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!

Morning everyone! for anyone who needs it. Ds has taken to waking up at 4am so I've given up and come downstairs for coffee!

I only achieved the bare minimum at the weekend as I was totally exhausted tbh.Not even going to do a to do list until I've had coffee and breakfast...

I've lost will to live already.....
Dd2 has had total meltdown and it's descended into the pair of us screeching like banshees(well me screech,her croak/cough)at each other.I am evil mum as I've dared get up from cuddling her to do chores/breakfast everyone.she doesn't want go school,but as her friendship group (of just 2) has no gone to one after the other left on Fri she's scared if don't go her only friend will try and join the other part what used be one big group(they're more bitchy/grown up)and she will be a loner.add into mix one the girls is a nasty little madam who like divide and conquer its all going to end in tears by end term(Fri)and I really don't need anything adding to the fallout

Morning! Thank you ladies, had a lovely weekend and finally we have some sunshine here

Hope feeling better this morning afresh

Sounding very tough at the moment with the teens zoo and Einstein, no advice, just sympathy and ( )

Well I'm going to check thes weeks daily missions and if there's any super easy ones will attempt but today and tomorrow's main job is to get packed for holiday. We are going for a wedding and my dress still needs some altering as well but hoping that shouldn't take too long. We fly v early sat morning and I'm working right up to when we need to head off so we absolutely HAVE to be organised!

It's nice out this morning so am going to hang washing out and do a bit of tidying up in front garden.

Ta(yawn)das
Fed scout cat
Bleach lav
Washing on
Feed kits
Clean their litter tray
Recycling out
Empty kitchen bin
Breakfast and pack ups
School run
S+s bathroom
Relocate hall(ds shoes at bottom crate and naturally he just push everything to side of it rather put back in)
Wipe hall floor
Remove cobwebs building in Hall
Wipe internal doors off hall

No stair hoovering as kits are still bit nervy that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it
Clean Bannister/handrail

Running low on energy already!I manage get dd2 our door after pureeing some tinned pineapple found back cupboard and swirling it through Greek yogurt.I also write her planner how much she's struggling and if goes to student services for them to ring me

sc you kniw everything's your fault.I'm sure they get some kind of pre teen handbook that tells them all this.

I was going to put incompetent imbecile but for the life ofme I couldn't rember how to spell that (imberseal?err no.imbacele?clearly not)I've googled it. Obvs be a woman of a certain age and sleep deprived is play havoc with attempts use all but basic English!haha

Hello all. Gorgeous day here! Have to take DD2 out to her activity soon so:-

Hope your DD2 feels better soon zoo. Is it worth speaking to the school about the friendship thing? Hope you are hanging in there Afresh.

Ta da:-
One load of laundry on line
Dishwasher emptied
Hair checked and no more evidence of nits but will have to check again tonight

To do:-
Phone about swimming lessons again - how is it so difficult just to get into a class or get any information?!
Take DD2 to activity
Do as much of morning routine as I can in 10 mins before that.
Go for a run

Late to the party but belated happy birthday!

Off to GP later think I may need antibiotics now ugh

"we are meant be demi gods who are omnipresent and know all alternating complete incompetent crazy old people who have no idea what it's like to be young!!" yep thanks for the chuckle Zoo

Yes, thank you Zoo, cheered me up no end!!
Great list too!

Poor you Cag sorry to hear you haven't shifted that wretched bug yet.

Glad you had a good w/e BluePheasant! And good luck with holiday prep!

Poor you Foxes - sounds really tough going. Go easy on yourself x

Toostressy your 'to do' lists make me wish I was young again!!

I'm not doing very well. I am faffing and stressing and not achieving much. Stupid. Also will be walking on eggshells when dd gets home (even though I know the argument we had last night was typical adolescent nonsense; it gets you down somehow).

Einstein and Zoo not to get too heavy; and don't answer if you don't want to, but do you feel that having a teen has had a big negative impact on your mh? I feel silly saying it with an 'only' and v supportive dh (although he is often travelling) but I have never felt so "at sea" or "up and down" with my parenting before. The more it goes on, the more it is getting me down. With the added pressure of having only one chance to get it right!!

Sorry for self-indulgent whinge, going through a big cba morning while stuff around me is piling up; need to get a grip!!

Going to tackle under the boudoir bed now! Not too bad but definitely needs sorting!

