Flip, flap, the Fledglings are back! April 2022 Flylady thread, all welcome!

[SingToTheSky]

Hello everyone, and welcome to the April Flylady thread!
We welcome newbies and returnees - if you are curious about the system feel free to ask questions or lurk! We do follow it, erm, loosely to say the least. So there is a lot of chat about random life stuff as well as housework, decluttering and organising.

A key element of flylady is not being a perfectionist!
I don’t think the regulars would mind me saying that most of us here are not naturals at housekeeping etc, so please don’t feel we are some intimidating group who demand perfectly shined sinks. We are human. We fall off the wagon. We commiserate and help each other climb back on, and we stock the virtual naughty corner with snacks and blankets for the days when adulting is just too hard.

So, the system:
🔹Some baby steps which are designed to help you build up a routine.
🔹Daily missions to help with sprucing up particular areas in the zones, for example the first zone of the month is the entry/porch and dining room if you have one.
🔹Try and do 15 minutes decluttering a day. It didn’t get cluttered in a week so it will take a lot longer to clear it!
🔹Daily focuses to help shape the week.
🔹Here on the thread many of us post to do lists, but also “ta da” lists of things we’ve achieved that day.
🔹We also recommend the Power of Three technique - if you’re overwhelmed with too much to do, just pick three things and don’t think about the rest.

Anyway, I will post some links each day (hopefully) but whether you follow the system or not - many of us just take the bits we like or build our own flylady style system to suit our own lives - do join in if you want a place to chat about keeping a house and family running!

Finally, thank you hugely to the lovely willow for steering us beautifully through March! 💐

Urgh - sorry it was such a terrible start this morning Willow hope the school meeting goes ok

🔎🔎🔎🔎🔎

Morning everyone. Welcome to our first full week of April! I gather for many it’s the first week of the Easter holidays (we have another week to go here).

So as mentioned we are now in Zone 2 - the kitchen. Detailed cleaning link is on that page as well.

Here’s a link to the week’s missions - today’s is to look up and dust cobwebs etc, but she makes a good point about not being perfectionist!

The baby step for today is about writing the first steps down on post it notes, as a way to start your control journal! There is a link within that about control journals, basically it’s your housekeeping manual that you build yourself.

Monday’s daily focus is the Home Blessing - we call it the home bleugh though. It seems somewhat unrealistic to really get it done in an hour, so many of us spread it out through the week, but it’s a good list of some main tasks that need doing regularly.

Also thanks to Blue for the info about camp stuff on flylady! I couldn’t work out the exact page but there are a few posts here if anyone wants to have a browse. I like the idea of planning some fun stuff and some housework. We always end up just blindly stumbling through the holidays TBH!

Good luck for the week ahead everyone.

🔍🔍🔍🔍🔍

I think the magnifying glass 🔍 emojis are because I am searching for motivation and energy this morning 🤔😳

But. Must get on with things.

po3.1
❗️Meds and breakfast
❗️Ring new school as they still haven’t got back to me
❗️Work messages

Morning all 💐
Here’s my first go at this:

Ta Da:
🌸Baby fed & napping
🌸Breakfast done
🌸sterilising
🌸Milk pumped

To do today:
🌸 clean kitchen worktops / clear up
🌸 drying on
🌸 next washes on (baby stuff, DH, towels - in that order)
🌸 take old dog out for short walk
🌸 hoover downstairs
🌸 meal plan for the week

I wondered if any of you are into cleaning TV shows.. Stacey Solomon’s sort your life out - amazing!!! Loved it. I saw it on iplayer. Found it really inspiring!! Xx

Fab first list post there sj!

Right I’ve just realised that my first meeting is in fact 10-11 not 11-12 😬🤣 so…

po3.2
❗️Make self vaguely presentable - top half only as it’s on Teams 😳🤣
❗️Meeting
❗️Work emails

YesTaDa
🪁instigated family clean, my own tasks were mainly tidying bits away especially in living room and hallway
🪁scrubbed front of fridge (not side yet) and grubby bits of kitchen door
🪁set up magnetic whiteboard for shopping list on fridge door
🪁sorted some bits for DSD2 to use at work - useful for her, decluttering for me!
🪁labelled some spare folders and filled them with OU booklets and coloured paper/card for kids’ crafts
🪁decluttered a lot of old game pieces, cards etc and rehomed some to proper boxes
🪁helped Cagletini paint lolly sticks green ready for Easter bonnet
🪁finalised and sent invoice
🪁hung up clean tops
🪁edited tesco order
🪁accidental early night as curled up in our bed next to Cagletini and next thing I knew it was morning! Don’t know why the aches were so awful last night, just couldn’t handle being awake.

