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.

Actually DH does most of the housework, or at least he has for most of our relationship, now I am on maternity leave I am trying to do it.... I am just a bit rubbish at it! I am good at paying bills, booking stuff etc- DH can leave an important bill unpaid as long as I can leave a dirty pot in the sink!

Links for Saturday:

Babystep number 13 is to have a go at a mission. You can find next week’s missions here or scroll back through my OP posts and pick a mission from the last 2 weeks.

Saturday is Family Fun Day.

No missions at the weekend. not quite sure how that fits with the babystep today but hey

Here is Saturday’s flight plan.

milk it's babysteps all the way. Be happy with what you have done rather than what you haven't. For example, I have not followed by before bed routine today (no washing up, don''t need to do packed lunch etc) but the reason I'm knackered is because I decided to get DS outside and use my year card for the zoo. Plus I managed to make 2 appointments this morning - one of which I've been putting off for 3 months, mainly because I hate talking on the phone in Dutch!

Off to get ready now so may be back later to chat - depends how long this goes on for.

^this thing at school...meant to say.

Ta da (short as have 16wk old baby)
Laundry x 1
Dishwasher x2
Exercise- zumba class
Shined my sink
Made up nappy wipe solution

To do
Book train tickets x 2
Before bed routine
Buy bed rail
Eat fish (a necessary chore)

Before bed routine
Lay out tomorrow's clothes for me and baby
Dishwasher- load, unload
Put laundry for tomorrow ready to wash
Pack bag for tomorrow
Express milk

TA da

Meal plan and online shop for next 2 weeks
Plan twins' party and order cake and things for party bags
Washing on
Empty dishwasher
Tupperware cupboard (still there from Tuesday!)
More washing
Hoover through
Sort jam jars, put what I need for jam in utility room and recycle the rest
Clean kitchen shelf and blind (once jam jars are out of the way!)

To do
Make our bed and drop into it exhausted until woken minutes later by screaming 4 week old DS3

First normal grocery shop today (after getting car fixed and being £78 lighter for it!) now that school is back in. Starting to feel a bit more organised.

Tired still though and aching. So early night, I think.

shuffles in I know it's mid-month but I have just moved house (having one last night in this empty place) and I am DETERMINED that it will be clutter-free! I have made huge leaps and bounds with tidiness in the last few years and just need to rid some if the clutter now. I couldn't believe some of the stuff we were taking to our new flat today! Today has been non-stop cleaning and the place looks sparkling for the new renters

trainers we moved recently and thought we had majorly decluttered, but found that our new landlady has supplied all the items we already own. So now we have two vacuum cleaners, two sets of pans, two crockery sets etc, and our flat is crammed full of duplicates!

Morning all!

Ta da
First (1am) and second (4am) feed of the day (yawn)

To do
Change beds in DTs room
Patch curtain
Make lunch for friends

Morning everyone.

Well, today would normally be a bad today, as we couldn't get back to sleep after the 5.30am feed. But it has been ok- getting dressed straight away, and having baby's clothes and bag packed, meant that when she had an overtired meltdown and needed a walk I just popped her in the sling and was out the door in a couple of minutes, rather than hunting for socks whilst holding a screaming baby.

Ta Da
Laundry on
Dishwasher emptied

To Do
Check smoke alarms
Post letters
Book train tickets x1
Clear co sleeper bed (hot zone)
Online shop
Mission: clean kitchen floor

For now, I am having a nice walk on the river front with a sleeping baby, and wearing makeup for the first time in several weeks!

Still taking it easy here. Just doing what needs to be done to get by. Will be back to my DIY stuff on Monday hopefully.

SC - how funny that 'Mittens' was one of the names your DD suggested. Hopefully, she'll be pleased that we chose one of her suggestions (even though I hadn't seen them!).

It's like Waterloo Station here this morning. Have been trying to place some online orders, but have had so many interruptions from DS2, DH and both kittens (climbing over the keyboard) that it's taken me ages.

