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.

Yay for clean drawers Bitchy!

Ta Da
Laundry washed, dried, put away or airing.
Post-shower bathroom routine.
Post-tea kitchen routine.
Dishwasher on.

Failed
Office hotspot.

boo for not being able to replicate the drawer extraction

fook knows what i did to get it to release but i can't do it again.

Ds is so tired he is tearful. he is insisting he does not need an early night. And apparently I am making him tired by not letting him drink coke or pepsi . his ears now have fleas.

Tomo is Wednessday, need to do a whole heap of stuff. Am currently pondering a long list.

Waves tiredly. A lot to think about at the moment and not much getting done...

Busy day today, appointments and whatnot, so will be trudging back and forth all day.

I have made a "to do" list out for the week, rather than for the day, as I've got so much going on this week that I'm going to have to fit tasks in around everything else - so it's pot luck, really, what I'm going to get done (other than the normal washing up, laundry, tidying, meals, child duties, and school runs of course ).

Hey everyone, hope you don't mind me jumping on board!
I used flylady a few years ago, and honestly it's the only time my house was under control. So I'm jumping back in! We're having our bathroom renovated at the moment and it's affecting the whole house for some reason so goal today is bedroom and spare room, need to start packing for our holiday next week so must get these rooms under control!

Todo:
Make bed
Empty dishwasher
Washing 1,2
Drying 1,2
Put away 1, 2
Pick up in bedroom 1, 2, 3
Pick up in spare room 1, 2, 3

Should do me for now

Welcome Dream, I'm another newbie. What do the numbers mean?

I have so many phonecalls to make today the chances of me getting any work done at all are fairly slim!

Thank you Vivacia, it's amounts, so I want to do 2 loads of washing etc, with the picking up it's 15 min sessions.
I always need to break things down into steps or I just get overwhelmed and do nothing!

I like it

Ta Da
Note to school with ds
first load to dry
clean dead spider out of washing machine but better than slugs and snails
Speak to ex about ds
Check ds' room and make up the bed
put a special load into washing machine
clean bathroom sink
ironing
folding
Drop ds' PE kit at school

To do
too much to think about. Power of three might be employed.

Welcome dreaming. Glad that Flylady worked for you before. I was annoyed when my DH said it hadn't made any difference to us . That's because he's not the one doing it, I suspect. I've been doing it for a couple of years now and definitely feel it's improved the state of my house, as well as my mental state (I don't get so stressed by it anymore).

Have had another good appointment for DS1. Amazing. This time it was to see a dietician because he is so underweight. Saw her this morning and she was really helpful and is going to prescribe some calorie-laden drinks for him to have daily. She said that his low weight (which is caused by his anxiety and OCD issues) will also affect his thinking and make him more rigid and resistant to change, so the two things are inextricably interlinked. And that means that if his weight goes up, he may be more open to making changes .

She also praised my meal diaries and said DS1's low weight was nothing to do with what I was giving him (good variety, lots of hidden fats and high-calorie meals, six small meals a day, etc), but only to do with the tiny amount he was eating, which isn't my fault. Phew. That made me feel much better, as there is always a niggling bit of me that worries that I've done something very, very wrong somewhere along the line.

Apart from that, I have taken DS2 out for his cycling lesson and watched in awe as he just took off! I'm sure his brain works on it overnight, as he gets better each day. He has gone from wobbling a few feet to cycling confidently in a full circle in just a week .

No Flying done yet today. Will fit that in later, after home ed.

Hello Dreaming

Glad you had a good appointment toffee

So adding to the ta da list here goes:

ta da
Note to school with ds
first load to dry
clean dead spider out of washing machine but better than slugs and snails
Speak to ex about ds
Check ds' room and make up the bed
put a special load into washing machine
clean bathroom sink
ironing
folding
Drop ds' PE kit at school
4th load in washer
3rd load to dry
Dye hair
More folding
More ironing
Clothes away

to do
still too much

Toffee - I'm sure the cycling does work like that. It certainly does for other physical, coordination things like juggling - work on something for a while and it will get a bit better, sleep on it and try again and it will be heaps better.
I was told it was something to do with the left-hand/right-hand sides of the brain and how you learn with one side, it consolidates overnight by moving to the other side and then it's more ingrained. Could just be juggler's baloney but it does work :)
Glad dietician was so supportive - anything to do with food and feeding others seems to have so much emotion attached to it.

I feel a bit 'rabbit in the headlights' again at the moment. Possibly because I am spending too much time online as an avoidance technique and then have little time to get anything done. Vicious circle methinks

I have about 30 mins before I have to visit lovely surrogate granny up the road and I need to:

• Straighten hair
• Take cake out of tin
• Hang washing out (3rd load today - catching it whilst weather is good)
• Sort out after-school snacks for DC - one to leave out for ravenous high school DD and one to take for equally ravenous DS. Cake I think :)

I am lurking but not posting much - possibly need to read less and do more

Ta Da
1 load of laundry washed, hung out, brought in, still damp.
Post-shower bathroom routine.
Dishwasher emptied.
Dishwasher filled.

