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

***

Sorry, forgot to wave to Bower and I am sure, many others!

Ooh good shout it may be that. Thankfully she’s just got a bit of swelling this morning and doesn’t seem to be in pain from the fall. I kept her in bed with me (DH downstairs as not safe to cosleep when knocked out by tablets) to keep an eye and then she fell out of bed 🤦‍♀️😭🙈

Tada
Fed cats
Washing on
Kitchen
Windows wiped
Sills and tiling wiped
Cupboard fronts wiped
Hob cleaned
Surfaces wiped
Floor swept bin emptied

He appeared grumbling about headaches.kniws I've no paracetamolso asked could nick our milk as going home to get pain relief and some sleep ready to work later
Erm no.thats kids milk,nor do I have container to Syphon you off some i do but fuck off you ain't having it
He stomped off without a goodbye seeing as I was grumbling loudly under breath how horrid he has been all weekend

Living room
Quick tidy
Sweep floor
Wipe dining table

Wall patches white enough for tester colours.5applied in two areas
Third ceiling painted with 11/2 brush first coat
Breakfasts
Wash in drier

I always thought the tiger was made up by the mummy to get out of the fact she couldn’t be arsed to cook :o

She’s not had any colds either. Actually neither have I for a suspiciously long time (I suspect regular use of the steam room is helping there)

Yup getting rid of games. We have maybe 200 (that’s including things like top trumps etc). I got rid of some when we moved so maybe less although we have acquired more since! But I want to be choosier. Some could make me a few quid selling on FB :)

I should said third of a ceiling,and obvs I mean test patches etc are in D's room ..

To do,in no particular order
Bathroom
Zoolets rooms
A walk
More washing
Drop lil zoo at friends
Schoolwork with D's

I'm inclined to feel same as cag or mum hoped tiger would eat annoying child😂
Was much loved by zoolets though.we had a pull flaps version so tiger moved!(dabs misty eyes)

Chocolate French toast for breakfast :o now I want to get Dulce de leche spread somehow to try instead.

I have filled a massive bag with games and a couple of books so will go through them after swimming 🏊‍♀️ to check for missing items etc and photograph. It’s not all of them but I’ll just get overwhelmed if we try doing it all in one go!

I have now disappeared down a rabbit hole of various PhD students' interpretation of "The Tiger Who Came To Tea" - amazing what you can find on line and how long one can procrastinate for on home bleugh day

I love your take on it Cag

Zoo bloody hell, forgive me being so blunt , but isn't your dp helping you with the painting? . If not, why not? (Forgiveable - just - if seriously depressed but honestly he would probably feel better for it himself if he can't do it for others.)

And sorry re: weekend bad feeling. I can really sympathise actually. We often have a mismatch/clash of expectations between myself and DH. Often, when he is away, I really look forward to seeing him at weekends and going out and doing stuff. But he's often so wrung out by a week's punishing work and travel that all he wants to do is sleep, stay at home and walk the dogs. And to be fair to him, this is someone who is usually all too willing to get stuck in to family life and make a mess help usually.

Sorry you are stuck handling it all by yourself as usual anyway . I really admire your tenacity and patience

Gah! Lunch time not much time!

Cag Yum! And treble yum!

I had to laugh the other day as I walked past a bookcase on a landing and spotted six board games shoved on a lower shelf! Had absolutely convinced myself I had got rid of them all (minus a few classics) when I sold/gave away contents of playroom last November. But no! Whatever category of items you declutter, there are always one or two others lurking in the wings! Aargh!

Sorry

Argh! Internet connection going funny! Sorry for strike-out failures below. If I preview; I tend to lose the entire post!

SC he's a messy painter and I am working around a room of clutter

FFS *and why was none...

😳

Swim and steam was good. Should really get on with stuff now but I have a sleepy toddler on me.

I love analysing literature, but it always reminds me of this meme :o

Cag

Zoo we don't do it ourselves or "get a man in" - we haven't decorated for yonks - so you are ahead of the game! 🏆

I'm probably over-controlling, but I don't tend to let DD sleep over with families we don't know at all although it usually works out naturally that we've met the friend and/or parent when they've been over here ifyswim or at school event or some such. I'm more surprised tbh vice versa when parents seem happy for their dc to stay over here with the "wierd English" when they don't know us from Adam! I suppose the mobile phone has changed things so dramatically since I was a teen! Totally agree it does get much more worrying as they get older . Also, understand hesitation re: langs from communication pov. I am sorely tested with my "tutoyers" as opposed to "vousvoyers" and all the teen French slang when DD has friends over.

