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

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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!

foxes, am in awe if you are on top of the clutter! I never seem to get there, although sometimes make slow progress.

Ta da:-
Girls in bed but not asleep
DH hopefully making tea
DD1 homework done
Laundry sort of in progress

To do:-
DD2 school paperwork
Evening routine

Gosh I thought it was just me never being up to date!! I'm defo out of date hahaha

I do these lists and post one organising a task everyday so I don't overwhelm myself and feel stressed but when I do that there's something else to add!!!

I am the same as you I think twice before buying stuff because of the fact that the clutter will accumulate and more to tidy.. or in my case to tidy after DS1 has thrown it on the floor about 10 times! With me behind him putting things away for him to repeat lol

Having said that I think I had an okayish day but not as productive as what I wanted to do today

Ta Das
Tidy beds
Get dressed
Expressed 5 oz of breastmilk
Unpacked two weekend bags of clothes from the weekend away
Two loads of washing washed, dried, folded and put away
Took DS1 & Ds2 out to the library
Got DS2 weighed by health Visitor
Sorted lunch for DS1 and me
Man came to measure roman Blinds for bathroom & I chose fabric
Cleaned kitchen
Unloaded dishwasher
Loaded dishwasher
Sorted dinner out

Still to do Laundry , Playroom but I suppose I have done all the washing which was wednesday task

Hi all! Sorry for lowering the tone with my typo earlier

BusyBee Fab list there ! It's definitely not just you. Chores never end - it's ground hog day - the Forth Bridge - you never really get to the bottom of it. So I think in the end it's about making a choice about how you want to live your life - which is why I like the Flylady system which focuses on doing ring-fenced set tasks, which hopefully give you more time to do other more interesting things instead. (Virtually impossible with young 'uns and babes about and broken nights though!!)

Foxes wow that is great about the clutter!

Haven't done well today. Virus (or something) seems to have taken hold again! Can't believe it frankly as have felt perfectly well in between times. But have stomach issues today ... miserable.

Big wing flaps to everyone else!

Should have said at the end there, hope those of you who are ailing, or whose dc are poorly, are feeling a bit better today!

*

The summary for Tuesday 16th 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 16 for Tues 16th is here . One you can ignore about reading random bits on website or some'at! And no Flylady, sorry, but we have very little desire to read the novel written by your sister Paddi .

We are in Zone 3 this week: The Main Bathroom and One Extra Room (May 14-20) here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 3 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Tuesday's mission is here. Take 5 or 10 mins to scrub your bath or shower.

The daily focus for Tuesday is planning. Holidays, menus, activities, appointments etc.

The monthly habit is moving in May!
.
Daily reminders (which should also update automatically) are here.

Keep Flying everyone!

***

Bluepheasant yes, sunny Belgium!

Bluepheasant ... where it normally rains and rains ...!

SC do you want me to do the links for a couple of days? Sound like you need a break!

DD still has a cold here, struggled a bit in school today with the runny nose. Just a couple of weeks before there is another half-term break here.

House is not good here either, motivation severely lacking. Instead of actually tackling stuff, I am reading a book about decluttering (the Discarding one that set KonMari on her journey). It does have a really good quote a mistaken belief that not throwing something away is the same as taking good care of it but it is the decision making part of me that is broken.

I did try and descale some taps today - got a blue gadget from Lakeland which actually works quite well. So will work my way around the many taps with it gradually.

Strategically too late with my offer of help there

Cotswold, love that you are procrastinating by reading about decluttering! Just finishing off evening routine here then intend to sit with . Had hardly any alcohol for at least two minutes over the weekend and the last week so we are enjoying some wine now.

Drumroll... I think, we have cracked it with DD2 pooing in the toilet hence the celebratory drink. Trying not to get too excited but it has been over a week and she is so proud of herself for doing it .

Ooh what's the gadget Cotswold?!

Toostressy that's excellent news well done dd!

Hope you feel better soon slurry

And well done with the potty training that's brilliant

Wrt the fat fairy's site's tesitmonials you are fogetting some key principles of flying:

1. you are never behind
2. A little bit all the time
3. Don't make unachieveable lists

So by the principles even if your house is a bomb site but you manage to get all the flight plan stuff done then you are up to date.

By her standards I am up to date because I shoved a hoover around today, I washed some bedding, I shoved a cloth over the sink, and I did a bit of washing up. The reality is that I hoovered the bit of floor that was visible (and ignored all the crud around half of it), there is a mountain of washing up from batch cooking, and I don't have any bedding on my bed atm. Not to mention I forgot to write the job app I was supposed to do today So it depends where your expectations are. That said I am also feeling ahead because I have filled the holes on half a room, tested the new paint colour, put the sewing machine on the table ready to go wed night when I have the right needles etc. It is all about the perspective really. Don't let the concept of being up-to-date bog you down. You are human, life can be hard, and any progress is still progress.

