Fledglings flutter round the May Pole – FlyLady May 2015

[Greymalkin]

First of all, a big thank you to Dogsbum for leading us (for the very first time) through the April thread; fantastic job!

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 chat along the way.

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

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):

• start or repeat baby steps
• repeat baby steps + do 15 minutes a day decluttering in the current zone
• 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.

There are three key points to keep in mind throughout:

• No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine and many of us on this thread struggle with this one!
• You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
• 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 ‘ta-da’ lists but don't let that worry you! Do what you can, anything is better than 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!

Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

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

Links for tomorrow, Wednesday 27th May

Link to the flight plan for an overall summary of the day

Tomorrow’s baby step is work out what you having for dinner

The Daily focus for Wednesday is Anti Procrastination Day roll your sleeve up and tackle one of those task you have been putting off!!

Our habit of the month is Moving More

This week we are in Zone 5: The Living Room. Declutter in here for 15 minutes each day.

Our mission in this week’s zone is deal with your piles Seriously!! sniggers

The detailed cleaning list for this zone is here for the more experienced Fledglings

Launch pad is here and is full of all the info you need each day, well worth a look.

I've done the craft drawers of doom!!

Also, work, fallen out with the boys, been to the park and cooked dinner.

Feeling v down about everything at the moment, esp as DS1 has now just been sick...

Feeling knackered again today despite having done nothing at all, spent some serious time on chaise longue afternoon and this evening and I'm about to head off to bed... zzzz

Only thing I've achieved is one load of washing which was only placemats and a few tea towels and cloths. Waited in for freezer which I'm pretty sure doesn't count as doing something when you can do it sitting on the chaise longue eating snacks and watching tv (which is what I did)

Blue sounds like you've got a lot on your plate with a four week moving deadline and decorating to do, hope it's going ok.

Swan well done on bedroom tidy

SC sorry there is so much stress/grouchiness at your house

Grey I'm 37 weeks, so I guess I've got about 3 to 5 weeks left depending on what Meerkitten's plans are. I don't think she's going to fill me in on her plans

Sadly my cellar is quite damp, about 50 per cent of it anyway, so it's more for chucking your crap out of sight than storing any treasures. However, it is my workshop and I do have a workbench in it that I made myself that I love and I do have some shelf units.

I never feel that I can justify prioritising turning it into the perfect workshop when there is so much that needs doing in the house but that is what I would like to do one day. I'm fantasising over installing storage units for wood screws and hanging spaces for specific tools as I write this It's oh so sad what goes on in my mind

Toffee good luck with job

DEM welcome back, however knackered.

I think that is it from me today. Tomorrow there are just two items on my to do list; in the morning I'm waiting in for an internet shop from supermarket (I'm slowly mastering the dark art of online supermarket shopping) and in the afternoon I'm going for a walk with friend with breast cancer diagnosis and her dog before she has her surgery this Friday. I hope the weather holds so that it's another good distraction for her.

Good night.....zzzzzz

well, I've thoroughly cleaned out under the bed and found some moths (oh dear)

moved furniture
sorted out some bookcases and videos
thrown away some possibly mothy wool
decluttered some clothes which were too small
put away ski-ing clothes
did lots of washing

taken two boys to play tennis swim and to gym (5 min run on treadmill)

dd made a cake
dd made a mess of the kitchen (two things run parallel)
dd attempted to tidy her room but it was not much use - it is too untidy
ds1 failed to even attempt to tidy his room - I think he really likes it that way alas - a large man cave with a giant beanbag surrounded by detritus. Occasionally he sits at his desk which is even more revolting than the floor

Friend round for coffee in the morning so tidied kitchen before she arrived - cleaned sink
put washing up to soak in utility
swept floor
wiped worktops
loaded dw

but now it is untidy again [sigh] not bad just manky...

oh well will give up worrying about these things and enjoy new view from my bed of a spotless dressing table sort of arrangement on chest of drawers including perfume bottle and jewellery tree (very un-me) I just need some ivory backed hairbrushes now.

We're not moving in 4 weeks, fortunately. That's how long they'll hold the storage unit before we have to have the stuff ready that's going in it - DH wants to do it all in one fell swoop. Goodness knows when we'll actually move as storage is preparatory for getting estate agents in to take photos!

Dogs - you are being lovely and supportive to your friend. I hope her surgery goes well on Friday. I notice you are feeling very tired again: I remember feeling as exhausted towards the end of pregnancy as I had at the beginning. You just have to slow down (though it sounds as if you are delegating difficult tasks to DH).

