Time for a bonfire of the clutter? Perhaps not but Fledglings are flying high with the fireworks through November...

[BlueEyeshadow]

Huge thanks to SC (and Bitchy!) for leading the thread throughout October (and to SC for such a copy and paste-able OP)

If you are struggling 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 wine and cake 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 + 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!

Boudoir sounds fab sc ! Good work!

Ta da
wash#2 away
wash#3 in td
remade bed
cleaned coffee table and lounge windowsills

That's more than enough. DS off to bed in an hour and will then be collapsing on sofa (theme of the day actually!)

ta da
1 load of kit washed and dried and kit bags remade
1 load of towels washed and dried, another in washer
1 load of normal washing done
collect together a huge load of charity stuff
sort out jam jars and put boxes away
put away food processor which is fixed
reorganise utility room shelves
boil up handwarmers
put sesame seed bread mix into bread machine
go through ds' kit bag and air
get ds to try on half his wardrobe to check what needs to be culled
remove name tags from too small stuff
Bag up too small stuff for heading over to exsil
flick through 2 boxes and pull out for dealing with
sort out temp storage space for some crafting stuff
set ds to work washing up plastic tubs (some additional to help)
Set ds to cleaning bookcases and book contents
20mins epsom salt bath soak for sore leg muscles (london trip and all that walking)
plan the ins and outs of what is needed to be done before the visitors arrive
Remake ds' bed (fidgeter in the extreme when he is growing)
drink far too much coffee
find new laces for ds kit - needed to be replaced for tomo
spend 10mins in the study figuring out what is what
Sort out space for one of the people to get the steam iron out and using safely out of the way
collect stuff for going into my office tomo.

I would like to say I am nearly done but I am not even close to being finished tonight. Need a proper day in ds' room too but that won't be this weekend. Must get mountwashmore killed of tonight too as the washing maching is being disconnected tomo to all plumbing in of sink in the wash room. I know this list makes it sound like I am living in a huge house but to put it in perspective the washroom is the grand total of a sink and washing machine width and is more of a posh and purposed corridor then an actual room. Lots of tiny spaces which have been given names. Sometimes i wish i lived in a sensible house with sensible sized rooms and few of them. In the mean time I think the next job is to find some paperwork for filing or something anything as this taking a break thing is making me feel really tired.

Evening all! Busy but lovely day today.

Ta da:-
Washing
Drying
Putting away
Tidied downstairs
Cinema with dc's to watch The Box Trolls (bizarre film)
Pootle round town centre
Food shop
Picked up dn from dsis
Soft play
Dinner
Dishwasher
Dn to bed

I had forgotten how exhausting a toddler is. Love dn but I am pooped. Fingers crossed he sleeps through.

sc and bitchy ds is also very self censoring. He will not watch anything above a pg, never buys anything online without asking, is ridiculously sensible.

Quite a productive day for a change… Ta da!

Grocery shopping with DS2
DH took DS1 to the library
2 x laundry done, dry and away
Been to local Christmas craft fair
Garden tidying
DH and boys washed the car
Cleaned downstairs loo
Wiped down washing machine and dryer
Cleaned counters and emptied toaster crumb trays
Sorted small box of books to go to charity shop
Got boys to hide any toys they don’t want visiting baby to mess with!
Found home for DS1’s loom bands

What else has been going on?

Engels has been watching Sinterklaas arrive.

Bitchy was busy! Glad you won’t have visitors and builders to deal with at once.

SC has been doing a top job organising the boudoir.

Welcome back three. I have to say that doesn’t sound like a lazy day to me!

Ellie had a busy but lovely day chasing after a toddler.

Babystep is a meh one, IMHO.

No missions at the weekend. Just renewing our spirits…

***

Aaah shit. I forgot toddlers sometimes don't sleep. Half 5 and have been up for an hour and a half.

Morning

So have a small ta da list which will be growing:
ta da
make up ds' training kit
fix training kit requiring attention
sort out plans of actions and babysitters for the week
get ds to clean his teeth
find thermos for later
1 load in the dryer
1 load in the washer
move table for access into the office
bring up laundry and put away
re-lace ds' training shoes

Just about to grab a shower and head out to deal with my car.

Takes bitchy's special brew and places in intravenous drip.

Dn has been despatched home leaving one very tired ellie who still has all the usual Sunday gubbins to do.

.

