July 2014: fledglings follow Flylady's tuition (don't forget your pamper mission)

[ToffeeWhirl]

A big thank you to slackcabbage for superb thread leadership throughout June, as well as a great intro which I am going to shamelessly borrow from now.

Struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun)? In that case, you need Flylady.

Flylady is a system for managing housework. Starting with babysteps, it builds up into a routine which becomes second nature. In theory, once you are used to the system, you will have a tidy house you are not embarrassed by and plenty of time to get on with more interesting things.

Flylady banishes the panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. If you fall off the Flylady bandwagon, it’s no problem: you just jump back in where you are and carry on.

Don't sign up for the Flylady emails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on this thread on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, Flylady's steps and routines will be listed here on this thread.

Flylady uses 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 detailed deep cleaning in each zone for those who have made real progress – not sure if anyone has reached this pinnacle yet…? I certainly haven’t).

More info here on getting started (but ignore step one!) and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

Try to ignore Flylady’s purple prose (hard, I know) - the underlying system is sound!

Three key points to keep in mind:

1. No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine.

1. You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.

1. It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy overnight - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

If you are new, then trying to spend 15 mins decluttering and doing the babysteps is the most you should expect of yourself. Lots of us here like posting our ‘to do’ or ‘ta da’ lists and they can look quite scary. Don’t be put off.

If all else fails, try the power of three – just pick three things that most need doing and focus on those.

And if you have visitors coming over this afternoon and need a quick fix NOW, try Flylady's crisis clean.

We all know each other pretty well on this thread and some of us have been around for a long time, but all lurkers, oldies and newcomers are very welcome!

Obviously not good that dh has virus - that came out wrongly!

Right! I've got visitors this afternoon, someone who's never been to my house before. I am quite house proud at the best of times, it won't take me that long to straighten it, besides, I think we'll be in the garden most of the time anyway.
To do:
Change towels in the bathroom and wipe down the mirror, put some bleach down the toilet.
Wash and dry the washing, wipe down counters, bake a cake (it'll take me longer to drive to the shop and back than make it, I live in the sticks). Must take butter and eggs out of the fridge. I also need to cook dinner, I won't have enough time after the guest leaves and the clan descents.
Dust everywhere and straighten sofa/dinning table/loom bands.
Water the plants.
Hoover the middles (for some weird reason, we've been hoovering every other day since last thursday. You'd think I'd be able to give it a rest now, but no, I am a woman obsessed.
Put washing away and shove the ironing basket in my wardrobe, pretending I have none. I don't think anyone in their right mind would worry about that, I like to take it one step further, as you do!
Tidy up DD's room a bit (guest is a grown up, totally pointless exercise, but there you go)

I also need to have a shower and do my hair, find something 'effortlessly chic' in my wardrobe, apply make up by the shovel because it is badly needed and do my nails in an effort of appearing to be in control, cool, calm and collected .

I am making it up to be an awful chore for the sake of others when really, I am soooo looking forward to my guest and I'm really excited :)
There! Full day :)

Dizzy - which airport? If its the 'Lorraine Chase' one (shows age :)) then I can help with parking as we live about 5 minutes away.

Need to get DD into shower so BBL

Eyelet - yes, I do have an airing cupboard but it's not particularly warm in there since we had the hot water tank replaced as the insulation is so good on the new one. If I wash teddies they go in there for a few days to dry thoroughly. I've just unstuffed the trainers and they are wearable, will leave them by the dehumidifier for another hour.

SC- hope DD manages to unwind a bit soon

KiaOra - have a nice day with your guests.

SC I'm hoping to make some decorations for each of the dcs for their rooms for Christmas. New curtains, a cushion for their beds for starters, using material that matches the new décor I hope to have in their rooms by then. So I've got to get measuring and planning soon so I can get the material and start working on it.

Eyelet - you have not achieved nothing: you've been looking after your poorly baby all evening. Someone once gave me this book. I think you need to read it .

Alice - Operation Christmas in July ! The elf sounds great fun, though. Neither of my children believe in FC now, although I was surprised to find that I was quite relieved at not having to pretend anymore.

WhoKnows - newspaper and bicarbonate of soda seems to work well on our smelly shoes. Glad you find the round up helpful.

SC - hope you managed to get back to sleep. Sorry for your DH, of course, but that's a relief to know that it's a virus you have. And that there is no danger of you being anaemic. Hope you both feel better soon.

Kia - have a lovely day with your guest . Hope you find the effortlessly chic outfit you want!

Woke up with both boys in bed with me at a little after 6am. They then went back to sleep, leaving me wide awake. Have now dispatched DS2 upstairs to read the next 'Harry Potter' book (he's hooked).

Today, I'm tackling home ed in the morning, then we have family coming for lunch. Will have to take DS2 to the beach in the afternoon, attempt to get DS1 outside for some Vitamin D and fresh air and then tackle my OU essay, which I seem to be doing in bitesized chunks in between everything else.

