Action Stations for August! Fledglings Flap Frantically and Swish’n’Swipe through Summer

[SingToTheSky]

Welcome one and all!

I’m quickly setting up the August thread (ok seriously I know someone says this every month but HOW is it August already?!) - MN has been a bit iffy today, and I got rather distracted this evening which I fear may be a portent of my hosting skills this month. Thank you to the lovely ED for steering us through July despite much to manage at home 💐

Anyway - do join in as we loosely follow the Flylady system, in order to gradually sort our houses out. The key word here is GRADUALLY. There is no turning the house upside down and banishing chaos overnight, there is slow and steady. You are never behind. Miss a day? Week? Decade? No worries, jump back in, it’ll all come round again.

Newbies always welcome!

I also have a hormonal coil Mc. I left pads etc cluttering up the bathroom cabinet for 5 years and eventually chucked them away. Might as well have done it earlier TBH.

I would think you could keep the SP stuff, you may still get periods (disclaimer I’ve never had a coil so I may be talking shite) or decide to have it taken out if you don’t get on well with it.

Maths was good, had a nice chat with my friend too. And DH has changed the door handle, lock and loo seat in the bathroom so it’s really taking shape! Need to get a new towel rack though as the one he got isn’t suitable.

po3.4
❗️Eat something and chill for a bit
❗️Make a list of the tutoring resources I want to get, and decide what is the most pressing
❗️Play with a couple of particular puzzles with Cagletini before getting rid (one recycling one selling)

Ooh cross post - I would go with ED’s suggestion then 🤣

Right. Food!

Sing this is my second coil of the sort and we get on fabulously. My favourite form of contraception!
ED thanks, I will do that. More space in the cupboard, whoop!

Aah good stuff mc! I’ve not tried anything like that I’m a wimp (and too disorganised for the pill 😳🤣)

Totally crashed now, so tired.

Mc - I'm on my second too, they have been fabulous for me.

🚨 KLAXON!!! 🚨

After several weeks/months of having various paint sample patches on the living room wall…

WE HAVE AGREED ON A COLOUR!!!

(Dulux soft apple if you can’t see the pic)

It’s almost Mumsnet OP green 🤣

Spoke too soon as I also found this one (wellbeing, also Dulux). So will get testers of both I think. But the point is we all like that sort of colour so I think the final choice will be fine either way. Hurrah. Finally 🤣

Lovely colours Sing

Well putting in a late appearance.
Had a bad nights sleep. Started off well enough but woke up to a mouse with hob nailed boots on. I swear I heard it land when it must have jumped down. I am not sure if i was dreaming or not. Convinced myself it was bigger. So I ended up on the sofa and couldn’t get to sleep the slept badly.

✅So today I have been armed with plastic gloves, antiseptic wipes, the vacuum cleaner and a small, powerful torch. The problem is we have floorboards in that room and at some stage there has been a fireplace. The hearth and the floor boards don’t meet properly and it needs a bit of floor board fitted in there as there is a hole about a hand long and a fist wide. Living in the country means wildlife! So I have moved everything under the round table and chest of drawers and it is a 🐭 mouse phew. Some droppings. Cleaned it all and moved the stuff ready to declutter and wash clothes tomorrow. Shoes are in those plastic boxes so all good after a wipe over the boxes. Vacuumed & mopped the floor then used some wipes. Put two pieces of slate tile over the hole( put some granules down first) and all clean and tidy now.
Now have a problem with what to do with the stuff that was under the table and chest of drawers. Just when I had the other side of the room sorted now it has stuff on it.😖
Bathroom
✅Cleaned toilet, basin and shower tray. Did stick a little bit of Domestos in the drain. What a difference when I went back. Super clean now.

Kitchen
✅ Washed cups and plate.
✅wiped worktops.

Kitchen has stayed clean as no one else here and I have been very good.😆

Had a nap.

Need to dust hens again as I saw some mites, bloody things.

DH back tomorrow. I am hoping I will lots done before he gets back.

Does anyone watch Hoarders or similar programmes? Watched some during the night. It is very sad that they get to that state, it makes me sort stuff. There was a family - mother had died, dad into hospital and then couldn’t come home because his daughter had made it unsafe for him to live in. Teenager daughter as bad. Lots of food wrappers not even in a bin just left on side. She wished she could do something but mum stopped her or she felt overwhelmed about where to start. So three generations. I guess no one taught them. I find it interesting to see how it got that bad. Can understand some of the reasons why they hang on to things but 20 tops off salsa had me puzzled. I can see how depression plays a big part and becomes a downward spiral.
I think the people that go in and help are marvellous. Interested in your thoughts?

You can see how it can happen, my parents taught me the basics how to vacuum, iron, cook, clean a bathroom etc but not how often (mum did most of it when we were at school). Some parents won't even teach that. Then if you get into that spiral which means you can't face seeing anyone so there doesn't seem any point keeping the house clean, then it all gets too much and you don't know where to start, or you are anxious about throwing out something you might need, or that cost money, its easier to watch TV than tackle the mess and it gets worse and worse. I've never watched the programmes, I think I might find it too upsetting .

