Fledglings prepare to fly their lockdown nests and jump into July - join us for the July FlyLady thread

[KTCluck]

Welcome all fledglings, newbies and lurkers to the July 2020 flylady thread, where we try and follow flylady’s system to keep our homes in order and our lives organised. We are a friendly bunch and like a bit of a natter, amongst posting our ‘To Do’ lists for accountability and celebrating our ‘Ta Da’ lists no matter how long or short. No fledgling is left behind, just jump in and join us wherever you are at - whether you are a lazy slattern living in chaos or a fully certified domestic goddess wanting to keep up the motivation. Most of us flit between the two depending on the day. The threads tends to be a supportive corner of MN, and we readily provide listening ears for woes and rants when needed.

Flylady is a system based around morning and evening routines, with babysteps to get you started and a daily focus, such as planning and family fun day. There’s a weekly home blessing (or ‘bleurgh’ as we prefer) which is a basic clean to keep the house ticking over, with short bursts of decluttering or deeper cleaning in weekly zones once you are ready. Flylady also suggests short missions each day. Feel free to adapt the system to make it fit in with your life.

Link to the launchpad is here (I hope) and the baby steps are here. From the launchpad I like the ‘flight plan’ for a reminder of the routines, and ‘sneak peek of the week’ for a list of the week‘a missions. You can sign up for emails, but be warned, you will need to regularly declutter your inbox!

As thread leader for July I have taken possession of the thread pointy stick —> for anyone in need of a sharp prod of motivation, but I’ve also set up a chilled quiet naughty corner, complete with comfortable day beds, a gentle sea breeze, and unlimited fruit platters, ice creams and cocktails to any fledgling who is in need of rest and recuperation or is just on strike. No partners or children allowed.

I’ll also try and keep the ‘keep calm corner’ (KCC) going. Originally introduced by our lovely SC, it’s a little daily dose of respite we’ve been using to help us get through these strange times.

I’ll do my best to keep us all motivated and flying throughout July. On work days I may appear with the larks, or not crawl in until the end of the day so apologies in advance if I’m late with links.

We start tomorrow in zone 1 (hall, porch, dining room). Here’s the missions. Habit of the month is ‘swish and swipe’ which is a daily 2 minute wipe of our toilets and sinks. Tomorrow is anti-procrastination day where we tackle those tasks we’ve been putting off.

Anyway, enough waffle, July we are coming for you! shortly, I’m just checking the naughty corner is ready

Same lane I'd love a Cosy homely home. Ours is more well...shit tip. Ours is partly because this house just isn't big enough for all of us and our stuff and also because it needs decorating and the DC wreck everything.

Well I've given in with glossing after 7 hours. It looks so much cleaner and fresher. Managed to do kitchen, hall, both sides of living room door and some parts of living room (it's been done not too long ago so didn't have to do the whole lot), skirting boards and doors frames on stairs and landing, 2 cupboard doors, our bedroom door and the bathroom door. Oh and a shelf in the living room.

So because I've been doing that all day we didn't end up having a roast DC had frozen pizza and we're having Chinese 😋

Hello all. My achievement today is I unexpectedly decluttered a big kitchen cupboard. Had to get a handyman (handy person?!) in as toilet started constantly filling itself. Because he is a handyman rather than just a plumber I realised I could get our cupboard fixed - it’s one of those pull out ones and the rail was broken. So he has fixed them in a socially distanced way but to do that I had to empty the whole cupboard. Now of course I cannot seem to get everything back in in a sensible fashion. Can’t just put it back as it was as he has had to rearrange the shelves. It holds cereals, rice, pasta, spices, that sort of thing. So once the kids are asleep that is the excitement. Plus a calendar check.

