Building our bonfires with clutter, and cruising towards Christmas, it's the NOVEMBER fledgling Fly thread!

[Staringcoat]

Many of us have been here forever; it's the thread where we (loosely) follow the Flylady housekeeping system here to combat CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) with a load of , chat and mutual support along the way. For that reason, we may seem cliquey, but we really aren't and all newcomers, lurkers, returnees, regulars, and intermittent regulars are hugely welcome!

We will be posting the baby-step and flight plan (which will point you towards the current zone and missions) on a daily basis, but don't hesitate to ask further questions about the system if you have any!

More information on getting started available here (containing baby-steps!).

And borrowing heavily (again!) from Hill's September introduction...

There are 4 levels for Flying:
-Baby steps - good for finding a routine in the tasks and getting over the perfection crippling effect
-Baby steps and missions - yep basic routine and more in depth tasks

• Baby steps, missions, and deep cleaning (if you are at that stage) - can't clean clutter so don't consider this one if you need the next level
• Flying combined with a decluttering system (kondo/unfuck etc etc) lets be honest fly lady is good for routine but not so quick with the decluttering results sometimes.

There is NO wrong or right way of doing this, it is about adapting the system to suit your life circumstances, which will be different from someone else's and don't be put off by the barftastically twee nature of the Flylady site, the underlying system is sound. Feel free to ignore any step or routine that doesn't sound you or your home! No perfectionism allowed!

And when it all gets too much: come and take a seat by the fire in our specially adapted "naughty" corner where you can enjoy virtual and and tangible support from fellow fledglings.

More info follows:

** launch pad (general info)

** daily babysteps pdf (ignore the ones that don't suit you or your home)

** week day missions (some fledglings find it easier to do them at weekends)

** [[http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/zones/
info about zones]] (explanation of how zones work)

** weekly zones (a rough weekly guide to which area of the house we are tackling currently, again adapt to suit yourself)

** daily focus (helpful guide to allocate a certain day for a certain task)

** deep cleaning lists pdf (only attempt when you have decluttered as you can't clean clutter!)

Good luck and happy Flying one and all!

Hello all, seems lots of you are having a rubbish time of it so for all.

Bower, so sorry to hear about your programme being cancelled . The cuts in education at the moment terrify me.

Cag, zoo and anyone else who is ill, hope you feel better soon. SC, nightmare with dog being ill too!

wow at this thread being going for 10 years plus Meet!

I too am on a constant decluttering quest. Dani, I am SO intrigued that you have had such success with the system when taking the pressure off and just doing it. I feel as if I am forever decluttering.

foxes, I meant to ask, how did your Christmas shopping trip go? I have an unexpected day off today (get them with work every so often for time in lieu which I am very grateful for. It’s a novelty in the NHS to get your time back. However, we have no say in when we take them and often get given them at fairly short notice. So not any help with childcare usually or anything like that). DH off too and be wants to go Christmas shopping. Aaaagggh. Thought I was done with going into the city centre and this will be the third bloody time! Also how to tell him that the gym kit I hinted for him to buy me has already been bought for me... by me . In my defence it was an amazing Black Friday sale and I felt I couldn’t turn it down. Seemed madness to let him pay full price when I could get it hat day much, much cheaper when it all comes out of the same pot of money anyway.

Anyway, best get on and do some quick decluttering. DH has taken the girls to school so I have about 15 minutes left before he is back. Next stop is the toy boxes living room. Also slowly working through a BRC in the kitchen - have all the awkward bits left now that take ages to sort.

Hope everyone feels better soon.

While I think of it, I have a busy day and evening on Friday. So I will either start the December thread early in the morning on Friday or late at night probably, unless I find some time in the afternoon.

Thank you again Toostressy for taking on December. It's very kind of you!

Enjoy your day off (although sorry you didn't get more time to plan). Bet your DH will be really pleased that you saved £££ on the sports kit. I 've bought and wrapped my own presents for years. Saves unwelcome surprises as dh always does his shopping at eleventh hour with either spectacular - or appalling - results!

Yes - thread must be 10 years old by now - I wonder why the jeff my house isnt decluttered yet?

Also , ditto what you said about Dani and her success with the the system! Gives me hope!

Ah yes Bower the lingering scent of foal squitters ; that takes me back . Me and goals never got on very well tbh. Rearing unpredictable creatures! Like trying to take an eight stone , 5ft dog for a walk who has no sense of direction

Hope you are enjoying a peaceful and relaxing day off at home! And totally understand about kitchen worries re: expense etc. I am sure it will all come together in the end! It is Honu with Evershot btw! And perhaps someone else whose name I can't recall after 2 hrs sleep!

Things a bit dire here tbh. The vet is dropping around later.

Gah! No good with foals or goals as it happens

No, not me with an Everhot, in fact I didn't know what one was till I googled just now and now I want one!

Dear Lord, the weather here is terrible today. Grim.
Laundry on, about to wipe down kitchen.

Waves to Festive and Meet and to everyone else!

stressy our Xmas shopping went really well we actually had a very lovely child-free day together! Even stopped for a coffee and then for lunch. We didn't get it all done though but that was never going to happen! Hope you enjoy your unexpected day off whatever you are doing!

I am also having some wider family issues and I'm letting it take up far too much headspace ATM! Will get myself some lunch and catch up with the thread shortly.

It would make a great thread (the family issues) but would be too recognisable so can't do it

I feel much better today. Still a bit dizzy and shaky but that’s normal for me after any bug (due to the other conditions I have things like this tend to stick around a bit longer). I was only sick once in the end thank goodness and the Caglets are all better too. I need to take my tablet soon - I had to delay yesterday’s till the evening as you have to have them with food so I hope that doesn’t affect me too much.

Operation clean up begins today. So much laundry. Argh. DH is now off for three days thank goodness. He’s then working the weekend and then off for a week. We were supposed to be decorating the Caglets’ rooms but I can’t see us being ready.

Bower I’ve not fully caught up yet but I just wanted to say I’m sorry you are feeling so low. Needless to say being a home educator I’ve not had entirely positive experiences of schools but FFS, the groups you run are exactly what there needs to be MORE of, not less. They shouldn’t be treating you badly. It’s no wonder teacher morale and staff retention is so poor. Huge hugs 💐

Glad you're on the mend cag and that you've got your dh around for a bit to help.

Ta da
Dishwasher emptied / on again X 2!!
Put my coat in the wash as it smells of wet dog, I don't have a dog! 🌧️☔
Hung up washing
Folded some washing
Paid for another school thing for dd
Decluttered ds books and puzzles and cleaned the draw out
Dd pulled out everything from under ds bed (useful having a small child around to get under things!)
Dd helped to sort some of her books out but we didn't finish. She has hundreds and reads them all so we've only managed to put a few aside for the charity shop. I don't mind having lots of books but we will be running out of space soon.
Cleaned the front windows (inside only)
Cleaned the bathroom
Made coconut cakes

To do
Cook dinner - prawn pasta

Really great news that you have turned a corner Cag the thread is not the same without you! Do go steady though and don't overdo it getting back on track.

Fab-u-lous list Foxes! You should definitely win an award for consistent Flying!! Having just sorted dd's childhood books, I can understand the problem of having too many, we found it very difficult relinquishing some, and we still kept loads for her "treasure chest"!

Speaking of storage - I'm not there yet - but will be tackling dvds and CDs before Christmas. In these days of downloads and streaming what has everyone done with theirs? Eliminated them totally? Kept a few favourites? Or kept as normal?

Oh dear Sass I really sympathise - Christmas related extended family issues do tend to weigh on one a lot. Ditto - I could write a book honestly!! - but again too identifying (not to mention painful). How is your dh doing atm btw? I hope he feels on a more even keel medically speaking

Vet has given furry an injection. He is no worse at least. (I SWEAR he actually apologised to me this morning for his "accidents" in the night - he sort of bowed - and looked up very intently for forgiveness!! Just have to get some tubes of gel medication down his reluctant cake hole later!

DD made it through half the school day plus two hrs tutoring. No idea about DH as he's not due back until 9pm-ish. Getting blood test results back tomorrow.

Felt too tired to do much effective Flying today and fortnightly ironing lady unwell currently also! But did two loads laundry, emptied DW, did 2 X 15 mins boudoir, s&s, found missing address book (phew!), watched PMs questions (painful) and cooked a beef broth. Also cancelled on friend because of needing to watch furry. Not good as I've neglected my friends so much recently but reluctant to make any more arrangements until we are all fit again.

Have a good evening everyone!

sc I sometimes feel like I'm consistently not actually getting anywhere!!! But then don't we all?! As for dvds, I got rid of majority of ours a few years ago, we kept the children's ones as it's nice to have some for a rainy day. I think we kept a couple of our favourites too. They fit in the cupboard under the TV. And CDs I got rid of as well apart from a few favourites that live in the car (the car is the only place we have a CD player!).

It's weird actually thinking about it, it wasn't so long ago that me and dh would buy each other CDs and dvds for Xmas and birthdays and even dd got a few dvds for her first Christmas but last few years we haven't had any new ones whatsoever, we just watch and listen to streamed stuff , technology moves so fast!!

Thanks Foxes it is wierd I agree! I can't keep up either! Love music streaming though and will be glad to have less clutter about!

The "not getting anywhere" feeling is totally normal with young 'uns I think! This too shall pass and all of that. Still think you manage to get loads done !!

Old school here - DD and I bought a DVD this week (a TV series), we do have Sky Cinema and Amazon but find so often that that things we want to watch aren't on any of them. We did get rid of a load of old DVDs last week but still have quite a lot. We still buy CDs too and put them on itunes but we aren't big music listeners TBH, we tend to mainly use the radio. As for Alexa, we tried one last year and hated it, got rid after a couple of months. I was pondering this week about how Christmas present-buying is much harder now with streaming and Kindle books, I used to buy a lot of books, CDs and DVDs as gifts.

I’m going digital on music (thinking of getting Spotify premium with my Xmas money) but DVDs are a big thing here. Literally thousands. Need to get more of those book things actually as we’ve run out of space

Wait, thousands may be pushing it. I reckon over 2000 though. We collect and watch a lot, hence using the books instead of keeping them in the boxes. Between us we have a very wide range in tastes. And when you consider for example the Sabrina the teenage witch box set we got DD for her birthday was like 24 discs, it adds up!

Thanks both!

Crikey Cag 24 in one series! I'm not sure how many we have overall tbh but they're stacked double deep on crappy open storage and it looks awfu! Sick of them falling down the back and not being able to find anything! I'm planning to give away the infant ones and keep a few favourites (in closed hidden storage hopefully).

That's a very good point about obscure DVDs though Meet. A lot of ours wouldn't be available via streaming either. I'm determined to get rid of a substantial amount though and not stick them in boxes in the roof as suggested by dh as that's just deferring the difficult dilemmas!

Meanwhile, back on the ward, DD has gone to bed pale with sick bucket (one of the characteristics of this virus is you feel ok during the day and crap at night). The furry has gone to bed with a puppy pad. Dh has gone to bed drained after a 12 hr meeting. Praying we all get a bit of sleep.

Wishing the same for all fledglings too!

SC That pic really made me laugh out loud earlier. Why has mumsnet changed the sign in by the time I did work it out I lost charge.

Cags thank you. I don’t know why,they stopped my Nurture Group and Lego express last year and now this. I am just used as a cheap teacher now. Some people don’t seem to get that some children cannot access class based learning until the have mastered language and behaviour.

Oh this iPad has gone weird again.

CDs we still have them and dvd and — maybe a few videos — and about 70 —Of those black round things—

Books lots of books.

Well it is Wednesday so I have been doing anti procrastination I have BEEN ORGANISING MY drawers!

🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛🌛

THURS 29 NOV
Baby-step: here
Flight plan: here
Super cruising mission 4: here

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Whey hey to drawer organisation Bower!

Not sure what is going on with Mnsnet sign in tbh! Guess they are upping security.

about nurture group. Sounds so necessary. Horrible that the wellbeing of DCs boils down to finance. I know it's always going to be a factor but the pendulum has swung way too far in the wrong direction.

Same here re: books. Boxes and boxes and boxes and one tiny book case! (Long story!)

Morning everyone! Ds was up once in the night and then the cat woke me up and then dd woke up at 5.30 (and is now snoring again while I am wide awake!) Zzzz.

I haven't gone digital for books although dh uses a kindle . I much prefer to read a proper book. That said, I only actually have one shelf of books because I tend to charity shop or lend them to my mum (then she charity shops or keeps at her house) once I finish a book, I don't tend to buy books either I get them from the library. So all I keep are ones I haven't read yet and gardening books! The dc have so many but they like reading them again and again.

[Strong coffee to Foxes]

Good morning all! An uneventful night thank heavens. Dd still not particularly well but she is going in to school later.

I am out all morning helpin

I am out for most of the morning (school voluntary thing for start of Advent) and then I am determined to make serious decluttering in- roads. Off to start flight plan.

We can do it! Gathers together ⌛and ----> pointy stick.
Chocs away everybody and have a good one!

I do about half and half Kindle and proper books, but we have limited shelving so most of the proper ones go to the charity shop eventually.

I woke at 5, DS sleeps with his window open and the wind was rattling his door in its frame. I'm still in bed with a cat sat on me but must get up now.

Foxes I wish I could be as organised with my books as you are. I don't get on with Kindles either. And I have so many favourites that I can't bear to give away! I don't read fiction so much nowadays but non-fiction is taking over.