Mad March Fledglings Fly in to action 2020

[Sizeablecontours]

A warm welcome to the monthly thread where we (loosely) follow the Flylady housekeeping system here to combat CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) with lots of virtual wine, chat and mutual support along the way. The thread leader of the month will post a link to Flying activities daily. Quite a few of us have been on here for a while, so we may seem cliquey, but we really aren't, and all newcomers, lurkers, returnees, regulars, and intermittent regulars are very welcome!

Very simply, Flylady is a zone-based cleaning system which we follow to varying degrees, depending on our individual homes, circumstances and energy levels. There are five zones and at the beginning and the end of the month we usually straddle Zone 1 and Zone 5. When you first start decluttering, cleaning, and organizing your zones, Flylady encourages you to spend 15 minutes per day decluttering in the current zone.

Each week, we work in a different zone. Each month, we repeat all the zones. After a few months of following this system consistently, you should start to see an improvement in the main areas of your house.

Pop on to the Flylady website to have a closer look about how to get started here but signing up for emails will probably lead to very many landing in your inbox. Also there has been some concern about securely downloading pdfs from the site so proceed with caution.

The Babysteps system is a light 31-day introduction to the system which familiarises you with Flylady routines (such as dressing to shoes, shining your sink etc) and with her philosophy, which emphasises self-care, her abhorrence of perfectionism and the adage that you’re never behind - just jump in where you are at - even if you only do 5 mins work, that is so much better than doing nothing at all!

There is a morning routine and an evening routine to keep things ticking over and a weekly home cleaning hour (which most of us find tight!) to change bed sheets, mop, hoover, take out rubbish etc. We've found over the years that the system isn’t brilliant for major decluttering so you might want to supplement with Kondo or another decluttering system. Flylady doesn’t want us cleaning all day so she is very keen on using a timer. Clean and declutter with focus, then stop and do something more interesting instead!

In addition each day has a purpose, see the daily focus here:
Monday: weekly home cleaning hour (can be split into ten minute sections and spread over week)
Tuesday: plan and play (menu planning, family event planning, doc appts etc)
Wednesday: anti-procrastination day
Thursday: errand day
Friday: clear out purses, bags, cars, date night
Saturday: family fun
Sunday: lift your spirits.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any qs. And remember, 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, so feel free to ignore any step or routine that doesn't suit you or your home! And don't be put off by the barftastically twee language of the Flylady site, as the underlying system is sound.

And if/when it all gets too much: come and take a seat by the fire in our candelit, specially adapted, virtual "naughty" corner where you can retreat and enjoy all manner of lovely things such as fluffy pillows warm blankets, fine teas, strong coffee, and platters of sumptuous foodstuffs offered with lashings of support from fellow fledglings.

There may be mention of Ned (and his cousins Ted and Fred) who started their lives as autocorrections, but who have morphed in to virtual helpers, and are borrowed by thread members from time-to-time when the going gets tough on Mount Washmore.

Most days we pop on to post our "to do" and "ta da" lists of what we’ve managed to do and have a bit of a natter. Please don't compare your list with someone else's as this is all about individual progress.

More info follows (but again, please note we advise only looking at the pdfs and not downloading them):

** launch pad (general guidance and 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) [[http://www.flylady.net/d/br/2017/09/02/please-explain-the-zones/

here]]

** weekly zones (a rough weekly guide to which area of the house we are tackling currently, again adapt to suit yourself) [[http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/zones/

here]] and here

** daily focus (helpful guide to allocate a certain day for a certain task) here

** deep cleaning lists pdf (only attempt when you have decluttered as you can't clean clutter!) here

Habit of the month: here

An explanation about the March habit of the month: Getting Dressed to Shoes here

Good luck and happy Flying one and all!

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Many thanks to Tinselette from whom I have stolen and adapted quite a bit of this introduction!

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And last, but definitely not least, a huge thank you to Expletive for running a really fast-moving February thread so splendidly

*

bower
Stressy good luck with kitty containment.scoutcat starts stress spraying/poo where shouldn't when we had keep him in more 3-4 days.our furry overlords do not like being told what to do

SC DD secondary sent out email yesterday link latest government advice,plus teachers are flying to get mock papers marked asap in case of shutdown.

