May the Fledglings Fly with you

[EspeciallyDistracted]

Hello everyone, and welcome to the May Flylady thread! I have shamelessly copied the OP from the April thread, thank you Sing

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!

Oops. Picture of cushion that is now a hedgehog!

I love the hedgehog cushion willow
Red so good to see you on here again!

It's been a little hectic at my house this week. Not much flying though.
DD moved out Wednesday night, exactly one year to the day that we moved into this house!
I did buy lots of plants, including a rose bush, on Tuesday.
Last night I baked cupcakes (2 flavours) I have an order to fulfill tomorrow and deliver, will finish them tonight.
I have an extremely painful corn between my toes, to the point that I could barely walk last night! It's feeling better today and I'm wearing more comfortable shoes.
I have been working out every night this week, despite the corn, so feeling pretty smug 😏

We need to do some rearranging of our kitchen cabinets at some point, but waiting on a power strip to arrive so we can do that (DH will attach it to the bottom of the cabinets so we can plug things in wherever, instead of having limited plug sockets and locations to put things). We can rearrange the cupboards though before then 🤔

🍒👋 to everyone

Is it a year already since you moved Hazel, wow that time has gone quickly. More power sockets in the kitchen is definitely a good thing, when we did our new kitchen last year we decided how many we needed then doubled it, including some of those USB ones.

Willow love the fluffy hedgehoggy cushion. Our real life hedgehogs have come back, they all disappeared for a few weeks when next door replaced the fence between us but are back again now, scuttling around the garden at night while the cats sit and watch in mild amusement.

Got woken up early by one of said cats who was hungry —permanent state of affairs—. Came downstairs at 6 to feed her, wandered round the garden for 10 mins, made a cuppa and went back to bed to read for a bit. Saturday is the only day I can have a lie in at the moment. Up again now and been sorting stuff out to go to the tip at 9 - mostly things DH decluttered from the shed last week. I am having a real wobble about one item - its an old in-car DVD player we used for long journeys when the DCs were little (we travel S England to Scotland regularly). So many happy memories but now completely obsolete, we’ll never use it again and highly doubt anyone else would want it in these days of tablets and downloads so it might as well get recycled.

No zone work today, but I do want to clear out my fridge, handbag and car, all of which should have been done yesterday. However I was out doing things most of the day and evening so it didn’t get done. Hoping life is going to quieten down a bit from this week, it has been hectic lately.

Morning everyone! Happy Saturday! I’ve managed to forget to post for days again although I have been reading along.

Lovely to have you back with us Red. Sounds like you’ve been busy.

Ah that must have been an emotional day Hazel. Hope DH’s new job goes well.

you’ve been very busy Willow. Hope the headache shifted.

I can see why that would be hard to get rid of ED. Would taking a photo help? That’s what I tend to do with sentimental things. There’s no rule that says you have to get rid of it, but I tend to think if I wouldn’t put it on display and it’s just going to lie in a box there isn’t much point. I have one sentimental box per person and follow the ‘container concept’. If it doesn’t fit I need to make room for it in there by getting rid of something else.

TaDas from the last few days:
⭐️Dusted, decluttered and reorganised book shelf in kitchen
⭐️wiped cupboard fronts and benches
⭐️cleaned kitchen window sill
⭐️sorted/decluttered kitchen drawer containing Tupperware, foil etc and had an epiphany. The takeaway menus should not be in there. If we decide we want a takeaway we are in the living room and we have to go and get them. They should be in the living room
⭐️sorted drawer in living room side table. It mainly contained Christmas gift receipts which could be binned. It now contains a neat pile of takeaway menus, a pen and notepad 😊
⭐️sorted coffee table hotspot
⭐️decluttered a few weeks worth of DD1’s school artwork offerings
⭐️washed the last of the bits and pieces to go to the charity shop and stuck it all in DH’s van to be donated today

DH has just taken the girls out so now, I shall home bleurgh 😇

Wow, a whole year in the new house Hazel. I can't believe that. Glad DD is safely settled.

ED glad you got a bit of a morning to yourself today! WillowHound also got me up at six, to have a conversation with another dog being walked on the field. So I've read the paper, had a look at Twitter, written a list for the butcher's, baked a cake, emptied the dishwasher, read Popbitch...

