Fledglings January 2023: the one without an interesting title

[CurseYouPerryThePlatypus]

Hello everyone, it’s that lovely time of year when we all aim at a fresh start! Welcome back to our regulars, and if you are new or returning, a huge welcome to you as well! Please feel free to post or lurk, whatever helps you most.

So, Flylady. That mysterious system that promises a lovely clean house! This link is a good place to read about the basic principles, but we strongly recommend ignoring the first bit - do not sign up for emails as you’ll be inundated!

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/

If you’re new to the system, or are wanting a refresher course, the baby steps may be a good idea. Some are more useful than others, we’ve found, and stuff like affirmations may not work for you, so pick and choose what you want to try. You don’t have to do it all! Perfectionism can be left at the door, we celebrate any achievement here no matter how small it seems (this is why you’ll see our Ta Da lists as well as To Do lists!).

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

There are parts of the house called zones, each taking a different part of the month, and missions in those zones to do little tasks we may have neglected. If you don’t feel ready for those though, a good way to start is doing 15 minutes decluttering in that zone! Remember it didn’t get messy in a day so it won’t be fixed in a day either. Slow and steady.

Then there’s the daily focus - each day of the week has a theme, although many of us switch them around to suit our own lives.

Each day I’ll provide the link to the launch pad, which is where you can see what is meant to be done that day (but again don’t feel you have to do all of it! That way lies burnout!).

A couple of principles we talk about on here are:
Future Friend - the idea of doing something today that benefits you later, such as choosing your clothes or making your lunch the night before.
Power of Three (po3) - if you’re overwhelmed, just pick three easy tasks - no matter how small - and forget about the rest until they’re done. Then reassess and decide another three.

Finally a few acronyms:
DW - dishwasher, not dear wife!
LOL - load of laundry, we aren’t finding washing hilarious
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer

Thank you @CurseYouPerryThePlatypus

Just thinking about New Year resolutions. Hmmm.

I didn't come back onto the thread yesterday, but I made my bed (this isn't something I do). I swished and swiped (and plungered... kids have to learn to flush BEFORE the toilet is full of paper) and did a few minutes extra of cleaning the shower grout with bleach and an old toothbrush (set a timer and stopped after 15 mins) just because I wanted to.

Sink was shined before bed. Room Rescue was my office/storage space which was getting me down. Every flat surface is a hot spot at the moment so I just pick one and make it a bit better for 2 mins. I have one coffee table clear!

The only question now is do I crack on with my tax return today, or procrastinate until anti-procrastination day? I need to get it done and into the accountant

Thanks for the new thread perry

Joining with intrigue!

Thanks for the new thread

So here I am for my second year of FlyLady. Last year was good and I have big plans for 2023. I've been doing Baby Steps, morning and evening routines. Although this all fell apart in December. I need to get back to it and also I wanted to get to grips with the Daily Focus(? the different things for each day of the week) because I've not been so great with that. If it goes well then maybe in the autumn I'll try to add in the daily Missions too.

Thanks for doing last month's thread ED and thanks for running this month's Perry.

Welcome to the thread Reclining. New year, new start for you too? I spent my first few weeks being thoroughly confused by the FlyLady system but it gradually starts to make sense as you get going with it.

Well done Elf you've got off to a good start. Blocked toilets though, ugh 🤢 . Harpic black bottle loo cleaner made my mouldy tile grout white again.

Happy New Year everyone! 🥳🥂

Thank you for running the December thread ED and thank you Perry for volunteering for the January thread!

Welcome to the newbies and those returning 🤩 feel free to ask us any questions you may have.

YesTaDas:
🥂 put chili in slow cooker
🥂 took the tree down
🥂 put out my New Year's decorations
🥂 baked rolls
🥂 baked cinnamon rolls (ready made dough so cheated on them)
🥂 DH vacuumed really good where the tree was
🥂 Christmas decorations put away

We had ILs and one other couple (friends) come over, so a small gathering, especially as our friends didn't bring their DC!
It went well, made it to midnight!

I have to work in the morning (it's now just gone 1am). I got on here to get ready to sleep and it's working! I haven't worked at my 2nd job since November as when I was scheduled in December I was off sick.

Hopefully I'll be back on and posting more often in January. We'll see 😇

Morning everyone and happy new year! 🎊🍾

Forgot to say thank you to ED for running December 💐 and welcome to Ironic the other day!

Reclining welcome to you too!

I only woke up just before 10 so had a good sleep, Cagletini had already snuck downstairs to get breakfast but we are back in bed lazing now (everyone else still asleep).

