Autumn leaves and a clean sweep: it's the October Fledgling Fly thread (2019)

[Slowchirp]

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 , 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, or sign up to the (many and frequent) e-mails (but your choice as some fledglings find the latter helpful).

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 and here

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

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Last but not least, a huge thank you to ChicCroissant for running such a lovely (and busy!) September thread [cake[

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Anyone have chickens? I am using it for chicken at the moment but will change over in winter as it might absorb damp whereas straw doesn’t.

Ta da
Wash done and out
Bed made
Some tidying
Spent some time with DH
Watered plants in summer house. Need to log watering as need to slow down.

Great that the school are proactively supporting dd2 Zoo and the head of year cares about her; he sounds really excellent. (I don't envy him his day though!) DD has tutor for maths and physics - he was here Thurs, Sat and Sun, and it was well worth it because she said "dawn had broken" and she understood it for first time (calculus!). (Not something I can help her with or even remotely understand!)
Hope tutoring and extra support proves similarly helpful for your dd!

I'm with you re: weight loss aspirations Chic! Have lost a few kilos already and need to continue to lose a lot more. You sound very "on" re: the housework - well done - and well done re: paper decluttering too! (Glad I am not the only one who didn't clear up/set out clothes last night.)

Bower so happy to hear dcat is ok! It's such a worry when pets are ill! (A bit like children.) Hope you can profit from the relative peace of half term.

Waves to all other fledglings!

Today's list so far:

not the best start to the day; frantic search for dd sports top; found eventually! DONE
dd massive packed lunch (as she's at school from before 8am until after 8 pm today) DONE
emptied dw and tidied up from dinner last night DONE plus some extra washing up by hand DONE
stacked dw again and put it on DONE
emptied overnight washing and hung up DONE
made pumpkin soup DONE
guest kindly offered to dog walk but only took them for 10 mins so will have to do that myself again later grrrr - to do
dining room table hot spot - DONE
write letters and cards
post
gather washing together >washing from upstairs>downstairs DONE
triage mountain of laundry DONE
keep doing laundry WIP
a load of photocopying for work(and I mean about three days worth)
on-line supermarket order DONE
early supper service
evening school meeting

The good news is that guests have gone out for lunch for blissful hour!

The bad news is that I have finally triaged all the dirty laundry and I have 25 loads to do and that does not include the two loads in the machines, and the hand-washing items

It's six loads of bedding from wreck2, two lots of double/king size bedding from here (with four pillows each (2 pillow cases on each pillow) which I stripped just before I left (bad timing)) , towels and tea towels, dog blankets and towels, navy blue school uniform, white uniform shirts, dd sports kit, linen from office (towels and tea towels) plus all the clothes that dh and dd have worn while I have been away and a bit I brought back with me + dh office shirts which I think I may send out for washing and ironing in the circs. The bad news is that some of it (eg sports kit) is so dirty it will need to be put through the washer twice .

Serves me right for going away for a fortnight eh

I do have ten days in which to finish the bedding though. All the clothes have to be ready by end of this week.

Catch you later everyone!

left two lots of sofa covers off that list (dogs eh)

TWENTY FIVE

I may have asked this on here before but does anyone have a washer/dryer?

Hello, we've been on holiday
Back to reality now!
Catch up properly later.

SC that's a gigantic amount laundry,even by my standards

I did note a couple onto paper,ones I made- no cook white fudge,Oreo brownies and choc candy cake cookies I make at xmas,

SC 25 loads collapses in a heap.🧘🏼‍♀️Need to meditate after that!

While on the subject of washingI’ve no I have a new washing machine Dec19 and a very old drier 30 years plus in the shed. It is small and the door falls off when you open in but it still works. We don’t use it much we either line dry or radiators in winter.

Some shopping and lunch out.
Dh has been helping. Did fire, hung washing and back in. Sounds like he is washing mugs while I am watching Your room or mine.

We are having issues with condensation and mould etc so i am thinking i need stop drying on radiators!
I have a washer and separate dryer now but seem to have constant back log due to arrival of dc5. Thinking if i had a washer dryer too i would have option of doing two wash loads of two dry loads at a time. Plus would have back up if either of current ones broke. But people always say washer dryers are crap....

