February Flying for Fledglings, No More CHAOS here

[ExpletiveDelighted]

Welcome to February! This is a friendly ongoing thread where we follow (n 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.

Every day I will post a link to the Flylady 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.

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.

More info to follow.

Oh and unsurprisingly I still haven't finished my scrapbook! Although I did start it again in the new book at the weekend and it is looking much better, keeping it nice and simple so I don't get stressed! I was definitely attempting too much! The dc have drawn pictures of grandma and grandad which are very cute. Dd did my mum in a rainbow dress ♥️

When i was unwell before christmas i took to taking a codeine before bed to stop my cough overnight. Obviously codeine can be addictive and you need be careful but it worked so i could sleep

bower I just find its always cluttered, but then I’m not a fan of minimalist houses when it looks like nobody lives in them. So I’m not sure what I want😂. My house is clean, but my kitchen is always a mess, there’s just dishes everywhere.

Right,I need stop prattling around and use the pointy stick today
Everyone's fed and wateredand various states dress in progress!!

To do
Pop out for errands/grab more bread
DS has wellbeing cafe this morning
Outreach taking us to their school base at 230
Sort bearpit of house

Onwards and upwards everyone!!

< ------> myself off phone. >

I'm leaving croissants and coffee in the naughty corner for refuelling. Off to do light housework.

So. I’m having a much needed day off everything today. DD at nursery, DH at work, house gutted yesterday. I’m going to watch some more sex education, finish the book I’ve had on the go since Christmas, write in my lovely new journals (forgot to say yesterday We3 I bought the wellness one, and also the goals one. I love them. Zoo I think it was who couldn’t get one, my local one had loads in yesterday, I can try next time I’m in if you want?), and just generally arse about on Facebook. I will have to tackle the ironing pile at some point but will find a good podcast to keep me going.

I’ve said this before but for any of you working with kids in nursery, I can’t recommend a few days off to yourself a year highly enough. In the past I always used annual leave when I needed to - to do something specific, and then I’d end up having to use the rest up in a chunk at the end of the year which always seemed a waste. Then for the first year of being. Back after DD I felt like I had to keep her off nursery every time I was off (even though I was still lying for her to be there). Now I’m
Ok with being ‘selfish’ and using some of it for myself - I need downtime or I’m a stressy snappy mess. I’ve planned in 6 such days out of next year’s allowance, one every other month - 3 to get on top of the house and 3 to myself to do what I want.

I have massive respect for those of you who stay at home / homeschool as it must be so much harder for you to grab the sneaky alone time. Hope you all manage to get some time for you at some point.

Ta Das (just to prove I haven’t been a complete lazy bum):
✅ Breakfast things washed
✅ me and DD dressed (DH did drop off)
✅ Beds made
✅ LOL
✅ Box of DD’s toys sorted
✅ s & s
✅ kitchen floor re-hoovered after DH created havoc while cooking last night

Foxes hope the cough is better today. Your scrapbook sounds lovely.

*paying. I’m not lying for her to be there

KT enjoy your time out.us mum's rarely put ourselves first or get enough!!
Tinselette pace yourself!!

Tada
Errands ran
Collected various types breaded items
Drop DS at well being
Find mountainous volumes laundry in girls room off doom.
Sorted into piles and now trying to make inroads...
Attack front room
Windows wiped
Sill cleaned
Clean round TV unit/put away dvds
Clear round fireplace
Clear and clean mantlepiece,put back what belongs there
Pull out sofa one,freeing cat toys and gathering crisp bags..
Sweep middle of floor
Sort piles stuff dd2 building up where sits
Sort piles stuff of hers from dining table chairs
Collect D's from wellbeing cafe
Ovens on as we want a warm lunch
First load in dryer,second on

Thanks Zoo, impressive list!

It’s snowing! Although doesn’t seem to be lying.

Enjoy your chill day KT. We always ending up having to use our annual leave to attend school things and DC medical appointments.

Ta-da's so far
✔️ made beds
✔️dressed and makeup
✔️ quick tidy upstairs
✔️ S&S
✔️ ironing
✔️LOL
✔️ breakfast for dc except DS3 who claimed his throat was sore so even a yogurt would hurt too much. Crisps would be fine though 🙄 nice try mate
✔️ swept up full box of cereal which DS4 had poured all over the kitchen floor
✔️ dishes

It snowed a bit before I left for work but thankfully didn't lie so made it work on time.