I can understand being over whelmed at where to start.
One of the ladies said her husband threw out some things that were hers and she was distraught. It sound like it may have been the start of it. She kept buying things too for her DC but didn’t give them but each had a memory attached I find I have memories attached to objects but DH doesn’t. He doesn’t seem to attach any feelings to things. I wonder if he would if it was something like his father’s medals.
DH has thrown some of my things away. One thing belonged with another. I still feel annoyed he did that knowing they belonged together. I have lost some rings and wonder if they have gone by mistake.

When I was at college I really enjoyed the Social Studies and the tutor was very good. She made you think. I went to Social Services Day nurseries while others went to ordinary nurseries. I suppose I still watch those type of programmes - Wife Swap, Rich House,Poor House;
Call the Midwife etc

I moved a lot as a child. A psychologist on the radio once said people that move a lot as a child are alright as long as they have their things around them. As a child they can survive the moves as long as they can keep and set up their things. It was like a light was switched on I have some toys and books from my childhood. Most given to me some from unusual people that I met as a child. Some from relatives. Bear from Granny from Hamleys, blue bear from my aunt( DH threw this out, you should have seen his face when my friend told him it was a rare Steiff worth about £40,000) a bear my dad made when I was three and he was ill. Books- Alice in Wonderland( aunt),Water Babies, Tom Sawyer and Wind in the Willows (our landlord in Windsor told me to chose some from his library) a few mum bought me with beautiful illustrations. Do any of you have possessions from your childhood?

Hoarders is one of the few “reality” type shows I watch, I find it quite cathartic in a way. My parents had hoarding tendencies, thank god it wasn’t as bad as the shows on TV, but there were various bugs and mice in my house, I lived with a broken window in my bedroom for years my teens (fucking cold that was), I still have a lot of anxiety around mould/food germs etc because of how I grew up (hence my freak out over the whitefly the other day!). In hindsight it’s blatantly clear that my parents are both ADHD like me - it’s not so much about attachment for them, but about difficulties with executive function. If you lack the ability to plan, use memory etc, it can be a lot harder to really know if you do need that random item.

I will stop there as it’s a big special interest of mine (to the point where I will do my uni research project on the links between ADHD and hoarding if I am allowed to) and I’ll waffle on for hours 🤣 but yeah. I like the US Hoarders show anyway. Also I luff Matt Paxton. 🤣

ta da
🎼piano
🎼laundry away
🎼shower
🎼phoned GP
🎼room rescue living room
🎼ordered some tutoring resources and started separate record for expenses
🎼looked at various charity websites for vacancies etc, made some notes
🎼taught maths
🎼sorted some books - some to recycling and others to sell
🎼sorted some games and puzzles to sell
🎼LOL
🎼some digital decluttering - mainly photos and notes

Oh Sing I would love to read it if you can go ahead. My DS1 was diagnosed as a child( allergy related) which we controlled by diet - Sally Bunday, so I have a great interest in ADHD. I went to a lecture by Dr.Christopher Green once which was very enlightening. I have also worked with quite a few pupils over a number of years. I remember them well. One teenager came back to show me his name engraved on a trophy with names each year for Maths. It turned out he was in the top 3% in the country for Mathematics. We ( teacher and I) recognised and had him tested when he was in Year 3. His mum was so grateful as she was at her wits end with him. They had five children. We loved him to bits and he will always have a special place in our hearts.

Well I am awake now scrolling Mumsnet. Decided I would sleep in DH’s bed since he is away. Quite comfy, I haven’t slept in this room since the kids were here and one was ill. Such a wimp 🐭but it means I can leave things out and sort them tomorrow instead of piling them up or putting them away and then getting them back out. The bathroom is sparkling so just need to do the shelves and clean the floor tomorrow.
Ironing pile is growing. Where the hell is Ned?
Hope you all have a good day today. Anti procrastination day and I don’t think I have anything to do but will continue with boudoir and decluttering.

I'm awake too, we went out for a meal last night and I woke about 4 feeling bloated, now can't get back to sleep. Although I don't watch hoarders programmes I do like things like Wife Swap and social science / history things. I did some social science modules with the OU a few years ago and loved them. I have some things from my childhood, my teddy bear, my marble collection, a few other odds and ends. My DM has hoarding tendencies (which are at a manageable level as they have masses of storage space) and germ phobia from her childhood on a farm, she is definitely not neurotypical. She kept most of our toys and has masses of things inherited from her own family (china, ornaments, things like that). While its nice having things from your childhood for security it can be a burden further down the line if there's too much of it. We've felt obliged to take all the toys as ours are the only GC but half of them have never been used by them and I feel guilty if we get rid, that DM will be upset.

Another one who was awake at 4am here. Ds stayed out last night so I cracked on and hoovered upstairs without having to worry about the noise and have S&S the kitchen and put on all the towels, bath mat etc to wash.

