Fledglings polish their pumpkins and do their best, it's time for a Fling Boogie Octoberfest!

[Stewedcoot]

Heartfelt thanks to Engels (and Bitchy!) for leading the thread throughout September (Sept always being a busy one) despite feeling a bit poorly and despite being pregnant. Hope beneficial effects of injections kick in soon!

If you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and and along the way.

Flylady link here.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework, which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead!

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

It's up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

1. start or repeat baby steps

1. repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

1. reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons . Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound!

Three key points to keep in mind:
(1)No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine
(2)You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
(3) It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

If you are new; then trying to spend 15mins decluttering daily and doing the babysteps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names!) can have scary looking lists but don't let that worry you! Do what you can, anything is better then nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a brew + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders!

Oh and don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey – some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome!

Sorry, kept being interrupted ...

Crikey Goth hope you are OK! I'm sure you know all of this but this sort of thing is the list of symptoms you are told look out for when you have nutted yourself out horse-riding!!

Good to have you back Trainersandaches remember you are never behind with this system!!

Very impressed by the Christmas shopping Engels! (And surely it's the privilege of the shopper-in-chief to pick up just one or two items for themselves ). But you make me feeling very guilty assembling a stocking for your dh! (Mine doesn't get one I'm afraid.) Congrats on completed chores; you've certainly made the most of your time off!

Mercury congrats on tackling cupboard of doom and for car decluttering. Yes bet it's lovely just to be able to breathe a bit after the demands of your ordinary work-load (not that it looks as though you are taking it easy though tbh!) I also need to do humungous shoe sort btw!

Good luck with scary DIY day Alice !! You can do it!! [pom poms again [grin)]

Whoknows/Alice I've also got stuck on the Flylady little and often decluttering wheel and need a more dramatic Kondo-esque intervention! (Must be bringing in more stuff than I am chucking out I reckon!) Totally devoted to Fat Fairy in other ways though

Whoknows Your trip to London sounded fab btw!

Toffee Hope you feel better soon! (I had streaming cold for precisely one evening and part of a morning last week - went as fast as it came - so hopefully same thing! Wrt: Kondo and kitchen ... wait until you reach the "unusual" passage in whiich she stacks carrots upright in the drinks section of the fridge ... yes, agree, definitely get the impression she doesn't actually cook that much ... ! Arf at your kitten's toe obsession !

Hope list going ok Castle! (Really need to do magazine purge myself)

Sorry about your enforced early start Bitchy but you've certainly made the most of it! (I also missed that you are about to embark on Pumpkin-gate!! )

Fuzzpig well done re: binning the bad stuff and glad you have a good we!

[Awards special star to Coffeeandcream ] Well done re: the missions and for surviving weekend visitors!

DD in need of attention/lunch. BBL! Huge feathery waves to everyone I've missed!

Btw Engels do you have 'Burglar Bill' by Janet and Allan Ahlberg? It used to be a great favourite here.

No pumpkingate I was never given any cos the person forgot! I am clearly at the benefit of fate being kind after the tomatos.

Shit loads still to do but have done work. It was mental though so still have to get that bastard important paperwork done. Need lunch first as it is a long time since 5:30am when i ate breakfast.

Well maybe that's a blessing in disguise Bitchy! Good luck with paperwork!

Ta da:
Have had huge on-line grocery order delivered. There seems to be not a lot there, considering what it cost [sigh]
Have also stripped and made beds.

Made and cleared up lunch for dd and myself (more baked spuds with grated cheese and salad).

To do:
About to tackle laundry.
Then send e-mails about social things at weekend.
Then have to do some measuring.
And then on to decluttering ... .
Then sort a few clothes out for trip (although travelling very light).

Urgh despite my best intentions I do not feel as though I have achieved much this morning. Dd has been making a mess as fast as I can tidy.

Ta da
Washing up and drying up x 3
3 washloads done and out
Pile of ironing
Towels folded and put away
Dc bedding washed and hung out
Dog walked

I think I need to resort to power of 3 as last nights lack of sleep is catching up and all I really want to do is lie on the sofa and doze.

So to do
Put ironing away
Fold laundry and put away
Tidy and hoover downstairs

ta da

Got dressed to shoes (eventually )
Put rubbish out
Finished loading d/w
Put washing in tumbledryer
Cleared out litter trays
Succeeded in getting DS1 to the docs (I feel your pain re bath-avoiding child, SC - DS1 refused a bath/hair wash before he left, but I was just relieved to get him there in the end)
Quick trip to corner shop to stock up on Lemsip capsules
Decluttered another kitchen cupboard
Attempted to declutter the 'clutter drawer'
Lunch

Am completely stumped by all the stuff in the drawer and am partly tempted to just shove it all back in again. There are so many different things: leads, coins, stamps, a chequebook, endless letters and bits of paper, gift cards... Feeling overwhelmed by it all.