To do:
🦆 Walk to butcher's with DH and WillowHound
🦆 Consider trip to garden centre for summer bedding plants, via the tip
🦆 Acquire snacks for Eurovision this evening
🦆 Grit my teeth and screw the bookshelves together (which means emptying them and taking a chunk out of the back to accommodate the skirting board)

Planning also to sit in the sunshine later!
🍒👋 everyone

Well, I have had a nice morning. Did the tip run then walked into town with some friends for coffee, sat in a lovely coffee shop garden for 2 hours. Then as we were leaving I bumped into some other friends I haven't seen for ages and stopped to have a chat with them too. Meandered back through town where there was a craft market and bumped into someone else I haven't seen for ages. Now sitting in the garden in the shade with a drink, and thinking about the rest of the day.

DD is going to an afternoon party and then will want to watch Eurovision with DH. I would rather stick pins in my eyes than watch Eurovision so I will disappear to the allotment and then probably upstairs. I have a HUGE list of admin jobs to do so that needs tackling. Oh and handbag, car, fridge.

Ha, we remembered it was Eurovision this morning ED and DH and I were dispatched to buy EuroSnacks. Horrified to discover Tesco have stopped selling their random Japanese-style rice snacks that are a staple part of the Eurovision Tradition in this house.

Have had a lovely day so far, walked WillowHound to the butchers with DH, met another dog of same breed that WillowHound was happy to snuffle about with. Coffee in the garden, hung the washing out, went to Tesco for recycling and snacks, then a hot date to the garden centre. Just had lunch in the garden, DH is asleep in a garden chair and I am going to hang out the next wash and bake a lemon loaf and a lime loaf so we can make Angel Cake in the wrong dimension (side to side, not top to bottom).

Up I'm not sure what DH is going to do now. His current job just made him a very tempting offer. So now he is back to not knowing what to do! They REALLY don't want to lose him as he is their main salesperson. He may just end up staying, but he's not sure how it will affect his friend, who works at the new place. He had no sleep again last night. But either way, we will be in a better financial situation, so really it is his decision.

ED I understand about the DVD player. It is hard to get rid of something that still works, but if no one will want it and you're not using it, it's taking up space you need. You have the memories, it may be a symbol representing those memories, but getting rid of it will not make those memories suddenly disappear. If you really feel like you need to keep it, find a spot for it, that may mean getting rid of something else in its place to make room, like up suggested. Sorry I just realised that I'm late to the party about that and you've already been to the tip 🤦‍♀️ sometimes I forget the time difference.

willow that sounds like a perfect, and busy, Saturday to me! Did you get anything nice at the garden centre?

So this talk about Eurovision has me a little shocked 😲 I woke up this morning thinking about it, not knowing it is going on tonight. We don't have cable TV or anything and I'm not even sure it comes on over here. I loved watching it, mostly to laugh and make fun of the terrible songs and singers, those were good memories as a teenager.

I have had a relaxing morning so far, but it's the calm before the storm. I am about to finish making the Oreo truffles I started last night, for someone (GF).
I did make cupcakes over the last couple of evenings, they are for an order for this afternoon. I have attached 2 pics. I finished them last night since we are going out this morning.

🍒👋 to everyone, hope to be back on here later.

The DVD player was at the back of the shed, I'd forgotten we still had it TBH so letting it go was the right thing to do (and TBH not worth taking photos, it is just a grey box in a black bag) but it is funny how inanimate objects can tug the heartstrings.

Your cakes look amazing Hazel. Hope DH can reach a decision soon on the jobs.

Gorgeous cupcakes Hazel! DH had very similar a couple of years ago. He ended up staying at the old place for a while on a bigger salary and then going to the new place for another salary increase where he’s happy. It was a hard decision both times but worked out well in the end.

Hope you enjoyed your Eurovision night Willow. I haven’t watched for years but used to love it. Might get DD1 interested for next year so we can gang up on DH who is not a fan.

Well done for getting rid ED. Your morning yesterday sounds lovely!

We had a good family day yesterday. After the second successful home bleurgh in a row we had an hour on the beach, played in the back garden and then had a nice walk and an ice cream. Back for the football with a little tipple of gin to round it all off.

