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

[LaneBoy]

Welcome to the first Flylady thread of the decade! This is a friendly ongoing thread where we follow (loosely. In some cases, very loosely. ) 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 ) 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!

And... HAPPY NEW YEAR FLEDGLINGS!!!

Okay ta das:

Kitchen cleaned
Laundry on
Lunch served and cleaned up
All Christmas decorations packed away in garage ( garage on NY to do list now 😜)

To do:
Clean living room by damp dusting and hoovering
Clean zone 1
Check food levels, freezer etc
Asda list
Main food shop list
Ironing
Dinner is left overs

Great lists everyone!

Well done for getting your essay in I've ; bloomin' impressive, especially at this time of year with all DC home, and after so little sleep. I hope you can get some decent shut eye tonight and your youngest is feeling better. What an amazing example you are setting your DC too about the importance of study!

Totally understandable to feel daunted Willow when you are spinning so many plates. You sound like an amazing mother! I hope the "small steps" philosophy of Flylady helps just a little bit maybe as the year goes on.

We're just moping around mainly. We don't seem to bounce back from entertaining visitors as quickly as we used to. I feel a bit miffed (as usual some may say! ) as dh has not only not said anything appreciative about my efforts over Christmas for his family , he has just been sitting in front of the TV with the remote control ignoring every single thing DD and I say. I know he is exhausted and feels a bit ill but a bit of sense we were/are on the same team and a simple "thank you" would have been nice.

DD, who has previously not been considering unis in UK (for undergraduate study anyway) has decided she wants to give some a go, so we are deep in research about the application process, which include submitting a personal statement among other things, so we've been deep in to research for that, which has to be done by October 25th.

The "puppy" has had a nice time this morning unravelling all the felting DD did yesterday! And we're now all watching Lemony Snicket while dh naps.

No Flying done except made leek and pot soup. I intend to have a large gin this evening!

Cheers everybody!

Hello! Does anyone manage to work full time and keep their house clean (whilst also being generally lazy and unmotivated) ? Asking for a friend

I dont even manage it at home full time

Well done on getting the essay done with so little sleep That. Hope baby is feeling better.

Willow you have so much to juggle, sounds like you’re doing a fab job. You too Expletive.

At least you were early rather than late and had the right day Lane! Where I work we regularly get people turning up at the wrong time on the wrong day . DH was a week early for his dentist appointment recently.

I’ll look out for that book Chic. I still have a few bits I know I should get rid of but I’m struggling to part with.

SC I’m glad you’re getting some time to relax after your hectic Christmas. Enjoy that gin. I was annoyed with DH today too - I got back from the supermarket to find he’d done nothing, not even made the bed, and then wanted me to immediately iron a shirt for him. Apparently he’s incapable . I did it as I was going to iron anyway, but I think he regretted asking and won’t again any time soon .

Dorzaron I work full time, although I cheat a bit and do compressed hours so only 4 long days, and I do only have one DC and a fairly helpful partner not today. Despite leanings toward laziness, since a big declutter and discovering flylady I’m managing to keep the house reasonably clean and organised. It’s certainly not perfect but I don’t fear anyone calling in. This lot are great for motivation! I also thoroughly recommend using a day’s annual leave every few months (like me today!) when everyone else is out to keep on top of things and have a few hours peace. DH is out, DD is at nursery and it’s bliss.

Ta Da

• Shopping - including next years Christmas cards, crackers and gift tags for less than £4! Crackers reduce from £12 to 40p in Sainsbury’s!
• fridge cleaned, shopping away
• tree and decorations all down and in storage
• 15 mins cleaning zone 1 and 5, missions from Monday to today.
• Drs appointment made
• Ironing done, work clothes ready
• Laundry and DW
• Piles of crap carried upstairs and put away.
• Cuppa with DSis

Now having half an hour with my feet up before heading to collect DD. Was too lazy to do the soup and as it’s just me for dinner (she eats at nursery) I’ve decided to get a pizza. Diet starts tomorrow.

After going to bed in a decluttering frame of mind I woke up late and ill. Had stomach ache and felt sick all day. Watched Sarah Beeney doing up other peoples houses. One couple and another family has masses of mess room of doom.😁Made me feel better.

