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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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

708 replies

BeanAnTae · 30/01/2022 16:20

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]

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
Stilllivinginazoo · 10/02/2022 07:12

Managed 5hoirs last night(had 10 across previous 5daysso feels like a huge amount)
Sadly I always feel more tired first hint if sleep I get,but hoping for more nights like last night at least for a few days!

IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 10/02/2022 07:56

Sounds like a positive, zoo although I know what you mean about feeling worse after some sleep than after none!

Only managed routines last night and was in bed just after 8 and asleep before 9.

To do:
🧺 Rest of morning routine (am dressed and fed)
🧺 Pilates class
🧺 Collect DM from hospital test and drive her home
🧺Kitchen mission
🧺 Afternoon, post-dinner and evening routines

Think today is going to be an everyone fed, nobody dead sort of day.

SingToTheSky · 10/02/2022 08:59

Morning. Didn’t post last night as was exhausted and crawled up to bed shortly after ten. Annoyingly woke up at half 5 Hmm and don’t feel any more awake than I did then Hmm

YesTaDa in no particular order as I can’t remember
☠️Various bits of panic tidying
☠️Bit of home ed
☠️Work emails
☠️Meeting with boss, attempted to keep track of huge amounts of info
☠️Cleaned out hutch and shook out the play mat she hops about on
☠️Escaped the room!!! So fun, definitely want to do the others there!
☠️Piano lessons with two new pupils
☠️Played piano - only one song before Cagletini joined me, but still. First time I’ve actually played this year.

ta didn’t
❌put laundry away which is supposed to be my Wednesday evening task, way too tired

po3.1
❗️Breakfast and meds (left them upstairs)
❗️Check work phone/laptop
❗️Nap?! Or at least lie down with my eyes closed

Stilllivinginazoo · 10/02/2022 10:24

Not much done since Monday as lil zoo home git play up again,D's had humongous meltdown and dd2 was in foul mood I can only deal so much on no/very little sleep!

Anyway new day and all that
I've been looking at what everyone says about sorting what works for you and I've come to realise I always have a huge to do,and I'm never on it.i don't prioritize me.EVER.im if X,y,z gets finished I "might" blah blah,but 9/10 times I'm too exhausted/CBA
So in change if tack I'm going to try stuff til 11ish,then planned things I want to do.more after lunch chores then a bit self care
It may go tits up,but I'm all for trying something different!

Tada
(So far)
Cats fed
Wash in
Harpic lav
Supervise lil zoo lft(all had teachers/classmates dropping this week so testing daily)as she was up early
Write to do
Wake dd2(multiple times and lots abuse but needs test and have meds.wait 39 mins then eat,then needs time for IBS to have its moment before head off to school)
Wake D's to test/brekkie
Throw random snacks together for lil zoo lunch
Write shop list
Shop essentials
Put away
My brekkie(in peace)
Pay bills online
I'm now about attack couple more things before switching out for an hour so before lunch.feels very odd to consider such things...

SingToTheSky · 10/02/2022 12:19

Today is a massive nope - I need the pointy stick!

po3.2
❗️Finish getting dressed and make hair less messy
❗️Try phone call again
❗️Print out stuff for meeting at 1

swallowedAfly · 10/02/2022 13:14

Back on board. I have been awol because I had an online seminar for my NPQ course yesterday (which was shambolic), then insomnia and then out for a few errands this morning. Now gone into slug mode I'm afraid.

Tomorrow I have a meeting about potentially increasing my contracted hours with the business manager before I start teaching so could really do wiht getting my shit together planning etc wise and actually washing my hair etc because it's going to be hectic in the morning. Currently just trying to warm up under my duvet and contemplating some lunch. Pass the pointy stick Sing

Sorry you're another with sleep issues Red School dreams are the worst - I go through patches of them - usually at the end of a holiday when the dread kicks in. Ridiculous and majorly stressful and very vivid when they happen.

