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!

Alice yes the down-side of current sunshine and light nights is that all the cobwebs in my cornices are increasingly visible. I won't be able to ignore them and keep looking down for much longer !

Feathery waves to Swan and everyone else!

Morning! for those in need of as bit of help getting going.
Posting on the train before my snooze. After work I will
load wm
unload & reload dw
shine sink
wipe light switches (I like this mission)
crochet something for the wi competition on Thursday (yikes! Think I have some random squares that might turn into something)
Put washing away
pick raspberries
bed by 10.30

Morning! Also on train 2 work.

No flying this am - decluttered for 15m in living room last night. This translates as unpacking still unpacked boxes of DVDs & piling said DVDs in a tottering pile next 2 the fireplace. Perhaps I need to revisit the definition of uncluttering...

Four hours broken sleep last night after a glass of red and I'm utterly exhausted. Had one ultra strength coffee but ss yet still horizontal on the sofa while children trash the playroom under my not so watchful eye.

eugh. Sleepy wave to everyone.

Did my sink in milton overnight
go out and buy Ace bleach for DHs shirts
maybe make some cookies
put out charity clothing bags
aired laundry put away
put new christmas box of decorations in the loft (or at least move upstairs)
relist items on gumtree/freegle
trellis up for the climbing plants outside
resend DLA application
update paper diary

And somehow fit in 3-4 hours work

ooh it feels like the best kind of summer fete on here, the one you don't have to man any stalls for but there is lots to do and see AND you don't have to clear up the debris afterwards..(Whoknows this is the time to give up PTA - just say you have to concentrate on commitments for ds1)

hello everyone, and to PA and Eyelet (DO NOT DO ANYTHING today except survive work and kids) and Ellie and Nicknacks (I still shiver when I remember the Go Karting near you..ds keeps asking to go back - and I remember one of his friends actually crashed - it was exhausting - sorry random memory)

done
staggered out of bed at 7am and drove dd to school (it's a beautiful drive first thing as long as you beat the traffic
now at home surrounded by random random stuff to tidy
and all I want to do is run away and go and have a nice coffee with someone, anyone!!!! However [stern] this is my tidying up day as Monday's always a write off so will have to apply myself.
boys very disorganised I didn't organise them I mean this morning and there was no milk, dh grumpy as a result. However, there were blueberries, nectarines, yoghurt and toast and jam so not so bad..

todo
plates in dw
iron clothes perhaps???? in sunny kitchen
take cardboard to the dump (fifth attempt)
prepare rouladen for supper
hoover my bedroom
deep clean main bathroom - grimy grimy grimy
investigate possibility of new loo seats for two loos as this is becoming a hazard (two broken and removed atm)
go to school meeting this eve re: Belgian Trip with ds's passport and EHC card
ring old acquaintance about Home edding experiences
with trepidation look at travel documents
go for swim? can I face it?????

SC I am so envious, and even envious of your dd's ballet revival.

Welcome to the fledgling nest, Kia and Misfit.

Engels - that is a cruel trick for your mind to play on you.

Kia - I also want to book a professional carpet clean, but DH keeps insisting he'll save us money by doing it himself. He gets as far as bringing leaflets home about carpet-cleaning equipment hire, but no further. And he's working seven days a week, so I don't see how he'll have time. One day, I'll just book it...

Mercury - sorry to hear about night shifts . I like the sound of your mum (doing the ironing). Mine is always very helpful about stuff like that when she visits too.

Castle - you have your work cut out, but new house sounds exciting!

feet - best of luck with insane three weeks. Hope we can offer you sanctuary here .

Alice - that made me laugh - and it's a good point. Am impressed by your goal of one hour of crafts every evening.

SC - I tried reading 'Millions' to DS1 a couple of years ago, but he wouldn't let me continue once he knew the boy's mum had died. I should have carried on reading it on my own. Good luck with tackling the boudoir.

Thanks for the , droit. Good luck with your list.

Still - hope you have a good day at work.

