February Fledglings Fluttering and Flying! It's the awesomely alliterative Flylady Fred.

[fuzzpig]

2016 is truly underway and maybe the New Year Resolutions have been forgotten please say it's not just me - never mind, it's a new month and a new start beckons.

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 to enjoy life!

This is where, from the first of the month, 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!

and/or

• Reinforce Baby Steps + do Daily Missions which introduce specific things to work on.

There are also detailed cleaning guides if you’re really crazy 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!

Be glad it is just dress up for book day. We have to have costumes for a specific theme. Ds is spitting feathers about it.

Sorry, would anyone mind doing the links for a couple of days please? In a bad way (pain wise)

I think it was Einstein who offered a while back, sorry my memory is useless

I'll do the links if I can help? Sorry to hear that the pain is bad ATM, it takes all your energy just to get through the day when it is so don't worry about the thread. We'll keep going regardless of links!

Right, I am going to do the links. First I will conquer the thread, then the world. Last of all, the house. I will return later ...

Evening all, here are the links for Wednesday 24th February!

This month’s habit is decluttering

We are in Zone 4, the Master Bedroom

Today’s Baby Step: No 24, swishing and swiping your bathroom

Today’s Mission: declutter the bottom of your wardrobe

Wednesday’s Daily Focus is antiprocrastination day

Let's be careful out there (HillStreetBlues)

Stands in line and salutes Fizrim

Sorry to hear you are suffering Fuzzpig take it steady

Thanks Fizrim I did offer to do the links if needed and have then been shit about checking the thread. My only excuse is knitting podcasts and a deadline for a birthday present I am making so my poor little fingers have been working over time.

Ds is off school today. He is having a tough time and has then got some virus type thing too. Got to drag him out to run some errands this afternoon. He is reluctant to say the least Hopefully normal service will return next month we are nearly in March .

Chicken, I owe you a pm I had forgotten sorry. Will try to do when I eventually get home from various late meetings tonight.

Big waves to Einstein (chicken? It would be mega lovely to hear from you - but think it might be someone else on thread? )

Hope your ds feels much better soon!

Are you feeling terribly satisfied having fulfilled a week's worth of crafting? How have the projects gone?

Fuzzpig I still haven't caught up with thread (trying to stay away from screens currently) but I neglected to ask about your dh and his job situation? Hope there are a few opportunities opening up.

[Warning mahoosive angry rant follows - pls feel free to ignore!]
I'm in a grump. My back is still playing up. I've still got gynae issues and to cap it Mon and yesterday, I've had a migraine behind one eye (a puking one). (Sorry for the list of long boring illnesses again.) I feel terrible because dh is so busy and has had to bear the brunt but equally, I just don't feel terribly well.

Managed (straight from bed) to do a few hrs volunteering this morning but now I've shuffled back and done a few chores I feel even worse and rather . Dh has left kitchen sink and stove and kitchen bin in an awful state (treble yuck). DD hasn't even done the basics like carry her lunch box to sink (never mind wash it). Sink in laundry room (which takes brunt of rabbit activity) is full of straw and worse ... . They haven't bothered to change kitchen sink sponge and J-cloth or kitchen towel or tea towel or get new kitchen roll (because that would involve going downstairs to basement of course which is "too much trouble"). There is granulated sugar stuck all over the draining board. The washing up is stacked up (we have a dw). There is paper and biscuit wrappers on the floor all around dd's desk. Shoes and coats all over the place. Someone has just chucked two empty loo rolls on the floor of the cloakroom without putting them in the bin or in the recycling. Had to cancel fortightly ironing lady this morning because they couldn't be bothered to put a couple of loads of essential washing through the machines for her to do as I'd asked. They haven't bothered to put the appropriate coloured bags in recycling stackers so stuff has gone in uncontained - it will all need cleaning out - a totally unnecessary job and not easy with bad back. Dogs' bowls haven't been washed.

It's ballet tonight and the kit hasn't been washed ...when I asked dd about it she just shrugged her shoulders and said "it's not my fault" as if it had nothing to do with her .

I could go on... .

Fhs, when my mother was ill (a rare event it has to be said) by the age of 12yrs I could make a good stab at most of the family cooking and washing and the cleaning with a little help. DD has lots of homework but AIBU to expect just a little initiative from her? Actually, scrap initiiative, just following the instructions given would have been good.

