Mad March Fledglings Fly in to action 2020

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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

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That so sorry you're in pain. Suggest we all hunker down in the naughty corner and try again tomorrow. Lane, pass us a hottie; is there any gingerbread left?

Bower sorry things have been so bad lately.

Ive, hope you can take care of yourself as much as is realistic tonight .

Brilliant idea Willow. I can add pizza and a small amount of wine to the naughty corner. I am absolutely in there. Have done really nothing since I got back from work except the bare minimum in the house. Irritated with myself as really I wasted 2 hours. We had no suitable food for tea so have ordered pizza (kids are at after school club and had snack at home). Bedtime was an absolute scream fest. Saved by DH returning home in time to take one child and thankfully both went to sleep calm in the end. Today has been a day where lots of people asked questions.

I have had enough. When DH suggested pizza I didn’t even pretend to debate it . I am in PJs. Going to ignore the mess, find leftover wine and enjoy.

I’ll join you all in the naughty corner. DD pulled off her pull up and climbed in with us at some point. We were oblivious until we all woke up in a puddle of wee at 5am at which point she was awake for the day (not envy). Sheet that was clean on yesterday went int he washing machine with the one I’d just stripped, and were promptly forgotten about until I came up to bed 15 minutes ago. So we are sleeping on a too-small sheet. Flylady would not approve. Dishes have also been left until the morning. Meh.

I did manage yoga this morning, and it’s my late start tomorrow morning so I will get life back on track then.

for you Bower, Lane, Willow, That and Too for your sadness / stresses / pain / rubbish day.

Glad meal was enjoyable SC

Oh no KT! I think after a start like that for the day you would really just be waiting for it to be over .

I'm in the naughty corner too, just got back from the meeting which I left feeling mostly confused. There is a huge pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen and I can't be bothered to do anything about it. So that'll be fun in the morning!

Hope today is better all round for everyone - Friday at least!

I have a ridiculous amount of ‘fun’ world book day events to manage tomorrow so not holding out hope for a better day but thanks anyway foxes.

I am aware that the actual day was today btw - DC’s schools are having it tomorrow.

ta da
✅up, showered and got both of us ready for playgroup - left a little later than usual but still got there early
✅remembered to ask for notes FSW had printed before she went on leave
✅put in prescription
✅bought hair conditioner
✅read notes
✅started ACEs homework
✅checked bank app, managed not to panic 😳

Biggest achievement is getting through the day I think

Thanks for the spreadsheet compliments! If anyone wants a copy to start their own, I'm happy to pm a link to it so you can save a copy and adapt it to your own tasks (just not sure about sharing a link on the thread as I think it gives my email address as the document owner when you view it). I switch Monday and Thursday's focus, so today also used the home blessing page today. I got more done, I think, as it keeps me on track. I know there is a less twee name for that on this thread but I can't remember it!

Lane, my DSes like to take my mop pre-dampened and do a bit of mopping with it. They are still small and doing it for fun plus fighting over it so not very thoroughly. It's not something I'd do daily otherwise but actually is quite nice to have done if I don't have to make the effort. I wondered if that is something that might work as a regular chore for your DS. Could be a good dust minimising task. My two also sort laundry competitively!

Wishing your daughter a good result from her vitamin treatment Hazel. Her hair sounds an amazing colour.

Sorry to hear that you have so much cause for sadness at the moment Bowerbird and glad your GP was helpful and wishing you luck with your decision making. I looked up the wallpaper; it's really pretty but as you say, so expensive. Could it be worth keeping an eye on ebay or Gumtree type sites until you start the decorating to see if anyone is selling rolls from an abandoned project?

Soggy family and bed at 5am is awful, KT. Hoping you can catch up a bit tonight. Impressive to have managed to do yoga still.

Good luck with World Book Day Stressy. DS1 has missed it both times he has been at nursery/preschool. He was ill the first time and this year it's just not his day there. Probably a good thing as his favourite book is Nuddy Ned! I guess it would have been a low effort costume, at least.