I haven't seen the carrot passage in the Kondo book, SC, but have just been reading her advice about stacking everything vertically .

DS2 wants to go out and, as the Lemsip is now working its magic, I've suggested we walk into town to buy some Halloween stuff. That ticks two boxes: exercise and stocking up for Friday .

SC thanks for that, I can't believe I'd didn't think to check for myself, as it's usually the first place I go to. So far so good, none of the symptoms listed. I think I've been lucky, looks a bit like a 'Harry Potter" mark as I hit a corner, but no swelling/bruising and only slight soreness.

Done my, ironing, laundry, paperwork and spent the afternoon on the sofa watching Vampire Diaries and crotcheting. I'm now about to sling some clothes on and fetch DD from school.

Oh, forgot to say: great excitement here as DS1's voice seems to be breaking at long last (he's just 15). He's been so impatient for it to happen and I'm so chuffed for him. At first I thought he had a bad cold or even was just putting on a funny gruff voice, then realised what was happening. DH says it hasn't finished breaking yet and will take a few weeks. No experience of these things, so I have no idea how it works.

Sorry you hurt yourself, Goth. Lovely of SC to nurture you, virtually speaking. She has medical leanings, I suspect . Hope you feel better soon anyway, Goth.

I've been quite productive today. Still minding as well as have my own 3 on half time.

Made my autumn display notice board
Painted our Diwali crafts (late because they were all ill last week)
Prepped dinner
Finished termly reports to be sent home
Lots of activities set up, played with and put away
Wipes out a kitchen cupboard
Made 16 jellies
Put a wash on
Lunch and tidied away
Nappies and potty training (my least favourite job)
Made 4 cups of tea; drunk one

ds2's room painted. First coat anyway, but will have to do another coat tomorrow. I'll do ds1's first coat of paint in his room tomorrow as well. Feels good getting that done. What a huge difference!!! (although ds2 is annoyed because I won't let him play in his room that has fresh paint on the walls... wonder why? )

That's so cool toffee bless him!

I am waiting for a phone call plus i have just discovered that i haven't used capital letters on the important paperwork. Bet they return it/refuse it on that basis. But at least I did use a black pen. I fecking hate paperwork, especially offical type paperwork!

Toffee bless them, they do get excited about some odd things. Ds will always be my little boy right?

Aww bitchy I know exactly how you feel! Ds was asking about puberty yesterday and there is no way I am ready for him to grow up yet

I completed my power of 3 and have also put another washload on and done some marking. It is amazing what I can get done when dd is out playing and not following me around the house dumping clutter!

Big parenting fail today Only day one of holiday and a complete disaster despite having started in fairly upbeat fashion.

Plan was to do some sewing together (dd's choice) this afternoon - something she very much wanted to get finished - having done our agreed tasks/chores/hwk. She went out with dh at lunch-time. Going away tomorrow. Treats/play dates/socialising planned for end of week.

But ...no where near finished agreed chores because ... had back-chat over bathing, back-chat over hwk (still hasn't done it), what I can only describe as downright rudeness over helping me to change beds, more back chat because I asked her to tidy up some books, an argument when asked to fetch my purse from one floor up, several hurtful comments about unrenovated state of house, back chat about helping to put shopping away, complaints about going away, complaints about her room and all the general unfairness of everything ... .

Then she was terribly disappointed and uncomprehending when I couldn't muster much enthusiasm for the block and tackle pulley system she has created in the stair-well with my onion basket! (And then I felt even worse! )

Sorry to sound pathetic but feel totally worn down. Every minor task is an uphill struggle.

And sad thing is .. we didn't get to do the sewing as I've sent her off to the office to do some hwk.

Very conscious that I am posting a lot of negative things on here about dd. And she is truly lovely in reality: side-splittingly funny, kind, creative, imaginative, energetic etc etc... but I seem to bring out the worst in her for some reason [crap parenting emoticon]

Sorry for whinge-fest!! Again... Just feel a bit crap ...

Hopefully will feel better after a Offers tea pot around ... .

But that is the thing though SC, they can be lovely but on their terms and rules. It is when you ask them to do something that is not on their agenda that they can be a right pita. Just remember you are not alone and we will all go through this at some point in some degree. Goodness knows ds has done exactly what you described in the past, and no doubt will again at some point in the future. You are not alone.

I have given up on today. I am in pjs I have no intention of going anywhere. I may even just go ah fuck it and head to bed. We'll see. Drunk rather a huge amount of coffee. this was a bad plan.