Harrumph and harrumph again.

Sorry for rant. All of the above happened (or didn't happen) in two days. Unbelievable! [anger] Feel like getting on a train to the UK, getting a full time job and leaving them to it!

Must post something positive: it's a beautiful day here - sunny and warm !!

Nope it was definitely you SC but it was from prior to Christmas and I think possibly end of October Have been seriously crap recently.

Don't give it another thought Einstein! And don't be so hard on yourself either !! (My memory is foggy anyway (to put it mildly!) nowadays !!)

SC I'm so sorry, it sounds awful. Well done for struggling to the volunteering. If dd's ballet kit isn't washed, it is not the end of the world, likewise mess everywhere will melt away once you are on your feet again. It is ALWAYS like that here. It gets me down. But I am now trying to be patient with a capital P. 4 years time it will be less bad. won't it?
Dh has disposed of lots of videos and two old television sets. I cannot believe my luck. Okay I still have to actually take them to the dump but I feel like the weight of several years hoarding and but what if we want to watch Citizen Kane (found to be irredemably blurry) lifted from my shoulders. Dh is the one who wants to keep them but I have found myself sucked in too.

However, now feel incredibly mentally drained by the video saga It is hard to stop hoarding isn't it??? I made the mistake at looking at some fo the video titles and attempting to retrieve them.

Our bedroom is a bit tidier. I hoovered up some more moths

Dd enjoyed ski-ing.
Ds2 still enjoying school.

House utter tip really. Feel still resentful of dh for some unknown reason (he has just tidied kitchen for me) I think it is lack of holiday over half term and hearing my sister's adventures in Malta.

Beautiful day here too. Ds2 making his own way home and I have to take dd to new Spanish tutor so I suppose things are chugging along.

Gentle hugs (( SC )). Is it worth taking photos of the mess to try and get DH and DD to actually see it? It sounds like they don't at the moment.

Thank you both

Sorry for ranting

I feel a bit better now having dropped dd off at ballet and hobbled around the park with the furry one. Think spring is on its way!

It's just the unnecessary-ness (is that a word?) of it that gets to me. If each of them just picked up after themselves - even for just 10 mins a day - life would be so much easier ... . This house is a bit of a bugger and you have to be really on top of your game to kick it in to shape.

I'll think about the photo idea thank you Blue! How did your across-the-channel jaunt go? Are you starting to feel "at home" in your new area?

Knitting very well done re the video de-cluttering!! . Ours are in the roof somewhere. (Clanger and Bagpuss originals among them. Don't think I could bring myself but need to really.) And huge sympathies over lack of half term holiday (think this is getting me down too) although my daily grind is not half as grinding as yours! V good to hear that 2/3 of dc happy too! How is ds1 and exam situation going?

Forget to post another huge positive! DD and her class went away for the weekend to a retreat centre: Mass, cake baking, getting-to-know-one-another circles, jewellery making workshop, singing, hiking etc and she came back radiating happiness and enthusiasm - phew!! Think she is finally starting to settle in at school so I shouldn't be ranting about chores really and should be grateful that the important things are going well!!

Now she just needs to get her head stuck in her books wrt Easter exams and do a little better in the academic dept!

The fridge is bare (no shopping done - sigh) so must go now and attempt to conjure up something interesting with frozen lamb chops ... .

*LINKIES**

Tomo is chore day

The babystep is here

The missions are hiding here

The launch pad

Rant away, SC - better than stewing over it I think. It is frustrating when no-one does what seems like the obvious stuff.

I seem to have a run of tasks that are taking me out of the house for a few hours every day - still, will crack on when I am there. We had a busy half-term and I think a few more rest days would have been good!

Onwards and upwards ...

Errrr sheepish look around to check no-one is here whilst I sneak in. Full of grand promises me about staying with the thread and then sloping off into the wilderness like i don't care. Well I do. My return is prompted because you guys were so supportive and awesome during the last two years that I needed to share with you the fact that....drum roll please.....

I am moving out of my mum's in 9 days time!!!!!

Finally...after moving here for two months nearly two years ago. I am just renting but have found a lovely 3 storey townhouse type thing in a lovely village and move in next Friday. I am so excited. I have managed to cobble together furniture through my amazing friends and family and will doubtless find I am missing essential stuff but I care not (for thise who don't know me...I walked away from family hone when split with xh. I left with nothing re furniture etc and am starting all over again like a teenager...at 38). Van is booked, DP has day off work and we are doing this. I cannot wait for the dc's and I to be on our own...just us (and dp sometimes).

