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.

No worries Engles will sort it. Have a good trip.

Seeing as I had a babysitter lovely mum for a late meeting anyway I decided to make tonight date night instead of friday. I will be back tomo with a huge list as I have to be. But I might be a tired zombie.

Engels I've never had a dyson, but I've heard they're good. I'd say a little dance would be appropriate.

Swan I have to say I'm impressed so far. A couple reviews said it was heavy, but IMO it's not that heavy at all, plus it's a canister with an easy handle, so just not as awkward to carry upstairs IYSWIM as an upright. And a few mentioned it was loud and it's just not - it's very quiet actually. So far, so good. The only struggle right now is figuring out where to keep it when it's not in use.

OMG I just had a minor panic when MN was refusing to load and all I kept getting was a blank page, not even an error page. Was trying to figure out if i had done anything to get myself banned

MN addict. (Not that I'm guilty of that, oh no!)

actually as I have been locked out for over a week I was more panicking about how to do the links and how to bore you all with my day

I'm taking loads of little breaks today as I'm using a sander to sand the bannister and my poor hands are all jittery now hahahahahaha

That is a horrible job. worth it when it is done but omg the dust and mess!

Yep. But the staircase is next on my list, so I'm doing it. I'm determined to have lovely decorations draped down my bannister at Christmas. (yes, yes, forgive the use of the C word!)

I feel to rubbish to care today. More panicking about how everything is going to get done before tomo in a "if I pretend that the world has vanished it will all just go away won't it" kinda way.

to do
make sure hot spot in doorway is completely cleared
tidy contents of box tipped out on lounge floor
put laundry away
sort out ds' homework with him
take ds to look at a local high school
Early night

I need to take some pain killers but am on a pain killer free patch so they are not allowed. Some helpful toad suggested a solution that is totally impractical.

ta da
ds to school
ironing
folding
sort out and cleared the contents of a box
internet stuff
Try to figure out how to use some new website admin stuff.
Make and then break plans for this evening.

Working from home today.

Ta da
Post-showers bathroom routine.
This morning's swimming stuff washed and hung out and brought in
Food shop.
Came home and cleaned up dog diarrhoea, threw away towel and mop head.

To do
Hoover upstairs and downstairs.
Have a quick cry before everyone gets home.

I can't even think about tea and evening.

So, have you missed me?
What do you mean, who?

I can't believe I marked my place on the 28th August and then not been back since. We've had a busy few weeks, but things are settling down now and as parents are coming to visit in 2 weeks I need to get back on top of stuff. Have to say this thread has resulted in me having some Babysteps so ingrained that the flat doesn't look anywhere as bad as it could.

Done
Vacuumed
Baking
Washing up x3
Ironing
Dinner

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

shitcrapbollocks. It is all chaos here.

Links:
missions
flight plan
babystep
Friday is clean out your car and purse plus date night.

If i have missed anything get it from here: launch plan

Busy, busy week here. Home ed and the never-ending routines of housework and cooking seem to be keeping me fully occupied. I've been following the Flylady routines and it's helping me keep the chaos under control. The kittens are still crazy and constantly getting into scrapes, like knocking over pot plants or unrolling all the loo roll . The cuteness factor is wearing off.

Took DS2 on a trip to Southampton yesterday to see the Titanic exhibition at the Seacity Museum. It was fantastic.

Am relaxing this morning, although I'll have to take DS2 out for his cycling lesson soon. I have a meeting with DS1's school this afternoon to discuss his education whilst we're waiting for his referral to the hospital to come through. It's all painfully slow. Am also waiting to hear from the LEA about the specialist school.

WhoKnows - am really glad DS enjoyed his taster day. Fingers crossed it all works out for you.

Goodness me, I've broken the thread.

If any of you are still out there, I have news: the LEA have agreed to send DS1 to our chosen specialist school.

I am still lurking here but had to send to Toffee for her news. Absolutely delighted for you - you have worked so hard for this. Now to hope DS1 takes to it!

Thank you, Honu . I can't quite believe it.

Think it must be time to open the ! Help yourselves.

Fucking hell toffee think you might just break the thread with news like that!