To Do
Post-tea kitchen routine.
Dishwasher emptied.

Feathery waves to all!

I've been away for a family holiday which was lovely, but back to the daily grind now... Mostly caught up on thread.

ta da
Dishwasher x2
Hand washing up
Washing on x2
Changed bed linen x3
Put away dry laundry
Sorted out and priced up heaps of old baby stuff for nearly new sale
this weekend
Menu planning for week ahead

I sold a load of Lamaze toys my DS never plays with on a Facebook selling group this morning and when the lady collected she said to me they were FOR HER DOG!!! I nearly fainted! But hey, it's up to her what she does with them but part of me wanted to hold onto them

Links for Thursday:

Babystep number 18 is to read Flylady’s 11 commandments.

Today’s mission is to shine your bathroom sink and clean fingerprints from doors, door handles and light switches in your other room. You can see all the missions for the week here.

Thursday is Errand Day.

Here is Thursday’s flight plan.

Sleepy. Hormonal. Bed.

feet - that's interesting 'juggles baloney'. It certainly seems to work for cycling anyway.

Bitchy - how can you get through four loads of washing in one day? I have trouble doing two. Do you start very early in the morning? (And you too, feet - three!).

Welcome home, coffee. I would have had mixed feelings about my children's toys going to a dog too. You somehow imagine them going to another child and being appreciated by another mum. Am sure it's a very loved dog though.

Engels - sleep well .

ta da

Lunch
Titanic project
Maths online
Hung washing up outside (after clearing away far too many spiders)
Washing up
DH home. Dashed into town to buy birthday present for friend
Peeled spuds
Put chicken in oven
Took DS2 to dr
Home in time to throw spuds into oven
Cooked roast dinner
Brought washing in
Ironing

Phoned DM
Dropped roast potatoes on floor and picked them up again (nobody but you lot will ever know )
Served dinner
Ds2's bathtime

Will go and do the mission now before getting DS2 to bed.

Night all

they are 50 mins per wash cycles. so easily if one comes out and one goes in. it is getting them dry which can be the stumbling block sometimes.

Urgh, slept really badly last night, then woke up late which meant I didn't have time for breakfast or to swim before work. Foul mood which lasted all day. But instead of letting it get to me I have got back on the organised horse tonight and...

Ta Da
Cooked dinner
Washing - one load finished and waiting to go out in the morning, another load in the machine
Ironing
Took DS2 and DD to their swimming lesson and swam at the same time as them
Took DS1 to get passport photos for his rugby club membership form
Supervised music practice x 3 DC
Prepared sausage casserole ready to go in the slow cooker tomorrow morning
Took chocolate sponge out of the freezer ready to decorate tomorrow night for the Macmillan coffee morning in work on Friday
Made packed lunches
Cleaned around kitchen and bathroom
Filled in county orchestra permission forms

Now I feel like I am back on top of things.

Yes, it's the getting them dry bit which is tricky for me too, Bitchy. I can pile up the wet washing, but I can't get through the rest of the cycle in a day. It takes me most of the day to dry one load outside/on radiators.

Jemima - well done on recovering from your blip . It's good to feel organised again.

DH did his usual washing up tonight, which means washing the plates and leaving cutlery and various other items lying around unwashed, as well as an unwiped kitchen counter. I have done so well with my tidy kitchen at night that I couldn't face coming down to a mess tomorrow, so I asked him when he was going to wash up. He looked surprised and said, "But I've done it", then looked a bit annoyed when I mentioned that no, actually, he hadn't. Often I end up finishing up what he hasn't done. This time, he went back in the kitchen and did some more.

Fortunately, I have booked someone to come in and repair our dishwasher tomorrow, so this kind of battle can be put aside.

Am awake late because I fell asleep with DS2 earlier. Will go to bed shortly.

We have no outside drying facilities and anything on the radiator lifts the wall paper. So I am afraid I follow the instructions of the house owner (who pays the electric) and just shove it in the tumbler dryer. It makes it easier. Not very economical or environmentally friendly but it is what is required here.

Ds is in a very whiney mood atm. He is currently naked and in danger of being shoved out the door in such a state if he continues to refuse to get dressed or go to school. Nothing wrong with him that isn't caused by him refusing to go to bed when I have told him for the last fortnight. Will take a couple of goodnight's sleep to help him recover but in the meantime I don't want to trip over him all day when he is physically unable to nap.

Hi everyone - hope all fledglings and mini-fledglings thriving!

