I am beginning to think all these neighbours of mine who bunk off school and take their children ski-ing when it is cheap rates are sensible - everyone's health suffers from being cooped up low light levels etc etc.

Will try to catch up with the thread later, but if I don't post now then the day will get away from me and I'll be a goner.

So, today's ta-da list:

• made emergency dental appointment for chipped tooth.
• done WAH job
• finally after 2.5 years built drawers that go under futon in study
• decluttered TV cabinet downstairs ready for DH to upgrade/change/do something with the new Sky HD box.

(Not an easy task as it involved moving PS2 / Wii / DVD player to upstairs for guests to use and sticking X-Box in the cabinet instead of in the middle of the floor slight exaggeration I still haven't checked upstairs works TBH, but sod it, it's only for DBIL who is tech savvy. The downstairs stuff that I do use I have checked )

Still to-do:

• actually go to dentist
• go to tip with junk/cardboard/recycling
• sort out dinner
• tidy up from crap uncovered while moving stuff.
• chill and try not to stress about dentist

Urgh... ever wish you hadn't started a task?

Welcome back, SC. I recognised you even with the new nickname. Thanks for all your good wishes. DH is enjoying his convalescence and I am enjoying the drama being over and MIL not being here anymore but I do feel very tired, so you're right about it having an impact on everyone. Sorry to hear you have also had lots of illnesses in your family over Xmas and NY. Hope you're all feeling better now.

I'm sure there must be stylish shopping trolleys .

Yay! sc !!!

Puke-fest appears to have abated. DD has raided the snack cupboard all morning and is downing Nutella on toast right now. I'm a spectacular mum, me!!!

Mega-washing pile somewhat reduced. Shortly setting off to return friends' snow boots to the other side of the city before it actually snows

SC just had a quick Allo Allo moment there, shouldn't it be "it is I, SC"

I've been looking at shopping trolleys too luckily DH sees carrying home heavy shopping as a manly thing.

Off back to the crotcheting, using up a ball of white to make snowflake tree decorations. Can't figure out if I'm very late or very very early doing them, but it's what I'm in the mood for.

Ah Goth I saw you on Facebook recently! (Yarnaholics) hello!!!

whilst wondering who you are

Nah bang on time Goth - due to snow for feb half term hols

I am trying to work on blanketgate but have fuck all concentration

Ta da
Hoover whole house cleaning away everything on the way. Finally a semi tidy house at last.
4 x stripped beds
W/m
D/w
Last of Christmas dec tidied away except tree! though tree is bare.
Sorted DS3 draw

I have also joined the gang with poorly kiddies. DS3 is ill on sofa, demanding that I draw him pictures.

To do
Dinner. Prep
Walk dog
Unload d/w

Thanks for the lovely welcome back everyone! Much cheered (as ever!) by this thread

Goth "Listen very carefully, I shall say ziss only once etc etc" (oh don't get me started )
Dh refuses to carry shopping (will drive but only 5 mins away so I object to that on eco grounds). Have been doing research - apparently Rolser are ze bees knees - but um, I haven't of course ordered one of those have I

And arf at very late or very early snowflakes; I'm in the same position with the dratted gingerbread house same as last year in fact

I was wondering how blanketgate was going Bitchy! Good luck with it!

Hope you can take a bit of a break when your ma arrives Toffee

Glad dd feeling better Silly (I'm afraid Nutella is an unabashed staple here!)

Good luck at the dentist Doris and with other difficult tasks

Swan beginning to feel the same way about your school-dodging skiing neighbours ... going back to school shouldn't entail quite so much ill-health, anxiety and doom should it? Must follow in your footsteps and walk!

Big waves to one and all!

x posts

Oh no Merry hope your ds3 feels better soon!

[Leaves out chicken consomme and plates of healthy raw veg and dips on naughty corner counter]

Nutella: Nuts, milk - ergo healthy

Belgian children live on the stuff Bitchy! And they are generally quite svelte too!

On the subject of chocolate, from conversation with dd2 I gather she has been asking for chocolate at playschool snacktime We were having major post christmas 'I want chocolate' tantrums, not sure what they said to her but it has worked as she has stopped asking for it every 2 mins

Hello sanschocolate, love your name! hoping to become a bit more sans myself next week by doing low carb bootcamp!

Tax return done so i can have that wine with a clear conscience thanks toffee

Hope all the poorly folk feel better soon

Have done a few house bits and bobs

Same with gingerbread house too! made one from scratch last couple of years and had all the bits in this year but didn't get time. Worked out though, as weirdly we were given a completed decorated one and a kit with all the biscuits in (still to do that one - my excuse is saving it for a playdate!)

chaos! chaos! everywhere I turn chaos!!

I had a list. It was a lovely list. Then my lovely organised morning turned to chaos. And now I'm tired and listless. (see what I did there? feeling quite pleased with that little pun)

Here's hoping tomorrow is better. I have coffee planned with a friend. I need it.

Hope everyone is alright - will catch up with it all throughout the day, between disasters.

Done
booked train tickets to Newcastle!

did a brief impersonation of a nervous breakdown to DH but luckily he rallied me by being able to decide my travel plans for me - I hate booking things I get so indecisive Rang friend to invite myself to stay.

nothing else...I am really mooching around today
PUT A WASH IN done

I have a migraine. so will be heading to bed shortly.

Friday is clear your purse and car out day, and fuck fun for those who wish.

Missions are on the launch pad

Thursday's babystep was 5min room rescues

Friday's babystep is the important 15mins approach

Nice to see you back SC.

Ta Da
Dog Walk
School Run
managed to say No ( I always say 'yes', which has led some to take the complete Micky out of me, one of this years resolutions was to say 'no' more often).
S&S x3
Made beds x4

To do
Unload d/w
Dinner

Having my second night in a row, dealing with a sencetive over emotion tired preteen. I am having a dry month but really could do with the support of a good .

Hope you feel better soon, Bitchy.

And all is right with the world once more as sc has returned ( with 6 million posts in one day but I will overlook that and not take the piss because I luffs her).

Why oh why can't I fly and work. I just bloody can't. The house looks like a small nuclear bomb has exploded and there is shite everywhere I look. I am bloody brilliant at weekends but shit during the week.

Thank you for yet more lovely welcome backs [blows snozzle loudly in to handkerchief]

I'm with you here on the chaos/exploded bomb effect Alice and Ellie (and I don't work the hours /have the no. of dc you do !)

Was thinking of you yesterday ¨Ellie when I listened to this via BBC I player this. (I know how much you adore Michael Gove ) Very interesting theoretical discussion, but wait for it, no school history teachers on the panel!!

Sympathies re: the pre-teen agitation too Merry (having a dry Jan as well). Well done for saying "no"!!

Sorry you are going down with a migraine Bitchy hope you can head it off at the pass

Well done re: booking tickets Swan. Bet you could do with a break away!

Ditto re: coffee with friends Alice and arf at being listlessly listless

Flat-pack version of a gingerbread house sounds good Giraffe !!!

Yes, today I have spent far too long Mumsnetting postponing the moment when I must return to:

deciphering new 1 Jan tax /insurance law implications on office employees (tedious in the extreme)
picking up dh's socks
picking Playmobil up off the floor
moving crap from one floor to another and back again
heaving laundry paniers up and down stairs
washing dh's socks
hwk supervision [shivers]
peeling and chopping vegetables
sweeping up fallen plaster

Oh joy!!