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!

zoo I'm the same I always turn to sugar when I need something to keep me going but it has the opposite effect, doesn't stop me though! I've been trying this week to make sure I eat plenty of healthier snacks like toast or bananas or cheese. I do feel a bit better for it I think despite the major lack of sleep. Unfortunately it went out of the window yesterday as dh bought me a huge chocolate bar home ! Ah well. Next week more diet decluttering! It is the weekend after all. Sorry you're feeling down today and hope your dd feels better soon.

Ta das
Dishwasher loaded unloaded
Spare room / bedroom measured up for new carpets
Laundry hung up and more on
Bedrooms bathroom living room room rescue
Cleaned downstairs toilet
Chucked a load of rubbish away
Picked up dds new mattress and duvet cover
Picked up a few groceries

To do
Finish online food shop

Don't think I'm going to do much more today I'm feeling too tired. Still not done much with the kitchen decluttering but never mind. It'll wait! And dh is doing dinner tonight cos I just can't be bothered.

Been feeding ds as much as possible today so we'll see what he is like tonight. He has been quite content today though and think he is very close to full on smiling at us!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Ah first smiles(goes all soft and nostalgic!!)
Dd2-muuum
Me-hmmm
Dd2-erm.are you,I mean is the washing machine empty?
Me-i might do the uniforms in a bit why?
Dd2-erm.I thought might bring down some light/white washing
Me-not sure I got a full load to add a few bits to
Dd2-well I kinda have quite a bit in my room
Me-you have laundry in your room(feigns sarcastic surprise)
Dd2-well laundry fairies haven't passed by in a while
Me-they on strike due to lack support by even putting it into sorted bags or bringing it downstairs
Dd2-ok,OK,I get it. Can you please help me wash some drawers now,points been made
Me-is this a I'm sorry mum for not be responsible for helping with my mess/laundry
Dd2-if I say yeh will you help me,spesh is I say I love you oodles n oodles
Me-go n get it then yet daft goose
Dd2-yay!!!(returns very quickly with all undergarments plus school shirts and few other white bits, enough a full load as I happen to know she has over 21pairs undergarments)

I smell not only victory,but satisfaction that I didn't break and sift thru it all,returning it drawers after tumble dry n folding

She has agreed to sort rest (with assisted supervision) tomorrow and get it done
RESULT

Skips,not slips!!doh

Zoo and [medal] for holding the line!

Hope you have a better night tonight Foxes

As for carb/sugar loading I do the same thing but without the excuse of tiredness.

Well done re: the running Toostressy

Good you have the td functioning in time for autumn Cotswold

Ta da cont'd/...:
post office run done
triage washing partic dh shirts done
clear dining room table hot spots done
clean kitchen done
hoover, dust and tidy entire house (fortunately still looking fairly ok from valuation) done
clean bathroom + all lavs and wash basins done
paper decluttering done 15 mins only
prep supper for tonight (having cod, mash and peas) done
more laundry done

Also:
carried ironed laundry upstairs and put away
bought Euromillions ticket and national lottery ticket
and collected dd from school who made it through the day but appears to have flu
rabbits again

Cheers Cotswold

[could certainly do with a snifter tonight]

Teaching day on Mon and dh away, so was planning a one-on-one long weekend with dd, various outings etc but as she has flu, looks like we will be confined to barracks which is a bit of a bummer, but on the other hand, at least she has time to recover without missing school work I guess.

Bottoms up everyone!

Ta da:

Litterbox emptied and cleaned.
Cat fed.
Rubbish taken out.

*

Tomorrow's baby-step no 8 , for Sat 8th Oct is the one about writing your established routines down and putting them in a ring binder blah blah to start off your control journal. Ignore if you want!

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

Tomorrow is our last day in Zone 2 (the kitchen) : here.

I personally don't do zone work at weekends but for those that do - either declutter for 15 mins or, if you have already decluttered, do some detailed cleaning!.

This is how the rest of the zones will pan out this month: here so we will be in the bathroom + one extra room next week.

No missions because it is the weekend! Yay!

The daily focus for Saturday is: family fun.

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.

Have as good a weekend as possible everyone! And I hope those of you who are sleep deprived can catch up on a bit of shut eye!

**

Foxes my dh is away this weekend and I know yours is working. Fancy swapping two cuddly infants for a stroppy 13 yr old who sleeps through the night and well in to the following morning?

G'night all!

SC oh I'd definitely swap for a day I'd catch up on sleep and then swap back as soon as stroppy teen is awake and being stroppy again . I have to warn you though that whilst my baby ds is definitely very cuddly , my 2.5 yo is more like a stroppy teen herself these days! She will only cuddle me in return for peppa pig or chocolate.

Hope everyone has restful weekends.

YY to definite similarities between teens and toddlers!!

Full on bribery calm persuasion is the way to go imo

Hope you sleep well!

scbribery does not exist in the zoo house....merely incentives

Took zoolets choir.dd2sat miserably in corner as I help with crowd control.the adult choir came to join fir 30mins as bishops leading service next sun as dd2being confirmed (proud mum moment)
Lil ones had snack before bed,dd2had her ritual bowl homemade soup before stumbling up to her pit...
I am in bed about to read as seems really chilly here and I don't want put fire on just for me!!

