Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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
SingToTheSky · 24/02/2022 07:20

Morning all. My reward for finishing my assignment seems to be…

Throwing up. Hmm With a side order of insomnia/aches/shivers. Hmm

Day in bed for me I think.

IWasWillingToGoWassailing · 24/02/2022 08:15

Oh no Sing hope it passes quickly and you feel better soon. Def. stay in bed if you can.

Ladyrattles very sorry to hear about your back, hope you've got some ibuprofen. Glad to hear Middle Daughter enjoyed her birthday celebration.

Hills donuts are a win in my book.

Bean links when you can are fine. Well done on washing sofa throws, that's something that always sinks to the bottom of my list.

Hazel sorry MN is playing silly buggers and you keep losing posts.

Yesterday was a dot day. Not much achieved at all.
❤️ Morning routine
🧡 More decluttering of study and sorting out of my space
💛 Spoke to the builder about shelves and plastering. The shelves may be ready as early as next week, so we need to empty the room over the weekend!
💚 Big nap
💙 Cooked dinner, did after dinner and evening routines.
💜 That's all.

Today is my little brother's birthday, he's 39 (horrors!), which must mean it's also ED's birthday 🎉🎂🎁🥳🎈. Happy birthday ED.

We are going out for Birthday Lunch at 3pm so not much done today either, I expect.

👋🍒 to everyone.

BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 08:28

I'm of an age when 39 is young 😬. Enjoy wassail

Sing I hate that sort of illness. Rest up. Do nothing. Just rest.

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 09:00

Off to work. Errand Thursday is Tesco shop online when I get home and clothes to recycle unit.

I have had a shower and had clothes organised from night before but no time for makeup.

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 09:01

(hides pointy stick as everyone doing their best)

OP posts:
merryhouse · 24/02/2022 09:10

@BeanAnTae

(hides pointy stick as everyone doing their best)
ah you sweet innocent chile
HillsBesideTheSea · 24/02/2022 10:22

Yeah doing my best so well that i missed a meeting I was supposed to be in last night, and an important training session this morning.

I need a responsible grown up. Because apparently I super suck at being a grown up.

Oh and yesterday i was rung to sort out problems for other people. They got short shrift but not helping the stress levels thing. I need a holiday from my life please.

SingToTheSky · 24/02/2022 10:44

YesTaDa
🗞reading
🗞checked bank and payslip
🗞moisturised after shower
🗞made and sent maths invoice
🗞made and sent maths homework
🗞bit of admin for tutoring
🗞finished and submitted TMA01. This took ages due to getting the formatting etc right, hopefully in future that bit will be easier as I know what’s required!
🗞made pasta sauce for dinner
🗞put laundry away
🗞Cagbunny care

Have dozed on and off with some comedy on my phone as distraction. Think I’m just hungry now and hopefully will manage some plain biscuits or something. Need to send DH to the shops :o

BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 10:46

😁😂 Merry

OP posts:
HazelNuttyElf · 24/02/2022 13:24

Did someone say birthday?!
Happy Birthday ED I hope you have a lovely day 🎂🎉🎊🎁🥂🍹

HillsBesideTheSea · 24/02/2022 14:02

I have lost hours to following the coverage of the russian ukraine situation on Alkazeera news. There have been some very insightful interviews from countries like Turkey about why they are taking the approach they are taking, and what is at stake for them in this situation etc. Very interesting viewing.
Not so interesting is the Taiwan situation. Tomorrow will be an interesting day to wake up to. And i suspect not in a good way. The only saving grace for that mess is that the para olympics is about to begin so the pressure on china to behave is great atm.

ta da
urm.... eat doughnuts?
get dressed
improve my political and historical understanding
miss important training session
write a food shop list
mutter dark words about sleet being a waste of good snow
Be entirely grateful that the sleet has stopped.
Put a load of washing on

I need to pull the books out and do some study.

