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!

I love the muldy smell of autumn and the fresh smell of spring, winter is fine as long as we get cold and not just chilly and wet all the time. SUmmer is ok but I do not do well in the heat.

Huge amount to do today but until the pain killers kick in not much can be done. so by the power of three:

1. Packing lists for holiday
2. sort out ds' kit for tonight
3. to do list for today

I hate this bloody weather too, I seem to be permanently sweaty.

Next 3:
empty car
hoover car
wash car balnket

I'm Autumn too - slightly warm so you can get away with a long-sleeve top and a snuggly jumper, walking in leaves while the sun shines down through trees in various colours. Fabulous.

and yy to hating the permanently sweaty as I'm currently not leaning my back on my chair at work so I don't get hot marks

Anyhoo, still nothing for DH so that's out; I'm actually a bit sad, but now cracking on with my own job applications. Oh, and technically working in the office, but obviously busy with other things

Have also sort of looked into hotels for next week. Can't make my mind up if i want to be in the city centre or further out. I am tempted to be further out tbh. Yes it will be a pita for the extra first thing travel BUT i don't like cities as they are too noisey.

Ds' kit is also made and have started packing some bits and bobs.

I suppose folding and ironing should make up part of my next 3. cba but ah well

I've moved the desks. Dear God, that was a lot of work. Early lunch and then some paperwork, before starting the baking.

Just had an email confirming that DS2's prospective school DON'T have a place for him in September! So looks as if I will be home educating him for the foreseeable future...

Who - glad your day improved yesterday.

Bitchy - good to see you are getting a holiday. Good luck with the packing and preparations.

Alice - at your ceiling fans.

Carpe - sorry DH hasn't heard back yet. Hope you hear one way or the other soon - not knowing is horrible.

coffee - not weird at all. I love Autumn too. But I like all the other seasons as well, although I usually get a bit fed up with the cold in February and can't wait for Spring.

Toffee they're not expensive at all, and make a HUGE difference. We have them in living room and all bedrooms. It's this one in the living room and is the best one: www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4306528.htm

I keep it running on low speed all day and it's pleasantly cool in the living room. I run the bedroom fans from about 5pm until morning.

Not sure I would call it a holiday toffee i would certainly not chose to go where we are going, but it is a change of scenery and ds will be happily busy doing stuff. I suspect that I shall be getting incredibly bored next week hey ho.

Alice I'm probably being dense almost definitely but can you run them without the lights being on?

Carpe Yep. It's on all day with the fan going, lights off. I don't turn the light on until late.

I need to stop at poundland sometime soon and buy a couple more silicone loaf pans. I like to get a couple batches of different loaves done, and I only have 2, so it's make 2 loaves (baked together), wait for pans and loaves to cool, reuse pans. I'd rather be able to just do a few, right after each other.

Well, I have completed three job applications today. To be fair, it was a cut/paste/rearrange job, but getting them done sneakily while "working" was a real challenge. As is MNetting for that matter!

I think there should be MNet badges like you get in Guides: "MNetting while working", "MNetting in another room while avoiding DC" and so on...

Anyway, I still have an hour to get through and not enough work.

Carpe I used to have a job where I had to make myself look busy all day everu day with almost nothing to do. I think it was the worst job I've ever had, certainly left me more despondent than any other I've done in twenty years!

The DC are on leave away from nursery all week, which in turn means I am off work. And achieving absolutely nothing at all. Barely managing to keep on top of the washing up and washing! Food delivery was two hours late today and so DC jad to have jelly for breakfast

Just spent a solid two hours on paperwork for the statementing, this is harder than my actual job

Back later.

hello all.
have been a very poor FLYfriend.
only day 3 of summer holidays and I'm struggling already! I was off with dc monday whilst dh had inset day. this was fine although obviously limited on FLYing due to 6 dc under foot!
Then I have been working today and yesterday and dh at home. I find it V hard working through the holidays whilst all at home as it just throws all my routines and I cant cope!
Also dh is doing lots of decorating - much needed but has added greatly to chaos of the house. Currently he's finishing off bits in our bedroom, plus we have ordered new furniture (arriving tomorrow) as a result our room has reverted to state of total chaos.
Cleaner coming tomorrow and am not totally sure how much of the house she will be able to actually clean.

