Gather ye dusters (fledglings) while ye May, for soon we shall be Flying ... !

[Slurrycart]

Welcome to the May 2017 fledgling Fly thread!

Feel free to park your mops and buckets here from the 1st of the month!

This is where we attempt to declutter our homes and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy barftastic 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 ):

1 - repeat or start baby steps (again!)

2 - repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

or

3 - reinforce babysteps and/or do daily missions
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 welcome!

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!

Evening all!

Ta da:
animals
ironed uniform x 1
ironed gym kit x 1
emptied dw
put overnight washing in td
dining room table hots spots
s&s
scrubbed stove top and put rings etc in dw
wiped down kitchen surfaces
gathered up all washing from around house and carried downstairs to laundry
ditto cups/mugs/saucers and put in dw
office work spent editing website (very nice having dh here for a change and not travelling, although it has taken him being ill to achieve this)
served dd lunch (spag bol)
drove dd to ed psych
quick visit to greengrocers/bakery/church and dog walk 2 whilst waiting
more office work
went through mound post and recycled/chucked
served supper (cold chicken, spinach and garlic, rice and peas)

To do:
tidy up supper
kitchen surfaces and dw again
wipe down dining room table
rubbish and recycling
iron sports kit

Was determined to do one hour in boudoir tonight but looks like I am not going to get that done today. We'll see ... !

Great list to achieve with two little ones to look after too! What's your secret BusyBee?

foxes we were much the same as Rosa with DD, put her to bed in her cot,( eventually!) but would be v rare that she wouldn't be in our bed by 1am at the latest. Gradually the co sleeping got less and less but it definitely helped us stay human and get enough sleep!

Ta das

x4 loads washing dried
Cleaned kitchen
Food shop put away
Huge batch of tomato sauce made for portioning and freezing
Tidied DDs room and made bed
Hoovered whole house
Done some more painting on the decking

To do
Get DD to bed she has come up in hives for second night in a row, we're watching CBeebies on the iPad to distract her from scratching while DH out trying to get some sort of antihistamine medicine but he said he can't find anything for her age that can buy off the shelf.

Not moving in May either [gah]

Had such good intentions with body clutter and exercise starting May 1st and we were ill. Excuses, excuses ... .

Cross post SC, amazing list! You deserve to put your feet up!

A very warm welcome to BusyBee (you are off to a good start with that nn !) You don't have to pay a subscription to join Flylady but if you give them your e-mail address you will be inundated with reminders, which is why we tend to advise not to - up to you of course! Ditto what BluePheasant said - that's an incredible list with two little 'uns under foot!

Foxes pretty amazing to be icing gingerbread men with two little 'uns as well!!

BluePheasant great list from your good self too! Sorry to hear about your dd - would camomile lotion be of any help?

Another fine list there Rosabella!

Big waves to everyone else. Links coming up!

Thanks BluePheasant it looks like more than it actually is - everything written down in minute detail to stretch it out

The summary for Tuesday 9th May is available on the Flylady website here under "Today" and via the flight plan which should update itself automatically on a daily basis.

Baby-step no 9 for Tues 9th is here and reminds us that it takes 28 days to form a habit. It also describes how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time, using (among other techniques) the five-minute room rescue which we add to our morning routine.

We are in Zone 2 this week: Kitchen, Back Porch, Laundry Room, Pantry here. (May 07-13)

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 2 is here.

Tuesday's mission is here. Sort and scrub your cutlery holder and immediate surrounding area.

The daily focus for Tuesday is planning menus, holidays, doctor's appointments, wardrobe etc. Anything to make the week ahead a bit easier!

The monthly habit is moving in May!.

Daily reminders (which should also update automatically) are here.

Keep going everyone ... small steps ... ! We can do it!

*

Right, chatting to all of you lot has given me a second wind ... off to finish final "to dos" and see if I can just do 5 mins in boudoir - would be better than nowt!

Catch up with you all tomorrow and have a good evening!

Thanks bluepjeasant and slurrycat.

My secret is I just want to sit on my ass after dinner so I aim to get it done by 9! Obviously with the stuff today it took me a lot longer until 11.30 because I had to see to the kids too.

I will put my stopwatch on my Fitbit when I am doing housework which motivates me to do the task quickly and I test myself to see if I can beat my last score lol

Also lately I have been trying to do all my daily chores before 9 am but obviously I have been up from 6 am. I have a little lie in in bed for 30 mins or even an hour before starting on my chores.

What motivates you all?

Also well done bluephesant and slurrycat on your daily chores! That's brilliant.

I think I was lucky today because DS1 just follows me around the house and helps me or I will play games with him whilst doing housework. DS2 just wanted milk and nap all morning so I was basically feeding him and he would go back to sleep, plus breastfeeding so no extra work with bottles and sterilising and making milk so that saves time.

Have you all got any time saving tips?

Evening all!!

Not managed huge amounts today but I had a bit of a good moment when I was bringing the kids home from school and the blinds man was (finally 3rd time lucky) at the door waiting for us. I had to take him round the house to measure up and I didn't get my usual sinking feeling as the place was actually looking not too bad even though we'd been out since breakfast.