Blue - sorry you're feeling down. You worked so hard to prevent your school being turned into an academy - I'm so sorry your fears are coming true and you feel forced to move . It's not fair.

Grey - you have done loads today - the washing up can wait. Hope you get a good rest tonight.

Dark - didn't realise you were flopping too. We are both flopping in the naughty corner.

Bless - I like the sound of your caravan. I think we all need one (like Virginia Woolf's 'A Room of One's Own').

SC - hope dog is better soon (kennel outside sounds perfectly fine. You sound a bit like me: I used to leave the heating on at night for the cats, until DH pointed out that they were designed to survive in the wild ) and that you made some inroads into your boudoir. Oh, and I'm glad weird head feeling disappeared.

Swan - hmm, those words of your DD's do sound a bit soap opera-ish, you are right. Hope her mood improved (maybe that's hoping too much for a teenager).

ta da

DH tackled his bits of the bedroom
DH took DS2 out for a long walk
Completed CV and cover letter
Emailed to friend
Washed up
Cooked proper sit-down dinner for family
Had astonishingly pleasant dinner - DC's manners and conversational skills are improving, but they still leave most of their veg
Loaded d/w
Bathtimes
Watched 'Good Wife'

Friend emailed to say my CV and letter was fine. Am amazed as I really thought it was all nonsense. I wish you didn't have to 'sell' yourself on paper before even getting an interview.

Catching up on emails now.

Morning all, am still here and reading all your posts whenever I have a spare minute, but just don't seem to have time to post myself. I wish I could say it's because I'm too busy with housework.

Another three-day week here as Monday was a bank holiday and the DC were off school yesterday, although despite lack of afternoon activities it was even more hectic than a school day. I looked after our neighbour's three DC in the morning while she was at work (although they didn't really need much looking after - they're the same age as our DC and I basically only had to provide food and drink), then went to a friend's for coffee after lunch and then on to visit a family whose son was in hospital at the same time as DD1 (he's also 13 and was diagnosed with diabetes just a few days after her). It was really interesting to hear how they're getting on, especially as he already has a pump - he gave DD1 an empty one to try out (he has one that sticks to your skin), so she wore it on her arm for the rest of the day. Sent DH a photo (he's abroad for work atm) and he thought it was already in operation (yes, we just decided to set her up on a pump all by ourselves ).

If I start on personals, I'll be here for the rest of the morning, but just a couple of posts I wanted to reply to -
Grey The DC are doing ok, thanks; DD2 is very good about helping to carry DD1's bag when we're out and about (it's not heavy, but DD1 hates having to carry anything). Good to hear about your friend's experience with the pump; I've only heard positive things about it so far and DD1 is very keen.

SC It's comforting to hear I'm not the only one with a stubborn DD! Hope you managed to get your work done despite the Ascension holiday - and I seem to remember reading that Monday was a public holiday for you as well. Do you get a Corpus Christi bank holiday as well? We have three three-day weeks within the space of a month, which is very nice but I wish that the holidays were spread a bit more evenly throughout the year!

Waves to everyone else; I really must try to start posting more regularly again so that I don't have quite such an overwhelming amount of catching up to do.

Just diving in for a quick hello! Very busy here!

Just wanted to report that dog is not ill (phew) have worked out that he hates his new quality food (and it does not suit him) that vet recommended (she said he was eating the equivalent of doggie fast food when he came to us ie a very poor quality variety). We've been mixing good quality in with poor variety (to a lesser degree) over four weeks but he's only had pure amounts of the good stuff for two days and he hates it. So he had poached chicken with rice last night instead

Back for personals later!

Oh, you are so lovely to that dog, SC. I'm sure he enjoyed his poached chicken and rice .

I feel a bit like a mean cat owner as I have had to put one of our cats on a strict diet because of his ever-expanding girth. He is now fed from a feeding ball, which slows down his eating a little, but he spends most of his life looking for more food - even more so, now that he is on a diet. I also have to feed him in a separate room from our other cat, otherwise he pushes him out of the way to eat his food too .

Linzer - how helpful to meet another child in the same situation as your DD; it must be a big help to your DD too. You sound as if you are adjusting to the new way of life very well.

Have just emailed my CV to a local publishing company, asking for consideration for a job. Scary. Part of me hopes they'll offer me an interview and part of me hopes they don't....!

A friend has offered to have DS2 all day today, so must go and get him ready now. Glorious sunshine here today. Looking forward to sitting out on our new decking!

Thanks Toffee. We would have moved soon anyway, it's just school-related stuff has speeded it up.

