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]

Oops, was not ready to post there!
✅ on top of laundry
✅ cleaned microwave
✅ sort of did date night in that we sat down together to watch something we’ve planned to for a while, with no phones.

I’ve forgotten half the personals so apologies

Sorry to hear about DH’s DGM Hazel.

Red it’ll be a couple of years before we start work on the extension I think, but will pester you for more photos when it’s time! I also quite like the ideas of one of those fancy freestanding larders you can buy.

Happy half term Fly. Ours doesn’t start til next week.

Enjoy your half term Fly remember to do something for you. Emerald wow!

Sing how lovely to have your good work acknowledged.

That I am not surprised you need staff!

Merry sounds great. I have finished all the series now except the two new books both in hardback so I will wait until they are cheaper. I have a lot for the Hospice bookshop. I must take them next week and I still haven’t applied to volunteer there. Pointy stick please.

WassailingAgree about her mantras. I imagine them being said in a whining accent too.

Zoo what time did they turn up😳

Lady That is so upsetting. Can you get them to help put it right?

Hills did they come back earlier than expected? Hope you have a better weekend.

Hazel that sounds hard for you all.

Bean thanks for the links I’m off to see what I should be doing.
Ed spent hours cleaning hot plate and surround.

Wild the journal is good if you can keep it up I don’t. Did for a while. I did write in all the zones then listed the ‘to do’ that applied to our house and that helped a lot the first year as I could refer to it and knew what was coming up and so either prepare for it or leave those chores until the next week. She is right about the steps becoming habits though. I swish and swipe my bathroom every morning barely thinking about it. I did the clothes at night when I was out at work but don’t bother now unless I am going somewhere.

Clean Everhot hotplate and DH did the surround. Also jointly did the lid. Almost like new now. Wiped front too. It took two of us a couple of hours.
LOL
Cleaned chickens out. New straw in as it is cold up here. We had a hard frost.

Need to post sis card, forgot and b’day has crept up on me.
Boudoir needs a sort out. Getting out of hand again. I really should do it every morning. I do bed. Basket of ironing to put away. Bed changed etc. Like the change I made just need to complete it.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒to anyone I have missed.

Up Yes, I might have gone for one of those if I hadn’t kept the dresser. I saved loads from magazines and on Pinterest as it took years for DH to agree we needed a new kitchen when he retired and was living here all the time he noticed things more. So I had about four years to prepare and then everything was decided quite easily. The worktop took the longest. We dismissed a lot. It is unusual and lots of people commented on it. My friend has a gorgeous one but it wouldn’t have looked right in our house.

So i slept last night. Crashed out before teatime (normal people with kids tea time) and slept through. AF had appeared by morning which explains both the insomnia and the massive long sleep. Functioning on a go slow today but that is because it is paperwork sorting day here and i hate it. So i am putting cake in the oven and loud music on and just hoping that people having gone out into the hills for a walk and cake (ie NOT here) will help. Holiday count down is go, so hopefully things will run smoothly to that point and I can enjoy a 2 week break. Tensions are high here atm.

What type of cake hills(hopes for crumbs for the naughty corner)hope you get some peace.hkad you got some sleep

Red 6.10 they arrived and was very impressed it came in bags I recycle back to them next time and price deducted from that shop,and bags were both colour coded and LABELLED fridge,freezer,cupbiry.so civilized rather scrabbling try get cold stuff away first.also bread/fruit dates were good and raspberries and bread were on tops of bags not crumpled in bottoms.thumbs up from me👍

Tada
put shop away
Get few other bits of shop with zoolets(as new to online shop didn't want try all if it,and some bits we have they don't sell)
Put that away
Brekkie
Walk dd2 to meet friend
Sat warming by the fire for a bit(winds freezing today,but lovely and sunny rest weeks forecast to be a washout- classic half term)
Wash on
About sort D's and lil zoo lunch

To do
Sharpen kitchen knives
Wash up/wipe down

That's all expecting if myself today.pksnning on having the afternoon orf

I'm still in bed and have come over all glum for some reason. Think I let myself start thinking about too big a picture and am a bit worried about implications of yesterday's meeting and unsure what I really want. I can relate to regular existential crisis' unfortunately.

