Fledglings bolt into Spring! Fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh sheets – No fledgling left behind…

[BeanAnTae]

Thread starts on 1 February, but you are welcome to land and say hello until then
Thank you to Hills who has given us a tour-de-force thread for the deepest, darkest days of January when we were all flagging. We all know you are really busy and appreciate the time you took to go in depth with the baby steps.
Welcome to Flylady if you are a newbie or a regular fledgling– it is a zone based cleaning system, spread out over 4-6 weeks (depending on how the month falls.) The zones cover different areas of the home so we concentrate on a particular zone in a given week. But there is also a weekly hour of cleaning (can be split into 10 min segments) to make sure the bins are emptied, main areas hoovered, sheets changed – you get the drift…
And each day of the week has a focus – Thursday is errand day for example.

So , today is Tuesday 1 February – the first day of Spring if you are joining us in the North Hemisphere or Happy Autumn to those in the South. This thread brings you right up to Pancake Tuesday which is 1 March 2022.
Flylady site
This week we are in 2 Zones:
Zone 5: The Living Room
Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room
February Habit: Decluttering for 15 Minutes a Day

Monday – Weekly Home Blessing
Tuesday – Plan and Play
Wednesday – Anti-Procrastination Day
Thursday – Errand Day
Friday – Clean-out your Purse and Car Day
Saturday – Family Fun Day
Sunday – Renew your Spirit Day

It is plan and play day on Tuesdays – I usually plan menus and things to do on Tuesdays but the system is customisable to what works for you and your life.
Feel free to jump onto the thread and post your To Do list of household and family stuff achieved and, if you like, post your Ta Da list when you’ve got stuff done. We all encourage each other along and we all have different lives, pressures etc and we are not at all precious about the system – it can be used as you see fit. For example I don’t clean my dining room in zone 1 as it’s part of my living area so I do it in zone 5.
There is a general mantra of ‘No fledgling left behind’ which basically means you can’t fall behind in the system – you just start up again. So there’s no need for a massive Spring Clean – you just jump in.
Some jargon has evolved over the years, for example – cherry waves was an autocorrect of cheery waves, the pointy stick ---> is sometimes requested if you are having particular problems with procrastination and the naughty corner which is where we collapse to take a break.
As well as ‘To Do’, I’m going to try ‘To Be’ because I’m a Human Being not just a Human Doing. So my aim is to be more present (on the thread and in my head!) and more positive. I live far north in the UK so it is pretty dark here at the moment and I am SO looking forward to more daylight. And a shiny sink!

[Exit stage left pursued by a child]

Arghhh - no links on app.

Right I'm heading to the naughty corner!

Rocky road and penguin bars with hot tea. Fire pit. Warm blanket.

Some impressive lists on here!

I am just hurling through weeks, trying to keep everything spinning. Cleaning is, ahem, patchy. Home bleugh is outsourced to our lovely cleaner, so at least that's done. Plus I manage to do a quick kitchen sort/floors hoover/mop/S&S in between, so there is hygiene happening, but the more detailed clean/declutter.. well, that has gone out the window. DH has started to pull his weight a bit more with things like loading/unloading DW, which is nice.

McToddler is asleep, and I really should be cracking on with few paper write ups, but I don't have the will for it tonight. Tomorrow. I will start on it properly tomorrow.

I'm catching up on work tomorrow MC so you'll be in good company. Can't believe McTiny is now McToddler ❤️

Glad DH is enjoying his dishwasher role.

Bean
This is the baking cupboard.

Ta da
Cleaned out two cupboards. Washed everything and put back in good order. This took a while. China, glasses and pottery tea set.

Lol hung up on radiator rail. Towels in drier.
Some shopping at local M&S. Bargains to be had. DH had pizza 🍕 I had a salad with prawns and smoked trout.

It doesn’t look like I have done much but I was happily busy for a few hours. Oh and wiped the wall and wiped all the cupboards and cornice on top of cupboards.

DH vacuumed and passed down higher glasses. I am too short to reach to the back of cupboards. Then he put chair out and held it steady while I climbed up and passed them to him. 🤣 DH being ‘helpful’!

I am another one having trouble sleeping. GP put me on Medication to change my sleep pattern( or lack of it) which worked after a while.
Fly do you wake up dreaming about school? I used to especially when under a lot of stress.

Rarely dream about it now. I have very vivid dreams and can often remember a lot when I wake. I also discovered I Sing in my sleep. Not out loud but can wake half way through a song we have been learning /singing in choir. Weird.j
Amitryptyline is what GP put me on. I had weaned myself off the very small dosage I took. Unfortunately later on I had to go back on it and I still am for anxiety as well as sleep deprivation. I am hoping to cut it down and eventually come off it.
I am often awake until 2:30am then sleep fitfully until about 9:30-10am.
Probably another reason a lot of us have difficulty keeping on top of things.

