October Fledgling thread 2016: where we fluff up our feathers and fall back in to autumnal Flying routines

[Strikingclock]

Welcome to the October 2016 Fledgling Flying thread!

Come and park your broomsticks mops and buckets here!

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 , here, 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 bursts of activity (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!

*

Tomorrow's baby-step no 12, for Wednesday 12th Oct is here.

Step 12 reminds us not to try and do too much at once or we will crash and burn!

Second bit = deleting Flylady e-mails (she sends out huge numbers of them). One you can safely ignore if you haven't signed up for them!

Newcomers - here is the launch pad from which you can navigate the site:
www.flylady.net/c/lp.php .

We are in Zone 3 all this week (the main bathroom plus one extra room 9th-15th inclusive) here.

Either declutter for 15 minutes in this zone, or, if there is no clutter left, do some detailed cleaning.

The misson for Wednesday can be found here. For the bathroom: wash rugs, shower curtains and accessories. In the guest or 'other' room = dust cobwebs from corners of ceiling.

The daily focus for Wednesday is: anti-procrastination. If you've been sticking your head in the sand about something, procrastinate no longer!

The habit for October is getting rid of paper clutter,
here: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/october/.
(Scroll down for detailed explanation.)

The daily flight plan here: www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120 will update itself (hopefully) and if you click on it tomorrow will provide a quick summary of the above.

Small steps everybody! We can do it!

G'night all!

Achieved absolutely zip all this week so far. Home ed activities a plenty though so that's good.

Hello all! Have been away, so home is in dire need of some attention.

To do:
Bathroom : tackle drawer one in the cupboard of doom and swish and swipe.
Dust and hoover everywhere.
Do all the washing (at least another 2 loads needed).
Speaking of which: my laundry basket is in the bathroom. It's an Ikea material one, I noticed mold on the bottom. How do I prevent this? I have tiles in the bathroom, it has a fan etc, but condensation gets trapped under it. What do I do?

fencing I'm probably not the best person to give advice on such things but what about keeping the window cracked open? That's what we do. And we keep our laundry basket in our bedroom - is that an option? (Sorry that's probably a bit of a stupid suggestion that you've already thought of!)

Morning everyone! Drum roll please...ds only woke up ONCE last night and fed and went immediately back into his Moses basket. I have just fed him and he's fallen back to sleep so I'm having a coffee in bed before dd wakes up shortly. I know it'll be a total fluke and I'm definitely not expecting it to happen again any time soon but my goodness do I feel well rested!!

I also am seeking your advice and opinions on the fascinating subject of towels. Our towels have all gone crunchy and I mean seriously rock hard crunchy. I don't know if this is because they are quite cheap towels and are quite old or because I'm washing them wrong. I'm going to get new ones but where should I get them from and what sort of price range? And I don't want to wash them a few times and them to crunchy straight away! Any of you wise ladies got any towel advice for me?!

Never had and issue with crunchy towels, I've heard of this phenomenon though and fully expecting mine to go any day now...I even have some second hand ones that ex mil gave me before I got married and they were old ones then, that was 15 years ago. However I do wash with softener and tumble dry them.

Yes maybe tumble drying is the answer but I don't have a tumble dryer unfortunately! I do use fabric softener though but it's a sainsburys own one maybe I need a more expensive one not sure!

Crunchy towels are the best! I don't like them when they have gone all soft after a couple of uses. Sorry, that's not much help!

Ah so much going on on this thread!
Waves to everyone!!
Yesterday I managed to sell a pack of outgrown phonics books- so one item out the door.
On the other hand our recycling bin went out for collection yesterday and never came back - despite having our door number on it in white paint. Had a quick look round the street but can't see it anywhere. Do I wait two weeks to see if it resurfaces at next collection - or do I call council for a new one today?
As usual I haven't had time for proper flying. I did a hotspot in the kitchen and the dining room table. I spent 7 minutes on clearing the dining room table- but 24 hours later it was back to being as bad and needed another 7 minutes. I don't see how I can progress past this point.
Also - I'm wondering about the idea that once clutter is gone you do detailed cleaning. Is decluttering ever finished???
And has fly lady ever considered those other places - the loft....the shed....
Sorry for brain dump!!
Have a good day everyone

Morning all

I am still pregnant! And grumpy!

Had loads to do out of the house yesterday so did next to nothing around the house so now it all needs doing today. Happy days.

Hello! And sorry, just diving in to have a quick whimper, so haven't quite caught up with posts ....

and to Afreshstart

BBL to post links and catch up with everyone! Have a good day!

Your dog would drive me insane SC! I find 3 year old dds stalking bad enough

sc eyes,legs fingers etc crossed on flying without back snapping, not an easy task as mine is also temperamental!!(sighs)

afresh bless you.pineapple got me going with dd2-could be coincidence, but as I liked it?!hoping stork passes by very very soon

I now have D's and lil zoo under s fluffy blankie with the bad throat from hell(thanks for sharing dd2)they HAVE go in tomorrow as funeral,so hoping a rest day will power them thru rest week as lil zoo ment be going Harry potter studio Fri on school trip and D's has make do n mend fashion show and teadance for parents to attend after lunch fri as part ww2 topic and he's been practising his dance steps with meamazing he still has toes as my feet keep squashing his

Yesterday I impersonated chicken with headcut off flapping around.mil house noe empty(last tip run complete)just quick check for mail sat n pop keys thru door sun!!
Mountain paperwork tackled for dp regarding mil-bills rolling in fir amenities and over paid pension funds-we have try n find money to apply probate from some where and with the cute obedient zoolets poorly,chances selling them on eBay are dashed,dd2would require refund
(Have make light things or will crack)
In other news gp rang regarding iron levels(drum roll)they are best ever been!!!11 with12 be normal. That was a shocker for us both,and he then point out not aneamia triggering probs...as major heart issues in family I be refer chest pain fast track clinic fir s treadmill test as resting ECG fine.