Sorry, that was all very "me" "me" ...

Mercury/Bitchy well done for battling and getting stuff done despite all obstacles including fatigue!! I'm hoping dd's behaviour is down to hormones. She is changing/growing almost every day.

Ditto Alice for getting the first coat done, with dc in tow!

Ditto Nicknacks hats off to you for getting so much done as well! Plus all the creative stuff! (Sounds like your mindees have great fun!)

[Feel quite pathetic now for complaining with only one child to sort out!! ]

Toffee for "medical leanings" read "extreme hypochondria" !! Please forgive me for not being too keen on the idea of adolescence atm given the above (dreading it!!!) but really, really happy for your ds1 that his voice is broken! You must be dead proud! Btw, if it makes you feel any better, I have an entire art chest that resembles your clutter drawer atm!! Clear out long overdue!

Goth ouch! That sounds painful! [hands over paracetemol]

Big feathery waves to everyone else!

ta da
Unpick project started yesterday
redo x2 to get on right track properly
Start another project off
cooked breakfast - plus coffee
Find the paperwork that I was supposed to be doing this morning as need to be submitted by a deadline (fri) bugger
5mins going through important paperwork, checking have all bits for completing at work
8x squares for Christmas project no 1.
work
ring GP
finish off project which is present (check part 3)
work on part 2, but need to unpick part and redo yes i am being a perfectionist
finish off important paperwork, photocopy and get posted
Work on one of the projects started this morning
Speak to GP and completely confuse him but finally have my appointment (next week mind, but I do have an appointment) rips up letter of complaint

To do
important phone call will do in peace tomo
wash ds' kit
laundry
make homemade lasagne had to chuck the tomato base.
put in job application will do tomo when am awake - early start is starting to tell and I am ready for bed already. Whoops.
create blocks for Christmas project no 1
finish off project which is present (part 1)
Wrap up present and write card

Goodness knows I have a stupid amount to get done tomo. I am not going to think about it. What will get done will get done. Phone call, and present are the two important bits so as long as they get done i need to remember to be happy with the progress.

Thanks Bitchy you are dead right about the "own terms" thing. I just don't seem to have the energy to battle that I used to have. Need to man-up but feel bordering on physically ill with it sometimes. Good to hear that I am not the only one though! Very tempted to grab pjs too right now!

Blimey, congrats on mega-list!!

Funny thing is that that list doesn't feel like a mega list. I guess I am setting my expectations too high again, or perhaps it is because most of the list is decluttering via crafting again.

I am pottering through the decluttering wool stash projects. I want to get them culled asap tbh. I am bored of decluttering stash, and I have other projects I want to concentrate on. Also I wish i had the energy to get on with the messy decluttering that is needed to be done. I really do need to look at my expectations of myself

Ta da
wash#1 away, Wash#2 folded ready to go away
homemade pizza for dinner
washing up
made lunch for tomorrow
visited friend
took half an hour to shower by myself (achievement)

sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with dd sc . ds is driving me crazy atm. i feel like I have no patience at all and so am getting very annoyed, then he's playing up more because I'm annoyed. And he's not old enough to argue back yet beyond, "mama stop talking" and "I'm cross with you!".

back to work tomorrow It's going to be a loooong day.

Thank you Engels! Glad I'm not the only one, but I think you have a bit more of an excuse than me ! Hope return to work not too onerous!

Re-examining expectations too here Bitchy (and think that was v. v. respectable list btw!!) I need to expect to do less in the hols, and drive myself harder in term time. Would have thought I'd have worked out that one by now

Evening all!

THREAD BUSINESS:
Toffee (if you are feeling well) and/or Bitchy (ditto) we will be going off on a short trip at the crack of sparrows tomorrow, back late lunch time Thurs. Would either of you (or someone else if not convenient) kindly look after thread until then pls? Many thanks!

I think Goth (if my memory serves me correctly) has very kindly offered to run the thread in December (which is very kind of her ‘cos it tends to be quite a demanding month).

Anyone else prepared to take over for November please?

**
Baby-step no. 28 for Tues 28th is here. A sensible one about the importance of looking after ourselves.

We are in Zone 5 this week: the sitting room here. Declutter for 15 mins in this zone.

The detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 5 is here.

Tuesday's mission can be found here. Sofa and chair diving!

The daily focus for Tuesday is: planning menus, holidays, appts, Christmas etc etc.

The monthly habit for October is getting rid of paper clutter: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/october/ which Alice is doing very well! smile

For a summary of the above, see the flight plan : www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120 which should update itself daily.

**

Consider it done SC don't worry it'll get sorted. Have a lovely time!!!