Just passing through to say 'hello'! Can't keep up with thread!

In recovery mode today as we have all had some sort of bad cold/flu type virus that was quite nasty. Had both dh and dd at home (although dh never stopped working of course) so haven't got much done except laundry and maintaining basics. DD has gone back to school today more because she daren't miss any more work rather than because she is totally better but she put up a spirited fight prior to showering last night so can't be too ill.

In addition to above, without going in to details, we've had a huge disappointment over a property transaction. We invested a lot of time and effort in the process, made honest offer, stuck by rules etc etc and then got trumped/diddled by buyers who went behind everyone's backs and contacted vendor independently of estate agent. If deal had worked out, it would have offered us a much needed way forward with this current house (turn in to rental property) and so feel pretty despondent right now, not least because the property we lost was only one of four that we liked having looked here for four years! (Whereas I can look at UK properties near my sister and see four a day on line that I like!!) It's at times like this that I really miss the UK ...

Need to get house back in shape and have already made reasonably good start this morning ... .

Ta da
hang out washing done overnight
morning routine including dw, wm, rabbits, s&s
make packed lunch for dd
urgent e-mails

To do
tidy up downstairs inc
clean kitchen surfaces
sort recycling
pack up sofa bed
dining room table hot spots
paperwork
carry laundered and ironed clothes upstairs
put away clean clothes
think up supper
boudoir sort
change sheets
poss quick supermarket shop
school run
hwk supervision
supper
early bed

Going to post this now as computer very creaky. BBS to read rest of thread and catch up properly! Big feathery waves to everyone!

Ta da
make lunch
dispatch child to school with swimming kit
take down curtains in ds' room
Make sure it is safe to have window painted
folding
ironing

Gah, feel totally uninspired looking at my 'to do' list. Talk about groundhog day ... .

Anyway, how is everyone?

Arf at dropped roast spuds, dc pretending to be tapirs , the strange injuries that toddlers are able to subject themselves to and Flylady's 'no whining' sign!!

And [Toffee look away] all the talk about s p i d e r s... have humungous ones here atm! Honestly saw one the size of a mouse scuttle across play room floor yesterday! Mahoosive webs across terrace and behind kitchen door!

A very warm welcome to Dreamingoutloud and good luck managing the household chores as well as dealing with bathroom renovation - I know how stressful that is!

Hello to Trainersandaches and Stonetheflamingcrows!

And a very warm welcome to Magratshair too! (I'm another one who uses industrial quantities of clear vinegar for cleaning)

Goth thinking of you today!! History in the making and all that!

Bitchy hope your ds got off to school ok eventually

Toffee hope your ds1 is feeling better now - poor him! Also, good to hear that you are getting your dw repaired tomorrow - they are such time savers. As are tumble dryers! (Would it be poss for you to invest in one eventually?) I tend to dry as much washing as poss outside on terrace or downstairs in laundry room (in the summer) but dry all towels, t-towels, underwear, dh's polo shirts, sheets, bedding etc in tumble dryer. Wouldn't be without it - esp useful if has a timer so you can get stuff to dry overnight and then fold immediately it has finished in the morning (or whenever is convenient for you) - cuts down hugely on ironing!

Well done re: your ds1's 6 meals a day (!) and glad dietician was helpful and top marks for your ds2's improved cycling abilities!

And 'oh yes' re: dh's who do a bit and think they have finished a job properly Dh is seemingly incapable of clearing a table without leaving water jug, glasses and serving dishes behind. And he never ever finishes clearing a kitchen surface tbh. It's so infuriating! Totally undermines the the point of delegating if you have to check up/clear up after them anyway [grrrr]

Jemima congrats on such a productive day yesterday despite stressful start!

Hope you are OK Engels - thanks for all the links - and hope you had better quality shut eye last night! Good B12 issues (finally!) being sorted!

Welcome back Coffeeandcream!

Hope you are ok Blue?

Hope tooth socket recovering Alice! Good news about HMRC/bill!

Hope surrogate granny thriving Feetheart (you've been visiting her for ages now - really lovely to hear news of her!) You've reminded me that I must make more of an effort with dd's after school snacks as she is eating too many Belgian pastries currently! on posting less doing more [SC looks shifty]

Sootball hope your dd1 is feeling better and mothers' help sounds like excellent idea! Congrats on epic declutter and hope new windows fitted without too much more stress/upheaval!

Whoknows I've put that bk in my Amazon basket ready for next purchase/delivery although I'm in danger of cluttering up the landing with so many books on how to declutter

Nicknacks congrats on cm paperwork sort out!

Waves to Vivacia Milkpudding Lauren Honu Swan Pushme Lairy and everyone I've inevitably missed!

Right, now I have procrastinated sufficiently in order to create time pressure for myself, I might actually get some hugely boring housework done!