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 your menu tonight sounds absolutely delicious - fish and parsley sauce - and ginger and plums are fantastic combinations! And congrats on loads more achieved too! Much nicer to go to supermarket with friend than solo! Sorry your ds still feeling grim.

Foxes a fish pie is a big undertaking in my book - just as much effort as baking - if not more! Anyway, you can relax and watch others baking tonight instead on GBBO!

Ta da:
animals
interview (voluntary work)
walk furry 1
2 x loads washing
load dw
clean kitchen surfaces
write thank you card
banking
art class

To do:
prep supper
deliver thank you card
find labels
30 mins boudoir missions
GBBO
tidy sitting room/play room
possibly make apple pie, apple crumble or apple flap jacks
prep parcel return

Feel a bit bad reporting this when everyone else is rushed off their feet and sleep deprived etc but now I'm at stage when I have more time on my hands (always did with an 'only' anyway - and hardly any school runs now) I started an oil painting class this afternoon and really enjoyed it. Sounds silly but found it quite tiring having to concentrate so solidly for three hours!

NB for tomorrow:
sort payment/inscription confirmation for second hand sale
start exercise bicycle sessions!!
ring gynae/obyn

I've been out for most of day so hope no-one minds but going to post links for tomorrow now so I can on with all the things I've not yet done! Have a good evening everyone!

**

The summary for Wednesday 20th 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. 20 for Wed 20th is here. Include laundry in your morning and evening routines.

We are in Zone 4: The Master Bedroom, Bath, Closet (September 17-23) this week here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 4 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Wednesday's mission is here. Tidy up bottom of wardrobe decluttering shoes as you go!

The daily focus for Wed is anti-procrastination. Flylady says "This is a day that we take care of things we’ve been putting off."

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.

Nothing says “I love you” like clean underwear! ~FlyLady

*

G'night all!

sc you have just given me hope one day. May have five mins to call my soul my own
Hope you enjoyed the class.x

sandy she is amazing and its one chore I love doing. I will post a pic tomorrow as all of my pics have my youngest dd in them
Ta da
Pony in for the night and groomed and fed
Kids all fed
Kids all bathed and in bed
Dishwasher done
Laundry done
Packed lunches done
Had a bath (stank of horse poo)

Now having a cup of rooibos before bed.
Hope you all have a quiet evening.

Awww mumof that's so exciting! ❤️🐴

Also brilliant on the art class sc

My day was good, managed to get through it at least! Scan all fine baby a decent size, got to see a different consultant tomorrow though and I have a feeling it'll be a wasted appt which is really annoying as I no longer get my nice chilled day at home (before the craziness that is Thursday) 😡

Morning all

(Drags sack of carrots in to thread for Mumofzoos pony)

Cag great to hear Cagletini doing well! Hope today's apt goes well.

Zoo sorry, nearly missed your post. Believe me, although you are in the thick of it now, the time passes so quickly, and before you know it, the zoolets will have growed!! The realisation dawned this summer that if she goes to uni, dd only has four more years with us .

Them what you do with yourself sc?
Tadas
Fed cats
Littertray
Wash on
Realise ment made cookies for todays lunch.thankfully measured in tbsp they super quick n easy and added sugar free!!
Made said cookies
Wash kitchen floor after scoutcat decide drag wet meat around.grrr
Breakfadt and pack ups
Wash in dryer
More on
Wipe bath n sink
Bins emptied
Beds made

How do you mean Zoo? [Great list by the way.] Do you mean life after dc at home generally or what you or I will do in particular?

Morning everyone! I see we have a pony on the thread now - how lovely! My dd would love a pony but she'll have to make do with a toy one for Christmas!

To do
Daily routine
Clear top of wardrobe (as top is worse than the bottom at the moment! )
Declutter in bedroom
Anti procrastination - Peel and choo apples ready for baking!! At least then I can freeze them for now.
Check when library books due back

And I still need to go to the post office at some point...

sc post kids....

Lil zoo at school
Pop shops as all milks gone...
Wash in dryer

Thunk i may do some baking today.its grey and miserable looking here and i like idea fresh baked goods wafting enticing smells.plus lil zoo get bit variety.dairy free cakes and biscuits tend be expensive or accidently vegan andwith exception of oreos can be duller than dullsville

Zoo In general, well possibly not as dramatic a change when you only have one child maybe. In general (I hope) I will have attitude that although I will miss dd terribly, and that is/will have been a huge blessing and privilege to be able to raise her, it is also my job to get her to the point where she is confident and happy to leave and wants to live an independent life. So (I hope) I will be happy for her as well as sad ifyswim. So I'm not dreading it at all (is that terrible?) but not exactly looking forward to it either obviously. Just anxious to pack in as much as we can between now and then ifyswim. Still so much of the world I want to show her for example!

In partic, dh won't have retired in 4 yrs (definitely not what with uni fees being so high now) so, God willing, what I will be doing then is what I am doing now (helping with office and wreck renovation ongoing and will prob take 10-15 yrs before we finish) depending on good health and a following wind and all of that!

Is that what you meant?

Foxes I didn't get to deal with our apple glut last night either! Need to do something pronto!

Ta da:

animals
furry walk 1and delivered thank you card
empty dw
empty overnight washing
prep supper
looked for labels but can't find them anywhere (bum)
on-line parcel return prep
30 mins boudoir (still loads to do)

To do:
waiting in for wm engineer
apples
more boudoir which is a disgrace
decluttering and sorting for second hand sale

I have totally squandered my alone time just sitting staring into space! Caglets are out at an appt with DH and I've only just had breakfast. Somehow resisted EPIC cereal cravings and had scrambled eggs, chorizo, avocado and tomato with my first bit of bread in a week (one slice low carb seeded toast with loads of butter - YUM).

