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!

So far all I've done is survive school, sleep on the sofa and then eat oven pizza for tea. There's a food shop coming and one of the guinea pigs needs cleaning out. Not sure if I'm going to get much else done...

Kids back to school today lies on back waving legs in air in joy

Resisted temptation to catch up on work and took morning off - most unlike me 😁

Tadas

Shined sink
Swept and washed kitchen floor
1 load washing on, 1 put away
15 mins bedroom decluttering, sorting out heap of books on my side of bed. Wondering how to deal with DH's similar tottering towers of man-fiction (all called things like "ROME!" and with lots of plot and action and zero characterisation)...

Ta das
Daily routine
Steam cleaned carpet in bedroom where ds spilt whole cup of milk this morning but got to use my carpet attachment!!
Food shopping
Cooked fish stew and sweet potato chips for dinner

Still got no motivation at the moment! I'm so tired!

ta da
Kits/cat fed .litter tray
Wash in
Clean n disinfect surfaces from scoutcat napping on then again(grrr)
Clean hob(nods to todays mission)
Sort recycling and put out at kerb
Quick tidy front room
Wash in dryer.more in
Scrub dining table
Zoolets wanted feeed selves so prep and lay out chop kiwi and grapes(not chop grapes obvs.this aint chuffin ritz)toast.plastic tub cereal.little jugs appropriate milk(full fat ds.skim dd2.df lil zoo) mini marmite and jam.df butter.they lived help selves..
Clean bath n sink
Empty bathrom bin
Hoover hall stair n landing
All bins rmpty into bkack one as binday.atrempt ram lid shut(failed by 6inches.as maghits try escape bin beat hasty retreat cursing fortnightly collections when have littertray)
Fold dry wash n pyt away
Other load in dryer

Meet friend and walk town(40min)she took zoolets with her as her son needed haircut and new school bag whilst i have app.went well.offered 20 further app cbt.yay!!
Walk her home supermarket.help her carry shop home and stay whilst she ate(she has anxiety and when in pickke cant eat alone)
Pop round other fruends house(i only have 2 friends) as her son get married sat(oldest of 10.yes they had 10 kids)and no8 wanted french manicure so went to file and paint them for her as i have the right polishes..
Home to eat(4pm)
Watch wallace n gromit dvd with zoolets
Label uniform
Sort bags
Wash lil zoo n ds hair
Fed n watered zoolets(light snack)
Lil zoo n ds in bed noe.hes terrified now bags pack n unifirm laid out.secondary will happen tomorriw.dd1 and 2 seemed way more ready than he is(sigh)

I need flop n chill for a bit.be chaos tom morning with dd2 out 725.walk ds first day 745 drop lil zoo on way back.be smooth ir chaos((gulp))

Cheerywingflaps to all

Ta da:
empty dw done
tidied kitchen done
cleaned surfaces done
shone sink done
cleaned bin done
clear away piles of bags and boots dumped in hall done
hoover up mud! done downstairs but it's trailed upstairs now too
re-engage with laundry pile done
walk the furry done
opened parcels done
called dsis2 about parcel delivery done
finish letter and post card done
deliver two more cards by hand on dog walk done
wipe out fridge done
take delivery of on-line shopping order and put away done
quick supermarket shop for something I'd forgotten done
hoovered inner and outer hall done
carried a load of things from downstairs, upstairs done
and vice versa done
a mound of ironing NOPE but did a bit!
folding towels done

make birthday cake NOPE
prep celebratory dinner done
dining room table hot spots done (one table)
clear sitting room of a load of crapola that shouldn't be in there done but it is now all dumped in boudoir
fold ironed sheets etc done
clear bed in boudoir which is covered in suitcases and general crapola NOPE
pick up stuff from boudoir floor NOPE
wash sheets done

Also did:
rubbish and recycling done
cleaned out recycling bins done
found cake ingreds NOPE (bought one instead )
cleaned front of fridge, cleaned thoroughly and re-sorted school notices for term ahead done
cooked, served, tidied up celebratory supper done

Evening all!

