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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Fledglings flying into the Roaring Twenties! January 2020 Flylady thread, all welcome.

999 replies

LaneBoy · 31/12/2019 22:15

Welcome to the first Flylady thread of the decade! This is a friendly ongoing thread where we follow (loosely. In some cases, very loosely. Blush) the Flylady method for sorting out our homes and lives!

Newbies are always welcome here! It’s a long running thread so please don’t worry if we appear cliquey. There’s a lot of chatter and support for all sorts of things, alongside the housework stuff.

Over recent months we have agreed that big lists of daily links aren’t necessary - on a daily basis I will post (if I remember... it is maybe 18 months since I last hosted so please forgive any screw ups Blush) a link to the launch pad, which is where you can access the information for that day - babysteps, missions, daily focus etc. But if you’re confused about anything, please ask!

Check out the website too - but we suggest not signing up for the millions of emails.

Information on getting started here.

The great thing about Flylady is that you jump in where you are. Everything you do is progress. Don’t worry about not “keeping up”. Any achievement, however small, means progress.

Anyway, huge thank you to Stressy for running our very busy December thread! Thanks

And... HAPPY NEW YEAR FLEDGLINGS!!!

OP posts:
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frankincenseandmur · 13/01/2020 22:17

I’ve managed to give the living room a good clean. When the boys are at nursery tomorrow I will clean the kids’ room as they all share the same room and it needs a good clean.

ChicCroissant · 13/01/2020 22:50

I am now wondering what online dating for socks would look like. Find your perfect partner, spots, stripes or plain. This thread never disappoints!

Did ironing, shopping, paid a bill, washing up. Not quite as impressive a list as some I'll admit, but the ironing alone will make the mornings easier.

Sleep well fledglings and I'll see you tomorrow.

Bowerbird5 · 13/01/2020 23:29

Bloody hell just lost another post. I had messages for everyone. Damn.

Well welcome Fran.

Ta da list was nearly complete too. I need to get to sleep.

Started boudoir, got a few other things done.
Decided I didn’t want to apply for cafe job. Funny how if you view something sometimes it helps you make up your mind. It was a very small area to work in and very public which I wouldn’t like at the moment. I might volunteer for something else though.

Stilllivinginazoo · 14/01/2020 06:28

chic sock datingGrin
We3 that would completely take me over the edge wearing the wrong days!

THAT90sBITCH · 14/01/2020 07:05

Dc1 has days of the week socks. Two sets. Its all he wears sock wise these days. He ALWAYS wears the right day!

My head is banging

Four in one room frankinsense! Is the bedroom just for sleeping and they have a separate room for toys?

I did well spending yesterday on our room. Probably got about 3 hours in as the baby napped well. Also ironed some school uniform although realised late last night didnt do a cardigan for dd today so need to do that shortly. Couple of wash loads done and pots kept on top of.

Todays bedroom will be DC4s. Going to take some tablets shortly for the headache as not shifting

frankincenseandmur · 14/01/2020 07:16

@THAT Their room is the size of two large rooms, so they have their beds at one end (2 bunks) and then an area for toys. I’ve given them the option to stop sharing and have 2 in my room and I’ll have a sofa bed, but they wont have it. They all like sleeping together.

LaneBoy · 14/01/2020 07:56

Aww that’s lovely that they all want to be together.

Morning all, launch pad here
Daily focus is planning so be organised! I should really put more stuff in the diary. We always go through phases of being rubbish at using it.

I’m off out again this morning as I have the first session (of ten) of a course I’ve been put on, it’s possibly going to be quite taxing emotionally so I’m a little nervous as I don’t know what to expect.

DS is really not liking the new regime of having to get up and take Cagletini to nursery. 😳😂

OP posts:
THAT90sBITCH · 14/01/2020 07:59

Oh that is cute bless them!

Headache is clearing thank god

frankincenseandmur · 14/01/2020 08:33

It is cute, they sleep much better together too, and they’re only little so I’m not too worried about separating them yet.

