New year, new organisation! Fledglings fly in 2018.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Hello all and Happy New Year!

A warm welcome to the January Flylady thread. This is a lovely friendly thread where we loosely follow the Flylady system (see the Flylady website) in the hope of having organised homes and lives.

Every day the thread leader (me this month) posts links and missions from the Flylady site and also some friendly (!) personal comments. This is quite a ‘talky’ thread but we try our hardest not to be cliquey and new members are very welcome! Typically there are a lot of new members in January so I will do my best to keep track of everybody .

Old members, as you know there have been a few issues with links at times so if there is some chopping and changing over the month with the links then that is why. Please note that Flylady is (understandably) keen for people to click on her site so please do have a look around the site and the links.

On the website there is information for beginners. You can also sign up to the Flylady emails but we would advise caution as there are hundreds of them.

We post our achievements (ta das) and our to do lists and any other general chatter about life / flying.

Information on getting started: www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/

The launch pad is also a good starting place:www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

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

I’m sure lots of you have New Years Resolutions to be organised and to declutter, as I do every year . Be kind to yourselves and careful not to crash and burn!

I am risking making two:-
Go to bed at 11pm unless decent reason why not.
Spend less time on my phone.

Here are the links for Monday 1st Jan. although I am linking these then if you are treating today as a holiday (as much as is possible in real life anyway!) then feel free to take today off.

*
Here is the daily summary for Monday (also available on the Flylady website at flight plan which should update automatically each day).

I’m afraid I start the year confused . I’ve just looked on the Flylady website and the link to the zone and missions is here which indicates we will be in zone 5 which is the living room. I would have thought the month starts in zone 1 but I know this has happened before, I think SC explained? TBH after Xmas I think most living rooms could use a bit of work so it won’t hurt . Apologies if this is confusing.

Re. zones, do what works for you. I don’t always stick to the zones myself and do what works best at the time, with varying degrees of success!

Spend 15 mins decluttering, or whatever you can manage, in Zone 5.

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

daily focus

missions for the week

Flykids mission

January’s habit is shining your sink.

beginner babysteps.

Happy flying everyone.
**

Aw at your DC copying the yoga moves Foxes

Sorry your day is a crappy one too Hills

Whispers congrats on your productive morning!

Great lists Afresh and Zoo!

Definitely have a girl's room of gloom here Zoo!

Hope poster completion not too onerous Toostressy

Just love the thought of your hen tapping on the door for breakfast Bowerbird

Wing flaps to Honu Cotswold Who knows Cag F&F Lisette and to everyone else including all newcomers!

Aw SC I think we can manage a big bag of midget gems just for you in the naughty corner plus .it's rubbish when they get a grass is greener elsewhere moment isn't it?sending big hugs.(and remember when its all going tits up its YOU she will come running to.xx

Either an unknown germ is attacking my nose and throat/chest or dd2 has been sharing germs.or both.either way I starting to feel decidedly rundown/run over and the hot bubble bath hasn't helped

Therefore I feel it's supervise hairwashes/zoolets bathe.and once all in PJ's it's a dvd(Moana it's my choice from their Xmas stash) and a simple tea for them of pasta veggies and appropriate cream cheese with garlic and herbs added to chase off any nasties
Not sure if I fancy anything to eat.mybe later.i just feel super tired and thirsty...

Evening all

I am still awake

I am amazing myself

I half did dds room but been difficult with ds being so sad and clingy. At least i made a start though

Hills .

Always good to have a zoo blooper post . Well done on achieving to do list Whispers.

Big wing flaps to Bower, Afresh and everyone else.

Back to school tomorrow here so we went out for tea for the last day. Need to get bags etc ready to go later and of course the poster but have started getting PE kits etc together. Need to do bedtime first though once we get home.

Xpost, well done for pushing through Afresh!

Here is the daily summary for Monday (also available on the Flylady website at flight plan which should update automatically each day).

We are in zone 2 this week which is
the kitchen.

Please have a look through the information on the website at the relevant zones as I know Flylady is keen that we do look at the website.

Spend 15 mins decluttering, or whatever you can manage, in Zone 2.

