Fledglings May 2021 thread: MAYbe we’ll keep our routines going as the outside world opens up 😊

[halfhope]

Welcome fledglings to May’s Flylady thread – many, many thanks to ED for her expert guidance through April 2021.

All are welcome and especially Newbies. Don’t be shy in making yourselves known because we are a friendly bunch.
We follow Flylady’s system for house and sanity maintenance which is based around 5 room zones spread over the month. There is a weekly quick home clean in the midst of more thorough zone cleaning. I am an aging fledgling who really should be more proactive about following the plan but to be frank I enjoy the natter and good company more than I enjoy cleaning. Every day I will be checking in and giving the ‘flight plan’ for the day with links to the Flylady site. You can join Flylady on her site for email updates but she does like to send a lot out, just so you know!
The most importantist thing to know is that you are NEVER behind – just do what you can when you can. Many of us post ta da lists as we cross items off our [never-ending] to do lists.
You may find the following acronyms along the way (adapted below from ED’s useful list from April)
LOL = load of laundry
S&S = swish and swipe, a quick daily clean of the toilet and sink
PO3 = power of 3. When motivation is on the low side or you’re overwhelmed just pick 3 things at a time and do them
DNLMS = did not lose my shit
Ned = our mythical mate who helps with the laundry
Pointy stick —-> = for when a fledgling needs a motivational prod
The naughty corner = a relaxing haven where we hang out when motivation is low or when life becomes overwhelming. Usually enticing food is left there with squishy cushions.
KCC – (Keep calm corner) these are little stories, photos, memes, off-topic questions, just to keep us all distracted from the general tedium of lockdown life. Feel free to chip in.

red- thank you lovely! You have been busy in the garden!

zoo- lots of roasted butternut, carrot, red pepper and red onion soup left.
Will put a beautiful large ceramic soup pot warming in the the naughty corner.
With some M and S cheese boule bread- ( out of this world sliced, lightly toasted with a spread of butter.)

Iirc i believe the fat fairy has a whole section on the garden somewhere. might have dreamt it but she has stuff for pretty much everything,

lovely flowers zoo

Dont want to move this morning. Breathing is hard and all muscles have kinda frozen. So probably should go for a walk.

Walk was difficult as lil zoo in foul mood on our travels which was nice

Shop wipe and put away
Jigsaw with D's for a bit
Lunch

More washing rotating between machine,drier and ready to be put away

Hills who’d have thought it the Fat Fairy does indeed have words of wisdom and encouragement on gardening. I just searched ‘gardening’ on her site and there it was, you didn’t dream it.

Well it is cold up here and dull. Only 12 C after our warm day. I am having my day of rest. DH and I walked around the garden looking at what needs tackled this week. I need to make a list ( I had a mug of tea in my hand) and do what we can. Decisions have to be made. What to put around the greenhouse bark or pea gravel or something else? I want another small raised bed but DH says no and surprisingly wants to keep the old, rusting plastic greenhouse. I might keep it for a while to put excess pots etc in but next year that area will be changed.

Watching Poirot just now with a mug of tea. I have prepped a chicken ( I went to the Co op after Mass) with spices and spatch-cocked it to go in the oven shortly. Cooked new potatoes and then in the tray with some chopped onion. Spinach and some Coucous. I might make a lemon pudding.

What is it like where you are?

Dancing the soup sounds lovely especially on a day like this. I was going to have some but alas Zoo has snaffled

red I took a bowlful,there's some left!
Grey and windy here.looks like rains coming as getting bit darker clouds now

Tada
More laundry
Swept floors
Clean behind sofa
Today I caved again as bits loo roll on floor,and the door was no longer fully open.i gathered up 54 FUCKING TUBES 😤😤😤😤😤refused point blank to pick up the wax liners bits of always packaging.made dd2 collect thoseand tissue that's not made it into loo.honestly they're so feralyou would think at 13,15,17 they'd have improved but D's esp hasn't at all.still wees on seat and when stressed wees on hinges of seat or tissue drop on floor

Oh and cleaned hallway- shoe rack pulled out,swept mud from.it and behind it and put back.shoes all neat and swept and wiped over the floor

Even if it’s caused by stress zoo they have ZERO excuse not to clean up. I’d be marching them (especially DS) right up there each and every time to clean up after themselves. 🤬

Nice visit from my parents. I’m so tired though, the last few days have definitely caught up with me. They did notice how much tidier/cleaner the place is though! I haven’t done much other than a little light cleaning this morning and some laundry. DD1 helped me put together a big lunch with a salad etc.

