Autumn leaves flutter as October Fledglings Fly!

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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!

It is heading towards the end of the month. I believe I volunteered for Nov, but if there is anyone who would prefer to do Nov as they will be too busy in Dec/Jan time? Happy to do either of the above.

Good morning all!

Ta da:
school uniform ironed
sports kit ironed
dd lunch made
office cleaners paid
rubbish out
recycling out
rabbits fed
first wm load on

To do:
clean up kitchen
empty dw
fill dw
s&s
tidy boudoir
put clean and ironed washing away
bedding to laundry
washing
on-line parcel returns
arrangements for tomorrow's school meeting
think about this weekend's entertaining

Have a good day everyone!

Yes, can I just add to Can'tsee's note about thread leading? November is a good month in which to start if you haven't done it before. Like everything else, it takes a bit of time at the beginning, but once you get to grips with it, and set up a 'cut and paste' template, then it takes very little time to do each day - max 8 mins. And no worries if you don't have time for round-ups, everyone will pitch in.

PS Can'tsee very rudely forgot to say a huge "thank you" for volunteering for one of the difficult months!

Hope paint has dried OK!!

Best of luck to you today Blue - here's lots of and to get you through the day!

Good morning everyone, nice to see you NickNacks and a warm welcome to EveryDay

Hope you are feeling better SC

Super busy and productive as always Can't

Waves to Blue, Knitting, Fuzz, Dogs, Scatty, Don'tBuy, Honu, Ellie, Fish and all the others I know I've missed, sorry.

DS is being sooooo challenging atm, he will be 3 in December, so a lot of his behaviour is typical I guess, but I'm struggling to cope and I'm not being a very good mum as a result. He seems to think ignoring me or deliberately not doing as I ask him is funny. He ran away from me in a busy car park yesterday and also kicked me whilst laughing at me whilst I was changing a particularly gross nappy. I keep loosing my temper and shouting at him. I grabbed hold of him really hard when he ran off yesterday, I was so cross and I think I scared hm a bit. I just feel like such a shot mum atm

Not helping that DS has not adjusted with the clock change either so has been up between 4:30 and 5 for quite a few days now. I'm struggling to get going this morning...

ta da
DS and cats fed
Composted dying cut flowers
Washed up flower vases and baking trays
Finished descaling one of the shower heads
Written Christmas Card list

to do
Stir wine cauldron - it's really smelling good now ignores how it looks
Fold and put away dry laundry
Descale another shower head
Hoover the leaves off the lawn, patio and car park
Collect shopping from tesco Click and Collect
Drop more stuff off at the charity shop
Wrap up the junk I sold on eBay for posting
List more junk on Facebook selling sites
Continue decluttering

Can't I don't mind running the November thread. I've only done one before so to be honest, I don't fancy doing December or January as they feel a bit too intimidating for me. But I can do February if you've already planned to do November. Just let me know.

I'll give November a go if you are happy with Dec/Jan Cant - I've never done it before but as you say it's a good month to start then it might be good. Is there somewhere I find out about what the things are for each day, other than the flight plan, as that doesn't seem to update on time?

No you go ahead Grey tbh burnout is just starting to kick in big style and I might well be abscent for a while if not needed to recover from my stupidity, pig headed stubborness and lack of pacing. Not having to post will help, but always happy to witter on randomly

Do shout if you need help etc. I will do December/Jan type things unless others wish the reigns. although the dreaded Jan thread I suspect you shall all be hiding in the corner from that one

Ah x-post Fuzzpig I will let you figure it all out between you.
Yes there is a cheat to the links. No time now as running late for work. bbl

Sorry you're having such a rough time with DS, Grey - that sounds really hard. I have no advice but just sympathy, and I really hope it passes soon.

I am rather achy this morning, got just over an hour to crisis clean but I'm going to have to do a tiny bit at a time. It was so tidy in here on Sunday

Right, shall I do Nov, if you are happy to do Feb Grey? :)

And sending spoons to you Cant - burnout, uggh :( I understand why you push yourself though. It's the only way anything can get done sometimes isn't it. It's so hard to find the right balance - resting is important but when it means that nothing improves in the home, which can cause so much stress and illness in itself... I wish I knew the answer!

Thank you very much both for volunteering Fuzz and Grey - it is truly appreciated - but I hope you are not taking on too much; as you both have loads on your plate atm?! Don't worry if you want to re-consider.

Good luck with craft drawers Fuzzpig and everything else you have to do today.

And sorry to hear your ds is being so challenging atm Grey. (I remember dd going through a stage when she was about 4 yrs when she liked kicking and hitting and biting. I remember finding it very hard indeed to keep calm in the face of it. If it's any consolation, it was just a phase and she did grow out of it totally in the space of about 3 mths thank heavens. Not easy when you are in public but I found the best strategy was to complete ignore and disengage for a good few minutes until she had calmed down ie you don't get to be around others if you can't behave sort of thing. HTH)

[SC faints at someone having written their Christmas card list in October] Now there's organisation for you!!

Sorry you are suffering ill effects of all that decorating Can't - can you take a well deserved duvet day and admire your handiwork?

Have escaped from the chaos of moving to bring the boys to the park and get them out from under foot. All going well so far.

There is a constant supply of so help yourselves!

Grey I feel that way a lot of the time too. Be gentle to yourself, especially given the sleep deprivation!

Oh yes, and I saw the DH of our neighbour who was taken ill. He says she's in a serious condition but being well looked after and going to be ok. So that's a relief.