Lane D's has started go off minecraft.he is my "baby" (not youngest,but behaviour wise,still has lots stuffed toys etc)wierd when they change suddenly and you think week they really are growing up now

Rough day yesterday.dd2 so stressedno school.i spoke camhs consultant line.not helpful as we doing everything already they usually suggest
DS on one and hard work,saw OT and she's agreed "easy" week next week as he's finding everything such a struggle they going on a walk of his choice(local forest)
Minimal flying once stash bags of crap sofront room not shit tip for OT.did grab pm nap

Bed time was ok actually sc I think they were so exhausted they were asleep as soon as lights out!

Hope you're ok bower and managed some sleep in the end

Today is my day off and I must not waste it! I need to go the shop (probably everything will be sold out) , drop some stuff at the charity shop and do a bit of work because my boss is chasing me for something (he knows it's my day off but I don't mind helping out if I can and it won't take long).

If I can also do some housework or decluttering which is more than just the basic laundry and dishwasher swish and swipe which seems to be all I really manage these days then that would be great . I did change bed sheets yesterday so that's something.

Morning all

Zoo - many people recommend Bella Coco for crochet tutorials. I learn better from pictures and words than videos so I found this website very useful when learning www.learn2knit.co.uk/howtocrochet.php

Totally get all the CV uncertainty, I am also veering from anxious to keep calm and carry on. Trying to make it mostly the latter. SC - maybe a quiet word to the Direction to say that many parents would like an update. Sadly, yesterday we had news of a sudden death in one of our school communities (not a pupil) which has put things in perspective a bit.

Better go, haven't got much done this morning.

Sorry about your rough day Zoo

Hope the pain has eased and you got some more sleep Bower

I’ve kept on top of the minimum the last 2 work days - laundry, food, dishes and general tidying, with a s&s managed yesterday.

Today’s plan is the usual upstairs dust, hoover and bathroom clean, plus I’m hoping to do a bit of zone cleaning / the missions.

I’ve already ordered myself a new co-op dividend card this morning after mine went AWOL a month or so ago. Should really drag my sorry bum out of bed but DD is playing nicely in her room and I’m so cozy.

I have no knowledge of teenage boy shaving or crochet I’m afraid.

Coronavirus-wise it’s pretty much business as usual here. We’ve had a few patients cancel routine appointments to stay away from the hospital. I’m quite blasé about it, although I do worry about my PILs catching it as the both have respiratory issues. Need to head to the shop for milk and bread imminently and hoping the shelves haven’t been cleared!

Ah yes, teen boy shaving. Anywhere between about 13 and 16 to start seems normal. DS started towards 16 and still only needs to about once a week (mostly tache not chin). He has a small electric shaver. Some his age are much hairier though.

Morning! Bower, 💐 and ☕, hope the walk about and painkillers helped you to sleep more. 💐 too for Stressy invisible work is the killer, and no-one cares til it all falls down. Foxes, I remember well those days out with friends and DCs where you get half a snatched conversation and a little under two thirds of a cold cup of tea! It does get better. Zoo, I hate it when people who are meant to help just keep parroting what you're already doing, as if saying it more will make it magically effective. DS2's school are stuck in this loop at present, but it's all moot right now because he started throwing up at 4pm yesterday. Bugger.

I took yesterday Off with a capital O, in an effort to clear the exhaustion from this cough. (Apart from dealing with vomitty teen, DH is an emetophobe). Technological failure meant I didn't hear from the GP and will have to try again tomorrow. I spent all day in bed otherwise, and feel much better for it, but am very aware how lucky I am to be able to arrange my life that way.

Lane, good news on DS and reading! Sometimes, it just clicks. I know what you mean about properly structured relaxation being more refreshing, but sometimes even getting my embroidery out is a step too far! Lisette, hope the BP monitor was not too cumbersome. SC, we had something from the senior school about Coronavirus just after halfterm, because half the school went ski-ing with their families (too much money round here!), but it just said follow PHE guidelines and the school would too. It's going to make an awful mess locally if they close the schools and nurseries as we are very much commuter-belt and everyone works in London... Or not, as the case may be.

Someone asked about teen shaving... Both DS1 and 2 are very blond in the facial hair department and only shave about twice a week (and can leave it longer without an issue). DS2 had to start earlier but even he was 15. DS1 was 16 I think. I know a couple of their friends with Asian heritage are shaving twice a day and have been since they were 13 or so, as the school has a "no five o'clock shadow" rule.