I can't seem to get myself moving. Sorry, just a whinge really.

Things I got done that I didn't report this week were sort the contents of two of the collapsed drawers into two much smaller little ikea storage compartments that will take up less than one cube of kallax unit once it's up. 3 drawers of random shite to go. For 2 of the cubes (8 total) I've bought shelf inserts and a set of 6 various size pop up storage boxes - the two largest will take up the bottom shelf of the two shelved ones and the top shelves will have one long narrow one and room for my perfumes, deodorant and bits and bobs that currently sit on top of the chest of drawers. For the other 6 I've bought large fabric boxes that fill the whole cube that I can use as the equivalent of drawers.

If I continue clearing out the wardrobe and shelf in their and my other chest of drawers I really should have tons of room for everything and room to spare because I also have a fabric ottoman type thing at the end of my bed and another smaller one beside my dressing table that are meant to be for out of season and holiday clothes. I've lost a few stone in the last year and a half or so and am still losing slowly. On Thursday I put a pair of jeans on quickly to go out to do errands and quickly regretted it as I was having to hoik them up regularly as they're way too big. There must be other stuff like that too that I can let go of to charity now. I know I also hang onto things I don't like or want really so there should be plenty of that ilk. I need to get brutal and get loads out of the house.

Oh and ds managed to break down the 2 empty drawers and get them in the black bin that was collected yesterday (only collected 3 weekly here so need to make the most of it).

I'm not sure the pointy stick is what I need. Just remembered that with going straight from school to my parents yesterday I forgot to take a dose of medication. I split my antidepressants into two doses and I only took one of them so maybe that is part of the dip in mood?

What would be really lovely would be if someone would take the dog out and bring me a cup of coffee and give me a quick hug. May risk disappointment and beg the teenager.

Sounds plausible re the meds fly 💐

Can’t believe it’s almost 1. Had a very slow chilled morning, not my usual alone time as DSD (who stayed last night after babysitting) and DS are watching cartoons together 💕 - and she ordered us McDonald’s breakfast as she was craving it :o she is the bestest. I’ve just been relaxing catching up with the thread. The others will be home soon, bit worried about DD1 who is upset about something from dance class 😕 but the plan is that she, DSD and I finally watch the last episode of Atypical once they get back. After that I really must get on with house stuff, and some work stuff despite it being the weekend.

Can't take the dog out, Fly, but I encourage you to put a coffee on and here is a hug 🫂. Great job
sorting things out and getting DS to break things down for the bin. Those are the bits people seem to gloss over when they talk about sorting the house out.

Up you are nurturing a small human, sitting on your bum is allowed. Sorry about the grumpy start this morning, hope Dd1 has bounced off lots of energy!

Zoo glad the delivery went well, enjoy your Afternoon Orf.

Hills hurrah for sleep and cake. Can we have some for the naughty corner?

YesTaDa
❤️ Actual work, and I got the data off the CD. Not sure it was worth £17 for transcribed records I can count on two hands, but them's the breaks.
🧡 Usual routines etc
💛 Started sorting FIL's financial papers. Oh my giddy aunt. I don't think he's thrown any paper away, at all, since 1989. It's all a heady mix of genuine financial records, pointless junk mail from companies he's already in touch with, holiday brochures, empty envelopes (why??) and multiple print outs of the same email. 2 hours and seven carrier bags in, I lost the will to live and stopped for the evening.

Ta da:
❤️ Up betimes, breakfast, wash on, on with the DIY
🧡 Glossed all the woodwork in the little bedroom
💛 Painted out the Frozen logos DD had me paint on her door 8 years ago - she says she is too grown up
💚 Now waiting for the gloss to dry enough to start building DH's new office and then I can get my stuff out of the loft. I'm quite excited. Also, pizza for dinner as I'll be too tired to cook 😁

A nice start to the day Sing I can feel the happy vibes from here.