Blimey Alice and Kiaora -really impressed - you are both reaching Flying heights that I could only dream of/aspire to [surveys holes in walls, floors and crumbling plaster]. Very inspiring though both of you!

Blimey again Whoknows poor Brazil indeed! We've just watched the "lowlights" on Beeb2. Would be amazing if it was an all-European final though!

Engels good luck tonight - The Netherlands have just got to win - although dd reminded me that Argentina will have the Pope praying for them! [unfair advantage ]

Yet another rainy/miserable/airless day here ... .

Ta da:
rabbits
emergency rescue of school goldfish who is staying with us for the holidays and who is looking less than perky [chews knuckles]
sort laundry for lovely fortnightly ironing lady who has come back after only a week because I am so behind!

To do:
dd showered/dressed/off to art workship
make something healthy and interesting for lunch
write note to god-daughter and pack parcel
sort kitchen
dining room table hotspot
do something productive in either home office or boudoir
paper shredding with dd when she gets back
visit departed friends' cat

other than that, make it up as I go along

Have a good day everyone!

Just testing (changed flags again)

Must admit, Germany did play really well last night though

Thanks Toffee I'm feeling much better this morning thanks. Enjoy your time at the beach!

SC don't be too impressed. My toilets need cleaning, I have a list of things to do that is as long as my arm, and I still haven't patched the holes in the walls that I should have done last week. As always, progress in one part of the house generally results in some neglect to another part of the house.

Toffee I think it's because ds1 is a very "young" 7 IYSWIM. Cognitive problems means he is very immature for his age, so the beliefs are still quite firmly there.

Morning all!

Feeling fabulous after the first proper sleep in 4 months. I may become evangelical about my coil removal!

Work today, and therefore not a lot of flying, but dinner is organised, dishwasher is emptied and DS was washed and dressed before nursery.

Off to actually do some work and not at all to waste time MNetting!

Whereas Brazil forgot they were supposed to be playing. Arf @ unfair advantage of argentina SC

Feeling completely wiped this morning to the point were I am about to drink my second cup of coffee. Needed as I have rather a long to do list:

Laundry
dye hair
empty car out
sort out ds' kit for training
meeting in next town
find paperwork for said meeting
shopping
take recycling out
book hotel still not done it
put in amazon order ditto
put in order for stuff for ds' sensory box yep ditto that not done thing

ta da
ds to school on time
two drawers in chest of drawers in my room which tend to junk have had their contents emptied onto my bed. i will probably end up regretting this
re-arrange clothes to be in one unit - in progress
collect laundry from about and collect in one place
start packing the activity bits and bobs bag for our holiday
start collecting too small clothes together ready for handing on
spend 5 mins decluttering my room

currently the chest of drawers is tidier and more organised, you are closer to seeing the floor but i have lost the bed. something tells me i will lose the floor again by the end of the day

Alice yes, deffo Forth bridge effect here too (but on much lower level!)

Sorry you are feeling so wiped out ¨Bitchy good luck with your list. As for lost things, totally fed up with not being able to find anything here.

You sound very on top of things Carpe!

Right, dd has been despatched, have sorted kitchen, dw, wm and s&s and dining room table hotspot, on to next ...

sc - not sure on NL's chaces if we do get through to the final against the Germans (though we did manage to beat the reigning World Cup holders and European champions Spain 5-1 in the first round!).

whoknows glad the evening worked out in the end.

eyelet my M&D have an airing cupboard and it's one of the many things I miss about our house here along with a bath and doors on the back of the house leading to the garden

Okay, working from home is working out great. Have to come off MN now as my break is at an end. Am doing planning for next year with the new format/criteria/concepts and have made myself a nest on the sofa with laptop, documents, , BBC radio 2 on, cappuccino and crumpets on stand by!

I would love this to be a regular thing but unfortunately it wouldn't really work with a class full of students. Video conferencing maybe for English, but not Drama!

Back to the grindstone... (BBL next "breaktime" in an hour and a half! Trying to follow normal school day to give me some structure).

I do, don't I sc? Can't possibly be me!

Still got shed loads of stuff to organise from the holiday though, so it's not all positive! Hopefully will get things done when I'm off on Thursday, although I do have an interview with a recruitment agency so that'll eat up the afternoon as I'm then meeting my boss for coffee to discuss it.

I also need to have a sit down discussion with DH about my return to work as I won't have time to do things as much as I do just now, so it'll be a serious "what are you going to start doing?" chat as right now, he cooks as and when and obviously helps with DS, but the house has been my domain, and I can't keep doing that solo. That'll be an interesting chat...