A long day but a cheery one. DD came back from school grinning ear to ear. She absoutely loves her new science class . And she is very excited for tomorrow, when she will be studying English (lang & lit) for the first time ever!!

Very best of luck to all of those whose dc are starting back to school tomorrow, particularly those attending nursery, primary or secondary for the first time. Hope the day goes well for them all! [bunny]

And good luck to those of you who are wrestling with the logistics of different dc in different schools too

And for those getting stressed by name tapes, book labelling, signing papers, sorting uniform etc and all the gubbins that goes along with school attendance, I just want to give you all the good news that by the time they are 14 yrs, they take care of the majority of all of that themselves and will be labelling books on their own initiative and bringing you documents to sign, ironing their own gym kit and it will (in comparison) seem positively relaxing! Never thought we would see the day but there you are!

Evening everyone,
I am shattered I've just got back from Beavers, it's a shock to the system when you've had a long summer off from 30 screaming kids apart from that though I love being a leader.

Youngest dd loves being in yr 4 and said she had the best day ever so that was lovely to hear

Both ds are back to school tomorrow, managed to get their haircut today with only one slight meltdown and same with opticians.

Ta da
Load dishwasher
Boys haircuts
Opticians
Booked podiatrist appointment for youngest ds
School run
Walked dogs
Baked bread
Baked banana bread
Made cottage pie
Beavers
Both bathrooms done
Packed lunches
Chop firewood
Unpack winter clothes
Pack away summer clothes

Phew today seemed long. I'm now sitting down for five minutes before I go up to bed to read my kindle with a cup of rooibos.

Night all

How have you all got on?

for making it in to work and surviving Purple

for being a lovely friend Zoo (arf at not being the chuffin Ritz ) Glad the session went well and for your humungous list!

Hope your ds's cold clears up quickly Foxes and your supper sounds lovely!

Whey hey to "me time" Newchick and arf at your description of your dh's choice of literature

Rosie Well done re: lists and hope your ds's teething eases soon and that you are both able to sleep. Sorry if I have asked you before but what sort of rabbit do you have?

Mermaids good luck with the early morning pre-inspection house blitz tomorrow!

Gogo Snap! My life is laundry driven too! In fact, being on top of the washing is my sink-shining Flylady equivalent!

Cag good to hear the picnic was rained off and the melatonin is kicking in!

Einstein hope all errands in big city sorted!

Cotswold hope dd suitably worn out for the morrow! Arf at start of academic year enthusiastic thread-joining! I am starting the diet again on Thurs [wibbles]

Congrats on v respectable list achieved Afreshstart plus loads more no doubt!

Toostressy good luck with the never-ending name tapes!

Mumofazoo baking banana bread and chopping firewood sounds delightfully domestic goddessy (in a good way!)

Hi to Honu and anyone I have inadvertently missed!

Links coming up!

x post Mumofazoo

for long list achieved

I've just Googled Rooibos and its health benefits. Tempted to put it on the shopping list! What does it taste like though? Not fond of red fruit teas but love camomile and a good quality green tea.

The summary for Tues 5th 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. 5 for Tues 5th is here. Continue with previous steps and banish all negative voices from your mind about your home and yourself.

We are in Zone 2 this week: The Kitchen.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 2 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Tuesday's mission is: here. Clean out cutlery drawer and get rid of all extraneous rubber bands, paper clips, takeaway cutlery, old pkts of ketchup or whatever.

The daily focus for Tuesday is planning. Plan doctors's appts, hair cuts, holidays, wardrobes, meals etc etc. Anything that makes next week/next month a bit easier!

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

Flykid's challenge: here.

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

Small steps everyone! If things are too overwhelming inititally, just do one small thing for five minutes and that will give you the energy and motivation to do another small thing, and so on.