Right just sitting down for a bit of a breather after a hugely panic stricken energetic morning clearing paths for window cleaner-- but still couldn't let him in to the boudoir which I am hoping to tackle after this. Yesterday was the third day in a row that I have failed to complete boudoir - I had absolutely zero energy. Also have to go to school and do some admin there. And buy some presents for Saturday ...

Feel totally shattered now but need to carry on ... .

Toffee oohhh, how exciting about potential job!! Good luck with it!! And don't under-estimate your achievements and accomplishments while caring; home educating a child with sn (latterly two dc) is no mean feat; you can show them your blog for one thing!! Bet they will be v. impressed! Good luck with it!

And at your food-obsessed cat; is there such a thing as feline diet food I wonder such as "mice minceur"

Great to hear from you Linzer and how lovely that your dd2 is helping your dd1!! And great to hear that she has friend around the same age going through the same thing.

We've come to the end of all the long weekends and holidays here and it's full steam ahead until exams. Huge Comfirmation weekend coming up first though (whole house full of visitors) and school seem determined to over schedule and generally wear the children out just in time for exam fortnight!

Good luck with putting all your excess stuff in to storage Blue but sorry school issues have influenced your decision to move. Sorry it's so overwhelming at the moment - could you get some help in to prep walls? The professionals do it so much quicker! Well done for conquering craft drawers of doom btw (I meant to do the same before visitors arrive but running out of time. Might just cheat and do top two!)

Blimey oh riley Swan just looking at your completed list yesterday makes me feel quite weak at the knees but well done on boudoir beautification!

Enjoy your walk with your friend this afternoon Dogsbum, I'm sure she will appreciate your support!

Welcome back ¨DEM [fluffs up fleece and blankets and pillows in naughty corner]

Yes I'm generally much better with non-vomiting animals Bless and I actually like the smell of horse manure Bit squeamish when it comes to meat eaters tbh ... however am prepared with rubber gloves, clumping cat litter, pet odour elimination spray, and length of vet bed in case the worst happens!!

Big waves to anyone I may have inadvertently missed! Had better get back to it!

Blue I sometimes think a house move would be the only thing that would force me to declutter properly! As it is, I either a) do a little at a time, as per Flylady, but feel frustrated about the lack of results (although I'm sure that it would be much worse if I did nothing), or b) start on a major declutter and realise how much better the house looks, but then lose motivation when I'm about a tenth of the way halfway through.

Toffee Good luck with the application - scary but exciting at the same time! I don't think you need to feel bad about putting your cat on a diet btw; it's for his own good, but I can understand how you feel (it would be so much easier if you could explain it to him and he understood!).

SC Meant to say I've been following your dog trials and tribulations and am full of admiration for the way you've been coping. It must be a relief to find out that he's not ill and that you've got to the bottom of what's causing (some of) the problems; even as a vegetarian, I like the sound of poached chicken and rice.

Had a minor panic earlier as discovered that DD1 has taken the wrong insulin to school (the long-acting one rather than the one she needs if her blood sugar is high or she wants to eat carbs), but hopefully she'll realise and/or not need to inject herself anyway - she doesn't like doing so when she's out and about and hasn't needed to do so at school yet.

Poor you Linzer about the wrong insulin; it's bad enough getting them to remember a sports kit, never mind something so vital. I think you are doing really well as the level of worry must be constant x

It was all my fault, SC; DD1 reminded me when she got home that I was the one who'd packed her pen case and had put in the blue pen rather than the red one. Fortunately she hadn't needed to use it and had also seen straight away that it was the wrong one - she's much more on top of things than I am!

x-posts before; good luck with the preparations for the confirmation weekend. We've just got the last first communion out of the way so have about a year's break before the confirmations (usually done at 14 here) start. Exam fortnight sounds even more stressful; "fortunately" we have the stress of exams spread out throughout the year (12 official exams plus various tests, reviews, etc. in between to keep us on our toes), although I know you have plenty of year-round school stress too...

Gentle pottering morning doing admin type jobs, ie the stupid little ones that take forever like clearing email backlogs and sorting out photos from the trip. About to head out for an evening meeting. And then tomo it is all back to normal with the joys of mot, mount washmore etc etc

Your dd1 sounds very switched on Linzer¨!

And how eminently sensible to have exams spread throughout the year

DD did well (overall - maths needs more work) in her mocks today so I am a bit less stressed than before

Needs more work on maths in one of her languages though; and some more swimming practice

Once we are through this (very stressful for various reasons) weekend I hope we can slow the pace a bit and we have a week's breather before exams start!