So, back on it. To Dos, today
🔳 DW
🔳 LOL x at least 3 😭
🔳 S&S all round
🔳 A good scrub for me - a day in bed is all very well, but I'm not very... fresh
🔳 Skype counselling for vomitty DS2 on my laptop.
🔳 Decimals homework with DS3.
🔳 Some actual work.
🔳 Email a document to a client which needs poking about first.
🔳 Chicken for tea - not sure of the format yet
🔳 General tidy - people have been putting things down not away again!
🔳 Probable home bleugh because it got lost earlier in the week.
🔳 Pay for drumming lessons and ask for an invoice for Latin

I'm simply not managing the Flylady missions and detailed cleaning.

🍒🙋 to That, Expletive, KT, Cineraria, Chic, Hazel - hope I have not forgotten anyone. Right. . Must get on.

Thanks for all crochet advice and for shaving too everyone

Well lil zoo left in tears as convinced has coronavirus and I'm being mean sending to school...she has sore throat, chest hurts and started coughing.doesnt feel super hot

Zoo, you're absolutely not being mean mum. If she's not got a roaring temp, she's right to be in and you have enough on your plate without a bored, slightly unwell child at home. Equally, though, you can't expect her to understand you're doing what's best for her, at her age, and be grateful!

Ta Das so far
☑️ S&S
☑️ LOL on, 3 dry loads handed out
☑️ DS2 room tidied, full bed change (very sweaty and unhappy night), 2 pints of weak squash and plain scrambled egg on toast supplied.
☑️ Chicken out of freezer
☑️ Duvet put on line to air
☑️ Washing up done
☑️ Hands washed at least 7 times as did things in a silly order.

Keep ploughing on, fledglings!

Cat is not impressed by kitty containment.

SC, I think my comment came out clumsily! Was trying to write it quickly before collapsing last night. I’m sure any advice you gave would be sensible and not be out-of-turn at all as you seem very sensible and level headed on here . It’s more to protect yourself... as in if you can just link to the official advice then it can’t come back to bite you later. If that makes sense? Your email idea sounds a good plan.

Am at work today so have stepped back from all invisible work as DH has the kids. So feel a bit better about that at least today.

E.g. on our school’s website there is a link to official advice; same on GP / dentists etc websites. Even the Facebook local pages have a pinned link. Since the advice is changing as things change then it ensures it is current.

Semi co-operative DD this morning so managed a few ta Das:

✅ up, dressed, walk to shop
✅ everyone fed, dishes done
✅ DD dressed and unleashed into the garden
✅ dining table wiped and de-hot-spotted
✅ kitchen benches, hob and cupboard fronts wiped
✅ kitchen window and sill cleaned
✅ microwave, kettle and toaster cleaned
✅ planted some bulbs with DD
✅ showered and hair washed
✅ hoovered downstairs
✅ LOL
✅ pile of clean clothes put away or added to ironing pile
✅ beds made
✅ bathroom cleaned
✅ DD’s bedroom tidied (needs done again within 5 mins )
✅ hallway tidied
✅ bins emptied
✅ packed stuff for today as we are going out for lunch with family and to a local nature reserve / park
✅ chicken out of freezer for tea

To Do:

• quick living room tidy
• hair and makeup when DM arrives to entertain DD
• dust and hoover upstairs when we get home
• clean bathroom window and shower screen
• clean downstairs loo
• meal prep for work days
• bags packed

Zoo I don’t think you’re being mean mum at all. Hope they both feel better soon.

Willow glad you had a well deserved day off. Hope DS is feeling less sicky.

Too well done on stepping away from the invisible stuff. Sometimes we have to.

There was toilet roll in my local Sainsbury's! Only a little bit. And a lot of disgruntled customers complaining to the staff their brand wasn't there, as if it's their fault! I didn't buy any because we don't need any yet and I refuse to panic buy.

Glad to hear it gets better willow, if I'd just had dd with me it would have been better but ds was getting a bit pushed about in the play area by the bigger kids , also it seems to me like a lot of people don't actually supervise their kids in these places (cafe with soft play attached type place). I like to make sure my two are playing nicely and not running around the restaurant tripping up staff like a lot of kids! I also insisted my dc stopped and ate their dinner at the table because otherwise we'd have got home and they'd have wanted dinner then which was too late! So that meant ds had a whinge about that by which time my food was stone cold and everyone else was saying I was being very strict!!

