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!

[CallingAllEngels]

The mus lesinmy arse are killing me! Feel like I did a full day's gardening. Too much kneeling down I think.

DH is popping over to Germany for cheaper petrol and shopping with ds so will have a bit of time to potter in peace. Think I will head to the attic room while they're out. When they're back I'll do some tidying downstairs so DH can get on with some of his decluttering upstairs.

ta da
folded clothes I washed for ds yesterday
wash on

to do
Potter upstairs
finish last bits of holiday washing and sheets/towels
make dentist appt
Some lounge decluttering
order family diary

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

Thanks for the compliments on the stairs. I'm really thrilled to be getting moving on the DIY again. I didn't think I'd be able to get anything done while the dcs were home this summer.

I need to mow the garden this weekend as well. Can't today as we have plans. And tomorrow I have a meeting in town (that I need to drag the dcs to .. oh joy! )

[NickNacks]

Morning.

Your stairs really do look good alice I'm trying to get some DIY done too. It's a long term thing though. I no longer work on a Friday and from September dd will be in preschool all day Fridays too leaving me with a list of odd jobs to plough through.

So tired. Ds2 has a bed wetting alarm which he had trouble switching off last night and it took me two hours to go back to sleep. I'm evil when I've not slept properly.

I'm also trying to do my accounts for the year. I really should do this weekly, why the hell don't i? I hate doing a whole years at once because I forget stuff and probably pay too much tax as a result. :(

Fireplace is out and I can't order a new one yet so we have to live with a sheet covering the hole- such a bad week.

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

NickNacks that's generally when I get stuff done - when the dcs are in school. Hope your week improves.

[CallingAllEngels]

Ta da
wash out to dry
2nd wash on
Operation Lounge:
Moved DS's toys, tables, playmat and cleaned areas round them
Cleaned/polished and decluttered windowsills and dresser
Cleaned mirror
Emptied paper recycling

DH is still out with DS so when I've finished my coffee will...
Declutter, reorganise and dust bookshelves
Dining tabel (hotspot)
Reorganise cupboards - freed up some space when I did the cellar so having a think about where board games, craft stuff, wrapping supplies and photo albums will live.

Lounge already looks massively improved!

[MercuryRising]

Hello fello fledglings. I volunteered to run the August thread but was wondering if somebody would start it if I take over next week. This week has been very difficult in the Mercury household. My dms best friend is on life support and the doctors will be making decisions about further care tomorrow and my dgd is in hospital after collapsing after developing pneumonia I don't like to let you all down.

[CuriouslyNosy]

Hi everyone, can I sneak in & join in from tomorrow's new post (August) ? I found flylady after it was recommended to me, but it's a minefield of information. This looks a much calmer place for support etc.

I joined the mum of 3 club 7 weeks ago, so need some kind of routine to keep on top of the house, without having to spend all day doing it!

[ToffeeWhirl]

Hi Mercury. Please don't worry about running the August thread. I'm so sorry you have so much difficult stuff going on at the moment. I know you're working night shifts as well, so it really can't be easy.

I'm perfectly happy to carry on running the thread next month as we've already had our holiday and I'm hoping for a quiet month at home with no statement of SEN stuff to worry about, no home ed (except the fun stuff) and no OU essay deadlines. Plus, there is the bonus that running the thread actually focuses my mind on Flying! So, unless anyone else really wants to do it, I'll start a new thread later today.

Am planning on continuing my decluttering marathon this afternoon - in the dining-room this time

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

Toffee Wow - all that time on your hands. I can almost imagine the length of your "to do" lists.

Mercury So sorry you're dealing with all that right now.

I am debating taking out my sewing machine for a bit today. Just debating, mind you, not decided.

[CarpeJugulum]

Oh lord, is it August almost? How did that happen?

Well, I'll be AWOL for about 2 weeks as DBIL is up so the house can go... fly

However, if you could all cross your fingers as I have 4 jobs with closing dates tomorrow so I'm hoping!

[CallingAllEngels]

mercury I'm sorry to hear about all your bad news atm.

Welcome curiously - the more the merrier!

Fx for you carpe

DH has just returned home ranting after a road rage altercation but has now calmed down and is playing duplo trains with DS.

Ta da
2nd wash out to dry
3rd wash on

moving onto sofa and then bookshelves. I seem to be doing all of my lounge missions in one day!

[ToffeeWhirl]

Welcome, curiously. You must be busy, having three including a baby!

Alice - I know, it's great. Not child-free, mind, but I'm still hoping I'll get the house sorted.

Carpe - good news about DBIL's arrival. Best of luck with the jobs - let us know.

