Fledglings Fly back to school & work, September 2017, decluttering along the way ...

[Sandycarrots]

Hello, it's time to brush the sand off our feet, empty out the suitcases, sharpen our pencils, polish our lace-up shoes, and get stuck in to the September 2017 fledgling Fly thread!

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.

Fly stands for Finally Loving Yourself (cheesy but there is merit to it). The general idea is that short bursts of tidying / organisation are more achievable than marathon efforts. Flylady advises 15 minute bursts of effort but you can tweak this to fit your own circumstances.

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!

More info available here, here and here.

Your choice whether or not you sign up to the Flylady e-mails, but we advise caution as there are lots of them!

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!

zoo

Try again...
sc film and popcorn sound answer to most woes(any gingercake left😋)
cag yay to fresh beds.enjoy trip to mums
afresh sounds like and chocolate are in order at yours.hope those teeth make appearance soon
mermaids thats a cool system.always nice to hear schools encouraging kids in new ways unlike lil zoo school
foxes hope ds is feeling better now and you have forgiven yourself.
I have zoolets fighting(hungry i suspect) so must get up esp at dd2 is volunteering at community cafe today!(and currently still snoring)

X postsafresh thanks

Morning all. (Hands pkt ginger cake over to Zoo to stick behind ear for later )

Those early morning and frequent wakings sound absolutely knackering Foxes and Afreshstart
Hope the sleep training goes well Afresh

Fwiw, from my limited knowledge and probably rather dodgy recollection, whether dd slept or not around a year old, was food/hunger related. Not saying this is the case with your dc - not at all - could be teething - could be loads of other reasons- (you both have far more experience than me) but just that it's worth keeping an eye on as looking back I remembered worrying that we hadn't perhaps fed dd enough at a certain point (paediatrician kept saying she was too podgy but they are paranoid about weight over here) and I lost confidence in my own instincts. She seemed v hungry though so I upped intake and she slept through. Some DC can't/don't eat a lot all at once though. Anyway, just thought worth mentioning but prob nothing to do with that!

Have a lovely trip Cag!

Lovely to see you Mermaids that app sounds amazing! Enjoy yr new wm and good luck with the laundry pile! My wm isnt working and it keeps flashing code 47 on display! Need to find instruction booklet, argh!!

I am off out to walk furry under leaden skies. Dd is coming with us and has decided to start running after yesterday's pe incident... .

Have a good day everyone!

afresh yes it's the dojo app my boys love it although ds2's teacher hasn't updated any points yet
Argos turned up at 8am and after wrestling with the transportation bolts I now have a working washing machine
I cannot tell you how happy this makes me

I think i would die if my washer died!

I have now sussed the dojo app and can see all of his 12 points

Good on your dd for the running sc

It is pissing it down here. Ive just put heating on to dry some non dryer friendly washing as its taking over the house

(Pounces on ginger cake inhaling last crumbs at speed before any zoolets spot it(lil zoo favourite cake is ginger))

Tadas
Fed zoolets
Wash up breakfast things
Wipe bath n sink
Littertray cleaned
Pop community cafe and help weigh in(left dd2 there for full session)
Drop into friends and french manicure one her dd nails.twas hive activity as her sons getting married today.she has 9 children(hes eldest)4 girls(9.10.12 and 20) having hair and make up done was organized chaos!!our church works in tandem with 2 others in the parish and whilst we attend different churches we met a year ago thru church events and shes also involved communitevents(plus dd2 is friends her girls and they attend faith group together)hoping weather holds as thunderstorms preducted 4pm(just as they come out of church)hoping they all have fab time and are looking forward all photos at later date.honeymoon is under question mark as due fly florida monday....
Quick tidy front room
Need to blitz as council arriving 730 monday morning to fix internal doors_all bedroom hall to liv and liv to kitchen so theres no where to dump n stash mess😞(surveys house and begins to hyperventilate)

I highly doubt anyone will be flying to florida on monday!

afresh having just check net for news of irma.all those poor people

Hi everyone, yes it is terrifying about Irma .

Thanks for links SC and for your DD for running. Debating joining a gym myself or starting running as have fallen off the exercise wagon over summer.

