September Fledglings gather here, let's banish clutter at the start of a new school year!

[CallingAllEngels]

Here we go again- a new month to whip our houses into shape!

If you're suffering from CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) and STUFF (something that undermines family fun) then you need Flylady.

Don't sign up for emails on the Flylady website as you'll be inundated. Everything you need to know will be posted in the thread on a daily basis.

Depending on the stage you're at with FL you'll be:

1. Starting or repeating FL's babysteps.

1. Repeating babysteps + decluttering for 15 minutes per day in current zone.

1. Reinforce babysteps + daily missions if you'vefinished decluttering.

4.Number 3 and detailed cleaning anyone here yet??!

Bear in mind:

1. You're never behind!

1. No perfectionism allowed.

1. Your house did not get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy overnight.

Some of the fledglings have been chatting and flying on MN for 10 years. I still think of myself as a newbie sometimes (even though I've been here for 2+ years!). Everyone's welcome! Old timers, newbies and lurkers alike, come and share your ta das, to dos and a whole lot more

Sorry for lack of OP links - am posting on the laptop that time forgot and am just keeping my fx that the OP posts!

Will be back on August 31st (pretty late probably!) with links for the 1st September.

House is a bombsite! Truly truly awful everywhere

Having problems with ds2 at the moment (ongoing issues) which I've posted about in Chat. I'm not stressed by it at all but feeling very judged at the moment.

So today's to do list

Cm 8am- 9pm
Wash up major amount of pots
Put dw on
Tidy sitting room
Hoover
Sweep dining room
Wash colours and whites
Wash our bedding
Remind boys to cut their fingernails
Empty bins and recycling
Clean clothes away
Clean out car
Sort out paperwork (15 mins timer as I hate doing this)

I hope you all have lovely Saturdays

Ours doesn't, it doesn't have a choir either. It has got a country dancing troupe though .

That's kind of sad. Music is so important, I think it's vital to have it in the schools where it's accessible to everyone, regardless of income. Privatise it and only the well off can afford it. What a loss.

Oh yes, and those half hour group lessons cosy £180 a year plus the cost of the instrument which you have to lug to and from school.

Very glad yesterday is over. After rushing to the post office to post some stuff for work and get back in time for the cleaner, I had an email from her saying she couldn't come. Then spent some time trying to persuade DS1 to log onto the Maths lesson which was the only one that he seemed to be down for on the website, but he was so stressed by the morning's fiasco that he refused. Gave up and went to check my emails, only to discover that a) the LEA online learning website had been closed down because of technical hitches; and b) they had sent me an apologetic email explaining that DS1 had been sent the wrong timetable .

So, I had spent the night before preparing him, then hauled him out of bed first thing to be ready by 9am for a lesson that he wasn't meant to be having anyway.

Meanwhile, the LEA still haven't found him a suitable school. I am so frustrated.

Anyway, I spent the afternoon cleaning the house (anger does give you energy), then dashed off to give blood. This took ages because THREE people fainted, one after the other, and blocked the queue!

Came home to dinner with friend who is staying the weekend and was allowed one glass of wine with meal (checked with nurse), so that cheered me up. We sat up late, talking, but were startled when DS2 came down at 1am, complaining he couldn't sleep. So ended up sleeping with him and now have a crick in my neck .

Sorry, that is a very me-me-me post, but I have to rant somewhere. Not sure whether to complain to the LEA online education service, as I know these things happen. It's just that upsets like that really affect DS1 and now it will be even harder to get him to engage next week . And I'm sure he's not the only child who was upset.

to do

Get dressed to shoes
Rush round to chemist to collect meds for DS1 before they close
Crisis clean of house

Rest of day is unplanned, although we are going to Brighton for fish and chips by the seaside this evening .

Toffee a friend of mine used to work for the blood bank in the states, and she always said fainting was contagious. As soon as one person did it, you'd get more - they see someone getting woozy and off they'd go. Power of suggestion when they're already a bit edgy I suppose.

As far as the LEA site is concerned, I would keep a log of when it's down, when mistakes have been made, when they've sent the wrong things. So if it shows a distinct pattern, you can make an well documented complaint.

So yesterday didn't go to plan but i got to an event that i didn't think i would be able to go to. So not going to complain. Did result in another late night. Woke up 10:30am despite grand plans to sleep as long as possible. Building work has now recommenced and this means that a nap is going to be out of the question. It is loud.

Ordered a pair of those shredding sissors I think it was Alice recommended. Bloody brilliant and the parents have requested I acquire them a pair too.

Music lesson wise here the school has music for yr 3 cello or violin and they get taught in whole class groups my worse nightmare sound wise there are other lessons but they are like Whoknows describes in groups of 6 (but there is 10 on list of lesson and they rotate) and are a bit ds' school dedicate a whole assembly to singing. music is not too bad but there are virtually no school sports teams. After school activities just don't exist really, but most of the teachers are also parents (a lot with kids in the school) and you can kinda understand why they can't get teachers to run the clubs. Quite frankly ds' school do literally just enough to tick the right boxes for ofsted. no more no less. which is a shame.

