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

Thanks bitchy so tomorrow shiny shink and get up and dressed - think i can cope with that!

merry we went to see frozen for my birthday dc and I really quite liked it but dp fell asleep!

Pushme you could rotate between 15 mins kids - 15 mins house 15 mins you or something? 6 hours in the kitchen though, wow it must be sparkling - I am guessing big kitchen diner not a small square one you couldnt swing a cat in like mine

One advantage of more sex with my dp is he gets less stressed about the mess .... so in a way less sex might be better for keeping the house tidy

Yep i was right and slightly scare about this Baby step 3 is just to do the shine sink and get up get dressed babysteps again. to re-inforce the habbit.

Friday is clear out your car and purse It used to be date night but the fat fairy got all politically correct or something. However, due to a typo a number of threads back we gain the fuck fun principle. So Friday is also fuck fun day... flips fat lady the bird in a very over tired and immature manner

Missions were in the previous link somewhere... erm... here Don't worry about the missions if you are starting you'll build up to them.

Also don't forget to do 15mins decluttering in zone 1. (porch/hallway/... can't remember cba to look right now )

wrt sleep. don't ask.

zone 1

Well that has brightened my morning bitchy :o

Shiny sink/washing up fail last night so will redeem myself later (ie before breakfast as have no bowls ) Did have lovely time at zoo though plus a catch up with my mum on the phone and I did clean my front door so not a complete Flying fail!

PMPY - please stop stressing. Would doing a Flylady 'Crisis clean' this morning calm you down then you can focus on DC this afternoon? I'm up early to work before mine wake up (though seem to be on here instead ) then we have plans to do some cooking, some homework and a big 'making finger-print animals' session! They both got a kit for Christmas, I've been browsing Pinterest and we have IDEAS :)

Have a good Friday everyone.

pmpy, I think giraffe is right I spend WAY too much time reading FlyLady emails... her thinking is 15 mins flying, 15 mins play with the DCs... Repeat ad infinitum.

DH's friend is popping by today as she's driving pretty much the length of the UK today and we are handily placed for lunch. Need to spend that 15 minutes on the hall!!!

On Mondays we have a community nurse come for DS. DH actually was home last Monday and saw the house through someone else's eyes and panicked she would call Social Services ( it was really REALLY bad) so hoping for a marked improvement this week - we can leave the kitchen door open next time!!!!!

And yy to no need to wash up to have a shiny sink - tho I think most people do. FlyLady is very much against not being able to do one job until you've completed another ie. I can't put the washing away until I've sorted out the clothes drawers. She just wants you to do it.

The shiny sink is just a place to start. It's something you can see. Something you probably didn't do before. It's an easy achievement. It's about getting a routine in place. I know when I'm back on the wagon it makes me happy to walk in to the kitchen of a morning and see the sink sparkle and have a clean tea towel out (mine are labelled with the day like she has - I'm so pathetic!)

Also yy to whoever said that it's necessary to shine it even though it will get dirty tomorrow. If you never clean something because it's just going to get dirty then what's the point of trying to clean anything in your house? We're getting the routines in place to keep things clean and tidy...

Love you guys.

Wow that was long. Sorry. And I didn't even put a list in there

Yay! It's fuck fun day. (Fat chance)

Went awol yesterday so must wish engels a belated Happy birthday. Hope you had a lovely day.

I spent the vast majority of yesterday trying to get rid of bastard pine needles in the process of de Christmassing in the house. I did a clean/tidy of the whole house including a deep clean of living room.

pmpy I have been a little like you with a deep seated desire to do deep clean across whole house before return to work on monday. I have since realised that that is impossible and have therefore compromised with a good crisis clean of each room. Spent all yesterday on it so I can spend the last few days with DC's. Please don't put too much pressure on yourself.

Today's plan involves very little flying. DC's and I are going to visit an old uni friend of mine who i haven't seen in a year or so. Which I am muchly looking forward to.

Have a good day everyone.

This morning DD used her new alarm clock to get up at 6 for swimming! After she is done training we ned to go into town to restock the fridge and cupboards. Not sure what we will do for the rest of the day before back for this afternoons training session

to do
clean bathroom
mission
empty car (I could be some time)
empty handbag
that bastard sink
15 min declutter
wm again
dw again
rtft and write more personal posts
get DC to childminder, and do some work

Am dressed, dishwasher and washing machine on.

