Flying into Spring - The Fledglings are no Fools

[ExtremelyDetermined]

Time for the April Fledgling Flylady thread - regulars, returners and newbies are all very welcome, post as little or as often as you like, or just lurk, whatever suits you, but please feel free to ask if there is anything you don’t understand. Also feel free to chat!

Flylady is a system for running a household, it is a system which covers housework, a bit of self-care and quite a lot of just general organisation. It runs on a monthly cycle, hence a new thread at the start of each month. Links will be posted here daily, but do go and have a good browse of the website, just don’t sign up for the emails unless you want to add to the clutter in your inbox.

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
BRC - box of random crap

A big thanks to @icypompoms for running the previous thread . The system starts properly on Monday, but the weekend is a good time to have a look at the website and start planning.

The front and back gardens both need to be low-maintenance, with windowboxes and pots. Trying to create kerb appeal at the front in case (hope) of ever moving house. The garage is at the bottom of the back garden on to a lane, which means the layout isn't very flexible. Mainly my plan is to tidy up hugely, then figure something out that doesn't need much work to keep nice.

Morning all. I had another day of Absolutely Fuck All yesterday and it definitely helped. This morning I took my ADHD meds when I woke with the sun, then went back to sleep for a while. Played with Cagletini (restaurants and a maths game) when she woke up so it’s been good so far!

DH managed to postpone the housing association visit to check sockets, we now have two weeks.

I haven’t caught up with the thread but saw pompom’s cake - amazing! I agree, Elf - don’t Google playboy bunnies 😁

DH is up now (I’ve had lots of lie ins since term finished so it was definitely his turn!) so I should go and do some studying and break it up with Netflix.

My aim is to get the current assignment in early (I have covered most of the material for it) so I then have longer to catch up on the course content for the final assignment (which draws on the whole course) due 23/5! Then I will be done until October, thank goodness.

That you have my utmost admiration for getting through the full degree, I am finding it really hard to fit in and I only work 16 hours a week! And this is only level 1. 4 more years to go after this, I’m definitely not risking two courses at once.

Anyway, first I’m going to sort some laundry as DS definitely has some more somewhere 🙄🤔

Hope everyone has a good day!

Morning,I never got anywhere near done as the sun was shining,dd2 was hyper and needed a walk so I abandoned house and we all took to the streets walking a disused railways line now footpath by the river then back via a farm shop for ice ream and thru a very nice village..best part 3hrs later I had nasty case CBA...

Today I'm more in it..

Tada.
Cats fed.
Wash on.
Harpic lav.
Tidy fridge<shines halo I did mission>
Organise freezer.
Wash to drier
More in
Take in online bulk shopping order.
Realise hadn't as much storage organised for said order as thought.
Pop Asda for storage boxes.
Breakfast for all.
Fold dry washing and put upstairs
Wash in drier
more in
Scrub said boxes<filthy >

Start organising where I'm putting what<tins,pasta,cerealsetc>
Fold dry wash and put upstairs
Wash to drier
more in.
Think go need rearrange understairs then can put surplus in there,keeping scrupulous eye on any mould lurking...

That/Perry nothing like a visit from anyone to spur cleaning.....

sunny I did white and pink marble, I tried out my new blooming gel 😍 I attached a pic.

I forgot that I had vacuumed the whole house yesterday, actually took my time, did both floors of the house, as well as the stairs. I also did wipe the floor in the kitchen as the chicken had splattered while cooking.

I have to work today, not sure what, if anything, I'll get done. I still haven't put my Easter decorations up yet 🤦‍♀️

Zoo well done for the 3 hour walk - you definitely deserve a rest after that! I hope it helped dc burn off some extra energy !
Hazel your nails look lovely ! I haven't seen the marble gel - I'm off to Google it !
Perry good luck with the assignment! It is hard to study when working and little ones to look after but it will all be worth it !
Scour how did you get on with the garden? I haven't attempted mine yet , but it definitely needs some love and attention!

Ta da
Not much housework wise 🙈
👍 everyone washed , dressed , beds made
👍 macdonalds breakfast (I had porridge, still on soft food diet 😩)
👍 bowling
👍 visit to the library, made appointment at the bank to sort kids accounts, bought some toiletries
👍 visit to the exotic pet shop , dd2 is desperate for a pet but we aren't home much , she's moved from a puppy to a budgie which may be able to handle being on its own for a few hours at a time . I have never looked after a bird though so lots of research first - I'm kinda scared of having another commitment if I'm being completely honest !
👍 home for a quick change then at dd2 gymnastics class .

