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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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

617 replies

Slowchirp · 30/09/2019 13:27

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, 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 Cakeand Wine 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!

*

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

*

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
ChicCauldron · 24/10/2019 23:14

No flying of note here today and DH is going down with the lurgy so trying to avoid him for once! Catch you tomorrow!

Bowerbird5 · 25/10/2019 00:00

zoo buy a cheap hard back exercise book and a rainy day cut out and stick recipes in sections. I made one about 40 years ago when I had one cook book and no money to buy a second.I still have it! Quicker than writing and you have a picture too. I have a box to do in January.

Good news. Ned sloped in after DH snored on sofa while I went to friends then woke up and has done a whole basket of ironing while watching Rich House, Poor House on plus 1 as I watched The accident. It looks promising. I love Sarah Lancashire.

The photo of that wagon on the news stand made me feel sick today. So sad and very puzzling that the are Chinese. I think something sinister will come out about those poor people.

Throws big bean bag and Ned into naughty corner. If you are up early zoo put him to work then pass to Tidy please.

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 03:04

bower I have 3 A4 folders full like that.tbese are ones saved from Instagram and need the storage spaceBlushNo other option but handwrite(I have 5xa4 hard back books.breakfasts,sweet x2and savoury x2)
Its my secret addictionBlush
Hope mrchickeeps his lurgy to self!

IVEgottheDECAF · 25/10/2019 03:32

zoo BrewCake

IVEgottheDECAF · 25/10/2019 03:35

Re my laundry issues sc, i assume heated airer will cause same condensation issues as drying on rads which i need get away from as keep getting mould.

I had meant to watch The Accident was it any good bower?

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 04:08

Thanks I've

Got down recipes books and scribbling away for an hour at least not just staring at ceiling listening D's snore!!
Will get up at 5

To do today
Friend coming to help make shower caddy fit
Pick up sample pot for my health m.o.t Monday
Food shop with "d"p car
Laundry
Keep on top kitchen,living room and bathroom

PsychoSmirk · 25/10/2019 05:44

I am hungry and would normally saunter in to my kitchen and grab myself a banana or a cup of tea, but daren't move because without DH here dogs will wake and may bark which will wake guests. Argh, I would like my house back to myself some time soon!

I've could you look at the problem from another direction maybe and install extractor fan/humidifier (s) in your house? Look at ventilation issues?

Zoo I love coming across an old favourite recipe that I had forgotten about! Smile

Agree Bower it is sinister. Wasn't there some scandal about Chinese shrimp pickers in your neck of the woods being caught by the tide and drowned some years back? There is a lot of modern day slavery going on that no one talks about.

Glad to hear Ned found his way back to you! Grin

Zoo so sorry your dd1 is having such a stressful time with puppy. I agree that they are as much work as a newborn (which is why I stick to adult (or near adult) rescues with behavioural issues as I find being bitten preferable to cleaning up liquid poo!). I hope her fiancé is putting in the work and giving her the necessary support as that will make all the difference in the world. Your dd1 is totally right of course that you can't just put the pup in a crate and leave it there or he'll associate crate with boredom and punishment rather than peace and relaxation. What will happen to it when she starts work?

How was your night Tidy? Brew

Chic hope you don't succumb and that your DH feels much better soon!

Right, 6.45am. Can legitimately get up at last!

Have a good day fledglings!

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 06:35

SC a lady called "the dog mother" lives literally around the corner(think childminder of dogs)same rules as childminder- no poorly or hurt animals to be dropped off etc.shes got an excellent local reputation there is also "doggydaycare" available here...
It's east coast had the loss of life in tides .sri Lankans hold services every year at the Catholic church near there in memory

Tada
Another 8 recipes written out
Got up at 5
Kitchen
Surfaces all scrubbed
Hob cleaned
Oven front wiped
Microwave wiped
Sink and drained scrubbed
Floor swept
Empty bin
Littertray
Sweep living room floor
Hotspot surfaces
Wash up

I want friend to notice it's not the usual sty when she comes help fix up the shower caddySmile

Must go,need make dd2 a pack up as she won't have time queue for lunch today...just before broke for summer her and some friends did a presentation on marketing Avon to teens.they came second,but with a highly commended and were offered same opportunity as winners- a week work experience there!today they're reliving the presentation to senior staff at school and on Monday to senior leaders at the company as she's "working" 9-5 mon- Thurs of hols.
We need buy a new smart but casual top tomorrow to wear with school trousers for this(mainly has hoodies,check shirts and t shirts,nothing appropriate that won't say I'm in school uniform!!)

Right,must trundle
Bbl

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 06:37

Oh and lil zoo got a postcard from school yesterday(french dept,has a French flag and school logo on front) congratulating her on the croissant making!!she was very chuffed

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 08:11

Zoolets fed n watered
Pack up for dd2 made
S+s bathroom
Informed "missed a bit" clearing up cat sick yesterday.dutifully scrubbed that up
Second load laundry is on
Breakfast stuff washed n put away
Wiped dining table
Girls left for school 745 on schedule
Beds made
Quick tidy bedroom surfaces
Went get my clothes out to get dressed and he had audacity to ask "can I have breakfast in bed and j get up once your friends gone" I didn't even answer.....

Tidyhomewannabe · 25/10/2019 08:55

Morning everyone!

Zoo that's incredibly rude, I can completely understand why you get so frustrated Thanks

Bower I forgot that was on! I will have to watch on catch up.

Sc glad you managed to finally get up , I don't like laying in bed awake while everyone else is asleep , much rather get up and get on with the day .

I also agree that something isn't adding up with the lorry , what a waste of lives Sad

Ive I am considering getting a decent dehumidifier , I have read it will help with clothes drying too.