No plans today, apart from walking into town to buy some food and a present for someone who's having a baby soon (looking forward to browsing through baby clothes ).

Hope everyone has a good day.

Ta da
sort out a load of important emails
Management type admin stuff
crochet work on one of the christmas projects
consider complaining about non delivery of an amazon order - they have until monday!

milk our new place has no Hoover, so annoying to have to buy a new one but I'm going to look on eBay.

Currently having the inventory done on our flat - it feels like being judged. Nothing more I can do though as we spent this morning cleaning in a frenzy as I kept finding things we had missed!

Feeling properly shattered - after effects of the proper first week I think.

Ta Das
Cleaned kitchen doors
Hoovered
Washing done
Dishwasher and drying done
Made some big job decisions
Finished work for the weekend
Solved the ongoing ICT issue
Cleared hot spot in lounge
Ordered food shopping
Cleared utility room

To Dos
Charity shop
Ironing

Sometimes I think Saturdays are more tiring than weekdays and being in the office!

Ta Da
Cleaned bathroom
Cleaned kitchen
Dusted downstairs
Cleaned downstairs loo
Took DS1 to his first football match of the season
Baked 2 cakes (one for DS1's birthday on Tuesday, one for the Macmillan coffee morning in work on Friday - both now stashed in the freezer)
Changed beds x 4
Washing x 5 loads
Meal planned for next week
Tesco online shop finished for delivery on Monday
Supervised DS1's piano practice and DS2's trumpet practice
Made sure DS1 and DS2 did their homework (although DS1 still has more to do tomorrow)

To Do
Mountain of ironing
Supervise DS1 and DD's violin practice
Work out Sunday school lesson plan for tomorrow morning (I have been putting this off all week)

Luckily Saturday is takeaway night

Links for Sunday:

Babystep number 14 is to learn how to use a calendar.

Sunday is the day to Renew Your Spirit.

No missions at the weekend.

Here is Sunday’s flight plan.

Get ready to move into Zone 3: the bathroom and one other room this week.

Evening all.

jemima I definitely agree! I am shattered and going to work is easy-peasy compared to home life with children even though I only have one right now Enjoy your takeaway.

Feeling worn out from 3 hours traipsing round zoo yesterday and then school event in evening. Plus DS decided to wake at 3.30 and 4.30 so both DH ad I were grumpy today.

Still managed a few ta das:
2 loads of washing
S&S downstairs loo
washing-up x2

DH finished clearing the baby room and went to DIY shop to get new flooring and other bits so he can start on the room next week. He also cooked a lovely piece of lamb.

My DM and DF arrived late afternoon and they headed off after dinner to settle into their cottage.

Now vegged out on sofa and will be heading for an early night.

Oh dear
I just mopped the kitchen and was feeling smug, until DH explained that after mopping the water around you are supposed to mop it up again. Our floor is very wet. Oops.

Otherwise a great second day:

Ta Da
Dressed to socks
Laundry x 2
Dishes x 1
Tested smoke alarm
Online shop
Bought toy bricks
Cleared hot zone x1

To Do
Book train tickets
Declutter
Post letters

.

Ta da
Four, four, loads of laundry washed and dried and almost put away by occupiers.
Post-showers bathroom routine.
Evening kitchen routine.
Hoovered downstairs.

Thanks for all the links Engels

Ta da
Change beds in DTs room
Patch curtain
Make lunch for friends
Lots of washing
Sort under sink cupboard

Going to make our bedroom the 'one other room' this week. I am going to clear the clothes out of my wardrobe that I haven't worn for a year and give them to charity / ebay them. I have no space in my huge wardrobe but have nothing to wear!

The master bedroom will be zone 4 so that'll be the last full week in September lairy so you could always pick another room like a child's bedroom, utility room etc for next week.

There's a lot of bed-making going on on that cleaning routine thread. I'm quite surprised. We just have duvets, pillows and a bottom sheet on all our beds - I haven't made a bed in about 15 years.