Take your time to recover ellie !

ta da
wash#1 now in td
spent the morning marking bits and pieces and doing snippets of planning for ML

Now settling down for a relaxed afternoon. I may annoy DH by putting Home Alone on

well minecraft for chores has backfired today when there is no access. Computer busy/other stuff needing sorting like updates and scans. At this precise moment I am thinking national service was a good thing. although at the rate he is kicking the wall he will end up in a&e and not his comp.

oh dear dd has just thrown all the drying clothes off the bannisters because we told her that the Mona Lisa was not actually in Italy (it is in the Louvre) and thus it was not a good thing to include in her geography project on tourism in Italy. Maybe we were being too pedantic. Dh has become enraged by trying to help her with this project (country in a box style project) because she argues everything point with him when he has actually lived in Italy for several years. We have had a whole series of comments like Wot's The Renaissance?, Wot's Pompeii?

Dh has taken ds1 off to Turner film. Ds2 is not being too bad at the moment but has the potential to enrage if we ask him to do something he doesn't want to do..Ds1 went to Mass at least but has now admitted he has loads of homework left to do and therefore will not be able to do any violin practice (rolls eyes) even for 10 mins, this while playing a dsi game in the middle of speaking to us.

Teens are worse than toddlers Ellie definitely. At least toddlers go to bed and you can bribe them with lollipops. And they actually want to run around and be busy.

So, off I go to pick up the clothes, apologise to dd for upsetting her and try and see the funny side of this project [volcanoes baking the oven as we speak]

SC so glad DSis was such a pickmeup. Sometimes you just need one person who actually has you on their agenda, instead of having their own agenda (as husbands often do, even in their own kind way)

Dh has bought some pheasants for supper and I am supposed to make some red cabbage. I am pleased because I was trying to get him to involve the children in the making of more interesting meals (ie: not just bought in pizzas) and he has taken this on board and taken ds2 to the butcher etc, discussed the menu etc with him. Ds2 was very interested.

Upon reflection, being the owner of an 11yr old who is beginning to display teen tendencies..I think you may be right swan. Teens however sleep.

Quick hello, as weekends seem to be our busiest times!
Had a great afternoon working on the elephant again yesterday. Luckily I'd made a casserole on Friday so I knew we had a easy dinner.

Today Dd has been to her karate grading, she's now a straight orange belt, we're very proud of her as she still isn't completely over her cold. We've just stopped for lunch and I don't think she wants to go back out, so looks like some crotcheting for me this afternoon.

Hope everyone has a good Sunday afternoon especially Bitchy & Swan DD varies from being adorable to a screaming maniac so you have my sympathies

oh dear the volcanoes melted, must have been the wrong type of clay.

She has re-emerged and taken out the paints again and is painting yet another Italian flag backdrop to stick on a shoebox.

done
washing
lunch
a bit of recycling
neglect of computer watching son

Goth I think dd and Karate might be an unfortunate combination - think Miss Piggy when crossed. Congratulations nevertheless and she will have that skill for life, so it is wonderful.

Evening,

Sorry to hear about the homework dramas Swan - you have my sympathy as we have had similar tantrums.

Ellie - hope you managed to get some sleep / lots of coffee!

Bitchy - National service sounds like a great idea ;)

Ta Das
Finish clearing upstairs hall
Finish putting DD's stuff away in newly organised storage
Do something with the pile of books discovered under DD's bed
Persuade DCs to finish clearing stuff
Make our bed
Put clothes away delegated this to DH who has worked all weekend!
Filed and printed all lessons for next week
Did a lot of analysis for my research project
Planned next week's childcare
Played at the beach!
Christmas shopping

To Dos
Dinner and washing up
Set Launchpad for tomorrow

Hope you've recovered!

Well done to DD on the karate Goth.

Sounds like a productive day, Three.

We had a madly stressful morning getting out to church, then mad stress getting lunch cooked. Followed by lovely lunch with friends and their 11 mo DD, with boys being delightful. Then the massive let down and squabbles after they left. Have recovered with but still have the washing up to do... So quick links and run.

Babystep is the bed at a decent hour one.

Mission is getting rid of stuff that doesn't belong in the bedroom.

And Monday is house bleugh day.
***

Have had a lovely day with dear friend here, but am now halfway through cooking DS2's second cake for his birthday tomorrow, as the first attempt was an abject failure (Victoria sponge, supposedly, but looked like two pancakes ). Then have his presents to wrap. Hoping for bed at a decent hour .

Managed to get DS1 out to Caffe Nero for his CBT homework, so that was an achievement .

Right, off to inspect the second cake.

Really shouldn't stop to chat as I am meant to be working on my OU essay, but just wanted to say - the whole house is tidy! Not absolutely every surface, there are still a few hotposts, but all floors are clear and the main areas are all looking good. We had visitors this afternoon and I didn't have to do a single thing specially before they arrived. Don't suppose it'll last.

But it was nice nice feeling whilst it lasts? *Whoknows.

Pfft blue it is a sunday night, they seem to be the worst for my insomnia.

