Cruising towards Christmas and the New Year - it's the December Flylady thread.

[CotswoldStrife]

Ho, ho, ho - welcome to the December Flylady thread. We'll be following the Flylady method and enforcing order on our houses. Feel free to join in. The monthly focus for December is pampering

I'll be posting links to the daily missions, daily focus and the zone cleaning - don't worry about the detailed zone cleaning if you haven't already decluttered, Flylady recommends decluttering first.

You can probably already tell my personal level of dedication to the internet, not the house as I've looked up the Christmas smileys specially. No washing up was done in the making of this post.

I'll post the first December links tonight!

No trolls are allowed on this thread thanks to whoever reported it and to MNHQ for the speedy zapping!

Ooh I missed it!

Ta das
Food shopping online done
Dishwasher on
Sofa covers on rinse cycle
Nappy bin emptied
More rubbish out to bins
Lunch made for me and dd (she ate a satsuma hurrah! - usually only eats bananas as a fruit item so am considering this a small victory)
Cleaned bathroom
Wrote last few Christmas cards

To do
Wrap a couple of presents when scissors are out of the dishwasher!
Laundry
Make dinner

Poor DD went for a wee earlier but got stuck in her trousers and wet herself , she was calling me for help but I was feeding ds and didn't manage to get to her quickly enough I feel so bad about it because she kept saying she was sorry and was I cross. I obviously assured her I wasn't cross in the slightest and she has totally moved on and forgotten now but I still feel guilty! So all her wet stuff and the bath mat need to go in the wash too now. Laundry pile is getting bigger and bigger!

Going to do a five minute declutter mission in ds bedroom and turn out some of his old clothes

Aw, I missed the troll too!

Ah @ at your wee dd Foxes! (No pun intended!)

Bloomin 'eck Cotswold - that lot sounds stressful - all I can say is that Christmases become considerably easier once they move on to secondary school. No teachers' presents, virtually no special events, no costumes required ... tis bliss apart from the hwk and exam stress.

I am currently wrapping the last of my parcels and just starting on my cards Ten down, loads more to go, but at least I am not responsible for the office ones this year thank heavens.

Keep going everyone!

Hello all!

Foxes, I remember times like that with a toddler and a baby. It can be really challenging all the time at times.

Proper boast coming sorry...
Went to see DD1's nativity and she was absolutely amazing!!!! Really, really good.

Can't say too much in real life as feels too boastful and not all children did so well but she was really incredible!

At in laws this weekend and forgot trainers so exercise plans have failed .

To do:-
Quick unpack
Some
Xmas cards
Xmas to do list
A ridiculously amount of study

Reading all posts from those with primary school aged children and babies takes me back a bit - it was a proper bonkers time so rest assured it is easier in some ways when they are teenagers!

Ta das here -

15 mins kitchen decluttering
10 mins bathrooms
Electrician sorted blown light switch
Moving bookcases about in preparation for massive book cull (sob) - will mostly chuck out DH's lad lit I think as there are only so many paperback novels about Ancient Rome that one house needs 😁

newchick it is a bonkers time yes! Is fab at the same time though . Feeling all warm and fuzzy tonight after nativity play. No doubt normal service will return tomorrow.

Ta da:-
A really solid hour and a half (with the odd bit of MN and Facebook but that's OK) of study .

To do tomorrow:-
More study
Sweet talk MIL into doing laundry for us (devastatingly she never lets us do it as she doesn't want her machine broken)
Absolutely must do... Xmas cards and an to do list for Xmas presents still to get
We are going out for most of the day as well seeing friends and family

Night all .

I'm catching up on the last couple of days - good news that the car does not require anything too expensive Purple.

Zoo 'knitted a snowman with earmuffs and a scarf before zoolets got up' - PHOTO!

foxes could your DS be having a growth spurt? Poor DD with the accident, clothing can be tricky at times.

SC good to pace yourself if you are not feeling well.

stressy a star is born, well done to your DD!

newchick yes, it is primary/junior - I was thinking that I probably only have one more year of this last week. The last two weeks of term before Christmas are always a bit manic!

We've had a fun night ice skating, although I suspect our muscles may think differently in the morning! Shattered with wine, I mean much to do before Christmas comes around. Did someone mention cards?

Those links won't post themselves - I'll get right on it!

The daily summary for Saturday (also available on the Flylady website at flight plan which should update automatically each day.

**

Baby-step no 17 - set a bed time and stick to it (I am most successful at this if I turn the laptop off half an hour before my set time. The fact that I am posting this at quarter past midnight shows that I don’t do this as often as I should!)

No zone work or missions at the weekends – woo hoo, enjoy!

The daily focus for Saturday is: family fun day

The monthly habit for December is pampering!

Current Super Cruise Christmas mission

Fallen behind here! Both with the thread and general life :o have been ignoring the house sadly but I did get pretty much the last shopping bits done (I had exchanges to make as wrong size etc) food is ordered tree is up!

I keep going AWOL from the thread

I'm just about keeping up with day to day stuff around the house

I'm 90% of presents bought , 0% wrapped
Tree up food shop ordered

Fresh I have just about finished off my xmas shopping but zero wrapping done. Hate wrapping. It annoys me for some reason. Just the big food shop to do next week. We'll save that for a evening next week when hopefully its quieter.

Ta da

washed breakfast dishes
put a washing load on

I like the wrapping but hate thought of it getting messed up so leave til last minute

Ta Da

Everyone fed and dressed
Dryer on
Washer on

Wrapping presents annoys me but at the same time I like xmas presents to be wrapped properly; something my husband is unable to do.

