Remember remember through all of November the Fledglings will flutter and fly!

[fuzzpig]

Halloween’s over, Christmas (sorry) is drawing near, but perhaps you have too much S.T.U.F.F. (Something That Undermines Family Fun) getting in the way. Or maybe you want to rid your house of C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? Have no fear, the Fledglings are here! We are all learning to get into a routine for maintaining the household, so we have more time for that thing called life.

This is where, from the first of the month (seriously, HOW is it November already?!), we follow – loosely – the rules of FlyLady. We ignore the somewhat barftastic language, and also thoroughly recommend NOT signing up to the emails… unless you want your inbox full to bursting.

Here’s some basic info on getting started – but don’t worry, all will be revealed on a daily basis (assuming I get the links right…) so just jump in.

There are 3 basic stages:

• Baby Steps – if you’re new, start here. Or if you’re coming back to us after a break (trust me, we’ve been there!) then these are good way to get back into it.

• Repeat Baby Steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current room or 'zone' - yep, just 15 mins, it makes a difference!

or

• Reinforce Baby Steps + do Daily Missions - if you have finished decluttering (one day I’ll get to that stage… one day…).

There are also detailed cleaning guides if you’re really enthusiastic.

NB
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!

Another NB
Start where you are. There is no need to worry about being perfect – perfectionism = paralysis! There is no such thing as ‘falling behind’ with FlyLady, if you miss anything, just move on and continue as normal the next day.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

Sorry I didn't post the above last night... fell asleep on the sofa

It happens fuzzpig Clearly you needed the sleep

Morning all, had a busy week so not much flying achieved. Just keeping on top of laundry and washing up, that's about it.
My dining room is awful, we have boxes of books waiting for us to put up book shelves, wedding presents still unopened and awaiting a dresser/sideboard and various other bits of tat waiting to be dealt with. We've got a cascade of reasons not to do things; we can't unpack the presents as we're waiting to sort the kitchen shelves out, we're not really ready to sort the shelves out as we don't know what's going on them and where we'll put the remaining stuff....
We've been here a year fgs, it's so hard starting in a room and doing what we want to do. Every day is just naptime, feeding, naptime, feeding etc then it's bedtime and I'm knackered! DH is out most of the day so he's knackered too and weekends are the only time he sees DD so he just wants to play with her.
Also we're prioritising doing up the main bedroom so that's really taking all our spare energy at the moment.
Still 15 mins is a starting point, plus there's the pile of shredding I could tackle...
Hope everyone else is doing better...

Not doing better here Dont, you have my sympathy! I have barely moved from the sofa. DCs running riot upstairs where I've banished them for being SO BLOODY NOISY (I said yes to their request to build a tent in their room, but this time I've told them it needs to come down before bed) and we haven't done anything remotely like 'school work' - think we are all worn out from the last few days (I did indeed need the sleep, Cant :o). DD has just asked me if we can start making the costumes now...

Right, I really REALLY ought to get on with stuff now, all I've achieved is ordering a tesco delivery for this evening, and having had a few days with no Flying I must do something. It is nice though, remembering that I do not need to 'catch up' - I can just do today's stuff and not worry about what I missed. No laundry today as I'm waiting for fabric conditioner so I have a reason to actually properly get everything clean PUT AWAY for a nice fresh start tomorrow. I just cannot shift my butt though. Yawn.

I have lego soaking in the bath tub. This is a new fresh level of hell.

can costumes be done from the sofa Fuzz with dd bringing you things for them?

Well today started with a horrendous 2 hour drive, such terrible traffic, to drop dd at school and return in rushhour of course, and she wasn't even pleased because the traffic made us later than normal Friday expectations. Then cleaning lady arrived, so my heart sank,

but it forced me to
clean out the bin
do the recycling
put another wash on
spray upstairs loo with cleaner (still haven't dealt with it though)
sort clothes in ironing and nonironing (most of them)
put them upstairs
smile and chat

then I drove ds2 and his friend to football, came back again to lock up after cleaner, drove down again, picked them up, brought them here for lunch and now I've retired to bed.