Came up to try and sort t shirts and after reading several reports about Marie Kondo have been folding tops. How many is too many t shirts? I seem to have a lot. I used to wear them to work with leggings or jeggings but not allowed to wear them now.lots of them do give me ‘joy’ so I need another way of getting rid. Only one with a wizard has a few tiny holes and I thought that would be a great painting diy shirt.

I am trying the folding to see if it makes more space. I always folded but not her way. I have deep drawers in that c of d so don’t think it will work. Also has no one ever considered that MK is about a size 6 so folding her clothes is like folding a toddlers and the material alone will take up more room if you are a size 16.

Thanks Chic for the book might try to get it on iPad ...less clutter😂

Sorry to hear you have such pressures Willow. I know that there are a lot of us on this thread who have DC with SEN (I'm one of them); lots of support and listening ears when you need them.

TaDa
Cats and DS fed
Washload on, then half hung up, half tumble dried
Several hours of actual work
Went to opticians appointment
Met my DBro for coffee

Lots left to do, but 'meh'

Thanks SC and KT. Smalls steps is definitely the answer.

The Universe belted me one again this morning when, having congratulated myself on getting us through Christmas and out the other side financially ok (by about thruppence, but I did it), the post brought £130 of parking fines courtesy of DH. I know he didn't do it on purpose, it was thoughtlessness, but for the sake of a £1 ticket I'm pretty cross and I have to pull £130 out of our collective arse.

However. The big shop got done, I've had something to eat and a sleep and we've taken down all the tinsel, the big tree, the wreaths and the mantelpiece / windowsill stuff and packed it away. DH will take it up to DS3's room and pack it away in the loft later. The little tree in the study and the ceiling level decorations are his thing, so he can deal with them. I've also culled a bit off the living room shelves and found 10 books, 11 CDs and a cassette to get rid of. Almost a 27 fling boogy.

Still to do:

• hoover the living room
• cook tea
• get the clean washing away
• find £130 down the back of the sofa

Fighting the urge for as I'm supposed to have given up for 90 days (not including my birthday).

@THAT90sBITCH tbf I would not manage it either! Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate!

Thanks @KTCluck that's a good idea taking an odd days annual leave. I do work from home 1 day a week so I can put a wash on etc. No partner and 2 very messy dc 🙈 and pets! may be fighting a losing battle

Haha KT glad it’s not just me! Rather apt that it was an appointment to discuss how well my ADHD treatment is going :o (mostly quite well TBF, but we are increasing dose and staggering it so I hopefully have less of a “crash” which renders me worse than useless in the evenings!)

Annoyed though as she wrote the prescription wrong so Boots can’t fill it, other pharmacists may be more lax so now tomorrow needs to be wasted on sorting that. I might try and fit in a swim while I’m out.

I’ve not really achieved anything else today TBH.

That is amazing getting your essay done while sorting baby and children and the dredges of Christmas and NYD. A serious pat on the back for you and you can have the ——————————> stick to shove wherever you like to your OH who is being a right little sh.......! Why do men do this when woman are trying to improve things for their family. DH was the same. I would be bf baby and trying to write an essay, boys would be arguing about washing up and he ( when he was home) went out or upstairs ignoring it all or went to his mother’s to help her(MS)but more likely escape and read the paper.

KTCamazing list.
Willow I don’t know why they changed the system. It seems to have made it more difficult. We had a change of SENCO when it went to EHCPs. Previously I helped when SENCO was swamped and was allocated some timetable one year. I really enjoyed it and yet I don’t like paper work usually. I got quite efficient. Kids with SEN get a raw deal nowadays.
SC you deserve a break. He should thank you.

Right I am back to those tops short and long sleeved. I have mastered the folding. I must admit I always fold my knickers her method. It works very well on big knickers.🤣

Lane not just you I missed an osteopath appointment. So annoyed with myself.It was during a few days of absolute stress re an appointment from Occ. Health. I could easily have gone had I remembered. Will cost me £45.

