Flylady's fledglings spring clean your nests! March '16

[Greymalkin]

First of all, a big thank you to Fuzzpig for leading us through the February thread, (you can hung up your duster for a bit now!)

If you are struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (Something That Undermines Family Fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own unique, relaxed style) with lots of support and chat along the way.

The FlyLady link is here Don't be put off by the twee language of the site – we all agree that the underlying system is very effective.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead.

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

It's up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be swamped with her marketing and testimonial nonsense. All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat baby steps
• repeat baby steps + do 15 minutes a day decluttering in the current zone
• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.
• And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.

There are three key points to keep in mind throughout:

• No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine and many of us on this thread struggle with this one.
• You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
• It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things.

If you are new; then trying to spend 15mins decluttering daily and doing the babysteps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names!) can have scary looking ‘ta-da’ lists but don't let that worry you. Do what you can, anything is better than nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders.

Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

Don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey, we really aren’t. Some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome.

I've done:
dusting of picture frames in sleepover room
removed dead poinsetta
washed up lunch
found warm clothes for ds2 as football match spectator
found scarf for dh
reminded dd to sweep front path
decluttered a christmas present I still haven;t given DSIS which is in sleepover room, well moved it somewhere else
moved rubbish off landing and took it upstairs and dumped it on my bed.
took rubbish out from kitchen bin
took newspapers away from upstairs and recycled

lying down again
ds1 again playing violin manically..Not quite sure why he has this sudden burst of enthusiasm. Could it be a GSCE controlled asssessment???? which I am not informed of....

Thanks Knitting and Caglio much cheered by both of your lovely posts.

and

I suppose I am just frustrated that although I have been very busy all week, and downstairs is reasonably ordered and tidy (although kitchen a bit cluttery due to lack of storage but it is clean) the boudoir still looks like a bomb site and the home office is indescribably bad currently. These are both projects I have been trying to do forever. Boudoir is done on a regular basis (poss not regular enough) but never stays tidy. Home office has had very little done to it and needs total sustained focus without distractions for, I don't know, a couple of weeks perhaps?

And yes,you are right, I would far rather cook than do anything else! Although am cooking for immobile friend once a week atm (which I enjoy) so doing a bit more than usual currently. And yes I am over-conscientious with laundry and a bit anal frankly but can't seem to stop it. (I love stacking ordered piles of clean and ironed clothes in cupboard as it keeps me calm for some reason when everything else all around is rather chaotic [saddo emoticon].) And the laundry is my "kitchen sink" in Flylady terms ifyswim. No probs keeping the kitchen sink shined but if the laundry is out of kilter, then the whole house seems to go to pot. Nowt worse than wasting 10 mins trying to find a pair of black pop socks of an evening!

But deffo need to gird my loins and focus on decluttering - then I can do more of the things I enjoy without feeling guilty! It's just that I keep intending to do this week after week after week ... Need to ruddy well stop whinging and "just to it" in a Nike-esque way!

Knitting Think I am misrepresenting dh's input because when he is here he does loads - I am very lucky in that respect - and my list only appears exhausting as you have 3 x as many dc (one of whom you are homeschooling). Remember that when dd is at school or ballet or at a friend's house, I have no one else to look after or think about or be responsible for; ie it's free time just for me which you hardly ever have!

Congrats to your ds1 on his violin playing btw! And glad that you are happy that you are continuing with ds2's home schooling for now (even though it has come about because of stressful machinations with ed authorities). Hope your dd has a good time with friends tonight! And hope your car is fixed soon! That sounds like a lot of extra curric things to cope with on foot/public transport!

Caglio hats off to another home schooler! Don't know how you do it! And of course just as I splurge another long diatribe about dd on here - she has transformed herself quick as lightening back in to a lovely engaging person again - think a morning with dh has done her the world of good! She misses him a lot when he is away (although he has now gone to office to catch up with all the things he couldn't do when he was travelling) and he is much calmer around her than I am.

Hope you and your dh can profit from the time you have before he starts his new job! Good luck with all the decluttering projects!