I'm not sure I'll have enough energy for much flying when I get home but will try to kick myself up the backside and get something done !!

✅ s&s
✅ lol
✅ changed bed
✅ sold item on Vinted
✅ downstairs floors
✅ took kids swimming and found out about lessons.

I feel so lethargic lately. Honestly can't get into action for much. Those CBA vibes must be catching @Stilllivinginazoo

Great nails @HungryHazelEyes I want to Paint mine but hanging on till Easter weekend

Depends if you like peace Sunny birds chatter constantly. Be fine when you're out at work all day though. Small rodents are quieter don't take much looking after either and don't live very long, which might be a factor if you're stuck with all the care after she's got bored . I've had both as a DC, had to clean out the cage weekly which took about half hour. Neither was too expensive to keep. Went on holiday every year for a week and left with plenty of water and hard food blocks, so they couldn't eat it all at once. Everything was alive on our return

Nice nails Hazel

I've got the nope today as well Pompoms

Long walk sounds fab Zoo not surprised you didn't want to do anything after, I'd be worn out

I like your plans for the garden Scourgify

Hope you get the assignment finished Perry

Ta-da's:

🐰 Morning routine
🐰 Delete some digital photos
🐰 Take some more pics of my home. I do this occasionally so I can track the progress of decorating and decluttering

To-do:

🐣 Exercise
🐣 Sort out the cupboard that I still haven't done from a few days ago
🐣 Decluttering

Front garden plan is more solid after we talked about it today. Cut back hedge. Lay paviers between path and boundary to make sweeping easier. Trellis along edge of flowerbed.

Back - take loads of cuttings from everything we like. Chop plants back to wall and put up trellis/fence, and/or grow a fedge of clematis and honeysuckle, and clematis if I can find it in the tangle.

It probably won't be possible to re-do the utility. Might manage some kind of lean-to porch type effort as a boot-and-mudroom.

Rather sad to see a recently broken robin's egg on the grass. There have been magpies in the lane.

Scourgify your garden will be lovely once you are done with it. Very impressed with plans!
Sunny re birds, never had them myself, but I keep hearing various folk that they can also be quite messy, flicking food etc out of their cage. I like visiting people who keep them as pets, but I don't think I will be brave enough to have one myself 😬
Perry good luck with the assignment! It's a tough gig spinning so many plates, you are doing a fab job.
Hazel lovely nails! What do you do with your cuticles? I cut mine off every 2 weeks or so, and have been doing that for ages, but it is a bit laborious.

How long does everyone's evening routine take? Mine is working fine, but no way I can get it done in 15mins.

Ta das:
☕LOL done and out to dry
☕Dry laundry put away
☕Kitchen wiped and DW rotated
☕More zooflora onto stinky chair. I think it's sort of working.. tomorrow will be sprinkling it with bicarbonate.

Elf my evening routine takes couple hours. It includes evening meal and bath/shower as well as all those little things that need doing to set the place ready for tomorrow

Thank you for the nail love! I think this blooming gel is going to be very fun to play with!
Elf for my cuticles I just use cuticle cream and oil. I never cut mine, just add the cream every day or two and push them back. I did get a really nice cuticle cream from Amazon that I put on at night a couple times a week and it helps my nails grow too.
I'm glad you're getting somewhere with your chair too, it'll be nice if it can actually be used again.

My evening routine hasn't really been timed, but I include my shower so much longer than 15 minutes! Mine would be:

• shower (always moisturise afterwards)
• get clothes out for next day
• take meds/ vitamins (& Coco's meds)
• brush teeth
• apply hand cream & cuticle cream/ oil
• bed

It can take me anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the dogs cooperating, or if I washed my hair etc. I really should fit in some stretches somewhere too though. I like to take my time so I can wind down properly.

Pom-poms and zoo I always find a 5 minute timer helps if it's a housework cba , if it's general life cba , sending you 💐 and hope you're both feeling brighter soon ❤️

Pom-poms well done for selling stuff on vinted - is it quite easy to do ? I fell out with eBay long ago and I tend to give stuff away , but with money getting tight , every penny saved would help !

Ditzy & DE I am not overly keen on a bird to be honest but Dd2 is absolutely desperate for a pet . I would much rather love a dog but we aren't in the house enough so it wouldn't be fair . We have until her birthday in May to make a final decision. Why couldn't she have chosen a fish 😂

Scourgify sounds like it'll be lovely when it's all finished!

Ditzy do you find the photos of your home help with motivation to keep going with the routines ?

