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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:
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Shinychestnuts · 21/12/2021 06:04

《sticks chocolate gratefully in pocket for enerrgy boost later》...《puts together a little fresh fruit salad for Zoo to eat after shopping》

Morning all!

Bad night, very strange (stress) dreams ...so much so ...I was relieved to wake up in my own bed!

Sing I am so pleased that dd is back with you, what a long day for you all, your dh must be shattered too. Hope dd is OK today Brew

Zoo good luck with your long list today!

Merry well done for singing in difficult conditions! (Are you professionally trained? (nosey emoticon) ) And what is DOMS?

Right I have had a bath & got dressed, now I need to put the kettle on. As you can tell, reverting very much back to basics today Grin

List us very long and tedious beyond words and really cba but needs must! Have a good day everyone!

IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 21/12/2021 08:01

Morning all! ED I'm sorry you're not feeling well still and Christmas visits are under reconsideration. Likewise, Hills sorry the People apparently can't understand There's A Pandemic On. We have now done our only visit, to FIL. I remain very hopeful DS1 and GF can still come to stay (no time to ship gifts, if nothing else!) but they are coming via Euston which bothers me.

Zoo wishing you luck surviving another day on little sleep.
SC take today steadily - spinning madly will not help
Mc it's always fun when Dads get to run a weekend on their own and see exactly what you've actually been doing for the past however long.
StillFestive hurrah for having a date for the babe to arrive. Crossing fingers she stays put til then.

Merry sorry the singing went less well than you hoped.

Sing really glad DD1 is home safe with a concrete plan for future care.

So glad the visit to FIL is done. It was awful, but we need not dwell. Christmas starts here, although I can't say I'm really feeling it.

To do:
🎅 Tidy up enough for cleaning lady to whizz round at 9.30
🎄 Ice cake
🎅 Make mince pies
🎄 Find green gel food colouring
🎅 Wrap one stocking's worth of Father Christmas presents per day, between now and Christmas Eve.
🎄 Buy one last gift for DH
🎅 Tidy loft room and get bed out and made up for DS1 & GF
🎄 Start finding enough of spare room for DS2 and NGF (currently looks like a bomb's gone off in a haberdashers' - ribbon everywhere)
🎅 Work out what to do about gifts for my sister's family - last minute courier, or just take to DM's house?
🎄 Usual round of LOLs etc (pants and socks crisis level - Defcon 3)
🎅 Ring Splosh and ask where the hell my washing powder is - shipped last Thursday, I have half a scoop left!
🎄 Snuggle with WillowHound
🎅 Watch A Wonderful Life (those last two can be combined if necessary)
🎄 Finish reading A Christmas Carol

HillsBesideTheSea · 21/12/2021 08:58

atmosphere is horrific here and I am coming to the conclusion that most of the people who will be really sick over Christmas will be the women because they have burnt themselves out in the prep to Christmas and have nothing left to fight any bugs or viruses. Sad

Please keep a pot of super strong coffee on the go in the naughty corner, the dust cloud flying through will be me.

HillsBesideTheSea · 21/12/2021 08:59

DOMS - delayed onset muscle spasms.

They are evil, pure evil. And ouchy!

Grin and yet some how satisfying that you have worked hard enough to earn them.

Stilllivinginazoo · 21/12/2021 11:02

Does anyone celebrate winter solstice?
If I remember correctly shortest day today,and around Xmas day starts to get slowly but by bit lighter

SingToTheSleigh · 21/12/2021 11:12

Morning. Quiet day here I think, not expecting any housework as I’m tired from yesterday. DH has gone off for elf duty. Tesco shop arriving later. DD1 is doing ok, she has some friends visiting later. She’s still a bit “floopy” from the anaesthetic I think but at least she’s not in pain.

po3.1
❗️Bathroom room rescue
❗️Clean planner board
❗️Read for a bit

HalfHolly · 21/12/2021 12:13

The put-up bed has arrived 🎄🎄🎄🎄😁😁😁. We have somewhere for our guest to sleep.

HillsBesideTheSea · 21/12/2021 13:23

I celebrate the solstice Zoo. I am going to do some "essential" paperwork decluttering later. It is all confidential stuff so needs secure disposal. So i will be having a bonfire.

It is indeed the longest night. There are lots of mythos around tonight. From the wild hunt, to the holly king.