Anyone have some New Year’s Resolutions? 15yo DD1 mentioned reading (she’s dyslexic so it’s a struggle) and rather surprisingly 13yo DS said to take his work more seriously (he’s home educated) - I think he does pretty well at that already TBH but he reckons he can do better. Then he sheepishly added “oh, and being more hygienic” 🤣 yes, definitely a good one for him 🤣

As for me… it’s stuff I was trying to do anyway I guess. Mainly putting boundaries around my WFH hours and my study time so I have a balance between them and with other stuff like home ed. My other main aim is to actually pay more attention to FlyLady rather than just hanging out here for the lovely chat 😁

Speaking of which, back shortly with today’s info!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Sunday January 1st

Since zones change on Sundays we have a whole week in zone 1! This is the hallway/entrance to your home, and dining room if you have one.

www.flylady.net/d/zones/zone-1/

No missions today so you could focus on 15min decluttering in there and/or see the detailed cleaning link which is on the page above.

For those wanting to do baby steps, this is the classic, shining your sink. This is also the Habit of the Month!

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/shine-sink/

Rather pleasingly for New Year’s Day, Sunday’s daily focus is renewing your spirit - so let’s all start the new year doing something nice for ourselves.

Here’s the launch pad:

www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Happy New Year everyone.

Today I'm mainly going to be organising myself for next week. I went to bed late and got up late but I'm cutting myself some slack for that because it was New Year's Eve.

Resolutions:

🎊 Start walking more and eat less pies so I fit comfortably in my clothes again
🎊 More reading, less doom scrolling
🎊 With the cost of living I need to economise so no more buying things to cheer myself up
🎊 Reduce my plastic consumption
🎊 Incorporate self care into everyday life, more taking breaks and enjoyment, less running around at the speed of light. Life is for living not for doing and I feel I've lost sight of that a bit

Very big plans and I don't know how I'll get on but it's the trying that counts. I find FlyLady system covers all the smaller plans so as long as I keep going with that I'll be ok.

Ta-da's:

🎈 Got loads of sleep
🎈 Cleaned kitchen
🎈 Cleaned toilet
🎈 Emptied bins
🎈 Washed and dried bedding

To-do:

✨ Meal planning
✨ Shopping list
✨ Make beds
✨ Clean bathroom
✨ Recycling out
✨ Make healthy dinner
✨ Think about the entrance hall, mine could be better organised

HNY everyone. Thanks for the new thread and the old one.

We are keeping the tree up for a while longer as kids don't go back to school for another ten days so would like them to feel Christmasy for a while longer.

⭐️been for a walk today
⭐️ lol done
⭐️ changed bedding
⭐️ watched Mary Poppins and drank wine

RESOLUTIONS:
💪 take my make up off each night straight after kids have gone to bed
💪 read a chapter of a book straight after taking makeup off

ta da

🍾reading
🍾went through diary with DH for his work/appts, Caglets’ activities etc
🍾got DD1 to sort school stuff before going to a sleepover
🍾went through fridge with DH to clear out a few languishing bits and discuss plans for next few days
🍾15min decluttering in the landing (worse than the hallway as it contains most of Cagletini’s toy storage, so I’m including it in zone 1!)
🍾spirit renewal - listened to audiobook (about decluttering actually!) for about 40min while lying on the bed. Bliss.
🍾cooked dinner with Cagletini helping
🍾loaded DW
🍾hand washed frying pan
🍾played card game with everyone
🍾got work meetings/visits from laptop and put them in diary
🍾wrote the week on the board (then hid the new chalk pens so the Caglets can’t use them and lose them!)
🍾loaded DW again
🍾shined sink (note to self - in future wait till after Cagbunny has had her evening water!)
🍾changed Cagbunny litter tray
🍾had a bath and defrosted legs while listening to more audiobook

Feeling pleased with that - nice productive day but I still feel rested, and I have used my downtime more productively (reading rather than doomscrolling etc).

Lovely to read about resolutions! Pompoms that sounds like good habit stacking there. Ditzy I agree re living life. As a family we really don’t have fun anymore and life just seems to be about meeting the demands on our time. Really want to change that. Christmas actually did feel like that for the first time in years, but I’ve no idea how to manage it when we are back in work/study mode again!

Anyway, DS has his friend staying another night (he doesn’t get many chances for sleepovers unlike DD1) so I’m leaving them to it and getting an early night.