Ladyrattles · 24/02/2022 15:08

Sing hope you feel better soon. That sounds awful Thanks

Redsquirrel5 · 24/02/2022 15:57

Ladyrattles hope you are feeling a bit easier today.

Frankie I am the same with technology just need the basics.

ED happy birthday... going out or cooking something great on the Everhot?

Sing hope you feel better quickly.

zoo where are you?

Hills now I want doughnuts.

Up how’s baby up doing?

Hazel and might have been Frankie hens are fine thanks. They take themselves off to bed early and fluff up their feathers because they are all black it is hard to tell unless I stick my head in and even then I need to count heads. They snuggle up all fluffed up.

Hazel, we live in the very north of England just below the Scottish border so we get a lot of ‘weather’ it is very cold today and we have had flurries of snowflakes but none lying yet. Three storms in a week but most other areas of Britain have had them too.

Have been unwell but bit better now. I decided to stick to plain food and my stomach has settled down a bit. Scan app. Came through yesterday and it is next Wednesday. Feeling a bit nervous in case they uncover something nasty.

Boudoir. If I hadn’t been looking for art printing materials I would have had it all sorted by now damn. So decided to sort it and today I put it all in a box to deal with another time just so I can finish bedroom. Nearly done, changed bedding yesterday. Found several jumpers in large wardrobe I had forgotten about so can wear those when cold.

Just need to wipe bedside chests and dust.

Nearly finished my sister’s scarf and hat set. I am pleased with the colour. It is Sirdar Sunset. Lovely graduated colours.

Sleet starting.

ExtremelyDelighted · 24/02/2022 16:47

Thanks for birthday wishes. Ipad is on 2% so a quick post, I have just read a week's worth of thread. Going out Red but EH is doing good service in this chilly weather. I saw the Welsh cake post too.

Back when I have more charge.

frankiefirstyear · 24/02/2022 17:32

Lady happy birthday to middle 20. Nothing quite works as motivation quite as well as a house full or celebration! Hope your back recovers itself overnight. You too sing 😓 being poorly/hurt is miserable. Also happy birthday to ED.

I think I've cracked the outdoor furry security issues, though it means their grazing area is considerably smaller (but still very large), been to get some grass seed today to improve the grass there for them though hopefully.

While I've been out in the gale force wind and rain/hail/sleet I tried to tidy the garden too but grass desperately needs cut to clean the leaves etc too.

This weeks second childcare full house bingo tomorrow thank heavens so lots of kidmin (🍒👋 to whoever invented that one, thank you!) and helping a neighbour shift a car load of stuff to charity shop (she can't drive). Also have lots more itty bitty jobs to do all over the place for very little reward but will feel better once it's all sorted without child(ren) in tow!

Date night also means lots of self care that gets abandoned from one date night to the next Blush but just have not got the time to keep on top of it all more than that.

HillsBesideTheSea · 24/02/2022 18:13

Happy birthday ED!

BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 21:10

Babystep 25 - Flylady reminds us that it takes a while for the routines to stick www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-25/

Friday is clean out your bags and car day with added date night or time to yourself to relax

www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0&d=1 this month's habit is decluttering but it appears I neglected to mention it up to now!

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 21:19

frankie - that's above and beyond the call of duty to clean the garden in a gale! Hoping peace reigns amongst those off at half term. We are fully back into the swing of school up here in Scotland.

Red - I do understand the scanxiety and I hope that the scan is reassuring when it's over. It is best to get checked out and hopefully they can find the cause of your discomfort. But I will be thinking of you because it becomes more real when the appointment letter hits the hall floor.

Someone must eat your doughnuts zoo - you have to keep testing them to ensure quality control!

Poor sing - are you feeling any better this evening, lovely? And doing the ward round are you better too Ladyrattles?

Hope birthday lunch for little brother went well Wassail. I see you will have a lot of furniture and box shifting to get the room ready this weekend.

ED - the happiest of birthdays to you - I hope you were spoiled rotten.

