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.

I'm toying with the idea of abandoning my evenings and heading to bed at 9 but getting up at 5am to get stuff done and have some space to think.

That's pretty much what me and DP do.

Hoping to put the OU books away today and go out with DH and DS2 to enjoy the sunshine. We need to make the most of it.

Soot - good idea, but only if you're a morning person. It would really depress me to have to get up so early every day - it almost killed me when my children were younger and waking at dawn every day (mind you, I wasn't going to bed at 9 and I was up in the night too).

Mercury - sympathies on the ironing. I have an ever-growing pile.

Starting to feel the back to work and school sense of panic today (I've been on annual leave this week and am now totally out of routine).

Soot that would probably work for me, but I am a morning person. I usually get up at around 6am, but is mainly so that I can squeeze in exercise before work. I used to run most mornings at 6am, but I injured my knee a few months ago so can't run anymore. I am now swimming most mornings before work.

I know it is still August, but my mind is September ready, so I'll post my lists here:

Ta da
One load of washing washed and on the line, second load in the machine.
Bathroom floor mopped after the DC flooded it having showers
School uniforms ironed
Tesco order for tomorrow night finished.
Downstairs loo cleaned.

To do
Peg out washing when it finishes.
Go and pick up new hoover from Currys as ours is dying and they coincidentally have lots of offers on.
Hoover with said new hoover
Buy flowers for DM and DMIL to thank them for looking after the DC over the school holidays.
Repair the hem of my work trousers that has come unstitched.

Have a good day everyone!

Sootball I get up at 5 anyway, as dcs do. But I'm always tired, as I tend to go to bed late (and am up during the night with ds1 every night). I really do need to improve my sleeping habits. If I went to bed earlier each evening, I'd be much better off. I think it's because ds1 goes to bed at 8 during the school year, so I like a couple hours to get things done in the evening. But it's silly, I suppose, as I have time during the day when they're in school. (well, that was a rambling mess, but hopefully it made sense )

ta da
usual morning routine
cash out of atm
petrol in car
living room tidied
clothing put away

to do
not sure, must make a quick list
after I finish my coffee......

Hello all! [SC here] Just marking my place (with new nn) for September!

Again, humungous thanks for magnificent-beyond-the-call-of-duty-thread-leadership in July and August to Toffee which was much appreciated!

And huge thanks to Engels for taking on September! Hope you and the bump don't over do it! [Proffers fortifying ]

I am hoping to do better this month and will try and make small but realistic changes.

A warm welcome to LittleMissGiggles

Welcome back Jemima and Carpe and big feathery waves to Ellie ¨Feetheart Alice Dizzy Soot Fraggle goth Pushme MercuryVivacia Whoknows Swan Honu PA Castle and everyone I've missed!

Just if you are around - please come and say hello!

[Lays out large comfy cushion and woolly throw in naughty corner in anticipation of Bitchy's arrival!]

Ooh, the new hoover is already half full just from hovering downstairs. I'm not sure whether to be pleased by its fantastic power or slightly ashamed at my slattern-ness (is that a word?) in using the old crap one and not getting it properly clean .

I have also cleaned out the fridge ready for tomorrow's Tesco delivery and bribed and bullied encouraged the DC to practice their instruments.

Jemima if it's a word, then I probably should apply it to me as well. Although I'm sticking to the excuse that my vacuum is broken and I don't have the funds right now to buy a new one, so I'm varying between a little hand vacuum and a broom with stiff bristles for the next couple weeks.

I've managed to clean the top off two more sections of cupboards in the kitchen. One more plus the top of the fridge to go and it'll be done. Whew! I am embarrassed by how much dirt was up there. And again, most of the stuff went directly into the bin. It's been up there over a year, so I'm not likely to miss it much.

And I've cleaned off 2 shelves in the dining room, so the decluttering in there is coming along nicely. Now I just need to find a home for my sideboard. A friend is mulling it over, as she would really like one. I hate to get rid, but it's either that or my big farmhouse table and I am NOT getting rid of that!! Or the piano. I have my limits. Although if I ever win the lottery or get ahead in the cash department, I would seriously consider getting a digital piano with a full size keyboard and freecycle the upright piano, just in the interest of making room. Because then I could put the piano up in my room - as there is NO WAY this full size upright piano is going upstairs.

Oh I'm the opposite Alice - we have a full size digital piano as we don't have room for a proper one, but I would much rather have a "real" piano. It just isn't the same.

We swapped our digital piano for a real one - we sold the digital when we were offered a free secondhand. The digital one actually sounded just like a real piano, but we were concerned that the boys just played around with all the buttons rather than playing the piano for real. Not that they play the piano either...

Just back from a pleasant excursion into the countryside with DH and DS2: visit to art exhibition, tea shop and walk in the country.

