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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
IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 29/12/2021 10:53

That I only have a middle floor in the sense that we converted the loft when we ran out of bedrooms. The room up there is now the spare bedroom / my office / sewing space / actual loft storage. It's where DS1 and his GF were staying and I haven't dared approach it yet. Need to find our room and the children's rooms first!

Sorry people are suffering from relationship doubts. Walking on eggshells is never a nice feeling. 💐

I have done nothing except play on MN and now I am in the bath. Today is apparently a slow day.

ED I love that notebook!

Mc3209 · 29/12/2021 13:22

Still good luck! May all go smoothly for you!

SingToTheSky · 29/12/2021 13:28

Thinking of StillFestive today 😍💐🥰 exciting!!!

Good to see you that well done for chasing up that possible job - sorry it’s not right for you but hopefully you can find something else. How’s OU going?

Also sorry to hear you and mc are both having to consider your partnerships :( we are always here if you need a vent.

Lazy morning here. Can’t believe it’s already half 1 - I keep sleeping until 10ish at the moment! Must get back into a better routine after new year.

DH has taken the big two into town as they have a couple of things to get. I’ve listened to an audiobook chapter.

HillsBesideTheSea · 29/12/2021 15:00

A lazy morning here too.
I have set up January in the bujo
Meal planned for January (loosely)
dealt with people
written a to do list

I am about to grab a bath/hair wash and actually get dressed and tackling the kitchen which has apparently gone to pot whilst i had my back turned.

Will be back for personals later

Stilllivinginazoo · 29/12/2021 16:43

hills I find kitchens have a habit messing selves up whilst backs are turned.rwally gets on my goat...
That/MC sorry things are a bit rocky."d"p has been trying extra hard to get in my good books but I new er know if it will last so try keep back a bit as too complicated to just say enough as it's a huge thing for D's to feel mum n dad are togetherive made my bed and for now will lay in it
Red hope feel better soon
Scglad you slept better I had TWO HOURS then woke thinking morning followed by a lot if awake and 2x10 minute naps.there has to be a solution as I think I may go mad soonSad
Edlove the book
Wassaillet's not talk about mess in DC spacesAngry

Tada
Cats fed
Wash on
Sort top blanket box in my room
Find floor in front radiator
Tidy thru 4boxes,discarding,recycling and donating as I went
Cleared under bed
Found floor other side bed
Empty out all clothes discarding knackered,shrunk and don't wear stuff into donate/recycle
Fold and return to drawers
Wash in drier
More in
Pop Asda as no bread AGAIN(currently burning thru 2loaves a day as D's has hungry evils and dd2 is eating mostly bread plus A Few Other Things)
Wake up zoolets as lil zoo thinks funny keep dd2 awake/make enough noise wake me from few precious hours I get then sleep til lunchtime
Breakfasts
Wash up
Quick tidy front room
Wash in drier
More in
Scrub bath and sink
Nap (D's woke me after an hour asking what time I wanted waking up)
Wash in drier
More in
Sweep lower floors
Pop veg in to roast for my lunch
Triage huge mountain laundry on landing
Fix D's/lil zoo lunch
Eat
Watch Stacey Solomon sort out your life ep2wash in drier
More in
Clean up furball in each kids rooms
Tackle littertrays
Do bins
Now sitting quiet for few mins Wait this load to be ready for drier

Zireael · 29/12/2021 17:02

Quick list dump for me as have been at work all day...

Ta Da
Animals fed
DW emptied
x2 loads of laundy and drying
Family dog walk

HalfHolly · 29/12/2021 17:56

Just saying hello ziraeal

HalfHolly · 29/12/2021 17:56

Zireael to spell your name correctly 😁

HalfHolly · 29/12/2021 17:59

😁 at notebook title ED

SingToTheSky · 29/12/2021 18:02

Evening all.

Have only done a lot of reading today.

po3.1
❗️Move laundry into dryer and put a new LOL in
❗️Clear up Cagletini’s foil art detritus and put away puzzles
❗️Email puzzle company about ripped poster

Stilllivinginazoo · 30/12/2021 06:42

Another night,another session being pissed off tired but can't sleep,although it was a princely 4 hours so better than previous nights

Tada
Cars fed
Wash in
Decluttered fuckton e mails
Sorted baskets on shelves in my room
Quick tidy front room
Sweep kitchen and living room floors
Wash in drier
More in

Dd1 bought a hoover for her stairs in sale at Tesco during lockdown last year.rechargable,v light.i got one too but my chargers tricky and when they were bought Tesco wasn't really doing customer services in that store so never sorted it- anyways long story short dd1 decided go ditch hoover as has better one so I'm inheriting her charger today (hopefully) and both battery units so I can hoover stairs of main dust then silicone brush up the hair of 4 longhaired shedding humans and 2cats without gasping for air!(in theory)

In other news I've decided on a chore chart for zoolets as ad hoc doesn't work due to lazy excuses.with it comes £5 a week money each that then eliminates me buying sweets/things they want(obvs important clothing/toothpaste etc I still buy but magazines or booksand stuff now comes out of that,which will save me money in long run I think and give them all a chance to learn the value of saving for things they want/budgeting)
Deductions for not doing tasks,and opportunities to add more cash if help other things(like cutting grass,painting etc)
Can I ask those who have chores-
what kind?(just own rooms or other things?)
Do you have a rotation or everyone does same tasks week in week out?
Am I being super stingy?
Note currently none of them meet up with friends outside of school so it's purely for treats of all kinds not dates/outings

I never had any of this as a kid so I'm swimming in new shark infested waters.all advice welcome!

Stilllivinginazoo · 30/12/2021 06:44

Obvs cats there
I don't drive,nor feed cat food to engines,although kitty engines are in full swing this morning purring and stamping just as I was about readjust sofa blankets.

IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 30/12/2021 09:02

I thought that might be a typo, Zoo, I had visions of you walking down the road offering carrots and apples to cars on other people's driveways! 🤣

That sounds like a reasonable chore set up. We used to rotate chores but now they are only four of us here and I'm signed out of the dog walks, People have Specific Jobs on specific days. It makes it easier to enforce (as long as I know what day it is). If the money is only for fripperies, I think £5 a week is reasonable. That's about a magazine's worth, yes?

Today, DH is going to Cheltenham to see FIL, be there for the visit from Adult Social Care and to take him for his CT scan. I predict an explosion from FIL about ASC, so if you hear something at about 2pm that's what it was.

THATlittleCRACKER · 30/12/2021 09:04

Morning

Thanks for the Brew and Cake zoo

Mine have chores (daily) which are attatched to use of games consoles (this is 12 and 13 year olds). In order to go on these they must -
🔴 have a reasonably tidy bedroom
🟠 sort and take to correct room any clean dry washing
🟡 clear one meal table a day each

There will also sometimes be ad hoc requests to empty a bin, or the dw etc

At weekend they have the above list plus
🔴 change bedding (sat)
🟠 hoover own room (sun)

Sometimes on a weekend i throw up a jobs list usually 6-8 small jobs and they split it between them

I find the thing that is most helpful is the requirement for bedrooms to be pretty tidy each day. Means they never get really bad.

THATlittleCRACKER · 30/12/2021 09:05

Oh and they also have to put away their own clean washing each day

swallowedAfly · 30/12/2021 09:06

I have been awol and have namechanged to avoid being connected to some stuff. I'm usually found in the naughty corner moaning about the state of my house and the amount of marking I have to do if that helps ID me.

I've sort of managed to keep up with dw and laundry and have earmarked today to attack ds's bedroom.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas.

THATlittleCRACKER · 30/12/2021 09:22

Hi fly!

HillsBesideTheSea · 30/12/2021 11:16

Just a heads up there used to be a user who used the name Swallowed a fly. And I seem to vaguely recall there being drama many moons ago. If it was you, nice to see the name again, if it was not maybe do an advance search and consider the name change. I really did used to spend way too much time on mn back in the days when it was all green fields and it felt like you knew everyone, and there were wee creepy brackets Blush

Morning. I have started the day by pulling stuff offs shelves. So i have mess in 2 locations. 1 is easy to fix by some cleaning and clearing, and assembly of a fit for required purpose bookcase. The other needs more stuff being pulled out, reorganised and messed about with to get it sorted.

HillsBesideTheSea · 30/12/2021 11:17

hit post too soon, i should be looking for my car tax renewal paperwork that i put in a safe place so i can get that done Hmm

nothing like a bit of productive procrastination

THATlittleCRACKER · 30/12/2021 12:08

I did recognise the fly name but didn't know why hills!

SingToTheSky · 30/12/2021 12:15

Hi fly!

Zoo I’m happy to see you are going to expect more chores from the zoolets! Fab news!

I need to think about that too (bit tricky atm when DD1 obviously can’t help with much due to her wrist!). We have never got round to setting up a bank account for her 😳 so we’ve agreed in the new year we will set both Caglets up with one. Then we need to decide on how much pocket money each is getting - DS knows that DD1 gets more, partly as she’s older, but she also has to take more responsibility for buying what she needs (eg clothes that aren’t essentials). She also has much more independence than DS (so often needs money for food in town with friends etc) but I also don’t want to penalise him for not having that life yet - it’s not his fault his SEN mean he struggles more and his friends aren’t ready to wander round town like DD1 does IYSWIM? And he’s not into clothes etc, gets hand me downs from friends.

Re chores I have no idea what to expect as they do have to help out with basic stuff and not get paid for it, as it’s part of living in a family. But I was also thinking that there could be a way of earning extra if they do certain things. Argh it’s a bloody minefield isn’t it! And I know I’ve waffled on about this on the thread before. Also need to make sure Cagletini keeps her helpful traits as she’s started losing that - just today DH asked for her help with something small and she said “why do I have to do EVERYTHING?” 🤣

Anyway. Tired today as last night with said 4yo was bloody awful - massive tantrum, cried herself to sleep in the end :( then woke at 4am for a bit. Ended up sleeping till half 10 again!

So nothing achieved yet.

ExquisitelyDecorated · 30/12/2021 12:47

My two have got GoHenry cards, they have both also got current accounts but I've been lazy and not got them set up with online banking for the current accounts, that is on my to do list for today but it's always a bit of a faff with passwords, secret codes etc.

OP posts:
SingToTheSky · 30/12/2021 13:01

Ah yes I definitely want to get the apps for them. We will likely all stick to the same bank for now as we can easily transfer between us.

HillsBesideTheSea · 30/12/2021 13:06

Ds uses his pocket money for computer games/books etc that he wants. Also not fussed about clothes and doing huge amounts in town with friends. Ds has a current account and controls it through an app, he is not set up for internet banking, but the app does a huge amount and he is already on top of paying in Christmas cheques (which is something that was always a struggle to get him to take control of).

Found the paperwork, found that a lot of the stuff I wanted to use amazon for I can get straight from supplier without the amazon no likely VISA credit card nonsense to deal with. So just some books i wish to order before that nonsense comes in.

HalfHolly · 30/12/2021 13:30

Ds has a bank account now. We set it up earlier this year. He was required to have an interview with the bank and diligently read all the documentation. He was asked to sign some forms and the bank manager glanced at the signature and politely clarified 'and your surname Sir' because he had signed with his first name only - you know like a footballer 'Ronaldo' Grin

He has online banking which he can only access with our supervision and he gets paper bank statements which he must read and file.