Finally good news.last night 2ndry school visit showed us "" the one""we can now apply (have til 31st,but have viewed all poss options)2nd choice wed be OK with,but fingers crossed people!!
celeste"hope you get your first choice for you lil man too

foxeswell done !!accept it as fluke and if repeat its not only a bonus,but take the credit your milks rich and good!!

Tadas
Fed cats
Attempt tempt poorly zoolets(restrained dd2 eating half left offerings as she powers back up)
Trip shop for icepoles,appropriate milks and milkshake mix
Remembers man coming fix shoe and panic ckeand bathroom
-wipe bath n sink
-wipe skirts
-wipe radiator
-clean windows and sill
-tidy drawers of zoolets ablution itemsso they shut
-clean all tiling and shower unit
-wash floor

And breathe(literally abetting out of breath and chest pain on exertion)

Washing on

Funerals tom,so have get place In order as sil is very particular and all but dry heaves amongst our clutter and as mil house lacks any furniture she's plan join us around midorning n stay til late(gulps and grabs duster)

Will be in and out posting during neccesary rest breaks
Cheery wing flaps!!

Good housekeeping suggest a cup ammonia,nothing else,added to towel in a hoy wash if you live in hard water area.don't overfill machine or add too much detergent?
((Such techno dino I can't link,sorry))

Don't overfill machine

Drum roll!!!!!

Pls forgive me a small moment of total amazement!!

I have finished the main floors

And the bank bloke has texted to ask if he can come an hour early and I was able to say "yes, fine!!"

In the past - this amount of housework and tidying would have taken me hours and hours - could it be that I've reached the point where the Flylady system is actually working here?????

Still have roof and basement to blitz a bit not really possible to make them look good but, believe me, this is the first substantial Flying triumph I have had since starting this thread with PA and Einstein and a few other reprobates back goodness knows when!!

Newcomers: take note - if the system works for me in this (still quite cluttered), old, unrenovated house, - then it truly can work for anyone!! So don't give up!!

Afreshstart believe it or not, given his other problems, I'm just relieved he's not following and humping me at the same time

Better get moving again, bbl to respond to more personals ....

Yay! He's been and gone and the deed is done (as it were!)

Thanks Stillliving!! It's taken literally years and years of plodding away very very slowly! Still loads and loads of decluttering to be done though!

Goes in search of supplies for tonight ... .

Oh well done SC! I do feel like I'm making headway here too. Still tons to do, but the main floor is definitely now more manageable! Hope the bank guy gives you all the good news you need x
So I am utterly convinced that I have an appointment tonight, but have literally no idea at all what it might be. I don't have anything in my diary... But I am absolutely certain that I am supposed to be somewhere. Tonight. I think at 6.30. I'm going to have to go through my emails and rack my brains some more... I feel as though I am about to drop a ball!!
Anyhoo...
To do:
Dishwasher unload/ load
Laundry
Bank (bailed yesterday)
School work
Marking
Recycling (kids to do after school...)
Figure out what to do w leftover turkey for dinner
15 mins bathroom
15 mins paper declutter

My dogs totally ignore me sc - if I walk past the bed, one might crack a single eyelid to make sure there is no food or walk on offer, but that's it. Thankfully they are extremely placid during the day. I could absolutely be a dog if someone else was to take over the rest of my life and leave me to lie around and sleep all day...

Fresh, still no baba? Sorry if I jinxed you with my two weeks post-bloody show story! At least you know it will be soon! We were on holiday and I was convinced I was going to have the baby at any second (we were only about 4 hours from home) probably on Christmas Day. In the end my waters went at 6am on New Year's Day and I spent the most boring day on the labour ward watching parades on tv and wondering if any actual staff were on duty. The obstetrician eventually rolled by in the evening in his holiday clothes. I had no idea who he was until he came back in his scrubs later ds actually just wanted to be the first baby born in the new year at that hospital, and he managed it by about two minutes. they put us on the local news (new year's baby story) so all my friends were like 'oh! Pont had a little boy!' It was a blooming long wait though - I feel for you, but you are soooooo clooooose! Good luck, good luck!

Great birth story pont

sc I have a nice tidy(but in need decorating,) bathroom, the one place in house I can poke head in without terror!!I can see dents in some roomsjust not boudior

I was ment to clean all pm but felt ti exhaust so lay down fir a nap as I didn't have collect Zoolets. Woke up 3hour later,dd2home and doing homework online

I shall now attempt to pick up cleaning again as I now have a volunteer victim to help me.she has tomorrow off for funeral and as she's been given all day off to spent time her cousin while dp and sil spend time tog she owes me