Autumn leaves flutter as October Fledglings Fly!

[standclear]

Welcome to the October 2015 Fledgling Flying thread!

Park your broomsticks and cauldrons here!! Or is that just me ?

This is where, from the 1st of the month, we attempt to declutter and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy language and a surfeit of e-mails) with lots of chat and support and mutual motivation (and of course) along the way.

More info available here and here and here.

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach - and don't worry - we are all at different stages. (Some of us are still stuck at the decluttering stage after quite a few years ):

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

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

or

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

And those of you who have decluttered and are really enthusiastic can throw some detailed cleaning in to the mix as well!

The idea is that we focus on short, ring-fenced, daily steps and routines that will help our homes run (more or less!) on "automatic pilot" allowing us to do far more interesting things instead!

This is a very long-running thread so we may appear cliquey but we really aren't! All newcomers, long-termers, lurkers and intermittent returnees not only welcome to join in but positively encouraged to do so!

Helpful pointers: No perfectionism allowed! If it took a while to create the current C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) in your home, then it will probably take a while to reverse the situation (you can't clean clutter!). Small steps are the key! And you are never behind: just jump in where you are at!

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

SC - you're definitely NOT a horrible unsociable person! Just remember that as an introvert you need time alone to charge up your batteries again after all this company.

We had hoped that DS2's bug last weekend was a one-off, but DS1 has come down with it today. Hoping it will be equally short-lived...

Ta da!
Library
Grocery shopping
Cleared out blanket box on landing
Slightly improved paperwork explosion around the house
DH has hopefully got broadband sorted for after the move

ds will be taking a trip to the doctor monday i suspect. temperature wise a bit better but the sucess of the day was to get him to eat a bowl of ice cream. Not even jelly was eaten throat infection/tonscilitus is looking likely, apparently everything tastes really really nasty.

Lazy day all around, chilling out with tv and technology and duvets.

I loaded the dw
dd completely tidied her room with the help of a friend - it looks so cool, still full of clutter though, so that hasn't been solved
ds1 came down and chatted to a visitor, very warmly - he talks too much when he does talk but I felt rather proud of him for being so affable
supper was very rudimentary, sausages and pasta and peas

also cleaned the loo again and around it

chatted to friend over coffee.

Despite natural introversion, seeing people does us all the world of good Ds1 was much improved for talking to one outside person today, and dd was in a delightfully bouncy mood with her friend. Ds2 luckily had his fix from drama and independent bus travel..sadly I don't think I really did enough with him today, but that will have to do.

not done and will do tomorrow
washing on line in
washing on floor out
washing in washer up
ds1 duvet cover wash
dd old duvet cover wash (she changed her sheets herself today though)
plant remaining bulbs, with compost that needs to be bought
Mass, see friend at same time
put away clothes in bedroom
peer despairingly into ds1's room and give up, maybe remove porridge dishes and sweet papers
clean en suite and basin

gosh this is a long list..not sure if any will get done, may compromise on just the washing bit and the clothes in my bedroom, and Mass

Fizrim swoops in on broom making surprise mid-month visit to thread - drinks cauldron of wine - reads to bottom of page 7 whilst making notes - realises time and goes to bed.

Schedule has been a bit hectic, have a few days left before half-term kicks in and then the joy that is the run up to Christmas! This has been the first free weekend we've had in a while and it (and the upcoming half-term) has been quite a nice chance to reboot ourselves.

Have another 12 pages of thread to read but I'll be back.

Sorry about your poor boy, Cant. Tonsillitus/throat infections are so miserable. Have never seen DS1 quite so ill as when he had tonsillitus - he actually slid down the doctor's door and slumped on the floor whilst the doctor was giving him last-minute advice. However, antibiotics worked miracles (and quickly, too).

knitting - I agree with you about the benefits of seeing people, even for natural introverts - mind you, it does have to be the right people. Am a bit worried about DH, who will be spending an awful lot of time alone once I'm at work (which is probably why he was so keen on meeting up with his old friend).

And interesting that your DD also had a passionate interest in doll's houses at the same age as DS2. DS2 really loves art and design, which is one of the reason's his new school suits him so well, so it may be that aspect that appeals to him. DH and I have decided that we will get the new doll's house for his birthday now. I think it was unfair that the old doll's house was taken away without DS2's knowledge and permission. As I reminded DH, how would we feel if something of ours was just thrown away without our consent?

Blue - so sorry both your children are ill. It's one thing after another for you, at the moment!

SC - you really are a wonderful host. Well done on surviving the visit - and now don't have any more visits until you feel up to it .

Last day of freedom today before full-time work begins tomorrow. I spent ages yesterday sorting out five outfits for the week (even hanging the tights on the hanger), but have discovered that my new smart shoes don't match anything, so will have to do a quick dash into town to find some other ones and arrange to return the first lot.

