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!

[CantSee4Looking]

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to have a proper site link to it so here is the pinterest link. It is a summary sheet of the fly system.

www.pinterest.com/pin/340444053061082207/

[salixcaprea]

Afternoon all! Dag!/Salut! Hope everyone ok!

Just checking in after a short break away among beautiful green fields.

Have come back to a veritable pit of a house; although rabbit sitter has kindly done some bits of ironing. Have literally mountains of laundry to tackle. Dh and dd literally dumped cases and went off with furry one to view a sporting event with friends and I have opted to stay behind to get this place in some sort of order (and wash uniform ) before tomorrow and get some food in to fridge.

So much happening this week that I feel quite sick at the thought of getting ready for all of it: oven (ongoing saga), gas pipe fitting and fixing, big volunteer event, visitors/entertaining, Ypres ceremony, prep for brocante sale, brocante sale itself and entertaining again (different lot) on Sunday. Yargh!

Will be back later to read thread properly but in meantime:

Grey sorry to hear you are feeling so down (lack of sleep, never mind other elements, is horribly debilitating mentally and physically). Hope ads start to kick in soon and that they help a bit x

Can't chart looks v useful, will investigate the rest. Not surprised you are burnt out after virtually continuous decorating and clearing up after builders; hope you can recuperate well.

Fuzzpig happy anniversary to you and your oh and hope you can rest up a bit too!

Will check out decoration thanks Dogs! So glad to hear that your mo-jo has returned and that you have found a new friendly group of chilled out mums. Sounds good!

Knitting glad you survived funeral and party. (I spent a large part of my first few years in London standing on Clapham Junction station every day as it happens. Is 'Arding and 'Obbs still standing I wonder?)

Toffee great to see you! You are much missed on the thread! (But obviously work comes first and hope all going well!)

Good to see you Trazzle!

Big wing flaps to ¨Feetheart Whoknows Shannara Blue Ellie Honu Nicknacks Buttercup Fingersmith et al!

[fuzzpig]

Hi SC glad you got a little time away but sympathies with the resultant laundry mountain and such!

Had a lovely anniversary - went to see Minions (so romantic, I know :o) had lunch and then had to get supplies for the costumes we need to make (so much for all these deadlines disappearing when we took the DCs out of school :o) - and I got myself a ridiculously cheap glue gun, which I have no idea what to do with but I've always wanted one...

No Flying at all today (well except washing my bras ) but we have a free day tomorrow - piano lesson cancelled which means no crisis clean required and we can hopefully get some proper tidying done instead along with making the (fairly simple) costumes. And the Home Bleurgh which went well last week with the DCs helping.

[fuzzpig]

Links for Monday 9th November!

Baby Step No.9: The Room Rescue! This is one of the decluttering techniques – links for more info are within the Baby Step link if you want to read more.

We are in Zone 2 this week: 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.

Mission for Monday: Clearing off one particular shelf in the pantry/fridge. NB This week’s missions are presented differently – they are in letter form, from FlyBabies who have sent in suggestions.

Monday's daily focus is: The Home Bleurgh (a.k.a. The Home Blessing Hour).

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 great start to the week, Fledglings!

[knittingwithnettles]

funeral was today actually, went alright, tiring though. I was in your home territory Toffee, but no time to prearrange anything with you as I wasn't sure how the day would unfold (relatives). Pel Hot if that spells something to you local!!
And nice chat with my dad on way home, which was a bonus. He was reading Brooklyn because he had been to see it last night at cinema but he said his hearing aid wasn't working, and so he thought he had better find out what was actually happening by reading it. Suffice to say he fell asleep in the middle whilst reading it...

Tuition tomorrow for ds2, and school for the others..sigh..back to the grindstone for all.

Holds up garlic to protect Salix from busy week ahead.

fuzz good luck with the costumes, never wasted time spent on costumes, your children will remember them forever.

[salixcaprea]

Morning all!

So glad you and your dh had a good anniversary after all Fuzzpig! What costumes are you making if you don't mind me asking?

Clearing out a load of dd's old clothes for sale at weekend and I have lots of costumes (too small) that I made for her: rabbit, cowboy outfit, kimono + accessories, air hostess, fairy, old peasant woman (for a school play), mermaid, little red riding hood and there is also beloved Halloween witch (bought) outfit and although they will never be used again by us, they are so full of good memories (and hours of pleasurable stitching!) that I am finding it hard to let them go. What do you think fledglings, should I get rid?