Stilllivinginazoo · 10/02/2022 14:06

Tada
4lol done so far
Cleared "stuff" stacked near dining table chair I'd been meaning to do for ages
Doom scrolled my free time
Lunch
Wash up
Empty box that's sat in hallway since pandemic started
Tools to cupboard understairs
Gardening stuff to shed
Filthy corner now(think thick dust,needs a sweep on floor>,but plan do hall tom so telling myself it's ok to just leave it
To do
Sort couple boxes in fridge
Bit reorganising
Aim is stop again before 3

Then half hour crochet/knitting it similar then start after-school snacks!

Spagettiboundaries · 10/02/2022 14:20

sneaks in after a short break of a million years] [sits in naughty corner and breathes deeply]

Hello fliers, it has in fact been a million years. My flying has gone on in fits and starts for years now. This past year has been declutter like mad ready for big move. Now moved, it’s time to continually declutter. If I manage a sink clean along with decluttering for current occupant and make sure we don’t fill the 4 bed house before we open our eyes then that will be fabulous. Gone from 2 sinks to 4.

Hope there is a little glimmer of light out there for you all and look forward to a sit down and a read of your progress from time to time.

ExtremelyDelighted · 10/02/2022 14:29

Yay, Spaghetti, welcome back! Flying in fits and starts is pretty well the name of the game for most of us. A house move is a good time for a reboot.

I have been meaning to post all week and failing, but I have been reading along. I am suddenly starting to feel more on top of the house, I am doing a lot less of mum's taxi in the evenings at the moment since DS went into boarding and DD has cut back on swimming, so when I get home from work I have free time that has been unavailable for years and I am using it for daily / frequent jobs such as kitchen floor, running the vac round, hotspotting, emptying bins etc, it's making a big difference. Chipping away at the decluttering too.

ExtremelyDelighted · 10/02/2022 14:29

Forgot to say, I was probably a variation on names with WhoKnows in them when you were last here.

SingToTheSky · 10/02/2022 15:42

Hi Spaghetti! I’ve been here many years under various names (no my house still isn’t tidy although since moving it’s a lot better!) but I think you may have been a regular before me :o welcome back anyway!

Meeting done - went really well - and maths done - also went really well. Definitely earned a break. But I have some bits to do first.

po3.3
❗️Ask to rearrange job centre appt tomorrow because I forgot when agreeing to it that one Friday a month I have my one to one with the boss
❗️Do paperwork for said one to one and email to boss with a brief comment about today’s meeting
❗️Litter tray clean

BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 16:04

Welcome back spaghetti although I think I may have been after your time here. That's a lot of sinks - did you move everything including the kitchen sink? 😁

Zoo - lovely, glad you got more sleep.

Lots of ta das done on the thread.

I went into work and then had to dash home for a Teams meeting. Neighbour called to say roof tile has become dislodged on our roof so a ta da is having called the slater!

I think I will use the timer to do a 15 min tidy...

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 16:08

swallowedafly perhaps taking a break will give you more energy to really crack what you need to do tomorrow. My hours may increase too and I'm trying to plan out how I'll get all things done.

Slug mode ™ 😁 I suppose the opposite is Blue-arsed fly mode

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 21:45

Flylady's babystep 11 is to coin inspirational phrases to keep yourself going www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-11/

Mine currently is 'this too will end' 🤣

Tomorrow is Friday which is clear out your bags and car time and reserve time to relax on Friday night. We are still in the kitchen this week in zone 2.

www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 21:46

I'm going to do a 15 minute reset before I go to bed. I think I am coming down with a cold so an early night might be in order.

OP posts:
HillsBesideTheSea · 10/02/2022 22:04

Does "bastarding fuckers that can't do ONE simple thing" count? Bean because if so, I totally have this one nailed.

Today will go in the box titled "well that didn't exactly go to plan"

BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 22:28

I'm guessing it's the builders Hills. An entirely apt saying.

