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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Fledglings Flying into the Festive Season

729 replies

ExquisitelyDecorated · 30/11/2021 22:18

Well here we are, December is upon us and we are settling in for the winter. We aim to follow the fly lady system, it does work if you follow it, but many of us have found that it works better if you combine it with an additional decluttering system to speed up that process. Flylady is more of a maintenance system, some combine it with other systems such as TOMM. Links at the end of the post.

These threads have been running for years, many posters have been here for a long time but new Fledglings and returners are always welcome, just jump in and ask if you don't understand anything.

Experience has taught us that these threads are only loosely about housekeeping, they are more about keeping good company and looking out for one another. So we have the naughty corner fully stocked with cushions, blankets, hot water bottles, comforting drinks and snacks, with a few sausage rolls and mince pies in a nod to the season (gluten free, vegan etc all catered for).

A few of our abbreviations and sayings:

BRC = box of random crap
Mount Washmore = out of control laundry
CHAOS = can't have anyone over syndrome
LMS / DLMS = lose my shit / didn't lose my shit
It's all gone a bit Pontypridd - it's all gone pear-shaped (some sort of spellcheck error)
No Fledgling Left Behind - there is always someone here to lend a listening ear, whether you want to have a grumble, let off steam, or just feel a bit behind or out of sorts. We recognise that many people have a lot going on in their lives, caring responsibilities, work, health conditions, general family life

So, with that, I will pop a couple of links to Flylady pages here:

www.flylady.net/ - homepage

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/ - getting started

We suggest you do NOT subscribe to the emails, unless you want a very cluttered inbox. Ask here instead.

www.flylady.net/d/cruising-through-the-holidays/ - seasonal stuff

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
HalfHolly · 20/12/2021 18:03

The only pole I'd associate you with SC is a showjumping pole (4 faults and a time penalty there for you - do you remember Paul Darragh on that fiesty mare Heather Honey?)

HalfHolly · 20/12/2021 18:08
HalfHolly · 20/12/2021 18:12

Sorry - don't know how I got onto 80s showjumping! Kitchen cleaned. Presents wrapped. We have a turkey and ham and sausage meat. I have also doused the pudding with a good deal of brandy. Will be very boozy indeed! I am sipping Amaretto flavoured coffee and we are about to watch bake off

HalfHolly · 20/12/2021 18:14

Hope surgery goes well for dd sing.

SingToTheSleigh · 20/12/2021 18:22

Thanks, still waiting to hear.

Have managed to tidy a bit of the BRC mess. DS wanted to get another one out to look through (for something particular) but there’s no way we have the wherewithal to actually manage that. As it is we sorted enough stuff to reduce two huge boxes to one, which left the other box free for all electronics/cables etc that need sorting at some point - we had a small box before but it didn’t fit a couple of old laptops in, now we can fit everything in one place so that’s an improvement.

Slowchimes · 20/12/2021 18:34

Ah great video Halfholly and great memories but Eddie Macken (and Boomerang) is my one true love forever to the end Grin

Slowchimes · 20/12/2021 18:39

Sounds very cosy and comfy at yours btw Halfholly! Well done!

Any Christmas magic cosiness here has as yet to be created by me and I want a free pass this year! I'd be content with a sausage & stuffing bap and a bit of Netflix tbh!

Fingers crossed the wait is not too long now Sing x

SingToTheSleigh · 20/12/2021 19:25

Feeling a bit wibbly again. DD1 won’t be home tonight, she did have wire put in and so she needs to stay longer. Worried about how she’s feeling and having a “can’t cope like a proper grown up” moment which is my usual reaction to unexpected things like this! But trying to take ten mins at a time and get through it - I’m ditching power of threes for now and am just doing one task at a time! I’m not coughing as much now but I’m getting really out of breath just from the stairs so it’s all slow progress.

So next up is putting our clean tops on hangers.

Slowchimes · 20/12/2021 19:42

Ah poor lamb Sing but hopefully your dd will sleep very well tonight after ga.

Good idea to take one thing at a time and maybe distract yourself in between each task with a You Tube video or something Flowers

Stilllivinginazoo · 20/12/2021 20:14

sing

StillFestive · 20/12/2021 20:15

Flowers Sing. Hope she feels ok and you can speak to her soon.

I think that’s quite a good list if you managed it all Honey. Hope you’re happy with your pampered hair. I had to cancel my hair appointment when waiting on DD’s PCR last week so Christmas and baby’s first photos are going to include cousin it unless I brave a fringe trim.

I have to be honest, yesterday’s ta da list was not as impressive as Saturday’s or as long as I’d hoped. I did pretty much get the last of the baby’s things sorted and her room as ready as it can be while waiting for the wet patches to be re-painted.

Today’s ta da list consists mainly of a hospital appointment, and then a nap while my DF took DD out for a few hours as he’s away for Christmas. I also managed an LOL and did the breakfast dishes and gave my self a bit of a pedicure. House is reasonably tidy but in need of a bleurgh.

Mc3209 · 20/12/2021 20:19

I've been working this weekend, DH was in charge of looking after the baby whilst I was at work. House is such a mess. At least now hee knows what's involved in looking after a small child. I've tried to firefight a bit after work today to straighten it out somewhat for the cleaner to be able to do a home bleugh tomorrow, but it's an uphill battle.
Christmas stockings are still in a pile on a sofa..