Ta Da

washed breakfast dishes
put a washing load on
beds made
domestos'd the loo in bathroom

Ta Da

Everyone fed and dressed
Dryer on
Washer on
Dryer emptied and folded
Dcs Christmas cards finished
Dcs beds stripped

Yes, I am the main present wrapper here. Elder three DC will help but require assistance!

Morning all! Cotswold yes think it may be a growth spurt I think four months is the age for a big one...I really hope it's just a phase because I'm so tired!

Dh took the kids downstairs this morning and I had a lie in which was great but I still feel tired and a bit groggy now. Dh and dd have gone out to buy bacon from the shop and hopefully he'll make a proper coffee when he gets in and then I'll feel a bit more human.

I've acheived nothing at all today and I have a feeling it's not going to get any better. I need to do something because I get really grumpy if I sit around for too long.

Cotswold I font know how upload a photo!!
too stressy if you end up famous actor in the family make sure mum is kept in s manor to which she could become accustomed!!pleased it went well.lil zOo so shy she just opened n close mouth as Angel in her first nativity!!bless.happy days-enjoy enjoy enjoy before teenager demon sets in

I mussed a troll?!

sc just read up thread. Wow!what a crap time you've been having.big hugs to you all.hope by wed you on the mend.not easy to rest this time if year,but you must try a bit.xx

Big waves everyone else

On the ta da front I have EXCITING news!!!(drum roll)
We've been decluttering like mad zookeepers and I sorted 8BRC from side my sofa yesterday...then located dismembered playmobil mansion.attempts dust ran aground so demolished wash warm soapy water(dust was thick and boakish)and left to dry in bits down cleared cornerrebuild is next job!!
I've cleared 3BRC from computer table and around,the desk IS CLEAR ( weeps with joy)Lego crate sits under ut now chair folded up at side!who hoo
On D's front we clear under bed...
Binbag of paper recycling and carrier bag each rubbish and plastic recycling.his rooms sook much better
I've ruthlessly cleared under dining table too(top still to do in a bit)
Altogether its mean 3binbags rubbish,3paper recycling and 2carrier bags plastic recycling.I can see where I've been and it's spurting me on!!
Must go before motivation escapes and naughty corner beckons

PS.half Xmas gift bought(some not yet delivered from amazon)
No wrapping done
No food bought
Zoolets break up Tues
Eeeeeeeekkkkkkkk

still not moved from the sofa but have drunk a lot of coffee...dh is now outside digging up a tree root with dd so at least he is being productive today!!

DS is asleep on me now so perfect excuse not to move, instead I am researching steam cleaners, I'm really tempted to get one, I've even started a thread on the subject as I'm after reviews from people who have one - anyone here got one?! Saturdays don't get more exciting than this...

Afternoon all

Do you know, however crap things get, I come on this thread and read a few posts and immediately feel better . So thanks for the cheer and general "all in it together" feeling everybdoy!!

We've just had the tree delivered (currently out on terrace in a net sleeve because we are not ready for it yet) but scent of pine has delivered the first whiff of Christmas! (Haven't felt remotely Christmassy up to now!)

Unfortunately, just had a mahoosive debacle with Zoo Plus who instead of delivering much needed dog and rabbit supplies, have delivered cat products (we don't own a cat) even though my name was on all the cartons. After literally 40 mins spent talking to them on the phone in three different langs, unwrapping boxes, taking photos of unwanted items, uploading photos to computer, sending photos, they have finally agreed to come and pick up the box, which is huge and which will be in our hall way until next Wed . This has taken two hours to sort out . And not one person apologised, acknowledged that it was their mistake, and they made us feel like criminals to boot! [anger] Delivery of pet supplies was meant to make life easier because we had flu! Never again!

Still thanks for kind words - we are all still feeling very jaded and grotty but hopefully heading in right direction! Woooo hoooo to clearing EIGHT bags of random crap!!!! Fly-tastic!!!! And aw re: your angel zoolet.

Foxes hope you feel less groggy as day goes on and that a strong coffee and a bacon sandwich help !!

Celeste/Afreshstart I like wrapping but am also blighted by wrapping perfectionism, so like to do it at the last min to keep it pristine. Unfortunately, this usually means me wrapping for immediate family early hours of Christmas day which can be a little tedious! Dh also conveniently hopeless at it!

Congratulations to your dd1 in her nativity Toostressy bless her, and well done to you re: all the study too!

Waves to Cag Cotswold Newchick and Honu and everyone else I've forgotten!!

... got to go back to writing cards now ... groan....coffee and washing first though ...

[hands over soothing embrocation for Cotswold's aching muscles]

Foxes you need to ask whoknowsherethetimegoes about steam cleaners. She is on here intermittently.

I saw my name! I have a Karcher steam cleaner, it's a cylinder vac style rather than a simple mop. I only use it intermittently, it's too much faffing about for a quick kitchen floor clean (get it out, fill with water, wait for it to hear up takes 5-10 mins). However for occasional use it's brilliant, you can do all the grotty edge type places that you might have to scrub with a toothbrush in about 1/10 of the time it takes to do it by hand, also do the cooker hood, oven and grill interiors really easily, clean windows with it, bathroom tiles etc, I love it.

Well, as I'm here I'll post properly when I've made myself a .

Whey hey! Good to see you Whoknows

Well, made the cuppa, got sidetracked into clearing out a kitchen cupboard to find a cake tin that was in a completely different cupboard and now the tea's gone cold.

Manic school activity stuff for me too, one at secondary who broke up Weds lunchtime and one at primary, been to at least tgree events for each school (probably more for primary thinking about it). House has been veering between presentable about twice a week when guests have been due to pigsty in between. However DCs and I are now off till Christmas so in theory should be able to keep more on top of things.