Good luck with craft drawers Fuzzpig

Damn. I had forgotten about that, why did you have to remind me? :o :o

Unfortunately not. More painting today. Has to be finished by tomo night absolute latest. After that there is then the clearing up. But am out of the house for various reasons thursday and friday and might see about escaping wed night if well enough. Right now, despite the fact that I should be painting I am going to attempt a short nap.

Glad you are going to try a nap Cant!

AAAAAAAAAARGH so DH is definitely working late tonight, tomorrow and Friday, and still working all day Saturday, and has to work Thursday (his day off) as well.

I haven't done anything productive yet bar putting a wash on and giving a piano lesson. And digging into the halloween Haribo. Oops.

I also just realised I've been saying for ages that once my big projects were done I'd have time to start working on the other computery stuff I need/want to do - transferring what I can over from the old laptop which is virtually unusable (including photos) and old external hard drive, sorting out my itunes and music. And writing my novel, obviously :o

I'll start by decluttering this laptop though as it's already got a few pointless downloads and files on it.

I didn't mean I'd start TODAY though...

Thanks everyone, yesterday was tough and I really needed that whinge earlier...

Fuzz by all means, take on the November thread. I found when I was thread leader I was so much more productive with my own flying!! I might be persuaded to take on the December thread! I think we all get so much out of the thread so I feel like I should make more effort to keep it running rather than expecting the old hands to do it all the time.
I am happily ignoring all the virtual computer type decluttering I need to do...

Blue - glad the move is going smoothly, long may it continue

ta da
Stirred cauldron
Listed and sold some stuff on Facebook
Dishwasher
Made bed
Chivvied DH to gather up all his scattered laundry
Washload so sorted, one in the machine
Hoovered up all the leaves, took ages!
Folded laundry, all put away
Collected food shop, put away
Made waxing appointment
Ordered next years calendar

Feeling pretty tired this afternoon, don't think I'm going to do much else other than some eBay stuff. Hoping DH will take DS out for an hour so I can read and drink coffee get stuff done

Nap had. Might have been a mistake though as really don't want to get going now

I sometimes feel naps just make me more tired. But I work on the theory that if I managed to fall asleep in the day, I must have needed it, IYSWIM.

Thanks Grey I will do November :) will be a pleasure to do my bit, and hopefully will be a not-too-scary month to start. I also am off work the entire month so it'll be nice to have something to do in the mornings and I am indeed hoping it will help me Fly a bit more myself! Which again should be more doable while I'm not working.

Haven't been very productive today at all except laundry but once we've walked DCs' friend home I'll do dinner and attempt to get DCs in bed at a reasonable time!

ta da
piano lesson
2 loads laundry
played piano, read book and did puzzles (ie had some me-time!)
listened to DCs read (and they agreed that we would keep doing that daily even when it's school holidays)
updated diary

lowest ebb of organisation here but achieved:

ds2 to home ed meetup, lots of running around and socialising, went really well and met some new mums too, always inspiring to get new insights,just hearing what people do day by day and seeing different types of home educated teen. Today lots of discussion about GSCEs.
(however I'll have to admit that I tried to take ds2 to the wrong park, as I thought we were last week (which I missed) and only had the sense and courage to text some acquaintances/friends just as we walking to the wrong tube - I think Im making ds2 Very Flexible..he was not best pleased by change of plan initially)

posted a cheque to solicitor when I couldn't find stamp and it was too late so had to walk to a different postbox

bought some loo rolls!!

drove family to Spectre (they will get home by themselves)

Grey big hug to him and you, hope tomorrow gets better. What you are describing is what toddlers DO when they are frustrated and tired or bored or lively, or just anyway And it is not personal. I am not convinced that discipline or authority has the slightest effect, more likely that they just grow out o fit at some point and start wanting to do what everyone else does. And they want to please you, eventually by the age of 3 or thereabouts. You may not believe it now!!! Btw read that mumsnet classic, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen by Faber and Mazlish. Very good. Whereas Calmer Happier Easier parenting will probably drive you insane even if it works on the children

Fuzz you are very productive!!! Putting away groceries is my pet hate.

Felt v anxious this morning about various things so just glad to have got through the day and seen beautiful autumnal sights. There is a Halloween sack somewhere in the loft and that is just adding to list of things to worry about..maybe I'll just make no effort this year, send dd to her party, and ds2 can wait here with an axe and some sweets to hand out.

SC don't ask her to do anything. She sounds very busy atm and needing tlc. She will start helping anyway, at some point, most daughters do (sorry if that sounds sexist) but it is unlikely that she will watch you slaving away without some empathy further down the line. I think mothers have to teach their sons but daughters just model themselves usually. Or am I talking rubbish?

Ooh another good thing happened yesterday, dd and her friend cooked an entire Jamie Oliver meal one of those exotic 30 minute ones requiring millions of ingredients and umpteen saucepans. They shopped, and cooked and I did the washing up. It all took about 3 hours though. Delicious oriental noodles with cashew and chili and coriander and marinated skewed chicken.

But was it eaten by all Swan? sounds lovely.

ta da
1 load sofa throws
hoover sofa
fold washing that has been lurking in wash room so clean.
pull everything that was clean but in lounge back into washing do de dusted. :(
Collect ds' duvet and pillows and take downstairs for washing
sort plan for tomo
Consider emptying the bath and starting the lego washing process. yep really that dusty :(

I'm not sure I've ever been called productive before :o

4 well, ds2 shuddered when he saw it (and I shuddered at the washing up) but all the rest of us (5 people) polished it off completely, that was including dd's friend.

I'm not doing the paperwork aargh!

Always fabulous if fancy stuff is eaten by the majority.