OP posts:
WildPoinsettia · 10/02/2022 22:33

I had a look at the FlyLady website tonight, the FAQ page and I think I have a bit better understanding of her system now, but some things I'll definitely have to tweek it to fit my own life. I've been attacking the messy corner today and it looks a lot better now. I'm going to do the FlyLady task of the day decluttering in the kitchen before I get ready for bed. Hope you all had a productive day too.

BeanAnTae · 10/02/2022 22:37

wild well done!

OP posts:
HillsBesideTheSea · 10/02/2022 22:47

Nah, no builders atm. Just the people.

ExtremelyDelighted · 10/02/2022 23:14

Evening all,

Well, this evening didn't quite go to plan. DH and DD went out, I decided to cook dinner and managed to knock a cast iron casserole dish onto the concrete floor from a great height - top of the fridge-freezer. Now I know why a) Flylady tells us to get dressed to shoes (luckily it missed my feet but swearing ensued) and b) health and safety at work tell us not to store heavy objects above head height. Casserole is a goner, it cracked, a shame because we'd had it for many years and it looked nice up there as well as being frequently used.

So, I was a bit rattled making dinner and managed to knock over a glass of water on the counter and catch my head on the corner of a high cupboard. Dinner wasn't even very nice after all that.

Starting again tomorrow.

Redsquirrel5 · 10/02/2022 23:25

Wassailing 😂 cupboard envy.
We won’t be buying another kitchen so we pushed the boat out a bit and to make life easier for our future. The Everhot is electric so no logs or coal to lug in (old Rayburn, solid fuel), drawers for pans and baking tins so less bending as frequently used ones in middle drawer.

Welcome Spaghetti

Zoo glad to hear you are setting aside some time for yourself. I can also recommend reading for a set period a day. Can be magazines, novels, cook books whatever. Great list.

ED great that you have a bit more time. Half an hour can make such a difference. I can remember taking marking to gymnastics and swimming. In fact I met another mum marking in the cafe at gymnastics and chatted a few times. She turned out to be DDs lovely DP’s mum. Sadly passed away in 2018.
Occasionally grab that time for yourself too.

Up a bit earlier, showered and washed my hair. Finished shower gel and shampoo. So onto bars for my hair now. Trying to cut down on plastic. Which do you think is better to buy in regards to washing- powder, bottle of washing liquid or those pod things? For the environment and for the machine. I used Ecover for quite a long time but the engineer said it contributed to damaging my machine. The seal was slimy and damaged. I have a new machine now.

Went to visit my two friends I went to college with but one didn’t show. She has covid. Her husband has ill health so pray they will be all right and recover well.
Did a small shop. A double primrose jumped in the basket. £1:15 from £3:99. Will nurture it and it should be fine.
Had stomach ache most of the day so I have come to bed early . I made fettuccine, vegan pesto, onion, mushroom and toasted pine nuts for tea.

Can’t believe it is almost Friday.
🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒🤣🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋 hope you have a good day tomorrow.

Redsquirrel5 · 10/02/2022 23:32

Oh dear ED. Thank goodness it didn’t land on your foot.

WildPoinsettia · 11/02/2022 00:53

Thanks Bean

Your home life sounds frustrating Hills . Sending you good vibes for a better day tomorrow.

Glad your meeting went well the other day Sing

Zoo you definitely deserve to put self care on the to-do list. You can't keep giving out energy and never putting any back in, you'll burn out.

Fingers crossed for your shoulder pain to improve Hazel

I'm new here Spaghetti so I don't know you but hello 👋

ED that's great you've freed up a bit of extra time

Wassail I envy your early night. I long for an early night but I'm too disorganised.

Fly hoping SlugMode leaves you soon!

I didn't have much to declutter in the end, just two plastic wrappers, but my cupboard is now tidy and I can see that I definitely don't need any more foil as I already have 3 packs Hmm

Ladyrattles · 11/02/2022 01:56

Apologies for being awol. Been having a pity party for myself.

This week cleaned Zones got ruined within hours 😞 Had constant interruptions from offspring and pets when trying to concentrate on a project that I kept having to put aside 😖. And throw in an existential crisis of not having a purpose.