Have realised that I need to have a blitz on the house because MIL is house/baby-sitting tomorrow and then I'm going off to my Mum's for two weeks, but will only have a couple of days after I return to get the house in order for her own baby-sitting duties. There is washing everywhere and the dining-room table is invisible under piles of books and papers again.

So, I'm aiming to get home ed done asap this morning, get DS2 out for a runaround, then spend several hours on the house (completely misses the point of Flylady's step-by-step approach ).

Hope everyone has a good day.

Sorry, spotted more fledglings flying back to the fold to report...

Eyelet - so sorry for the broken sleep. Having two children under five is unbelievably hard work . Good luck with DLA application.

Swan - your breakfast sounds delicious! Am excited at the sight of home ed on your list .

So times needs must toffee other wise fly lady wouldn't have the crisis clean system. she is realistic if some what devious Alice

I was super ogranised last night so even though i overslept this morning ds still got his cooked breakfast that he was promised. Didn't quite make school on time but when a boy needs the bathroom

despite having had some shocking night's sleep recently i am feeling nicely chilled out BUT the first thing i am tackling on my to do list is the nap night night. see you all later for a mad fly about the house doing stuff kinda thing.

Checking in - I'm on and off the wagon and now need to get a grip especially on the de cluttering. Making a plan now!

Another month another 'fresh' start

Nice to see everyone again

Need to declutter today but want to go to ikea and buy shiny storage - can't decide what to do!

First things first list to get me off my arse the sofa

put on kettle
Unstack and restack dishwasher
Make coffee
fling in kitchen and up to living room
Measure inside car to work out if storage will fit in it (probably not!)

ta da

Dressed
B/F for DC
Typed up English exercises
Maths with DS2
Swished and swiped in bathroom
Loaded d/w

Slinks in with and for the naughty corner.

I was doing so well in June and then DH came home one night saying he was going to resign the next day . I know he hates it there but on the spot decisions are not going to pay our humungous mortgage! I knew this wasn't an ideal job for him but he was so depressed at the last one that he grabbed at anything half decent. Half the problem is he has taken a step down the hierarchy and hasn't the authority to in effect force through decisions that the company needs to grow and thrive. He works with scientists/technical staff that actively refuse help from his sales force to get them work then complain when their revenue is down. So he is back to watching/taping reruns of The Bill which just remind me of the horrendous time when he was without a job and then working away and spending 5 hours every Friday night watching it. But I daren't tell him how I feel

Sorry for the me, me, me post

I have caught up on the old thread (only took me a couple of hours!) and am posting my Ta Da's from yesterday before I heave myself off the sofa and get something constructive done today.

Monday Done

• Weeded front garden and planted bedding plants
• Put away unused clothes from the weekend (we were away at BILs)
• Washing load on and hung to dry
• Sorted and dropped off some plastic bottles at neighbours house
• D/W loaded and put on
• Uniform ironed for week (need to do DH shirts)
• Swam 100 lengths
• Got DD to bed at a reasonably early time (bedtime has drifted for both her and me!)

Getting started....
*2 loads of washing on the line
*dw unloaded and reloaded
*menu plan printed
*looked at this week and next weeks diary
*15 mins sorting out pigsty bedroom
*started a jobs list to get done this week

Wow dizzy, 100 lengths

Next things
Go to tip
Go to ikea
Go to coop for packed lunch stuff
Get out cash for kitty
Go home
Hopefully back to tip if time

ta da, Part 2

Walk in sunshine with DS2
Teach DS2 to make daisy chain
Home for snack
English with DS2
Hung washing on line
Put second load on
Set DS2 up with painting equipment whilst I...
Set up DS1 on his online Maths lesson

That does sound hard, Dizzy.

Well, the morning went OK and we had enough people at the protest to look reasonable. Now got to get on with life again...

Going to need a lot of and though. Anyone else want some?