This morning we’ve been out for a walk and now DH and DD1 are playing football outside. MiniUp is asleep so I’m having a cup of tea in peace. I have put on an LOL, made the beds and wiped sticky chocolate ice cream finger prints from the front door and banister. I have school
uniform to iron but we are having a delivered Sunday roast so other than that it’s a relaxing day Chez Up.

I forgot a very important TaDa on yesterdays list - I did my first run in over a year! I am a bit stiff and sore now so being able to relax today will be appreciated!

Well done on your run Up that sounds like a lovely weekend. It seems DH will be staying, but is worried about how it will affect his friendship. I do feel like the opportunity will be there in a few years time, so if he feels like he made a wrong move he'll be able to switch at a later date.

Up & ED thank you for the cupcake love. She had messaged me last night to say they were a big hit, and I'll be her go-to for more cupcakes! That makes me feel good, especially when she only asked me because no one else was available to make them 😊

YesTaDas:
🧁 finished gf Oreo truffles
🧁 saw family of DHs who was driving through the state (who I made the truffles for - she was super excited)
🧁 delivered cupcakes
🧁 stopped at the grocery store to buy stuff for dinner
🧁 prepped food for dinner, we took it to ILs to cook and eat
🧁 drank way too much 🤦‍♀️ headache woke me up in the early hours of the morning, then got a leg cramp, needless to say I'm being lazy today, although feeling fine

Ta Das today:
☕️ finishing my 2nd cup of coffee

It's a beautiful day outside today. I have plants that need to be planted, toe nails to put gel on, bulk shop to do, with the hopes that we'll be home in time to watch Dr Strange 2 at 4pm. I'm not sure if that's realistic 🤔 (it's 10:35am here right now and I'm planted on the couch, not showered, dressed or anything)

Oops I hadn't posted this (an hour ago) I'm now Showered, dressed & makeup on 😆

I'm back after some internet woes.

Willow you can fix the cushion if you want to using a slicker brush (for dogs and cats).

Mmmmm cupcakes Hazel

Well done with the exercising Up

I've been continuing with my routines, getting little tasks done here and there, found a few things to declutter. Slow progress but I'm getting there.

Welcome back Ditzy.

I have a fairly early start tomorrow so I'm going to post links tonight.

Monday 16th

We are moving into Zone 3, the bathroom and one other room. The daily focus is home blessing and the mission is a double one:

Declutter the flat surfaces in your bathroom
Tidy up you cloak cupboard or equivalent, put away the winter coats and boots

Flight Plan is here flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60 it will update overnight

Morning all! Thanks Ditzy I rather love my new hedgehog cushion, so I'll stick with it as it is! Glad you sorted your internet woes.

Hazel good that DH has made a decision about his job. Well done on epic cupcakes! They looked amazing, you are building a deserved reputation. Hope you got to the film. I was just going to look for ideas at the garden centre, but we came home with Busy Lizzies and midnight-blue lobelia for my pots at the front of the house and DH bought a tree peony and a black eyed susan for the bed at the front where the cherry tree used to be. Oh, and some peas because all of ours failed because they were Plant Before 2018.

Amazing going getting out for a run, Up! Just goes to show my exercising difficulties are a lot to do with Not Actually Getting Off My Bottom. Sounds like you had a lovely weekend.

Yesterday was lovely, I planted up my pots (serenaded by the baby birds in the nest in the soffit by the front door, protesting loudly about lack of breakfast), changed all the beds, got some Lego done and had roast lamb for dinner. Oh, and I managed to watch the Nick Knowles decluttering programme too.

I have also invented a new cake! I made a loaf each of orange, lemon and lime drizzle cake, split them into thirds lengthways and sandwiched with jam. Now I have 3 citrus drizzle stripey cakes (well, 2 - one got eaten for pudding at tea time!) and the thanks of a grateful nation Horde.

Anyway, enough rabbiting on. It's Monday, I have shitloads to do and I am already 25 minutes behind my plan. Must get on. 🍒👋, Fledglings!

Morning all! Not been on MN much, the lack of improvement with the site giving me error messages etc is really getting to me. It’s paying off though as I’m spending more time on uni work, reading etc we won’t talk about the extra time spent on phone games

Another new week. Need to find the diary and write up the (already clean) weekly plan - didn’t get round to it yesterday, we had the family round. I’m also meeting one of my befriendees today (volunteer role) normally we have sessions by phone (started during covid) and this is the first time I’m meeting someone face to face for the charity. Excited but nervous!