Glad you survived the funeral Knitting and hope you can recover a bit today (although judging from your usual busy schedule, probably not!) And thanks for garlic, actually much needed as dd and I have woken up with sore throats and running noses! Just perfect for rtn to school today!


Ta da:
ironing school uniform
polish school shoes
make dd lunch
feed animals and wash bowls
s & s
dw emptied (and stacked a little)
wm emptied, td on
new load laundry on

To do (in no particular order):
dog walking x 1
decide about editing job (very small earnings potential!) and poss update cv and send in carefully crafted letter of application if decide to go for it
yet more on-line parcel returns
collect new card from bank
carry on with laundry
menu planning out of window because of being away, so need to start again
supermarket run and stock up on fruit and veg
think of and rustle up healthy supper (lack of oven starting to be real pita!)
more school related ironing inc gym kit
wash ballet kit
general tidy up downstairs and home bleugh
fold towels
more laundry
another dog walk x 2 (and hopefully dh, who is back, will do 3rd)
visit art shop
school run

That'll do for now!

Hope everyone has a productive start to the week!

[salixcaprea]

Oh, did I mention that dh and I had a list of 16 things to achieve in the house during half term? We managed, um, one of them ... .

Back to catch up with thread properly later on!

[Toffeewhirl]

DH wrote a long list of all the things he was going to do around the house when the DC went back to school and I started my new job, SC. He has managed just two...

Swan - funnily enough, we were in your neck of the woods on Sunday, visiting old friends for lunch, so it looks as if we swapped geographical areas for the day . If you were where I think you were, it's just 10 minutes' walk from our house!

Had a bit of a rough weekend, to be honest, although it was lovely to catch up with friends. DH is struggling with his new role and hasn't been very easy to be with. Hopefully, it's just a period of adjustment and things will settle down.

Got to do the school wake-up call now (although DS2 is awake already and hovering nearby, hoping for a quick go on the computer before school). Then off to work and the chance to step into a different world.

[fuzzpig]

One or two items are better than none SC and Toffee - I totally relate to the overambitious to do list making a fool of me, though.

Costumes are ancient Egyptian by the way. Friend gave us some old white pillowcases to turn into tunics (they'll have to wear vests and normal trousers underneath though). At Hobbycraft we got gold card, elastic etc to make headdresses. We have a few books out of the library so researching and making the costumes will be our project for the day. Along with, hopefully, some proper Flying which they can help with.

DCs ridiculously hyper this morning though. I HATE IT when they wake up like this, I am just too tired and achy to deal with it. I am cross with them and I haven't even got out of bed yet

[Fingersmithismyfavourite]

Just want to jump in re the costumes SC, I think you should keep them. I loathe holding onto things for too long, I value tidiness and the memories more than the physical objects - but thinking ahead you may have grandchildren one day who would love a dressing up box full of Mummy's old costumes...

[knittingwithnettles]

toffee dh also seems to be struggling atm, not sleeping at all well, (last night he said because I hadn't cut my toenails ) How funny you were round "here"...I must be braver next time and communicate with you!!!

Today ds2 is at tuition so I have a free day to do housework (and tomorrow and Wednesday as it happens, so I really don't need to panic - slow and steady can be the approach) but only till 2pm, and I already feel very tired from waking at 630am.

done
lots of driving, and three kids off to school
pile of laundry upstairs

not going to do Zone Kitchen today though, need to go upstairs and sort out the landing, really I do
And the bathroom needs remedial cleaning
essentially an enormous amount of laundry to deal with before anything else, mostly clean dry clothes though to put away

oh yes and meal planning will come up with a plan later

[knittingwithnettles]

fuzz marching songs? Singing can be a good way to energise and regulate [sorry pompous) I sometimes try it on ds2 when he is being fidgety.
SC don't throw away the costumes, they sound like heirlooms. Keep them for the grandchildren, please. (Or you could lend them out occasionally just to feel they weren't being wasted) I think it is different if you made them yourself - the bought ones can be passed on.

[Greymalkin]

I'm feeling awful still so just lurking for the moment.

