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

***

OMG I didn’t fuck it up yay! Turned temp down and left it longer and got it just right. Also made vanilla buttercream (that sort of thing I can do, as it doesn’t involve measuring and entrusting things to ovens :o

You know how some people have a total mental block on maths? That’s me with baking! So YAY!

Next stop, GBBO 😂😂😂

I didn’t actually enjoy the cake though. Won’t bother with that again. Must learn to bake cakes that actually taste like chocolate 😂

Meant to say zoo I have a few adult and child friends with type 1 and it’s not that they can’t eat anything like that, they just need to be careful and adjust insulin, it would defo be something I’d check with the parents first but for the small sample size I have it’s not an issue at least.

Toddler is driving me batshit trying to draw on everything.

Anxiety super high this evening too. Fun times.

Sorry about anxiety Cag . There was a thread on here recently about fail-safe delicious loaf cakes. (A couple were chocolate.) Will try and find it... .

Blimey

I thought it might just be like, questions read out or something! Wow!

Right I’m off to take some anxiety meds as it’s not going away. Sigh. I would love to go and sort more games but DH is out at the quiz night and I don’t want to leave the baby with the others.

DD asked me if she could microwave a pencil earlier. No. No she couldn’t.

Cag hope the evening gets easier for you . Have found the loaf cake thread here.

Oooh looks amazing thanks!

Must actually take tablets now but that requires moving

🌼 [[Launch pad link containing flight plan for Tues
www.flylady.net/c/lp.php]] once it updates automatically! Best to just read and not download!

🌼 Sorry I have no idea what happened there!

launch pad link here hopefully!

Cag this is a very calming thread!

Hello,

just stopping by to say that @Shadycorner told me about this thread on another thread, so here I am!

Not read it all yet, but going to make my way through it this week (half term) with a view to dejunking and cleaning from next week.

Hi, welcome!

Annoyingly I now have a tickly throat and the beginnings of PMS/cramps. FFS. I have decamped to the sofa for a distracting DVD.

I did manage to sort some more games though. Trying not to think of all the money spent. Decluttering can be rather depressing in that sense!

mustshowdh welcome!
Cag would cakes made with measuring cups rather than scales be easier?thanks for diabetes info,I vaguely remember one in dd2 class be able eat small amount sweet stuff

Foxes🏅 for girlfox I can't run for 3solid minutes.....
SC had to smile at image of you in dog prints Vs stylish women.my style is jeans/jeggings/trackies and t-shirts/shirts...basically if it's not covered in stains and hides old wrinkly flesh it's fine
Right need get up.dropping dd2 35 mins walk away to a friend then they are walking just over an hour to get to a sleep over!!downside of all girl's school they take students from across the county which means not all friends are local!had wobbles last night as dd2 not confident with directions etc and other girl isn't going home after to walk back with...options were a)4hr round trip for me walking DS along sections very busy roads and lots unfamiliar area.b) dd2 gets bus from unfamiliar area to town and we meet her there and walk back.c) try cadge a lift home...c couldn't happen with other guests as two were local to sleepover,one collected by sister and other one be picked up by car mum was adamant not dropping anyoneoption b)had dd2 in such a panic said couldn't goand got very angry and upset I resigned myself to a) and then another girl joined chat to say her dad work plans had changed and she couldn't get there,or back and host family have offered lifts to anyone who can't get there!!so dd2 is being chauffered cross county after potentially keeping them awake most of the night

Right need get up and tackle bit more that ceiling before try get dd2 up and sorted.we need be out of here by 830 in order pitstop passing Asda for the box malteasers and mandatory sweet supplies that accompany all participants of teen sleepovers dd2 attends!!

Yay! Good morning and welcome Mustshowdh really good to "see" you! I don't know if you are familiar with Flylady, but any questions, don't hesitate to ask! ( See links in my op. )

I'm afraid you may not find sufficient clues about the Flying system from reading this thread because many of us have been doing it a while, so we tend to natter about other things! But maybe start with the baby-steps (which establish the basic routines) and do 15 mins decluttering in sitting room to get started? Today's baby-step (no.28) is a good one! It's about looking after ourselves, stopping to drink water, eating good food and getting enough rest.

Or, more traditionally, start by shining your kitchen sink? (See "getting started" on home page) Or just have a look at the launch pad? . There is no "perfect" way of doing it, in fact perfectionism of any sort is not allowed!

