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Flying into Spring - The Fledglings are no Fools

237 replies

ExtremelyDetermined · 31/03/2023 23:09

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 Flowers. The system starts properly on Monday, but the weekend is a good time to have a look at the website and start planning.

Getting Started | FlyLady.net

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
DitzyDaffodils · 07/04/2023 14:51

Thanks Sunny. I love Easter crafts too

This most recent lot of pics were not good Hazel. I've brought too much in. The last lot of pics were better. I felt like crying. It has spurred me on to declutter. I've already deleted some things off the list of stuff I want but don't need

Hope you manage to get your steps cleared Scourgify

You did well yesterday Pompoms with getting a second wind, hope you're not too worn out

Ta-da's:

🌿 Morning routine🚿🧹
🌿 Take plants 🥀🌷 outside because they can't live in the kitchen forever, it's being taken over by little black flies 🦟
🌿 Decluttered 🗑️
🌿 Found a new top to go with the trousers I'm wearing in future because today's top is worn out and being decluttered this evening 👕
🌿 Digital decluttering. Sorted out all the bookmarks on my phone 📱. There were lots and they were chaos. Now some are deleted and the rest are grouped in categories so I can find what I'm looking for in future

DitzyDaffodils · 07/04/2023 14:52

Moon I hope your dog 🐕 is doing ok after the vet visit

moonbedazzled · 07/04/2023 15:25

Awww, thank you, Ditzy. He's pretty much back to normal now. He's loving his soft diet, I guess because it's full of fish, chicken and sausages. He needs to make the most of it because it's back to biscuits soon! 🥰

moonbedazzled · 07/04/2023 15:31

I've not been at home this week and I've done nothing today. I'm hopeless. So I've made a list of 11 jobs that need doing that are frying my head the most. To make it more like a game (how old am I?!!), I've stuck the jobs on a roulette wheel on my phone and it will choose the order I do them in.
I hope this works because they're going to have to dig me out of here soon. I'll report back later what I've managed to do.

moonbedazzled · 07/04/2023 15:32

Furst job. Clean the fridge.

HillsBesideTheSea · 07/04/2023 20:05

Gamification is actually a really good way to help motivate you.
hope you make the progress you want.

We did big family Easter dinner today. it was lovely the food was amazing and everyone was so content that cake was ignored several hours after I have given notice to the people that they are not my priorities next week. i have curled up already and will be getting an early night. But first i might need a cheese sandwich - a bit of savoury before bed.

ExtremelyDetermined · 07/04/2023 21:43

With apologies, I didn’t manage to post links this morning, we were packing up to travel home and I didn’t get time. You seem to have all managed just fine without me! We have had a lovely few days, weather has been glorious.

@Searchingforsunnydays we have food woes here too, bearing in mind mine are 19 and 17 I would say it does get easier, but it has been a long road. One of mine eats like yours, sausage and mash, roast dinners etc but isn’t keen on spicy or world foods. The other won’t touch anything bland like sausage and mash, roast dinner, fish and chips (any form of potato in fact) but LOVES all the foreign cuisines. My tips would be to to try and not get stressed about it, put foods out and encourage them to try but don’t force it. Make sitting round the table a happy experience if you possibly can. When they are old enough get them involved in choosing, shopping and cooking, it really does help. We do quite a bit of mix and match cooking so we might make eg roast dinner but the ones who doesn’t like it will have leftover curry from the night before, when the one who doesn’t like curry will have had pasta and tomato sauce or something else very simple instead.

@HillsBesideTheSea glad you had a good lunch and a bit of rest afterwards.

@moonbedazzled I like the roulette wheel idea!

Well, we have unpacked, I have done the weekly food shop, we have put it away and DH has cleared up the kitchen after dinner which was sandwiches. Off for an early night now.

OP posts:
DomesticElf · 07/04/2023 22:03

ED so pleased to hear your time away was fab!
Moon good luck with the chores list. You can do it!
Hills dinner sounds lovely.

Ta das:
💥Taken all rubbish out of the car
💥Emptied pockets of my warm coat.... 3 toy cars, a toddler fork, 2 face masks, several random bits of paper, and a tissue 🥴
💥Fridge cleaned
💥Toaster de-crumbed
💥Small appliances wiped
💥DW rotated , kitchen surfaces wiped

DitzyDaffodils · 07/04/2023 22:21

You're not useless Moon , you're a work in progress. Good idea to turn it into a game and I'm glad your dog is ok. Thanks for the reminder about the fridge

Glad you enjoyed the holiday ED

Interesting pocket contents Elf 😄

Glad the family dinner went smoothly Hills and everyone enjoyed it

Ta-da's:

🌛 Cleared suspicious looking food out of the fridge 👾. Stared at the pizza for a while 🔬 trying to decide if that was/wasn't mould before realising it contains olives 🤮 and was a mistake purchase anyway. Into the bin it went
🌛 Went through a box 📦 and decluttered a third of the contents. I don't even know why I kept the things I got rid of in the first place, they were never suitable
🌛 Took a walk 🚶down to the pub 🍻 with the live band playing 🎸🎶 who were rather good
🌛 Evening routine and time for sleep 💤

Scourgify · 08/04/2023 06:43

Filled two bin bags with last year's leaves off the top path and steps. I'm planning to do more of the same today. Also tackle the kitchen table and tidy the fridge. Put away clean clothes.