One exciting thing is after a lot of thought I have planned to make Tuesday our last day of homeschool term . Officially we have until Friday 17th but actually the kids have got a few school visits before that as they get to meet their new teachers for short visits . Plus DD2 is leaving infant school so has a goodbye visit there planned. Plus there is some holiday homework set anyway. So the last week would be mostly transition work anyway which we will still do and they have the visits. I am working an extra day tomorrow and DH has the girls so he will do the school stuff with them, he also has them Wednesday and will do educational stuff but not official school work. So I only have Tuesday of homeschooling left and have already planned DD2’s work. DD1 usually does her own stuff from what the school has set. Feel super relieved. Apologies for that very long ramble about schoolwork which may have been very boring!

Meg, sorry about bed situation, hope it gets sorted. Sorry you had a difficult visit from your ex princess.

Lane . Errrm, not sure about that crustacean although it has made me chuckle .

to all that need them.

AWOL 7 hours of glossing wow. Glad it looks better for you.

That

lane I’m dreading Logan starting nursery/school and having to actually get things done by Monday! I’m sorry ur head hurts ❤️❤️. A homey house was my goal when I moved on here I’ll post pics 1 day it isn’t where I want it yet but I do feel homely.

lisette I hope ur hair cut goes well. I need 2 get mine dun soon.

Sorry 2 hear that that

Well done on the glossing awol

Today has been quite good I’ve decided not to do any flying and then starting from tmo fresh. I’m rly starting to familiarise myself wiv the flylady thing lately and am going to follow what she tells us 2 do rather than just take it off my own back. I need 2 think of some meal planes 2, if any1 has any ideas 4 food that I can also mush up for Sul bcuz I’m gonna start weaning him from 2mo.

Feeling much more positive about everything as well and a lot stronger. And I finally get to see my family tmo!!

Thank you for the thoughts on cosiness! I was just coming back to ask (sorry I’ve said it on the decluttering thread too) what makes a house cosy. Also DH was just saying he was thinking how we don’t really get to enjoy the home because of the clutter. We are going to talk about stuff once the caglets are asleep.

I love the wardrobe idea. I want to start writing down what I actually want it to look like in here and work towards it. Not about to start decorating soon (I really don’t want to distract myself from decluttering) - DH did a basic paint job on the caglets’ rooms when we moved in which was the priority (they’d never had their old room painted) and they’re very much theirs now especially DD1’s as she’s painted Kpop stuff all over! But I want to make the rest of the place ours too.

Art is important to me too - we have some little prints of various artists I like, although I’d love to get more confident and make something myself (I am not good at painting though! I like drawing)

The room that made me think about it BTW was Sam’s living room in Better Things! It’s dark and warm, loads of rugs, mismatched, soft lighting. Ours is white, boring grey trade carpet, white Kallax, a flimsy table I hate!

I think part of what makes my house not seem cosy is the mass toy invasion

xmummy thanks - I'm so looking forward to it as I've short hair which is very out of shape now. I wear a hairband always in lockdown.

Meg that's a fabulous thing to do first thing in the morning. Just taking a moment in unison with the wider scheme of things. Must be very calming.

Oh it's zone 2 the kitchen tomorrow. There are a few things that need to be done. Ds is off school and I'm in work full day tomorrow so best get to bed. Night all.

xmummy thanks - I'm so looking forward to it as I've short hair which is very out of shape now. I wear a hairband always in lockdown.

Meg that's a fabulous thing to do first thing in the morning. Just taking a moment in unison with the wider scheme of things. Must be very calming.

Oh it's zone 2 the kitchen tomorrow. There are a few things that need to be done. Ds is off school and I'm in work full day tomorrow so best get to bed. Night all.

Wow. Finally caught up.

Checked back as I haven’t deleted texts builder was starting the path around Feb4th that’s when the stone arrived. 10th the road was flooded and carried on for a few days so message 13th and came to check on the 14th Feb what needed doing and it went on from there.
Yes, patience of a saint was mention to me a couple of times when working with the kids. I wasn’t always patient with my own. I DLMS sometimes. Usually when I was tired or when they were bloody out of line! Tomorrow D is back to grout the tiles and the plumber is going to refit the loo. If they turn up! If nothing else goes wrong!😁

Be back soon running out of battery. Just going out side then up to bed and will charge it up there.