Lost my personals so thank you for the chore tips to those who helped with advice/own experiences. Today I changed over the living room rug so enlisted the help of the youngest who I had with me today and it worked well 😅 I have also made a plan to give small (doesn't really matter if it's done poorly/wrong) independent jobs to the dc just at this stage to feel like I'm succeeding in some small way - clean kitchen floor, put away towels etc, tidy up time before bed, wipe down the sofa and dining chairs, wipe down the table. Must say though they are already pretty good at putting laundry in basket and their dirty plates etc in the sink.

Felt so good to swap to a new rug, slide the sofa out to clean under and behind it - replacing the things behind in wipeable bags now and charity shop for about 40% of the stuff lurking there.

Tomorrow, all being well 🙏 I will have childcare for 6 hours and have a mountain of things to catch up on after 4 days of the dc at home. So will do my to do list now to spur me on...

Post office to post sold stuff
Shop for batch cook stuff
Batch cook
Dishes
Dog stuff and old rug to go into shed likely take several hours to actually get it all in without shed bursting at the seams
List stuff for sale
Rearrange living room to make up for lack of dog cage again
Fill a charity bag

Urgh! Night all

ta da
🤖litter tray/hay
🤖staff meeting
🤖LOL
🤖ordered meds
🤖presentation
🤖maths lesson
🤖work emails/documents
🤖tidied big Kallax
🤖put some games etc away
🤖cleared (by shoving stuff in a box) windowsill and scrubbed it/cleaned window
🤖booked tesco and did half the order before I got bored, passed the phone to DH and played with Cagbunny instead! :o

Feeling a bit better today after yesterday had me feeling really low and stressed. I think maybe my week is starting to find a rhythm a bit. I can’t be totally in a routine as meetings (and covid allowing, proper face to face stuff which will obviously mean travel time etc) can happen at any time during the week. And that made me think for ages that I couldn’t possibly have any routine at all, but I’ve started to see that’s really not true. I am trying to build habits of doing particular things on particular days no matter what. Eg Tuesdays I’ll always fit laundry in somehow and then by Wednesday night even air dry stuff will be ready to put away. But Tuesday is often my busiest work day and I have tutoring as well, so that’s going to always be a day off uni stuff because I’d struggle to focus on it anyway.

I’m also trying to think of how food can be more routinised - we tend to get two smaller tesco deliveries a week rather than one big, but then sometimes we don’t get round to booking one for ages and end up doing expensive top up shops or takeaways anyway. So I need to figure out which two days are best and then make sure to book them well in advance so we get regular slots.

We are insanely bad at meal plans - it just doesn’t work in our ADHDful house, we get bored and rebel. But I’m hoping we can have some days that do have the same easy things. Like Tuesday lunchtimes I need something I can microwave between staff meeting and maths (ideally something I’ve batch cooked but for now it’ll be a ready meal). Friday DS could have an oven pizza before scouts and maybe that could be a day the rest of us have something more interesting (DS is a tricky eater) and try new recipes.

Hopefully having a balance between routine and spontaneity will end up making things a lot easier round here I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about it tonight anyway.

Meal plan bingo might be your thing sing it is meal planning but without the rigidity.

I do a monthly board, but weekly would probably work for you as you don't batch cook in the same way

Morning all. Early start courtesy of WassailHound, who is definitely pushing his luck. Good job he's cute and fluffy.

Mc I can't believe McTiny is McToddler already! He'll be at school before we know where we are. Great that you are mostly on top of things but, selfishly, we miss you on here!

Hazel oooh truffles in the naughty corner! Thanks! We too have one tyre that keeps going down just a little bit, it's a right pain.

Frankie if the DC are already on it with laundry and table clearing - which are, IMO, the basics you really have to crack - then yes, starting by allocating jobs that matter less sounds like a plan. Don't knock yourself out today just because the DC are somewhere else!

Red I have serious baking cupboard envy. Mine needs sorting again but is nowhere near as big or as well-appointed. Hope the headache went away.

Sing we have a proper meal plan at the moment,, but it's based on 2x chicken, 2x red meat, 1 each x fish, veggie, soup/ leftovers every week. Could you build a structure like that and pick as you fancy, daily, on that basis?

YesTaDa
❤️ Sewing
🧡 Sink drainer fixed
💛 Tesco
💚 Usual morning routine etc
💙 Cooked new chicken in rosemary sauce for dinner. Was lovely, am adding to list. Even DD liked it!