Managed to fit in emails before the meeting so I’m now free again. But need to catch up with stuff I didn’t finish yesterday as well as do more generally! Next meeting isn’t till 1, but I don’t need to prep for that other than changing into my work shirt.

po3.3
❗️Find the damn diary and write on the damn weekly board
❗️Take cleaned laundry basket from bathroom to kitchen, and get Caglets to help sort the kitchen/hallway floordrobes
❗️Get Caglets doing some work - they got off lightly this morning!

I love Sort Your Life Out sj, I’m always inspired to declutter after watching it. Can’t wait for another series.

Thanks for the camp link Sing.

That does sound interesting Hills. Was it a podcast?

Sorry about the shitty start Willow. Hope the meeting goes ok.

Very productive Hazel! Your dinner and margaritas sounds lovely.

Mc I must work you, we seem to be on round two of the tantrums. They stopped for a bit and then have restarted recently - probably because of new baby, starting school etc. I actually find tantrums quite easy to deal with as you can see it’s a complete loss of control and she just needs space and then a cuddle. It’s a struggle not to LMS at the not listening/arguing/defiance etc though.

Hope you got back to sleep Tidy.

I have discovered the miracle of a portable white noise machine. Hangs in DD2’s pram and it’s a game changer - she stays asleep after the school run! This morning I had a peaceful breakfast and got all my morning routine done (beds made, s&s, LOL in, DW emptied and breakfast things washed up), as well as some washing hung out and the kitchen floor swept. I have also:
✅ remembered to express in preparation for upcoming wedding
✅ done the cobweb mission. It needed done . Also continued into the dining room, utility and downstairs loo
✅ washed my foundation brush and is it was going on streaky
✅ dusted the bathroom and landing
✅ done my budgeting and planner page for the week
✅ tidied the living room and DD1’s room

Have just finished some soup for lunch and I am now settling down for an afternoon of tea, Bridgerton and baby cuddles

about a 10min You tube video UP can send you a link. lt is from a niche area of youtube but the creator is wise (phd level educated, ex-educator) and i find that whilst most of her content is targeted niche it is such common sense it applies everywhere else.

Love SYLO sj it’s lovely. Been rewatching it lately as DSD hadn’t seen it!

Meetings done for the day. Really pleased I got some sorting done too in between them, so I’m going to chill for a bit.

Sing yes that's the right thing for camp week on your link, it was the second one down I read. All sounded very inspiring, hope I helps you (and others).

I've been quite productive today.
Ta-da's:

🌿 Morning routine done
🌿 Home blessings done
🌿 Bill paid and filed away
🌿 Planner for the week filled in

To-do:

🌿 Shopping list
🌿 Filing
🌿 Add another page to my FlyLady control journal - the days of the week activity page (it's probably not called that!)
🌿 Second-last piece for a project I'm working on
🌿 Find out when Easter is

sj I don't watch TV any more but years ago I used to watch Life of Grime about hoarding, which was amazing and I love Stacy Solomon, so I feel like I'm missing out on SYLO

Hills could I possibly have the YouTube link too please, if it's not too much trouble. I'm constantly reminding myself that SM is a tool only. I keep "friends" people I've lost touch with long ago on Facebook just so my page doesn't look like a weirdo or scammer when I post ads.

Afternoon all! sj that sounds like a great start to Flylady. I too love SYLO, but it did inspire DD (17) to empty most of her bedroom into the garage, choose the best bits then... walk away and make the rest my problem!!

SaTaDa / YesTaDay:
💖 all books put back in study
🧡 some of sewing stuff moved from upstairs
💛 all photographs put in study cupboard
💚 all jigsaw puzzles in Other Study Cupboard
💙 Old history files put on very top invisible shelf in study
💜 Desk reassembled
🤎 Carpet hoovered
🖤 Rug put down, lamps and plants brough back in
💖 Planning done, bullet journal set up
🧡 Menu plan completed, Tesco order updated before deadline
💛 Our bed remade

I am very pleased with my new space.