Sorry I’ve been rubbish at replying to others today! It’s passed in something of a blur.

Lisette I am an atheist but I love the idea of communing with God while on the run! I agree meg about finding spiritual moments in the every day. Glad you’ve got hair appt too.

Stressy well done for cupboard clearing! It sounds like one of those magic square puzzles where if you arrange the pieces differently in the same space you end up with a gap. But in reverse. :o

That I hear you on the toys. And EUWWWWW at tampons in the unflushed toilet

Amazing work with the gloss Awol!

Princes exciting about weaning! He can have anything TBH just nothing with honey (even if cooked), you could just squish up whatever you’re having if it’s not too salty, or you could steam some veg - you could put big pieces on the high chair tray too, so he can play with them :)

We talked a bit about the house:
🌊Lots more house plants. We have a few that I was excited about when we moved but due to handsy toddler they are in the kitchen. We’d love to have some high up like on top of the Kallax. And when Cagletini has fully given up the buggy, I have declared there will be one or two MASSIVE plants in the hallway. In nice bright pots. :o
🌊we talked about what kind of table we want - really solid, dark, possibly bench style :o
🌊we talked about colours too - it’s tricky as too dark a colour will make the room seem too small but definitely want something warm.
🌊I want loads of soft furnishings. I’ve never even bothered buying cushions really because I’ve always thought it’s something you do once you’ve decorated!

I need a the help I can get when I run lane I loved Cagletini's squirrel.

Wing flaps to all fledglings especially new ones.

All the help, I meant

Hi everyone

That sorry he’s being twatful. My DH was a bit of a typical beer swilling ‘lad’ up until a few years ago and there were a few times he was lucky not to end up under the patio. That was pre-DD and you deserve a medal for refraining from causing him serious injury when you’re looking after the DC too. I’m assuming you have. Happy to provide alibi if not

AWOL I’m a bit ashamed I didn’t do the glossing in our tiny loo when you’ve done all that. That Chinese is well deserved.

Princes I never bothered mushing anything for DD, just went straight for finger foods. We started with veg - just a few bits of whatever we were having. Think broccoli spears was first, and we did bits of sweet potato, carrot, fruit, toast and pasta. It made us a bit healthier as we had veg with everything and no added salt.

Lane at the crustacean. Mine are also just in a basket. DD hasn’t thrown any down the toilet yet but she does tend to give me a handful when I go to the loo. Often offers them to her Dad too . My house doesn’t quite feel homely either, although it’s getting there. Love the wardrobe thing Meg. Decluttering definitely helped - I always thought less stuff would make it less cozy but it had the opposite effect. It’s things like rugs, art and lamps that don’t feel finished but I’m sure we will build a collection of bits we like. Most of our big bits of furniture are second hand, in fact there’s only beds, and locally made tv stand and mirror that we bought new (the mirror is my favourite thing in the house). Most of the rest I like but the bedroom furniture isn’t right and I just have a dress rail in my dressing room. There’s always something better to spend the money on while they are still functional.

Lisette I have my hair appt booked for 25th. Can’t wait!

Hope the chocolate in the naughty corner is helping Zoo.

Yesterday, I finished what I could in the hallway, but left the tent up with the balls inside. Everything else in the hallway is in its rightful place now. I also hoovered the stairs. Today, I gathered up all the post, only two weeks' worth this time, but must make this a daily task.

Last night I wrote a list of daily tasks, and did most of them this morning. Will add more as they arise throughout this week. Can't think of anything else to add, except Netflix and Dairy Milk. Feeling both lazy and edgy. Strange combination. Nyt nyt all.