Fly I hope you feel better soon and the teenager steps up. Surely they're not so heartless they can't give a sad family member a hug?! Fingers crossed they can find their inner kindness. Definitely get ruthless with the clothes decluttering.

Mmmm hot fresh cake Hills 🤤

Still I know what you mean. I felt like I needed more hours to procrastinate with yesterday!

Thanks Red I actually have a clean and fairly tidy home. It's clutter and organizing so I looks good and organizing myself to keep on top of things that's the problem. But FlyLady has some useful tips so I'm going to give it a go. I haven't got to the stuff about zones yet. Think I have the wrong attitude a bit too like I never clean under furniture and things like that, I don't believe in it! I don't move things out of the way to clean I go round it. I try to have furniture that doesn't have a gap between it and the floor for this reason.

I didn't sleep well at all last night. I'm so tired today. Buy I finally got some useful things done before I went to bed. I spent an hour and ticked off a few jobs from Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's task list, so I'm catching up on my plans. Today we're going to a petting zoo

Right, DD1 has gone back out with a friend, DSD has gone home, I need to actually get on with stuff.

po3.1
❗️Bedding LOL
❗️Send a few messages and emails I’ve been procrastinating over/feel anxious about
❗️Change bunny litter

Thank you. Despite grumbles and a telling off about pointless worrying ds did take the dog out, bring me a coffee and give me a hug

Looks like you've tada'd enough for all of us wassailing I shall feel better about having stayed in bed. I'm keeping the world in balance.

It might be one of those days and I'm going to try to be ok with that.

po3.2
❗️Fold laundry
❗️Talk with DH about how on earth to help DD1* (possibly while we fold laundry)
❗️Find or create and send maths homework/zoom link for Tuesday

*Feel like she’s unravelling. Probably PMT is a factor but I feel very tearful about her today

I have been busy so far but it is all tedious or repeating stuff

ta da
2 Lol - about to put 3rd on
car paperwork sorting and filing
previous job - pulled box out - pull out some contract stuff which got filed in the contracts folder - put box away for another day as it requires space to sort
created 2 new folders so finding certain stuff is easier.
made blue berry upside down cake
stuck some grill pans in to soak
rummaged through freezer and took tea for tonight and tomorrow out for defrosting
muttered dark dark words about people
provide lunch for people who can't plan despite being requested
relocated the boxes to sort from the in middle of sorting paperwork pile
Delegated tea towel ironing
had bath and hair wash
found some things for setting up bujo for next month
Aired room out properly
Did small water change on fish tank - will need repeating tomo whoever said fish are not work lied so hard
muttered dark words about the state of the lounge carpet
Discover the dinning room table
hoover the dining room table
hoover the middle of the lounge floor
tackle the ironing mountain
eat blueberry upside down cake Important ta da!
review to do list for the weekend
start sorting the random financial papers into tax years.

I am getting about done so tea cooking and sitting down with my craft project i think is the order of the evening.

Sounds good Hills
Curious... what did the people do before retiring?
You have done loads today definitely a reward due.

Fly sorry you are feeling low 🤗hug from me too. Can you put some music on that will lift your spirits. Probably a combination of meds, weather etc. Often found I dipped in half term. You relax as pressure off a bit and it can creep up on you. Weather up here is really awful too.

Zoo that sounds great. Wow sorted into different groups.

Wild that sounds amazing getting rid of too large clothes will be great and then get yourself one new, lovely outfit. Have you looked at Marie Kondo ? Her folding method for t shirts works and knickers and socks. In America they have some great individual pockets for clothes. I haven’t found the same here yet. I have had dividers for knickers, bras, socks and tights in two small drawers for years.
I know what you mean about keeping motivated. I find putting on something that I concentrate on helps.
We have lived in this house for a long time and stuff has grown and we have inherited furniture and things too. Usually that reduction happens when you move. I moved a lot for the first 28 years of my life.