I love the upright, don't get me wrong. It's what I learned on, and I love love love it. I really don't think classical music is the same on a digital piano or keyboard at all. But (sigh) sometimes we have to make sacrifices, eh? But for now, I have the upright and am holding on to it. I love my piano, although I'll admit it gets much more playing during the school year. I'm trying to work ds1 into it, but it's slow slow going.

And making sure it's on an appropriate wall can be a nuisance. Right now it's next to a radiator, although that radiator is quite low in the winter. Nowhere else to put it. Can't have it on adjoining wall. Not next to window. Obviously not blocking the door. I have a friend who has a "music room" and baby grand. If she lived near me, I'd be over there begging to play it constantly. (or asking to move in )

DS1's piano teacher has a baby grand, it must be a serious come down for him to do his practice at home after playing on that once a week. Two very opposite ends of the spectrum!

Oh no - my house is a pigsty (just had all 4 kids for the weekend) my dds school uniform hasn't arrived and I don't think I can bear to sort it out!! (Might hide under the duvet and hope it tidies/hovers/cleans up itself)

Back in the Land of the Clog. BBL once DS is in bed to drop links and catch up on what you've all been up to.

Ready ish for my first time leading the thread

Hi all can I join in ? Have been lurking for the last few threads but feeling brave enough to leap in now

Am trying to get the house under control as DS is back to nursery tomorrow, I am back at work also but just for 15 more weeks as then go on mat leave for the arrival of DC2 !

So need to get things ready for DC 2, be prepared early for Christmas as will be huge by then and also on top of house projects that I won't be able to do once the baby arrives.

Today I have ;
Got new storage boxes for DS toys, paints etc and labeled them with pictures so he can find things and put them away
Finished all ironing and clothes put away
Drawn up September budget

Ellis welcome. And best of luck - what a lot of changes you're going to have in the next six months!!!

Okay! Let’s get cracking!

Habit of the Month for September is the before bed routine.

First baby step is to shine your sink. More detailed instructions here.

Monday is the day Flylady does her home blessing– or home bleurgh as we like to call it.

This week we are in Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room. Monday’s mission is to spend 15 minutes tidying your front door/porch area here.

If you’re new to Flylady then just stick with the babysteps – anything else is a bonus!
For regulars, Monday’s flight plan is here.

Thanks Engels

Good luck for month ahead!

[sorry that should have been non-alcoholic]

Welcome to all newbies, lurkers, returnees and old timers!

sc sorry to hear about FIL. Must be very stressful .

Great photo dizzy - looks like you and DD had a great time! A colour run is on my list (but will have to wait for now).

ellis when are you due? I have 13 weeks till ML starts at the beginning of December.

Once again toffee for the last 2 months at the helm.

Re: all the piano chatter, I would love a real piano but DH says we don’t have space. As a compromise, we have just brought home a lovely keyboard for me to learn on and –if—when we eventually get our extension on the back of the house, the dining table will go out there and I will get an upright in the lounge because by then I’ll be a classical genius on the piano, once I find a teacher that is
So, just back from UK for funeral, reunion and some family time. Back to work this week (managed to miss the first week of school last week so feel like I’m already behind!).

Ta da
Dirty laundry from trip ready in basket to go in tomorrow
Unpacked food bag

To do (on Monday)
Mount Washmore
Unpack – including lots of bits for Christmas/birthdays and stationary for school
Home blessing
Mission
Pop out and get flowers for MIL, supermarket for essentials
Plan work outfits for the week
Catch up on work emails and plan lessons for Tuesday

I am officially the size of a house. Am wearing a pair of maternity jogging trousers that didn’t fit me till I was 8 months pg last time round, and am wearing them very comfortably now at 5 months pg I think I may have to monitor my intake

Have just had a lovely non-alcoholic rose white beer sc and it was yummier because it was free

Hello, place marking and thanking Engels.
:)

Cheers Engels and enjoy the expanding jogging bottoms while you can is what I say! [SC neglects to mention that this is her default non-pregnant day wear ] Good luck with your first day back at work tomorrow!

A warm welcome to Ellis quite a few pregant fledglings atm so you are in good company!

We've got a small digital key board which is good fun but I am hoping to get a proper upright but haven't done so yet because of plaster dust - ongoing renovations. DD took lessons for a while but eventually found the change of weight of keys from our cheap electronic machine to proper piano at teacher's house really got in the way of progressing.

Well house is a pit here at StewedCoot towers but we've had a lovely end-of-holiday supper of cous-cous, veg and lamb and amidst all the muddy riding gear and half emptied suitcases is a small pile of clean and ironed school uniform waiting for the morning. Shoes are polished. New school bag has been filled. Pencils are sharpened and all school materials named and ready. Even dd herself has had a scrub... .

So sad the holidays are over but it's time to get back to the grindstone ... .

Have a good week everyone! I'm determined to Fly properly this time! [no sniggers please]

Forgot to say

Thanks Engels fil going in to hospital again tomorrow in prep for op on Thurs

Big waves to Kia!