DE I can't comment on the evening routine because that is my downfall area and something I need to look at . I suppose I have some sort of routine in that I always wash, brush teeth and read before bed but definitely need improvement prepping for the next day and packing stuff away ! I am much better in the mornings . Sounds like you're making progress with the stinky chair!

<waves to everyone and sending ☕️ to those that need it>

Tada
😴Morning coffee

We have an appointment at the bank at 10 so main aim this morning is to get everyone up at 8 and get ready to go out . Also going to get dd2 some pe plimsolls and some trainers. Gymnastics and running club this evening so will hopefully fit it some housework in somewhere!!

Dd2 has been invited to trial to be a club girl in gymnastics, this is the step to competing in amateur competitions, they also do another step which is more intense and bigger competitions. She is very excited ! I'm so proud of her , she was so shy to begin with and it has been amazing for her confidence! I now need to decide how we're going to celebrate this achievement....

@Searchingforsunnydays it's incredibly easy and has recently got seven easier.
✅Buyer pays postage upfront
✅no need to own a printer as you can print sticky labels at the shop you send from.
✅ very easy upload process

@Searchingforsunnydays

Re pet: have you considered a cat and cat flap? They are dead easy. The kids love him and you can go away and they can be left food and be independent.

Also night routines are my low point. I'm so exhausted by the time the kids go to bed I often get straight into bed myself. I'm a morning person and that's when I shine my sink.

Morning,

@Searchingforsunnydays we have cats because we don't have space for animals in hutches, cages etc and we both work outside the home. We will go away for one night and leave them using auto cat-feeders but any longer and we get someone to come in, luckily I have a group of friends who live locally and they/their teens normally do it (my two reciprocate) but as the teens grow up we might be back to doing each others. Professional cat-sitter or cattery for longer holidays. 10 years down the line and I still occasionally forget till the last minute 🤦‍♀️.

@HungryHazelEyes I wish my cuticles were as neat, despite oil and cream they get out of control very easily, dead skin creeps out from under them and even with pushing back they look tatty quickly. I use a cuticle remover gel and do sometimes trim them but my (horrendous) eyesight is such that I can see super close up what I am doing, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with normal eyesight.

@DomesticElf my evening routines are different because the DCs are teens and we all go out a lot in the evenings, often at next to no notice. So evening meals etc are somewhat ad-hoc. DH clears up the kitchen unless he is out for the whole evening as I do shopping and most cooking. My evening routine includes a perfunctory tidy up downstairs, making my packed lunch for the next day, sorting clean laundry and putting my own away, various specific exercises for my weak points (hip flexors, shoulders, stretches), my clothes out for the next morning, give the bathroom a quick swish and swipe, skincare etc, update my diary and to do lists.

Thursday.

http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

The flightplan is here. Today's mission is to spend 15 mins clearing anything off your kitchen counters that does not belong there. Ours aren't too bad apart from the breakfast bar area which seems to attract clutter like a magnet.

Thursday is errand day, I know that won't work for everyone depending on other commitments, I tend to do most of mine on Friday as its my day off.

The habit of the month is making your bed. I have to admit we don't do this as we both normally leave the house for the day fairly soon after getting up, the covers get turned down to air and left that way till bedtime. We don't have cushions or any other extras. The DCs are terrible at just leaving theirs in a mess, I wish I'd been a bit stricter about it when they were younger but you can't get everything right.

WRT birds as pets makes sure that dd is not afraid of anything flying around her head. A butterfly enclosure will help test this if you are not sure. I have a sibling that has full on panic attacks if there is something like an insect or bird flying around them so it is something that needs to be taken into account because a lot of birds are let out of their cages so they can exercise properly. And it could be a factor.

there is a lot of dont wanna here. mostly because i want to be outside in the nice weather doing things like hiking and gardening. But still have a huge amount of inside chores to be done. Hosting a whole mess of people for Easter and we are not tidy enough for that yet.

Currently taking it easy with my coffee before i attempt to hit the ground complaining...

hills I rather complain than run<thinking about older knees🤣>I'm very fond of walking tho and admired you determination...I'd be off into the hills and to hell with the bearpit back home<surveys mess and realises where I'm going wrong🤣>
Hazel lovely nails.

Forgot rest of personals so cheery waves to all.

Yesterday plodded a bit at reorg the kitchen cupboards,dd2 got in a flap so venture out 31/3 hour calming walk in field in the drizzle.lots wild bunnies eating baby nettles twas quite the sight to see💖💖💖💖

Today's got to involve more sorting...