Leaves 🍷 and gin 🍸 in naughty corner. I have given up gin and chocolate 🍫 for Lent.

Not sleeping at the right time again.

KTC - yuk. Oh bless I remember those days. Happened more than once and with boys they pee up so pee on you or the sheet and duvet. Oh the joys of being a parent.
Foxes put the radio and you will get through them. I left a pan and a dish tonight but sometimes leave a pile. Sometimes you feel so 💤 tired and it is easy in the morning with radio on.

Thanks for all the good vibes I feel a little better tonight. Told DH today he was sad to hear that too. We had been having the son😃to our house for Christmas Day for most of ten / twelve years and called us his British family back home.
I just need to make my big decision now. Heart breaking.

Right feel meds starting to work so will say good night.

Thank you everyone for your support, it's overwhelming! Sorry I can't name names - I think everyone on the thread has been supportive.

DD is 15, about to turn 16. I do feel safe on here talking about it. She just got diagnosed with schizophrenia, it's very scary to think she's been going through that by herself.

Her hair does look amazing though with the new colour. Vitamins came today so she's started her first dose, fingers crossed it's all she needs as other options terrify me.

As far as flying goes, DC are still doing 1 LOL a day, unloading and loading dw. Now I work 10 hour shifts I'm really too tired to do too much around the house during the week.

Currently I'm attempting to sort one of the hotspots, but getting distracted by mumsnet- oops.

I also wanted to mention to bower although probably too late now - whatever your hard decision is, go with your gut. Whenever I haven't, I've regretted it. I'm also very sorry for the losses you've had lately.

I really don't remember much from the thread as far as who said what. Whoever it was talking about waking up to wet sheets, I'm so sorry as that makes for a horrible start to the day, and I've forgotten about sheets before and realised when going to bed, although usually they're in the dryer. (We only use one set, but do have a backup if needed).

I know there was more I had read, but really can't remember (I'm on my phone). But I sympathise with everyone who is going through a tough time right now.

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Baby step no 6 for Friday 6th March: here

Launch pad link with reminders, missions, flight plan, daily focus etc etc : here

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Huge bunches of to Hazel Bower Lane and That and anyone else who is finding life tough going atm.

Hazel I really feel for your dd . She obviously has a great mother behind her though and that will make all the difference in the long term It must be very hard doing ten hour shifts with all of this going on at home; are you entitled to any family leave?

That I hope you are feeling a bit better; please take it steady

Good luck with your decision Bower so sorry that it has come to this. Also, sorry for all of your sad losses. Someone we have known for years who is battling cancer is deteriorating currently. It's so awful for the family, especially the dc who are dd's age. Certainly makes one counts one's blessings.

Lane PLEASE PLEASE don't discount Thursday's list. It was GOOD. If I may say so, "knowing" you, you probably think you aren't doing well or doing enough, but fwiw I think the reverse! It's really impressive "watching" how you have taken on board the physical and mh challenges presented to you and your dh, run with the advice and resources provided and how you are going with it! That takes real courage I reckon. And with three kids (two of whom are at home) to boot! You should give yourself a bit more credit

Sorry not to respond more fully. DD is away on a "witness project" (not the police kind, the Catholic kind!) with school (involving refugees) so dh and I debunked to country last night. We are working today but receiving building deliveries/meeting with tradesmen etc in between. Must go right now but will BBL!

Have a good day everyone!

Have a good last day of the week everyone!

Ty for the sympathy my lovelies!

Last night just got worse and worse with baby thinking it was playtime from 2 til 5am and 3 year old puking up

For lent i am giving up caring about the vast majority of things

Ta da

School run and shit
Wash on x2
Dryer on x2
Opened some windows
Tidied toys LR 1 & 2
Swept LR 1 & 2
Mopped LR 1& 2
Washed pots
Washed and sterilised bottles
Put away shopping
Looked at possible return to work hours
Sent email
Checked indeed for jobs
Recycling out

Crikey that sounds tough going That in a myriad of ways! And yet you still managed to produce an amazing "ta da" list. [Doffs hat in awe.] You are one seriously bad ass Flyer Tough as granite. Seriously! What you achieve every day is amazing. Hope your oh can give you a bit of time off this weekend though. You need to recharge and sleep!