Loads of other stuff to do, including sorting documents to take in on my first day, more ironing and more tidying. Luckily, I organised ready meals for tonight, as I knew I'd be in no fit state to cook.

Made myself go to bed at 10.30 again last night and have managed eight and a half hours' sleep . Just hope I can do the same tonight.

Hope everyone has a happy, relaxing Sunday - and that the poorly fledgling children feel better soon .

Haven't read it, but I thought this might be your thread when I spotted it, SC .

Sorry I'm being terrible. I've fallen so far behind that I can keep up :-(

Sc - hope the visiting went ok. Are they still with you?

Blue - really hope things pick up for you soon.

Sorry I've missed so many people.

Valuer still hasn't bothered getting back to us with the value meaning there is now no chance of us getting in anywhere before Christmas even if it does come back ok. Feeling very down and not hopeful that he will even value it at what we need after all this.

Did have lovely evening with hubby last night as kids were overnight at grandparents so well rested at least with first proper night's sleep in got know how long.

Been keeping up with household stuff but not on top. Going to get Christmas cards bought and start writing and make a start on Christmas shopping today just in case house stuff comes to fruition.

Hope everyone is well. Going to make more effort to keep up I promise x

oh dear, this morning I am having a dark night of the soul, because my wardrobe seems to be full of MOTH!!! and I know it is because I have let things slide in the boudoir..

then I go downstairs and find kitchen full of debris, which last night looked okay but in cold light of day..well

and the sons are playing computer games again and I see no way of extracting them without giving up on the Moth issue.

So done
threw 3 items away
took out dh's jackets (why does he store his clothes in my wardrobe anyway?)
put big pile of stuff to be drycleaned that usually I wash..will I ever even get to the wretched dry cleaners?
took out all the summer clothes which usually I wear in winter too, but I need to reduce the nos of clothes in the shared wardrobe
managed to find a pair of trousers that fits at back of cupboard, so one good thing
put clean duvet on the bedding pile (for loft I think)

having read a despairing thread last night about someone whose house was so awful she felt desperately ashamed, I am realising that it is actually a rabbit in headlights situation. I need to make a decision about some of those clothes and possessions. THEY ARE NOT IN CHARGE, even if they cost money.

Dh rang up last night to say his parents had made some v hurtful decision about something and I felt all calm and helpful and clearsighted, but now faced with my own life my common sense seems to have deserted me

Aah how sweet a cat has jumped into a lingerie drawer and is sitting there snuggled up. it does me laugh, these cats really couldn't care less how messy our house is, although they do like clean food bowls!!!!

Hello.
I have achieved 9 minutes so far. I recognised that old is no joke whatsoever, but I think that I may suffer from some sort of opposite affliction. I can stare at mess and think about it and in that time I could have tackled it.

(Ocd, not old)

Knitting, I saw that thread.
Visualise your calm and helpful and clear sighted self.

Does anyone have a Roomba?

Thank you Fish
and Scatty how depressing about the valuation. I am so impressed by your Christmas getting ahead, (I can barely think about Halloween - I keep seeing Pumpkins in shops and think oh no, oh no it's that time of year again) Very pleased you had a night off, and a proper night's sleep. Hope you can butter them up so they offer again.

Well, I am reminding myself all is not lost.

Put summer clothes in a bag DONE
Bringi dustbin liner up to bedroom DONE
Put some books away in a space dh thoughtfully made downstairs bookshelf before he left (he will do anything to stop me throwing things away) DONE
sent ds2 off to park DONE
ds1 is doing homework DONE (Unfortunately it is one of those very emotive moral topics, so my heart is sinking, as I feel I should be discussing it with him. Imagine years later, oh my mum was busy with the moth balls so I never really understood x y z)

dd was going to go off to Brick Lane with two friends but I am not sure quite what is happening there. She is lying on the floor watching her ipad in her spotless room looking very grumpy, I hardly dare ask.

next step. Continue with bedroom and possibly sweep kitchen floor as morale booster. Avoid more washing for now as it is doing my head in, there is far too much of it and FAR TOO MANY ITEMS OF CLOTHING.

knitting my mother never discussed nor got involved with any piece of homework when I hit high school. I turned out ok. You are feeling guilty because you feel you should be helping. It's ok to let him get on with it and tackle the problem. And there will be time to discuss it after the assignment when the moths have been kicked into touch.

Ds will be off school at least monday. poor kid has lost weight which means it hurts to lie down as he is lying directly onto bone :( Success is still to get him to eat some ice cream and drink a pint of fluids.

Today I will be washing and hoovering walls . There will also be sanding and filing in holes too. Nearly getting to the end of the major messy stuff. Plastering to do between now and then though. Should probably throw a load or two into the washing machine once I have cleaned it up after the mess the dust sheets left

Sorry not so great on personals atm.