THATissoooFETCH · 08/04/2023 08:20

Well done for sticking at it with OU perry! You do need some good self motivation for distance learning! Year 1 ✅️

Searchingforsunnydays · 08/04/2023 11:28

Glad the family meal went well hills!

Moon how did you get on with your list ?

ED Glad you enjoyed your time away ! I have a nightmare food wise , I usually have about 40 minutes to get something on the table so they can eat and get ready for their clubs , if only they ate things that I could warm up and put a microwave rice with or some pasta , my life would be so much easier ! Instead meal times are least favourite time of day 🤦‍♀️ we made curry yesterday, made a separate Korma for ds and dd2 and ds ate it all which was a shock , dd2 however , dipped the naan bread in the sauce , ate 2 bits of chicken and wouldn't touch the rice 😩 I'm going to keep trying on the days they haven't got clubs to try and widen their palettes so that rush can become easier with warmed up food rather than cooked from scratch if that makes sense.

DE. Great ta da list!

Daffodils glad you had a nice evening. Well done for the decluttering! I often wonder why I kept things when I go back through the pile - I never learn though and still end up with lots of piles of random stuff 😂

Scourgify well done for the steps clearing , good luck with your to do list for today.

<waving to everyone else > I hope you are all enjoying your Easter weekend!

I got up a lot later than usual today and it's completely thrown me .

Tada
👍Washed, dressed, bed made, breakfast
👍 currently sat at dd2 gymnastics planning the rest of the day 🙈

We're hoping to go and visit family tomorrow so will try to pack a few things. The whole house is a complete mess so there's plenty to do . Going to think which bits are the most urgent.

moonbedazzled · 08/04/2023 12:44

I had 11 items on my list and I did 6. I can't believe how much roomier the house looks already. And I finished the day by doing the dishes and shining the sink!

Can't do much today and tomorrow because of family things, but I'm going to finish the list on Monday so I'll be ready to start properly on Tuesday.

The roulette method really worked for me. It brought up a couple of jobs I really have been putting off - one was putting all the Xmas decorations in the loft - from Xmas 2021!!

Thanks for the support everyone. It really means a lot and it pushes me on... Happy Easter. x

Stilllivinginazoo · 08/04/2023 13:46

Understairs cupboard sorted,working way around kitchen.

Only personal I remembered was good to hear hills is taking time out next week!

Busy try get house shipshape less squalid for Easter....

Searchingforsunnydays · 08/04/2023 14:55

Brilliant, well done moon! I may try it - anything to keep motivation!

Zoo whenever anyone mentions under the stairs , I automatically think of Harry Potter 😂

Tada
👍lunch
👍 applied for TA course 😬
👍 living room put back together after ds sleepover last night and hoovered
👍 most of the dry clothes folded

Outside enjoying the sunshine whilst dd2 enjoys some Easter pottery . I should really do some gardening....

THATissoooFETCH · 08/04/2023 16:08

TA course sounds exciting sunny!

Good progress with your list moon

I have just been having a tidy in the garden. May have bribed some dc with ice lollies to help! Play house sorted out, leaves swept, drains cleared, toys away, sand pit empty, moved few bits around! Looks better (was a right tip)

HungryHazelEyes · 08/04/2023 16:09

hills I'm so happy to hear that you aren't going to put others needs first for a change, that you're going to take care of you! Do you have anything planned?
moon it sounds like the roulette is really working for you, well done!
sunny enjoy the sunshine 🌞
Scourgify clearing away fallen leaves etc makes stuck a big difference, we had DS start on that Thursday, picking up fallen branches etc.

Ditzy I wonder why we have half the stuff we have. DH will blame me for holding onto things yet he will say "but what if we need it for so and so" which we don't ever need said item 🙄 also he complains to me about my clothes, I do go through them to declutter them, but not him. He has clothes from 20 years ago that he never wears!
Elf is surprising what you can find in coat pockets, isn't it?!
ED oooh, I love a short trip away, and to already be unpacked is so nice too

Last night we decorated our Easter eggs, ILs came over. It was a nice evening.

Today I'm planning to go help ILs clean up from ripping up the kitchen floor, it's all stacked up in their backyard. It needs to get loaded up into their pickup and taken to the tip. I wouldn't usually offer, but I don't want FIL to overdo it, he keeps trying to do too much.

HungryHazelEyes · 08/04/2023 16:13

that nothing wrong with bribery in my opinion 🤣 it's a win win situation!

ExtremelyDetermined · 08/04/2023 17:11

@Searchingforsunnydays I had forgotten about the fitting eating round clubs thing, when mine were younger they were out at a different clubs every night and weekends, DH and I did some too, it was a bit of a nightmare. Then once they got to about 13 or 14 they gradually started dropping a few and it is much easier now, DD only does archery and DS is at uni and just does hockey when he’s at home.