Extra ta-da's:

🎉 Cleared my to-do list from earlier
🎉 Cleaned bedrooms
🎉 Took a walk
🎉 Got rid of the Christmas cards
🎉 Sent thank you texts for the presents
🎉 Decided to make getting dressed easier in the morning for me. Gathered up 5 trousers and 5 jumpers, put them in the bathroom. I'll wear them on rotation, that can be my winter uniform for the next couple of months.

🥳 Happy New Year...just scrapping in.

Welcome newbies.

Warm wishes to old friends, including Our friend across the waterSC, Zoo and That and others who maybe lurking during the hols.

Years ago I stopped having resolutions but I have a secret one that needs to be achieved this year. Will tell if I achieve it.
Two more.
Read at least one book a month. My reading( books) has tailed off so I want to get back into it more and Declutter all those books I have waiting.

i bought a few new things and got rid of ‘school clothes and yesterday I realised a new top would match with an old LA skirt in good nick. So I am thinking of sorting through my drawers and wardrobe and putting new outfits together on a hanger. This will also make more space in the drawers.

Posting in case I lose it.

Happy New Year fledglings! Hope 2023 is good to all of us.

Thanks for the new thread Perry, and for the old one ED (I didn’t manage to post much but I was reading along and it helped me not lose the plot with Christmas prep etc).

Welcome IronicElf and Reclining.

Congratulations on the new edition Red.

UNP I am so ready to stop BF too. I fed DD1 until just under 2. Her understanding was pretty good and I told her the boobies were broken. There were a few whinges on the first couple of nights then that was that. MiniUp has just turned 1 and I feel quite done with it but she is obviously too young to understand the broken boobies technique so I think it’ll be a slower process. Do we need to dig up the naughty corner patio for DH? Happy to assist.

I class the landing as zone 1 too Perry. I confess that mine is one big hotspot.

Waves to Ditzy, PomPoms, Hills, Hazel, Willow, Zoo, Dancing, That and I’ve definitely missed some so apologies and waves to you too.

NY resolutions:

1. take better care of my skin and my appearance and try and get out of frumpy mum mode
2. I’ve got a stone and a half to lose before our summer holiday so need to stop eating crap and increase exercise
3. get back into proper flylady routines as I’ve been doing the bare minimum for weeks at a time then having to do long panics cleans, and I’d really got out of the habit of that previously.

I also always do a January declutter and I’ve started this in the last couple of days. I’ve done my dressing table and drawers plus half of the dining room
sideboard and two drawers in the sitting room. We did a big declutter a few years ago so it’s not a massive task now.

Today has been a nice relaxing family day with a walk and lunch out. I also managed a few ta das:
✅ stripped and remade bed
✅emptied upstairs bins and cleared a random pile of leftover Christmas packaging
✅ helped DD1 find homes for her christmas things
✅ shined my sink
✅ ‘decluttered’ an embarrassing amount of leftover christmas treats

Thank you for a lovely new thread, Perry!

Up I've got everything crossed weaning off BFing goes smoothly for you. Thank you for offers of help with the naughty corner patio sitch, I might need it 🤣🙃

I so hear you on frumpy mum mode. It's one of my resolutions too.

Love reading everyone's resolutions!

My resolutions for this year:

1. Further compartmentalise life: I've been doing quite well at separating work stuff from home stuff, trying to make sure work doesn't take over everything. Now I need to further split non work bit into protected quality time with family v keeping house running and life admin.
2. Wear some form of make up when leaving the house (even just mascara).
3. Not go mad with getting a new job contract (permanent consultant post, for the oldies who know what I do). Stressfull, especially with timings of pregnancy.

Leaving my mother's place today, will be home in next few days as there is a wee stop over on the way. Once home, planning to hit the ground running.

For now, I am battling a stinking cold, can't sleep, can't breathe out of either nostril and can't even take anything for it. Hooray for 2023 so far 🤣

🍒👋 to all!

🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰

Monday 2nd January

Since it’s Monday the daily focus is the delightfully named Home Blessing Hour 🤔 or as we call it here, the Home Bleugh. This list of tasks doesn’t suit all homes and families (eg bin change day depends on when it’s collected surely?!) and we do find it is not possible to do this in an hour really. Some of us spread it over the week, or if you’re me you don’t even try… but new year new start and all that… 😬

www.flylady.net/d/daily-focus/daily-focus-monday/

We are in zone 1 (entrance, dining room) all week and today’s mission is to sweep your front porch/shake out doormat etc.

If you’re doing baby steps, today is the controversial “dressed to shoes” step. Getting up and dressed even if you’re staying home is a good one, but not many of us wear shoes indoors, so we think of it more as a “ready to face the day/have unexpected errands or visitors” type thing.