TaDa
💖 DW fixed
🧡 breakfast etc
💛 multiple clean LOLs put away
💚 3 LOLs done and dried
💙 meeting with DD's school - they finally seem to accept that she needs their help as a pupil with SEN and will allow her to use the SEN room as a quiet space after only 4 years of asking 🤦‍♀️. Still don't see the point of the HT, though
💜 While that was happening ... DS2 took his car to get the exhaust looked at, it's making Strange Noises. Quote for £1000 for new exhaust system plus catalytic converter as exhaust can't be changed without damaging it. Panic stations while we work out what to do.
🤎 Emails, try to work
🖤 DM appeared on the way home from a meeting, to collect books... and have lunch, apparently.
💖 Ran DD into school
🧡 chatted with DM, sent her home
💛 Collected DD and dropped at home
💚 Went to Dunelm to pick up new curtain rail for study (the old one fell in half when we took it down)
💙 Drew maps etc
💜 Dried more washing
🤎 Cooked tea for DS3

I have Had Enough and am going to have an early bath with my book. Tesco order is arriving between 8 and 9, so I think I have to be awake for that 😭.

SJ great list. Go girl!

Up. You have completed loads of tasks, brilliant! I remember DS3 sleeping well in the morning and after taking the other two to the school bus stop I would have everything done and a coffee before he woke for feeding. I felt so organised compared to the other two. DS2 was quite a good sleeper just liked to get up at 5am every morning. We won’t mention DS1. We lived in a small bungalow which was easy to keep clean compared to an old stone cottage with wildlife.

Really liked Stacy Solomon from when I first saw her on XFactor or was it another one. Like her programme best as she is realistic, Up cycles, sends stuff to charity rather than skips and really spreads her joy far more than M. Kondo.Must check out catch up because I think I missed two.

So I got up with good intentions but coughed a lot and have been tired. Discovered why after I got up. I am still positive!

Have put a basket of washing away. DH promised to iron but that was Sat. Going to do it tomorrow if he hasn’t. I could do 30 mins then the rest on Wednesday. Supposed to be going to collect pictures and a meeting in the evening. Won’t be long and it is in the village so we’ll see.
Vacuumed carpet in boudoir and made bed. I think the dyson battery is on its way out. I told DH we should buy another after the first year as back up. DH has vacuumed the dining room for the last week or so yet he uses that room the most. He did get some food shopping today but was gone ages. Think he probably had a sneaky coffee while out.

Willow you have achieved loads I bet it looks great. 🤬at DD totally unfair. Tell her to get back in there or there will be sanctions.

Blue another great list. Do we get to see the project when it is finished?
Sing they just needed a shove in the right direction. Excellent achievement.

I can see lots of floor in the bedroom. Getting rid of some clothing has been a game changer for me if I can put the curtains away then I might be able to get rid of two laundry baskets. They need to go to the dry cleaners but I might put them in a black bag and hide until I am able to take them.
Going to start on the room of doom next week. I need to clean the dresser first. Might put a play on the radio and do it tomorrow. DH needs to deal with the swag which means the ladder so it will likely stay there for months to be tripped over at night( hall near bathroom) I am pleased with my half hour in here + distraction on here.

Take it easy red convolescence is a thing, and there was an interesting piece on R4 recently that we under-rate it terribly and it is actually having a long term negative impact on health

I sent link in a msg to you wildblue

I fooked up tea, so cooking a 2nd batch because apparently i can not even breathe papprika fumes. So it was never going to work cooking my plain chicken in the oven at the same time as the lemon papprika chicken. People are happily eating all i hear is silence and crockery / cutlery Thankfully i make the realisation before i put the chicken into the oven. I did manage separat dishes but yikes. brain is not firing on all the buttons atm

Pleased you realised Hills! I’d love the link thanks, if you don’t mind.

Yes I definitely feel more organised this time round Red. I think the school run helps with the routine. Sorry to hear you’re still positive. Get those feet up!

Hope you’re enjoying your lovely new study Willow. Sounds like the school meeting was worth it, I hope.

Nothing much more to report here, although I did take the rubber broom to the top few stairs. Planning on doing a few at a time. They are rather hairy. I’ve also shined my sink and got the washing in before the heavens opened.