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

daily focus

missions for the week

Flykids mission

January’s habit is shining your sink.

beginner babysteps.

old holiday clean up missions

Happy flying everyone.

Hats off to Afresh!

Oh no Zoo (hands over lurgy-busting platter of fresh papaya and lime) hope you can chase the microbes off X

Good luck with back to school prep Toostressy!

Oh dear, I have already failed holiday clean up mission no. 1

I havent even read it ...

Ugh I am so close to meltdown today, just getting absolutely fuck all done, I feel so pathetic

Cag it is ok to not be ok. Step back give yourself permission to not get anything done and look after yourself. Don't have to be productive everyday.

cag - everyone fed no one dead

Everyone fed no one dead.

Cag, this ^^^^^^

sc it was quite sweet. Dd was wiggling her bum saying "it's like painting with you bum isn't it mummy!?"
That is a bit demoralizing about your dd but teenagers never mean what they say really. When I think of what I used to moan to my parents about I shudder now.

cag go easy on yourself. You have a lot on your plate.

Sorry, just seen your post foxes so scrolled back and realised I missed the post about your DD SC and about you feeling ill zoo. and for both of you.

Cag it's Sunday! You've got a baby! And two other DC. It's ok to take a day (or three) off housework.

"Painting with your bum" that's hilarious Foxes!!. I'm trying to imagine the yoga move that prompted that comment

Thanks, Zoo, Toostressy and Foxes I hope DD didnt mean it, but on reflection I think it can't be much fun as an 'only' of older parents, especially when your closet family members live in another country, although we try ... . I moan about it too, so hypocritical of me to be upset about DD saying more or less the same thing. On the other hand, I want her to be aware that it's a privilege too and she is fortunate in many ways. A difficult balance!

I've had enough today. 9.20pm here and I'm turning in. Hope you can sleep Zoo and good luck with ds and teething tonight Afresh. G'night all!

Subtle - where do you live now? It's very easy to be less critical of somewhere you go on holiday, it's a different kettle of fish to actually live somewhere, hard for youngsters to understand though 😔
Cag- do NOT beat yourself up about that, you have got so much on your plate! I did flylady several years ago when I had two small children and just could not get on board then due to the busyness of the days, mess produced by the busyness of the days and lack of sleep meaning that I was less able to face even the bare minimum anyway. It's only now that the youngest is at school and I am back at work so the house stays as I left it for 5 seconds, that I feel I can put more into the system and get more out of it 😅 I know flylady says to put perfectionism behind you and just get on, I just couldn't handle it, so have bumbled along again until now. Not sure what my point was now 😒 I think it was probably something like 'don't beat yourself up, when you have so much on your plate, you need to embrace small victories and accept that some days just getting everyone through the day is enough'.
Ooo, saying that has just reminded me that my DS was practising his lettering earlier by writing out random inspirational quotes (goodness knows where he got them from 🙈) and the picture attached was one of them. I think flylady would approve 😊

Late wing flaps to everyone.

Well I feel a little better though wheezy again tonight and it was very frosty out today.
I managed to go to Mass...Epiphany. Three very little Kings took the Offertry up. They were so cute. Amazing what you can get three and four year olds to do if you have high expectations. They looked so proud.
Then grabbed milk and some thing for tonight and tomorrow's meals. Had a quick look around home sale items but didn't buy anything. Quite pleased with self.
Choir meeting.
Collected two from train.
Choir didn't manage to sing the whole time but did a few. Ran out of breathe at end of most lines but could do some. One new one is like a lullaby beautiful tune and we learnt all of it in an hour. A few years ago it took us weeks. The other one is a bit harder. Lots of new music to file and a few familiar ones which became favourites. Going to a big comp in the north west next month.
Back home collected the double whisky owed from New Year... For medicinal purposes of course after all the singing. Had tea DH made it while I went to pub😳 he said it was too cold to go out. Tables are turning. Watched Vera, knitted and dozed off in a bit. Read for sleep.
Hoping well enough to go to school tomorrow.
Cag it's Sunday day of rest.
SC teenagers always say the opposite to what you want to hear. It's their privilege. You need my sign I shall look for it.
Foxes. I'm going to get my Yoga DVd ( still in packaging from last year) and watch it if you can paint with your bum😁

Aagh that's lovely.
Tell your DS I am very impressed with his lettering. Lovely choice of colours too.

