Festive Fledglings are Flying into December

[EspeciallyD]

Welcome, everyone!

Here is the December 2022 Flylady thread. We use her system to get on top of our housekeeping and our lives and families and, mostly, it works. By all means have a look at her website - www.flylady.net/ but don't sign up for the emails if you value your sanity, she sends hundreds!

The system is very straightforward. Starting one thing at at time, you build up morning and evening routines to keep things on an even keel daily. Then you add a weekly structure to get various jobs done:
Monday - quick whizz round the house cleaning
Tuesday - planning day
Wednesday - anti-procrastination day
Thursday - errand day
Friday - clean out your car and handbag / date night
Saturday - family fun day
Sunday - renew your spirit
Then, through the month you have a weekly cleaning focus Zone so the whole house is mostly cleaned every month.

It can look overwhelming if you've never tried ot before (and even if you are 19 years in like me have), so go slowly, do what you can.

Two important things to remember are:

you are never behind. Just jump in where you are and do something
you can't clean clutter, so if you need to run round with a binnag once a day for the first week / month / year then it's ok to do that.

I'll be posting links to the Launch Pad every day, which you can click on to find basic tasks, Zone cleaning, daily focus etc.

There's also a Flylady app if you like ticking things off on your phone.

Although this is a long running thread with many regular posters, all are welcome, if you are curious about the Flylady system or just fancy joining in the chit chat while you go about your daily life please join in, also ask if you don’t understand anything.

Morning all

❄️🥶❄️🥶❄️

Today is the weekly home blessing hour (if you can do it in an hour that is very impreseive). We have now moved zones to the bathroom and one other zone, today’s mission is to clear the flat surfaces in the bathroom of clutter (edges of bath, toilet cistern, anywhere that stuff gets dumped).

The monthly habit is Pampering and remember your morning and evening routines, it all helps

Flight plan here - www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Morning all <adds electric blankets to naughty corner>

I really did mean to get up and showered etc before my first meeting but there definitely isn’t time now. Hit the snooze button more than I should have (asleep by about 2.30 I think).

po3.1
❗️Meds/water/some kind of food
❗️Throw some vaguely decent clothes on and run a brush through the rat’s nest
❗️Gather diary, notebook, pen and laptop/charger before logging on at 9

Well thanks to staff sickness I have done the Meeting Hokey Cokey. Then played with Cagletini for a bit.

po3.2
❗️Take some clean clothes upstairs and start sorting them
❗️A bit of work to get the most urgent stuff out of the way
❗️Continue clearing kitchen a bit

Anyone figured out where all the get up and go / motivation fucked off to? Could do with retrieving some right now.

Home bleurgh done but it takes me all morning and not an hour.

I got my Christmas cards written and posted off today.

Well done @DitzyBluebells I have finished my cards now too, apart from a few for local friends to hand deliver.

I overslept today, apologies for a late link.

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

Tuesday is planning day and our mission is to declutter and wipe down the laundry area, chuck out any empty packets, wipe surfaces etc. We don't have a utility so I will give the washing machine a wipe down

Another week of big emotions and to do lists. Life is hard as the creater of good memories for everyone. I just want to say that its ok if you are not feeling the fun whilst doing all the work. It is ok. You can not find Christmas fun, not find the work of christmas fun. It makes you no less of a person. Sometimes celebrations are hard. And being told you should be having fun when you are not is the worst. So here is you permission to feel the other emotions about Christmas. It is a safe space and you will be understood. And I for one am counting down until this hell is over with for another year.

Well said hills 💜💐

I have been in meetings this morning… the first of which started 3 minutes after I woke up 🙈 oops. Oh well no harm done.

po3.1
❗️Put a LOL on for DD1 as she’s unwell and has a lot of laundry (planning to weed out some outgrown stuff/unworn stuff too, with her oversight obv)
❗️Bit more work as some stuff is urgent for today some more like last week TBH
❗️Fill a bin bag with stuff to throw away

po3.2
❗️Put first LOL into dryer and put another LOL on for DD1
❗️Go through Christmas presents with DH and sort them
❗️Gather crockery and new fridge storage boxes to go in DW

po3.3
❗️Edit tesco - with careful planning as we have an almost empty fridge/freezer
❗️Another LOL
❗️Digital decluttering (mainly screenshots!)

Morning all!

I have been awake an annoyingly long time <sideways glance at Cagletini who is now, obviously, sleeping soundly> but too tired and cold to get up and do anything (other than turning the heating on and making sure DD1 was waking up for school). So instead I have caught up with the thread (I hadn’t even finished November!) 🥳

Today I have a big meeting mid morning, then I’m dashing off to get the bus to meet my friend in the next town over for a quick bit of Christmas shopping. I’ve made a list (some organised by store too) so hopefully I can get a fair bit done in around 90mins. It’s mostly little bits and pieces like chocolate for stockings so no onerous decision making.

I'm late with the link again, stayed in bed a bit longer than I ought to have done.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day, I need to send a couple of emails I have been putting off.

Flight plan is here www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Our mission is to anti-bac all our light switches and door handles

Good luck to Willow Junior with the flat move!

