Deck the halls (or the wine) as the Fledglings head into December.

[GoingGoingGoth]

Huge thanks to Blue for leading the thread throughout November (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 is 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!

Basically now that Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet are sailing back to Spain, I need something else to bribe/encourage/scare DS with, so maybe I'll have to do elf on the shelf or something goth (don't have an elf though, maybe it'll have to be a Christmas penguin!).

Yep, I have just written down what happened today and yesterday so I can keep track toffee.

The big break through will come when he does a proper poo on the potty, though not sure how long that will take. He is still pooing in his pants but whereas with the nappy he would not tell me and deny it if you asked, now he tells me straight away because it feels so horrible, so already a big step (and he did manage the world's tiniest poo on the potty this afternoon).

Well, are committing ourselves now to seeing how a week goes and how he gets on Tues/Wed at nursery (that's if he can go...need to check their pox policy - am not sure how long he's contagious for?) then hopefully carry on.

Of course, there is the minor complication of me having a baby some time in the next 3-5 weeks which could throw a massive spanner in the works but I really really don't want to put him back into nappies.

Well done to DS btw toffee

LINKS FOR SATURDAY 6th DECEMBER

Babystep 6 is tackling hot spots You need to set your timer for 2 minutes ONLY and tidy your "dumping spot" You don't have to clear it, or deal with everything just put things in their proper place. If you do 2 minutes every day you will get to the bottom of it (eventually)

Saturday is Family Fun Day

The Launch Pad is here

As it's the weekend there are NO missions! Not even Christmas ones, so go have fun.

That's great news Toffee. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Wow, potty training and pox all at once would be daunting w/o a baby in the offing, Engels - you're a braver woman than I am!

Glad the football is still going well swan.

SC - re odd socks and gloves. If you don't want to bin them, can they go to a charity shop or elsewhere to be recycled as rags over there?

As for me, had a visitor this morning so downstairs is slightly tidier than normal. No other flying done though.

Well done to ds1 Toffee

Too much not done, too much left to do. Early night and will have to get up a bit earlier tomo to deal with it.

HERE you all are! Is it really December already...? Oh dear. That is all.

[SC tiptoes in [hic] a bit tipsy from drinking St Nicolas's sherry, having been arsing about trying to make neat icing sugar horse shoe prints on the wooden floor and trying not to tread it around the entire house ... ]

Big frantic waves to Castle There you are!! Good to see you! But hope you will be tucked up in bed shortly resting yourself and the bump !!

That's brilliant news Toffee - your ds1 is doing so well - here's to the next visit!!

Thanks Blue Bitchy and Swan will duly bin odd socks etc (quite like duster idea too!) as they seem to breed unless culled ruthlessly! No rag recycling here (well not that I've discovered yet) but lots of places to take clothes in reasonable condition.

Congratulations to you and your dh Goth [hic]

Happy birthday to your dh Swan and look after that croaky throat!

Arf at ds stopping you singing Engels ! Hope pox retreating and good luck with potty training & Christmas tree decorating which should be an interesting combo!!

Good going with your lists Bitchy

[SC exits stage right trying to make discreet clip-clopping noises, loud enough to vaguely penetrate the consciousness of sleeping child above, but not loud enough to wake her]

Neeiiigghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! [hic]

It is only 9am and I have already lost my will to live today.

Ta da
folding
ironing
sock pairing
move ds' kit and soft toy storage temporarily into his room
1 load washing on

Now to clear the study floor and move a whole heap of furniture... Oh I do have such fun weekends sometimes

SC - glad you had a lovely evening.

Am off out to meet friends and none of us are bringing our children . I may be some time!

Hope you all have a good day.

Poo on the potty ! It is quite ridiculous how happy this makes me, especially because he said he wanted to do a poo so shows he can recognise the urge.

And his nappy was completely dry this morning

ta da
clean wash away
5 mins hotspot
wash on
quick phone call to dm so ds could boast about poo!
bits out of freezer for dinner tonight

next
ironing and repairs

Yay ds! Engels the random happiness is something all parents go through and is quite baffling as something to be happy about unless you have had to potty train a child.

Done more stuff, whirled lots of dust into the air, hoovered dust and cobwebs. moved furniture. Just misting the air to dump some of the dust out of it before heading into the garden to rescue a few plants and a pond pump which needed protecting from frost

Afternoon all!

Eurgh; bit of an early start today following 2 am manoeuvres ...which get later and later as dd gets older ... . [Looks around for Bitchy's special brew]

[Horse's hoof print pics on profile [on very very shabby parquet] displayed especially for Alice and Engels]

And 'proficiat' to your ds and his potty training progress Engels! All the better for conquering it now before the new arrival!

And "profitez" to Toffee! Enjoy your child-free outing!

Good luck battling the dust clouds Bitchy!

Waves to Goth Blue Honu Castle Feetheart Greymalkin swan Jemima and everyone else I've missed!

Have a good (productive) weekend everyone!