I'm sat in bed with dd2 watching tv, she actually slept all night - it was actually ds that ended up in our bed at 1130. He is a nightmare to sleep with, we had to buy him a car bed so the bed had some sort of sides on because he falls out of bed constantly- you can imagine what our night was like, I kept getting kicked, had to keep hold of the covers and pulling them back over me, at one point he was underneath the covers, the wrong way round at the bottom of the bed. I went under the covers to ask him what he's doing and to lay back down but he was still asleep Grin managed to wake him enough to get him back to the top of the bed he just said 'oh yea I'm in the wrong bed before passing out again! Funny really but I do worry that he never fully relaxes in his sleep.

I better get up and check on ds who's watching YouTube downstairs. I feel a lot better today so I should be able to potter around depending on how dc's are. I'm going to take my book downstairs in case they want to snuggle all day again because I don't think I can have another day of watching tv constantly, it's nice for an afternoon, but boredom soon kicks in !

PsychoSmirk · 25/10/2019 08:55

Bloody hell Zoo if you don't mind me saying so, it sounds as if you have a fifth child. Angry on your behalf.

That sounds amazing about the dog lady! Brilliant stuff! I'm sure your dd1 will find things easier once she is at work and the responsibility is shared a bit (just like with a baby). Looking after a puppy is very full on when you are the main carer.

Huge congrats to your dd2 on her "highly commended" presentation! Good for her and her team!

I didn't know that about Wells-next-the-Sea; that's really touching Sad I wonder if all the Boden-and-Joules-striped-visitors (I include myself in that description) are aware that that is going on behind the scenes ... Sad

Hardly dare turn on the news today ... for a variety of reasons ... .

PsychoSmirk · 25/10/2019 09:04

x post (again!) Tidy Grin

So glad you are feeling better today! But your night sounds less than relaxing Brew. I think your ds and my dh must be sleep twins Grin as my dh never fully relaxes in his sleep either! Hope both dc feel better today too!

Ta da:
dd packed lunch
ironed dd's favourite t-shirt (mufti day at school!)
wrote two urgent "thank you" e-mails
emptied dw
dining room table hot spot
both wms and td on
visitor has very kindly walked dogs so I am supping coffee and contemplating life for 5 mins but I really must get on ... .

TGIF; this week has been a bit of a slog to put it mildly! Waves to everyone!

PsychoSmirk · 25/10/2019 09:09

Zoo forgot to say - that is totally BRILLIANT about Lil'Zoo and her congratulatory postcard from French dept! Well done her (and you!) for excellence in croissant creation Star and what fabulous teachers to go to that trouble! Smile

Ghoulette1740 · 25/10/2019 10:14

I thought they looked fabulous croissants zoo. A postcard from the French Dept - she must be thrilled.

Bit of a tough week but pushing through. Homesick for some bizarre reason. Maybe it's the darkness setting in. Do ghouls always pine for previous lives ? 🤣 Possibly I'm a menopausal ghoul?

Ghoulette1740 · 25/10/2019 10:19

I'm actually looking at live cam footage of 10 O'clock Mass going on in my home village and wishing I was there so I could pootle off and walk around the town.

I think I need to concentrate on zone 4 now...

Ghoulette1740 · 25/10/2019 12:53

Have cleaned bedroom window and bleached the blind which was a little mildewed.

After lunch a thorough dust from ceiling down and a forensic Hoover Grin

IVEgotthePUMPKINS · 25/10/2019 12:59

Joining in with halloween name change!

We do have a good dehumidifier in worst room and small ones in other rooms. Have been considering trickle vents on all windows.

Zoo your man child deserves breakfast on his head not in bed. Has he attempted to help with your storage unit thingy? Really lovely of the school to send the post card!

Just over 2 hours til half term Shock

Tidyhomewannabe · 25/10/2019 13:23

Tada
Breakfast
Folded the mountain of clean clothes that was growing on the sofa
Clothes into bedrooms
Mine & ohs clothes put away
Dc put in a warm bath to try and clear germs
Smothered dc in vicks
Lunch (ds actually managed some soup, hopefully come through the worst now!)

Currently snuggled on the sofa watching Spider-Man 2 , need to potter more this afternoon. Could do with popping washing in, cleaning kitchen and tidying the bathroom.....

Stilllivinginazoo · 25/10/2019 13:34

No I've he don't do d.i.y...
Did ferry me to sainsbo and Aldi so there is food in cupboards now,but that's a benefit to him too...
Walked Morrison's after as he "fancied a walk in rain,he only one with umbrella
Picked up a few bits can't get elsewhere
Shower caddy loaded zoolets things
Shop put away
Lunch
Did shopping,I'm wrecked now
Might have a nap whilst boys game

IVEgotthePUMPKINS · 25/10/2019 17:09

Ta da

School run and shit X2
Pots washed
Bottles washed and sterilised
More of bedroom sorted through
Took delivery of parcel
Tea in slow cooker
Strip dc4s bed
Wash on x3
Dryer on x3

Hope you had a nice nap zoo!

Baby has been clingy today, lots of sleeping on me. Luckily fell asleep in pram on school run and still asleep now 2 hours later so i have been running around playing catch up!

Tidy have you tried the calpol plug in? I love it when dcs (or me) are full of it!

IVEgotthePUMPKINS · 25/10/2019 17:10

Apologies for ginormous link Grin

Ghoulette1740 · 25/10/2019 18:25

My reading for tonight I've Halloween Grin

foxessocks · 25/10/2019 19:18

I'm just here to second the fact that Calpol plug ins are amazing Grin