Oh yes, just as a funny aside, very amused to see what they had on the "English" stall at the school's International Fair yesterday (each class represented a different country in terms of costume and cuisine). It basically consisted of lots of cup cakes and cheese sandwiches . DD was a bit taken aback too when she looked but told me to keep quiet and look away as not many people know she is English and she wants it to stay that way!! [She is at the age where she is desperate "to be the same" as everyone else.]

Still have done not an awful lot this morning except cook and consume egg and bacon sandwiches with HP sauce! And drink lots of coffee. Really need to start packing Easter parcels.

Thanks again both. As ever, this thread is a life-saver!

Going to declutter next week with renewed vigour!!

Enjoy your weekends everyone!

ha ha! The Irish section in Morrisons used to consist of Mikado?coconut biscuits and strong tea; also [Swiss?] Knorr packet mix for Irish stew (which I can tell you is perfectly vile when you add it to lamb and potatoes which were fine without it It does sound fun your International Fair

It was (albeit a bit exhausting)! Think that is half the prob with dd at the mo - over-tired.

[Yuck at Irish Stew mix]

But, VERY happy that there are finally other things going on at school rather than lots of tests and dry study!

Would have thought they could have managed a pot of tea on the English stall though! (If I'd known, would have happily supplied)

Right, spirits restored, you will all be relieved to see that I am turning off the screen now and instead of dithering and whinging all over this thread, I am actually going to go and do something

[Ellie I am v conscious you have come back after an absence and I am still on here whinging about exactly the same things as when you went away!! ]

To do:
help dh with overdue office bills [groan]
school uniform, ballet kit and gym kit wash
bit of ironing
re-write Easter parcel list which I can't find
prep and pack parcels to send to UK with dh tomorrow
write letter/card to cousin and aunt for dh to post in UK
change dh's bandage
accompany dh and furry one on dog walk
cook steak and salad for supper
if get time flop/family film
clothes out for church tomorrow morning and practice reading for Palm Sunday in French [help!]

early night

Hope you all manage to have a bit of r &r this weekend fledglings!

(((((SC)))))

And yes I am over-conscientious with laundry and a bit anal frankly but can't seem to stop it. (I love stacking ordered piles of clean and ironed clothes in cupboard as it keeps me calm for some reason when everything else all around is rather chaotic [saddo emoticon].)

I think you may have struck on something there. Because of how your house is, it's totally understandable that you are focusing on the one thing you can control. I am totally the same, I get hung up on one thing being totally perfect because everything else is chaos. But I'm trying to remember that it'll never change if I just keep focusing on that one thing, rather than gradually sorting everything else out IYSWIM? It's so hard. I really sympathise.

Right, we've done a couple of hours upstairs I think, although it seemed like forever so I may be overestimating! But 3 bin bags of crap have left the house and some other stuff has been rehomed - things that did have somewhere to go already, and a few 'categories' of things have been sorted into appropriate boxes, e.g. we now have a sewing box. Ze boudoir actually looks a bit better, although there's still heaps of stuff on the bed! Having a rest now but not for too long or I'll end up finishing this jar of salted caramel chocolate spread we won't get started again.

I have chuffing flown....

Ta da:-
Washing
Ironing
Putting away
Polished
Dishwasher
Home blessed (can't do it in week)
Cleaned bathrooms
Dropped ds at scouts
Entertained 2 8yr old girls
Had coffee with friend
Done nails

To do:-
Hoover
Shower
Throw stuff in bag for dp's
Pick ds up
Drive to dp
Wine

sc please do not be conscious of that...the ability to whinge freely without judgement is surely a major part of the reason we are still here after all these years. I can share whinging re dd (sure ds is a similar age). He can be quite surly at times at the moment. Sometimes he is lovely and mature and at other times he is vile.

cleaned the bathroom for dd's guests, who have started arriving

and now back in bed again..tis irrestible when dh is at a football match

Don't worry about venting on here SC - as you say, it is a safe space. Let rip!

I got a bit of a lie in this morning as DH got up with DS. I feel somewhat restored.

Ta Da
Stripped and remade our bed
Washing on
Dishwasher on
Chivvied DH to sort through his mountain of clothes that he never wears, I can now see our beautiful antique chair in the corner of our room again!
Over half have the clothes have been earmarked for charity shop, thank goodness.
'Vacuum packed' all the clothes DH wants to keep to slim back into. Said vacuum packs are now under the bed

We also went out to a local food festival, which was a bit disappointing, hardly anything food related there! It was mostly craft and gift stalls. But it was nice to be out as a family.