Sounds like you did tons mrstidyhouse

Forgot my ta da list (although it’s really not that impressive)

✅ LOL x 2
✅ wipes kitchen windowsill
✅ big pile of ironing; that and non-iron stuff put away.
✅ checked bags/uniforms/outfits etc for tomorrow
✅ delegated meal planning and prep to DH
✅ cooked accompaniments to beef
✅ realised that neither of us had actually put the beef in the slow cooker. Made emergency quorn mince and gravy so that the mash and Yorkshires were not wasted
✅ cleared kitchen
✅ tidied up toys, plates and other detritus

Out visit to the ice cream parlour with DM was lovely. It was all well organised and not too busy. We went back out with DH with DD’s scooter in the afternoon and I‘ve spent the evening binge watching little fires everywhere. I’m now hooked. Overall an enjoyable Sunday.

I’ll be back with links tomorrow. Night all

🍒took meds on time
🍓sorted some recycling
🍒quick bit of decluttering in kitchen (drop in the ocean) - chucked a few bits including some old baby toys I’d been dithering over (why were they even in the kitchen?!) and rehomed other stuff
🍒started new book (diary of a nobody)
🍓tried to rest and relax, did puzzles, watched 3 episodes of Better Things
🍒de-anted downstairs loo (cleaning floor, windowsill etc)
🍓LOL
🍒started prepping tomorrow’s LOL
🍓bagged up stuff we are getting rid of - mostly things I’d decided on before but now they are all together in two knotted bin bags (to go out on weeks there is room in the bin on collection day)
🍒discussed various house things with DH

Right sorted. I thought I would lose the post...it has happened before I was down to 2%😳
So I will probably forget some now so sorry but I struggle to remember now.
Lane you have got to get that it is hilarious. If I was still at school I would get one for the staff loo.🤣 I would wont to get it just to see the reaction Lane if it wasn’t too expensive. I think our house is quite homely but it is also messy. We just have too much stuff for the size of house. This has come about
*because my mum was the same.
*I am too emotionally attached to things. So I keep them.
I need to learn to get rid of some.

• My aunt died and left everything bar some money bequests to us girls. We kept the house initially and sorted some of the stuff then my next sister kept taking her stuff and other stuff to the house. Hers is worse than mine. We eventually had to let the house go and then sis in Oz decided she was coming back here ...probably. So DH & I put the furniture into storage and house up for sale. It was there for about a year sis never offered a penny towards it but wanted some of the nicer pieces of furniture. DS2 bought a house but it was up to his limit he just loved it. So we collected furniture and he has some. It looks lovely in his house. We have the rest which seems to be lots of tables! My niece is going to have one when we can go to Edinburgh. I have one in the craft room. One in the sitting room which is a beautiful table and possible worth a bit. I can remember it at grandma’s. Then we have two fold down ones. Sitting room is small. It is cosy because we have a large inglenook housing a wood burner, brass coal bucket, cane log basket and tongs etc. LAshley brick ( terracotta) sofa. Pine tv stand and tv. Curtains are brick, beige and blue, carpet blue and a pine bedding chest with a dolls house on. Pictures on the wall and photo, ornaments, bowl of pine ones etc on said table. Old pine cupboard onside of inglenook ( now housing alcohol instead of children’s jigsaws and new book shelves on the other side oh and DH desk from primary school. It is oak and older than him. His dad was HT so that is why. It is crammed in next to sofa. It looks lovely at Christmas. Sorry I am rambling. I think colour and the type of things you like are what makes it homely. It is a bit cluttered on the table even for me. Mostly gifts from DD and BF. A beautiful bowl, a gorgeous , quirky vase and photos of my kids. Candle holders. DHs CD player. Crikeys it sounds really crowded now.🤣 The kitchen is pretty tidy at the moment. I am going to tackle it tomorrow though. The dining room is still housing half my room at school. I need to get it back there but I am not allowed in at present - Covid19.

Oh that is really weird. Spooky weird I wrote the last word about eight times. It kept deleting it or just disappearing when I typed something.
Gulp!
AWOL - That is an amazing amount of painting especially gloss. I haven’t done any as I try to keep headache away.