Thank you nonetheless Cotswold hopefully I'll be fine but will let you know! Similarly, I have lots of books on household management and decluttering, cluttering up my landing! . Sounds as though hols can't come too soon for your DD!

Yay Toostressy great news on the potty training front! Bravo dd2!

Good luck at the vet tomorrow Zoo

Well done for exceeding your list Foxes!

G'night all!

Very, very wise words there from Einstein !! (And what I should have said but didn't! ). Spot on!

Thank you Busy!

Thanks Einstein

I have two small kids too under the age of 20 months and trying to get things done before dinner so I don't have to do anything after dinner ahha

I should perhaps not worry so much... just do a quick clean in each room and keep my cleaning limit to 30 mins for the zones I have in my house I think.
If I have not done it all then there is always the week after

Just waving hello to everyone 👋

Ds finally stopped being sick last night but now has the squirts ! Dd managed to go on her school trip and haven't heard anything so I'm hoping she's avoided the germs, dd2 has started with it this evening though. It's her first sick bug so I'm having a Netflix night and watching over her, oh has got his alarm set for 4 so I can get a few hours sleep before he goes to work.

I've been trying to do some flying but obviously not to a high standard! I decluttered & the top shelf of the bathroom cabinet, sorted through some old paperwork, changed the beds, ran the hoover round, put some clothes away and done ALOT of boil washes! I'm hoping things return back to normal soon!

I agree, words of wisdom there Einstein! And am glad I'm not the only one who has to make the sodding bed when should be in the sodding bed!

Ah great news with DD stressy

Indeed, don't be too hard on yourself Busy with two DC that young then you're doing brilliantly. Its an endless task if you try and keep the whole house spotless and you just end up stressing yourself out trying to achieve it!

cotswold for staying on topic even in your procrastination

Hope you feel better tomorrow sc

Few tadas

Kitchen and bathroom cleaned.
Bicarb and bleach tiles in bathroom (been meaning to do for ages, it works!)
Washing dried
Small pile ironing
Decluttered and tidied one and a half kitchen cupboards (sort of doing the cleaning cupboard mission from last week)
Decluttered top of kitchen cupboard.

plan to get going earlier tomorrow as have DD all day, so will get jobs done morning and then rest of day to ourselves. Got a craft thing to get done for preschool so at least thats one rainy day activity sorted!

Glad your DD didn't miss the trip Rosa. Feel your pain with the dreaded sickness bug washing mountains. Hope the night isn't too bad for you all

I'm gradually getting on top of the clutter apart from in DD's room as she won't get rid of anything. It's better now than it has been in years, I have storage fairly well sorted and am good at decluttering. My weakness is letting it all back in though, I do love shopping . I also like having stuff on display, photos in frames, candles, a few nicknacks, books, I'm not a fan of the minimal look but my way certainly slows down dusting.

Well, I haven't been sticking to the zones very well but have tackled quite a lot of detailed cleaning in the last few days, tops of wardrobes, steam cleaning in the kitchen (floor, dishwasher racks and door seals, oven door, WM door and seal), insides of windows. Some of it was long overdue .

Evening all. Yet another rough night with DD. We will be having a phonecall from sleep clinic soon and I will have to tell her how much this has all set her back :( we were doing so well with her sleep.

Love the reasoning behind the cats' names! I've also heard good things about a book called Gobbolino the witch's cat, I wonder if there are lots of cats around with that name :)

Does flylady cover the gardening and house cleaning on the exterior of the house too?

cag I had plan buy gobbolina for xmas,cept only place available it was £50!(must look again now)
Rosa hope your weeks better,dd has great trip and. "Visitors" (of the hair) are evicted.until couple year back lil zoo had them constantly til we work out who was the untreated infested kid in her class and lurgy is now contained
Einstein wise flying words and parenting ones.cept dd2(13) still needs boot up bum to do hw.tbh though her ethics and philosophy is a mins bending one-without using any existing ideas create a new religion.as a christian she really struggling think outside the box.ive lost will to live try help her and we have end up screech like banshees at each othershe totally lost ability to listen once has bee swarm in her bonnet.is untidy to point there a trail "stuff" wherever she's been.in her defence my severe depression hasent swing between try fly and living in tip so hasn't has consistent chivvying role model.last night ww3 broke out during a telling off for try hijack carbonnel (it is lil zoo pet)and the vitriol surged on by jealous behaviour was Technicolor tantrum.she's never been good at empathy and teen years are really see her as horribly selfish and spitefulI love her dearly,but find myself not liking her on increasing occasions(bad mum award in post)
Right enough chat,more "doing" back later

Forgot for littlestressypoo on toilet.YIPPEE!!
foxes I will try and remember note what's fir dinner

Ty zoo

Got a bit of head fog going on this morning

Baby ds slept all night but up at 5am

here too. Baby ds did NOT sleep all night (does he ever?!?) , Was up at 11 , 1 and 5 and won't go back to sleep despite being obviously tired and screaming at me hate when days start this way.