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!

Hmm lost my post...

Ta das
daily routine
swish and swipe downstairs toilet
pop to shops for some bits
wrote list for the week as got lots of things to remember
decluttered under sofa
decluttered living room shelves

To do
Dinner (easy one tonight - pizzas!)

glad your MW app went well cag

So we didn't actually have the space to get ALL the books out there's that many!!! We are doing quite well so far though having done the bulk of what was upstairs. Just taking a break then will continue.

60 books for charity donation so far! We are still keeping loads too.

It's really made me think about how many of these books I could have read to the Caglets by now though. :( I have been so slack about it due to my health, the pregnancy and DD's sleeping problems (those who say bedtime stories always get kids to sleep can't have met many autistic kids I'd say :o she would always just get more anxious as she knew that once the chapter finished she would have to try and sleep). BUT she is sleeping well now so although I am knackered in the evenings I really need to get back to it. So tonight I am going to try and read to both of them - we've been partway through a couple of books for ages.

Must put another wash on then crack on with the books! It's tiring but at least I can sit down and actually the Caglets are doing quite well making decisions quickly. DD grumbled about being made to do it but I gave her short shrift as they basically got to play almost all day yesterday while DH and I decluttered our room. So she got the don't be ungrateful talk.

Towel wash needed, really must go!!!

60 books decluttered is a fantastic achievement Cag!

Bloomin' well done!!!

cag wow well done!! I decluttered one book today!

One is better than nowt Foxes!

Thank you! Caglets are now playing outside as neighbours knocked after school so I'm just sorting through what we've done so far. I've extracted all the books we are just keeping for baby (as the Caglets have grown out of picture books now), they are in a storage box until she's outgrown board books.

We have started a bag for recycling too as some were so manky they could only be chucked. Any that the Caglets think baby should still have someday are now on her very own wishlist - not for others but just do we can remember old favourites to buy for future birthdays etc. :)

Towel/sheet wash is on too

so*

Got the Caglets to search their room again - so many books in their beds :o. Extracted 15 more books for charity from the remaining pile, a few for recycling and some to keep for general use/baby. Have stacked up the rest as need to do dinner! Totally chuffed with today's achievements though. Have promised Caglets I'll read to them tonight so I am prioritising that over carrying on sorting after. DH is off tomorrow so hopefully can carry on with it all.

Hands a gold to cag

Makes my ta da list look crap. tbh it is crap so that isn't hard

Other people are doing stuff in the house so leaving them too it, especially after my rant the other week. I have just supplied sausage, mash and gravy for tea. There is that eerie silent that goes with happy eaters

Only thing I am going to do is go over my to do list for tomo because that is insane and I need to prioritise.

Cag I'm well impressed! You've been busy! (although aren't you supposed to be resting??? )

I didn't get a huge amount done today as we had home ed to get through in the morning, some prep work, then park with friends for picnic lunch and play for the afternoon, then errands on the way home, dinner, bakeoff, and dcs just in bed now.

I'm sitting here with a small glass of Baileys and mulling whether I want to finish sorting the home ed stuff (likely) or clean the kitchen (unlikely). The dcs get stressy and wake up when I am in the kitchen in the evenings, so that's probably going to have to wait now.

Our bathroom sink's pop-up plug is broken.. the spring gave out. It's of course in the down/closed position so we can't use the sink until it's fixed - which will be almost a month (Housing assoc) as it's a non-emergency. To be fair, they're usually really fast about repairs, so I can't complain. It's a nuisance, but not traumatic (provided the dcs cope with the routine change - ASD can mean routines are practically sacred).

But despite not getting much done, it's been a good day, so I'm happy with that. We're out tomorrow too, so won't be much "ta-da's" to celebrate for me tomorrow either! Thursday will be "catch up" day.

Ah that's frustrating about the sink!

I did absolutely fuck all rested at the weekend 😇 I think it's part of the reason I had such an epic mental health crash, after being so busy I just suddenly stopped and it all piled up. It's hard to get the balance right.

Managed to read to both Caglets at bedtime, it's nice now to be able to read on the sofa knowing that DD will still happily go to bed after (she used to go deadweight, through fear of the transition to bed). And they were still in bed in time for me to watch Doctor Foster :o

Need to spruce up the place though as there are still random books piled up (not children's stuff but the odd grown up one and home ed resources which I'm keeping separate) and the kitchen... oh god I don't even wanna know. But will have a quick zip round before DH gets home from work

I printed stacks of worksheets for the next few months... now I have to sort them by child, by order that I want to have them done (so there's a logical progression in skills), and by season. I printed off some mini readers for ds2 as he loves to read them to his plushies after he's read them to me a couple times.

Must be the day for it. I decluttered 3 books today . That's amazing Cag. Have to be in work early tomorrow so going to do quick sort out of bags then head to bed.