I have decided that my "high" days are to be celebrated with good food, fire and where relevant good company. Tonight it will be just me, in the garden, melting the incinerator, taking a time out. I am going to try to make stollen though; because we are all feeling more than a little bit raw after the last few days.

HillsBesideTheSea · 21/12/2021 13:24

Glad dd seem ok Sing a rest day seems wise.

IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 21/12/2021 14:22

That sounds like a lovely celebration of the solstice, Hills I hope it restores your spirit (and helps with paperwork decluttering).

Done so far:
🎅 Tidy up enough for cleaning lady to whizz round at 9.30
🎄 Ice cake
🎅 Make mince pies
🎄 Find green gel food colouring
🎅 Wrap one stocking's worth of Father Christmas presents per day, between now and Christmas Eve.
🎄 Buy one last gift for DH
🎅 Tidy loft room and get bed out and made up for DS1 & GF
🎄 Start finding enough of spare room for DS2 and NGF (currently looks like a bomb's gone off in a haberdashers' - ribbon everywhere)
🎅 Work out what to do about gifts for my sister's family - last minute courier, or just take to DM's house? ✅ DH taking to drop off point asap
🎄 Usual round of LOLs etc (pants and socks crisis level - Defcon 3)
🎅 Ring Splosh and ask where the hell my washing powder is - shipped last Thursday, I have half a scoop left! ✅ another one is on its way
🎄 Snuggle with WillowHound
🎅 Watch A Wonderful Life (those last two can be combined if necessary)
🎄 Finish reading A Christmas Carol

Just resting a bit before I get to wrapping.

SingToTheSleigh · 21/12/2021 14:51

Brought some presents down to wrap for DH.

Can’t find scissors. 🙄

ExquisitelyDecorated · 21/12/2021 14:51

I've given myself a prod with the pointy stick and told myself that actually we are seeing very few people so to stop worrying about covid every time anyone so much as sniffs.

Not much Flying done as I am WFH again today but I have washed the shower curtain on a 90 degree cycle to clean both it and the WM. I meant to add bleach to the detergent drawer but as I was squirting it in realised it was toilet duck but it seems to have done the job Smile.

OP posts:
HalfHolly · 21/12/2021 15:32

I need pointy stick at the moment.
I need to take up trousers and do a general tidy. and need to lift some weights.

Being jabbed tomorrow so getting organised for that.

Fridge is Christmas full. Have fed the Christmas pudding that someone kindly gifted.

The solstice reminds me of home Hills - Newgrange is apparently wonderful at the solstice when light floods the chamber. Never been there myself but I'm sure it's an amazing experience.

HillsBesideTheSea · 21/12/2021 18:05

People are no longer speaking to me
One of the fish has died and another looks like it is about to follow it - old age. Life span if this species is around 5 yrs we have had them 6.
We have builders in tomo
I am still in tupperwear hell

I am tired, burnout has hit, I need to make tea, I need to finish prepping for the window people, I need to make sure everything is tidy, I need to do christmas baking, teen has reminded me I was supposed to sort something for him. I could sleep for a month. But ho hum. I am going grinch myself through the rest of my to do list. Just after I have drunk a load of water and been still again.

Shinychestnuts · 21/12/2021 18:24

Hope you can take a break Hills, sending lots of strength & patience Flowers And a fluffy blanket x

Shinychestnuts · 21/12/2021 18:34

Missed you have builders tomorrow Hills Shock

I need pointy stick too as I was drawn in to office admin and dd stuff earlier: final final measuring for curtains before cutting etc. (Measure twice - in my case 4 times- cut once!)

ED Brew

Halfholly/Hills/Zoo winter solstice very much celebrated by all horse owners for obvious reasons related to dark nights, early mornings and lots of mud!

Well done for substantial list inroads Willow

merryhouse · 21/12/2021 19:01

SC - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It was sort of a joke, but only sort of because I did have a sore throat. Which has gone now. Replaced by a headache AGAIN which is because of not great sleep AGAIN (by my standards - nowhere near the dizzy heights achieved by Certain Other Fledglings) but spent the afternoon threatening to turn into a migraine. It's passing now so I may be able to go ringing after all. (Hope so - H has put a lot of work into learning Cambridge and would be disappointed not to have a go at it Grin)