Left post-dinner routine to DH which was a mistake, he never closes the kitchen down properly.

Watched some genuinely rubbish TV while I sewed, including Geordie Hospital. Up is that filmed near you?

DH painted the ceiling in what will be his new office. I have not yet looked at the state of the carpet.

Today is going to be long
🧘 Morning routine
🧘 Phone call at 10
🧘 Back to hospice to deliver sewing to darling friend, who may not recognise me 😥
🧘 Collect from tennis / cook tea etc
🧘 Fall over in heap

Both great ideas thanks! I do need to get back to batch cooking as well, but also need to balance that with having space in the freezer for other things.

Am feeling very slow indeed today. But need to get on with the day because I have pupils coming HERE for a trial lesson and the house is a mess. And some of the afternoon is taken up with a birthday party (which I forgot to get a present for). Excited about that though as they’ve booked for the grown ups to do the escape room too yay!

po3.1
❗️Get up, take meds and have breakfast
❗️Ask DH to get a card and a tenner from tesco after nursery run (and remind him that Cagletini is meant to be dressed BEFORE she attends to Cagbunny, so as to avoid last minute rushing )
❗️Make sure DS gets up and on with some work

wassail 💐

Right, have told DS to shower and then get dressed before getting on with work.

DD1 is awake, just about

I am feeling very static and unmotivated

po3.2
❗️Send an email
❗️Log on and write yesterday’s minutes up, and check email
❗️Put a couple of things away and make sure laundry is dry before shutting the door on it (will put away after trial lesson)

Just caught up from Monday night. Zoo your list was absolutely epic!

Meal planning wise we tend to plan for a week or two Sing but it’s pretty flexible. So we’ll plan for chicken on Monday, fish Tuesday, something easy out the freezer in such and such night because we are busy or whatever, with a rough idea of what meal we’ll actually cook with it. But if we don’t fancy the planned meal it doesn’t matter. So for example the other day we were going to have salmon risotto, but time got away with us so it just became salmon and roast veg which could just be bunged in the oven and forgotten about for a bit rather than standing stirring. We tend to freeze most of our meat and fish, so take whatever out the night before and then we have to cook it. If it’s just in the fridge we found it was too easy to decide on takeaway instead because we could just freeze it.

Pretty epic list from you too Hills .

It is filmed near me Wassailling. I know the hospitals very well indeed . Hope visit to friend gives you both some comfort

Also struggling to believe mctiny is now mctoddler Mc. Sounds wise leaving the work until anti-procrastination day.

I adore your baking cupboard Red. It’s been added to my extension/new kitchen wish list.

YesTaDas/Ta Das:
✅ rang a couple of relatives I haven’t spoken to for a while to catch up
✅ sorted out new budget as DH is switching to monthly pay (means a month with no pay ), included DD2 clothes/birthday/Christmas/future childcare/savings etc
✅ ironing and putting away of clothes
✅ prepped veg for soup but then lost the will to make it
✅ this morning’s morning routine - feel like we’ve got this nailed now. I’m showering, moisturising and doing my hair as soon as I wake now and it does help.
✅ cleaned hob
✅ cleaned kitchen window
✅ made soup for lunch

it's been a bit alright but I'm now fortified by truffles and strong coffee!

Anti procrastination day. Oops. I'll just take myself off to the naughty corner and continue procrastination over there. Lack of sleep has me ignoring the planner I made on Monday. 💤

I am back from an escape room party. Was really good! Have cleared out Cagbunny’s hutch too but realised it’ll be better to do it on a Tuesday because bin day is Wednesday.

Shattered now but have half an hour before pupils arrive.

po3.3
❗️Quick room rescue of bathroom (I did start earlier so it’s not as awful)
❗️Get changed and brush hair
❗️Set up piano/chairs, clear sofa and get relevant books

It happens wild! My tomorrow has been thrown into disarray by an unexpected meeting. Tonight my computer has frozen so I'm leaving it to warm up while I use my phone to put up links!

Thursday is errand day. I'm only sorry it's not Friday!

flight plan

Baby step 10 www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-10/

This baby step is about setting your timer for 15 mins. I have to confess that I never use a timer!

Red that's a fab baking cupboard 😍 Lovely kitchen.

I cleaned my kitchen tap today so that's halfway to a shined sink!

Ta das were all work related but I made baked oatmeal so that will do breakfast for a few days and lots of laundry got done.