I’ve just ordered some flat seamed socks. I think Cagletini only needs underwear and a few more pairs of pyjamas which I’ll have to brave primark for I think (I looked on asda but there is nothing long sleeved?!).

sing I went Primark when they opened on Saturdayand wasn't too bad.think now there's other things to do than shop people are doing them instead now they've had mad rush when first came out of lockdown
Glad had a nice visit

I've just found some pomegranate and pistachio Turkish delight is squirreled away for emergency pick me up.ive just had a square and am feeling much more chipper😁

Hello peoples ☺️
Having a relaxing weekend, minimal flying.
Red feeding is going quite well (touch wood!). I seem to spend most of my time feeding - either boob or solids. Now I just try to cook one meal for all of us, and just mash it/blend for the baby. Seems to work well.

Ta das:
💥LOL
💥Pile of clean laundry folded
💥Blitzed bathroom
💥Usual kitchen tidy up with DW rotation

To do:

• strip and remake beds

🍒👋 to you all

Leaving the two washes I did today (plus DS’ stuff) aside to sort tomorrow. Just can’t. Nope. Have cleared the table from dinner and written up the next week on the board, and now I’m done 🤣😴 tomorrow is officially declared a Crash Day. I have at least one phone call to make but otherwise it’ll have to be as little as possible. At least this coming week isn’t nearly as busy though.

Thanks for the soup Dancing

I’m trying to remember how I did things during the big declutter Sing. I definitely just did one box/drawer/shelf etc at a time, and think the order depended on what I came across. So I had a big box of gift bags for example in a wardrobe. Sorted that and then decided I wanted them to go in one of the cupboards in the dining room with all wrapping paper etc together. So next I did that cupboard, then a drawer else where that I knew had gift tags, sellotape etc. So didn’t really have a plan, just went for the next logical place. Glad you’ve enjoyed the visit from your parents.

Hope you’re feeling better today Tidy.

I’m still all out of my routine with overtime. Ironing pile is giant and still have wet nursery uniform in the washing machine. Just can’t seem to motivate myself to get sorted. I have quite a lot of time off coming up in the next 8 weeks so hopefully should get back on top of things. I do have some ta Das though:
🤨 LOL x 2
🤨 wiped benches and swept kitchen floor
🤨 removed a hot spot from book shelf in kitchen
🤨 sorted drawers in hall unit - hats and gloves on the bottom of each person’s drawer, sunglasses and caps on the top ☀️ 😎
🤨 tidied coat rack
🤨 stripped and remade beds
🤨 quick hoover
🤨 survived soft play

Thanks for the thoughts re decluttering order. Logic does need to rule! I’m suddenly so aware of everything that needs doing, so I need to make sure I don’t just suddenly go and do it all as I’ll end up burned out surrounded by random crap. 🤣

I think I might write a big list of all the different tiny decluttering/organising/tidying tasks that need doing and then see what makes sense. But not over-plan as something might jump out like your example up.

Priority has to be getting rid of stuff but it’s a question of what to sift through first and how to then store the stuff I’m not getting rid of. As I’m not organised enough for everything to have a home yet. But anyway getting as much out of the house as possible is vital. Definitely need to organise a tip trip with DSS (he’s lovely and willing to do that sort of thing now and then) - not bothered about the big stuff (there’s a few bits in the garden) but just getting the odd bulky thing out from the big cupboard would really make things easier.

But anyway. DS’ room really does need to be prioritised so we can get the desk out too. But I’m procrastinating because it means figuring out what the hell to do with aaaaaall the Lego.

Red - yes, marine blue with white units. The planning is nearly all done now, hoping the work can start in a couple of weeks and be done by the end of term.