TaDa
made biscuit dough (just enough black treacle - practically to the gram)
wrapped some presents
wrote card to someone who isn't in the address book so got missed nothing to do with avoiding thinking about it, oh no
walked to post office to post card ostensibly by deadline
bought more sellotape (well, fake sellotape - I was steamed up and not thinking straight, and was half-way home before I thought hang on that was cheap; but unlike some we've experienced it's a decent one)
!!!finished wrapping presents!!!
did little bit of ironing
got interrupted by a job agency phone call. Possibility of a few months' admin work in the new year. She was slightly taken aback when I said twenty years ago Grin but bless her is ploughing on with the idea
made shortbread
made tuna pasta bake, using up the leek I bought reduced last week and had forgotten about and the cauliflower stalk
rolled and baked biscuits

ToDo
take more ibuprofen
go ringing
put biscuits in tin
break shortbread and find containers
shit pack
including checking dress/bra strap situation and possible stitching

ToMorrow
watch Hawkeye
pack car (don't forget turkey)
empty compost bucket

Well, I'd better make a start!

Shinychestnuts · 21/12/2021 19:56

Ah ha Merry! [Hands over strepsils & paracetamol] Hope headache clears in time to go ringing! Cambridge Surprise Major? Ooh lovely!

And that's a fantastic list btw! Congrats on finishing wrapping!

SingToTheSleigh · 22/12/2021 00:02

It has been a long and very unproductive day. Allowed DD1’s friends to stay over which has cheered her up a lot but goodness me the giggling!!!

Of course DS’ answer to the subsequent noise was to try and build a musical instrument out of Lego, which involved a lot of whistling through a tube.

Kicking the guests out by 11 tomorrow hopefully and then on with Christmas prep! 😬

Mc3209 · 22/12/2021 05:23

Morning. Can't sleep. Beastie brought yet another virus from nursery, we are waiting for PCR results yet again. Thankfully I feel fine, but I do need to take times off work as he needs to stay off nursery for few days. Oh the joys.

I am very impressed with everyone's Christmas prep. I am still on Moonpig clicking away at cards last minute, hoping they will arrive in time.

Festive that's very exciting that you have a section date already! 🥰 Are you looking forward to little one's arrival?

Sending healing vibes to all with ailments.

StillFestive · 22/12/2021 06:50

5:30am wake up here too Mc, courtesy of DD. Tried to encourage her back to sleep but she wasn’t having it but she’s at least playing quietly in her room now. First time she’s woken so early in ages, coinciding with the first time in a while I’ve stayed up fairly late 😴. Definitely starting to get excited now I have a date and everything is organised. It’s starting to sink in and feel real 😬. Sorry you are luthier again. Got my fingers crossed for negative PCR for you all.

Hope you can get rid of the guests nice and early to crack on with Christmas prep Sing. Glad DD seems to be recovering well.

Sympathy Hills, I think I’d be a grinch in your situation too. Sorry about the fishies. I feel there may be a silver lining to the people not speaking to you though?

ED well done for giving yourself a prod.

I get to the ‘lie on the sofa instead of doing anything because there’s too much to do stage’ sometimes SC. May I suggest that if you’re struggling with where to start today you perhaps prioritise the things that are important to your Christmas?

Definitely don’t forget the turkey Merry!

Good progress wassailing!

My main achievement yesterday was sorting the dining room. It’s the first time in ages it’s looked like it should. As well as tidying I washed the table and chairs down, cleaned the patio doors, dusted and gave the floors a proper sweep and mop. I also got some Christmas presents dropped off and spent a lot of time playing with DD.

Today’s plans = pick another room to clean, possibly two, and bit of vacuum cleaner maintenance as it’s clogged with cat hairs again. Nowhere else is as bad as the dining room was.

StillFestive · 22/12/2021 06:51

*lurgied. Luthier autocorrect, really?

Redbaubles5 · 22/12/2021 07:17

Hi everyone be back in a little while.

HalfHolly · 22/12/2021 08:17

Morning.

Jab at 10. Then work from home.

Then Hoover and dust downstairs and do menu timing for Christmas day.

HillsBesideTheSea · 22/12/2021 08:23

Morning red!

I'd love to know what the silver lining is MC thankfully emotions have calmed a little and change ups have happened. Sorry you are having to wait on the PCR again, hope you are all feeling better soon.

Sing hope everyone is not too tired today

Still sorry it was such and early start. Love that play a lot with dd was a big part of your ta da list
merry hope you got to your bell ringing
SC hope today is less overwhelming for you.

Right i have done 4 hours today already. time to nap.

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