Toffee i would add to Alice's suggest of record of when the site goes down the effect it has on ds (like one of those behaviour ABC things or something similar) Because then if school comes back and says "he isn't doing what he needs to" You can go well no because you are causing him problems. ass covering so to speak.

As 2 cups of coffee have kicked in and I am about to put my second load of washing on for the day I might have to come up with a to do list and get on with doing stuff. Special brew anyone?

Morning! Delighted it's Saturday - even more delighted when I learnt about Family fun day

Thanks feet - think I may ease off. Stood back and looked at the house this morning and felt quite proud of how nice it looks.

Ta das
Finished all work for the weekend
Hoovered downstairs or rather Roomba has and DH did stairs
Put new stickers on DD's wall
Installed new phones
Carried shelf upstairs or DH did (Hoping to put this together later)
Football

To dos
Put shelf together
Tidy lounge
Have fun!

Afternoon all. Fighting a stroppy toddler atm.

ta da
ironing mountain
washed new tablecloth
wrote new baby and bday cards

now collapsed on sofa as have spent too long standing up.

dh is in a foul mood and seems unable to have a conversation without getting the arse. He's making good progress upstairs but I'm avoiding him by staying downstairs with ds, who is being hard work. Way too much tv here.

Bitchy glad you like the shredding scissors. I've found that now I've caught up with my shredding that it only takes a couple seconds each day to shred any new post that has my info on it right into the rubbish bin. It's certainly slowed down the paperwork build up!

Afterschool activities in ds1's school are limited but he goes to a special school, so to some extent that's to be expected. In ds2's school, it's quite limited and only some get in. His childminder doesn't pick up afterwards as she would have to drag her younger mindees up to the school again, so I fully understand why she cannot do that. So we don't do them.

Sorry you had such a frustrating day yesterday Toffee - probably talking thorugh my hat as usual - but could you try and couch it in positive terms and say "well it was a good rehearsal for getting back in to the school routine etc etc for when the technical glitches are sorted out next week?" [forlorn hope]

Hope crick un-cricks itself and fish and chips by the seaside helps too!

I've just had another tense exchange with dd over bathing (she is going to a party) and I am trying not to lose my temper (hence this post). I can see her literally weighing up whether I am going to follow through with threat of no Dr Who tonight or whether my resolve is weakening. [SC stiffens sinews and marches back in to battle] Talk about ground-hog day. It's just so wearying ... .

30mins on ...

... battle has been won (for now) mademoiselle despatched in party attire. Her weary valet is sitting with a cup of tea. I never remember my parents' lives revolving around us in the same way that ours do around dd! And they had 4 dc!. Strange concept this, but we actually had to do what we were told without protest or complaint!

Ta da:
rabbits
arrangements with friend for tonight
present wrapping and card writing
The Morning Line
dark wash hung up to dry
supervised dd hwk
supervised dd bathing, hair-washing, teeth-brushing, manicure/pedicure.
washed school jumpers
polished school shoes
found art smock and put in school bag for Mon
looked for sports bag (washed and ironed at end of last time) can't find it!

Right, off to do quick supermarket and bank run ...

Enjoy your Saturdays everyone!

Sorry, took so long to write last post missed out loads of you!

[sticks fingers in ears over talk of extra-curricular activities and rocks back and forth]

Thanks for special brew Bitchy. Much needed today. Hope you can escape building noise for a bit as it gets you down after a while.

Feetheart like the sound of the ukeleles!! (literally!)

Get those feet up Engels! and get dh to do the ironing

Hope you are OK Nicknacks and that you can get some r & r this weekend Pushme (and congrats to your dd!)

Well done to your dss Blue!

Re music, it's my biggest that I didn't learn an instrument at secondary school.

I did recorder and guitar for a year at primary (both free) and the 2 years of keyboard which was paid for, small group, county music school.

Paid for my own singing lessons for a year in 6th form.

My school does no music lessons or groups, but the dutch don't really do extra curricular activities, not even school sports. We have a school rock band set up by a group of students but the only other clubs are debate, drama and newspaper (and I can't run the drama club this year beause of my timetable).

ta da
wash ds' bedding
sort out ds' room for building work
wash ds' duvet
collect washing
sort out shopping list
make 2 ltrs of jelly for ds nxt wk
sort out a rough plan of action for today.
look at box earmarked for decluttering for today and revise plan
remove everything from top of chest of drawers. (aka dump on bed)

"I never remember my parents' lives revolving around us in the same way that ours do around dd! And they had 4 dc!. Strange concept this, but we actually had to do what we were told without protest or complaint!" ditto SC

Well after a rocky few months I am back on the flightpath! Will read the thread properly and start with personals and also thanks to bitchy for her flying notes. So as of next week we will have a rock solid family routine again determined by dd1 starting at a SN play session 3 days a week alongside my family getting more involved and DH and I sorting regular work at home days where we do a bit of household multitasking!