SC I think we all have a 'thing' that we are anal about, mine is the kitchen floor. I feel out of kilter if I haven't cleaned it. Sometimes, I admit, to the detriment of other things.

Well, I have wasted a full day being hungover. How pathetic is that? I was so poorly I didn't get up until 4pm. I can't even remember the last time that happened. Ridiculous.

Ta da
Mop floor.
Tidy kitchen.
Pop to M&S for a Meal Deal, can't even be bothered cooking.
Chickens.
Put back green bins.
Washing.
Made up spare bed for DBIL who is staying over.

How old is your DD btw?

More tidying done. It's very slow work for me as I'm quite achy but I'm just doing a tiny bit and then resting. On our 4th bin bag now and I brought down a large tote bag of stuff to put away downstairs - not all in their forever homes but good enough for now. Taking the laptop upstairs to carry on in front of a DVD. Want to also put all our clothes away once we've cleared the bed, DCs did theirs earlier.

Thank you everyone, you are all so lovely

Have done about half my list which means tomorrow will be manic but I'm too tired to do more tonight. (School starts are earlier and earlier what with traffic probs, closed tunnels, security alerts etc. Week day alarms are set for 5.50 am now [groan]) and it is energy-sapping. So nice to chill out now with forbidden and dh has rugby on the telly. DD was so tired today that she never even got out of her pjs and when invited out by a friend, she declined the invitation . She did a bit of hwk though. Dh also shattered. Think everyone just needed to flop today tbh.

Glad you got a bit of much needed rest too Grey and many congrats on the clothes decluttering.

Great going at your end with the decluttering too Caglio (but stop now and rest if you are achey). Very exciting about sewing box - I love that sort of storage and have about five of them.

Caglio and Needastrongone YY to over-focusing on a few things, leaving other things to get out of control. (Wasn't it Freud who said the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome?) Need to spread my focus obviously;

[Serves fizzy painkiller in glass to ¨Needastrongone] Hope you are feeling much better now! Everyone needs to break out and let go from time to time! and congrats on list accomplished when in pain.

Thanks for pre-teen solidarity Ellie and wow - what a fab list - well chuffing done! You strike me as someone who always manages a really balanced spread of tasks (of working v hard but fitting in pleasant socialising things too) if you don't mind me saying so. I suspect you are v focused when it comes to choring .

Knitting I like your style! I must remember to retire to my boudoir next time dd has friends over! Enjoy!

Needastrongone dd is 12 yrs (thirteen in summer). Tis a difficult age [sigh]

Big waves to everyone else! Mahoosive church day tomorrow so going to crash early tonight! G'night all and thanks again x

DD is nearly 15. I absolutely promise that she was far far harder work at 12. Moody, sensitive, angry, unreasonable. She's a joy now. It's all the hormones and changes I think.

Blissful to hear that Need thank you !! It's not easy for them or us is it?

Flightplan for Sunday 20th March

We are moving into Zone 4: The Boudoir

No missions as it is the weekend.

Our next baby step is to Including laundry in your morning and evening routines “A load a day keeps Mt. Washmore away!!”

Habit of the month is getting dressed to your shoes. A tad controversial on here, some do, some don’t… (I certainly don't)

The focus for Sundays is to Renew your spirit

Good evening!

We had a great time at the Science Fair today, even if it was a shorter stay than we expected due to the hideous traffic getting there. Have to plan to lean on the doors when they open if we go again.

She is out at a friend's tonight (her first time away from us) so I am hoping she stays all night - she was certainly looking forward to it and they are having a fantastic time so far! It seems very quiet without her though.

No flying at all today. Not even in the free time I've had, bwahahah! We are both shattered after a busy day, I hope DD is so she falls asleep easily. She can find sleep optional ...

Ah sorry SC it's not a proper fancy sewing box - it's literally just a box. :o A nice cardboard one though. It's just got all the various thread etc bunged into it. Need to find a massive box to put all the fabric into - DD was given a box of scraps, and I'm also saving any clothes/sheets etc that would be chucked, as unbeknownst to her she is getting a sewing machine for her birthday! She loves making clothes. Need to practise sewing by hand first though, she's not 9 until late June so we have a while.