Sing things seem to be going well for you especially re work. Lovely to have a thoughtful DSD.

Ta Da
Two loads of laundry. Done and hung to dry.
Wiped canisters and under.
Wiped worktop.
Wiped top of fridge.

Went to get some shopping for weekend.
Had hot Cumberland Sausage roll. Oh my stuffed!

Boudoir
Changed sheets.
Put some Christmas mags in with Christmas crockery to avoid buying any this year! Good Housekeeping, Country Living.
Dusted
Small chest of drawers
Large chest of drawers
Bedside cabinets x2
Bed
Ornaments. It was quicker as not very dusty and new layout helped.

Vacuumed bits of floor I can see.

I can’t remember who said but I only do under the bed, sofa, dresser when it is that zone. That way it gets done but not necessary every week. If you do it every six weeks then although it is dusty it isn’t as bad as leaving it so therefore it is quicker. I don’t move furniture except the sofa. I am not putting my back out.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋 to everyone.

Red - that's funny, I did the EH hotplate and lid yesterday too, I turned the hotplate and top oven off overnight then got stuck in with barkeepers friend and Pink Stuff, not going to let it get that bad again, it took ages.

Sing - sorry DD1 is struggling, glad you had a good night out.

Wassail - good luck with DFIL paperwork.

Hills - like the sound of your cake

Zoo - glad Ocado worked out well, I don't use them any more but always liked their customer service.

Tada!

Up, dressed, LFT, breakfast
Took DD shopping for prom dress (yes its early but it's nice to have it done and we will need to get it taken up professionally).
Home, 2xLOL on line
Lunch
Hotspotted kitchen counter and dining table
15 mins of gardening
Into town for errands
Watched end of DS's hockey match (he took himself there), nice chat with another parent.

Taxi-ed DS to match tea at pub
Sat in pub with kindle and drink on periphery of team area - they are a nice bunch but I want to give DS space.
Home
Sorted 4 LOL (2 from yesterday)
Decluttered my socks (got rid of a carrier bag full)
Ate dinner (takeaway)
Sat on sofa with cat on lap

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-13/ – baby step 13 is to find one of your missions and do it!

www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0&d=1 – zone change [Klaxon] we are in zone 3 – bathroom and one other room

It’s also renew your spirit day.
Will be back in a tick…

Sorry I’ve been absent so much. I work part-time but my role is being revamped so there are endless meetings about my section changes and I have to research a lot of stuff. Then there was a mess up at work which I managed to fix and am still fixing. And next week a new admin system is coming online and I am trying to learn it. So I’ve been catching up at weekends. They are talking about increasing my hours for me because they know I am working more to cope.
Anyhow – I have successfully managed to get the house under control. Dh has been doing the ironing and the place is tidy so I feel as if everything is under control.
Red - I’m really impressed with your thorough project management for the kitchen – measure twice, cut once and all that! How is your sister doing, if you don’t mind me asking? I remember that she has been ill.

Enjoy half-term Fly - ds is off here. To be honest he needs it – he’s tired. And congrats to your parents on 55 years. Dh and I are together 29 years (met 30 years ago) although only married 20 years. Also - big hug from me! And a coffee [mug]. I think the dip might indeed be due to the body noticing the temporary lack of meds.

[Gavel] Ladyrattles and Wassail fret not about your contribution to the household. Value of contribution is not measured in £$. Why do we reduce everything down to the cost/monetary amount of everything and the value of nothing? Women do tons of kidmin and nudging things along and keeping on top of things etc. Good thing it’s not all totted up in monetary terms or no one could afford us!

Merry: I'm a bit weird because I'm quite happy not having a purpose. I just Am. Could do with earning some money but that's all. - this is me to a ‘T’. I’m quite a content person but I have been trying to be a bit more proactive about doing things. So while the work situation is scary for me, I am being stretched [skills wise] which has been good for me.