I have put Tesco delivery away and finished writing up a case study for work. Meeting isn’t until 10.30 so at least I have some time to get bits and pieces done. DH put the dryer on and just left, he is running his regular coffee morning and as usual is taking Cagletini (it’s a charity thing and there’s a sort of crèche thing too, plus she loves clearing up and serving cake etc!) but DS is still asleep as he’s been coughing a lot.

Right, best get on with stuff then really.

po3.1
❗️Listen to audiobook while sorting some stuff from the delivery into freezer bags: chop some celery, cut a couple of defrost-before-eating cakes in half, bag up bagels and garlic bread so they don’t get freezer burn once opened <voice of bitter experience>
❗️Shower, wash hair, defrost and moisturise - self care has gone out of the window again lately
❗️Get set up for meeting and get things ready so I can leave immediately after. May even wrap some presents or sort laundry while it’s on as my team is observing not participating.

Right, got 80 mins for the above. Aaaaaaand GO!!! 🏃‍♀️

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights I agree I do a full bathroom clean once a week. It's not a huge bathroom and there no ornaments or cupboards to clean so it's pretty simple

Quiet here today! I had a nice gently productive morning before my meeting, then managed to meet my friend for a bit of shopping and lunch. Was absolutely done in after, enjoyed watching Arthur Christmas (one of the films we absolutely must watch every December without fail according to the Caglets!) and then managed to sort through lots of DD1’s clothes with her. So a fairly good day by recent standards.

I went to bed around half ten but then woke up due to a tickly cough 🙄 am now hiding in the kitchen with a hot squash! Hoping I’m ok in the morning as ideally I will make it into town to sort a few things, but I’d need to be on the 11.05 bus home 😬 as I have a meeting and then need to meet up with a colleague after.

Hoping the move goes without a hitch Willow

Sending strength Hills. I think a lot of people aren't into Christmas and only go along with it because it's expected of them.

Hope you got everything you needed Perry.

Difficult emails and phone calls are the worst ED. I'd procrastinate those until the end of time if I could.

Pompoms I'm another who cleans the bathroom weekly. I don't see the point of leaving it out if I'm doing everything else.

Ta-da's:

🥶 I'm not feeling so great but I had a doctor's appointment earlier and will hopefully be cured soon.
🥶 Wrapped most of the parcels. Feel better now I've ticked that job off the list.
🥶 I've been reading the Rituals thread in I think it's Chat forum and realised I need to take better care of myself. It's not all about the home.
🥶 With the above in mind I bought a magazine when I went to the local shop today. Haven't read it yet though.
🥶 Had a bit of a pamper session at bathtime. I'm no longer a yeti.
🥶 Took in the delivery, unpacked and put away.

Hi ditzy sorry you were up late as well. I get what you mean about self care, it’s something I really don’t do enough of either mentally or physically!

I think I dozed off by 3 but Cagletini climbed into bed at some point?! In any case I am just too tired and cold and grumpy to attempt town this morning, I’ll do the online meeting later and then see where my colleague wants to get together for planning session. I can hopefully head to the shops after that wherever we end up!

Maybe I’ll try and anti procrastinate this morning instead. Phone call and some uni stuff plus some pre decoration tidying perhaps 🤔

Or I could stay in bed and sulk.

I'm in bed and I've been there since Tuesday with horrible flu.

What is this self care thing we all speak of?! To me that means brushing my teeth twice a day and drinking at least one hot cuppa 😆

Sorry to hear that @pompomsandtinsel <adds lemsip to naughty corner>

I need to get into the naughty corner myself for neglecting the thread, things should be easing off here a bit from tomorrow. In the meantime, here is today's flight plan link www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Thursday is errand day, my errand is to go and pick DS up from uni this afternoon. Our mission is to dust our computer/desk area.

Pompoms it's sort of like the morning and evening routine for the home, but for the person in it. The Rituals thread is very inspiring. I've been following FlyLady for almost a year and, although I don't stick to every single bit of the plan, my home is basically clean and tidy now. So I will try to add in some self care ritual next year.

Don't worry ED it doesn't feel like you neglected the thread.

We all need a duvet day occasionally Perry. You could combine both and make the phone call from your bed?

I'm not sure what errands I have for today. I might be mainly needing to catch up with the to-do list.

@DitzyBluebells let us know what you add in and I may join you

I didn’t end up doing anything really, just sat with the Caglets till my meeting, then went out to meet my colleague. I really love having more opportunities to meet in person now, it’s much more productive and we definitely are a closer team too 🥰

Am exhausted again and pain is high but the others did a bit of tidying while I was out and we then managed to move stuff around to get the tree up. My digital piano is now in my room which hopefully means I will play it more and it won’t be a dumping ground! We then watched the Grinch (recent animated one) and I definitely feel more festive having watched as the Caglets all worked together to decorate the tree 🥰

I was hoping to do my last bits of shopping tomorrow but I can’t as DH has other commitments (and I can’t take Cagletini with me because presents!). I suppose that’s a good reason to stay in and rest thought and I haven’t antiprocrastinated at all so really need to get that little uni task done and phone call etc.