Dropped off and slept for two more hours. Got up for tesco delivery. Cooking and laundry most of today. Lots of lifestyle and daytime tv. Tidied fridge and freezer in a nod towards FlyZone. Now have four chicken meals, just need to add veg and rice or potatoes on the day. Found three chicken legs buried in the back of one of the freezer drawers, stewed the meat and made a lovely stock from bones.

Tomorrow, more of the same, and follow the zone instructions.

ta da
🚲work enquiries/admin
🚲meeting
🚲read to DS
🚲sorted laundry in kitchen/hallway
🚲labelled more folders for various types of paperwork
🚲set up online account for pension
🚲sorted through a lot of random papers, put into folders or recycling
🚲another meeting
🚲continued making Easter bonnet stuff with Cagletini (although it’s not needed now as nursery has shut early)
🚲decluttered some shoes, bags, coats and toys - almost four bin bags worth!
🚲put Cagletini to bed

Achy and shattered again so going to sleep now. Night all!

Thanks so much for the link Hills

Red ah no I won't be posting pics of the project, there's not much to see just writing and not at all exciting. I'll post pics of future projects though!

I meant to post earlier but got sidetracked.

Had a huge blitz on clutter at the weekend.

Two binbags of good clothes to and two of rags to charity shop.

Car full of stuff to the tip, including the DCs old swing and basketball hoop both of which were ling unused and falling to pieces. A bit sad to see the swing go, we've had it since DS was a baby (now 18) but the garden lols bigger without it. Also an old rusty BBQ despatched.

Also sorted out some kitchen cupboards and labelled some baskets of stuff in them. I don't generally need labels as I'm the one that organises stuff so I know where things are but they do help everyone else.

Then today I made a list of everything in the freezer, I want to start meal planning a bit better again. Got stuff out to defrost for dinner tomorrow.

SJ another SYLO fan over here
Blue will check link for the hols,thanks for telling us about that
Red take it easy lovely
Ed that's a great decluttering amount!always a bit sad saying goodbye to children's long standing playthings
Hills glad chicken want ruined and you are enjoying watching the fish
Willow"just" 4 years to notice need for concessions.grrrrr.hope it helps though

Hard to check back on my phone,I know I've missed some of.cheery wingflaps to all!

@WildBlueAndDitzy

I like to spend some time reading the FlyLady website when I can. I'm reading around the subject of FlyLady with the Ask Questions section and things like that, to give me a better insight into it and pick up tips from others on how to adapt the system to suit myself.

Today I went into the Archive section an read about Camp Week. With Easter school holidays coming up I wondered if any of you with children had read this page? If not I recommend it, there's lots of ideas how people have made it work for them. It's a sort of holiday-at-home thing with everyone cleaning and doing fun stuff intermittently too. I'm sorry I'm useless with things like doing links or I'd have linked the page.

@WildBlueAndDitzy I'm just on my phone and can't find this thread, can you post a link if possible please? (Sorry if you've done this already down thread, I'm slowly catching up)

This one Frankie :)

www.flylady.net/d/br/2022/04/03/camp-gonnawannafly-ideas/

Currently wondering if I was somehow beaten up in my sleep

I have an hour till staff meeting. However at least I have no maths tutoring till after Easter now, so once meetings are done I can relax for the day.

po3.1
❗️Meds and breakfast
❗️Change bunny litter and hay
❗️LOL

Really struggling to wake up this morning.

Going to get up now and hope I feel better.

Pof3

Put stuff in laundry basket away.
Take now tidy and can shut sewing box out of room.
Clean one shelf of dresser.

Hills
Glad you stopped ‘ Chicken gate’ lemon and paprika sounds delish.

ED you sound like me. DH got rid of all the bikes, various sizes. I like to imagine others enjoying them now.

Sing glad you are continuing with the Easter Bonnet, she will love it. Could you send a picture into nursery so they can display it? Maybe ask others too if on a WhatsApp ( everyone seems to be on one now) and have a frieze of them when they go back. Seems a shame not to do anything if they have closed early.
I am convalescing don’t worry. I Declutter three magazines yesterday by reading them😂

Love the sound of your village Red - I live in a suburb with a row of shops but I came from an Irish village so know and love village life.

Day 5 Covid - feeling much better. Red we've snow up here - great heaps of it falling from the sky

I should really clean the boudoir and ensuite tomorrow as my housecleaning contribution - if I'm feeling better