As for surviving? no one is actually dead although I am incredibly tetchy and short fused. God help the customers tomo if I am still in this state. Ds on the other hand has chilled out a bit. No idea what is going on other than it was a comp day and it also is on the lead up to christmas and things normally go tits up. Oh and he is growing like a weed and he is eating like a horse (when he is not to busy controlling it) ffs we are playing meltdown trigger bingo here atm Ah well another day and another battle. Hopefully this one will be less shouty and angry. the poor poor neighbours thingsyoushouldneverhavetosaytoakid101:kicking the wall is not a good way to ask me to get you a drink/sandwich/

Hope the cake turns out ok this time toffee and well done on the cbt homework.

Good morning! Hope everyone OK!

My sister has gone back to UK . Although she has just retired from her job, she is always really busy (she's the kind of person who does everything for everyone) so it was really kind of her to come out and get stuck in to everything going on here too and I am going to miss her hugely.

Aside from above, feeling fairly chipper because of clean and tidy boudoir which is making things a lot easier and much less stressful in the mornings ie I can actually find my shoes!

Having said that, got up early determined to carry on with the good work this morning and found dd crying and tired and feeling a bit ill, but because she ate her breakfast as usual and had no temp, I sent her off to school, only for dh and her to return 10 mins later saying that she felt even worse. So she is now off school and in bed with a sick bucket by her bed-side poor thing.

So just need to change back from "going out/office" clothes in to indoor uniform of yoga pants and scraggy top and I guess my day will be spent looking after dd and decluttering the office ... .

Whoknows I couldn't help but do a little skip and jump when I read your post about your whole house being tidy and as a result not having to rush around in advance of visitors!! That is something I really aspire to! CONGRATULATIONS!! It is such fab news and must give everyone on here hope that it can be done and that the system works!! Good luck with OU work!

Hope things are calmer today Bitchy

Great to hear that you managed to persuade ds1 out to a café Toffee! That's brilliant! And good luck with baking today!

I love beaches in winter Threeislovely!

Goth huge congrats to your dd re: her karate success!

You are obviously a very dedicated aunt Ellie

Hope pheasants turned out more successfully than volcano Swan

Take it steady Engels!

Blue I always think traditional Sunday lunch and small dc is a very tricky/stressful combination so well done for pulling it off!

Must get on. Big waves to everyone I've missed! Have a good start to the week Fledglings!

Ta da:
rabbits
dirty washing collected up
panier carried downstairs
laundry sorted
first load on
dd packed lunch (not that it's needed now)
emptied fridge of anything old/malingering
put away baking materials properly
dw on
dd back and settled in to bed etc
e-mail to dsis2 about all the things she has left behind
apologetic e-mail to friend about dates
e-mails to other about office related stuff (now cancelled for today)
tidied and cleaned kitchen surfaces
hand-washed enormous griddle pans and huge pestle and mortar that I can hardly carry and other stuff that doesn't go in dw
dining room table hot spots cleared (and tables wiped)
what serves as coffee tables wiped
books/papers/pens put away downstairs
checked on dd again (asleep)
Halloween stuff gathered together and packed in box
found dds missing toy horse (essential companion when ill )
gathered together a whole load of stuff in sitting room and hall (coats, jumpers, books, shoes etc) and stagger upstairs with it

To do:
continue close surveillance of dd (three floors up!)
sort Ikea bag and put everything away in proper place
tidy bedroom
15 mins decluttering office (and maybe more if poss)
walk? (later on when dh is back)
prep rubbish
prep rest of recycling
more laundry
Amazon order for dsis2 (as thank you)
home banking
important letter to bank in UK
iron dh's shirts (and more ironing if poss)
more laundry
supper (already prepped) cold beef, new pots, salad
evening routine

Meant to add to to do list:
finish home bleugh downstairs
sweep kitchen floor
hoover everywhere else
clean downstairs lav and sink
distribute more loo rolls around house
clean towel in cloak room

bugger, forgot one more thing:
pack up all jumpers, bangles, memo books, etc etc left behind by sister and get ready to post!

Looks like SC is after Bitchy's Queen of Lists award!

DD's cold is back with a vengeance today, look like she over did it yesterday. She's not as bad as last week, but would be miserable at school.

Done
Beds
Laundry on
Dry laundry away
Bathroom cleaned (more than a S&S but not a completed top to bottom)

To do
Dusting
Vacuuming
Windows
Rubbish & recycling out

Remarking place as I've almost fallen off. Not been too well, also started taking sertraline yesterday which I didn't want to do :(

Power of 3 today:
Laundry
Washed and dressed for work
Curl up on sofa and catch up on a couple of threads

Waves to all