Just coming on here at lunch time to say to Bowerbird (it's raining) that I have tried to pm you but it's not working for some reason. Will try again another time.

Oh Gawd, didn't mean it was up to your oh to give you time off That - far from it - meant you should take it and to hell with it. Sorry that came out all kind of wrong !

It's raining here. Roofers have gone home (sigh). Bit crap because we have a leak in the sitting room and rain is forecast all weekend but it's not safe to be up there atm. Have signed for two deliveries (building materials) so not all is lost. Dh's UK project is really hotting up but still in preliminary stages so not much for me to do yet. So I am taking advantage of the weather and writing out a long list of horrible things I am behind with (personal and voluntary stuff) that are giving me a guilty feeling in the bit of my stomach. Hope to tackle some of them this afternoon. Hope I can remember them all . Then have to think of something interesting to do with frozen cod, tiny red new pots, and some pepper and onions.

TGIF. Looking forward to seeing he of the long face tomorrow Got to tackle his mane this weekend as it is all knotty and muddy and all over the place. Not going to hog it though.

Oh yes, and some of the bulbs we planted are coming through. Not scillas but blue and rather beautiful. Name escapes me just now!

Btw, meant to say this morning that I am feeling a bit better about CHAOS at home. With help of cleaning lady, managed to restore ground floor to its guest ready status before we left. Hall is still cluttered but much better and neater. And I am starting to get back on top of the washing but have only just started tackling guest bed linen from last week [sigh] Didn't feel quite so bad about closing the front door on it for once. Even managed to wash all the dog blanket and towels this week (which they are now muddying again). I am definitely more efficient and less dithering when I am working. It goes without saying that boudoir still a pit though

Have a good afternoon everyone!

Grr stupid phone just lost my post!

Sc I was saying how I feel that life goes like that, sometimes you feel you'll never be caught up again and then suddenly you are , for a while at least! I said it so much better the first time though so boo to my phone for ruining my lovely speech!!

That excellent Lent idea why the hell not?! Seriously though hope your day is going okay and you aren't too exhausted!

I've had a very pleasant morning with ds, it is as if he has pushed me to my limit this week and now decided to give me a break . Anyway, today as reminded me why I adore him (not that I really forgot but you all know what I mean!) We went to the cafe, the supermarket and toddler group and he was a delight, helped me with the shopping , held my hand, has chatted to me all day and been very sweet. Only problem is he was so lovely round the supermarket which never happens I went crazy and bought most of the things he asked for (we were shopping for a picnic for a day out tomorrow and now we have a lot of sausage rolls and a lot of chocolate!)

Anyway, I'm going to enjoy it because I'm sure he'll be a nightmare on the school run now!

Ta das
Packed lunch for dd as she has school trip today
School run
Toddler group
Shopping for tomorrow
Beef and red wine in slow cooker for dinner
Tidied kitchen which was a mission , dishes were everywhere!
Took heaps of rubbish out
Ordered few things from splosh
Washing on

Today has gone so fast...

Hi all. Feeling a little more human. Hazel wow that is a huge shock.
Foxes totally know what you mean about being reminded why we adore them! It’s not that we forgot it’s just easy to be taken over by the difficulties sometimes isn’t it.

ta da
✅took Cagletini to nursery (first time I’ve done the drop off properly)
✅family fun - also Solihull homework :o - played the board game I borrowed from the course leader (Blokus). I won :o
✅quick trip to next town over with friend, bought painkillers (the extent of my coronavirus panic buying thus far :o) and a sketchbook to replace the one Cagletini trashed! Then went to Wickes and bought a tuff tray! Very excited and of course want to focus on that instead of all the stuff I really should be doing. But Cagletini is asleep and I might just rest too.