I truly mean it when i say i couldn't have got through some of the tough times with the support from you guys. But i have properly come out of the other side. Job i love, man i love and now house i love. Life is good.

On a flying note, i haven't really been able to feel like i was in charge of my home for the last two years so maybe that is why posting has been intermittent (plus mum has a cleaner). But I will have very soon and think I will have to get back into the flylady ways in order to keep on top of things. But we all know how good I am at keeping these promises so we shall see.

Just wanted to share that with you, for thise of you that know me and for those of you that are new, after 7? Years on this thread, that is why i keep coming back.

Oooohhh Good morning Ellie!! How exciting!!

(You know I can be relied upon to be here, ranting away as usual )

Just checking in here this morning to post my boring 'to do' list for the day and it is so lovely to see your post which has made my day and I know will give other fledglings a filip too!

Many, many congratulations on your impending house move!! I'm so happy for you!! Unlike some of us ie me you always coming on here upbeat and stalwart through whatever life throws at you!! It's great that the future is looking bright once more!! Your new home sounds absolutely lovely and I hope you and the dcs (and, intermittently, he of the shiny boots ad buttons) will be very, very happy there! Good luck with the move [tea] and a case load of for when you have finished shifting the furniture

And a bunch of flowers for your lovely ma because I am sure she is going to miss you too!

Thanks Fizrim you have hit the nail on the head there - that's it exactly - having to repeat and explain the obvious!! Take it steady!

Ta da:
animals
dd's packed lunch
morning routine including dw, wm, td
sent text to friend who is going in for an op today

To do:
sort laundry carefully (ie without rucking back)
keep feeding washing machines throughout day
dining room table hot spots
yet more admin to do with life insurance, guardianship, wills, health insurance, dog insurance ... it goes on ...
supermarket if back holds out
cook: big veggie soup thing and fish pie
as many dog walks as spine will allow!
thorough tidy of bathroom prior to cleaning tomorrow
ditto play room and sitting room
find horse and tennis bag from half term and unpack and wash contents
polish jodphur boots for weekend
10 mins in boudoir to keep it reasonable
put clean clothes away
clear home office desk which looks like a bomb has hit it
dh shirts to laundry
draw weight loss graph
body decluttering!!!

That should do it for today!

Still haven't caught up properly with thread but had better get on as it is past 8 am here but Waves again to Ellie Honu Blue Fuzzpig Fizrim Einstein Whoknows Nicknacks Shannara Scatty Greymalkin Dogsbum Lauren Feetheart Lili Justaname Akire Allguns Mercury Sairelou Annarose Passport and many others I have inevitably missed!

Have a good one everybody!!

To do:
sort rubbish and recycling

Done first hour of cleaning and my back is already playing up.

This is not looking good.

Honestly SC, I'd rest your back before it gets any worse. Get in a comfy position with a pen and paper (or electronic device if you prefer) and map out a bit of a devolution plan for the chores.

I'm about to go out again, will load the washing machine before I go and hopefully be back by about lunchtime. I am off to retrieve a missing item!

briefly popping back to say thank you for the links and congratulations to ellie and to tell SC to REST!

Thanks Fuzzpig and Fizrim (hope you are both taking it steady too!)

I have been resting (in effect) because I was in bed on Mon & Tues.

Lying about isn't good for backs, but I don't seem to be able to walk about for very long either atm! (It keeps tightening up.) Next stop the docs I think ... .

Thanks all though

Meant to say I was in bed with migraine Mon & Tues - not just sleeping, honest!

Just take it easy SC.

So someone tried to break into the house last night and managed to break the lock. So there are people here and chaos dealing with that. It looks like the house is going to end up looking like fort Knox

Ds put his usual fight up about school. We have descended into him swearing at me and me being sarcastically stubborn as our morning routine.

ta da
speak to my sister
drink too much coffee
1st load washing on
frank discussion with mum.
deal with stinky training kit

to do
lots of laundry
parent teacher evening (what fresh hell is this?)
work on birthday present
empty car
clean car
make birthday cake for nephew
Pop to shops to run errands