DH has really p🤬me off today. After D left at lunchtime ( and I had mentioned something) then I said something to DH he turned around and said “stop moaning , your always moaning. Well I bloody do not. He has it so easy compared to loads of men I know. So I stopped speaking to him. Childish I know but if I don’t speak I don’t moan right! I had promised to make a cake in a magazine if he brought limes on Saturday and he had. So I made said cake ( last two have been disasters) first bit was ok but the icing was a palaver and I watching Miss Marple in between. The cake was coconut and lime buttercream with frosting over all of it. I was making tea while doing buttercream and I made stir fry veg with some butcher marinaded chicken pieces and noodles. It was very nice.
Then I made frosting you had to boil caster sugar and water to 220 and add it slowly to the beaten egg white and I spilt a bit on my foot so I yelled. He did ask. Anyway it was a bit tricky but I made it and took him some with a cup of tea. He never said a bloody word. He said good night at 10pm. I am livid. That cake took ages to make I washed up and I washed most of the meal dishes as I went . He did some. I ate mine in front of The Durrells. Don’t men bloody annoy you.

Reminds me Zoo I don’t know how you put up with yours he is very selfish. Poor kids and poor you. You must feel like telling him not to bother coming back sometimes. I have said it to DH before. He likes the house though.
And then poor 2princes you thought you were giving him time with the Dboys and he starts and I can’t remember who had hers bugger off to pub because they were open and partake too much.
SC s is taking over the house room by room fast as she is trying to sort stuff out or busy inviting people to stay.

Grr!
Think I have said enough. Hope my lovely builder turns up tomorrow.
Oh I have gone back to journal. Wrote out all the zones and detailed cleaning. I left out bits that don’t apply and substituted some bits. Going to make more effort.

I am liking the BACE, that's a good idea. I am also doing a room a day TOMM style - when the house is empty I often do one task such as dusting in all the rooms, but with the three of us home all the time that is less convenient than one room a day. Almost looking forward to the kitchen zone next week in Flylady, as stuff has started to creep in to that room.

I am useless at gloss painting (runs and drips) Wayne's World we're not worthy bow so well done for that! I will have to skip the crustacean station as I no longer need that and DD is at the stage when nothing faintly female can be mentioned in front of DH.

There have been some 80's roundup programmes on late at night, followed by TOTP from that era so the mullet seems entirely normal now.

Tomorrow morning I will make a list of things I have been avoiding and attempt to do some of them! Two weeks until the end of term, I am determined we will be cruising towards the end not panicking! Catch you tomorrow (or later today)

A lot has been said the last couple of days, only just caught up!

Very pissed off at some of your "d"p's and exP THAT, zoo, bower and princes I'm fuming for you all and hope they make things right soon.

lane the bathroom addition would be an awesome gag gift- or one to bring out to embarrass DD when a friend is over, but I can be mean like that sometimes 😉

zoo 😲 at the man in your garden! I hope there's no more surprises like that again. Also you have a gorgeous cat.

I know there were more of you I was going to comment on but it's taken me too long to read and I've since forgotten!

Our fourth of July was good. I have worked all of my 3 day weekend at my 2nd job. The paycheck will make up for it. I'm off next weekend too. I usually end up saying "have a great fourth" if I say anything to people. I think that was either SC or KT that asked. I do feel a bit of a hypocrite at times though since I'm British celebrating USA freedom from Britain 😆 I have had to stop DD from wearing her England flag hat to the parade a couple of times. She didn't really care what everyone thought, although we were actually going to be IN the parade and have thousands of people looking at us!

Anyway. I did get a few ta das done the last couple of days.

🇺🇲 LOL x2

🇺🇲 S&S.

🇺🇲 water plants (need to be done everyday here and they haven't been so lost some plants 😥)

I plan on getting off here and doing some ironing. I'm about 2 weeks behind with no sign of Ned or Ted showing up. They are taking socially distancing themselves to a whole new level.