Carried on with the decluttering a little last night. Got the 4th bin bag ready to take out and we put our clothes away too. Non-tumble-dryable washing is airing.

Want to move the big Trofast unit up to our room today - it's annoying that most of the DCs' toys are in our room but there's nowhere else for them to go as their room is so tiny (we did consider swapping rooms, but our bed wouldn't even fit in there!). Not sure what else we will do though. A lot hopefully. Don't worry I am taking it relatively easy physically - DH is doing all the lifting etc while I boss him about make the decisions! :o

I'm all out of kilter - DH so rarely has a Saturday off that I kept thinking yesterday was Sunday!

Can't decide whether to take Ds to yet another children's party - or renew my spirit today! Can't see how I can do both!

Hmm, depends if DS is going to be upset (stroppy!) if you don't? Is he old enough to be left there or do you have to stay? TBH I'm not the best person to advise as we tended to not bother with many parties while the DCs were at school

So far DH has moved two bits of furniture - the second Trofast with toys in, and a small cupboard that was inside our wardrobe, which now has books organised into it. Printer and library books have moved to better places which makes two more shelves for our board games downstairs. Craft/art drawers have moved as well which makes the space slightly better. Having lunch and a rest now to hopefully get some more energy for later.

[knackered]

Bit stuck as to what to do next! We've done LOADS though and I'm very pleased. But we're once again at the stage where the bed is covered in random crap and I have no idea where to put it...

Well done Cag, you've got though loads.

I had written off today, but DD and me got back from our travels sooner. Plus DH had done loads in the house too, which is appreciated. To I have a 'ta da' list when I did expect to.

ta da
Dogs walked x 2
Chickens.
Washing x 2.
Sort drying.
Tidying up in the garden.
Mop kitchen floor.
Cook tea.
Empty dishwasher.
Fill a charity bag full of clothes from the bedroom.
Wipe kitchen surfaces.
Empty out the car.

to do
Menu plan.

Sorry, I didn't check that post for errors.

[Also knackered]

Well done Cag and Needastrongone!

Ta da:
animals
7 am dog walk with dh via bakery
breakfast
emptied and filled dw
hung up uniform, gym kit, ballet kit to dry
hung up 2 other loads of washing to dry (grey wash and sock wash)
rousted dd out of bed
encouraged everyone to shower and gussy up
church (a long one) 10.30 am to 12.30 am (returned with beautifully plaited palm crosses) and got away with just reading a bidding prayer in the end (phew)
cooked and served lunch
dog walk 2 after lunch
finished packing 5 Easter parcels for various family members and godchildren in UK
packed up 3 on-line return parcels
wrote 2 Easter cards
finished letter to Aunt and cousin
stacked all of above in car for dh to take to UK this evening and post tomorrow
hwk supervision
made sandwiches for dh and helped him pack [sigh] and waved him off

DD and I are not planning to do a lot tonight save for a light supper, quick dog walk and bed. She has been very tired all afternoon and she has a slight temperature which might explain all the grumpiness she has displayed this weekend; so we'll see how she is in the morning.

I will need a bit of time for home bleugh and laundry + ironing and dog-walking tomorrow but plan to do a bit of decluttering in home office and have a much more focused decluttering attempt on Tues.

G'night all!

Hope you enjoyed your child-free time Fizrim and weren't too worried!

Cag well any sort of box for sewing things is better than nowt! Great that you will be teaching your dd to sew. I started teaching dd at about the same age and did a few hours after lunch every Sunday. Apologies if I have already mentioned this but we followed the following book which you can buy second-hand from Amazon or elsewhere called "My Learn to Sew Book" by Janet Barber and Belinda Lyon (published in 1971). It is rather old-fashioned (but can be adapted to modern tastes) and is excellent in that every project covers a basic technique so you learn as you go without really knowing it ifyswim! By the end you have every necessary technique covered! The majority of projects involve hand sewing techniques, but there is a little bit at the back about sewing by machine, learning to measure yourself for clothes and starting to follow a sewing pattern and there are a few simple simple patterns for separates etc (basic skirt and top). Highly recommended!

Hope you managed to get a little time for yourself today Midlife!