Need to shower and then walk down to town, everything else can wait till I’m back.

Ta-da's:

🎉 Home blessings
🎉 Weekly plan
🎉 Decluttering

Feeling a bit meh today and not very chatty sorry 😔

Sorry to hear that Ditzy. Hope the ennui lifts soon ❤️

Ditzy- hope you are ok.
Willow- like your pillow.

Things are full scale crazy here. Loving volunteering. Hating essay writing so done zero so far. Housework- trying to plod along while everybody in the family get ill 🤦‍♀️. Send strength. Send wine. Send sea kelp. Anything. 🤣

🍒👋waves to everyone.

Hope everyone is ok, miss hearing you are ok xx

Morning all, just a quick one from me as I am at work.

Today's links are here: flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

The mission is to shine your tub or shower and check whether you need any laundry supplies. I will get onto those tonight. I still want to clear out my car too, every time I go to do it it rains but today is warm and hopefully staying dry. DD starts her GCSEs today, yikes!

Sorry to here there is lurgy plaguing you Dancing, but glad the volunteering is still going well.

Hope you feel less ‘meh’ today Ditzy. You did well to manage the home bleurgh when feeling like that.

Good luck to DD ED!

YesTaDas:
😇Did 15 minutes in bathroom scrubbing the mank from the seal on the shower screen and taking a toothbrush to the taps.
😇Binge-watched the Nick Knowles programme. It’s basically the same as Stacey’s isn’t it. I like it and felt motivated to declutter afterwards (we have nowhere near as much stuff as the families on there thankfully!).
😇Decluttered the chest of drawers on the landing which is moving downstairs
😇Decluttered the hall unit and rejigged the hallway a bit
😇Re-jigged toy storage in the living room, and finally came up with a solution for the huge ugly 70s blanket that DH likes to wrap up in and refuses to get rid of. It plagues my life by always being visible and just so annoyingly bulky, but it now has its very own basket under the coffee table out of sight
😇 came up with a plan with DH of where we are moving some furniture and storage to so that they work better.

TaDas:
⭐️2 LOLs blowing in the breeze
⭐️arranged some flowers I treated myself to on the way home from school this morning
⭐️emptied DW
⭐️ cleared a bit of crap from the dining table

I want to start the rearranging of stuff but I should wait until DH is home to help, and if I start now MiniUp will almost certainly wake up and I’ll be in chaos. I’ll watch some more Nick instead 😊

Metaphorically crawled under the table because of the interview. Back now.

Thanks all for the good wishes, and duettini and sing for the advice.

It went much as I expected, and yes they did ask for an example of juggling competing deadlines; so I basically said no I can't give you that but used a lot of words which got in a few of the things I can do... Then the written bit involved some task prioritisation which was a nice opportunity to show that I have actually thought about it!

No idea when likely to hear. Should probably do some housework now

Sorry, I'm in the doghouse / naughty corner so have been avoiding ha!

@merryhouse what's as expected? It's done now and doesn't matter. There are more opportunities out there and each interview is a practice for the next. You're meant to be where you're meant to be so you'll either get it or you won't. Horrible feeling tho. It's never as bad as you think!

Re competitive deadlines... i bark on about how much I communicate with my line manager if there is a concern but also a technique called rice I think it's reach, impact, consequence and ermmm but that's how you work out what you should prioritise. All bullshit. I also bark on about work smarter where you can but sometimes you just have to work longer or harder to get things done on time and I'm flexible so if I need to work late I can. Again, all bullshit.

Oh I did waffle about I would work out which would need input from other people and which would be most complex from my point of view and which had absolutely zero wriggle room on the timings and all the other external resources I'd need, so it has previously been could have been a lot worse!

You said all you need to say then! Honestly, I bet it's far better than you think. I get myself in such a state. I had an interview many moons ago at DPs company with someone he knew. I thought it went well and then the more I thought about it I was like "oh no". Got the rejection that evening so they obv knew straight away. I cried and panicked I had embarrassed him too!

Aww, maybe they just had someone else who was really good?