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!

Oh dear - sorry Purple

That was meant to be for Rosa!!! Glad you had a lovely holiday!

Finally...

Thread business ...

Cotswold (from way down thread) if Toostressy is happy to cover part of summer, it's you and me who are candidates for June. I genuinely don't mind either way. Which would you prefer?

zoo that sounds tough, I won't go into my history, but the older I get, the more my kids grow, I realise how crappy my childhood was. I now don't really give a shit about other people's opinions on me or how we live ( I'm always respectful to others, but I'm very very picky who I chose to have around me, I've 'got rid' of lifelong friends who make me feel crap and it's the best decision I made) kids pick up on how you are and act and I would really like mine to grow into confident positive people who are comfortable in their own skins.

To do
Home blessing (I'm not changing the beds though because they only got slept in once)
Hotspots
Declutter playroom (my living room isn't bad, the playroom is horrendous!)
At least 2 loads of washing
15 mins putting clothes away
A bit of ironing ??
Pack up clothes to return to shop tomorrow
Unpack
Meal plan

Currently sat with a cuppa, thinking about making a start............I'm going to tackle the playroom first. If I don't return by this afternoon, I have collapsed under the mountain of toys

zoo must have been so hard with your mum. Ty for your kind comment not at all patronising. There is much much much more water under the bridge between my mother and I, however I won't go there on mn as its far too identifiable. Anyways she's nada to me.

Family is a fucking minefield.

Morning all, I'm struggling to keep up with the thread at the moment, but am reading through. for those with difficult teenager/parental relationships going on or migraine/other illness.

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt SC, you mentioned her a couple of weeks ago I think? I'm glad the end was peaceful, but sorry for your loss .

anyone? I slept really well for the first time in about a week (heat/eczema/snoring being the problems), got up about an hour ago to make a cuppa and use the computer uninterrupted (DS in the other room, others still asleep). Have just put in a Lakeland order . We have been conflicted as to whether to spend our time on house stuff or going out this weekend and as usual have opted for mainly going out. The house looks a bit scuzzy on the surface, but half an hour would get it looking pretty presentable, I have been working hard at keeping hotspots put out and floors clear recently.

We did get ahead a bit on the living room yesterday, DH pulled out the sofa (it's massive and in an alcove and I can't move it) to retrieve all the crap that was underneath it and hoover/carpet clean under there. We all leapt to attention when a £5 note was spotted then realised it was the old sort that you can't spend any more.

Thank you whoknows yes, she was very strong-willed and took her own time in passing

re: Lakeland order and for sofa diving! Shame about the fiver though! Enjoy the bank holiday!

Rosa and everyone else

It's difficult looking back to childhood isn't it?.

Something I try and bear in mind when dd is being bolshy and eye rolling is that she feels comfortable enough to do it! Which is a good thing in many ways! I was raised in a very strict Irish RC family (my mother had a very strong personality) and we didn't misbehave because we simply daren't. It wasn't cruel but let's say, you certainly knew your place.

Rosa you and Afreshstart sound v confident in your parenting and that you have your priorities sorted. I personally worry about how dd will look back and see me as a parent. (Probably as someone who is a bit too anxious, a bit too negative and nags a lot )

Anyway, hopefully we can all aspire to try and do better than our parents did.

Sorry all if I have dragged up difficult memories!! SC, shall I do links tonight so you can have less screen time? Sorry to hear about your aunt .

Don't worry Toostressy the one inevitable thing about raising dc is it makes you reflect back on your own upbringing (esp when parents visiting!!) and as Afreshstart said, "families are a minefield"!!

Thanks very much for offering but have already prepped links for tonight so only need to press "paste"!! And head a lot better thanks! Thank you so much for stepping in though - much appreciated.