If you don't hurry up I'll have drunk all the wine in the corner (I am gulping for real) and I've eaten tons of cheese, pate and crusty bread tonight (also real, it's a mystery why I've put on weight ...)

I have done a lot of work in the kitchen this week, although whether that was down to it being Zone work or the imminent arrival of a repairman is unnecessary detail not to mention that the dining table is unusable because of the cookbooks all over it which were piled on top of the item requiring repair

Hope you are having a better night Foxes. It sounds like it could be a developmental leap. Have you heard of the Wonder Weeks? A leap can last a fair stint. Chin up, you are doing great. Prioritise getting as many cat naps as possible with baby, although having a 21mo myself I do know this is going to be limited! It's all about survival sometimes. Hope you get your smiles soon!
sc What a beautiful dog! Poor creature though. He has certaibly found a 5 star home now though.

Made it to Mum's....delegated hanging out laundry to dh over the phone!
No flying on the agenda for the weekend...catching up with siblings and friends and maybe some tile stalking...

Must add that it was easy to pack weekend bag for a change as I had done so much laundry and ironing in the last week. Usually it can take me hours to pack....minutes this morning!

schope dd is feeling better soon,poor lamb and doesn't share it with you
foxeshope last night was a bit better and/or you get a lay in today

I am helping in community cafe with veg prep for an hour or so(would've been coerced into full shift her dd been OK)so I need sort troops and get ready as need be there just after 8

OMG I have the housing officer coming on tuesday morning the house and garden are so messy. I could scream. I'm never going to be able to get it all done!!!!

Morning all!

Well last night it appears I had a bit of a bloody show, I've not had this in previous pregnancies so a new experience for me! Google tells me baby shouldn't be too far away now.

Have also had some dull back ache and mild cramping. Today I need to try and make my house look presentable enough for midwives, and other baby visitors. I also need to finish my hospital bag.

So far I've had a bath and stuck the washer on. The dryer has just finished so I need to sort that and the pots out first

Oooh boils kettle n starts pacing excitedly!!I had that n dull backache followed by the contractions!!(hops up and down).good luck and we be thinking if you!!hope its as easy as shelling peas!!

Ta das
Fed cats
Fed zoolets
Wipe bath n sink
Bleach lav
Some of dd2 laundry in to wash
At cafe for 815 for veg prep
Just home,snack in zoolets
Washing into dryer,more on

So far:

Spare room wardrobe empty.
Under Bed empty
Cupboard empty
Bedding washed

Pile of throw it away stuff is huge.
Pile of eBay stuff huge
Keep pile not so much

Dh has been tasked while I'm out riding with changing our bedding. And sorting through his clothes to add to eBay/charity shop pile.

The naughty corner sounds tempting, is there ?

Beverages to suit all tastes my dear!!(plus hot water bottles,sympathy and encouragement as needed)

Ah that's good! Mines tea one sugar

[SC careers in to thread at high speed, turns off blue light, nods at lurkers, fluffs up Cotswold's pillows, brews coffee, joins Zoo in boiling water, stacking towels and ripping up sheets]

Bloomin 'eck Afreshstart how exciting!! Looks like we were all wrong about the fatigue/feeling down etc and baby is imminent! Take it steady! We'll be thinking of you xx

The naughty corner is a long-standing element on this thread. It's basically a safe place where fledglings can go when we haven't done our steps/missions/routines (I'm a frequent visitor ) or when we just need a bit of peace away from the world, or when we celebrate someone's birthday or fancy a weekend session. There is always a copious supply of pastries, chocolate,, tea, coffee, pillows, fluffy throws and the bar is permanently open. Sometimes we even have bunting ... . Make yourself at home!

Lovely day for a ride Shesgotelectricboobs! We always do family bed-making on a Saturday. So much quicker! Like the delegation idea though!

Babblehag This may be of some use here. Do short bursts with rests in between. Go steady and good luck! And keep posting here for encouragement!

Well done re: good deed veg chopping Zoo! DD full of cold this morning and exploiting it to the full bless her! Hope your dd starts to feel a lot better very soon.

Relieved to hear you are relaxing this weekend Castle! Congrats on organised laundry! Repose-toi!

Good going with kitchen choring Cotswold

Hope you had a better night Foxes

I have done sod all this morning except make dd pancakes with apple compote for breakfast and watch The Morning Line. Need to get my rear end in to gear but having a CBA morning moment. House so calm and quiet and stress-free without dh... it is quite soporific ... . Rabbits feeling very happy and liberated without the presence of the dog ... . Think they will break out the ciggies and vodka later ...

Sorry, emboldening fail there Shesgotelectricboobs

Zoo you make naughty corner sound a lot more comfy somehow!

I so my best sc-I remember it well from my previous visits here when carrots and celery and Bessiewere at the helm(both of whom are now fb friends as their lives got busier n ditched thread)we didn't have bunting then,just intravenous green n blacks chocolate,alcohol,endless good biscuits and cake and copious teas/coffees!!we also swapped recipes!!