It is the decluttering I find hard Sing. My bedroom is a mess. Charity shops are overwhelmed and lots have asked people to wait. I have a large shopping bag of books for the hospice, a bag of dressing up stuff for a mum who might like it. Know the street but not the number. I have two washing baskets of clothing need to divide again into scrap and saleable. Other stuff.
The sitting room is staying tidy. The kitchen is staying tidy though DH needs to wipe table and sweep floor as part of washing up. Hot spot on table end. The bathroom is clean and tidy since the big 🧼clean. So I need to crack the dining room and my room. I am not bothered about DH he can do that. He needs to move some more of DDs stuff to attic bedroom of other house so it is all together. Room of Doom needs a bit more sorting. At least I can see floor in there now.😂

😀 Zoo thank you for leaving some.
I think you need to change your pattern Zoo you need to find another track either bribery( small amount of pocket money) or try tipping empty toilet rolls in their rooms. Don’t say anything silent action. They know you will give in.They are being quite selfish and I feel cross for you. You do so much for them. Is it worth having a chat on a calmer day? Could DD 1 appeal to them/ tell them.

MC glad it is going well. Avocado? DS 3 had some food allergies and I was told avocado had all the nutrients needed. He practically lived off them for a few weeks elimination diet. DD liked them too. A good stand by food.

Enjoyed Call the Midwife.

Red yes, I've given him avocado once already. He pulled quite a funny face when trying it for the first time, but then seemed to get into it. I need to get more of that, thank you for reminding me.
Sing you sound like a woman on a mission. My biggest hurdle with decluttering is what to do with all the stuff I don't want to keep. That, and letting go of things. I've done a big ruthless declutter when we moved house 2 years ago, it's still ok, but I might need to do a smaller one some time soon. And somehow get rid of all cardboard boxes that are currently awaiting their fate folded flat in a garage (too large for normal recycling bin).
Zoo you are a saint for putting up with that.

Going to a hen do the upcoming Saturday, will be just champagne in the garden. Dug out my 1920s flapper dress and was delighted to discover I can still fit into it comfortably! Now I just need to find my contact lenses, head piece, and top it off with appropriate 20s make up on the day. Whoop! Excited ☺️

red we have clothing banksat my local supermarket.been great for offloading bags outgrown things I've got no one to hand down to?

Call the midwife and dinner was good
I got so tired 1130 I felt myself dropping off.dd2 was cross as anxious and flounced off upstairs.awoke 130
Somebody tell me why peri does this?
Been awake since....

I haven’t kept stuff for the charity shop as similarly I keep seeing limits on donations etc and without a car it’s a pain. We wouldn’t have enough to warrant a collection. Throughout lockdown we’ve donated a few bits - DH offered some games and puzzles to the local homeless shelter, a support worker asked on FB for some toddler clothes etc and they were collected. And the website icollectclothes was great too, I’ll be booking another one in half term once I’ve sorted Cagletini’s stuff (some will go to nursery for spares).

Does anyone know about dying fabric naturally? I could just buy the same set of brightly coloured vests again for Cagletini but since DS enjoyed bleaching a t-shirt at scouts, and we’ve been watching a colour science documentary, I thought it might be fun to buy white ones instead and dye them. I have heard of avocado, onion and cabbage dyes? I will Google but wondered if anyone here had tried it.

Yes.
if you can hang on til tonight i have youtube links for you sing

Oh awesome. I had a feeling you might be knowledgeable on such things hills thanks! Will be a half term project. Sadly I only thought of it last night or I would’ve kept the stones and skin from the avocados we had with lunch. Oh well any excuse to buy more 😋

Onion skins if you keep them. Also red cabbage. Plus you can do indicator experiments with the red cabbage for acidity for younger kids...

Oh yes I was meaning to do the indicator thing with DS as well - he was doing acids and alkalis in chemistry recently so I bought some litmus strips and promptly lost them 🙄 but would be nice to compare them

I'm way behind with everything this morning - sorry. ill try to catch up with you all later.

today

babystep24

annoyed at toilet roll debacle zoo - that's so unfair for you

Annoyed for you too zoo it’s just showing a complete lack of respect for their home and for YOU when you do EVERYTHING for them.

Is there some kind of sanction that would work on them? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned pocket money but if they do get it then they could have it cancelled if certain basic things aren’t done. Maybe screen/tv time?