I have a fridge magnet quote for you tomorrow Cags.

Aah thank you all. Sorry I was just getting so frustrated earlier!

Awesome lettering there BTW!

Sundays... interesting point. For a while I’ve not really thought of Sunday as different - the Caglets being HE, and DH doing shifts, the weekend isn’t particularly different IYSWIM. But actually lately I just hate Sundays. DH generally works them, I don’t tend to go out anywhere, and the Caglets just play outside. So I’ve been stuck under the baby all day (sling seems to work better when we actually go somewhere, but I will persevere with it in the house) with various kids running in and out. Also, and this is the bit I feel guilty about, it is harder not having DD1 around! :( When in she is desperate to hold baby, and that means I have at least some opportunity between feeds to eat/rush round with housework etc. But I am absolutely not going to get her to stay in and help when they are otherwise occupied, I feel guilty for ‘using’ her IYSWIM. As it is the Caglets usually pass me stuff, fetch and carry etc when they are in, maybe too much I don’t know.

Did pull back the day a little, although it went a bit wrong when there was no hot water after I’d actually been organised enough to get the Caglets to run a bath at a decent hour.
ta da
✅watch some interesting catch up telly
✅put wash on and got it dry
✅used up leftover takeaway yum (often some would be binned)
✅prepare some maths for tomorrow
✅use diary and fill in whiteboard
✅find out about blood test I’m worrying about
✅watch cool documentary with Caglets

I think in order to avoid this slump each week I am going to just have to accept that Sunday will have to be a write off, and not actually expect to get anything done

Gosh everyone's been really busy!

Did complete clean up of kitchen. Need to clean living/ dining next and small conservatory. Looking forward to less dust.

All of us back to school today here.

Ta-da
Am up and about and generally sorted

To -do
Scrape ice off car

Great Ta Das cags
I don't do much on Sunday's as I go to mass and were encouraged to keep it a day of rest. I used to put vacuum over downstairs, go to mass, make lunch/ Sunday dinner, have a couple of hours for self and go for walk, craft or watch a bit of telly, small meal then 2 hours ironing.
When kids were home the boys played football and it was stressful taking one dropping off and next, then back for first etc so mainly spent pm on the road with DD. 3 DS playing.
Now I very much have it as a rest day. Lie in, mass, coffee at mass, back for lunch, choir, medicinal catch up in local for about 1/2 hour then tea get stuff ready for school, craft/ telly and bed. I feel better for it all week. I know it is much easy for me without kids but even when they were all here we tried to keep it low key ( except in football season) and they just enjoyed playing. Like a few said Cags " all fed, no one dead" give yourself a break. You are a good mum everyone here can see that. Keep Sunday's low key with no expectations. If weather fine maybe 1/2 hour walk as I think that can be beneficial have a treat at hand when you get in like hot chocolate and favourite cake or biscuit. Weather bad have an afternoon movie and you sit and enjoy it with them or everyone curl up with a book for half an hour. DH used to be away a lot and previous to that he worked Sunday's. It is hard because lots of families together. You could look around for other singles and do something together.
Lisette - trouble is it comes back. Good ta Das though.

Me too.
Going to attempt work though I would rather stay in this cosy bed that I should be out of now. Quick shower, dressed and gather stuff ( pre packed) and scrape ice off car. Brrr! Hoping DH does it. I did remember screen cover and car parked in right direction. Here goes...

A day of 'rest' sounds very sensible for cag, you'll feel much better if you're not putting pressure on yourself to get anything specific done 😊

I can't get much done on Mondays because I'm out of the house from 8.30 until 8.30/9pm, but have managed basic routine of load of washing in the tumble drier, dishwasher emptied and refilled. Have a good day everyone!

ds safely off to school and I am about to go adventuring without a mobile. Fingers crossed the roads are properly gritted...