Willow what a pain in the butt. Hate getting charges for car. I have escaped a few times by minutes but parked at the station too long once thinking it was a fiver, annoyed with myself but then found out it was £12 during the week. Took course instead of fine when 34 instead of 30 zone. It was on my day off 😖
You could feed him on cheaper food...beans on toast for several weeks until fine paid 🤣

I have a 'watchlist' of kindle books, and I just scroll through each day to see if any of them have dropped to the magic £1.99 or free! Worth doing, and yes it is less clutter unlike all the ones I buy at the chazzer, must get rid of some books this year

I've got a hospital appointment tomorrow, another urgent 2 week one (I am wrecked!) but it's literally an urgent 10 minute look and I should get some advice on the way forward. It's a different issue than the last 2 week one

Lots of laundry completed but no ironing. Must clean kitchen properly tonight, main rubbish bin is already full and not collected until Monday. May have to visit the tip if I get a chance over the weekend.

I do like the Kondo books, I find them inspiring but haven't done the method. The Japanese book I mentioned is all about getting stuff out, for example it says the job of a gift is completed when it is handed to you - it's served it's purpose and if you are not going to use it you can discard it straight away. I'm not that hardcore by any means yet, there's always a chance but it did make me think.

Well done on the essay, that's awesome work over the Christmas break shock and awe here. I think I've excelled doing laundry That90s!

I completely missed one of the DC's orthodontist appointments a few months ago Lane. It was in my phone but when it did the last major update for some reason calendar appointments defaulted back to no reminder (I had previously set the default to 24 hours) so I didn't realise till it was too late.

That - well done on the essay, hope the drunk person had the hangover from hell.

Books - I have developed a bit of a charity shop book obsession in the last year and have about 30 lined up to read, going to aim for one a week and try not to buy any more for a bit.

Tada!

Some decorations including both sets of outdoor fairylights taken down, batteries removed.

Three loads of washing.
Took DS clothes shopping (needed his first suit, surprisingly painless)
DW rebooted
Mildew removed from DS's bedroom windowsill, he keeps his radiator off and his door swings shut, have made him put the rad back on low and bought him a doorstop to prop it open during the day.
Dinner (Ikea meatballs and pasta)
Tried to change a light bulb and broke it (fiddly little halogen one).

I started on my cupboard under the stairs today. If anyone needs 5 million carrier bags I have them. As well as numerous sleeping bags, I will wash the oldest ones and donate them to charity. Also loads of other camping stuff.

I need some kind of storage solution rather than piling it all up and pulling it out like a game of Jenga!

OhMsI put sleeping bags rolled up and into an old pillowcase.

I bought about twenty paperbacks from charity shops in Oct /Nov but once read I will keep some for project house, some to swap with DS 1 &2 Peter May and the rest back to charity shops. I‘Ve slowed down since Christmas but was reading two a week before that. Escapism!

Ta da
Folded all t -shirts and long sleeved cotton tops. They do fit. Now I can see them all. I have even placed them in sections. Holiday purchases, gig, animal.
Started on trousers. Folded some. Put leggings in a pile and some to try on and decide whether to keep. Might be able to put some school ones out, one has broken catch thingy, might be able to mend it. DH has offered to try and mend drawer tomorrow.

So instead of piling everything on my bed I am going to do them by item name until I do all. Will need to set aside a day for charity shop delivery. They end up staying in a basket in my room.

I forgot to take the towels out that I put in yesterday. I have integrated machine now so sometimes forget as it is so quiet compared to the rattly fifteen year old washing machine on an angle.

Managed a bit of toast & jam. Some crackers and a mug of chai tea. Feel slightly better.

Hope everything goes ok Chic.

Long but productive day at work today. House has piles of stuff everywhere... need to investigate tomorrow.

Hope it goes ok tomorrow Chic.

Good luck tomorrow chic

Didn't get zone 1 done but washmore mountain under control. Did cleaning living room.