Party tonight, thought fills me with horror as usual, but I said I would go. I have clean clothes ready at least, but getting there is the problem. Bloody Clapham Junction and beyond!!!! Might as well be the outer Hebrides

Kitchen looking very nice and clean though and she always makes the dreaded utility room bearable. I'm defeated today though by the sheer amount of mud tracked in both after football and Fireworks yesterday in the garden. Shoes galore in the hall, and path full of dead leaves that needs sweeping.

TGIF (except I have funeral and party

Oh no swan outer hebrides would be far more civilised. Less traffic for a start, and fewer roads to get lost on would be an additional bonus On a serious note though, hope your evening and weekend go as well as they might.

I am sick of laundry, I am sick of having to empty wardrobes and drawers of supposed clean clothes and have to dump them through the washer. And I am not even half way through ds' room. i have my room to do yet

Half way to a clean and decluttered bathroom, 1/4 to 1/3 way through ds' room. Decluttering and serious furniture rearrangement in lounge to permit next stage of building work.

Just taking a break before I attempt to finish ds' wardrobe, bathroom and lounge prep. Batch cooking has actually been helpful to keep me going as sooo can't be arsed right now.

I have written off today. I have 'crashed'. Argh

Right, I'm pulling it back.

ta da
ordered tesco delivery
shined sink
got dressed (no small achievement since I knew I wouldn't be leaving the house)
cleared out a couple of bags (daily focus)
5 mins decluttering of dining table area and hallway (mission)

Well, that's something at least!

knitting I was just browsing the cineworld site and it seems the latest 'national theatre live' streaming thingy is the Winter's Tale. Might be worth a look

Links for Saturday 7th November!

Baby Step No.7: Laying out your clothes for tomorrow!

This is our last day in Zone 1: Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room (November 1-7).

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 1 if you want to.

If you are at this stage, here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone 1.

No mission, because it’s a Saturday :o

Saturday's daily focus is: Family Fun Day!

The habit for November is: Menu Planning!

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan.

Have a lovely weekend Fledglings :)

YAY, brilliant Fuzz I will investigate. Although funnily enough it might be the theatre that keeps ds2 listening, as he generally is quite impatient in cinemas. [maybe I'll just go by myself or bribe ds1 to come, I will have to bribe him though, but at least he likes the concept of cinema )

Party went alright, after a few glasses of wine, which I was definitely not intending to drink. Saw some dear old friends, and it wasn't quite as alarming as I feared (a bit of networking party so had possibility to be, alarming I mean) Friend is setting up a new business in a crowded field but with niche appeal.

So far my housework this evening has been confined to

eat up rest of Chinese food in the fridge leftover section
swish and swipe basin and loo I sprayed with evil chemicals earlier

Sorry to have gone AWOL. Am still enjoying the new job, but it's not leaving me much time for Mumsnetting . Hope everyone's ok. I'll attempt to catch up more at the weekend.

Hi, have only just skim read thread since I last posted so not really up to speed but Fuzzpig although finally being listened to and the professional agreeing with what you already felt sounds good.

Phone giving me trouble hence premature posting.

I've had a great week in lots of ways, although not much flying. I've now been to the new group a couple of times and a few people from the breastfeeding support group go too so it is starting to feel like a good and fun place and I've also met another couple of new mums. I feel like things are moving from into a nice stage. At first we were just harassed new mums with breastfeeding issues and then some of us carried on going after issues resolved. Then the group settled down and became very chilled and now we're welcoming new frazzled mums and we are doing more things, eg other group.

It also feels like we've just moved from being friendly mums who are supportive and get on to more like a chilled out group of friends. It has been a nice week

Somehow I can say that despite having hardly slept as Meerkitten is really suffering with teething and when she does sleep will only sleep on me

However, everyone turned up and described the same sleep deprived hell this week and I think that was part of the bonding

A line from Frasier is popping into my head, which I will misquote, but it was something along the lines of 'and they laughed the laugh of the damned' which is rather how it felt sharing and laughing at our sleep deprived misery

I felt a bit locked in during my couple of weeks in a hole and it knocked my ability to be brave with these new friendships but I feel like I've got my mojo back now

So when a nice mum suggested going to a free baby yoga taster I accepted despite having no real interest in baby yoga However, it turned out to have lots of singing, lights, games that Meerkitten loved and so I've signed up for a month at least and invited her for a cup of tea at mine afterwards as I live round the corner and invited her out for lunch at a cafe this week. So things are going well. glosses hastily over the lack of flying in any of this!