Sorry, that turned into a rant and u completely forgot my ta da list

It's small anyway
Ta da
Packed lunch for ds
School and nursery run
Dishwasher loaded
Supermarket
Dropped a bag to charity shop

Forgot to take all the recycling

And I completely forgot not u

Sorry I disappeared again. Sunday's flying did not happen at all as by the time I'd dropped my DM at the train station and went to Costco and Asda it was time to make dinner and then get everyone sorted for back to school.

Monday didn't happen either.

Day off yesterday though to go and watch DS2 singing at the sage and when I got home I managed to get all of the weekly missions and the detailed clean of the kitchen done. Also did a load of ironing. Then had to pack DS1 case as he is off to London today with school and isn't back until Friday. Was up at 5 getting him sorted as he was leaving for 6 but didn't really achieve anything else as I just wandered around the house going 'ahh I miss him already' 😂

I'm the same in soft play places foxes and get the same comments about being strict especially from IL's 🙄

Haven't caught up properly on thread yet so 👋 everyone. Finally feel back on track with flying and now all visiting family have gone and we've got a bit of routine back I'm hoping it will fall back into place.

Noticed this weeks pamper mission is to wash hair and I definitely need to add that to my to-do list as it's not been washed since Saturday 🙈

Foxes you sound like my kind of soft play parent! My biggest dislike though is kids who are far too big being in there knocking the little ones about. No way would i let my bigger two run around somewhere like that (unless designed for older dc obv) yet i often see ten year olds about the same size as me in our local fairly small soft play!

Ta da:
10 mins sorting kitchen
emptied DW
hung up overnight Dh shirts / early morning washing
post
dining room table hot spot
s&s
TD on too
scrubbed dog bowls
tidied up hall a bit
ground floor home bleugh and spot of ironing done by cleaner not by me!

"work" work (3/4 time this week)

very speedy bakery/supermarket flit
2 new loads laundry on
carried collapsible table upstairs with help of dh
chicken tray bake with roast Med veg  (school half day) in attempt to pacify potentially hangry teen (not working) <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Confused" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/confused-DVrVQwAF.png">

<strong>Expletive</strong> so sorry  about the sudden death in your school community, which must be an awful shock and very sobering 💐

No worries <strong>Toostressy</strong> I think the way I worded it was rather ambiguous! <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Smile" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/smile-iCO8d7ST.png"> Head of PA has sent me a message to say she will be speaking to the 'Direction'  at a meeting later this week. Wheels turning slow but better than nowt I suppose.  (Dd reporting school lavs/sinks still pretty putrid though.)     Hope your 🐱 is feeling comfortable today.  And bravo for stepping back which is far from easy sometimes! <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Star" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/star-Bm6t10PJ.png">

That is one fine list <strong>KTCluck</strong>! <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Star" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/star-Bm6t10PJ.png"><img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Star" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/star-Bm6t10PJ.png">. Summer bulb planting with dd sounds lovely!

<strong>Willow</strong> hope your vomity teen is feeling much  better  - that the lurgy doesn't spread - and also that your GP is in touch today and you can continue to rest up a bit, so your cough has a chance to clear properly. 🍵 

Skiing isn't really wealth related here as most schools arrange an annual  "classe de neige" (and there is a healthy market in lightly worn/second hand ski wear!)  - hence the widespread concern - but totally "get" the economic concern too with  schools and nurseries possibly closing (and as UK Chancellor currently predicting) a fifth of people potentially  off work at any one time. We're self-employed and we're worried over here. 

We <span class="italic">all</span> very much suffer from "putting things down" rather than "putting things away" here btw! <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Blush" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/blush-Brh13p-7.png">. What a huge difference one small word/action makes! If one could change one thing which would  make a huge difference to the house, it would surely be that! 

Hope you are able to make the most of your day off <strong>Foxes</strong> and paid work doesn't interfere too much! 

<strong>Zoo</strong> agree with <strong>Willow</strong> and others that you are not evil mum at all!  It's good for DC to  learn how to cope with having to be at school/ extra-curric (within reason!) when they are not feeling 100%.  Having said that, can very much sympathize with Lil Zoo's anxiety! Disclaimer >  I have no idea what guidelines are for those presenting with flu-like symptoms in UK currently!  [Here you don't go to gp, they come to you.]

Small Corona-related silver lining:  Dh has cancelled next week's big 12-day  U S trip and is curtailing travel within Europe, which means he is at home doing loads more dog-walking which in turn means I have more time to Fly!  <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Grin" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/grin-D7Eg_B6y.png">

Must dash!  Busy afternoon ahead <span class="line-through">watching racing</span> <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Wink" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/wink-ClU7UaDM.png">  followed by work-related event. 

