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.

Tada

DS boy dungeon
Attack ceiling cobwebs
*Pull out EVERYTHING under midi sleeper.wiped floor/skirts,restacked neater
*Clear and clean storage shelving units,wipe belongings and return
*Clear under little table(ps home)
*Clear and clean little table
*Wipe TV
*Sort thru ps games,rebox and stack neatly
*Tidy bookcase and his selection nicnaks on it.discard books he never bothers with/happy to discard so there's room for new(only. Couple but that's progress)
*Pull out bookcase whilst empty and clean under/behind
*Pull out chest drawers and clean under/behind
*Clear and clean near radiator
*Dust surfaces
*Wipe floor over

Girls room of doom
*Attack ceiling cobwebs
*Muck out under lil zoo bed
*Locate missing geography book
**Found missing school library book
*Wiped under bed/skirting board/radiator
*Pull out and clean under blanket box

cinereria we used a kids brand foaming wash when mine were tiny,then Palmolive one with Nemo in it(also do turtle/dolphin I think)that got mine doing it as loved looking at it.these days I pick stronvish scented so I can tell from a distance if soap and water has seen hands before meals or just flick under tap

I need to get a couple of those little steps for the loos so Cagletini can stand up herself. I’m far too guilty of relying on wipes a lot of the time 😳

Spoke to DH about future friend and I suggested that if I put a list up on the control wall, on the nights I can’t do it he can do it for me - it is mostly stuff for me anyway other than Cagletini’s clothes/bag - and he’s happy with that idea. I said I don’t want him to do any of it unless I ask (like when I’m getting a flare up) - it’s actually really important to me to make these small steps in tackling my ADHD so for him to do it generally would be unhelpful. But having a back up for the bad health days will be good.

(Also generally he is better than me at just getting on with stuff so please don’t think giving him a list is a “useless man child needs micromanaging” thing!)

Peeps in, Notices long , long lists from Cineraria and zoo- groans retreats. Leaves scones in naughty corner.

I am really lax with the dc and hand washing tbh they are rarely ill though so maybe not a bad thing

sc I agree about the thread its so nice to find a little corner of the internet (and a little corner of my life tbh!!) where you feel like people are really listening. But equally no pressure to always reply back to people every time as we all know everyone's busy. I always read all the replies but I'm usually on my phone and it's hard to scroll back and remind myself who said what!

I sorted out another kitchen area today! Trying to get back on top of a bit of deep cleaning. Think I'm actually quite run down from having this cough and cold for weeks and weeks, it just won't go. I think I'll have to go to the doctors if it doesn't get better this weekend. I can't go tomorrow too busy but I've given myself Monday as the deadline to see improvement. I'm fairly sure that even though I've had it for four weeks they will still say nothing they can do as it's viral. But I know I should get it checked.

Enough of my ramblings!

Ta das
Cleaned out cutlery drawer , binned a load of calpol spoons (I wish they wouldn't put one in with every bottle, I kind of see the point but they should make it optional somehow!)
Helped dd with reading
Laundry
Dishwasher
Put loads of dd clothes away as she had left stuff strewn all over her floor dirty and clean
Swept up cake.crumbs left by ds
Dh took ds for his preschool jabs
Dh got a flat tyre on the way ...
Dh took car for new tyre £££££ argh!
I did some overtime
Sorted next week's meal plan
Wrote shopping list for tomorrow

Also, I know you will all appreciate this small dh moan...he went to the shop just now to get something for dinner. What did he choose? Pizza which we've had 3 times since Saturday!!! Dd loves pizza so we had it twice over her birthday weekend and then again during the week as had some leftover. And now he's bought more!!

Oh well, the diet starts Monday...?!?! Still.have cake and biscuits too and he bought more biscuits!! This is why I'm in charge of food shopping

Not caught up with thread but just want to say thank you for gift suggestions .

Well we seemed to have escaped illness from the dodgy salmon

Busy day at work today, but I’ve managed to wash and dry a load of towels, plus a s&s this morning. Will clean the kitchen in 5.

Off work tomorrow for my hair appointment and to get the house / ironing sorted before my weekend away.

I’m glad to hear we are all in agreement about not being able to respond to everyone. I always feel terrible if I miss someone, and it’s so frustrating when you know there was someone else you wanted to reply to but you can’t scroll back to check without losing everything. I do enjoy reading every post though, and I agree it’s lovely to have a group of people celebrating the little wins with you, allowing you to rant, and understanding the relentless of keeping on top of everything.

Fab lists everyone.

Cineraria DD quickly went from not being able to use the soap dispenser to using it enthusiastically and getting it everywhere. She seems to manage better if she can put it on the floor or her little step rather than keeping it on the sink and having to stretch.

