Festive Fledglings Flap Frantically Towards A Calm, Clutter-free Christmas!

[SingToTheSky]

OK so clutter-free is a bit ambitious. But anyway, all welcome to join us for a jolly holiday thread, in which we very loosely follow (or at least half-heartedly mention now and then) the FlyLady system of housekeeping.

I’ll be posting links and reminding us all of various tasks up until Christmas Eve, for those who want to follow the system - and if it’s like previous years there will also be some specific extra missions to help us prepare our homes for Christmas. However, we really are just a bunch of frazzled Mumsnetters who will be very happy to welcome you along for chat whether you follow the system or not! We discuss housework, sure, but a whole lot of other stuff too.

We will also continue with the Keep Calm Corner, in which you’ll find various diverting questions, memes etc.

And finally a huge thank you to Foxes who did a fab job of running the thread for the first time in November! 💐

Damn thought i had gained a day there

Oh ffs sorry I forgot to change the day again 😳 no, it is Saturday 19th. 6 days till Christmas!

And no sadly the item limit is still 95 on my tesco order :( I actually only made it to about 80 but it was the meat and the presents that pushed the price up.

Oops just forgot to post this, got distracted doing a freezer inventory, and then checking emails... COVID NEGATIVE WOOOOOOOOO 🖕 🦠

🥳 happy days sing!

Up you can pretend it’s Friday if you wish, if that gets you an extra day off work then why not :o

DD1 can just about make it to the second of two dance classes (she does ballroom then street in the same place) so she’s just getting dressed, we’ve been total slobs while stuck home!*
Then DH is doing some errands later - looks like we can get some tasks done off the Christmas list after all, yay!

*That’s not much change for me TBH

Yay for negative test Sing

Muppets Christmas Carol - my two loved it between about the ages of 8 and 12. DH was working late last night so I thought we could all watch it together, but within 5 minutes of starting it they had both picked up their phones and sloped off to their rooms so I turned over and watched the darts instead.

Merry - that's great that DS can come home.

Sorry, I'm struggling to keep up with the thread at the moment. But can I have a proud moment over my body clutter? When I went for my flu jab a couple of weeks ago, the nurse, who I know personally, gave me a gentle nudge about losing weight and getting my blood pressure down (it was creeping up a bit before lockdown and having put on another stone this year won't have helped). I decided she was right and have managed to lose 5.5lb in two weeks, really just by cutting down on snacks and puddings. Another 1/2lb will see me drop to the next stone down, so I'm feeling determined to get it off before Christmas. I feel less bloated and really, really want to carry on.

I'm still not dressed. Got up early to help DS sort his papers for delivery (I walked along the road where he delivers this week and was muttering, number 52 Times, Number 57 Telegraph etc). I have just spent 2 hours chatting on Whatsapp finalising Christmas shopping order for pickup tomorrow (meat and veg get delivered on Christmas Eve). Need a list.

Get dressed.
Get paper clutter off kitchen table
Re-clear coffee table (did it a few days ago but it has attracted more clutter)
Tidy up freezer and main food cupboard for shopping tomorrow
Finish cards - still struggling a bit with hurty finger, although it's OK for everything else now.
Walk into town for fresh air and just to get out of the house for a bit, deliver a few cards. DH is working, DS has a hockey match and DD would like a bit of time with the house to herself.

Up - pretty certain not: neighbours have no children and you appear to be slightly nearer to both the Angel and the coast.

Have cleared the room - most of it was Big things so it was a lot easier than it looked. Beanbags and one office chair have had to go back in the playroom, empty plastic box is sitting on the landing pretending it's waiting to go in the loft (maybe I could store Christmas stuff in it!), MIL's suitcase has gone on top of H's wardrobe, the nicest office chair has gone in S2's room - they'll almost certainly play something together over the next three weeks - and the empty cardboard box has gone in our bedroom cupboard. Still one office chair in there (why do we have so many?!) but he might use that.

Have also hoovered both rooms and cleaned inside windows in both and in the study (caked with damp). Study blind is decidedly dead - at least 5 of the verticals have broken. I wonder if you can get individual replacement ones? I know I got replacement bottom bits.

Emptied vacuum cleaner

H is in the kitchen making parsnip sherry (19p a bag in Tesco) so I'm hiding in here. Might do yesterday's crossword next. When he's finished I will need to

wash up
hang washing
iron the bits that are dry
pick leek
trim leek
empty compost bucket
make soup (we have no stock in the freezer but there are some BBE2015 vegetable stock cubes in the cupboard so I might use one. Otherwise it's wine or marmite...)

ED that's brilliant, well done! So good that you really feel the difference in yourself as well, that's the most important thing

Sing hooray for negative test result that's great news!

I dropped off the thread a bit yesterday so even though I've read everything there was a lot to catch up on and I've forgotten who said what!

We have had a very slow start here, but just having some lunch and then I'm determined to get some stuff done.

Isawthat dd said she needed to clean the house ready for Santa so he doesn't trip but I haven't seen much evidence of cleaning yet! She did tidy her room a bit this morning though.