Waves to <strong>We3kings</strong> <strong>Bower</strong> <strong>That</strong> <strong>Chic</strong> <strong>Hazel</strong> <strong>Honu</strong> <strong>Shannara</strong> <strong>Lane</strong> and anyone else I have missed!

"See" you all tomorrow!  Tally-ho everybody! 🍒 👋 🏇🏇🏇🏇🏇🏇

Foxes/we3 we had same rules and we never left our younger ones to own devices whilst we sat gossiping/ignoring what they were getting up to...

Tada

Scrub kitchen surface and rinse well
Disinfect said surface
Wipe/scrub hob
Scrub surface two and rinse well
Disinfect surface two
Kettle wiped
Toaster wiped
Spices all wiped,and little roundabout holder they sit on wiped too
Swept floor
Two loads washing done
Just stop for lunch..

To do
Wipe cupboard fronts
Wash up
More laundry
Sweep living room floor

Once these are done I'm giving myself time out
Intend nice long hot shower(only been half arse sink washing as not been up climb in n out bath but I feel grubby n in need good deep clean!)
Then plan either watch more episode the stranger(binge watch 4yesterday with dd2)
And read/colour/do puzzles.maybr even a nap..
I have get my battery restored a little,plus I cannot attend two hour camhs group session with dd2 as a skanky baglady tomorrow!

Sorry X posts Foxes That We3kings must dash but catch up later!

X post SC after the way dh added to workload during guests make it a HUGE list

Enjoy your little bit of relaxationzoo you most definitely deserve it!

I have just deep cleaned dd bedroom, pulled all the furniture out and everything..took me an hour! Then I felt motivated so carried on into the spare room where all ds toys are at the moment (as we are still doing lots of work upstairs) but dh rang me for a quick chat so I sat down and I can't seem to get back up! Got to do school run in a minute so I think that'll end up it for the day (apart from the usual cooking dinner, homework assistance, tidying up after the kids...argh!)

I really don't know how people have beautiful clean tidy houses I can't ever seem to get on top of everything! I have too much stuff I guess 🤔

That’s hilarious about people complaining their usual brand of loo roll wasn’t there foxes 😂 although not funny for the staff being harassed of course. I really don’t envy anyone working in supermarkets etc right now - very glad DH is out of the Co-op!

People get crazy - he was working in a flagship Boots store when that No7 serum got released to rave reviews and he actually came home with scratches on his hands where women were trying to grab the stock off him. 😳😳😳

ta da
✅up and showered and to Solihull course on time
✅gave games to leader (one of hers returned, one of ours for her to borrow)
✅discussed tricky thing with leaders - again one could see I wasn’t feeling great, I feel really cared for this week ❤️
✅swimming with friend. Again only short distance but I’m definitely getting back in the swing of it

Having a rest now but then I really should get on with stuff. Washing, future friend as I’ve been crap with it, tuff tray needs setting up too

Tada
Mixing bowls etc washed up and up steps so back in boxes on top cupboards
Scales also put up out of the way- too tired for baking at mo so may as well put clutter of it off surfaces
Wash up
Scrub sink and drainer
Wipe all cupboard fronts
Two loads laundry wash,dry,fold n put away
Third load in
Swept living room floor
Cleared 2/3 of dining table
Dd2 start cry overwhelm everything and room a tip
Muggins help her sort that out

I'm now too tired to give a fuck about my shower and doubt hips get in and out.oh well.thought was there!!

I'm now go sit on my bum for a bit and have a glass water...

Mid-afternoon check in!

• Kitchen scrubbed. It appears when I'm ill, no-one deals with crumbs or wipes the table after dinner
• First load of washing of the year on the line!
• Another LOL done, dried and handed out
• Sent documents off to friend / client
• Tesco trip for lunch things
• Hoovered DS3's room
• Upstairs bins emptied
• 2 outgrown pairs of pyjamas and a pair of slipped in the fabric recycling bag
• emptied the cardboard recycling under the sink because it's bins night
• emptied the food bin, ditto
• cleaned kitchen again after the DC made lunch
• another LOL on

Sicky DS2 must be recovering, he made a lunch of such massive proportions I can't believe he'll eat it all.

Right. Off to do decimals homework with DS3 and try to run the hoover round upstairs!