Forgot to add last night too, I finally antiprocrastinated (a day late 🤣) and booked parents evening. They actually had an automatic booking wizard thing so it was actually very simple. Still nervous!

Forgot to say thank you for all the thoughts on parents evening and chores ❤️

Just catching up and :o cineraria we loved the Nuddy Ned book! Not introduced it to the toddler yet as we still stick to board books but it’s so funny. One of my other favourites is The book with no pictures. Genius stuff.

SC aww thank you. I do tend to somewhat play down what I am managing to do. Because it still feels like a long way off from what I want/need to be managing IYSWIM? It takes very little to dash my confidence ATM. Just last week my FSW said how she really respects us knowing how much we are dealing with and we just get on with stuff, but TBH I do feel like if people really looked at our lives they’d be like WTF. We really aren’t functioning as a unit. We have a lot of love though so that is at least one thing I have confidence in :)

Hoping it’s only insanely quiet on here because everyone else is having a fun Friday night! I am not. It is boring business as usual here.

ta da
✅booked tickets for free autism workshops (masking and finding/coping with employment)
✅admired Cagletini’s many many drawings and “tattoos” 🙄

In other news DSD has applied for a flat so may be moving out by the end of the month! Very mixed feelings - we have so much in common and I will really miss her and our long evening chats of course but the extra space/privacy will be good (in particular since struggling more with MH stuff)

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Baby-step no. 7 for Saturday 7th March: here

Launch pad link for zone, missions, reminders, flight plan etc here

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Haven't come across Nuddy Ned or a tuff tray before but both sound great

That's great feedback from your FSW Lane and you're so right re: the "lorra luv" being the most important thing . Well done booking parents evening!

Foxes that is so true about going from overwhelmed to not without quite knowing how; but then unfortunately it seems to go back again in reverse just as easily (well it does in my case!). There doesn't seem to be a strict correlation between the state of the house and how much Flying I do either, which is a bit strange. Lovely to hear that good toddler relations have been restored .

Good that meds are starting to work Bower

Take it as easy (as possible) this weekend Hazel

Hope you have a better night tonight That and that your 3yr old is feeling better. You too KTCluck (well hope you have a dry night at least!).

Cineraria we tend to call the home blessing, the "home bleugh" on here! Less pukey! Funnily enough, dd hates housework but she likes the occasional mopping session!

Not surprised people are bombarding you with questions atm Toostressy you probably needed 2 hrs of doing not a lot to decompress a little bit so don't feel badly about it! Hope you survived world book day today prep and have had a more restful evening tonight!

Willow I love old-fashioned sticky gingerbread. It's certainly the weather for it atm. Hope you enjoyed your National Trust trip today!

My evening was quite boring too tbh Lane. First weekend without dd in a while and all dh wanted to do was to eat dinner and watch the news... and not speak ... as he talks all day at work. And we spent a happy 30 mins blowing up a kid's paddling pool and bunging it in the roof to stop the leaks (temporarily) which was, er, fun. I bogged up our fish dinner too so all in all a bit flat.

Must admit, one has to keep a sensible head and all of that, but Corona reporting getting a bit more serious (over here anyway) not sure if same in UK?

Mahoosive wing flaps to all fledglings including anyone I have missed out. Off literally at crack of dawn tomorrow to see dhorse the mud monster, so will catch up tomorrow evening!

It's been a tough week for a lot of folk on this thread! Have a lovely weekend everyone and try and take some time out for yourselves!

Thank you SC so far it's been a nice start to the weekend. I picked up fast food for dinner (bad idea as now my stomach is itchy - happens when I eat gluten, even though there wasn't much, apparently it was enough). I went to the bar with DH and everyone from his work as someone had a birthday. We had fun, but we're feeling too old and were home by 9:30!

I don't think the DC did all their chores today, so that's the plan tomorrow, as well as maybe getting my passport photo taken again. Ugh, that's a bit of a drive for something that takes just a few minutes. Although I might do that Sunday and rest tomorrow (as well as clean).