Yay ED well done! I have avoided the scales the last couple of weeks. 😳

Shopping arrived, amazingly all Christmas food and only one sub (marshmallows) in the whole shop 😱 have separated out the gifts. We also have a list of freezer contents stuck on the door, we are fine for space in there now but still want to use some bits up. Determined to get back to batch cooking in the new year!

Afternoon all, I did manage to get a bit of sleep last night. DH had the kids so I could sleep until 10, which was bliss. DD hasn’t been sick today, but is still feeling funky. Everyone else is okay though, I’ve tried to keep everything clean so hopefully it doesn’t spread. I think we’re going on a walk in a bit, DD can go in DS1’s old buggy if she isn’t feeling too well but it’ll be good for us all to get some fresh air. Santa is coming to our village tonight too, I hope DD is well enough to go out and see him.

sing a Christmas 2021 to do list is very organised, I might need to do one myself!. Love the meme!. Brilliant news about the test! I hope you’re feeling better now!!.

zoo I think mainly COVID worries. We’re going into lockdown again on the 28th and just worried about the kids going back to school etc. I also get the buzzing mind, I hope you can rest today.

Bower There are some horrible threads out there but this is a lovely corner, you’re right!. I’d love a stable door!

Dancing DD’s feeling better thank you :). I’m also not pregnant (at least I hope not, 3 and done for me) and when I was pregnant I definitely didn’t get very much done at all!. I hope DH can sort his meds out. It sounds really positive getting the DC to school on time and having time to do your shopping, sorry about the man who doesn’t realise how to socially distance!.

I hope your back feels better soon THAT

merry great news that your DS is coming home!!. My neighbours also had their Christmas playlist on, it made me wake up in a great mood!. You’ve got loads done, I still havent got off the sofa!.

Great list up I hope DD’s enjoying her painting😂

Sorry about the migraine hills I hope it’s eased!

Well done ED that’s brilliant!. It’s great to hear you’re feeling better for it too.

Aww foxes your DD sounds adorable bless her. I wish my lot would do some cleaning!.

Not much flying done yet, I’m still tired from yesterday so feeling quite unmotivated. I think I might just have a very lazy Saturday and then do my big clean again tomorrow.

Oh also forgot that I wanted to share this pic. DD learning to knit the other night when she was poorly. She couldn’t get back to sleep and was bored. She did quite well bless her. Please ignore the smelly blanket she’s holding, she’s had it since she was born and it definitely needs a wash but she won’t let me wash it. DS1 has one too, they stink!.

Mmnnn. Looks like new announcement re Christmas from PM. What a year

Oh isaw what a sweet photo! I think she’s already better at knitting than I am :o

I’m ignoring the announcement for now. I prefer to let DH watch them and translate the political waffle for me :o and he will be catching up when he’s home (since we got the all clear he took DS to do the food bank donation and get some Christmas fripperies like gift bags etc).

I am choosing to watch Outnumbered instead. For some reason I find the chaos of it somewhat relatable :o

Well we are now in tier 4

Sorry to hear that foxes

We are still tier 3

Glad she's better isaw. Hope you are feeling more human hills. DH gets migraines.

The four ages of man 🎅🎅. Believes in Santa, doesn't believe in Santa, is Santa, looks like Santa 🎅🎅🎅🎅

LOL tinsel love that.

Sorry about all the tier increases :(

AFAIK we are still tier 2. One of my friends is now in tier 4 and will be totally alone for the day I think :(

Cagletini has fallen asleep. 🤬

Lovely picture Isaw, get them started young. I don't knit but I do crochet, it's very relaxing.

I have more or less done my list. Reorganised freezer and cupboard, coffee table and kitchen table, while not completely clear are better than they were. 2 x LOL, one to go. Last two presents have arrived. Walked into town.

Listened to Boris. This is shit isn't it.

foxes I'm so sorry lovely
Ed Thats brilliant,esp in run up to Xmas when treats are everywhere
Sing yay at negative,and go you with Xmas shop done

Got up
Sorted dining table
Cleaned all the chairs
Wrap round one of gifts
Woke dd2
Went town with dd2 and 1(dd1 is our bubble and drives,all wore masks)
Was nice have adult conversation and it felt pleasant as she's naturally quite positive and fun to be around❤️picked up most bits I was after

Homeschooling here from 11Jan to 18th, then hopefully back to classrooms.

I’ve looked it up and we are somehow still in tier 2. We still won’t see anyone else as the plans were to see DH’s kids on a separate day, and DSDs will be with their mum and DSS will be with his GF’s parents (which will likely cause a lot of ill feeling with DSDs 😩). Other people we could perhaps have seen are all in tier 4 now. But, we have each other and we have lots of fun things to do on the day so Christmas Day itself won’t be particularly different, it’s the surrounding days that will be a bit weird.

Ah well. Strictly time. 💖

Hope everyone has a chilled evening and that those who need time to let the changes sink in can be kind to themselves, to let themselves be sad, angry, whatever is needed. 💐

Also fine to feel relieved IMHO, if the uncertainty has been causing stress! I was definitely feeling guilt about not being able to see everyone, I can’t deny there is an element of relief that it’s out of our hands and we no longer have to worry about what’s happening when. But then I feel guilt about that too

Anyway, I’m steering clear of the many threads on this, so much bad feeling 😩