How old is ds1?

I have charged Roomba. What now?

Good afternoon all!

[Flies about on broomstick, does a few "loop the loops" with Fizrim and lands in thread]

Blue and Can't Hope the patients in your household are starting to feel better today.

And Toffee hope your ds2 is better now too.

Very impressed by your early night regime btw!
Have fun shoe shopping!!

Despite being really tired had a wretched night's sleep last night. Woke up at 2am, 4am and 6am! DD and I are still in our pjs and have missed Mass.

Dh is very nobly walking the dog but just before departing, told me that he may have to go on emergency dash to States for six days tomorrow, oh joy.

Feel like I have been run over by a truck this morning. And we have the same "kitchen debris" issue as you Knitting but I can't quite face it yet!

DD in a terribly het up "tinder box" mood today; crying over hwk, screaming at slightest thing. Think it must be fatigue + the fall-out of having to behave so politely all week!!

Thanks for kind words re: guests everyone. Sorry to make such heavy weather of it. I do still feel like a horrible person though because (apart from one or two exceptions) don't really ever want to have anyone to stay, ever!! and that includes some very close family members .

(You can find many more of those threads - and worse - under the 'Living Overseas' topic Toffee!! Long-staying guests are an expat hazard! It's reassuring to know that others feel the same though!!)

Fishbone I have exactly that same affliction!!! To the point where, I am sure my brain thinks, "oh well she has such a strong and precise mental image of how that space looks all clean and organised, that she doesn't actually have to clean it up in reality" Don't have a Roomba but have seen threads on Mnsnet about them, if you do a search.

Knitting agree it is so much easier to be clear-sighted about other people's "ishews"! at yr cats in lingerie drawer! Furry one (despite nipping incident) was a star during reign of visitors and won lots of hearts and ate lots of salami And agree about it being good for one to socialise, despite all the difficulties, I think we all know people who need cobwebs blowing away or corners knocked off!

Good luck with wardrobe decluttering and moth banishment! Think moths are more prevalent now we have central heating and more cheaply available cashmere/natural fibres. Sounds as if you are already doing this but top tip I find is only to put clothes away that are scrupulously clean as they gravitate towards protein-rich nutrients (including proteins in minute traces of sweat) apparently + freeze anything that is not washable or dry-cleanable. Hoover floor and insides of wardrobe (partic if carpet as that's where they lay eggs) and destroy hoover bag/empty detritus regularly or they hatch there too. Have to do it for about three months regularly (consecutively) to completely banish them as life cycle 55-90 days. And generally let the light shine in, as they like gravitate towards dark, warm, undisturbed environments (such as our boudoir, although that's not very warm at all).

Scatty you are most definitely NOT being terrible. Fledglings swoop in and out of this thread according to rl demands and that is absolutely fine as thread is intended to be a support not a burden So sorry to hear about valuer not getting back to you which must be very frustrating. Glad you had a bit of child-free time with your dh though!

Toffee Whoknows *Fuzzpig Knitting and others. V interesting to read about dolls houses and your dc. I think dolls houses are the sort of toys that one spends hours playing with, and so form very strong attachments to. Also, I think the the wonderfully comforting element about them is being able to be in complete control of your own environment, when that is definitely not the case in rl (particularly as a youngster).

I was desperate to buy dd a beautiful Georgian-style dolls house but she was only interested in Playmobil version. Our Playmobil menage is still spreading across dd's bedroom floor at an alarming rate. We now have a dressage arena and stands, and a club room. In fact, I am due to help make her a veterinary clinic out of a cardboard box this afternoon... so had better get on with chores first ... .

Big waves to anyone I have missed and hope all Fledglings are having a relaxing Sunday.

sorry, just seen lots of x posts but have to dash .. bbl!!

okay,

despatched dd to Brick Lane with pocket money
bagged up the rubbish in my room
hung out washing
brought in washing
put more washing on
dealt with ds2 who has returned from park
put food in oven for lunch
bagged up some memory box clothes of mine with dcs (school event teeshirts that sort of thing)
took up rubbish from kitchen
ditto recycling

to do
serve lunch
put on dw
sweep kitchen floor

SC I am always putting clothes in the freezer btw A nasty shock for those looking for something tasty No, my mistake was to "tidy" my room last few weeks by just throwing things in the cupboard, including once worn items, and also to keep a large supply of just in case thermal layers/old jumpers for gardening, walking or ski-ing (not that we will ever go again, I fear)

actually I very relieved (I'm sorry that sounds mean) that so many people are feeling the same about Sunday morning overwhelming. You genuinely do need to stop working though SC. Can you cancel Monday (is Monday) volunteering? Why on earth would you feel like a terrible person to find having people to stay a whole week, when you are obviously preparing delicious meals and taking them out on trips, extremely wearing? I am baffled that you feel guilty.

