June 2014: half way through the Flying year, fledglings get themselves in gear!

[slackcabbage]

Heartfelt and huuuumungous thanks to Goth for being such a superlative, consistent and professional thread leader throughout May (and wow to all those fantastic round-ups every night).

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.

Flylady link here.

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 something 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!

It's up to you, but 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):

1. start or repeat baby steps

1. repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

1. 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!

Three key points to keep in mind:
(1)No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine
(2)You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
(3) 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.

If you are new then trying to spend 15mins decluttering and the babysteps is the most. Some of us (mentioning no names!) can have scary looking lists but don't let that worry you! Do what you can, anything is better then nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders!

Oh and don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey – some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, oldies and newcomers very very welcome!

12weeks castle ! Can't believe how quickly it is flying by! You must only be a week or so apart from me for edd. 125 today and told my first class of students today. Felt like I had to as they are my year12s and I won't be able to teach them next year. They were very pleased for me, though disappointed I won't teach them next year. Now waiting for I t to spread through the rest of the student body.

Sod the housework! I have spent the last 2 hours on the sofa while ds watches nickelodeon jnr. F I nally feeling awake enough to get on in the house. DH did the food shopping yesterday which means I don't have to go out. Lots to do!

goth your treasure maps look awesome. I am planning a walk with clues and challenges for a hen do I am organising for my best friend in September so always looking for ideas!

sc sympathies with dreamy dd. I'm trying to deal with and support several procrastinating students atm and it's frustrating because I know they can do it!

toffee sorry this is late but hope you're okay. I can't imagine having to go through losing any of my friends and seeing their dc deal with life without them

Posted to soon. Time to get cracking.

to do
kitchen - washing up, extractor fan, wipe down cupboards and surfaces including sticky floor, declutter table and shoes

lounge - sort washing, do ironing, empty paper recycling, declutter table, hoover, coffee table, water plants, sort ds toys and books.

downstairs is the priority as it's a pit. Going for the power of 3 today so bbl with my first ta da!

Indeed. What SC said Castle and yay for sticky bean even if you feel like rubbish.

SC yes after last year's blanket gate and getting talked into another project for this year i thought I have better just get on with it plus it will use up the last of those 20 balls of wool so technically also counts as decluttering.

ta da
ds to school
take instructions from the people who are off on their jollies
spend 15mins decluttering in the study
1st load of washing on.

I am very tempted to crawl into a hot bath and have a soak. Unfortunately I didn't quite make babystep 17 (2am so not even close) so feeling a little worse for wear atm. And also considering a nap.

to do
prescription collection
finish packing ds' stuff which he helpfully un packed
sort out car for long journey tonight
make sure ds has his stuff pack (books/computer stuff etc)
rescue the lounge and rearrange the furniture
laundry
folding
irionging
put clothes away
long drive
more crafting stuff
watch film
shopping

Well, ds1 sat down at the kitchen table and did 20 minutes of concentrated homework yesterday. It was RE SC and he does not understand the "methodology" at all. Has no idea about using reasoned evidence in his answers. Although I did laugh (bitterly) when he had to answer the question on the Trinity, as I couldn't answer it either without spluttering it Just Is, seems to me RE is very circular and not really something you can reason out unless you are actually a medieval theologian or have read several Hilary Mantel novels.. However, compromised on finding some Bible quotes for him to support the concept of the Trinity. I think GSCE's are going to be a black hole

Dd's sleepover went incredibly well, new friend extremely polite, thanked me for supper and dd kept succumbing to hysterical fits saying This Meal feels Odd, it feels Posh that's because no-one is screaming Ds2 behaved very well too and didn't keep trying to barge into her room

I am sitting here on my bed feeling that the world has opened up a bit. Now that I have got rid of the detritus (not that it was really detritus, just pyschological detritus, books I didn't need, clothes I couldn't wear, Hermes scarf that I never wore that was a present etc - the sort of stuff that it is so hard to declutter) I feel I might actually be able to make the room something that I want not something that I just have to put up with. Things I like, maybe I can buy a new bedspread or duvet cover, paint the ensuite loo a different colour, perhaps read some of the books that are lying around.

Read two books last night, and am putting them straight in the reycyling now! (Victoria Hislop books) They were good but someone else can enjoy them now.

Forgot to say to Castle the exciting bit starts soon, when you can actually relax and enjoy being pregnant and not have the horrible sick feeling.

Ta da
washing up
cleaned extractor fan filters
swept kitchen floor

oh dear, I've found a big big project on Ds1's desk that he hasn't done (the writing I mean). It is D & T desk tidy project. I've ranted in secondary education but I just feel in despair about all this stuff he cannot do and has given up on. Just when I tackle one subject another comes out of the woodwork (no pun intended) and bops me over the head.

Deep breath/valium/gin...I will try not to worry about these trivial things...and concentrate on tidying his room for the umpteenth time and make some sense of the appalling mass of papers and books.