Engels - glad to hear Duplo has calmed down your DH .

ta da

disposed of overripe water melon and fruit flies (ugh)
considered whether to dispose of whole pineapple which has also attracted fruit flies but looks edible (still not sure)
hoovered up several spiders and their webs
loaded d/w and did more washing up by hand
put washing on (must make the most of this weather)
various phone calls and emails
printed out some stuff for home ed
looked up house moths - seem to be a lot about in our house at the moment
hoovered upstairs
swished and swiped in bathroom

DS2 has suddenly decided he wants to go swimming rather than lounge around reading all day - which is admirable, but very irritating as I was banking on staying in and tidying up all day. And I feel half-dead thanks to lack of sleep because my brain was too whizzy last night. Never mind, I can fit in going to the library as well, as DS2 has told me he definitely wants to do the reading challenge this year. Last year, he objected to it when I entered him and said it wasn't 'cool', so this year I told him I wasn't going to bother - and, suddenly, he wants to do it! Am now wondering what else I can apply this reverse psychology to? Eating fruit and veg, going to sleep at 8pm and sleeping through till 8am (yeah, right), brushing his teeth, putting suncream on... The list is endless. The only problem is that I think he knows whether I mean it or not, so somehow I really have to not care whether he does those things or not. Or improve my acting skills.

Right, off to find some lunch, then swimming kits. Maybe swimming will wake me up.

[slackcabbage]

Hello again! On the road! Sweltering! Heading home to office and rabbit sit..dh and dd staying for a few more days with dd's godfather in sunny Montenegro...

Big feathery waves to Whoknows in Portugal and to everyone else!

Just popped in to say to Toffee very, very, very kind of you to continue to run thread throughout August ... particularly considering everything you have going on ... really really good of you! (Totally 'get it' about one's house being more organised when thread-running - I find that too - I need the discipline of actually having to read the daily instructions! ) Sorry - haven't caught up with what happened with your dss and schools - hope to do so very soon x

Mercury so sorry things are so difficult at your end. Don't be nuts - you are not letting anyone down - totally understandable you want to focus on your family in the circs. I hope your dgd recovers from pneumonia very soon (must be very hard for him; partic in this weather and for you all) and how awful re: your mum's bf. Her poor family. I hope your mum is ok x

Just to reiterate - happy to run thread in Sept or Oct or Nov whichever suits Engels. (I am away last week in Oct/beginning Nov, and for a long weekend towards end Sept but sure we can all cover gaps between us.)

To fledglings who haven't run thread before: if you are finding this thread useful and tend to post on here every day or so and rl isn't too stressful (although I know it is for many of you) - then please volunteer to run it once in a while - it will really help to keep it bumbling along and consequently our houses bumbling along in parallel - ta very much xxx (Can provide easy instructions if anyone worried about posting links or navigating Flylady site etc.)

Hope eveyrone is enjoying the lovely weather! And hope all pregnant Fledglings keeping well and taking it steady! And all travelling fledglings are having a good time!

Tally-hooo!!!!

[slackcabbage]

forgot to say ...

... a very warm welcome to Curiously!

[slackcabbage]

and good luck with jobs Carpe fingers and toes crossed x

[Sootball]

I am having a struggling sort of day today (I've a thread in Chat rather than derail)

However I would be happy to run the thread in September or October

[BlueEyeshadow]

Hi curiously :)

Mercury - sorry to hear that, what a tough time.

Have done some packing, had lunch, sorted last minute admin stuff.

Need to do more packing and organising so can set off at the crack of a sparrow tomorrow... Squee!

[ToffeeWhirl]

Blue - hope you have a fabulous holiday!

Soot - sorry it's a struggling day for you.

Those bunnies will have missed your tlc, I'll bet. Hope you had a good hol.

DS2 and I walked all the way to the swimming pool, only to find out that it was unexpectedly shut for the day. I was secretly quite relieved and, as a bonus, we have been offered a free swim next time, so that was good.

Collected DS2's Summer Reading Challenge stuff from the library, bought a few snacks for the boys at Caffe Nero, then came home. MIL is coming round in about an hour and I'm tempted to have a quick nap before then, as DS2 is busy reading now.

Will pop back and start the new thread later.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Psst! Flap those wings over here!

[CallingAllEngels]

That's a bonus toffee - I can't believe how much going swimming costs nowadays.

Have fun blue

Safe travelling sc

DH was muttering and cursing all the time he was cooking. Looking forward to some peace and quiet as much as you get with a 2 year old tomorrow.

ta da
gave my sofa a proper clean
washing up

I've managed to wash a bag that shouldn't have been washed and it had some kind of cardboardy insert in it which has now disintegrated over the rest of the wash (also cloth bags) and the inside of the machine. Should I do a 90% wash on empty first to try and get rid of it? White vinegar?

[CuriouslyNosy]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Actually managed to fill the dishwasher, although not enough room to do everything, 2 loads later...

Looking forward to a clean(er) house!

[ToffeeWhirl]

Curiously - honestly, your house will improve if you stick to the system. It does work - it's the sticking with it that's hard. By the way, we're over on the August thread now. See you there!