Sing I hope your little one is recovering well.
SC Christmas coziness is yet to be achieved in our house too. At the moment I'm winning if we have clean pants 😬

Mc3209 · 20/12/2021 20:22

Festive how are you getting on? You must be coming up close to your due date/baby eviction date. Hope all goes well at your appointment!

StillFestive · 20/12/2021 20:26

You are definitely winning if you all have clean pants! It’s great when the menfolk start to see the realities of looking after a little one all day isn’t it Grin. The appointment went well thanks. Got a date for a c section for shortly after Christmas so just hoping she decides to stay put until then.

SingToTheSleigh · 20/12/2021 20:35

I hope DH has a bit more appreciation for you now mc!

I feel like I’m winning for having made (simple) dinner for the younger Caglets. Refilled the DW while it was cooking (DS had emptied it earlier). Next up, put the towels in the dryer and see if there’s enough for another towel LOL. Then put Cagletini to bed and take the hanging stuff up with me when I go.

Shinychestnuts · 20/12/2021 21:02

I am remaining deliberately vague on subject of current pant & sock crisis (looks shifty - yes things are that bad Confused - quite why I am not sure) but bless you for saying that Mc3209! Grin Glad MrMc has got to experience a bit of what you are up against Flowers

Hope you can rest up a bit now you you have appt Stillfestive

Well done re: achieving power of 5 Sing!

Shinychestnuts · 20/12/2021 21:23

Ta da (unimpressive):
lol x 2 but not pants or socks!
they are in next!
made a sort of veg curry thing to go with cold pork and new pots for dinner
filled dw, emptied dw
dog walk,
did 2hrs admin for office
served home made soup to everyone for lunch
tried to tidy up and got very despondent
wrote some more cards
dithered/procastinated/stressed about everything I haven't done which rendered me static on sofa which makes no logical sense at all!
finally tidied up a bit more but everywhere so messy it's just displacement not proper tidying ifyswim (sigh)
dabbled a bit with website creation
two phone calls

HillsBesideTheSea · 20/12/2021 21:40

Absolutely exhausted and the grinch that stole christmas. I pointed out with 2 critically vulnerable individuals in the house it was a twat move to have demanded visitors for Christmas, and that as such those individuals will be excused from having to be socialising, and that food will be served as a buffet and people will sit in the lounge to eat to limit contamination. And this is the best solution as to not ruin multiple family's worth of plans. Although I am not impressed with the people who decided and demanded it was to be Christmas in a none pandemic time situation and may have lost my shit about not taking the bigger picture into control when teen is supposed to be isolating so can see his great grandmother.

LMS so badly i have lost my voice. But hey ho. Functioning on 4hrs sleep whilst crowd controlling is never going to be particularly great.

Forgive me too tired to enjoy the shenaniagans. But just one word of caution wrt firemans pole... make sure you have a crash mat at the bottom. The risk assesment on that nonsense is ridiculous. mind you the considerations for risk assessment and safety criteria on pole dancing poles is bad enough

HillsBesideTheSea · 20/12/2021 21:41

PS. can we have aerial silks so we can hide from the peopley people?

HillsBesideTheSea · 20/12/2021 21:44

Pant and sock situation?
Sock pile of doom is that way --->
washing machine, do your own pants

ExquisitelyDecorated · 20/12/2021 22:53

I don't think I have ever felt less Christmassy with less than a week to go. My coughing has got worse again today, I had a nightmare with the broadband and VPN while trying to WFH and lost half a day, the house is a mess and I'm tired. Start again tomorrow. Still not sure if Christmas visiting plans will hold up or are a good idea.

OP posts:
Shinychestnuts · 20/12/2021 23:06

Oh dear ED I hear you and that sounds tough going Flowers.

Hills and v stressful trying to manage peoply people with different vested interests [orders aerial silks via Amazon]

[Hands over tray of whisky macs for you and anyone else in need ]

merryhouse · 20/12/2021 23:20

TaDa
exercise class
s&s
lol (towels)
ironing
home bleugh

  • emptied bins
  • put bin out
  • made bed
  • hoovered approx half the carpets
washed up, including S2's ingredient pots and the bag that had treacle on it delivered neighbours' cards

Despite being Absolutely Fine in the car, the moment I got into church my voice went aagggghghgh. It's happened before - whether it's the candles or the flowers or the dryness or damp spores or what I don't know. Got through everything, and several people said it sounded good, but I now have DOMS Grin so I'll have one of SC's whisky mac's if there are any left.

Damn, just remembered there is some laundry on the bed. Must get up there before H does.

SingToTheSleigh · 21/12/2021 01:35

DD1 is back! Bless her she’s all giggly and a bit “drunk” still from the anaesthetic 🤣 but I’d rather that than how miserable and scared she was before. Hopefully she will be asleep by the time it fully wears off. Surgery was about 1.5hrs I think. Back in a week for an X-ray, then a month after that.

Stilllivinginazoo · 21/12/2021 05:14

Glad she's home sing
Hills lack of sleep is the fun sicker if both patience and joy.my current sleep levels would,in your situation,involve shovels to the back of skulls.i am all out of patience etc..

Another night of silly sleep.coukx cry so exhausted,but home eurgh awaits,taking zoolets Xmas shop for each others gifts and various "fun activities" I promised and now CBA with