Dd has gone to the cinema with 3 friends till 2.30. Cleaning lady is here so I had better get on with my pre-tidying!

done
cleaning lady has tackled downstairs, ironed dh's shirts and mopped kitchen floor (actually a luxury as I never usuallly mop it)
I have pulled everything out of ds1's room (well only the overflowing stuff I haven't touched the drawers or shelves)
pulled out ds's bed, hideous dust behind it
stripped his sheets
sorted out his papers into some vague order (very vague)
threw away his sweetpapers
dusted his mantlepiece
collected up the coppers

dh is now mowing the lawn with the pushmower

need to get the hoover!

Ta da!
Woken up by very excited boys because a bird had fallen down the chimney
Got DH to deal with bird
Cleaned up soot
Laundry
Finished big work project - yay!
Hoovering
General hotspots/room rescues

To do
Catch up with reading
Drop dentist forms off
Take recycling stuff
Nip to shop
Nag remind DH to put the suitcases away

Yay for sticky bean Castle
at reasoned argument for the Trinity Swan

my mum's house has its share of stray birds and high ceilings Blue as a result I have a phobic fear of leaving windows too open (clearly I need bird proof mesh) and on that note I hope the bird survived

done
picked up dd and her friends from cinema
finished cleaning and moving bits of furniture in ds1's room, a serious moth problem brewing in his room too.. satisfyingly threw away another 10 paperbacks and a whole heap of rubbish from his room. The top of cupboard is a dust nightmare piled high with scaletrix, Hornby, metal detectors, none of which anyone uses but dh believes that someone may want to play with them some day and won't let me put them in the loft.
found some outgrown shirts and trousers for ds2

moved 3 big sacks of compost from front to back
repotted two lettuces

spoke sternly to dd about her room "your guests have gone, now tidy it UP" Moved mattress back to under ds1's bed.

Brief post as I am now officially on holiday - with a lovely dose of tonsillitis and a random rash. Gotta love my body - not!

Have a lovely wee while folks - see you in July!

Good morning all! Hope everyone OK!

Sorry not to get back on here yesterday; had lots of dc visiting for supper, celebrating end of exams and eating vast quantities of pasta.

Prior to that interviewed retired teacher who lives around the corner and will be charged with keeping dd's level of French up during the holidays (cruel mother emoticon); during which bathroom tap decided to explode requiring attentions of emergency plumber.

Was so tired I crashed at 10.30pm but have just been woken up by next door's security lights, so thought I might as well post links for today!

Flying-wise, did OK for once

Ta da:
money in envelope for end-of-term present
rabbits
s&s
purchased and downloaded craft pattern
dishwasher (empty and fill)
dining rm table hotspot
find earplugs for phone
home bleugh ground floor
clean bathroom
hoover stairs
dust and hoover second floor
prep dh's shirts for wash
hang up pics
clean out ruddy hamster
fold dry laundry and carry downstairs for ironing
wet washing on to dry
pair dry socks
make two flower arrangements from stuff in garden
make vast quantities of pasta sauce
make soup
prep strawberries and melon
reboot laundry
quick supermarket shop
bank run
collected photos
school run
flowers and card to office secretary
pay office cleaners
call emergency plumber (bath tap wouldn't turn off!)
interview tutor
dining room table hot spot again
cook huge vats of pasta and sauce and platters of fruit
serve supper to dd's friends
crash

Didn't clear up last night so a horrible mess awaits me downstairs in the morning ...and dd has ballet audition class ... so had better post links and get back to bed! Be back after that to catch up properly with everyone!

*

Baby-step no.21 for Sat 21st is : ignorable - ask Fat Fairy questions.

Today is our last day in Zone 3 : The Bathroom and One Extra Room (June 15 – 21) here.

Declutter in Zone 3 for 15 minutes a day!

Detailed cleaning list here if you are at that stage.

No missions because it is the weekend!

Saturday's daily focus is: family fun!

The monthly habit for June is drinking more water.

To summarise the above, today's flight plan can be found [[www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120 here]] and will update itself automatically.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Carpe (hoping this post might catch you before departure). Have a great holiday!! And look forward to hearing how interview went! Safe travelling and hope you feel better soon x

Good morning all!

[surveys timbleweed blowing through naughty corner]

Well, three changes of leggings/tights/leotard combinations and a bumbling construction of a ballet bun on my part and we're off ...dd v. nervous so fingers crossed!

BBL to catch up with personals!

Hope she has fun, SC and have a good holiday Carpe.

Swan - yes bird survived. It was a rather dazed and confused collared dove and flew off quite happily once it had been liberated from the draught excluder thingy and directed to the French windows.

Hoping to manage some family fun this weekend... we'll see.

That was an impressive list SC hope dd has a good audition.

Changed my diet. It has left me head achy last night and this morning. It is only for a couple of days and the long term benefits are huge so will stick with it but feeling below par atm.

To do
tame kitchen
finish tidying lounge
hoover through
laundry
folding
ironing
put clothes away
wash sofa throws
and if I have the energy do something about ds' room!