Wild - are you well? *Hazel8 - I'm having problems with posts too but haven't lost one. Lost an hour's work today at work due to a programme resetting itself. Luckily it was fairly quick to do again.

I'm tired - Tesco is done but those trousers are haunting me. This weekend people - this weekend I definitely must take up those trousers. I feel like Wallace with the wrong trousers except there are two of them.

Good night - Cherry waves to all!

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 24/02/2022 21:20

Argh re doughnuts I meant Hills not zoo!

Zoo sorry for tempting you with doughnuts - how are the cats and zoolets?

OP posts:
frankiefirstyear · 24/02/2022 22:21

Dog proofing fail after tonight's pre-bed let out resulted in idiot dog scaling the 6.5 fence and getting stuck halfway down into enclosure 🤬 losing the will here again and thinking I need to abandon any dreams of ever successfully rescuing a balanced dog 😞 unsure how to proceed from here but lots to do tomorrow and very limited time and money so lead on for garden until sorted. I can hardly get in to feed the little furries so this beast has some determination!!

So, so, so much housework to catch up on too. Send help and alcohol! Date night also cancelled after I spent this evening epilating myself to dolphin standards, but with the week I've had, of course it had to be cancelled.

SingToTheSky · 24/02/2022 22:32

Evenin all.
ta da
🤢a lot of sleep
🤢made it downstairs
🤢fed and watered the bunny this evening

Wasn’t sick again, just v weak and even by my usual fibro flare standards the pain is high. Going to brave some plain toast now as I’m really hungry and the thought of another cracker is depressing 🤣

Gutted to have lost a day of my half term to this. It didn’t really matter before, as term time and holidays sort of blended into one. But this should have been a proper break from work etc so I’m grumpy as it’s Not Fair!

WildPoinsettia · 24/02/2022 23:48

Partner has covid. I take it back about manflu! He seems not too bad, just moping around.

I'm ok Bean .I had a late night binge watching decluttering videos on YouTube. Stupid decision, very tired today. Inspiring though.

Sorted out the last of the messy area, which no longer deserves its name. It's lovely now.

Leapt off sofa at thing coming out from behind the cushion. In time to see a huge spider scurrying underneath. Chase spider around with stick and glass, unsuccessfully. Great. I'll probably sit on it tomorrow and get squish all over me 😫 No objection to spiders but they need to be outside.🕸️🕷️Think this one sneaked in with a delivery.

Finished the FlyLady control journal. I'm only having a simple one.

Hope you feel better soon Sing

That sounds difficult Frankie. Can you tether the dog? Chain that reaches to the fence but no further, on a pivot in the centre of your garden. Dog can sort of free range but no ability to escape. Hands over box of those sugary, coloured, biscuit rings for your pity party

Hope your scan goes ok Red

Cake 🍰🎂 and cocktails 🍸🍹 for all those with birthdays

HillsBesideTheSea · 25/02/2022 09:24

How to tell that you are not functioning very well:
you get woken up by the bin lorry only to remember that you forgot to empty the bins and put the bin out last night and there is no way you can get from in bed to bin out as they have already moved on.

I am still down and out with stress. Ds wants to come home today. I am about to figure out being a grown up, because laundry and food shopping. After that Can I get a responsible grown up?

BeanAnTae · 25/02/2022 09:27

Well I see Friday is shaping up!

Frankie epilating myself to dolphin standards - I think this is one of the funniest things I've read on MN - cracking up laughing here. I wish we had evolved more like dolphins than apes because it would save me a fortune in razors. Let's not talk about the menopause and chin hair. I'd gladly have a dolphin snout if it was at least smooth.
Anyway sending virtual alcohol Wine

Sing - I'd just take it easy. I know it's half term but these things happen.

Wild - I hope dh is okay. A simple control journal is ideal.

OP posts:
BeanAnTae · 25/02/2022 09:40

I know that sinking 'oh Lord that's the bin men' feeling Hills. I'd just do food shopping. Hope you have a quiet enough day (at least by your standards)

OP posts: