May our houses be uncluttered ...the Fledgling Fly thread.

[Shadycorner]

Welcome to the thread where we (loosely) follow the Flylady housekeeping system here to combat CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) with a load of wine, chat and mutual support along the way. Quite a few of us have been on here for a while, so for that reason, we may seem cliquey, but we really aren't, and all newcomers, lurkers, returnees, regulars, and intermittent regulars are very welcome!

Every day I will post a link to the activities for "Today" which summarises everything you need on a daily basis if you want to follow the system strictly, but we tend to adapt it to suit our individual circumstances, homes and energy-levels!

Please note that, athough Flylady is keen for us to check in to the website, we've recently had a few concerns wrt security, so although there is lots of useful info on the site, it's best not download it or put any of your personal details into the website for now.

More information on getting started available:
here (containing baby-steps!) but please don't hesitate to ask if you have any further qs.

There are 4 levels for Flying:
-Baby steps - good for starting a routine and overcoming the perfection crippling effect
-Baby steps and missions - basic routine + more in depth tasks
-Baby steps, missions, and deep cleaning (if you are at that stage).
You 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) let's 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 suit 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 lots of support from fellow fledglings.

More info follows ( but again, please note we advise only looking at the pdfs and not downloading them ):

** launch pad (general info) here

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

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

** info about zones (explanation of how zones work) here

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

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

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

Good luck and happy Flying one and all!

***

Also, a huge thank you to Toostressy for running such a lovely April thread

***

Not quite caught up but just checking in while I have a moment!

That book sounds ace!

Today has been crap TBH just both DH and I in really crappy moods and it’s hard not to snap at each other. We are not a fighty couple at all, in fact normally we are really rather loved up and soppy still after 17 years :o so it’s unusual and depressing.

On the plus side the Caglets desks are built and they are SO excited bless them.

I’ve been doing some planning as I’ve decided to gather a couple of DD’s friends fortnightly for a French conversation/games/activities type thing. One of said friends has been doing French informally for a while, the other is purely doing duolingo alone, and DD is a beginner but doing formal written work with me (conjugation etc) so it’s quite a range but I hope I can unify them with basic chat and vocabulary based on topics etc. Should be fun and goes towards our main target of more group learning for my very social DD!

I’m also continuing to plan our various daily routines and must go and check the Tesco order for tomorrow!

Oi Cag pacing - just remember when you step up activity there will be a cost at each increase. Push through it and you will have a bigger crash, pace properly you will be fine.

Zoo what about putting boiling water onto a flannel and then putting hot flannel onto the muscles to warm them? Or are you on the ice treatment for getting swelling out atm?

No life has not got less stressful. It has got more stressful.

The words "fuck this shit", "wtaf", "do you fucking have to", "you fucking idiot" and "I really have run out of fucks to give" have been utter far far too often. I am currently opting for the words "You need to take a fucking holiday and leave me in peace to do the things" although ds is trying to convince me that they are not my monkeys and it is not my circus to sort out.

Not back just ranting

Sorry about that. DH was working late and brought one of his trainees back to be fed! [Cue hasty tidy up and ramming of clutter piles in to drawers ]

Cag that French group idea sounds ace! And, don't worry, frankly it's hard not to argue with one's DH when assembling furniture!

Zoo love your "here's one I made earlier" moment! . Your dd2 sounds lovely! Sorry she had a tough time today. Exams + teens = high stress! I'm in the same situation tonight because DD has an exam tomorrow for which she hasn't done enough work. I so SO identify with "its a fine balance between wanting the best for them and being a ranting harridan/bitch" btw! Sorry your shoulder still giving you such pain. Your supper sounds yum!

Foxes it could be the moisture content of the cheese. Also, I find flour has different absorption rates sometimes.

Mog you are on a roll woman! Have another well buffed 👑.

That's a genius tip Chic! Going to try it as I have a pkt of those sheets which were a replacement for something in on line order. You wet them you say?

Oh what a shame about the warm meat Lisette but definitely better safe than sorry! It was really boiling today!

Ta da (not in right order):
emptied dw
walked one of the furries twice (if that makes sense) DH did other one
did 3 hrs 'work' work
home bleughed ground floor
cooked roast chicken and salad
made red pepper & tom soup
drove DD on some errands
X 4 washing loads
can't remember rest!

Wing flaps to all!

🌼 launch pad link including flight plan for Wed here best to refer to it, rather than download.

[Does double take] Bloomin' 'eck Hills is that you? Yay! .
Great to have you ranting!

Hills although stressy things that lead to ranting not so great obviously😟

HIIIIIILLLLLLLS! 😘 hi :o

Don’t worry I am being very mindful of late. And learning a lot about my particular set of limitations (sensible swim/gym workout - pleasant ache, day out - exhausting and painful, etc )!

It wasn’t (just) the furniture building TBF :o but generally I think DH is really struggling with not working and the pain levels, not that he even enjoyed that job but it gave him more purpose at least, and he can’t run to destress either, it’s really changed him. :(

Must go and read Where’s Bear for the millionth time today.

Elderly parents with opinions and stubbornness
teenager with opinions and stubbornness
working 2 jobs
Never enough time to do stuff
Piles of stuff trying to escape (see collapsing into more chaos)

It will be fine if people stop trying to help, go out for the day and let me fly through the jobs in peace. But see statement about stubbornness.

Right as I am not here I am going to put some more washing on, some more in the dryer and head to bed. Alarm is set for 5am. I will probably crawl out of bed at 7am swearing.

Wishing you strength Hills 💪 (I hope that emoticon means what I think it does) Hope you can find some time for yourself too . And great to have you not back

That sounds really hard for your dh Cag. Really unfair what he has been facing of late. It can't be easy for you either.

Aah hills that sounds stressful.

I should really go to bed. Have edited the Tesco shop (read: added yummy things, some healthier than others...). Finally got the baby to sleep . Wrote up tomorrow’s home ed targets (much of it was simply erasing the ticks from today :o)

I’m quietly pondering having a tidying target while DH is away. He does virtually all of the clearing up really. But I’m wondering about - since we will struggle to do a vast amount of academic work with the baby around and no DH - trying to work with the Caglets to clear some surfaces properly. Namely the windowsills and the top of the kallax units and piano, all in the living room, they are truly horrific!

Might then treat myself to some more indoor plants to go on them :o

Right, bed.

cagthat's pretty rough.hopefully he will find a manageable way to de-stress.it must be very hard for someone who was so active to have to downgrade so much
French group sounds fun,but a lot of work
Plants sound excitingI currently have a cacti from mother's Day and a Xmas cactus I've not murdered on fireplace.i also water D's cacti collection and his spider plants and dd2 has spiderplants.i would be quite smug cept cyclamen girls got me for mother's Day looking bit limp,as is chrysanthemum dd1 got me- that's had a water failure,cyclamen may not like bright/hot kitchen sill??

HILLLLLLSSSS glad you aren't back.things sound like bedlam and I'm not surprised you are fraying at the edges.if you haven't hear it before "I've no more fucks to give" by viral hog should be your anthem.i got sent it on messenger the other day and made me smile.
As for shoulder,heat hurts,ice doesn't...
SC could you post a pic of said book so I'm sure I've got the right one please?

I'd best get up.camhs today."d"p underfoot.and who knows what temperament I'm going to get from dd2 this morning!!!!

To do
Usual morning gubbins
Lan D's schoolwork as having a tick list hot us a lot more done than we ever have before by winging it!!

Good morning fledglings! I'm going to be AWOL from thread for the rest of the day so see you all tomorrow! Have a good one!

Lovely morning here. Got to bed early last night, following the Flylady instruction to get to bed at a decent hour. That's one I've never followed. I'm managed to wake up naturally rather than waking suddenly die to the alarm.

Zone cleaning for me today - another bedroom. Guest arriving for five days so I've scheduled flying for when she's out. To be honest I doubt I'll get much done.

hills nice to hear from you

Zoo sc thanks for the info re bubbly cheese straws! It was butter...

They seem to taste fine. But I'm a bit worried as I was meant to be making them for dh birthday gathering at the weekend. Don't want to serve them bubbly and odd

They taste ok though!