I’m glad your headache is getting better THAT

Ta Da:
Made beds
Got kids washed and dressed

To Do:
Tidy up from breakfast
Tidy bathroom from bath time
Meal plan as I never have any ideas on what to make

We3kingsoforientareandabump · 14/01/2020 08:36

Hope your course isn't too bad lane

Ta-da's
Bit of multitasking done when I sorted out my towels while feeding little one. Much easier when they just hang on while you crack on with other things 😂. Only got rid of 3 towels and probably should have done more but it's a start.

S&S
LOL
Ironing
Got dressed but just had a quick wash rather than a bath because it was freezing even with the heating on.
Fed dc (well threw Barney bears at them on my way out of the house 🙈)
Got to work 30 mins early which is unheard of for me

rachael12345 · 14/01/2020 09:19

Frank - what age did ypu say all the twins are? I thought ypu said one set newborn and one set one ish? Was just wondering about how they make choices lol...

Also mealplanning tip I got a while back as I also really struggle with ideas - on the back if tour meal plan notebook - keep a 'standard week' loosely based around the carb side if things or another theme. Eg mine is
Mon rice/noodles
Tue eggs/cheese
Wed pasta
Thur jacket potatoes
Fri

frankincenseandmur · 14/01/2020 09:50

rachael they’re 4 and 3 lol. Definitely not letting newborns make decisions. Thanks for the meal planning tip :)

Stilllivinginazoo · 14/01/2020 09:52

Rachel i remember SC has a loose plan for meals,my brain is ultra foggy today so I can't rember how it goes tho!!
Frank that's super cute they love to share
That good luck with bedroom.want borrow my shovel and skip??Wink
Lane🍀with course.poor D's-what's his usual time to get up??

I really not feeling it today.couldnt get going til 730,my back was literally crippling me.i have been having digestive issues near 2 weeks and suspect it's bowel pain.also think highly likely it's stress related given how things are at mo.another tense "chat" with his nibbs last night.hes still "not right" or as his mum used to say daft talking-saying nothings good in his life,will opt out eventually.i lose my temper a bit and ranted about not being fair in zoolets.his response was I won't tell you how I feel then.ffs.sonetimes I can pretend I am supported and then days like yesterday I know I have no one in RL got my back
Enough my sorry arse whining,I made my bed
Pop shops and pick up plain soy yogurt and berries plus ice lollies for lil zoo.add on cereal,bread etc
Drag it home
Breakfast for DSand lil zoo

He's now dressed ready to be drop at community cafe wellbeing meeting
Hoping couple church people he knows well are there so I can practise leaving him for a bit,then go back n pick him up
I had planned enjoy a rare child free few moments,but alas not today

rachael12345 · 14/01/2020 10:23

Zoo with everything you got goung on I suggest you snuggle up on safe with hot water bottle for your back and enjoy cosy time with Lil zoo.

Do bugger all and try to chill. The washing etc etc etc can wait a day. Get chips for tea
Take care

frankincenseandmur · 14/01/2020 10:59

zoo I’m very lucky, I know most would tear each other apart if they shared. Take a break today and put your feet up, you need to look after yourself❤️.

I’ve just dropped in the applications for the boys school to start in September. I’m having a cry to myself😂

We3kingsoforientareandabump · 14/01/2020 12:10

Rachel I know it wasn't aimed at me but your idea about getting chips for tea is genius and I think I might pick a chippy tea up for my lot on the way home from work.

When dh comes out with 'i thought we were saving money' I'm gonna blame you 🤣🤣

LaneBoy · 14/01/2020 12:58

Is that just the older set frank (sorry if I missed it I need to catch up properly!) or are they all in the same school year?

Course was ok. I am pretty much a veteran of therapy (although this is more a “psychological education” thing) so the content is likely going to be mostly familiar but the handling emotions of other group members is a bit unnerving.

On way home now and was just thinking I could make a batch of lentil soup but I realised I don’t have anything to freeze it in. So much lost Tupperware, it’s probably all over the house filled with random pens and Lego.

OP posts:
IWillWearTheGreenWillow · 14/01/2020 13:43

Isn't that what Tupperware is actually for, Lane? It is in my house!