Ok so I counted

Today I have sorted 180 books!
75 to charity
20 in recycle bin
30 being kept now
55 put in storage for when baby is older (mostly picture books but also lovely illustrated classic type stuff that I've already read to the Caglets)

Not gonna lie I am feeling pretty smug I will regret this surge of energy tomorrow won't I

Now sorting the dry laundry (it's all nice and warm from the dryer) but won't put it away until morning

Laundry sorted and in piles to be put away tomorrow (but will hang towels when I go upstairs)

Is this the whole nesting instinct thing kicking in :o

I reckon we aren't actually even halfway through the books actually. Looking at the bookcase I think we may have at least 200 to go. Mostly non fiction. Crikey.

Also sorting books freed up another Ikea tray which was exactly what I needed to store the den building kit, so that has now filled the last space on the shelves in our room. I do think the toys need more thorough sorting but for now it's good.

I am about ready to drop now!

Hi all

Cag that is amazing!!!!!! Congratulations !! Please, please rest now though!!

Crap ta da list for myself today (I don't Fly on Tues apart from necessities).

Well done to everyone else though for lists achieved - catch up properly tomorrow!

**

The summary for Wed 27th 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. 27 for Wed 27th is here. A very good, highly recommended one, about pre-planning dinner in advance!

We are in Zone 5 this week: The Living Room, Den, Family Room (September 24-30) here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 5 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Wed's mission is here. 10 mins spent putting out hot-spots in sitting room. Newcomers: definition of hot-spot here!.

The daily focus for Wednesday is anti-procrastination.

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.

G'night all!
**

Btw Cag you are DEFINITELY nesting!!!

Mn ate home worktwice
Well done cag
einstein coffee in haughty cirner for you(and afresh if still doing zombie mum on no sleep thang)
sc hows dd?
(Waves foxes)
ginger goodwork on home ed front( feel bit left iut we arent dual household)
Yesterday was crap.(will come back and explain later)
Place tip
Must make start....

Hi Zoo and morning to everyone else!

Dd considerably better thank you but teaching day today so no (half day) school! How about your ds? Sorry you had such a crap day yesterday, hope today better!

*Cag" hope you can rest today?!

Well done for decluttering your 3 books Toostressy! Have a good day at work!! How did study decluttering go btw?

Good work on all the educational admin GingerIvy! Picnic lunch yesterday sounded lovely!

Einstein sausage & mash my favourite!

Waves to Foxes and everyone else!

Have a good day everyone! (Leaves plate croissants and couque suisses on haughty corner bar.)

Emboldening failure there Cag! Please have a rest today! (Proffers footstool.)

Morning everyone! cag you are 100% in nesting mode but try and take it easy!

Morning zoo morning sc

Ds was up for ages in the night probably because he has a cold but he has gone back to sleep now

Phone being v annoying so bbl on the laptop!

Morning all! I haven't got up yet :o I slept pretty well and I promise I will sit down a lot today. And going out with mum friends for dinner so super excited about that.

Was frustrating yesterday....dietitian waste time.our usual ones transfer dif hospital and this ones not gelling with us.old one happy give maxijoule powder(empty calorie) to add food when hes not eat to perk up.this one feels milkshakes with nutricious ingreduents are way forward.fine if hed drink a whole one but annoying you make milk.banana etc and he has few sips.cant keep with banaba in.he wont eat it without(sigh).think be looking into buying some kind of build up if he doesnt get going soon....if still under par by mon its back gp see they might give him some fortisip(googled it but its quite pricey for our budget)left feeling quite ignored and deflated as we need perk him up then apetite usually returns...
Mahoosive mother of all spats dd2 before school and ds coukdnt find math homework(give him s frickin book not scraps of paper with homework on ffs).breakfast time yesterday at zoo house=carnage....

Had massive panic attack on way back to school with ds..ended up drop him n text friend tp go out again so i didnt get in too much state be able pick up lil zoo.pick her up then try hunt down a light for landing.nothing locally...

Fruend who very poorly depression pop by on way visit her son(staying at her sister as too poorly to take care of him at present) shes be admitted hispital next few days by crisis team

Lil zoo lost school jumper.experience tells me thatl never be seen agsin..

Then fir something lovely...
Friend i shopped with sons said pop shops see what he could find and bless him he drove argos and got a cheap table lamp.no charge.said do soneone else who needs a favour one.a strapping 20year old with such sct kindness near bought me to tears(blame be woman certain age)
sO WE HAVE LIGHT....no more zoolets having go turm on bedroom lights and rush to rooms to check bums clean.no trip up over unseen kits lurking on stairs....

Todays tadas
Fed kits
Bleach lav
Wash on
Quick tidy front room
Wash up last nights dinner things
Breakfadts n pack ups
Pop shops for bread.milk etc
Drop lil zoo on way back
Shop away
Wash in dryer