Toffee only just logged on now; brilliant news about the specialist place and I hope hospital referral speeds up too. You must feel at the end of your tether at all the sheer work on your part that has gone into this; I hope that ds1 feels more confident too just knowing that the help is there.

done
cleaning lady came, so I rushed around sorting stuff (yesterday I had done a big clean because a friend was visiting with three kids - it still turned out our cats had fleas though so much for giving a good impression
she mopped bathroom floors
kitchen floor. utility floor
wiped down worktops in utility
wiped down kitchen worktops

I drove dd to school, she is fine now after vaccination
Then took ds2 to home education football group
Caught up with new acquaintances
Ds2 went home himself on the tube
I bought some more uniform for dd on way home
Dropped in on relative who has a shop nearby, bought something from her
took bus home, walked
went to sleep
went to buy flea treatment and lamb chops for supper, more walking
read ds2 his Home ed book
had a bit of a scuffle trying to get him to do handwriting
science experiment (inertia and a tablecloth)
dd went off to her friend for a bit
supper, both sons laid table and ate supper but then spoilt it by being rude to each other during supper
ds2 encouraged to have shower and wash his hair with special shampoo (nightmare)

And now they are watching the Million pound Drop

Goth welcome back, and hi to you Honu I like the idea of guardian angel lurkers

Yep, thought I might, Bitchy. Didn't even have to go through tribunal . I will believe it only when it's signed and sealed, though. At the moment, it all feels unreal. Especially unreal, actually, as DS1 can't even get out of the house, let alone to a school, so it's all theoretical. He is the only person we haven't told the news to in our family, which would sound incomprehensible to anyone who didn't understand the situation, but we know that it will just panic him if we tell him. Even DS2 told me not to tell him! Small steps and all that.

Toffee brilliant that ds2 has got his big brother though. proud moment for you in all the

X-posted, Swan. Thank you for your congrats. As you can see, from my above post, DS1 knows nothing of this. He is living in a safe little bubble of ignorance at the moment. I think he would quite happily sit in his room for ever.

Am so glad to see that DS2 is still doing his home-ed football. Sympathies on the handwriting though. I have the same problem with DS2 .

Would now be a good time that I had to let my mum help ds with his homework yesterday as I was in danger or wringing his neck? Mum is fabulous with kids who don't know how to work and are suddenly discovering they need to. I have no patience at all as always had to work. Handwriting was a big fact in that too...

Is it bedtime yet? realistically it is not because the to do list is far too long still but the ta da list is heading to proper old school bitchy style

Hi all

3 weeks and 6 days until wedding!

Toffee fantastic news, so happy for you all

Swan you must be really fit!

Bitchy Hope things have quietened down and kids all in bed.

Ds's 8th birthday today. unfortunately teacher training day as well. he would rather have been in school for his birthday as well.

Done

Iced ds birthday cake, went slightly wrong but all his friends - the ones invited and not were impressed.

Washing done - empty laundry basket !!

Quick room tidy of living room and ds's bedroom. Not sure why i bothered as couldn't see the floor again at bedtime.

Only small melt down at only having 2 presents, mainly due to 5:20 wake up. Was impressed when realised his new scooter was a stunt scooter that can survive going onto a skateboard ramp and jumping off the kerb -hopefully no broken bones.

2 friends around for tea at 3pm. They all had a lovely afternoon and played brilliantly inside and out the front. Jonathon invited about 6 extra children in for a cup of 7-up and a biscuit. Didn't mind though as now bottle finished.

Sorted out wedding cake crisis.

To do Saturday

Bath and debug both dc's and my hair.
Dp working so stop kids killing each other!
Wedding hair trial run for me and Dd.
Reading and homework - aspirations of reading everyday have sadly declined like new year resolutions.

Anyway off to bed as didn't get my hour's afternoon nap so tablets have reduced brain function to nearly zero.

Will try and pop in tomorrow if can kick a very stressy Dd off the computer.

Having a hideously crazy kinda day, there has had to be coffee. And for those of you of nervous disposition step away from the ta da list!

ta da
clear a shit load of clutter in a shove in a box move box to hide it kinda manner
remove picture and book case from landing
take out rubbish and recycling
sort out lunch for ds and despatch him to school
Work
Start reading the SPD/SPI stuff book (nods at what has been reading)
Banking
Post office
Shopping
Reconnect internet
Put Duvet into wash
Remove books from bookcase, clean and return bookcase and it contents
sort out plan of action for remaining month/this weekend
Find paperwork to make phone call have been putting off
File financial paperwork - batch 1
Make important phone call.
Check delivery and put in
Clear out car
Take important call re tomo and start to panic slightly
Sort out shrapnel
Deal with school letters
Food shopping
Hoover bed base and new mattress
Hoover my bedroom floor (as I currently have one)
pillows through washer
Deboxify ds' bed
Sort out first aid kid ready for tomo
Put bedding on to wash
Sort out a box of stuff
Make up ds' kit for tomo
send out emails and texts re tomo
Sort out paperwork for tomo
Deal with MASSIVE meltdown from ds
Avoid poking ds in the eye with a spoon for bashing a spoon around a cup allegedly stirring a drink for nearly 2 hrs straight

Am stupid tired but ds is still going, the toad has hidden his sleep meds so tonight is going to be fun . Just links and bed to make. Sure there is more stuff that needs doing but really can't think what. Will have to set the alarm a little earlier and double check I have everything for tomo. Anything else can wait until sunday.

Fantastic news Toffee!