Zoo hope your back is improving. DH has terrible sinus pain atm and has a close and personal relationship with his (my!) hot water bottle. Hoping the dental appointment on Thursday will help (think it might be referred pain from a muscle spasm in his jaw) or he's looking at sinus surgery to try to relieve it.

Frank, how lovely that your DC want to share a room! All of mine have shared with each other at some point, and we've eventually stopped it due to fisticuffs!

Rachel, We3 we build our menu plan mostly around protein due to allergies / issues, but it works quite well for us. It runs:
M - pasta (carbonara for DD, tomato & mascarpone sauce for DS3, DH-made sauce or lasagne for me, DH and DS2, I'm grain-free so substitute vegetables for pasta).
T - fish
W- chicken
Th - pork (this includes options on bacon, sausages, ham)
F - fakeaway - HM pizza, curry, burgers, chinese
S - often lucky dip of what's left in the fridge, or things in toast / baked potatoes
Sun - roast something.

I do enough options that everyone gets protein, veg, carbs if they want it, and it doesn't look like anyone's getting a special meal made (fatal in a family of 6).

I've also scripted packed lunch fillings for the younger 2 since the start of term and it works really well!
M- ham
T- chicken
W- eggs
Th- tuna
F - cheese. No more fights over sandwich fillings! And I only have to make tuna mayo (which I loathe) once a week.

Ok, Ta Das
Morning routine
Started turfing out DS2's room - bedding washed, duvet in the dryer, about to go and hoover the mattress.
3 hours spent in 16th century Gloucestershire for research. Is huge fun, but my eyes hurt!
Salmon out of freezer for tonight.

To Dos
Big bathroom clean
Mop kitchen floor of muddy puppy prints
Help DS3 with homework
Start shopping list for Thursday.

Strategicchoring · 14/01/2020 14:02

Waves to all!

Rachael - love a fennel, walnut, rocket salad here with orange and honey dressing - in fact anything with fennel in. Fwiw I find the following meal plan very helpful (apologies to others for repetition):

SUN: roast of red meat with some sort with trimmings
MON: cold cuts from roast with either salad or veg
TUES: rice or pasta dishes, mostly veggie, risottos, egg fried rice, nasi goreng, bog standard pasta with good home made tomato sauce and parmesan, pesto pasta with smoked lardons, peas and broccoli, noodles with veg etc etc
WED: tray bake day either chicken pieces or sausages with veg (we have this at lunch time as it is a school half day here)
THURS: totally veggie ie veggie fritters, baked spuds with hummous and salad, or some sort of bean or pulse casserole, couscous and root veg, veggie burgers, veggie pizzas, veggie shepherd's pie (also make soup for week day lunches while chopping veg in bulk for supper)
FRI: always fish ie sardines on toast, fish pie, fish cakes, home made goujons, fish fillets cooked en papillotte with veg or smoked mackerel and salad, mussels and frites or shrimp croquettes with salad
SAT: fakeaway or very quick supper, so curry or stir fry or some sort of pie or baked spuds or tortilla or some such.

Usually make another soup on a Sunday too and usually bake stuff for dd's lunch boxes on a Tues or for weekend on a Thurs.

Now we are away most weekends I often swap Sat menu with Sun.

There can obviously be much more variety within the categories, have just listed the things we eat most often, but I find having the category of "veggie" or "fish" helpful so that I don't dither too much over choices and I know we get a reasonable distribution of veggie and fish at least once per week. I am lucky enough to be able to prep supper first thing in the morning after basic routines; much prefer that nowadays to having to buckle down at 6pm and start cooking, although I don't know how that will work when I take on new responsibilities at end of this month.

Also helpful to try and cook once and serve twice ifyswim so make ratatouille to go with chicken breast or fish fillet and make loads of it, then whizz it to make sauce for pasta or rice following day. Or have roast pork with trimmings one day followed by tiny pieces of pork with ramen noodles and veg in a broth the next day.

