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.

Morning all

My tidying book has arrived but I daren't read it in case it makes me feel like I must declutter and I cba

In the spirit of family fun we are going to Matlock Bath today to see the illuminations. Everyone is very excited!

To do
Laundry x 2
Sort out DD's clothes (her drawers are rammed full of things that don't fit her)
Do finances (maybe. Could slip to tomorrow)

That's about it for me I think!

Hope your DC are OK soot, so scary when they're wheezy

Sounds like you had a more exciting Friday night than me Bitchy

Fingers crossed for the LEA Toffee

Hope you're all feeling better sc

Waves to Alice, nicknacks, blue, swan, whoknows et al

today I have already

dropped ds1 off for rugby match (and made him pack his own kit for once
found ds2 black clothes for first Stagecoach session
tried out the car which broke down last week, was repaired, and I'm expecting it to overheat again, so a bit trepidatory Last Sat was spent directing traffic whilst I waited for AA man in middle of a busy road, as car just suddenly expired at a traffic light However, he eventually came and rescued me and towed car off to a garage. The garage pointed out to me where the water tank was After 10 years of driving this car, which admittedly hardly ever needs any tending to (just expires spectacularily - alternator, battery, coils that stuff) I have never put water in it!

Next is to pick up dd from sleepover after I've dropped off ds2 at drama. In opposite directions.

I like the feeling of all the children being out of the house in different places, very restful..spacious...hums...

Morning! Just dashing through ...arf at all the kitten/cat antics!

Toffee and Whoknows all fingers and toes crossed that your dss get the school places most suited to them!! Apart from anything else, the continuing uncertainty must be so unsettling.

Engels sorry you are feeling so rotten and you are being a brilliant thread leader carrying on with everything you have to cope with atm! Ditto re: injections here - have to collect all injected meds from pharmacy first here with prescription before going to doc/hosp to get actual injection done.

[tucks large fleece more tightly around Bitchy in naughty corner]

Waves to Swan - hope car behaves today and enjoy your quiet house!

Have a lovely day Pushme! (I should be decluttering and cba either!)

Good luck filling those charity bags Nicknacks and I yearn to get to that level of house organisation where carefully chosen photos are framed and up on the walls etc - difficult with raw plaster and holes - should just carry on anyway I suppose!

Blue I really, really sympathise with your ds - I found it really difficult to learn to swim and I was skinny as a rake then too (a long, long time ago ) and had absolutely no buoyancy whatsover. (Not helped by Sister Pauline - she of the cat's bum mouth who should never have been working within 100 ft of anyone younger than 21 yrs - whose policy it was to make you swim from the shallow end to the deep end whilst walking alongside the pool in full habit with a long pole that had a large metal hook at the end! I kid you not!) Anyway - what helped me was swimming in the sea - not very helpful tip at this time of year I'm afraid! I just found it so much easier - so much more difficult to sink in salt water - and that in turn gave me more confidence back in the pool. Other tips would be relax the formal lessons (if you are having them) and just have fun - wear blown up pj bottoms - hang on to floats - throw balls - anything that takes his mind off the mechanics of swimming, helps him relax and forget the fear.

Hope it's not damp Alice!

Soot hope the weekend brings a bit of respite re: dust and building work and that your dc are starting to feel a bit better

Big waves to everyone I have missed!

Gorgeous weather here and we should all be enjoying it but we are all still a bit 'meh' and grumpy after weeks events, especially me! Next week is going to be strange because dd goes on school trip first part of week, then school closed for teaching days last part, so it's as if we are back on holiday when we have only just started back!

argh Blue did I just write 'wear blown up pj bottoms'??? Sorry! Meant hang on to them - do anything fun!

Arrrrgggghhhh! Something is leaking (a pipe) from behind the washer. (and likely has been for awhile) A friend of mine has another friend that can do plumbing work, so she is going to come over and take a look at it, thankfully!