So our week will be;
MON - dd1 half day at playgroup, me flying in the morning on which ever room needs doing according to flylady. Cleaning bathrooms. Laundry.
TUE - dd1 half day at playgroup, me and Dd2 at swimming lessons in the morning and then all three of us out to friends in the afternoon. Laundry.
WED - both dd at childcare while I work a 12 hour day, DH working at home so can put a load on/out
THUR - both dd at childcare while I work a 12 hour day.
FRI - dd1 at playgroup while dd2 and I finish the flying for the week, in the afternoon shopping is bought at butchers and bulk of food delivered ready for weekend and bulk cooking.
SAT - family day together. Bulk cooking for the week ahead if it's not been done on Friday, so much easier in the winter months. Clean bathrooms, change bedsheets, Laundry. Everyone bathed!
SUN - me at work again all day - DH in charge of a full roast for dinner!

So my flying should hopefully become more reliable. I've had an epic clear out of toys, clothes and unused equipment which I'm gradually selling - everything unsold will go to be sold at a car boot fundraiser for our preferred charity. I'm also getting the professional organiser in to assist with my paperwork mountain. I'm also going to make packed lunches for all of us during the week, it's easier to plan ans hopefully will stop the constant washing up.

and

ta da
wash ds' bedding
sort out ds' room for building work
wash ds' duvet
collect washing
sort out shopping list
make 2 ltrs of jelly for ds nxt wk
sort out a rough plan of action for today.
look at box earmarked for decluttering for today and revise plan
remove everything from top of chest of drawers. (aka dump on bed)
Wash towels
put 1st of 2 loads of sofa throws on
clean 2x windows and window sils
empty out a drawer, clean and return contents
clean chest of drawers
use shredding sissors to deal with reciepts that are floating about
15mins decluttering the floor
folding
15mins decluttering in the lounge
fix ds' magnet (super glue job)
update calendars
play hunt the dress storage bag - failed at finding it.
pack away medal and training stuff ready to go into storage :( :( :(

Right I think i might go out before I drive myself crazy... All good fun and all that nonsense.

Oh, goodness. I've found the range cooker I want (electric, old fashioned looking and all). It's almost £1700. sob. Not likely going to happen.

Alice and Bitchy - brilliant advice. I will do exactly that. Thank you.

Off to cheer myself up with friend and family at the seaside .

(Apologies for reading and running).

Interesting hearing about other schools/counties' music services. All 3 of mine learn an instrument in school through the music service, DD and DS1 the violin, DS2 the trumpet. DS1 also learns piano privately. Progression is much faster through private lessons, but I love the orchestra/wind band/strings ensemble etc experiences that they get through the county. Our primary is small and so there aren't enough children to have a school orchestra, but the more competent players are invited to the county one and mine love it.

Ta Da
Pegged 3 loads of washing out
Took DD to Thelwell club (riding lesson + stable management lesson)
Went to the bank
Took books back to the library and took new ones out
Went to the music shop to buy DS1's new violin book
Went to the stationary shop to buy the files that they need for school and some more of that sticky book covering plastic
Went to the sports shop to get DS1 a new gumshield for rugby
Went to the card shop to buy a card for neighbour who has just had a baby
Went to the farmers market to pick up some meat, veg and cakes(!)
Went to the deli to pick up lunch.
Dusted downstairs
Hoovered downstairs
Cleaned kitchen
Cleaned downstairs loo
Supervised music practice

To Do
Clean bathroom
Bring dry washing in
Ironing (probably in front of Doctor Who).

*NB by "more competent players" I mean can read music and hold the instrument the right way round

It isn't hard to get into county orchestra, I don't want to sound like I'm boasting about my DC being the next Andre Rieu or something.

Shredding scissors?! Why have I not heard of these before and more importantly where can I get some

Ta da
hour of paperwork/filing
washing up
sorted a bowl full of clutter on dining room hotspot
chat with dm and dsis

Tonight would like to get something done, either book ferries or photo album that has been clogging up table for the whole summer.

Baby room is nearly empty and dh managed to come downstairs with 3 bags of shreddings for old paper.

Be back soon with links. Sorry, seems like the mammoth round ups of the first few days are getting away from me!

Links for Sunday:

Babystep number 7 is to get your clothes ready every night before you go to bed. I think this is a great babystep. My goal is to get my work outfits ready at the beginning of the week including underwear and jewelry so I don’t end up in a mad scramble or dressed like a bag lady.

No missions at the weekend .

Sunday is the day to Renew Your Spirit.

Here is Sunday’s flight plan.

Get ready to move into Zone 2: The kitchen this week.

Evening all. Have had a shitty couple of days. Ex doing my head in. Mother doing my head in. Car broke down. Haven't had a minute to myself.

Have cleaned a lot this morning.

Am fed up and clearly indulgently whinging.

Sorry.

Ellipac I'm sorry I really am, I've had a really Shit Ty few days with my husband to the extent I am reevaluating our marriage because he insists on continually mentioning in any way he can that he is the main breadwinner and it is driving me loopy. Particularly as I have been contributing every month to our joint account, I pay for the girls treats, all my own transport, and because he doesn't put in all his earnings he can save. Plus before we had children I earnt a great deal more than him.

and more