Hope the cough goes soon Foxes. I heard the calories in pizza don’t count if it’s forced on you. You might as well enjoy it.

Lane your DH sounds fab. I’m guilty of feeling I have to do everything to keep the house running and us all organised, but actually if I don’t do something DH does tend to use his initiative. We really should all learn to share the mental load a bit better.

SC just one more night until freedom

cineraria ktcluck I missed the soap dispenser chat, my ds is 3 and he does that too KT moves the soap onto his step so he can do it easier. Takes him so long bless him!

I do remember when he first started doing his own hand washing and he'd been gone a while so I called him and he said "don't come in here!" So obviously I went in and he had been carefully smearing soap all the way up both arms past his elbows we had to hose him down in the shower!

I did indeed enjoy my pizza (and biscuits)!

Mine had the child's foam handwash that someone else mentioned up thread, it's a lot less messy than normal handsoap,

Tada!

This morning.

Swish and swipe
1 x LOL
Run vac round downstairs
Empty dehumidifier
Trip over pile of unwanted shoes that DH evicted from under the stairs and hasn't put in his car to take to the shoe bank yet (all his)
Remind DH about car tax (again)

Later.

Neither shoes or car tax have been done. Also, remember DH laid lino in our understairs cupboard on Sunday, there are offcuts on the patio, an old bit of (now soaked) carpet in the side return, a hammer on the floor by the cupboard door (mutter, mutter). He does do quite a bit of cleaning, laundry etc but clutter seems to be invisible to him and I definitely carry the mental load at home (he has far more responsibility at work though and is full time, I'm pt. Then again I have two jobs and three volunteer roles, he has one of each). Whatever, it sort of works.

LOL just needs fetching from the dryer and sorting to put away.
Handbag completely decluttered, old receipts checked against online banking, shredded or filed.
Dinner cooked
Duolingo done
Dashcam finally fixed (new memory card)
Chocolate eaten

Thank you all for empathising re not being able to reply to all. I have always felt that this thread has just the right amount of people at any one time to make sure everyone gets a reply or acknowledgement from at least one person and it all happens very naturally. What an amazing thing that is. I have really enjoyed running it this month, chatting more than I sometimes do and definitely getting more mission type jobs done than usual. Back with links in a mo.

Friday

THe mission is to go after the dust bunnies in the living room (Zoo - I saw dust bunnies on your list earlier even if it was for bedrooms, good anticipation .)

launchpad

Friday is clean your handbag and car day first time since Christmas judging by the state of it. Also Date Night.

Babystep 28 is to take care of yourself, food, water, sleep, not always easy but remember You Are Worth It.

Thanks for all the handwash help. I put out the one with the wider base today and they did a bit better with it but tomorrow I will encourage them to put it on their step or the floor. I can see how that would be easier. I have also added the Palmolive children's foaming one to next week's online shopping. There is an apple one with a lion on, which will make them both happy as DS1 likes lions and DS2 loves apples. I also love the suggestion of using a really strongly scented one so you know if they used it, Zoo. I can remember doing the flick under tap thing myself as a child. .

Ooh, scones, Bowerbird!

zoo

Phew! Got to Friday in one piece. for That and zoo and anyone else up disgustingly early. Thanks for the naughty corner scones, Bower.

DH did much better at taking on some of the mental load yesterday, which was good as my counselling session was a doozy and stirred up some nasty stuff.

Ta Das yesterday
☑️ 2 x LOL
☑️ DW rotated
☑️ Bits of bathroom bleached - Expletive, I bought a speculative bottle of Cif Perfect Finish in Lidl, as we were reaching the point where I thought we were going to have to retile. It's done an amazing job!
☑️ Lidl shop
☑️ Shopping put away
☑️ S&S
☑️ DH cooked chicken for dinner
☑️ Dog walked

DS2 was ill again yesterday - he really has reached the point of exhaustion where the least thing overwhelms him - so we are increasing the vitamin supplements, including zinc and vit D.

To Dos today
🔳 LOL
🔳 S&S
🔳 DW
🔳 Coffee with friends this morning while DH holds the fort
🔳 Homework for DS3
🔳 More writing
🔳 BuJo pages with health diagnoses for everyone and food allergies. I simply can't keep it in my head anymore!

🍒🙋 to everyone, and 🥳 for SC getting her house back!

Toilet blocked(too much tissue)
Electric went,battled get into meter cupboard having move sofa and huge cat tree without help as lil zoo on one and dd2 sorting lav
Massive Nose bleed for me when sat floor and cried as hurt back

Not ideal start to day .

Plan
Shop for new toaster
He's taking D's to his so I can at least lay down if not sleep for a bit

Oh zoo, I'm sorry, that's an utterly rubbish start to the day. Hope you can rest while DS is out. Sending and . Hope your day gets better.