Here’s the launch pad:

www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰

HNY everyone!

My main resolution is to just get things done, as opposed to reading about other people getting things done. So that would be all the Flying, eating more healthily, cutting back on screentime for all of us.

Today is reclaim utility room.

Tidy fridge.

Tesco order for tomorrow.

Recycling out to pavement.

Happy New Year Fledglings! There are some good resolutions here. Last resolution I made was to not make resolutions. But i do set goals, things to be worked towards because perfect rarely happens immediately with a habit so it allows me grace for the wobbles.

Welcome aboard @Reclining
sorry about DH, and the cold UNP
Love the outfit organisation Red
I find i often have to step out of the house to be productive Willow i hope that you can have a smoother run this year.
Nice hitting the ground running for the new year Ditzy I normally give myself new years day as grace.
Pompom don't blame you re tree. We are all back on the 3rd so it makes sense to try to get it down before then.
Have to confess perry i sniggered at ds' hygiene resolution. The age group are interesting.
Walk with family sounds nice UP
Your New year celebrations sound lovely Hazel

Well the new year has started like the old one, and there has been drama here. Unnecessary drama.

Yesterday the plan was a lazy day and to get the boxes out of the loft in the evening. That plan got scuppered when the people got an invite out for today, which meant the sorting of the Christmas decorations needed to be done yesterday, and i have no help with the remaining stuff today. Needless to say the discussion around the plan did not go well and there was drama - change in this house is bad.

This morning person A decided they were driving - but were not in a fit state of driving and were overruled so there was drama in response. Hopefully they can sort their differences out on the way and chill out before arrival. As they are visiting a sibling - i have given sibling heads up so they can work their magical calming powers if needed.

On a plus note we have gone through ALL the decorations and thrown out or earmarked for donation to a charity shop next November nearly 3 big boxes of stuff. It took hours to go through as it is 50 years of collecting Christmas stuff and a lot of memories attached.

Whilst the people are away I need to:
tackle the kitchen
do laundry
take down the christmas decorations (sans tree and some fragile bits that will get packed away on Tuesday by people who are not tired or drop things)
If i get chance i need to clean my car out and maybe give it a bath, also would like to flip a cloth over the windows which look mucky.

Obviously there are many many other things i would like to do today, but the one thing i am trying to do this year is be more realistic with my daily to do list. We all know that i am going to fail and that i have my master lists scowling at me from the corner. already failed at the dressed to shoes baby step as i have done and sorted stuff in my pjs which getting people out the door <shrug>

<waves at WeggieGranny who sunk in whilst i was writing mamoth post

Newbie joining :)

Welcome peach! 💐

Hills well done for sorting such a lot of Christmas decorations! Excellent idea to wait till November to donate if you have the space to store for now, they must get inundated in January with Christmas stuff that they have to keep for months. I decluttered ours a few years back (also had some from my childhood but it wasn’t a huge task as my parents were never into Christmas really) but I didn’t pack them away properly last year so I need to sort them when we take the tree down. I’m going to get the Caglets to determine what they want for their mini trees so that can go in a separate box, meaning they can decorate earlier if they want in December.

I also agree re the realisticness (apparently not a word. Ah well.) of resolutions, mine are fairly woolly and I avoid things that will put pressure on me to start strong when I know it just won’t happen! I absolutely do need to exercise/get outdoors more, and eat less sugar etc, but that always feels too difficult when I’m still in the post Christmas fug. Whereas reading and gradually doing a bit of decluttering has felt like a nice cosy way to improve my wellbeing.

Weegie I definitely need to DO not read about doing!

User ARGH the pregnancy colds are NOT fun. 💐

I haven’t done much at all today, DH has gone to Co-op to spend some of his points (he works for the company and had lots over winter) - I’m pleased we properly discussed what we actually need to buy for dinner (using up stuff we already have).

Right, lunch shortly then I really must get on with what’s left of the day!

po3.1
❗️Shower and wash hair
❗️At least an hour uni work
❗️Take a break from said uni work to fold laundry while listening to audiobook

Loving this thread ❤
My new years resoloutions are:

• Declutter room by room and then reorganise, love the home edit , this is the kind of organisation I aspire to

-Sell any unused clothes on ebay/ vinted

• To not buy any new clothes for myself and mindfully spend in general

-make more time for my hobbies, crafting, sewing , reading.

• Save as much as possible to hopefully go on a nice holiday next year