Hello all, have achieved everything on my list except the labelling so feeling ok. Both DDs did their new gymnastics classes today so I am glad we have got the first ones out of the way - was slightly more nervous about that than back to school!

Finished everything for the day now except the huge task of finishing off labelling and organising stuff for tomorrow. Ugh. Am not going to do all the clothes but will need a fair few bits labelled. At least water bottles and coats are done and sorted for tomorrow.

Planning to get ready for bed and sit in the living room with some good telly and try to enjoy it .

SC, so pleased your DD enjoyed her day. Cotswold, I am intrigued by your plans to get out of survival mode!

Good luck to everyone back at school or starting new schools / jobs / terms etc.

Tomorrow once I actually get both to school I will have a free morning! Have booked eyebrows, opticians and also planned either a rest or some relaxed decluttering with no kids in the house! Also going to investigate joining a gym but probably not tomorrow.

SC, re. rooibus. Honestly I hate the stuff but it is no worse taste than other herbal teas and is meant to be v good for you as you say.

Oh OK, no harm in trying it I guess!

Well i cant remember most of what i did today to write it up on here!

Useless.

Have headache.

Thanks Toostressy glad the gymnastics went well! Congrats on getting through your list and why hey to your child-free morning tomorrow! Happy labelling (if that's possible!)

and paracetamol Afreshstart

Not useless at all! Bet you've done loads! This humid weather is headache inducing. Hope pain eases soon.

Today has been the most frustrating most number of wasted journeys for a long time and ds is playing up at bedtime He doesn't want to go to bed and doesn't think he should have a bedtime earlier than me get a grip you are 13 not 16 Tomorrow shall be fun as there is no new alarm clock and I have to be up on time. Fingers crossed the stroppy one works.

SC my teenager seems broken, when did the take care of self update happen?

On on a plus note I got a new note book for writing lists. It is soothing and scary at the same time

Sorry to hear your day was frustrating Einstein but hope new stationery (aahhhh) has soothing effect!

Do not despair - your ds a full year younger - and dd's self care leap only happened about three mths ago! They mould them in to little bureaucrats here from day one so new academic yr paperwork a doddle! Plus I iron her regulation sport t-shirt "the wrong wy" apparently. I still do all laundry, shoe polishing and sewing of name tapes though!

It is strangely calming to write a list of every thing that needs to be done none-day-to-day stuff before christmas - decorating, cleaning, present shopping, crafting plans, work plans. Going to make the Christmas baking list tomo as that needs to be completed in Nov due to advent celebrations. You have got to love a good list...

Absolutely shattered but just doing a quick list to remind myself I got through the day!

ta da
Two towel washes done (will have to dry in the morning)
Was brave and texted various parents of pupils about lessons/maternity leave
Spellings with Caglets
Got DD to bed before she fell asleep on sofa
Tesco order (and managed not to throw laptop out the window)
Kept diary and whiteboard up to date
Cleared handbag of So. Much. Crap.

So not much physical stuff done, but at least I did achieve some stuff I guess :)

I am clearly up far too late and will go to bed shortly. Have most things ready for tomorrow though. Slightly sidetracked by a really simple situation imploding via email while I was out today. Some people can really make a drama out of anything.

Chuffin Ritz I will be using that frequently. Everything labelled and ironed for school tomorrow, I usually make brownies in the morning (it's just stirring really) so have weighed out all ingredients ready to drop into the bowl.

Did get a ton of emails while I was out with more stuff to add to the to-do list. Will have to knock a load of stuff off it!

I was in the Gromit shop today as well, it's got a Morph exhibition on that finishes tomorrow (or perhaps it was today). The shops covers Gromit, Shaun and Morph at the moment.

The Gromit shop? Prey tell whether this is the pleasure beach one or some other one?

Morning all (puts on whistling kettle and heats soft rolls)

Cotswold. I love Shaun!

Cag well done re: yesterday's achievements!

I do indeed love a good list Einstein it's just the executing of them I find challenging

Again, good luck to all of those returning to, or starting school today