Woo-hoo! Accident free day! Now I know he can do it I feel so much better.

Just waiting for him to go to bed in 20 mins so I can put up the tree without him and with a nice glass of wine as well

Ta da
ironing and clothing repairs
made non-alcoholic mulled wine with ds
washing up
folded washing
emptied plastic recycling and scraps bin
hoovered lounge
watered plants
dusted lounge
cleaned coffee tabel
5 mins tidying lounge

to do
christmas tree
wrap first Christmas book to leave on the tree as a surprise for DS tomorrow

Tomorrow I am going to garden centre to get some more decorations and a wreath for the front door (have never had one before).
I may also go and give myself some child free time by heading to the attic to wrap presents.

both my hands are swollen and I have some interesting rashes. My bed is calling. BUT there is a queue for the shower and the carpet cleaning machine needs putting to bed. And there is a small matter of my bed being full of stuff (aka laundry) which needs putting away. I will ponder the ta da list and come back.

both my hands are swollen and I have some interesting rashes. My bed is calling. BUT there is a queue for the shower and the carpet cleaning machine needs putting to bed. And there is a small matter of my bed being full of stuff (aka laundry) which needs putting away. I will ponder the ta da list and come back.

Bitchy what have you been up to? Hope the rash and swelling goes soon.

Engles such good news re the potty training. Celebrate the good days.

Another day at the Art Village, DD made some glitter birds. She learnt how at Woodcraft and had so much fun teaching the children that came today.

We're back there tomorrow, going to make a big painted Christmas tree.

LINKS FOR SUNDAY 6th DECEMBER

Babystep 7 is to add a new habit to your before-bed routine, which is to pick out what clothes you are going to wear tomorrow.

Sunday is Renew Your Spirit Day so go do something you love

As it's the weekend there are NO missions!

The Launch Pad is here

What have i been up to? well...

ta da
folding
ironing
sock pairing
move ds' kit and soft toy storage temporarily into his room
1 load washing on
Deal with junk on floor of study
Clean furniture in study
Evict furniture from study
Clean everything that was behind the sofa in lounge
evict it all from lounge
2nd load of washing
more folding
more ironing
remove washing from lounge
Remove tv
move tivo box
clean and remove tv stand
clean all furniture in lounge and evict
hoover everywhere
clean skirting boards
remove cobwebs and evict spiders from ceilings, walls and behind pictures
clean pictures (front and back)
spot clean and through traffic treat upstairs carpet
Test first carpet cleaning machine and return
run vax with water over stairs to remove stupid useless vanish stuff (and prevent chemical mixing)
clean the vax machine out and leave to drain
Clean doors, door frames and door handles downstairs
clean all cables down stairs
use 2nd carpet cleaning machine to clean upstairs carpet
Spot clean and through traffic treat lounge and hall carpet
Cleaning downstairs carpet
spot and through traffic treat stairs carpet
clean stairs carpet
go around with the hand held bit and clean all the edges of rooms done upstairs and down
empty and clean up machine
soak in epsom salt bath
put clothes worn today into washing machine

And now I am about to collapse into bed. I am absolutely shattered BUT the carpet looks one colour rather than partly something the family pet dragged in.

Tomo I have to return furniture from study into lounge, remove stuff temporarily stored in ds' room, put laundry away, treat study carpet and clean it, clean out the carpet cleaning machine ready for its return on monday morning.

So what have I been doing? not a lot, not much at all.

Oh and i need to add to that ta da list:
find muscles that hate my guts and which are not going to allow me to forget them in a hurry

Oh and i need to add to that ta da list:
find muscles that hate my guts and which are not going to allow me to forget them in a hurry

Just found this and it made me chuckle - despite knowing plastic tub sorting is still on my to do list It is the truth though:

Bitchy I get that with the tubs but bloody hell woman that is a Bitchy List (TM)

We're just getting ready for another afternoon of cutting & sticking, but I've found a good side effect, DD does not mind me raiding her craft drawers. We're taking a carrier bag full of miscellaneous stuff and she's offering me more! Don't want to take too much right now as we're moving units sometime in the new year, but when that's done...

ta da
book tetris on the return of bookcases from ds' room to the landing
sofas, chairs and other furniture from study
ds' kit to the bath tub

On a side note it took 3 cups of coffee to even consider moving this morning. I have a craft deadline for Wednesday that I am not going to meet and am grateful to see both swelling and rashes have tamed over night. Shame I shall be aggravating them later.

To do
spot treat carpet
use hand held bit to do room edges
use carpet cleaning to do middle
clean carpet cleaning machine
Drive across the hills to get ds who will have had an amazing wkend with his dad

Morning all!

having another good potty training day here and DS's face when he saw the Christmas tree was magical.

Ta da
made blueberry muffins
washing up
dinner out of freezer (schnitzels!)
skyped dm

cold, grey and drizzly outside so enjoying being inside all cosy with the christmas lights on, a candle burning and Lady and the tramp on atm.

may have to crack open some mince pies tomorrow