...which means ironing 😂

I have an ironing basket that keeps giving me the death stare as i walk past it and casually fish out what i need to wear. I am ignoring it atm as i have a horrific to do list and have had to implement a new organisation system to the to do list to help me focus, not get over whelmed and keep track of what needs to be done when.

I have a 'fold as much as I can' approach to ironing at the moment - only certain things getting ironed.

I don't want to go to bed because I have to do things tomorrow. Not a great end to anti-procrastination day 😂

But if you don't go to bed tomorrow is going to hurt and drag and be more horrible. That said i am also trying to convince myself to go to bed because i have things to do tomo.

You are so right zoo. Husband now herding me upstairs like a sheepdog with a stubborn ewe.

I’m in bed I just need to go to 💤 sleep 💤!

I have been trying to clean out my baking cupboard but we had unexpected visitors twice today so it isn’t finished. Thank you for the 😍 when we were getting the kitchen done we looked at Howdens and a very local small firm of bespoke kitchen designers. We went with them as the would do everything and solved several problems in our old cottage. I love it every day. I saw the cupboard on my last visit to them and we talked through how it could be and that I wanted a baking cupboard. The shelves can be moved easily and the doors fold in half and then back.They came down onto the worktop because as the electrician was doing some work for the Everhot is didn’t take much to move a double socket into the cupboard so my Kenwood stays plugged in and I just slide it forward to use which is great because they are heavy and cumbersome to move.It and my pan drawers are my favourite bits oh and the tiles of course. The worktop is green which is unusual. I can pm close ups if you want any Stillup

Was the hospital the RVI? I haven’t seen the programme. I am under them for the immunology clinic.

So ta da was more than half way with cupboard. Took everything off the shelves, wiped down, wiped painted wall, cornice and then decanted some and washed Tupperware. Everything is neat and tidy but I have left overs. I am going to make another fruit cake because I have loads of dried fruit left. Then I just need to do the worktop area. Then over the last few weeks I have cleaned out all my kitchen cupboards. Haven’t done inside the dresser yet. We use stuff in there every day so it isn’t to bad.
Aired bed but didn’t get around to stripping it. Logs arrived early so DH was busy with those. I wanted help today. Maybe tomorrow.

Menu
We have
Mon- meat as sometimes left overs from roast dinner.
Tues- fish
Wed- meat
Thurs- veggie
Fri- fish
Sat- veggie or easy tea( occ. take away), stir fry.
Sun- Roast or something like Cottage Pie

Fish is usually Tues- breaded haddock, fish cakes or sea bass
Fri- salmon, prawns
We have tuna fish sandwiches once a week at least. DH has sardines or mackerel but I can’t eat those. Heartburn.
DH doesn’t always stick to him but I moaned a bit when I was ill. I have🤞🏻Been a lot better since I have gone back on this menu. I try not to have red meat more than once a week and have poultry or game the other day/s.

Sing the bunny sounds a hit. We had a few bunnies.

Zoo I nearly fainted at that list.

MC good to hear from you. That year has gone fast. Toddling🤗McTiny.

Must try to sleep as I am meeting two friends for coffee in the morning.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋 to everyone. We all seem to be getting something done each day.

McTiny is now McToddler?! How did that happen Mc?
Sing cagbunny is so adorable 😍 it's so good that cagletini is really getting involved with taking care of her
wassailing I'm hoping the visit with your friend was good, she's lucky to have you! 💐 for you
Red I LOVE your baking cupboard 😍

For our meals I make enough that a meal lasts 2 days (& possibly lunches as well) and try to use what we have/ see what's on sale & create meals from that.

YesTaDas:
💘 4 LOLs, including my sheets
💘 S&S both bathrooms
💘 ordered meds for dog (online)
💘 took a shower, threw away shower puff so used that, along with my soap, to wipe the walls of the shower down (since it was getting thrown away anyway)
💘 ordered a new shower head as ours broke (while I was in the shower) DH fixed it temporarily
💘 had DS rotate DW
💘 had the wheels & tyres on the jeep changed out, it drives so smooth now!
💘 cooked dinner

Today I just worked (10 hours) and reheated leftovers for dinner. I'm currently in the bath, it seems I slept on my shoulder wrong so hoping the Epsom salts work. It has been causing me sharp pain all day 😥
I'm needing an early night tonight though, I'm so tired today. So the plan is to get out of the bath in a few minutes, make my lunch for tomorrow (simple), start the DW, get clothes out for tomorrow morning and go to bed, possibly do a few yoga poses, depending on how I feel. A stretch or two might help my shoulder. It's 9:40pm. Best get moving.
🍒👋 to everyone (I really don't mean to miss anyone in my personals, I'm so sorry!)