Mission achieved. Managed to buy these new shoes for work. They are the comfiest shoes I've ever tried on. Was tempted by heels, but I suspect the work environment is more casual than that, so decided to go for comfort.

Very depressing to catch sight of my lined and tired face in the shop mirrors - and this is after using my new primer and having over eight hours' sleep . I sometimes think extra sleep is worse for an older face, as it gives the skin more time to settle into furrows.

DS1 had breakfast, then went back to bed. He smiled sleepily at me as I picked up his dirty washing, then fell back to sleep. Am leaving him to it, as he has two weeks' holiday now and has no need to get up early.

Put another load of washing on and DH has already washed DS2's bedclothes.

Next job: sort out documents for work. Then another massive load of ironing.

Oh, and learn how Twitter works, as I have to use it at work and I have no idea what to do .

DS1 seems to be on the mend, thankfully. If it takes the same course as with DS2, he'll be back to school on Tue. Just hope the pattern isn't going to repeat so that DH and/or I come down with it next weekend... That really would be the last straw!

Chatting after church this morning and able to start getting excited about the move and new house etc again for the first time in months.

Sorry to hear your DS is still so unwell, Cant.

There have been quite a few threads about Twitter, Toffee, so hopefully you can find some tips. I've been using it for ages now, and it is pretty straightforward to pick up.

Agree that twitter is fairly easy to pick up, issue is making sure that you are elegant in words in as few words as possible I suck at that bit.

1 wall done 16 to go

Back to respond to x-posts (while school uniform is belatedly washing). Still haven't tackled kitchen I have "wall-papered" a cardboard box though!

Hands golden feather duster (Flyer of the Day award) over to KNitting !! Crikey you have done loads (esp for a Sunday). I do exactly the same thing btw re: putting knitted clothes that have been worn once back in wardrobe and keeping old comfy knits for gardening and for when sitting in our freezing sitting room late at night.

I hope you are going to spend at least an hour doing something for yourself today!!

I still do feel guilty because one ought to want to see one's nearest and closest relations and well, it's complicated, but frankly, I don't want to see some of them a lot of the time but nonetheless they are still family ifyswim. And I have lots of friends here who have their family to stay really frequently and, in the main, like it, and don't make a fuss aobut it!! (Admittedly, their houses are a bit more, um, "finished" than ours though.) Volunteering not until Wed am thank heavens.

Oooh toffee I have shoe envy!! And I hope your ds1 enjoys his well-deserved holiday! (Meant to say btw, from down thread, really terrific that your ds2 is enjoying his school so much too!) And those shop mirrors are absolutely universally awful, no one looks good in them honestly!!!!

Can'tsee and Blue really feel for you both having so much on your plates and having to deal with poorly dc. Good they are both a bit better though!

I am now off to strike up the glue gun and erect some corrigated cardboard shelves in our mini-Playmobil club house ...

well you wouldn't think I ever did anything to see the house in current state

I've now been very unflyladylike in dh's absence and pulled everything out of the wardrobe, covered floor with detritus, and now that wardrobe is a bit lighter, I am going to hoover behind it, and yes, there is loads of moth in the carpet in the skirting So a quick spray and lots of hoovering.

Also pulled all the boxes off top of cupboard and sorting through them, dusting top of cupboard.

Have just got very cross with both boys alas. Ds1 says he has done all his homework but I doubt it, and ds2 is refusing to budge from his position of chief current affairs spokesman (endlessly watching the news) Now they are playing another computer game together and claiming this is quality time as brothers. hmm. Ds1 has promised to take ds2 to the park but no doubt they will fall out before they get there.

Hope no-one minds but I am going to take opp of posting tomorrow's links now before I fall asleep!

Big waves to all!

***

Baby-step no. 19 for tomorrow, Mon 19th Oct, is one to ignore (imho) about testimonials. Just continue with previous steps and routines.

We are starting in Zone 4 this week: The Boudoir (October 18 – 24) here.

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 4 (or do a mission!) if you want to.

If you are at this stage, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 4 is here.

Monday's mission (and all the missions for the week ahead) can be found here. Set your timer and throw out any paper clutter (including magazines) that is cluttering up Zone 4. For more experienced Flyers who don't have any paper clutter in Zone 4 anymore, do a 27 fling-boogie in wardrobe, clothes storage area or chest of drawers.

Mon's daily focus is: the home "bleugh". 10 mins spent on each of seven vital tasks.

The habit for October is: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/october/ decluttering paper clutter!

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan: www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120.

Have a productive start to the week everyone! And keep shredding!

*