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Housekeeping

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

870 replies

Sandycarrots · 31/08/2017 17:17

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 Wine 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 Blush):

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!

OP posts:
YesEinsteinsMumDid · 25/09/2017 20:25

Answered on the other thread SC.

I am going to don my own hard hat and go deal with ds and bedtime.

< sigh> I haz the CBAs.

Sandycarrots · 25/09/2017 20:35

Saw it Einstein thank you very much indeed, much appreciated (did post below!). (Sorry , so many posts, not easy to spot!) Hope ds cooperative tonight!

OP posts:
YesEinsteinsMumDid · 25/09/2017 20:39

lol, meant i replied again.

Also ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Grin
Sandycarrots · 25/09/2017 20:47

Oh sorry! Will have a look!

And... Oh dear Grin

OP posts:
CotswoldStrife · 25/09/2017 22:46

Must be another the week for poorly fledglings, DD had a bad cold again over the weekend - did make school today but got very tired towards the end of a school visit not helped by a slight accident in school today which has left her with a bit of pain. Will see how she is tomorrow, didn't eat much tea either.

Otherwise not much to report from today. I will try and stick to the three threads rule, that's quite a good one actually Cag.

Sandycarrots · 26/09/2017 05:32

Good morning all! (Puts on haughty corner's whistling kettle.)

Cotswold hope your dd is feeling better this morning. Agree, three thread rule is a good 'un!

Bit of a disturbed night. Might as well get up and make the most of the morning...

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 06:14

Morning all. I say morning but I'm still hoping I can get back to sleep this time Hmm

Should add I certainly have more than 3 threads on my TIO! But quite often I'll post and not go back to it, or only post once a week if it's a TV show thread like Dr Foster. I still spend too much time on here but it's reducing and I often open a thread and close it before finishing the OP.

Midwife in 3.5hrs and very nervous although she is lovely and she does know of my history so it won't be out of the blue. Caglets will have to go to sports club with DH and play in the playground next to the park (it's the teen club so they can't join in) - normally they'd come in with me or stay in the waiting room but I don't want them to see me in a state. DD is worried enough as it is, I really try not to let her see how things are but have had to explain hormones etc. Due to her autism she has only recently been able to tell if someone is upset and I kind of wish she couldn't yet Blush.

Didn't achieve much else yesterday other than putting laundry away. Must do more washing today as fabric conditioner arrives. Also I was knackered after my bath so forgot to ask DH to bring the books down. Hopefully will have time to this morning. I might count them just for fun Hmm :o. Got at least two buckets in our room plus a few stragglers, the whole bookshelf downstairs, and loads on the shelves under DS' bed. Plus will need to get them mattress diving as there are loads that they take to bed! I think we will stick a DVD on and just work through as much as we can. Going to end up with a lot of charity bags I think (really CBA to sell anything) and already have bags of stuff to donate so not sure when to take them. Normally DH takes a bag when he takes DD to ballroom as there's a shop next to it (only opens weekends) but there's way too much - actually wondering if a taxi might be worthwhile to do it all in one go.

Next thing to sort through (probably not today) will be their dressing up stuff - we only did it a few months ago and I extracted some nice-but-too-small things I still need to give to my reception teacher friend, but they still have so much!!! They really resent letting go of any of it but there's so much that's super tatty and won't fit.

GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 08:22

Cag We have books all over the house too. One library has gone walkies, and it is driving me nuts trying to find it. I've probably overlooked it a million times by this point. But no such thing as "too many books" IMO. Grin

I'm just sitting here with my coffee, browsing worksheets to print off for upcoming months. The dcs love "holiday themed" sheets, so Thanksgiving and Christmas are being printed right now. Xmas Grin

YesEinsteinsMumDid · 26/09/2017 08:39

But but bonfire night and halloween come first.... And rememberence sunday!

(guessing you might not be UK base GingerIvy?)

Ds has gone to school - win
I need to get going but don't want to - fail.

GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 08:44

I've already printed off Halloween and Bonfire Night. Grin I have printed out some stuff on remembrance Sunday, but it's not the "fun" worksheets. hahaha More "informational." Slacking this year - I completely ignored Labor Day. Too much going on.

Yes, I'm in the UK. I am American, but dcs' father is British, so I like to cover both UK and American holidays (some of them anyway).

GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 08:45

We do Christmas and other holidays mostly observing British traditions that their father grew up with (as I think it's important they have some similar experiences), but I throw a few American traditions in that I feel are important too. Best of both worlds I guess. Smile

YesEinsteinsMumDid · 26/09/2017 08:50

Bit like us and the fact that mum gave us two christmases (24th and 25th) and varied pre - lent foods (pancake tuesday vs bun wednesday) and 17.mai Grin best of both worlds is a lot of fun Grin and often tasty

GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 08:58

Yes, and home ed allows us to actually treat certain American holidays as holidays here in the UK. Like Thanksgiving, for example, as they can be home and have the traditional Thanksgiving meal at lunchtime (as our family used to do in the states).

Sandycarrots · 26/09/2017 09:00

Same here! Dual country celebrations are fab!
Dd receives presents on the 6th (St Nicolas) like all her friends and classmates, and avain on the 25th December (although should add, they are split between the two, she doesnt get twice as much!). And much emphasis here on celebrating Christmas on the eve of the 24th, which has taken a bit of getting used to, but I have got caught out so many times doing last minute preparations when people popped around in celebratory mode (they just thought I was v slack!!) that I have now conformed!

OP posts:
Sandycarrots · 26/09/2017 09:07

Sounds lovely GingerIvy and Einstein!

Meant Christmas Eve, not eve of Christmas Eve!!

GingerIvy sounds as though you have it all very much under control but sites such as DLTK, Activity Village and Tete a Modeler(in French but much content self explanatory) have some good print outs/holiday craft ideas.

OP posts:
GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 09:12

SC ooooh thanks! I'm always on the lookout for new sites with stuff to use for home ed! Grin I currently use a lot of Twinkl (UK paid site) and teacherspayteachers (American free site).

Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 09:14

Hurrah I managed to get back to sleep until alarm at 7.45. Feel a lot better for it. I think today will be a disorganised one though as I got to the bus stop before I realised I'd left my maternity notes and obligatory sample pot of pee in the living room. Thankfully DH realised and ran out with them in his socks. True love. :o

Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 09:16

Worth looking at education.com too, that's American I think. There's a paid membership but if you have a free one you can download 6 sheets a month I think. I signed up with both my email addresses and DH's too :o

People sitting behind me on the bus talking So. Fucking. Loud. Shhhhhh FFS

GingerIvy · 26/09/2017 09:44

Cag Thanks - I'll check that one out.

I have to admit - I've mixed feelings about Thanksgiving. Obviously strong emotional ties due to family traditions, but the logical side of me thinks perhaps the Native Americans would have been better off letting the Pilgrims starve and die out? Hmm Although I suppose another country would have eventually colonised it anyway.

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 26/09/2017 09:57

Morning all. Am in a coffee shop on my own!!! Have taken car to get MOT then have an opticians appt so not worth going home. Brought some work with me so have done a solid half hour on that and am feeling pleased with myself. Giving myself a 10 min break on MN then will get ready for appt. Last time they were running pretty late so at least I have something productive with me to do if they are overrunning.

Trying to limit myself to this thread and just the odd other one to reduce the time sucking of MN!

Really hope your appt goes well Cag.

Also LOVE this time of year and all the traditions so must start making lists. Have got a couple of Birthday cards this month so have started and have a couple of present ideas (loads of birthdays right up until Xmas now).

To do:-
Opticians - expecting this to take ages
Go home
Tidy up breakfast stuff
Some decluttering in study - if time I really want to make a dent in this today
Pick up car
Decide if DD1's rucksack is too big for school or not!

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 26/09/2017 09:58

I know what you mean about Thanksgiving Ginger. We don't celebrate it but can see why people would have mixed feelings.

Sandycarrots · 26/09/2017 11:12

Yes indeed GingerIvy/Toostressy love the idea of giving thanks in general, but not comfortable with origins.

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 11:37

ta da
✅got DH to bring some books down
✅got to appt and cried at reception when they said it had been booked at the wrong surgery with a different midwife... thankfully there was a cancellation so still got to see my one
✅had a nice chat with an old acquaintance but 'educated' them a bit on autism as they are very much of a previous generation where it didn't exist so much (and she was particularly surprised about DD as you really can't see it in her TBF, unless you know what to look for, like many girls she is excellent at masking it, and she hadn't seen her in a year or more anyway). But it was a good conversation and hopefully gave her a little insight in a nice way.

Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 11:42

Appt was good though. MW is lovely as it is but she really understood and didn't rush me at all, she suggested a counselling service and we talked about maybe going back on the ADs which I think I am starting to accept is necessary.

Cagliostro · 26/09/2017 11:55

ta da
✅switched default doctors surgeries (it's a set of 2) so this morning's fiasco shouldn't happen yet again
✅put a wash on

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