Lunchtime update:

• Won 'pinch, punch, first of the month' competition with DC (by getting them when they were still in bed :o) but DH got me
• All up and out
• Morning routine properly - not quite but DH did washing up, I did S&S x 2, 1 load washing done and on line, 1 more load done and waiting to be hung out
• WORK
• Emptied half of the drawer in coffee table, need to find homes for other half of stuff (first half rehomed into bin :))

Now need:

• Lunch
• Sort out dinner
• Rehome more coffee table stuff
• More WORK

Well done Blue, that must be very, very hard to take. How many years do you still have left at the school?
Have from me - I can offer coffee or marzipan

for Dizzy too. I hope the swimming helps clear your head at the moment as that sounds tough.

Lunch now...

Oh dear Dizzy, sorry to hear that, it must be hard. Speaking as a scientific/technical person, I do agree that there is (everywhere I've worked anyway) a massive chasm between technical and commercial people that is very difficult to bridge. Both tend to think the other doesn't understand them and doesn't listen to them, very frustrating.

blue - glad you got enough support for the protest, you did your very best in the campaign and you should be proud of that.

[Stuffs face with Toffee's )

Right, I'm back from my appt and like Swan have a desperate urge to sit in the sunshine with a friend, nattering and drinking coffee. Instead (following Swans good example) I am going to drink low calorie soup and force myself to tidy up the bedroom. Well, I'll try 15 mins and see how it goes. Starting is always the worst bit!

Might go out for a walk after that - determined to exercise every day of the holiday (even if just for 20 mins)!!

Good luck with your crisis clean Toffee (yes about Millions - it's not all tea and cakes is it?)

Dizzy that sounds really tough about your dh's job situation - and even more difficult for you when it is presented as a fait accompli. Here's hoping he can find a more satisfying position very soon xxx

Thanks for Droitwich good luck with your day!

Lawd Eyelet you certainly have your work cut out for you - and on v little sleep too - take it steady

Swan good luck with the decluttering! And yes! re: school fete analogy!! I'm also very impressed by your gourmet breakfast (and the early morning scary driving).

I must admit I am very pleased that dd is going back to dancing but I am trying to be very inscrutable and not show it! She is doing the course this week and will then make a decision about whether to continue or not, and I don't want to influence her choice in any way (worried she might do it just to please me which would be a disaster because I only want her to continue if she really, really wants to, esp as she has a tough academic year ahead!)

Bitchy Hope you enjoyed your nap! Another one serving impressive breakfasts!! (Feel guilty as I don't really do breakfasts (wierdly can't stand the sight or smell of milk) so dd gets her own cereal and even had to make her own packed lunch this morning. I will deign to make the occasional bit of toast if required though!

Waves to Fragglewump Pushme Stillcounting Feetheart and eveyrone else!

Right, had better get on with it [groan]

[Nicks a bit of Feetheart's cake too]

Blue missed your post! Glad morning passed ok-ish although must be terribly hard still.

Big waves to Whoknows!

Sneaks in and sits in the naughty corner. Waves to everyone.

Need to restart the babysteps.

done [terribly hot and breathless now]
back from tip
and my tooth has broken off so will add dentist to Thursday's burdens...
made appt for dentist
emailed friend
wash on
recycling
wiped down kitchen

and noooow I've ground to a halt, as I don't want to be worn out before dcs come home. However I still need to go to Staples, buy a clipboard for dd and a 360 protractor for ds1 AND the looseats from B & Q. And one of those special spanners for tightening the nuts.

I think I'll just buy the clipboard and have done with it

oh yes, thought of another done changed some sheets last night
and added some compost to potato sacks

todo
cheques, send x 2
clipboard
cake? butter is nice and soft
rouladen?
spray bath with flash?

Bugger I've gone and done what I do EVERY SINGLE TIME! I do my baby steps - then have more energy left so pitch into a massive job - today's was emptying all the drawers from my bedroom onto my lounge floor so I could sort them out - now I'm knackered, frustrated and have a pile of assorted shite all over my lounge. Will not have time to pamper myself or do anything before dcs get home. Cross with myself for being a muppet yet again!