Also dh is taking dc to Ireland on Monday and I can't go as I can't get leave that week (was mutually agreed he would go ) but now I am dreading it as I can't imagine being on my own for a week Obviously it comes with some positives but since it hasnt happened in about the last 20 years Im not sure what to do!

anyway, hopefully I can sort house a bit next week in evenings....

will try and catch up better with thread next week.

waves to all....and leaves copious amounts of ice cream on naughty corner bar.......

runs off with icecream hoping nobody will work out who it is :)

Hyperhops - you will find things to do. I used to dread ds free time. Now I used to do everything i can't get done whilst he is away. Trick is to remember to corner a bit of time for nice stuff for you.

Ds is currently pretending to be a siren. ffs

I spent some time this evening tidying up my room. It was complete chaos after cleaning off (and out) my desk to move to ds1's room, so I figured I better get a start on it.

Tomorrow I will start going through the dcs' rooms and doing some clearing out. Starting with school uniforms - clean out anything too small, ripped, completely tatty. Then make list of what new is needed for autumn.

I've got frozen bananas, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries in the freezer that I put in today and yesterday. Tomorrow we'll be relaxing with smoothies to fight off the heat, I think. I can put a bit of yoghurt and cranberry juice in there to add a bit of zing to it.

I'll have to catch up reading the thread tomorrow as well. Hope everyone is well.

Done
Parcel to the post office
Soothed baby DC's fevered brow (she is teething and has a 39*C fever from MMR/virus)
Booked GP appt for Friday for all three of us AND got a double appointment so no hanging around
Booked a review with DD1's epilepsy nurse
Watered the garden
White wash - done, hung out, then put in AC (I did a hot wash with the ultra Vanish on DHs shirts and they've come up a treat)
Dark wash - put in AC
Food shopping done and put away
Picked veg from the garden (courgettes, carrots, string beans, runner beans)
Listed items on Gumtree
15 items thrown out of our bedroom
New light fitting hung in kitchen
New back of door ironing board hook installed - this is revolutionary! even if DH couldn't find the damn ironing board to my amusement

Tomorrow
Wrap up the two birthday presents and the erroneous Amazon order and head back to the PO (bad planning I know)
Buy garden vouchers for a wedding present
Order items from ebay
Make a cake
Clean the bathroom (MIL visiting tomorrow afternoon)
Wipe over the cloakroom
Have painter come and quote for the front door to be repainted
Hoover downstairs
Wash hall floor
Empty bins
Usual washing up
30min in DC room x 2 - I'm contributing cast offs to a jumble sale and nursery stash cupboard.
Complete appeal for statementing

Well, after a bit of a frazzled start (I found another snotty communication in DS's book bag, then had an argument with DD about suncream) we had a lovely morning at a local lido with friends.

Home for lunch, then spent the afternoon on the paperwork, that should be it for a few weeks now hopefully. The DCs were very good at keeping out of my way, poor DD wanted to cook dinner but I had to get the work done. Anyway, a quick dinner and took them to trampolining.

The house looks awful, I've got no energy in this heat and I feel as though my feet haven't touched the ground for about 3 weeks. I need to cut back on my commitments. PTA is definitely getting canned, I'm thinking about asking a friend if she wants to share the allotment with me. I'd like the DCs to do fewer activities but they both love everything they do and everything has great benefits, particularly for DS. Will be giving it some thought over the summer.

Both DC have been difficult this evening. I'd like to blame the heat, but I think it's just them. DS2 is upset about us having kittens and says he will shut himself in his room forever when they arrive (have you ever heard of a child who didn't like kittens?) and DS1 curled up with his hands over his ears when I tried to discuss small steps towards helping him get out of the house again.

Gave up on both of them and have come to bed.

It's Day 24 of the Babysteps on Thursday: add bathroom swish and swipe to your routine.

Thursday is errand day.

Thursday's mission is to declutter your clothing accessories.

Flight plan is here.

Goodnight.

Cleaner is here at 9am this morning, so will be running around tidying up for her so she can actually find a surface to clean.