Our bedroom is in the attic and I'm listening to the rain literally hammering on to the roof, it is suddenly so autumnal. Although it is still quite mild here.

DP has started taking Meerkitten to the Park Run he used to go to regularly on a Saturday morning to give me a break blatantly to show off Meerkitten but I can't imagine it being that appealing this morning

By the way SC it may not be your cup of tea but John Lewis are selling a tree decoration this year that is a very cute multicoloured sausage dog and I think of your furry one every time I see it!

Hi Dogs! I'm SO happy to read about your group of friends, that's really great and I think it'll make a big difference in many ways :). I found all that stuff so hard (another thing I guess I can now feel a bit better about, thanks to the diagnosis :o) particularly with my first. I also found a breastfeeding group really helpful with my second baby - I started going while still pregnant, because I'd found BFing really hard with my first and wanted to prepare - and I'm very glad I did as once DS arrived I at least knew a few people and it wasn't so scary. I ended up going for a long time even though BFing became easier after the first couple of weeks, and even ended up doing a peer supporter training course which was great.

I am very sleepy today, I didn't go to sleep til gone midnight which was very silly, but it tends to happen in a bad mental health phase. As there's not as much Flying to do on a weekend, I'll try and do some other essentials, but I can't see it happening for at least another couple of hours... still need to do anything to do with the costumes. Not really feeling 'Family Fun Day' either, but that's nothing new as DH works Saturday. Might go to cinema tomorrow - they have both Inside Out and Minions on the cheap movies for juniors thing, which is surprising as neither are out on DVD until later this month, so (as I get free DVD rentals with my job) it actually feels like it's 'worth' going. And since we will be in town we will be able to pick up any bits and pieces for their costumes so we really need to plan it today!

Hi everyone, nice to see you again Dogs, you sound happier which is great. Glad you are making some new mum-friends too.

Waves to Blue - having no internet sucks! Hope it's fixed soon.

Hope the new job is still going well Toffee

Things have all come to a bit of a head here - DSs crap sleep and toddler type defiance has sort of tipped me over the edge. I don't want to go into all the very ugly details, but I went to my GP who has prescribed me antidepressants and wants to see me again in less than a week. DH and I had a long talk about some painful things that had to be said and got in the open. We're all good now.
I feel like I've struggled on ever since DS was born and coped (haha) all this time, only to crash now when it felt like I should be coming out the other side of all this baby stuff. DH said something nice: that depression is what happens when strong people have been strong for too long. I think it makes sense.

((((Grey))))

I'm really glad you've been to the GP and that they are seeing you again soon. I LOVE what your DH said, that is so true and so helpful when depression makes us feel useless or weak - when really we are not.

ta da
shined sink
got dressed this equates to 'put bra back on under yesterday's clothes'
remembered to take ADs for the first time in... erm...
put wash on
gathered rest of dirty laundry
piano (and composing)
sent a thank you message (friend sent a lovely book about chess for DCs who are going to start learning to play)

DCs are playing Harry Potter and wearing their old school uniform. They also decided to make their own packed lunch for the game, so I won't have to throw food at them myself and can pretty much be left alone. Today this makes me very happy!

I'm going to go easy on myself today. I don't want to think about work. Potentially outing myself here but basically the (as it turns out, hugely popular) event that starts today is like 'my baby' - I put a lot of thought and effort into it and I can't be there to see it happen. It's going to be a rough week :(

I have crashed and burnt out. Will be in bed for the next week. Thank goodness for a week off!

Sorry Cant :( glad you have some time off.

Still trying to get my act together today. Failing. I would like to hibernate. It's our anniversary tomorrow and we feel too tired and too snowed under with all the crap that needs doing to really celebrate.

Links for Sunday 8th November!

Baby Step No.8: The beginnings of your Control Journal! If, that is, you choose to have one. Another Marmite step, it seems.

Today we move into Zone 2: Kitchen (November 8-14).

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 2 if you want to.

If you are at this stage, here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone 2.

No mission, because it’s a Sunday :o

Sunday's daily focus is: Renew your spirit!

The habit for November is: Menu Planning!

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan.

Happy Sunday, Fledglings!