So hopefully it's not something dreadful and expensive to fix. I don't THINK it is - surely if it was, there'd be lots more water, eh? Fingers crossed.

It was a very odd night PMPY fun but odd. And it most definitely did not end how it started out. But it was very much needed in that it was chilled out and the complete opposite of how my week was. Enjoy the lights!

ta da
empty all the bins and put rubbish out
work on cleaning the bench after the waffle iron blew up in a mountain of grease :(
Clean half of the fridge

Went on strike until I had eaten breakfast. Will now go back and finish the fridge and bench. Also need to do a load of washing. And sort out stuff for the party ds is going to later.

SC my tired brain did not see any problem with using blown up pj bottoms - my brain actually though hmm yes that could work

Enjoy the quiet and calm Swan fingers crossed for the drives.

Well done with getting the little jobs done Nicknacks

Well done on all the decluttering whoknows good luck with continuing progress this weekend.

Blue I never went in the water with my children but we were lucky in that the pool we went to had a children's pool, very shallow and lots of water features to play around in (and I was allowed to sit on the edge and watch when they were over 3). I think SC is right that playing is the beginning of swimming. I used to always swim in the sea, something about bouncing on the waves which made you feel you were swimming before you could, ifysim..I remember my mother giving me a swing for the garden when I learnt to swim, and a blackboard easel when I learnt to bicycle by myself. She must have felt enormous relief when I learnt - I cannot remember being given big presents on any other occasion even birthday and Christmas..

Hoooray!!!! Friend has just popped by - was a bloody broken washer piece in the connection. Thankfully, I saved the connector from the OLD washer (just stuffed it in a drawer as it was in good condition thinking "hey, may need that some day") and she swapped them over. (she knew which lever turned off the water and now I know as well - handy information that!) Whew! Sooooo relieved!!

Thanks for the tips. I think relaxation and water confidence are going to be the keys. I've told him not to worry about floating for a while and just to have fun. We'll see how it goes - he's only just started the lessons, but is keen (when not despondent!) so want to make the most of it.

Glad washing machine sorted, Alice.

Aw bless him Blue if he's keen then that is half the battle!

Glad wm fixed without too much expense/hassle Alice!

DD ballet done and dusted and I'm trying to make progress in boudoir but very hot in there and I have wierd dizzyness - must be end of the virus we've all had - very unpleasant! Literally having to hang on to doors! Feel fine apart from that though! Everyone will think I am drunk ... !

Have spent the morning out and about - getting my hair cut and eyebrows done plus ferrying the DC to drama class/pony club/football match. Have now come home to face the housework mountain that has accumulated during the week.

To Do (today and tomorrow)
Dust downstairs
Clean Bathroom
Clean Kitchen
Clean Downstairs Loo
Hoover everywhere
Mop kitchen
Bring in washing from line, tumble or hang inside anything that isn't dry (not a great drying day today)
Huge basket of ironing
Cook dinner - curry is in the slow cooker already
Bake a cake for the PTA fundraiser tomorrow
Wash football kit and riding clothes
Supervise homework/test spellings/listen to reading
Supervise instrument practice

But first I'm going to catch up with the thread with a cuppa

Just dropping links and running. DPs are leaving tomorrow so will be able to catch up properly.

Links for Sunday:

Babystep number 21 is to check out the Ask Flylady section of her website which you can find here.

Sunday is the day to Renew Your Spirit.

No missions at the weekend.

This week we are moving into Zone 4: The Master Bedroom.

Here is Sunday’s flight plan.

Hi everyone. It's been a hectic week and not much flying has been done... Lots of evenings working till 1am, but I finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

DH is working tomorrow, and this evening, so I am going to use the time to get back on top of things.

Sad news - robot hoover had a problem with his battery. The company are sending a new one in the post, but in the meantime I am back to using the Dyson... The house is already looking worse for wear - strange how quickly you can become dependent on technology!

We have been doing some work in the garden. It's looking good and has prompted me to think about the rest of it.