Today is Tuesday which is "planning day", we are in Zone 5 , and we are in the living room zone (the last of the month) from 26-31st. Oh and this month's habit is " moving in May". (You don't have to understand it all to get going, it will all become clear as you go along (and there is a book you can buy called "Sink Reflections" which explains the system better than the website! )

NB The website is a bit clunky and some of us have recently had security issues with it on certain devices in that site is showing it's not secure , so best not to enter your details in to it or download from it, but just use it as a reference! Finally, we advise not signing up for e-mails because of issue above and also you will be inundated. There is a Flylady app as well btw!

Oh yes and most of us post a "to do" list daily for motivation purposes which turns in to a "ta da" list when we've accomplished the tasks! Don't be put off if some of them are humungously long, best to start small!

I'm afraid I am going to be away from tech for most of today but all the fledglings on here will look after you! Good luck with everything and start slowly with tiny steps! Do a little bit and stop! That way your efforts will be sustainable. The key to the system is short focused bursts of activity, done consistently and imperfectly! Even five minutes a day used well makes a difference .

And hope you got some sleep eventually Cag! Sorry you are feeling under par (Leaves out honey and lemon drink and paracetamol and hot water bottle.)

I am dashing off (without DH who is travelling - eek) for building project related meeting on my own . Bbl tonight. Have a good day everyone!

X post Zoo hope dd2 has a lovely time at sleepover and logistics work out ok!

Good luck with the meeting sc!

Agree no perfectionism allowed with flylady! It can seem super overwhelming as there are so many elements to it. Best to just choose one or two. But I do think decluttering is the most important

Slept in the end but not much as Cagletini was a pain 😡 but throat is fine this morning at least. DH is up earlier than the new (meds related) normal, and just remembered the gas safety check people are due sometime before 10am 😳

Hoping to get more games sorted today. I’ve divided them into two lists - one for complete/ready to sell, and one for missing bits with notes on what’s missing. I think I will sell anything 100% first, and keep the incomplete things until last - missing bits may show up as we clear shelves, but otherwise I’ll sell them cheaper as it’s mostly just the odd question card or whatever.

Still want chocolate. That cake did not scratch the itch. I shall scour that loaf cake thread later!

Welcome MustShowDH .

Good luck with meeting SC.

Hello to everyone else!

Back in the game now and DDs are at an activity until after lunch. So I am going to go home and reclaim the house which has stuff everywhere from the weekend.

I'm late to moving May. I've come to realise that I'd like to be able to move in old age so I'm taking time to move now. Went for a walk this morning with DH in woodland. Have already stretched. Ate sensibly.

Need to plan for dinner on Saturday because guests coming.

🍒 waves to fledglings.

Well done lisette!

Hid in the bedroom while gas man was here, he also needed the attic to change the all the ceiling vent filters! Upstairs was a total state so that was embarrassing, we had assumed he would just need the kitchen where the boiler is! 😳😳😳

Sorted more games though so that’s good. Only had to get rid of one thing so far (jigsaw with a missing piece but it was only a cheap stocking filler thing anyway).

I have collected so many games to sell 😱 it’s like I’m looking at them through new eyes, realising that just because they are classics or well regarded or I spent money on them etc doesn’t mean that we have to keep them! Trying to channel my inner Marie Kondo, and remember that they have fulfilled their purpose.

Unfortunately it won’t create that much extra space. As most of the games we are ditching are the smaller ones that have been all too easy to spend a few quid here and there on I think the Caglets have outgrown their bigger jigsaws though (100/200 Melissa and Doug type things, we mostly use fancy pants wooden ones now) so that’ll free up a bit more.

Must crack on!

Welcome Mustshowdh, good to have you with us.

As DD has arrived back from her trip safe and sound, I am ploughing through the laundry generated from her case. Unfortunately, she seems to have returned as Kevin the Teenager so not many details about the actual trip so far.

Argh at moody teens! :(

DD1 is spending more time in her room these days. Thankfully it’s mostly just making Harry Potter related crafts but it does make me sad she is spending less time with us! Not that I’m particularly fun

I’ve spent all morning cleaning up/checking more games. It is painstaking (counting out Risk armies anyone?) but money is tight ATM and I’d rather sell them for as much as is reasonable really. Unlike the stuff we decluttered before the move, when time was the more pressing factor and we thus missed out on possible income. But I just didn’t feel in the right headspace for it then.

I was just about to disappear for a walk but the heavens have opened. And I still have no chocolate! Disaster!

Hope shower passes and chocolate wings its way to you cag

Ps dd2 didn't text me,I text her 11,12 and 1230.i suspected was having fun and forgot.i was right,she was/is
Profuse apologies when realised I was worried though!!

Tada

😂

I like this one.