Aww Zoo what a crap morning! Still, it can only get better from there and at least you will be getting some peace in a bit.

Ta Das:
✅ DD deposited at nursery (in a completely mismatched outfit, hair full of random clips, and clutching a square of bubble wrap - it was very much an “I know what I want and that’s that” morning)
✅ beds made and upstairs tidied
✅ budget for the next few months sorted. I was wondering how we can afford all the things we have planned. Think it’s just about doable but there’ll be no spare to fritter on scones at work which I suppose is a good thing.

To do:

• read launchpad
• tidy downstairs
• dust downstairs
• hoover
• mop
• give kitchen a wipe
• s & s both loos
• 15 mins zone cleaning and the weeks missions
• demolish ironing pile before we run out of clothes or one of the cats is flattened by it
• pack for York
• paint nails after removing weeks old polish from toes
• book appointment with beautician friend for nails and lashes for Portugal. It’s 5 weeks away and fitting into my holiday clothes is seeming less and less likely. I’m hoping pretty finger, toes and eyes may distract from the wobbly bits.
• watch YouTube videos on how to french plait. I am a huge disappointment to DD as I can’t do it like the nursery girls.

Hoping to get a good chunk of the above done before my hair appointment at lunchtime, but we’ll see...

Catch you later fledglings!

Oh and in case I forget, thanks for being a lovely thread leader Expletive

Hope you're ok now zoo

Oh no zoo, hope your day got better. Hope YouTube videos help KT!

I have struggled to get MN to load today. At least that is good for my productivity!

Did food shop, some other admin, some decluttering in bedroom and sewed two Girlguiding badges on. Off to do school run now.

Hello. Bit overwhelmed so offering hugs to all and putting some comforting Big Bang Theory on the naughty corner telly.

ta da for thursday
✅showered, got stuff ready and made it to playgroup
✅took photos (with permission) of playgroup inside and out to make Cagletini’s now and next board (just realised I never said thank you for ideas on that willow 💐)
✅remembered a couple of specific things I needed to ask FSW - ACEs referral form for a friend, and info about particular places which led to a really lovely chat 😊
✅went with friend to DS’ tap class, then straight to other town for St. John Ambulance then went to dinner with friend and one kid each. Lots of faffing as had to drop DD off, pick DS up early in order to get to leisure centre with Scouts (normally it’s on Fridays but they are doing a badge thing) then go back for DD. Lots of back and forth culminating in returning to leisure centre with DD to find DS in tears as he had in fact forgotten his swim shorts despite being reminded to pack everything 😭😭😭 absolutely gutted for him (I know only too well what it’s like to be the one who screws up and gets embarrassed etc) and annoyed at myself and DH for not physically checking instead of just asking - yes he is 10 but he is also autistic with ADHD and dyspraxia, this stuff is difficult! He remembered everything else he needed but we found the shorts on the stairs.
✅delegated homework to DH to mostly sort with DD - she suddenly realised she had loads
✅another looooong chat with DD about epic school drama 🙄😖
✅journal writing - much needed

ta da for today
✅emailed question to FSW
✅made sure DS had all his work to take to the event he’s attending with DH (lots of sitting around)
✅collected Cagletini from nursery - first time I’ve actually done that! DH has done every single nursery run since her brief trial session before she started
✅got photo of outside of nursery for the now and next board (can’t use phone inside but will get one off the Tapestry app or the nursery website at some point)
✅got bus to town, bought a warm hat (mustard yellow, matches my trainers!) and a guava bubble tea 😍😋 and a puzzle book with the aim of reducing my screen time

Can’t actually think of anything else. So tired. So. Fucking. Tired. 😐😐😐

KT have you got a doll you can practise on?secret is keeping the strands held tightly.if it's an consolation once you have it down,you will never forget!

Thanks kind words everyone!
DP was uncharacteristically worried about me or worried I was heading to crazyville and he be stuck with zoolets on his own and kind

Used his credit cards to shop

Tada
Everyone fed
Errands
*pick up D's inhalers script and pop chemist get sorted
*Pop vets flea treatment
*Acquire new toaster at Argos
*Pop Poundland various bits required
*Pop two supermarkets

Put away fridge/freezer stuff

Lunch

Boys let to go game at dp's and I put rest shop away

Lay down about 130 on sofa under blankie,curtains pulled.cat on my feet..had about half hour sleep then just lay quietly best part hour,then scrolled recipes on phone til girls got in at 4

Snack sorted
Cleared dining table of "stuff"
Set up new toaster in kitchen
Washed up

I'm now sat menu planning based on what I bought

Feels like hard lump.looks like blister.press it hurts the joint
Any ideas ladies?