Ta da's
Morning routine
School drop offs & pick ups & meeting about DD's school trip
Blinds measured
15 min declutter in the kitchen
DD did 15 min declutter in her room
and it looks great
Shined sink
Cleaned hob
2 loads of laundry
Phoned Vodafone about DS's contract which been meaning to do for ages
DH has done a food shop

To do
Evening routine

Xxx

Sounds great BusyBees, love that age when they follow you about like a little puppy! Problem I used to have is our house is a funny design, so almost every room on a different level which meant DD couldn't follow me everywhere and too many stairs to fall down. I had to wait until she napped to do anything in the bedrooms or bathroom and unfortunately she wasn't v good at naps to say the least! I think that's how I've ended up in this habit of doing chores late in the evening as that used to be only chance we got. Am hoping this will improve when she starts school in sept and I have more time in the day.

Sorry I'm rubbish at time saving tips as I'm such a faffer weekly meal planning and including easy and quick meals on my work days definitely helps us though.

Thank you sc didn't think of camomile, will have to get some tomorrow to have on stand by. She's settled now, will keep an eye on it tomorrow. Seems to flare up and then within a hour it's almost gone again.

Right, much later than planned but am going finish the ironing. Hate waking up to a huge pile of it!

Hope she feels better soon... awful when kids don't settle

Hopefully chamomile helps her.

That's true they do follow you like a little puppy. Sometimes he can't keep his hands to himself and I have to tell him off -
I feel bad now for telling him off because poor boy just wants to help and spend time with me.. should make the most of it whilst he is like that because when he is older he won't be want to sit in the same room as me hahahah

Evening all and welcome to BusyBee . My motivation is to be an organised person in an organised home but latest aim is organised chaos .

Had a good day but spent this evening going out to shop to buy cheese needed for DD1's lunch tomorrow as t had been used up and nobody told me . Then a joyous exercise of getting a delightful mixture of dog poo and chewing gum off DD1's shoe !!!! So have not long finished eating tea and I think too late to start things now. Dishwasher on and laundry just about to go on. That will have to be enough tonight.

BluePheasant, if you can get to a pharmacy tomorrow you could get some liquid antihistamine (Piriton or similar) or an antihistamine cream (I am not sure on the age limits for the cream but you may be able to get it in a general store). Also agree with SC - calamine lotion or oats in the bath if you have any can be good. I'll just put in my standard disclaimer to see GP if concerned and to obviously keep an eye on the reaction and get it checked out if you don't know what she is reacting to (am a HCP and so I am careful with internet advice!!).

Hope zoo is ok?

Hey too stressy thanks for the welcome.

What a lovely task you had to do!! Poor you

I know! How she managed to step on the two together???!!

Lol kids will always surprise you lol

Good morning all! Brrr, it was freezing here overnight!

[Pours coffee, looks around for Zoo]

Busybee Shouldn't be saying this as thread leader this month but frankly very little motivates me when it comes to housework I'm afraid, apart from the sheer embarrassment of having a messy house when guests come, but this thread has helped and continues to help a lot.

Also, I'm afraid I'm the worst person in the world to be asking for time-saving tips as I'm a dreadful faffer too, but as Blue Pheasant says, meal planning helps and I do find the Flylady system of allocating days for certain tasks helpful. And sticking to the routines and making the most of small minutes here and there; doing the dishwasher or doing a quick fridge sort while the kettle boils etc etc.

I find keeping up with the laundry very important to the smooth running of the house (more important than a shiny sink tbh) and no.7 [[http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-7/ here]] laying out one's clothes for the next day is a bit of a life-saver. Sorry, nothing very original!

Right, another office day here, so have an hour to finish my morning tasks before work.

Have a productive planning day everyone!

Dd2 had a terrible night last night, I normally can rely on her sleeping until 10pm so I can catch up on whatever hasn't been done in the day but she woke at 830 and would only settle with mummy cuddles, I hadn't even had my tea ppffftttt. Monday evenings are so busy. I've transferred some of the tasks over to today, however I do need the planing day, I've got a 1st, 40th & 50th party this month, holiday & dd is away with school then straight into dance show first weekend of June so we have all the rehearsals coming up for that too. It will keep me out of trouble haha!!

Ta da
Washers on

To do
Morning routine
Stove
Cutlery drawer
15 mins ironing
15 mins clothes away
15 mins dining
Planning
Work this evening

Will catch up on the thread later on.

Hope everyone has a good day!!

mumontherun for vanquishing CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome)! Terrific to hear that you could show the blind man around without any stress; a testament to all of your hard work! Great to hear a positive story like that!

Toostressy oh the joys of parenting; it's so very glamorous ...

x post Rosabella that all sounds very full on - good luck with the planning!

Busybee sorry that link went terribly wrong below here it is again.

Morning just popping in. GP gave me antibiotics but only in case it gets worse again as it is improving. Hopefully won't need them as chest is much clearer but my ears are killing and I couldn't hear properly yesterday?! Glad we made it down here though, he said no reason not to go and just keep the meds in case I go downhill.

Right, I'm jumping back on the bandwagon. It's time to make some habits. Hello everyone!

To do
Shine sink
Load of laundry on
Take bins out
Swish and swipe
5 minute declutter (15 minutes is a bit ambitious with two toddlers under my feet)

Hello Dear, waves to other fledglings.

Busy weekend, DD still battling her current health issue and now shattered from dealing with the pain, so day off school today and lots of fluid to (hopefully) improve things. Aiming to catch up fully with the thread today! As well as housework, of course ...

At least I'm trapped in the house with DD off, so no excuse for not getting things done! BBL.