Have just popped to Asda in my lunch break and I'm now ramming chicken salad down my neck as quickly as I can because I'm late back. It's also snowing again so not really chicken salad weather

No snow up here. I am sitting and having hot orange juice. Will venture out for supplies.

We had a short burst of hail.winds cold enough to freeze of my pachangas...
No snow forecast

Tada
Lunch
Wash up
First load wash folded and put away
Second in dryer
Third in. Machine
Working on front room again

Have promised D's half hour cleaning together,then some time playing til we head off to outreach school

Hate to say it we3 but crisps are really good for a sore throat! Well, a scratchy throat anyway. I always crave sweet chilli kettle chips/walkers sensations when I have a cold :o cheeky though if he just wanted the snack food :o

KT wise words about taking days off. Anything like that to prevent burnout is a good thing. I’m quite lucky myself in that last year I was able to get a lot of time to myself, although that was only because DH had to stop work so given I already lost my job to illness it’s not exactly ideal. It’s getting trickier at the moment as DH is struggling even more and we have all these courses etc taking up time (and while they are child free time, they are anything but relaxing due to the content) but I really appreciate the fact that pretty much any time if I really need to get out, I can. Social anxiety is ramping up again ATM and I’m not well enough to risk the gym/swimming so a lot of the time it’s just walking five minutes to the local very quiet pub for a bit. Since realising I was autistic (diagnosed a few years ago) I have accepted I need a huge amount of time with zero demands on my brain!

Are you enjoying sex education BTW, I think it’s such a great show. Both series had me in hysterics but I cried at various points too! I’m watching keeping faith s2 now but it’s not as good as s1.

Weather totally normal here although got a bit stormy looking just as the course finished this morning - was very grateful for a lift home from one of the other ladies and we had a nice chat in the car.

I am in a really shitty mood this afternoon as a so called friend has been spectacularly insensitive. TBH I have been distancing myself anyway for more of the same so I should really just think “well good riddance then” but it’s really wound me up 🤬🤬🤬

Anyway.

ta da
✅made it to ACEs with time for a Lidl maple pecan slice 😋😋😋
✅bit of art time before the session started
✅printed work for DS as apparently I forgot some
✅remembered we needed a tenner for sports club and phoned DH to sort it
✅discussed visiting plans with mum
✅discussed babysitting with DSD and friend as DH now has weekly appts that will clash with the remainder of ACEs. Should be fine though especially as it’s just DS since DD is at nursery then.

Not sure there will be much else today but I do have more course prep to catch up on. DH resting at the moment so hopefully later.

Tinselette no spare room here, but we have a king size bed so keeping my distance!

lane foxes and Tinselette thank you for well wishes for DH. He's home sick again today. It's my day off so while I'm home I can help him feel better (from a distance!), until I head out to a friend's this afternoon.

foxes there's some great suggestions for helping your cough. MIL swears by a teaspoon of honey (by itself). FIL says it works but won't admit it in front of her as she'll make him her guinea pig for all kinds of home remedies lol. I really do hope you find something that works. Might depend on the type of cough too.

I've started a productive day so far:
Prepped a meal for my friend who just had surgery last week. I'm heading to her house this afternoon. She's moved 45 minutes away from the town I'm in so not able to help like I would if she was still here. Hoping I can help her with something else while I'm there, but she's not one to ask.
I bleached the kitchen counter tops and sinks since I was handling raw chicken.

I'm working on my 2nd cup of coffee right now before cracking on with my list of to dos:

• get dressed, makeup on, do hair.
• call to get final payoff on vehicle.
• pay off said vehicle(!)
• call to move over retirement and 401(k) to new job.
• call old job HR to find out about last paycheck as got more put in account than expected.
• possibly make chocolate covered strawberries.
• make pizza crusts for dinners this week.
• Skype mum.
• visit friend.

I should probably get moving lol! 9am here now and DH just woke up. Time to baby him as well as everything else today

That's very kind of you to look out for your friend Hungry.

We don't have a spare bed - I booted dh out to the couch!

Ta da

✅ school run and shit x3
✅ shopping away
✅ wash on x2
✅ dryer on x2
✅ dry washing sorted and away
✅ emailed british gas
✅ emailed about back to work childcare
✅ emailed 2 prospective jobs
✅ pots washed
✅ bottles washed and sterilised
✅ dc3 and 4 supervised in bath
✅ dc3 reading done
✅ 25% of essay complete

Thank you Lizette it's the least I can do for her, she's been through a lot just lately.