I could probably fit my 'treasure' in a small box. I used to have lots of sentimental attachments to stuff and kept loads, including tons of books and lots of pieces of furniture I couldn't bear to lose because they'd be perfect in the right house one day. I've had several times in my life where I needed to move or leave and I've managed to become more detached from 'stuff' and 'try' not to accumulate too much as it's such a burden and it's hellish when you move, leave the country or whatever and I feel like it can hold you back from moving on when you need to.

There's definitely too much crap in this house though and I've only been here 3 years but the vast majority of the furniture and goods is second hand and cheap enough (though nice - second hand doesn't have to mean shite I've discovered) that I wouldn't mind having to give away to a charity or sell really cheaply if I needed to leave.

My parents 3 bedroom house is full to the rafters including their barn, sheds etc. My sister and I were recently discussing how on earth we'd deal with it all in the event of something happening.

Having said that there are a few boxes of mine at my parents house that they endlessly remind me about that I think do have sentimental things and books I couldn't get rid of after uni. I don't want them here but I also don't want to throw them out. I really should sort through them and at least get rid of some of it but I feel strangely emotional about going through them.

Morning

Morning everyone! Slow start to the day here. I’ve made french toast for breakfast, filled the sink but not managed to actually wash anything yet, and I have an LOL to hang out but one of the cats has just used the litter tray in the utility and the smell is making me . We have no commitments today so looking forward to a leisurely day. Bit of flying and some time with DD.

Having said that I wrote a to do list of everything that needs sorted before baby arrives, and I am freaking out a bit. Felt like we had loads of time and suddenly I’ve realised I haven’t. This includes rearranging of bedrooms/buying new bedroom furniture (and the loss of my dressing room ), checking what we have for baby and ordering what we need to buy, painting of bedrooms and hall way, want Christmas all organised before starting mat leave in December, and a few work projects to finish off. More imminently I also need to get DD’s school shoes, order some maternity clothes, order a new DW, get the tumble dryer fixed…I’m bored of adulting.

I’m fascinated with all the herbs/medicines chat although it’s not something I have any knowledge of and I suspect I am currently sailing close to toxic levels of chocolate

Zoo I don’t think I said, I love the shoes! Nelly is very cute and I’m glad you took some time for a lovely pamper.

Hope the foot isn’t causing you too much bother Willow, and the family are stepping up.

Love the paint colour Sing

I have a teddy and a rag doll from my childhood Red, as well as a box of random trinkets/tickets etc from my teens. I definitely had some hoarder tendencies in my younger days, probably inherited from my dad (his house is immaculate but he has about 4 big sheds and a loft full of stuff). When we moved and did our big declutter pre-DD I got rid of loads though. I’ve never regretted it and now I find it much easier to get rid of things, although I try and pass everything on and hate the thought of things ended up as landfill.

I used to collect lots of things as a child. My dad travelled a lot on business and brought back match books from hotels, airports etc. My parents collected Toby Jugs. I also collected marbles and my brother collected sew on badges. I still like collecting but limit myself to occasional new marbles and the limited edition 50ps as they take up minimal space. I went through a fridge magnet collecting phase a few years ago, when the kitchen is done I might reinstate a few but nowhere near as many as we had previously.

Morning! Love that paint colour, Sing, really soothing.

Up don't panic, enough will get done! DS1 was so early we had a bed on its side in the dining room when the midwife was doing the immediate post-discharge checks, and no baby clothes at all (I was very superstitious). He survived!

Red thinking about hoarding, I think it's partly to do with how individual's memories work. My DM needs to hold onto stuff to hold onto the memory - she's a Clutterbug butterfly too and needs everything visible or it gets lost. I don't, I keep it all in my head. DM has got rid of a lot stuff since she downsized in 2015, but we'll still need a skip when she goes.

FIL, on the other hand, is hoarding as his memory fails and part of the reason we are trying to persuade him to accept help is that the house is waist high in scraps of paper in several rooms and we are afraid he's becoming a fire hazard. His medical review is tomorrow, he has been learning traffic light sequences to "prove" he is mentally sound but still doesn't wash himself, his clothes, his household linen or his dishes and is randomly dosing ailments with ten year old medicine from the back of the cupboard while shouting at DH for "trying control him".

Yesterday I was finally awake enough to do some embroidery so I can finish DS3's replacement cushion (I made him one before he was born, accidentally washed it in bio powder about a year ago and half the thread fell out 🤦).

Sending 🍒👋 to everyone while I sit here like Lady Muck. Picnic lunch in our room today, when DM comes to visit 🤣.

I have cleaned the skirting (all ridges and curls - must've been designed by a man) and banister on the landing. These are the kind of jobs I just don't do and then when I do I go oh that was actually a quick job yet makes a real difference

I'm clinging to the hope that all this slow chipping away at things is actually getting me somewhere.

😳😳😳😳😳

Oooops sorry folks forgot the links 🤦🏻‍♀️ however for an apt reason - I was in fact anti procrastinating! This is the daily focus because believe it or not it’s Wednesday already. Not quite sure how that happened.

FLIGHTPLAN

Here are the missions. It is time for a bathroom stock inventory. Apparently this time, nothing says I love you like plenty of loo roll. Forget the clean pants.

😳😳😳😳😳