Ta da:
emptied dw and filled with breakfast stuff
clearing hall of bags, muddy boots,
carry a load of stuff upstairs and put away
carry a load of stuff downstairs and put away
bed-changing (finally)
laundry sorting (hanging up fourth load now)
uniform & sports kit washing

clear paths landing

Off to do office work now (groan)

I still have a sleepy toddler on me! I did manage to extract myself for a while and make a lovely warm salad for lunch (just DH and I) but then she did that newborn style half awake searching for milk thing 🙄

I might escape now and take the iPad upstairs to watch Netflix while sorting the games, and then DH can deal with giving little miss grumpyface the remains of the salad :o

Sorting games is sloooow! I am very paranoid about selling crappy stuff so I’m checking eeeeverything.

And I need chocolate, stat! 😭

Hi everyone sorry have missed a few posts but hope everybody ok, is everyone on half term?

We went out today and the dc are now grumpy and tired, ds has fallen asleep on the sofa and I know it will mess bed time up but I don't want to spoil the peace and wake him!

Still managed to stay pretty much on the fly lady wagon, I find my routines really help my mood, I get quite grumpy when I can't keep on top of stuff.

Ta da
Hoover
Mop
Dust
Empty bins
Change dc beds
Change towels etc
15 minutes putting toys back in the right rooms / boxes / sets from being on living room floor...

We had lunch out so it'll be a something on toast / cereal type dinner so that's nice and easy.

I did a 3k run with dd yesterday, she was so chuffed , it was a charity thing and she got a medal. She didn't stop the whole way, she was so determined 🌟

cag same - I really want some chocolate too! In fact, I'm just really hungry today in general! I'm considering baking something

I too am hungry today.must be something in the air!!
Cag I check stuff endlessly before giving it/selling it.thought receiving a game with bits missing takes me over the edge!
SC I get looked at like a prehistoric creature at idea meeting mum's before they go anywhere these daysphone does make easier.lil zoo takes her tablet and has hangouts so she can connect in with me.mum she's with has taken them to a safari park.eeek.seems they have annual pass but I just looked at cost taking lil zoo in £25.99.shes never even met her before!!I gave her DD my number as lil zoo went into their house

Cag

The new mop is great and I don't mean anything else by that statement. It's just a great swishy mop and I'm enjoying it.

Lazy fry for tea, with mushrooms and tomatoes for veg.

Went for a walk. Am a bit unfit.

Oh please don't stress Zoo if friend is anything like my "only" she will just really enjoy being part of a busy family (and all the different dynamics that involves) playing a board game (seriously, we sometimes don't have enough bodies to play Pictionary for example!). Baking/decorating cakes would be another fab thing! (With you doing boring bit and them doing the twirly bits!). And she will genuinely love having Lil' Zoo over at hers! It's funny actually - all of dd's bffs tend to come from big families as I think both enjoy the "contrast" to their own set up ifyswim! And fwiw I am usually about a decade or two older than most other parents and a lot larger in size ( women very svelte and stylish here) while I am wearing clothes decorated with dog prints!

Foxes well done on Flying so consistently and congratulations to you and dd on your fabulous run!

Cag and Zoo I also hate to give away non-complete stuff! And it's so easily done if one isnt meticulously careful!

Glad that today's work is done! Filing! Terminally boring. Yurgh. And posting on a Brexit thread.

Lisette Horribly unfit here too ATM! Have seized up after op!

Oops, just read that again Zoo sorry (rushing) and see friend can't come to yours. In that case, how about picnic at nature reserve?

Easy supper tonight. Made chilli yesterday so just have to cook rice. And need to do more emergency washing as forgot dh travelling tomorrow and he is muttering about shirts and pants. Oops, big Flying fail

I need a reward for how long it has taken me to get the shower seals and grout under bleach-bicarb paste. Hours. fecking hours. And i think the fumes have singed my sense of smell. Not it is just sitting. Sitting stinking of bleach, and will continue to do so for a couple of hours.

Also done some laundry, sorted a pile of stuff tidied a couple of rooms and been psychoanalysed good friend who has known me over a decade not professionally wise I am heading to about done with the day but need to finish sorting out a few things, rinse down and dry off the shower ready for stripping things out when I come back from exercise. yes I said exercise and not extra fries

tomo is going to be a long day and I am not going to want to do stuff when I get back but it needs doing and needs doing urgently. So needs must.

There HAS to be a better way to spend a bank holiday monday!!

Bank holiday barely registered here TBH! We tend to avoid going out on them if anything because ugh, people.

Massive well done foxcub many adults wouldn’t manage that! 🏅

SC I hadn’t really thought about it before, does DD have English friends at her school or is she mostly communicating in other language? Also I forgot to ask how did the aural maths exam go?! I’m not even sure how that would work!

Well I’ve put a cake mix thing in the oven because that’s the closest I get to baking, and I think the instructions assumed two round cake tins rather than one loaf so it’s taking longer but I’m worried about it burning on the outside this is why I don’t bake!