And thanks, my aunt was more than ready to go, but it is still rather bittersweet as she was a huge character and will be much missed! She had a great life though

family is a fucking minefield - hit nail on the head there afresh
Moving on.....
sc glad feeling bit better.sorry to hear about your aunt
Rosa glad hols were lovely

Tadas
Wiped kitchen surfaces
Wipe cupboard fronts
Bins and recycling out

Quick clear front room(needs proper going over)

Girls room-help ds2 sort thru the dreaded wot fits chest of drawers.lil zoo has a bag stuff,some shrunk in drier so fits now,some to "grow into". Bag disintegrating-dd2 pur into her seeing fabric bag.she now has a very small amount clothes that fit.we have kept some that a " snug" as she's been overeating even more than usual and starting to look rounder.I need address that(sensitively ( as she's start not like fact she can't wear lots things without look like sack spuds doesn't help lil zoo could rock a binbag )
Help decide on loads stuff under bed.RBC-filled a bin bag rubbish,carrier bag for chazza. in order for her I think!!

Lil zoo tidy her side.she lacks the hoarding tendency rest of us have. ..

Ds room- sort top wardrobe(still stream nosed and wheezy /cobweb coated)
He's cling most his stuff,but properly stacked it's tidier looking.has git rid 2 small bit of crap .I lost will to live try tackle under bed its full "stuff" but we are unable make decisions to tip and no where else it to go....

Wash in dryer.more on

I am now sit watch Simpsons on TV wait for dust issues to pass(wheeze n sneeze)

Seeing fabric?should've read sewing

Oh and need clean oven-scoutcat got In it last night to lick out the pan I cooked sausages in and had forgot to wash up
Thats karma for be a slattern

Sorry to hear your news SC

Slept in today as no merlets still feels weird to wake so late

Oh zoo I wish I was on holiday but actually just completely exhausted, not getting much flying done and generally just feeling a bit "off" at the moment. I am going to try my best to get back on top of it all this week.

It seems I've missed some pretty deep and difficult chat, I'm so sorry for all of you that are struggling / have struggled with relationships generally. You all sound like an incredibly strong bunch of women to me.

Right. I need to check out what the mission is today and where the heck we've got to because I have only been doing the very basics ! Did someone mention sofa surfing? I hate that one because all I ever find is crumbs and then I feel like I need to pull everything out and hoover!

Ta da
Daily routine

To do
Ironing
Hoover
Make some cakes
Food shopping or shopping list (sainsburys website has been down all weekend so am behind on this!)
Whatever today's mission is and declutter!

SC sorry about your aunt

SC xx

It's nice we can all talk here, sorry others have had a rough time with family xx

Hello all, well they have left and I feel much more relaxed . Slowly tidying the mess left in the house from the visit. Actually today was ok which makes me feel like a bitch for hating it so much. Oh well, onwards and upwards and thanks for all being so lovely .

foxes, today's mission relatively easy so might be a good one to start back into.

SC, yes, I'm fine to do some of summer if we all decide how we want to do it.

Ta da:-
Tiny bit of decluttering done
Tea started by DH but now seems to have come to a standstill.

To do:-
Tea
Bath and bedtime
.

Will post some more interview stuff later. Always did wonder about becoming a careers advisor .

Also, going to make a real effort to declutter as I think the mess just gets everyone down. Hoping this thread will inspire me again!

Only place I'd post "intimate" family details.most mn quite vicious these days and flame you in seconds!!

Tadas
Baked off part bake rolls for lunch(egg salad)
3loads laundry wash,dry and put away
Dishes washed from lunch
Kitchen floor wiped

Dp turned up lunchtime. He playing Minecraft story mode with ds.dd2 chatting friend on her phone.lil zoo making video for u tube(my like pony scenes she makes up and posts.doesn't show herself or use any names/locations)

I miss the days when we all interacted.....

To do
Bit menu planning
Look out and do today's mission

X post stressy glad you survived the visit!!

Ta das
Dh cleaned the windows
Made cakes
Sorted out all the toys in the living room and took most back upstairs

Still got some more hotspots in the living room to clear but mil here now so not sure how much more will be acheived...

Oh and I also had a power nap

foxes, I find decluttering toys very difficult! Do you ever manage to declutter them or is it more organising of them?

Phew glad it's over stressy

I have been napping this afternoon. I feel all weird now!

Managed some tidying up this morning though, just sorting various things and chucking some stuff away. But you know that feeling that it's a tiny drop in the ocean and it barely looks any different?! 😭