Ta Das:

• dressed, makeup on, hair done.
• called for payoff on my truck 67 cents! So I think I can manage that later today - woohoo!
• called old employer HR- will have to wait for snail mail for pay stub.
• called new employer retirement and 401(k) provider, will have to wait for return phone call tomorrow.
• made DH breakfast and cup of tea with honey
• currently making pizza crusts, although ran out of almond flour so not making as much as I need to. Will have to get more from the shop

Decided against making chocolate covered strawberries, maybe make them later (or another day). Messaged DM, no reply so might not get to Skype.

Will have lunch before heading out the door to pay off truck and visit friend

hazel you are the kind of friend everyone needs❤️hope dp isn't too demanding and gets well soon without sharing

That well done on a productive day

Lane how did you remember the tenner for sports club?my memory and up sticks and disappeared!

Tada
Played with D's❤️
Visited outreach school unit.he did really well.they have a u shape of tables and little pods around the edge.with panels in from of desk and chair and wall to one side so only can be seen from inner side iyswim.he likes idea one of those.each child has their own and can decorate it how they chose.one girl has fairy lights.a boy has pics of his dogs and some of his drawings
He was very quiet on way back.says feels strange.possivly a bit under the weather from vaccines.he neither gets this concept nor can verbalise when he feels unwell so it's a semi educated guess tbh!!

3more loads wash.my rocket launch sounds when spinnings machine has got worse over past few days and it stunk burning rubber towards end spin followed by odd noise and now drum won't move.i suspect it's past repair....
Last load smells like burnt rubber so have added a tumble dryer sheet to dryer and hoping for the best

Cleaned out fridge
Cleaned baking cupboard
Cleaned cupboard with pasta,rice etc/snack box of dry fruits,mix nut bean and seed packs, etc moving needs eating up stuff to front/top
Tidy cupboard with breaded items, crisps and various bars/biscuits
Wipe hob
Wipe surfaces
DS and lil zoo wanted fish finger wraps for dinner.i wasn't go argue with simplicity and minimum wash up!grapes for pud and couple hob nobs
About try bring dd2 down from rafters.without phone and tictok in particular to distract/concentrate on anxiety is soooo bad..it may be a looking night

I’m really enjoying sex education Lane. It’s the right mix of funny, engaging and yet easy to watch without requiring much thought. Sorry about your insensitive friend, I hope she hasn’t upset you too much. It doesn’t sound like she really enhances your life which is what friends are for.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my lazy day. I’m generally fairly sociable but definitely need peace quiet and solitude regularly.

That’s lovely of you Hazel

Further Ta Das
✅ washing in dryer
✅ pile of ironing
✅ planning of some family days, birthday presents, to do list and filling in of goals etc in my lovely new journals.
✅ book finished. I’m aiming to read 26 books this year. In the past I’d have read more but I’m lucky if I managed 3 last year. I’m only 1.5 behind target so far. Now if Mumsnet threads counted...

Sounds very positive for DS Zoo, although hope he’s not coming down with something

Oh really lane I thought he was just trying it on maybe not 🙊

My after work ta-da's
✔️ dryer on
✔️ reading and SALT homework with DS3
✔️ spellings with DS2
✔️ made lunches for tomorrow
✔️ general tidy round
✔️ bathed DS3
✔️ made dinner
✔️ dishes
✔️ make up off, moisturised and PJ's on

There's ironing to do but I'm leaving it for the morning. Now going to do some of my biology assignment.

We started sex education and were really enjoying but since them we've started a few other things too. We have so many half watched series we need to finish. Watching Locke and key at the minute.

Evening all,

Really busy day at work today, home for half an hour, everyone got their own dinner tonight, took DS to football training, helped DD with homework, opened the mail, chatted to DH a bit and lo and behold it's after 10pm.

Tada!
Hoovered kitchen (cordless - easy)
Declumped litter trays
Hot spotted kitchen table
Swish and swipe
1 x washing
1 x quick visit to Sainsburys for eggs on the way home from football
few emails sent
few whatsapp messages - plans for half term. Is everyone else off next week?

Totally agree on the benefits to mental health of time to oneself, although my DCs are teens I still only work part time, partly to keep on top of things and partly for my sanity. I don't always manage with the keeping on top of things though.

So, plans for Wednesday:

launchpad

Wednesday's mission is to restock bathroom essentials and chuck out empties.

My lot break up Friday and apart from Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be off with them . We've drawn up a rough plan of what we want to do but if this weather doesn't change I'm not sure what we'll actually get done.