Morning all. I am trying to motivate myself to get out of bed - I am so snug and I know next week it will not be an option, so I think I should stay put for a little while longer
Ellie your plans for the day sound lovely - have a good day catching up with your friend.
My to do list for when I do finally get up:
Make beds
Washing out
Reload wm
Dw
S and s
Make dcs lunches (they are off to holiday club)
Finish writing presentation and record it
Finishing touches for essay
Hoover whole house
Bag, purse and car as per flyladys instructions.

dizzy - just to say that I am in awe of your dedication to your DD's sport. That goes for anyone supporting a child in their interest whether its sport, theatre, music, whatever. I have friends who are juggling jobs, a full family life and at least 4 weekly sessions at gymnastics or many late-night theatre shows. I hope if my DC take that path we can support them as much as they need but I worry that I may be too selfish. HUGE respect to those who do.

Work nearly done - just bank rec to have a go at now.
No-one awake yet so going to crack on.

Morning all!

Bitchy that link make me snort my coffee through my nose so kudos

Today is strip away the Christmas decorations and get them into the loft remembering the lights round the windows this year, and then hopefully a softplay date for DS with friends he hasn't seen for a while. Still waiting on a text to confirm though. DH is looking forward to a couple of hours of peace!

Also going to try to wash our bed. Was supposed to be done a few days ago, but life got in the way.

Morning everyone. It's amazing how much it lifts the spirits to wake up to a tidy living room. Mine is miraculously still clear from yesterday. Kitchen is in a bit of a mess though, but not quite as bad as yesterday.

Not done much yet except to take the bread I started on yesterday out of the fridge to warm up, so I can shape and bake.

to do

Tidy kitchen
Bake/parbake bread
Start taking down decorations
Polish and dust in living room
15 mins de clutter
Washing machine on
Dishwasher on
Pay more attention to sprog as I have been a rubbish grouchy mummy this week. Maybe some painting. That should undo all of my hard work.

And btw I'm not meh about sink shining; it makes sense. I just interpret that step slightly differently - plates etc hidden away in the dishwasher (not necessarily cleaned). Having a clear kitchen is my thing.

I don't dress to shoes either, but I do make an effort to get properly dressed straight away, rather than slob around in trackie bottoms.

And a massive to [Bitchy] for that picture, although I do feel a bit nervous for the bloke with the red flag thing beneath him. If he were to slip...

I'm with Aliama. I NEED a clean sink/kitchen. Without it I stop bothering with everything else.

in midst if morning routine. Back later.

Love the link bitchy

You can tell I'm new to the thread as I did my car yesterday I had no idea it was a regular job of fly lady's and my purse won't take long, I did a big clear out not too long ago.

I live in a flat so I have no porch or step to scrub, so that's a plus I suppose?

I need to really get my kitchen under control if I can today and put clean laundry away.

I'm really tired. I have a horrible chesty cough every morning at the moment, this cold just drags on. Hoping it'll shift soon for good. I'm certainly taking enough vitamin c.

Still no-one up and I've finished the work I wanted to do :)

How about a list:

• Wash up from last night - only second day in and sink not shiny
• Breakfast
• S&S, washing in, out and hung up, today's washing up done
• Cat litter and cat bowls
• Make Orange jam that is not marmalade. DH bought a crate of oranges for £1 just before Christmas and we have been using them/giving them away ever since. Fresh juice for breakfast again and then jam should see us reach the end of the crate. I will miss the fresh juice a lot.
• Make gnocchi for first time
• Ring locksmith re rental house
• Send stuff to solicitor
• Pay for guitar lessons
• Pay for dancing
• Encourage DC to do some homework
• Make finger print animals :)
• Hopefully turn above into Thank you cards

That should do for now and as DS has appeared and is requesting 'Draw a Stickman' I think I'd better go :)

Morning all.

11am here and still in pjs and dressing gowns.

ta da
breakfast
skype with best friend including difficult conversation about bm dresses (she knows we're ttc)
One episode of doctor who!
checked the cellar walls - they don't need another layer of undercoat so can crack on with painting once I get a child free minute

to do
get dressed!
supermarket - take bottles for recycling and clothing bank bag
post office - post 2 parcels, post thank you cards, buy stamps
exercise
take ds to playground
paint cellar!
put away dh christmas box food items
make a present box..have plenty of surplus/double gifts
change ds bed
hoover bedroom
sort shoes in hall (did coats the other day)

Phew...too muc to do. Starting small with the firstnitem on the list.

In a minute.

Inspired by finger print animals feet! (Will google later).

And forgot to mention, got an amazing birthday present from dh...an engagement ring (we got married 2 and a half years ago, but he likes to take his time!).

Ahhhh how lovely Engles

Love that link, Bitchy.

Engels - what an amazing present - even if it was a few years late.

DS2 has friends round this morning. They are being very noisy, but having a lot of fun. I need to do things, but cba.

More needed, I think.