Right, need a list to kick me into action:

To Dos

Finish washing
Clean bathroom
Hoover (needs to be done tomorrow as DCs asleep now)
Ironing
Clean utility room
Finish planning for work
Clean hall hotspot

Very quiet on here this weekend :)

Quick list as I have to go out in a minute.

To do

Drop dh and ds to train station
Take fans out to shed
Wash sofa cushions
Clear top of fridge
Fill one bag from boys' room
Sort some clothes for charity bag
Dust fireplace pride and joy
Wash uniforms
Dry and hang uniforms
Lay out tomorrow's clothes for me and dd
Paint small wall
Clean clothes away

ta da
usual morning routine
pile of paperwork finished
banking checked
budget reviewed
one load of laundry in washer

to do
washing up
finish load of laundry
make banana bread
finish "to do" list for tomorrow

I was going to mow the garden today, but it's such a hassle trying to do it when the dcs are home. So I'm going to delay it until tomorrow. Just easier than coming back in every few minutes to make sure they're not into anything or fighting - does my head in!

My list for tomorrow is quite long already.

Oh piss.

Cut dd's hair myself and done it a bit too short.

Poo.

Ta da
Post-shower bathroom routine
Laundry and Sunday night ironing
Hoovered downstairs
Wiped upstairs doors and landing woodwork.

Horrified to discover that dd had bad head lice infestation this morning so have spent the entire day for all of us (just in case!):

doing medicated shampoo ritual
hours of combing with metal nit comb + conditioner
vinegar rinses
stripping all beds and washing linen above 60°c
vacuuming all sofas
washing coats
putting toys in freezer etc

Oh the joys of parenthood!!

Ta Da
Mountains of laundry washed and ironed
Went to PTA fundraiser
Dusted downstairs
Cleaned kitchen
Cleaned bathroom and downstairs loo
Made dinner (pork loin with roasted parsnips, butternut squash, apple and red onion)
Made a cottage pie for tomorrow's dinner
Went for a family walk
Did my online Tesco shop
Signed forms and put money for school dinners, clubs etc for the week into envelopes
Checked DD for head lice
Supervised music practice x 4
Checked homework x 3
Tested spellings x 2
Hoovered everywhere
Mopped kitchen
Filled in the calendar and menu plan for the week

Ta Da
Mountains of laundry washed and ironed
Went to PTA fundraiser
Dusted downstairs
Cleaned kitchen
Cleaned bathroom and downstairs loo
Made dinner (pork loin with roasted parsnips, butternut squash, apple and red onion)
Made a cottage pie for tomorrow's dinner
Went for a family walk
Did my online Tesco shop
Signed forms and put money for school dinners, clubs etc for the week into envelopes
Checked DD for head lice
Supervised music practice x 4
Checked homework x 3
Tested spellings x 2
Hoovered everywhere
Mopped kitchen
Filled in the calendar and menu plan for the week

Pressed enter too soon. And managed to post twice - doh!

Stewed you have my sympathies on the head lice front, DD was clear today but they have been relentless this summer. I am sick of the sight of them and get paranoid if anyone scratches!

Now off for a bath with my book before settling down to watch Downton.

Just dropping links and then off to bed shortly. Been a difficult day, so catching up with the thread will have to wait till tomorrow.

Links for Monday:

Babystep number 22 is to build your control journal.
Monday is the day to do your weekly home blessing.

Monday’s mission is to throw away any rubbish in the master bedroom. You can see all the missions for the week here or today’s mission is on the flight plan below.

This week we are moving into Zone 4: The Master Bedroom.

Here is Monday’s flight plan.

Sympathies sc with the headlice. We frequently battle them too. The dc have so much hair it takes days sometimes weeks to shift.

See this is where ds is a boy and it is perfectly acceptible to keep his hair nice and short!

Busy day, out for most of it. Ds seems to have lost his pe kit over the weekend so trying to get child shoved into bed and find it.

I have two boys bitchy and they still get them