Sorry you are feeling so rough Zoo do you think you should book appt with doc rather than soldier on? It's so easy to overlook your own health when you are worrying about everyone else? Hope you can rest up a bit at least. Flowers

Hope you are taking it steady too Bower

Glad course was ok Lane!

Just been out to lunch with dh. I know it sounds ridiculous as we had what looked like a very ordinaire thin tiny onion and cheese tart with salad but I think it was probably one of the best things I have ever tasted. Pastry was light and crumbly, filling not too much, full of flavour, so simple and yet so delicious.

I may have had a glass of Wine as well.

Not a good start to my healthy eating plan (having bogged it first two weeks Jan) but I will try and eat next to nothing tonight.

Cherry waves to all!

foxessocks · 14/01/2020 14:11

As some of you know due to ds bedroom being redecorated my two are currently sharing a room and have been for weeks and weeks now, ds could actually move into the spare room now but he doesn't want to. They were so good at first but now they keep talking and mucking about at bedtime! Tbh it's mostly ds, dd tries to ignore him!

Ds has asked for his new bed to be bunk beds so dd can come and sleep in his room whenever she likes ♥️ lovely to hear of all these loving siblings! When we were kids my brother would only tolerate me in his room if we had guests to stay and he had no choice 😂

I've been working today, just finished and played Playmobil with ds for a bit. Made a cup of tea before I do some tidying but ds is keen to keep me playing... problem is he's bored with the Playmobil so wants to do something else but doesn't want to put the Playmobil away - typical!

foxessocks · 14/01/2020 14:12

X post sc! Glad you had a great lunch!

Strategicchoring · 14/01/2020 14:16

Willow sorry that your dh is suffering with sinus issues which are horrible. Hope he doesn't have to have the op! FESS is the gold standard. My db had it and noticed some improvement.

I'd like to join you in 16th century Gloucestershire! Smile Sounds v interesting indeed!

rachael12345 · 14/01/2020 15:10

I agree with all the love and lovely siblings - I had no idea that having two kids who love each other would make me love them more for it! !!
I love love. ..

God I think I'm on a high as the baby slept and I have completely focused on the overflowing crappy paper pile. It's mostly all filed? Chucked, arranged in cj. God it feels good! Kitchen nearly back to how it was in Nov before Xmas robbed me of all order..
Had a look at old basic weekly plan - needed complete overhaul due to new activities and dh schedule changes but have made notes mostly about what changes to make and may get a chance to type up this evening. (Impossible to read my scrawl - and I find colour coding really helps dh to see it. Suspect he has dyslexia. .. )

Ta da

Morning routine
S&s
Lol - but blooming loads to put away - extra due to failed attempt at no pull up last night
School on time
Meeting with another damp specialist
Made chicken stock
Lunch
dw
The above! Plus a couple of simple admin things found in pile 😊😊😊😊😊
Tidy dd art corner

Hmm babes go be back to sleep - seems to cruel to wake his poorly little head up to get to school...

Sc recipe sounds lush I agree fennel so yum - but I feel my love of it may be a sort of subconscious rebellion as my mother really
Hates anything aniseed so I think I only really ate these things once leaving home! It's the taste of non-childhood lol

LaneBoy · 14/01/2020 15:27

I had cereal for lunch 😳 I only even bought it as there was such a long (and cold and rainy) wait for the bus so I hid in lidl and I needed a bag to put my course folder in 🤣

So very sleepy now but going swimming, just waiting to be picked up.

OP posts:
foxessocks · 14/01/2020 16:02

Rachael and sc I hate fennel , I avoid any recipes with it in and Jamie Oliver seems to put it in everything so if you love it maybe have a look in his books 😂

Lane cereal can be eaten for any meal, I give the kids cereal for dinner sometimes...

Ta das
5 X bags for charity shop in the car ready for tomorrow
Washing on and hung up
Dishwasher unloaded and back on with lunch things
Worked AM
Played with ds
Filled in paperwork for ds nursery
Put loads of toys away in different boxes in an attempt to organise stuff,it does look much better actually
Made myself an omelette for lunch (ds stuck to his usual cheese sandwiches!)

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