Good luck chic 💐

ta da
✅walked to town
✅bought milk
✅yoga class
✅psych appt
✅went to pharmacy (unsuccessfully)
✅discussed to do list with DH

Flare up mode so achieved nothing this evening

🍀🍀chic
SCwe all need to feel appreciated and that's not too much to be asking of loved ones h9e uni search is fruitfull
Lane wrongly filled out scripts give me the rage!hope easily rectified
Ktas ever great lists
Bower I've no idea how many is too many t shirts.im other end sprctrum- how many is too few(I got 3 without holes)must prioritise buying me some more
Willow in process ECHP here with D's.suspect both girls high functioning asd and DP too now I know what some criteria is.life here is never "normal"..(hugs and sympathy anytime it's needed)you are human and you drop plates just sweep up bits,accept it happens and spin a new one.we are our own worst critics

Been awake an hour.looks like four hours us tonights max sleep requirements.mat try read bookfor a bit and still awake at 5 accept defeat and get up...

Also been awake since 3ish having a repeat of yesterday with baby ds will phone the gp at 8 i think. Have just given nurofen so hopefully in half hour or so i can put him down to sleep.

Thanks for all the praise re the essay but it might not actually have made any sense this is definitely the least confident i have felt in the 4 i have submitted since October!

zoo

Good morning all! I feel slightly more normal today and need to get back to doing housework. Wish we were at wreck2 but dh slightly ill, there's loads and loads to do here and DD has tutoring/is meeting up with friends. Shame we didn't get our week's holiday away but it is what it is.

To do:
Parents Assoc work
reacquaint myself with laundry
de-fluff wash all combs and hair brushes in Dettol
wash and brush the furries
BOUDOIR
go to art shop
go to framing shop

Good luck at hosp app today Chic

So sorry baby ds still ill, and that you had another broken night That90sbitch and hope you get can get to see gp quickly

Glad you are feeling better Bower and well done re: clothes folding. I definitely need to tackle my wardrobe.

Very impressed KTCluck by you buying next year's Christmas cards and gift tags etc!

Great list Lane!

Mahoosive waves to everyone else!

Hope all newcomers are doing ok!

Good morning! Bower I used to fold Marie kondo style but unfortunately that has fallen by the wayside now...I couldn't maintain it! Ds drawers especially are now back to a huge jumble with no organisation whatsoever must sort those...

Ah books, I got some for Xmas too and have been ordering random ones online in the sales, oops! I never got on with the Kindle which I agree is much better for decluttering purposes!

SC sorry you're feeling unappreciated

Yesterday I tackled the toys in the living room and actually managed to put some of them away! We are doubly struggling with toys because of Christmas plus one side of our upstairs being out of action including ds bedroom so nowhere to put his toys anyway.

I can cope with all that but I have to say the dust is driving me crazy, especially because dh keeps forgetting to put the dust covers over things like the dc books and toys that are still in the room he's working in! It's so simple to do!!

Morning all! Everyone got up and got on this morning, and I feel a bit shellshocked! DS2 was in the shower at 7.15 (unheard of, even on a school day), but his not-girlfriend wanted to meet for breakfast before they go out, so off he trotted. It's very sweet really. I'm thinking of asking her to make representations about studying and tidying his bedroom as he listens to her far more than us! DS1 has gone to a coffee shop to write an essay... DD is up, dressed and double teaming history homework with revision her Comp Sci mock on Tuesday... DH has taken his foot to the MIU. When the car got crunched in November he had his foot on the brake, and he still can't walk properly. Time to get it looked at. Naturally, therefore, DS3 slept until 7.30 (90 mins later than usual) and is a bit surprised by the day.

That, sorry the baby is still unsettled, well done on getting the essay in. Lane, at least you were early and still got to the appointment! Chic, hope all goes well today. Cherry waves to KT, SC, foxes, Bower, zoo and anyone else feeling unappreciated.

Plans for today

• morning routine
• walk the hound
• financial planning
• start project plans for all various spinning plates. I need some flow charts!
• rest of Christmas down and away
• get some stuff to tip and charity shop?
• spend some "me" time doing pretty Bullet Journal stuff, not just endless lists of Things I'm Responsible For.

There's a really tedious article in today's Guardian about how minimalism / decluttering is just another bandwagon for Millennials. Made me quite cross, as it's also a vehicle to sell someone's book about minimalism! It's Here if anyone is interested. (Hope that link works, I'm on my phone)