I've no one I know who had a washer dryer had much luck with them and if one part didn'tt work nothing did.on those grounds I've always opt separate!!

I've just had a hormonal pms ridden teen rant at me and I've wobbles and ok fled room cried like a fucking baby,big gut wrenching sobs...second round today-1st watching bloody TV program!seems falling out with hormones is all the fashion here...

Ta da
Kids bed stripped washed and remade
Bathroom tidied
Blankets and teddies washed (dd1&ds have colds - trying to minimise germs as we are meant to be visiting mum for the week on Sunday )
Visited museum (kids loved it and they had crafts on, it was good fun)
Visited the park
went to the tea shop in town for a milkshake and cupcake
nipped to the shops ds likes to 'window shop' for Santa
Tea
Dd1 dropped at dance
Dd2 to bed
Ds to bed
Dd1 back from dancing and currently getting ready for bed
G&T has been poured, in the freezer the Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream is shouting 'eat me'

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

Baby-step no.22 for Tues 22 Oct: here.

Launch pad link: here.

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

Cheers Tidy looks like you had a fab day; bet your dc loved it !

Sympathies Zoo dd can rant a lot when stressed - and she isn't always particularly kind in her use of words! - it feels awful I know to be on the receiving end but please don't take it to heart. As you know better than me, they are trying to establish their own identity and autonomy and part of the process is rejecting everything we say and everything we do. Please don't take it personally (even though it can feel very personal). This too shall pass and all of that Ta for cake by the way and for recipe decluttering!

I've no personal experience but a friend of mine had a washer/dryer combo in a very small London flat and tbh it was always going wrong. I heartily recommend two wms though and my td takes two loads of washing at once (think we may have had this convo before or am I going senile - quite possibly ) You could start a thread asking about washer/dryers though - you generally get good feedback on here.

Welcome back Foxes! Hope you had a good time!

Waves to Bower and everyone else!

Just been to school meeting. As ever, 60 seconds spent making huge decision about where most of PTA equiv . budget will be spent this year and the remaining 2 hrs, 29 mins spent quibbling about the different sandwich fillings available at lunch time .

G'night all!

I've look at this! Not very recent though.

And here! Quite a few threads in archives if you put washer - dryer in to search.

This ideal home article also pertinent!

And from Good Housekeeping UK here

Ty sc! Will have a read! As i wouldnt be depending on the washer/dryer to be my main machine maybe it would be ok? Alot of complaints seem to be about either lack of washing cycle options which isnt an issue if second machine or the dryer bit not actually drying which is more of an issue for me because well whats the point in that

We've arrived back after a lovely break. Settling in to laundry but not 25 loads at least!

Good morning everyone!

Zoo we have hormones flying here too, it's hard work isn't it but just remember they're saying things out of frustration rather than meaning it , I hope that everything has calmed now .

Tada
Dd1 is ready and off to school
Breakfast

Slower morning here, dd2 has only just got up and I can hear ds making movements now. Enjoyed my coffee and breakfast in peace , a rare occurrence but now I better get moving. I'm not sure on the plans with the kids today, they both seem to have caught dd1s cold, we may head to the local library and park , I need to pop to Asda at some point too because we need wash powder. We'll see how the day goes.

to those of you that need it this morning!

Morning peeps!

Welcome back Lisette!

I've I hate to say it but I think the thing my friend complained about the most was the dryer not drying sufficiently or spinning sufficiently - one of the two - I forget which!

Ta da:
dw stacked and on
sink shone and kitchen wiped down
2 loads washing on
dining room table hot spot cleared and wiped
dd lunch made
shopping list written

just about to walk furries then it's back to yesterday's list

Have a good planning day everyone!

Morning all. I have a ridiculous to do list today. Including lots that we didn’t get done over the last few days. Not sure how much I’ll manage. It was a “sleeping with a hot water bottle on my knees” sort of night.