Waves to the “ I’m not here” hills👋

Yesterday was a better day. Worked in Reception and due to SATs had a last minute change of timetable that worked a bit in my favour to get a few jobs done with the help of three kids. So moved lots of stuff and made some staff happy by dishing it out to some staff that I thought might like it / use it.😀
Went to bed at my new bedtime...9:30 it seems to be as knackered by then unless I can have a nana nap for 20 mins when I get home. Slept till nearly 7 with only two toilet visits. Still in bed. Resting( on iPad) but going to get up and have breakfast in Summerhouse with DD who is back. She flies out on Sunday and I won’t see her until sometime next year😂 she brought some bags and boxes from DB house. I reminded her she was supposed to help me declutter. Some for summer house: a lovely flower fairy picture, some plants and a stool.

Planting up some tomatoes and others into border. Need to hang two loads of washing out and do another. DD probably got a couple of loads as they sold the washing machine.

Anti procrastination- bill to pay.
Sister and cousins b’day cards to get ready / post.
Organise receipts for Coniston, I wondered why I had no money in account. I am owed about £200 from shopping 🤪

DK books are fab. I think I have that one. I have the history one and the space one. I worked for DK for a little while and met Peter Kindersley as he gave a lecture and then mingled in the room. A very interesting man that knew a lot about kids and reading. And boys and reading which is why he made the Eyewitness guides.

Sorry to hear about the meat but wise choice.
Can still remember the stress of being a teenager and exams plus all the exciting other things to be doing. My mum made sure homework was done on the dining room table and nagged a bit. I think I should have nagged mine a bit more then at least one would be in a better job.

I don’t do diy with DH if I can help it. Though I should have at DS as they put a Billy shelf on back the front 🙄

As long as they taste good foxes. It will be a surprise. Looks can be deceiving.

Right I am off to have breakfast outside with DD while weather is still good.

Dryer sheet - yes, wet it, wrap it around bottom of taps and leave it for a while. Wipe. I got it off another FB group, it must be something to do with the softeners in it but it really works.

Will try it on mould myself later.

Me too thanks for that tip. 🤔Wonders if flylady is aware of that gem!

Potted tomatoes. Just popped in for a wee. And to make the bed. Windows open and can see six people off to visit our unusual church and three riders walking past. I bet those people think we live in an idyllic place. They don’t know about the neighbours who chopped down the cherry trees or the ones next door with the constantly yapping dog that swear because they don’t like our retirement summer house.

DD is planting out because my wrist is knackered and swollen from planting four out the other day. Tomatoes I can manage as new compost.

Need to do procrastinating jobs.

Tada
Schoolwork for D's sorted into a list
Cats fed
Wash on
Bleach lav
Littertray and bins
Breakfast and pack ups
Washing in dryer
Leave 745 to drop lil zoo at SAT breakfast club
DS tackled geography whilst I folded washing and wrote list for farmfoods
Went farmfoods and stock up on frozen veg/mince etc
Couple local errands on foot
Lunch
CAMHS
Back to schoolwork

Sounds delicious zoo! (Apart from the asparagus - I'm not a fan! )

Our dinner tonight is a steak pie courtesy of the local butchers as I've only just got in from work / picking up ds and dh had to collect dd from her club. Think dh also doing mash and carrots. I'm v hungry as had my lunch at 11.30 !!

I don't have a tumble dryer therefore no dryer sheets so I can try this tip
Definitely trying bleach on cotton wool for mould though.

*can't

Mmmmm yum zoo.
We had vegan pizza tonight. Had a vegan burger and salad when we went out and raspberry homemade lemonade. We went to see a garden in the Lakes where Beatrix Potter used to stay And where she drew local scenes for her books.

Washing - done.
Anti procrastination - done.
Dishwasher loaded.
Plants planted ( by DD under my direction) in garden. New bed nearly complete and looks very pretty.
Pizza made.

Had a lovely afternoon out after planting tomatoes and guiding DD to plant garden bed.
Been a relaxing day and we had the joy of seeing one geese with their goslings.

Tea was crumpets. Have been in the house and have found various bits of washing to get a load of washing on. Unpacked stuff from the day. NOT blown up the new toaster. discussed exam results and pointed out if he want the high scores others are getting he NEEDS to revise, which was met with usual yeah whatevers Am about to head to bed, alarm clock is set for stupid oclock, and I have paperwork to do and washing to dry before school/work.

*30mins. Have only been home 30mins. long day. tired hills. night