As for life not going to plan wild I now concentrate on things that I have agency over and not ‘gravity problems’ which like the laws of gravity, cannot be changed permanently. I think a petting zoo is excellent therapy!

sing - delighted for your continued trailblazing at work. Will have to have you as a mentor

Hills - I hope you get your two week break and I am curious about what type of cake is in the oven! – ah okay I see it’s the blueberry upside down cake. Mine’s with a dollop of cream!

Up I have no idea why I’m struggling to keep up with the thread when the majority of my time is spent on my arse at the minute. - you’re getting the morning routine done and a tidy up and I’d say that’s fine! And there’s a new human and I seem to remember not having cleaned my kitchen floor for the first six months of having a baby!

Ed and that - waves!

zoo - I hope you are going to get more sleep, lovely. You’ve had a really broken run. And I am glad you are trying out home food deliveries. I don’t drive so I depend on Tesco for big shops.

I have been thinking ahead and have bought shiny love hearts to hang from the ceiling for St Valentine’s day. It’s also Superbowl night tomorrow so I imagine Hazelnutty and family will be watching. My team (although I don’t understand the rules or know anyone on the team) is the Cincinnati Bengals (so I am a BenGal as female fans are known) so as you can imagine I am pleased . The common enemy for our American football family is (boo hiss) the Patriots but they aren’t in the final.

DS and DH are planning to watch the Superbowl too, as DS is on half term now and won't have to get up on Monday. I won't be as I don't understand it.

That's our reasoning too Ed. I won't be staying up because I have work and I don't understand it!

Ed We turned the top oven down but the hot plate right off overnight.
Bar keepers, Astonish and lemon juice ( on the hot plate) were used. We bought some of the charcoal blocks from the shop- excellent. How strange that we were both rubbing away at our mucky hotties at the same time.🤣

Thanks Bean I would quite like to be a project manager. I like improving property.
Sis.Thanks for asking she is doing okay at the moment I think. She loved the blanket coat I bought her. I was so relieved. I am going to try and FaceTime her again.she mainly texts as she can leave it until she feels up to it.Not sure what the prognosis is. She doesn’t want to talk about it and I don’t ask because I think she must be fed up of medical talk.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.👍

A few photos from today at the petting zoo. It rained but that didn't spoil it. Everything came to say hello except the rat, who was asleep, and possibly the stick insect, who could have been standing at the front waving but nobody could see it.

"Kidmin" I'm stealing that! I wonder if I time travelled 1000 years forward from now if everyone will speak in mashup and acronyms and nobody would understand a word I said?! Like the way we struggle to read Shakespeare or Chaucer.

wild lovely pictures
Wassail it's weird removing old sentiments isn't it?despite lil zoo be 14 we still have alphabet poster on living room door!dd2 uses it during panic attacks as we pick a topic(girls names,TV shows etc? And have to find a words beginning in every letter of alphabet.in full freak out she doesn't remember her alphabet so it stays.taking that down eventually will probably break me!!
Hills hot blueberry upside down cake sounds divine

Can't remember rest of personals.big waves to all

Decided move home blessing to today as I was up anyway and house is peaceful
Tada
Cats fed
Wash on(DD coats)
Wash up
Scrub surfaces
Wipe tiling/splashbacks
Wipe over microwave and mini oven
Sweep floor

Sort huge pile paper work,destroyed some and rest was put away properly

Wash in drier,more in

Pull all coal off fake fire
Clean it properly(major dust magnet)
Shine surround(mirror effect)
Polish mantle piece
Put back coal

Tidy dd2 craft/calming drawers
Clean TV unit/put away stray dvds
Sweep and scrub laminate on hands and knees

Wash rotated,more put on

Need clear and clean dining table,then onto bathroom...

Yes those fires are a major dust magnet zoo. Seems wise to do home clean hour today. I'm about to put the coffee on and bake oatmeal with pears for breakfast.

I've more work stuff to do.

I need to get a walk in and have proper self care time.

I'm grinning here at the Shakespeare/Chaucer like mashups Wild! Delight nearly all the animals were sociable 😁