Ta da:-
This is yesterday but was lucky and managed to swap to a later swimming class for next week so less of a rush after school
Dancing
Some party planning with DD1 for her birthday
Bit of tidying in DD1's room
Ran in and out with washing as sunshine and showers here.

To do:-
Nudge DH to start tea (he's been asleep as had to work last night so is just having a rest with a cup of tea now)
Get everyone ready for bed ASAP after tea as the girls want to watch Strictly Come Dancing for the first time ever!
15 mins in DD2's room (I tend to just ignore zones and do what suits at the time)

Will catch up later - soz! Week has not gone according to plan, but not too bad. DD now poorly so has had a pyjama day and lots of calpol!

I have taken some action on getting stuff out of the house giving to other people but at least it will spur me on.

Bring on the strictly glitter tonight!

Tadas cont
Help ds sort his room.he also has laundry bags so sorted thru into 4 piles
Load on
Pop head in to check lil zoo sorting her side room
Quick tidy my room(floor located)
Return shoes n coats proper homes

I realise had epic mum fail.....
I bought ds lace up trainers with yeh we learn tie over summer.he had tuck in trainers for pe yesterday
So time spend try teach him.he suffers terrible case helplessness and frustration so was very trying.in end i taught him the tie two loop together method and its still rather ropey to say the least.we shall be practising again tomorrow!!

To do
Tea-meatballs in oven fir little ones.just need cook some pasta broccoli.git carrot and cashew nut soup blipping away fir me n dd2 to have bit later
Chivvy dd2 sort her side room bombsite out.she just walked in door from be a friends all pm so hopefully in good fettle and amenable to completing whats asked(i know i know.i delusional.but a mum can dream right?)
Tidy up tea things
Get everyone bed civil hour

The older teo still push bedtime boundarys from holiday but judge by how slowly they get up if bedtime usnt strict affair theres no cgance.they have church tom and monday everyone needs be fed n watered and suitably dressed before 730ready fir repair man.i sincerely doubt screaming harpy and half naked kids running round like headless chickens would be a fine start to his week!
Enjoy sat night
yes i did say tub.co op already got the xmas tubs out

Hi all. Had long-planned medical investigative procedure at lunch time today so feeling a bit tired tonight. Nothing else achieved except a dog walk!

Gosh you have had a busy day Zoo. Oh dear about your poor friend's daughter though - as Afreshstart said I would have thought a Florida honeymoon will be out of the question - but hope wedding went well!

Sorry to hear your dd poorly Cotswold hope she recovers soon. Bring on the glitter indeed!

Toostressy great that you were able to swap the swim class! I was hoping to nudge dh to cook tea tonight (he very kindly caught first crack of sparrows Eurostar from London to be back in time to pick me up from hospital but has since disappeared to office) so need to gird my loins and cook/be around for dd tonight as she has been on her own for most of the day unfortunately. Hope your girls enjoy their first Strictly!

Afreshstart congrats to your ds re: his 12 Dojo points! It has rained all day here too.

So - Strictly starts again- is it my imagination or is it coming around quicker and quicker each year? Was thinking of following an exercise/diet programme in coordination with prog (no dancing involved!) so that I can be a bit fitter/slimmer by Christmas. Let me know if anyone here wants to share weigh ins/motivation tips etc!

Slightly bedraggled wing flaps to all!

x post Zoo that is some list and your cooking sounds delicious!! Really fancy some healthy soup right now but I don't feel like peeling veg!

SC, you might hate me now but I actually find it very difficult to put on weight and very easy to lose - am actually trying to put some on and finding it very hard.

Have a general plan for us all to eat a bit better though now I have a bit more time and also to do more exercise as really want to get fitter so happy to post about that. Once I actually start doing any that is! Also need to stalk zoo and foxes for their meals as they always sound lovely.

take it as easy as is realistic / possible. Make sure you rest as soon as you've done anything you need to for DD.

The summary for Sunday 10th September 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. 10 for Sun 10th is here. A useful one about the power of 15 mins.

As you can see below, we will be starting officially in Zone 3 tomorrow: the Main Bathroom and one other room here (if you do zone work at weekends that is).