SC best of luck to your dd !!

ta da
laundry - 2 loads, last one currently in dryer
take out chicken to put in fridge for tomorrow's tea
trim shrubbery by back fence and side fence
pull weeds by front fence and back fence
mow back garden
washing up
tidy kitchen
check bank
check budget

to do
laundry - fold and put away clothing
bake banana bread
vacuum living room
sweep entryway, hallway, dining room, kitchen
tidy dining room
clean off dining room table (junk magnet!)
clean off desk
fill gaps in walls in living room with filler
fill gaps in walls in hallway with filler

I've got the paint and wallpaper for the living room. Monday starts the painting. Then when that's done, I will be contacting my friend that is helping with the wallpaper and dragging her with me to get the wallpaper paste/equipment, as I've not got a clue what to get.

I need to ring the council and ask them to have someone come out and fill the huge holes in my fireplace. When they came out before to check it, it was black and sooty and you couldn't see the huge gaps. Now that I've whitewashed it, they are easy to spot, so I want them filled. They're also supposed to be checking to see why it leaks smoke up into my bedroom above, so I need to find out when they'll be investigating that further.

Also a few appointments I need to make, but can't do that until Monday.

Why is it the more I get done, the longer my "to do" list gets?

ta da
tame dining room
ring ds
nth load washing is on
fill and put dw on to run
wash recycling stuff
sort out memory book stuff
print out a set of pictures for memory book page creations
more laundry
finish tidying lounge
pull ouf the chair in lounge
hoover lounge and under/behind chair
Put thermos flasks into destink
Wash out cake tins and cake savers
folding

A break with a massive salad lunch. hoping to get the following done before i head out later:
empty and start reloading dw
get pots washed up
put drinks bottles into to soak in milton
more laundry
more folding
ironing
shopping

Alice because you are less overwhelmed and see the smaller stuff that needs doing/you have kids.

Alice - do you have a carbon monoxide monitor in your bedroom? If smoke is leaking then CO may well be too.

done
final catechist meeting, lemonade with one of them after
ds1's Maths tutor didn't turn up but cannot face chasing it, must have ben misunderstanding about the time/day
picnicky lunch
forced ds1 to do violin and D & T although he claimed he had no homework whatsowever
deal with very ratchety ds2, who has however, done football

too much football in this house..making everyone a bit ratty- the bickering and irritation has increased. The latest was ds1 delibarately blowing through a sweetpaper to annoy ds2 whilst claiming that he wasn't doing anything

so much washing to do [sigh] 2 loads washed and dried already but now I have the dreaded sheet backlog too

slept badly so now have no desire to do anything but go back to bed - too much lugging of compost yesterday and planting pots has made me feel old and arthritic

SC that is so wonderful that she chose to go back to ballet. It is busy when their friends come over isn't it. I keep remembering all PA's youth clubs and it concentrates my mind!

oh, and I've started a new low carb diet to fight the flab. Which has got quite bad again - not only that I am getting used to it and forgotten I was ever thinner...I was reminded of this when I threw away 3 pairs of size 12 jeans, which I distinctly remember actually wearing - so I must have been much thinner only two years ago.

WhoKnows Yes, I have one. That was my first concern too, so I've not lit any fires in it since that happened. I've had a sweep out, as well as council out twice, and they cannot seem to figure out why. I suspect these big gaps in the brickwork is part of it. I could literally put my hand in a couple of them (although I'm not going to - we've ALL seen the scary movies, haven't we? ). For now, it's serving as a strictly decorative fireplace (plus I can use my electric heater in there that looks like a wood burner).

evening all...may I join you? I was on the thread a long while ago under a different name but sort of dropped off as real life overwhelmed me for a bit! I recognise some names from days gone by great to see you all still FLYing so well!
I am trying to do battle with my house once again and get it back to a decent standard. Trouble is it also needs lots of decorating as well so am trying to chip away at that too, along with trying to sort out the back garden...oh and dealing with 6dc, 2 dogs one cat and working 4 days a week LOL!
Im hoping being on this thread and posting my lists will keep my on track!

so lists for today:
Done:
been and bought paint and a few bits and pieces
painted landing walls
dusted bedrooms
cleaned both upstairs bathrooms
hoovered upstairs
dusted and hoovered lounge
mopped dining room and hall
sorted out and cleaned futility
3 loads of washing

to do tomorrow:
sort paperwork into new trays in utility
plant up plug plants into back borders
more washing
littlies clothes away
nag persuade ds1 to tidy room so I can get in and clean
entertain parents and sister and niece who are visiting

I am totally knackered now so going to have nice hot shower and eary night.
Will be back to do proper read of thread tomorrow.

further dones
washed up
wiped table
made ds2 go to bed as he was being extremely tiresome
sorted out fight between dd and ds2
dh extremely cross with ds1 for saying rude things about Germany in Ghana Germany match, so solved that by putting ds1 in a separate room with the laptop to watch Match online
supper was pizza
nice nap!still enjoying my lovely empty tidy bedroom so much I don't want to be in the rest of the house

dd wants to redecorate her bedroom and has made a moodboard with gauzy curtains, wooden birds and shabby chic furniture cut out from magazine. Very inspiring. I want the same!

made ds2 put his clothes in the laundry, an uphill struggle to get him to understand any instructions for chores. He can just about lay the table, but put his clean clothes bACK in the laundry pile when I asked him to put them away aargh...