Laputa look after yourself today

Tada
Younger dc breakfast
Breakfast pots
Beds made
2 dc bathed & dressed
Washer on
Dry clothes folded and added to the clothes mountain that's appearing on my sofa
Snacks given to dc (even though they only had breakfast 90 mins ago)

We have decided to go to the library which we can walk to, I have given the dc a bowl of grapes while I've snuck into the kitchen for a coffee break hair and makeup to do then we'll head out, by the time we get back it'll be lunchtime and after lunch , a ride to Asda for a few bits. Then the day will be about done, ready for the evening of dance and football. Although the kids are now watching tv, I have done a tech free-ish holiday, where they can only go on their Xbox / iPad from 4pm so we can spend quality time together during the day , ds especially loved yesterday and oh mentioned how happy dd2 seemed so I think I will try and do this all week and see what happens. Ds would stay on his xbox all day and night if he could!

Laputa
Tidy thanks for the unity lovely.dd2 came and gave me a big hug after her shower and apologised,as did I as we were both tired,hangry and stressed which considerably soothed things.bit stormy this morning,but school days tend to be a flashpoint esp when she checking social media not getting ready

Tada
Cats fed
Zoolets fed,snacks sorted
Walk to town(45 mins brisk walk each way) with D's.picked up a shower caddy,and various other bits needed
Aldi on way back for layered pasta salad ingredients for lil zoo DT lesson at school tomorrow
Home,shop away,off to local shopping front
Asda,Waitrose and heron foods acquiring remaining ingredients off lil zoo list plus general shopping
Pop chemist for dd2 meds.she has gaviscon advance for silent reflux.doc only has aniseed flavour available on script which she despises so we buy it at £10 a go,two bottles a month.livrly lady in local boots store jnforms me there's a generic alternative NHS uses and to try that -£3.50 same size bottle.hoping it's as effectiveand we are saving a substantial amount!!
Pop wellbeing cafe
Took D's one further round shops for last few bits(25 mins each way across fields past the girls school)it was more of a social stroll and most pleasant as sun came out!!
Lunch

To do
Finish final push under dining table clearance
Put shower caddy together and fit into shower
Sort mouldy kibble from door brushes

Sorted under dining table
Me and my super human smell retch so much try scrape out the bristles of bathroom door I was choking on bile and got so upset I've had come down with it only half done
I'm very very angry and distressed(severe vomit phobia)
Hes clearly shut door at least on one other occasion as there's damp green crumbly kibble by brushes to floor but further up is like try shift concrete and my super human sense of smell is completely overwhelmed
Right now I hate him for being so fucking disrespectful as he has been told repeatedly why I didn't want that door shut

If he was here now I'd be forcing him to sort it with his TEETH

Zoo my dd1 is really struggling at the moment, her cycle seems to be 14 days and really heavy so she's hormonal as well as being absolutely exhausted! I try really hard not to bite back and argue, but we are only human and it's so hard when they are just being arses! She is a good kid though - Hurrah for Gin my best friend through the teenage rollercoaster!

Ta da

Visited library, got various books on space, dd2 wants to be an astronaut and is obsessed with the moon and space - not a bad ambition for a 3 year old , the space suit has to be pink and glittery apparently ds is happy because the Pokemon books he reserved were in so that should keep him going !

Bakery for a cake and chippy for a cone of chips which we ate at the park
Woodland walk to the next park
Visited a charity shop on the way back , they had a frozen jigsaw and pink unicorn head on a stick which dd2 has asked Santa for , hoping they're still there tomorrow - £2 for both , ds spotted a wilko blox space shuttle which was £2 never been opened so I may buy that too - fits in with dd2 space theme!

Dc both watching tv eating an apple now whilst I have a coffee break , got lots still to do housework wise but I'm happy the kids have had a good day. Hopefully they won't mind while I get a few jobs done.....,after I finish my coffee

🤢 zoo best of luck !

I know I need go back in and complete the job but I'm still having acid burn up my throat causing me to have panic attacks cos of phobia
Wrong of me to use zoolets but I think I will need dd2 to sit on edge bath and burble about her day as distraction whilst I try fix rest of itthen spend ages in hot shower
I can hit it tomorrow with zoflora etc so it will go from being clear to being properly disinfected