Zone 1 Sept 1-2 Entrance, Front Porch, Dining Room
Zone 2 Sept 3-9 Kitchen
Zone 3 Sept 10-16 Main Bathroom and another Room
Zone 4 Sept 17-23 Master Bedroom, Bath, and Closet
Zone 5 Sept 24-30 Living room

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 (again, only if you choose to do zone work at weekends).

No mission on Sunday because it is the weekend!

The daily focus for Sunday is renewing your spirit. Do something for yourself that makes you feel refreshed!

The monthly habit for September is the before-bed routine: here.

Flykid's challenge: here (hopefully continually renewing itself).

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

Glitter balls here we come! Think I will miss "pickle me walnuts" Len though.

x post Toostressy not at all - I used to be exactly the same - skinny as a rake like dd is now!! It doesn't come off so easily nowadays though I'm afraid!! Thanks for flowers and brew!!

Stalk away stressy
sc frozen veg in soups is lazier easier😉

Ps hope you are oksc
cs didnt spot a poorly one on thread.hope shes feeling better soon

sc I'm fairly sure my Ds is waking so early because he's hungry. Like you say, he only eats little bits at a time apart from at breakfast when he eats two weetabix and a banana before he'll stop crying!

Chinese takeaway tonight so nothing good to inspire anybody with food wise!! I often steal zoos meal ideas!

I've had a few too many wines this afternoon. ..got a bit of a headache coming on!

Evening.
Shocking weather here. There was clear evidence of flash flooding (road gummed up with debris and standing water) I am glad I had a road trip and the luxury of sunshine this morning. Was looking forwards to gentle day on monday but that will become batshit crazy day 5 as we found another area that needs immediate building work for safety reasons. I am more that slowly beginning to lose the will to function. Thankfully bat shit crazy day 3 whilst long and hectic, was at least pretty stress free. Roll on Tuesday when hopefully brain will return to functioning.

Working loads today and so microscopic levels of domestic goddessery here. Did do 15 mins decluttering in bedroom. Still shocked at how much I can get done in 15 mins!

Hi all. Hope you got some rest sc and that mini cs is feeling better.

My journey to mum's was awful for various reasons and I ended up in tears thanks to embarrassment and some woman being grumpy with me. Really struggling with anxiety at the moment and needless to say hormones aren't helping!

Also some muppet let their dog run onto (and off and on and off again several times) the bus at the station while everyone was trying to get off. Scared the crap out of a young boy, nobody could get off for ages (only one door so it's expected to let everyone off first) and when we finally did the dog was running about so much it dived under my feet and I nearly tripped. No apology to anyone or trying to get a hold of the dog or anything, just standing there watching. Love dogs, not got a problem with them being on buses but FFS if you have a jumpy dog put it on a damn lead!!! AIBU?

Anyway. [breathe]

ta da
✅survive the journey without some sort of total breakdown 👏
✅dry bedding
✅wash towels
✅transfer next week from diary to whiteboard (frankly it's terrifyingly busy)
✅sort Caglets' clothes! Totally chuffed with this and they did really well being so amenable to it, choosing what to get rid of. Big bag of DD's stuff for smaller girl friends, pile of DS' stuff for charity or smaller boy (if I can find any takers - most of DS' friends are 9/10 so he gets hand me downs from them, DD is the opposite and doesn't get them), a few bits for the fabric bag - that's the way to deal with too-small/tatty stuff that DD really didn't want to get rid of, she can turn it into teddy clothes. And a big bag-for-life of undonatable clothes to throw away as well. Plenty of room in the cupboard and now the drawers close properly too. Yay!!!

Evening all

I did 8 loads of washing in the end! I couldn't hang anything out as we had sun for half an hour then torrential rain
All on the airer and radiators instead

cag yanbu.i hate dog owners that cannot/will not keep pets under control.if it was a child not a dog parent wouldve been chewed up and spat out(i once had a row with a man who repeatedly let his dog crap in gateways on our street.i offered follow him home n let zoolets crap in his gateway on a daily basis."thats disgusting" he said in genuine horror."and let your mutt crap and not clear it up isnt?!" i replied.hes never walked doen our street since that ive seen anyway
*mermaids 8loads on airers?crikey

Well as you can plainly see i am up despite everyone else asleep.one kits can hear my tapping keyboard sound and is mewing fir breakfast(normally fed 5-530)....