Sometimes sc makes me question myself a lot more and its def up there with exhausting sleep deprived early days for bringing mood down.more so in some ways as you know they aren't helpless baby's now and are sometimes pushing your buttons to see if they can make you explode

Tadas
Kitchen
Windows (inside)
Sills and tiles
Wipe surfaces(careful not disturb kettle pile)
Hob wiped
TD and wm wiped
Cupboard fronts wipe
Floor wash
2load wash on.first in dryer(disgustingly unenviromental I know, bloody tomcat round here sprays my stuff on line)

To do
Front room/dining table of doom

Contemplate strategy fir above mentioned tom/get an airerto use in warmer weather indoors

Dd2 just text head student services.we shall have see I get "the call"

YY Zoo hear hear to all of that. I am finding the constant "resistance" definitely mood lowering. Sometimes want to scream "will you please just do as I say without question" but of course that would be the very worst thing to say. Try to use humour and be patient but I am not a very patient person. And although parenting in general is like looking in a mirror sometimes, forcing us to confront our own "not so good bits" - totally normal for everyone I think and not a bad thing by any means - adolescents, have a way of challenging you that totally, as you say, hits the bullseye and pushes your buttons. Definitely makes one question oneself. A lot. [sigh]

Thank you Cag hope GP can help you, sounds miserable.

Sorry to hear having a hard time with your teen too sc, it must wear you down am dreading this phase!
Hope DD ok zoo

Ta das

x2 loads washing hung out
Morning routine
Swept floor
S&S bathroom
Cleaned toilet
Weeded front garden
Swept up by shed

To do

FInish lunch
Pick up DD
Sort out online shopping returns
Attempt to beat down Kettle Pile which has become worktop rubbish tip
Plan dinner for tonight and meal plan for week, using up mostly things we have already in freezer as don't want to do much shopping before we go away!

Oh yes, Flying:

Ta da so far:
animals
have nipped to supermarket and back
dh kindly did furry walk 1
dw
cleaned kitchen
general post w/e tidy
one load of washing hanging in sunshine
one load in td
searched for specific editing books (ongoing)

Thanks BluePheasant wearing is indeed the word

Great list you have done there!

sc always good have a "venting spot".helps to gird loins for inevitable round 3,4 181,182 that happens(usually when you at your most stressed and tired I am CONVINCED their handbook advises challenge most once parent looks harassed,exhausted or at their busiest time)
Onwards and upwards!!

Tadas
2nd load in dryer, first fold n put away
Cuddles my lovely kits
Fuss of scout cat (he glares and demands attention once I've been upstairs with them)

Contemplated wipe zoolets bedroom floor.on entry see that not possible...

After the FAFF help ds sort his bearpit weekend I am not impressed it back to worse than before. Grrr
Looks like someone upended paper and pen box all over floor(probably did)my lil ponies of lil zoo everywhere. Laundry breeding on floor(again)

Shuts door.silent seethes

Short answer to your question is yes, very much. SC he is better as he has become a teenager and his issue were incredibly draining and damaging particularly at the trying to get diagnosis stage when the medical people were fucking useless. But i am sure that it will go down hill again when he hits 14/15 which is a known very bad patch for teenage boys

ta da
find dad's car keys - don't ask, just don't
boy's lunch box
1 load of washing on
collate laundry
start the C*&^#%$&s planning
joined bwiw's bootcamp
Started to collect the charity shop stuff to go out
Find bag of too small uniform to drop at friend's
Cleaned some dead bodies off the wall

Indeed Zoo thank you! It definitely helps! And that others are going through same thing, although wouldn't wish it on anyone!!

Speaking of breeding laundry, there are some extremely fertile socks in this household

Zoo ds' room is exactly the same this morning. HOW, just how the fuck do they manage it?

Ha! SC, I'm sure you don't want the nit check part of the list! Must be nice to look back on people's lists with younger DCs though.

Ta da:-
DD2 did activity
Went for run
Had lunch
Managed to get DD1 a spot in swimming class! Hope she actually wants to go!

Thanks v much Einstein good to know things are better for you (for the moment!) and again it is just reassuring to know you are not the only one going through it. (And I haven't had to deal with all the draining battles with educational/medical bods like you have had to on your ds's behalf.) Just never anticipated it being this draining ... !! I loved the baby/ infant/toddler/primary age and although we had our battles/issues as everyone does, it was enjoyable overall ifyswim. Not enjoying this stage at all!!

Erm, won't enquire too closely about last item on your list

Ha Toostressy! Spot on! I feel so nostalgic about the baby/ infant/early childhood stage right now that I would almost welcome a bit of nit combing

I remember my ob/gyn saying to me at dd's delivery "treasure the early golden years because they go so fast and it gets so much harder after that" and boy was she right!!

Glad to hear your persistence paid off and you found a swimming class btw!

how the fuck do they manage it

Einstein I believe it is a God given talent to decimate any given space in under an hour,less if you are getting the blame for something they've done.not done

Dd2 still texting me from student services

I am being called to by a cinnamon and raisin bagel(come get me,smear me in butter and ravish me in a frenzied fashion) - oh dear.that sounds more 50shades than starving!!

I shall proceed to fulfill said bagels suggestions. No doubtcss I rming first glorious morsel in if schools going to ring,that be when but I not moving til last crumbs been inhaled

As I'm consuming
Even my phone hates me today!!

Finally managed to get ds' window open. It has been stuck shut for at least 2yrs. This is brilliant and I can now upset ds greatly air his bedroom properly