I'm also about 2 weeks behind in grocery shopping. I always go once a week (or schedule a pickup) but haven't done either! We have eaten out a lot and spent money we really don't have. I need to get my shit sorted out.

I have been really bad with my eating and plan to get back on track with keto. I need to log everything though on mfp. I know I've gained at least 15 pounds from the loss I had 2 years ago. I lost about 22 pounds so almost gained it all back 😫

It's only Sunday night and I'm already looking forward to next weekend 😆

Unfortunately the twat level continues to rise. Useless male decided to go to the pub AGAIN last night. And has now not gotten up for work. Words fail me.

Sorry others also own useless males. They should come with lifetime guarantee.

Ta da

💙 Smallest two dc up, changed, fed and dressed
🧡 School work for the day printed

Morning. How is it Monday? Quick check in with links before I start work.

launchpad

Zone 2 this week. My kitchen floor needs a good deep scrub. It’s mopped weekly and spot cleaned but definitely needs a proper going over. I’ll tackle the cutlery tray mission at some point too I think (neither will be today!)

Daily focus is home bleurgh. Good luck with that everyone. Mine will be done later in the week as usual.

KCC - I’ll pass it over to you lot. What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

That I’d have sent all DC into jump on him

When you locate Ned and ted send them back this way Hazel, the slackers (once you’ve finished with them)

Hurrah for nearing the end of term Too.

DH is off work today so for once I just had to get myself ready instead of a mad rush sorting DD too.

✅ s & s
✅ packaged return
✅ instructions for laundry, parcel posting and shopping left with DH as well as second hint at painting

Right. I start work now, catch up with you all tonight.

Just popping in to say "good morning" to everyone.

Rushing because got back vv late last night (after 11.30pm - long story) and dumped a load of stuff in hall which I've been trying to get sorted before taking DD to dentist and orthodontist at 10.15 am. Had a great, albeit overcast/rainy weekend with he of the long face though

May be on here v intermittently this week as busy work-wide this week too and I MUST get my head down in order to be able to get away following wk.

DH covered himself in glory as he cooked (and mostly cleared up) a spectacularly good roast chicken dinner on Saturday with all the trimmings. Slightly undid the effect on the way home though as cleaners are emerging from furlough and he was talking about not having them back "as everything has been running ok". I was not too impressed to put it mildly but as he was driving, thought it best not to attack him with the rusty medieval pike right there and then. Conversation to be revisited...
(If you remember he had already arranged that we went from twice to once a week, before lockdown, without consulting me first!). Btw this discussion involves office cleaning too not just home.

Bower/Lisette we're on the second phase of churches opening here (with quite strict rules) and the numbers permitted to gather from 1st July went up from 100 to 200. But it's still very much on a parish by parish basis as some can't practice sd measures as well as others, owing to layout or numbers of volunteers available. (There has to be five people wiping down benches after each Mass.). They've published an alternative "commandment" sheet to remind everyone of rules (will try and find). I'm ashamed to say that we haven't been yet mainly because we are scared of catching it (for our own sake and we're also worried about infecting two work colleagues in our bubble who for very serious reasons need to be v careful not to catch Covid-19 if they can possibly avoid it) and the virus is very prevalent in the demographic who attend our local (esp in the country). I realise that sounds a bit feeble though and not very "onward Christian soldier" but it's the decision we've made for now. There is talk of holding Mass outdoors in one local church and we would attend that.

Lisette I pray during dog walks so I hope She doesn't mind that too much either .

Must go! Have a productive start to the week everyone!

Your house sounds so lovely/comfy/cosy Bower! (We are paying for sil storage too as it happens .) I would love an elegant home full of books and paintings but most of my books are still in cardboard boxes and everything else is rather bashed and battered hand me downs... or ...because everything is so expensive here ...acquired in rather dodgy brocantes.