Waves to DEM on way back to boudoir

Can just fit in 2 more x 15 mins before I have to start supper

two positive things today

finished a curtain!
took 4 dcs to tennis swimming and running supervised by yours truly

otherwise the moth infestation has led to some serious decluttering of craft (very good news really - I don't think I could have timed it better)
and I've started

YET ANOTHER DIET. So far have got through day with
eggs for breakfast
baked potato and mushroom and salami for lunch
NO CAKE
and NO little snackerels

and hoping to survive till supper without anything else touching my lips except black tea and glasses of water (possibly a carrot)
I made dh admit I was fatter than I had been 4 years ago and he said I was very cuddly so he didn't mind. But I said it was now his duty to stop offering me beer and cake and Danish pastries. And encourage me to eat the right food at the right time.

SC the worst thing is the waiting. Once the weekend starts it will all be fine and it will be a golden happy weekend whatever the levels of organisation. And you have your outfit don't you? I seem to remember that being sorted - always the most pressing problem And hope dog feels better soon. My sister's dog was very sensitive creature re: food.

Got quite a lot done today, but DH and I both now feeling lousy too. Such bad timing. :(

Glad DD's mocks went well, SC

Wow - the thread took off again! I will catch up tomorrow. In the meantime, links:

Links for tomorrow, Thursday 28th May:

Link to the flight plan for an overall summary

Tomorrow’s baby step is remembering to drink your water, eat well, rest

The Daily focus for Thursday is Errand day

Our habit of the month is Moving More

This week we are in Zone 5: The Living Room. Declutter in here for 15 minutes each day.

Our mission in this week’s zone is a really thorough hoover of the floor around the edges of the room and furniture, with a toilet brush apparently!!

The detailed cleaning list for this zone is here for the more experienced Fledglings

Launch pad is here and is full of all the info you need each day, well worth a look.

Oh and as tomorrow is the 28th of the month, can I ask for a volunteer to take up the baton for the June thread?

I will happily email my thread-leading document with ready prepared links for cut-and-pasting if it will help.

Night all.

Evening all,

Been lurking not posting this week as we are on holiday, but have been reading through. A really weird thing happened just now, while doing an Advanced Search on a matter completely unrelated to this thread, I came upon the second one of these threads, from Sep 09, which helpfully had a link to the first one, the previous month. It was before my time, but glad to see a few familiar faces.

I'd rather not thread lead next month if I'm honest, I will do it again later in the year, but got too much on at the moment.

Morning everyone. DS decided to get me up at 4:15 this morning, like he has been doing all week. I love him to bits, but right now I've just had enough.

Toffee - good luck with the application. I couldn't help but smile at your fat-cat woes, our DCat2 is a skinny little minx who has a bottomless pit of a stomach. In fact, I think she is in league with my DS and they have hatched a plan to get me up at stupid o'clock so that I feed her early. If I don't feed her as soon as I'm up, regardless of time, she follows me round the house bellowing at me non stop. At least can feed himself....

Swan - I also need to get back on the healthy eating wagon, but I have no will power at all. Good luck with it.

SC - glad your DDs exam went ok and enjoy this coming weekend!

Linzer - lovely to see you back, don't worry about keeping up with the thread, you've got other priorities. Glad your family is managing ok though.

Waves to DEM, Blue, Engles, Castle, Madwoman, Ellie, Dogs and everyone else.

I need to get some more breakfast coffee and make some sort of effort and getting ready for the cleaner coming this afternoon.

Morning all

Heading to the naughty corner as have been really rubbish this month.

Will be back on track in June. Hoping Dh will 'let' me rejoin slimming world on a Thursday evening. Problems r sometimes he doesn't finish work till late; dc's Hate any change in routine, especially bedtimes and he quite likes me a bit cuddlier. Problem is I can't fit into any of my nice summer clothes! Hopefully will be able to negotiate a compromise as I am getting more depressed by the day which always makes me eat more

Sorry haven't caught up on thread yet. Dd is counting down school days until she leaves primary and starts her SN secondary, she' so excited and positive.

To do
Sink
Clothes washing
Get kids off computers and outside
Plan/ buy clothes for holiday
Plan cleaning schedule for next month!

Hope everyone has a good day of healthier animals and less stroppy kids
Back later when on computer not phone

morning. been up hours already and feeling a bit worse for wear as a result. Would love to flop into the naughty corner but there is the minor issue of a massive to do list to get sorted Will have to see what can get done.