[fuzzpig]

I might put some motivational music on later, thanks Knitting :) now that DD's had a meltdown (over a skirt ) they seem a bit more chilled, they're once again playing Harry Potter and are now making potions - I've sent them outside to collect leaves, acorns and such for it. And the bonus of them pretending to go to Hogwarts is that once again they've made their own packed lunch :o

Finding it exceedingly difficult to get going today... must get started on laundry so I feel I have enough for my first ta da list of the day.

[fuzzpig]

Hugs, Grey

These meme things came up on my FB feed this morning - I like this sort of thing rather than the cheesy motivational quote ones. Much more honest.

[fuzzpig]

ta da
put towel wash on
stripped bed
started sorting out clean clothes
checked online banking to make sure cheque cleared (it did phew)
topped up DSD's bus pass for college


Good grief it's nearly lunchtime already! How did that happen?

[fuzzpig]

Oh and I shined my sink although that just involved moving stuff out of the sink really... can't face doing the bathroom yet, it'll come around as one of the other zones. Going to do my first official room rescue, and the top shelf of both my fridge and my kitchen cupboard (which is actually a fridge that isn't switched on) and then I'll let myself play piano for a bit I think. I am really struggling to get going today and I need the incentive!

[salixcaprea]

very quick low calorie lunch break!

for Grey and and Sorry you are feeling so awful atm I hope it passes x

Thanks for advice wrt costumes Knitting and Fingersmith (is this reverse psychology I wonder? ) and at thought of gc!!

Knitting and Toffee sorry to hear your dhs are both struggling atm and

Thanks for choc croissants Toffee (thank heavens they are virtual variety!) and good luck with the week ahead! Sorry your w/e was rough: it's a huge adjustment you are all making x

Good luck with the choring Knitting! Ditto here!

Fuzzpig [[http://www.show.me.uk/editorial/1173-how-to-make-an-ancient-egyptian-bead-collar sorry couldn't resist!)

And from further down the thread:

Shannara congrats to your dd re: her wonderful singing!

Don'tbuy>"Every day is just naptime, feeding, naptime, feeding etc then it's bedtime and I'm knackered!" this is very tough indeed! Hope you are OK and good luck with decluttering!!

Whoknows congrats on decluttering 7 bags for charity shop!

Scatty hope you are doing ok too!

Big waves to anyone I've missed!

Right, had better get back to it ... .

[salixcaprea]

Oops ¨Fuzzpig rushing - let me do that link again

here

Simplified version when you scroll down!

[fuzzpig]

ta da
shined sink and tiles behind it
5 min room rescue (living room)
attempted to phone work as asked... couldn't get through
remembered tablets
cleared/arranged top shelf of fridge and cupboard (we have a lot more canned goods than I thought)

... piano time. Then lunch, then on with costume making. Thankfully DH is actually finishing at 2 as planned today, think I might head to bed when he gets home! Killer headache.

How's everyone else doing?

[knittingwithnettles]

I've moved ds1's bed out (difficult as it is wedged between bits of furniture) and am tackling under it. Exhausting process. I've stopped.
Put a wash on
now to take hoover upstairs [sigh]

sorry haven't read any up to date posts today, posting and running

[fuzzpig]

Wow SC thanks for the link! I have a feeling we may be doing that sort of craft at the event tomorrow (one of the workshops in the list mentioned jewellery) so we will just stick to the headdresses today - but if we don't make it at the event then I reckon we will after that (must add macaroni to shopping list) :o

[fuzzpig]

Xpost knitting well done for tackling the dreaded Under The Bed - reminds me of my favourite Winnie the Pooh episode from when I was little, I still have it on video! They disappear under Christopher Robin's bed and meet a monster called Crud. :o

[BlueEyeshadow]

Waves from the library... Still have no internet so rapidly discovering all the local WiFi hotspots! BT have changed their story, supposedly going to be fixed today, but I doubt it. There's so much I just can't get done without it, not to mention loss of earnings, for which they damn well owe us!

Still, we now have dining room furniture so I have been able to put away all the glass and china. I also took another couple of bags to the charity shop and have ordered a sideboard for the hallway.

[CantSee4Looking]

SC photo graph all of the costumes, make a printed album and then send them on to a home where they will be loved and used. Memories are great but there is also joy in knowing others will enjoy too. Lucky to have a nephew to send ds' old fancy dress stuff to. But would also be happy donating to a nursery or other children. Kept fancy dress stuff looks and feels a bit sad and lonely it took 6 yrs for me to come to this conclusion there are some great pictures of the costumes and I can look at those when I feel sentimental.