Need to sort clean laundry and do the Caglets' maths so they can do that and their spellings when they get in - we have been ever so slack this week on HE stuff, just not up to anything and so busy I feel like I'm living at the damn hospital. Not managing with laundry routine or starting bedtime routine either (Caglets are getting to bed earlier just not adding in the other stuff I wanted to). I am shattered and have to leave in an hour, I'm not even dressed!

cag go easy on yourself you have a lot going on right now! Your breakfast has made me drool by the way...

Ta das
daily routine
decluttered bottom and top of wardrobe, got a bag together for charity shop
Checked library books - not late thankfully!
sorted out food order for hen do
attempted to book appointment I need waiting to hear back
and binned all the apples because when I opened the bag they were pretty rotten (I feel terrible about this as I have left them and left them and they may well have been fine last week!) Have made mental note to self, next time I have apples peel and chop them IMMEDIATELY and freeze!

I was meant to be meeting up with a friend this morning but ds has decided to have a really long nap (I'm not complaining!) so don't think we'll have time before we have to pick up dd from nursery. Then we are off for a dress fitting this afternoon as dd is going to be a bridesmaid soon. (The dress is a little on the pink and frilly side for my taste but dd seems quite excited probably because it means being the centre of attention

Quiet today!

I didn't even manage to sort laundry. DH is washing towels though.

I went all funny after my appt (where the dr said my post meal levels are good now, still on the lower end of what they'd expect but much safer) - I was in Boots getting prescription (which wasn't in ) and had to sit down for 20 mins. I don't really get it. Starting to wonder if this is just how it's gonna be until baby arrives now, and feeling sorry for myself.

Hope you are feeling better soon cag
Today has been another busy day.
Ta da
Dishwasher loaded
Kids fed
Animals fed
Dogs walked
Pony mucked out
Pony fed
Pony groomed
Youngest dd bathed again
Bread done
Firewood collected
Vacuumed downstairs

Now time to have a bath myself, here's a pic of our beautiful pony. It's not the best pic sorry but I had to crop it as my youngest dd is always hugging her

Aaaah.mn ate my post

Eeek pony
cag be kind to youself
sc exactly what ment.want --> for those apples?
Speak apples. foxes dont beat self up.lots plates spinning n all that.its ok drop one just not evety day or have eat dinner out of bowls

I was fannying around chosing recipes.end up making a dif banana bread(looks goid)
Walked aldi with friend
Pick up lil zoo
Make low sugar carrot muffins
Make dinner- yorkshire puddings in muffin tins.mushrok. gravy
Mash.green beans.strawberry jelly and timned peaches.muffins

To do
Wash up
Colapse n watch crap 📺

Very exciting pony news ofazoo .

foxes, re. the apples, I think with young children some things just end up falling by the wayside- don't be too hard on yourself . Cag, Mumsnet is my thief of time - I can waste ages on it . Probably worth mentioning it to your midwife / doctor if you keep having those episodes.

Work day today which was ok actually. Finished a bit early and went to MacDonalds and thoroughly enjoyed it . Wasted time on here while DDs watched a bit of telly before bed though so must get on once they are asleep.

To do:-
Eat tea (DH making it now)
Tidy up tea
Laundry
Before bed routine

If time:-
Sew on swimming badges - might not manage this as I am terrible at sewing so need a lot of time
Get bags ready for tomorrow

Re apples I still have some that I need to process. Windfalls. Natural selection has helped reduce the amount I needed to deal with. Which is potentially good because there is only so much crumble you can eat and only so much space in the freezer.

Today I said fuck and went out for the entire day. Stress levels are down and now had enough space from the house to deal with ds and his stimming. Only thing is I fell asleep at 7pm and had an hours nap so whilst I am soo tired I want to sleep I am finding difficult to fall asleep now I have got ds sent to bed. AND I burnt my hand again making a hot water bottle.

Horse looks lovely. And it is good that dd loves it. Annoying for pictures that are non identifiable but it would be so much worse if she was scared of the horse.

I should have done a shit load of stuff today. Going to have to do it tomo. don't be surprised if there is an epic list tomo and friday. I need to sort a lot of space ready for a new piece of furniture. It will be good when it arrives but omg the fun of making the space and organising, whilst decluttering. All the fun games...

Hope there is nothing in the air/water tonight. night night

Evenin' all. Quiet here atm.

Bit of a boring day here. Just back from PTA meeting ( messe de rentrée tomorrow and second hand sale Sat). Did manage 30 mins in boudoir and other mind bogglingly tedious things on my list + 2 dog walks + yet more testing on periodic table with dd.

Thanks for gorgeous photo Mumofazoo she looks lovely (and a good do-er !!) How is she settling in?

Cag take it very steady and as Toostressy suggested, def seek med advice if you keep feeling wobbly x Also, just sitting and staring in to space is a very necessary activity sometimes!

[Snaffles one of Zoo's leftover Yorkshire puds] How about you then Zoo what are your plans post kids at home?

Foxes hope your dd was thrilled with her frilly dress and apple incident happens to all of us I'm afraid - I no longer have veg box for same reason- kept coming across moulding bits of kale or salsify which I cba to prep - felt very guilty. Well done: re wardrobe decluttering.

Encouraging wing flaps to everyone else!

Links coming up!

x post Einstein

glad you got some time away for yourself - utterly necessary sometimes - sleep well