Tada.
Cats fed.
Wash on.
Harpic lav.
Empty cupboard understairs.
Move Xmas tree to under D's bed(he's too tall to play under there now).
Wash in drier.
More in machine
Start reorganising some of the food into crates to go in there.
Wash almost ready for drier,then next load can go in.
I don't launder good Friday or Easter Sunday so need make headway on those fronts...

☀️ planned meals
☔️ food shopping hell with two kids and their own cute shopping trolleys...cue many tut from other shoppers, one upturned trolley, lots of tantrums
☀️coffee and walk with friend and moaning children.
☔️lol
☀️s & s
☔️ got kids to eat stir fry for tea...bloody miracle
Today has been a challenge

Aww bunnies eating nettles Zoo, how cute

Shame you had to put up with tutters Pompoms, people are so judgemental

I didn't want to be inside today either Hills

I also think making the bed is unhygienic ED it needs airing. Maybe FlyLady just means not left in a messy heap. I turn covers down same as you

Congrats to DD for her achievement Sunny. The pics are more to help see decluttering progress and also to notice if clutter is building up again. Because it's only a small amount of items in/out I don't notice. If I reorganise an area I can take a new pic to compare with the last ine. My Control Journal is my reminder for the routines.

Ta-da's:

Morning routine
Met up with a friend
Extra LOL
Finished clearing out the cupboard I started yesterday, cleaned it and reorganising it as I put it back
Decluttered
Took a walk
Evening routine

I've just had a second wind

🌕 another lol of the kids coats
🌕 Cleared kitchen tops as per mission
🌕 packed away the birthday lanterns
🌕 painting nails now
🌕 then bed and book

The bunnies sound so cute zoo 🐰
pompoms that sounded like a rough day!
Ditzy I forget to take pictures while I'm tidying up/decluttering. It really helps! I went around the whole house as it was taking pictures, before I got it ready to sell. It was horrifying!

YesTaDas:
🐰 just the one - I took the Jeep through the carwash

Ta Das:
🐰 detailed Jeep (I still need to vacuum it though, I'll do it this weekend) I used the cleaning spray, twice, then the shine spray, it was really bad!
🐰 cleaned the windows on the Jeep (interior)
🐰 emptied out the rubbish in the Jeep
🐰 swept carport
🐰 put Easter decorations out
🐰 cleared the Hotspot in the kitchen 😇

Time for bed! 🍒👋😴

Pom-poms** I am going to look into vinted today , thankyou for recommending! Please share your tips on getting kids to eat !! My younger 2 are very much a chicken roast dinner or sausage and mash palette, trying much else other than junk always ends in the bin 😩 Also well done for attempting the shopping! I find it quite stressful taking the younger 2 together although they are fine in their own !

Pom-poms and ED unfortunately me and my eldest are allergic to cats 🤦‍♀️ otherwise they would've been the better option. We are also allergic to some breeds of dogs but we seem to be better with one coated dogs and cocker spaniels which is strange as they to shed 🤷‍♀️

That's a good idea hills thankyou , we have a butterfly house nearby so we will pay it a visit and see how she goes . I hope you managed to get your to do list done and got outside into the sunshine for a while .

Zoo the bunny's sounds so lovely ! Well done for the reorganising of the kitchen !

Daffodils thankyou for the congratulations! She really loves gymnastics, it's lovely to see her growing in confidence! I will take some photos today and will do a comparison next month ! May help motivation! Well done for a great tada list yesterday 🎉

Hazel your jeep got a lot of love yesterday!!

Staying home today so I'm going to catch up on some chores , make Easter cards and finish putting the decorations up !! We have visitors later on but they won't bother about the house being a bit messy . Really would like to start on the pile of paperwork that needs sorting so I may embrace the 15 minute timer today and see how it goes !!

Tada
☕️☕️ Coffee !

Glorious weather here this morning. I think it was near freezing last night. I went out earlier and started clearing the steps. I do about one square metre at a time, then do some flying in the kitchen and putting away clean clothes, then back out.

Ta da :
👍15 min tidy of the kitchen
👍 bed made (I only pull down the covers too but neaten sheets and pillows)
👍 showered hair washed
👍 tidy and hoover living room
👍 cleared dining table which is a hotspot that I'm trying to keep on top of

My energy levels are really low , I'm going to sit and declutter the paper work and make some Easter cards with dd2 this afternoon. Ds has got a friend staying over tonight so I'll be setting up for that aswell but the plan is to take my time and potter about today. I feel really guilty because the weather is beautiful and we should be out but hopefully tomorrow I'll feel better after a more relaxed day !