Thank you all - I am feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment with 'stuff' and I think its probably been a combination of factors including me foolishly emptying every single drawer and packing cases wanted to get the house straight so I can do my hour of housework a day and be done. I am slowly getting there but with renovations constantly ongoing (DH seems to want to relax on his days off) I am desperate to have a home rather than be moving this from surface to surface.

Ultimately we simply have too many possessions. Thank you for the book toffee I'm hoping within a few months the DC will start to play more with each other but babylet with crippling separation anxiety simply makes everything so much harder.

At work today - phew!

Morning. Short list for me today as I am going to London this afternoon for a late lunch, quick cocktail and then the theatre. I am looking forward to it immensely .

done
beds made
washing collected
washing machine and dishwasher on
washing up done and sink tidied
lounge tidied (really needs dusting and hovering though)
desk cleared of paperwork
kitchen worktops cleared of guff
recycling put out

to do
empty upstairs bins
hang out washing
get something for DS's dinner
unload dishwasher

Will catch up properly tomorrow.

OOh Peach, I am so jealous! What are you going to see?

Shakespeare in Love Carpe, it hasn't officially opened yet so the tickets were a really good price as it's still in preview. It's my favourite film so I though I'd take a chance on it without seeing any reviews!

The lead actor is gorgeous Tom Bateman

This morning worrying about his homework, Year 9/10's, late night (football grrr) and having to be in school early for some literacy intervention tipped balance and ds decided to stay at home and trial home ed for a day. Fascinating to see how he concentrates first thing in the morning compared to after school (nil after school) We managed a good little structured routine this morning, including chores (which at the moment he does very little of, so that is a vast improvement) Reading aloud, handwriting, OT exercises, music appreciation, Shakespeare and exercise (we went to Morrisons [wink) He is now reading in his room until 2pm, when I said he could have some screen time. He has also hung out the washing for me.

Tomorrow is a strike day so we will see if we can continue before I make a proper decision next week on the de-registering. It is lovely to do work with him without any pressure to be a performing seal.

quick hello to all
feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. combination of working at weekend (out of usual routine) , dc all tired and grumpy and then endless complex end of term extra activity arrangements to plan and navigate!
Today ds 2 was on school trip, needed £2 for ice cream and towel in rucksack, had to wear school uniform jumper but not shorts? dd3 was on school trip requiring £4.40 and no lunch, not clear whether uniform was needed or not causing last minute dilemma. dd2 had alterntaive curriculum day and needed to go in PE kit - trouble locating trainers. dd4 needed to return money and form for school trip on Monday. DD1 is in London (since yesterday) on trip and needs collecting from train station at 11.30pm. Tomorrow littlies off school due to teacher strike causing me work/childcare dilemma.Friday they need to dress as a celebrity - not planned this may cause last minute panic once again.
Next week I have 1 school trip,2 sports days and a concert to remember! Luckily have booked some annual leave off work!
Will be quite glad to get to the end of term!

Minimal FLYing has been done. Laundry lagging again.Will attempt to catch up later.

Whoknows you are amazing taking all these trips and hikes and getting children from one place to another in your stride. Wow. Yes, it is the thinking everything through that is exhausting, rather than the actual thing itself ifysim, once executed..

Toffee great roundup, thank you for continuing.

SC I dunno how to pronounce it with a "rib" in the middle perhaps? And, before you know it she will be slobbing around my mark my words and the immortal words, stop mooching will be uttered, as they are by every mother under the sun. Although, having said that I have a friend whose daugher can only mooch by climbing onto the roof and looking at the clouds.

better check on ds2, don't want his motivation to crumble..

To do
More Laundry
sort out ds' kit for training
meeting in next town
find paperwork for said meeting
shopping
take recycling out
book hotel still not done it
put in amazon order ditto
put in order for stuff for ds' sensory box yep ditto that not done thing
discover bed

ta da
ds to school on time
two drawers in chest of drawers in my room which tend to junk have had their contents emptied onto my bed. i will probably end up regretting this
re-arrange clothes to be in one unit - in progress
collect laundry from about and collect in one place
start packing the activity bits and bobs bag for our holiday
start collecting too small clothes together ready for handing on
spend 35 mins decluttering my room - aka pulling out more than io can put away in the hunt for missing paperwork
empty car out
1x laundry
WM on for 60C cleaning wash - bloody tissue in pocket that was missed
sort out stuff for car
sort out plans for end of wk
Sort through an cull what i am not likely to wear again clothes - 1 drawer's worth
dye hair
Declutter the top of the chest of drawers sort of

Feet - (showing reciprocal old age) - we are heading west and flying from Cardiff which is a new experience for us!

It's DS's birthday on Sunday and I have been less than organised sorting some presents/cards for him so that needed finalising this morning

Ta Da

• Get DH and DD to sign cards
• Book courier for present box
• Rush to supermarket to buy ink so I could print box label
• Wrap presents and pack in box
• Rush out to drop off box before 12pm to catch today's courier
• Drop him a message to tell him to expect box