Spent most of the day outdoors today, a couple of hours at the allotment this morning, then a bit of cleaning and tidying my greenhouse, planting seeds and planting out some herbs I bought at the farmer’s market on the way home from the allotment. Our garden is at it’s most colourful in April, we have lots of self-seeded primroses in the lawn, bulbs, daisies, bluebells starting to appear.

OP posts:
THATissoooFETCH · 08/04/2023 17:20

I am all about the bribery!

Bloody tired today. Shit nights sleep.

HungryHazelEyes · 08/04/2023 19:58

So many people on mn working on their gardens today! I never did go to ILs to help them. They had it done before I left the house to head that way!

Ta Das:
🌷 small grocery shop, for lunch tomorrow
🌷 removed my gel from my nails 😭 I had the beginnings of a reaction, skin blistering around the nail. I'm hoping it's just the gel builder I keep reacting to. I've only put it on my fingers, not my toes, my toes have never reacted to gel.
🌷 showered to scrub my body, applied self tanner afterwards

I'm about to iron DS's outfit for later. He's performing in the school jazz band at a local restaurant for a fundraiser 🥰

DomesticElf · 08/04/2023 22:02

I was really tempted to do our garden as well (by to do I mean properly set up outdoor toys, sweep the leaves, prune few branches, maybe buy few pot plants). It was a bit on a chilly side, so I didn't feel like poking around the garden today. Maybe next weekend.

Ta das:
🍰Washed drip trays from both coffee machines
🍰Degreaser with a proper rub to hob backplash and to oven door. Thankfully this was mainly prophylactic measure.
🍰Kitchen cleaned several times between cooking
🍰Dry laundry put away
🍰3 LOLs washed and out to dry
🍰Piano tuned - thank you, piano tuner man.
🍰Mani/pedi done. I usually do these myself, but don't bother with nail polish. Can't wear it on my hands due to the job; and feet.. well, it's not sandal season yet 😬
🍰Plants watered

Hazel I am sorry you reacted to something in the gel process. I hope it's something you can easily replace.

HungryHazelEyes · 09/04/2023 02:17

Elf I'm sure I can, but it'll probably be expensive for not very much, the opposite that I'm used to! My coworker gets her nails done professionally and she said she'd ask her this week when she goes. I sent her pics of the brand I use. Hopefully she'll be able to give me a good recommendation that I can try once this reaction has cleared up.

More ta das:
🐣 filled plastic eggs with candy
🐣 dropped DS off at restaurant for the 1st session of their jazz fundraiser
🐣 baked lemon loaf for tomorrow
🐣 rinsed off guide colour for self tanner
🐣 moisturised really well
🐣 makeup on, hair curled, nice clothes on for our dinner session

🍒👋

partypompoms · 09/04/2023 07:14

@DitzyDaffodils great to do a digital declutter. Well done. It's something I forget a lot and it really takes up a lot of storage for photos and videos and emails hanging around.

@moonbedazzled laughed my head off at the roulette wheel. That's absolutely brilliant.

@ExtremelyDetermined don't worry about links. I think we all know the weekends off my heart really.

@Searchingforsunnydays food times with kids are so tiring aren't they. But you know it's worth persevering. I think the dipping breads in a sauce and two bits of chicken is a positive that can be worked on. Some kids won't even tolerate certain foods on their plate let alone try them.

Yesterday;
🐣 gardening with kids: planting seeds and planting in seedlings.
🐣 read book in the sun with a cuppa
🐣 went to do Easter at my mams as we are seeing h's family today
🐣lol
🐣 sent Vinted parcel
🐣 set up eater egg hunt for today which was completed at 5 am in record speed 🥱 😴

Searchingforsunnydays · 09/04/2023 08:42

That I currently work in a school as a PCA however I do more of a TA role. I figure if I've got the qualification, it'll help in the future when I can work more hours 😊
I love the bribery ! Sometimes it's the only way to get things done !

Hazel such a shame you had a reaction ! Your nails looked beautiful! Hopefully it is just the brand and you will be able to put some on in the future ! How did ds get on at the jazz fundraiser?

ED sounds like you had a lovely day yesterday ❤️

DE mani / pedi sounds good ! Impressive tada list. Hopefully the weather will keep warming up so you can get into the garden next weekend.

Pompoms I was also reading in the sun yesterday- a little moment of bliss 😊

<waves good morning to everyone else>

Yesterday's tadas:
👍tidy dining room
👍tidy and S&s bathroom
👍got clothes out for today
👍Easter egg hunt for today

The kids loved the Easter egg hunt this morning , we didn't buy or receive much this year because dd2 had to have a filling just before Christmas and is still having trouble with the tooth (filling keeps coming out , there is some decay around the filling but the dentist doesn't want to touch it yet as it isn't causing her pain, which I don't understand ?) We have changed quite a lot of her diet , however the tooth came through with a light brown/ yellowish patch and that's where the tooth deteriorated. Luckily we have visited the same dentist for years so she is quite comfortable in the chair but I think the tooth will either have to be capped or taken out eventually 🥲 dd1 and ds have no issues with their teeth . I do wonder whether she takes after me because I have always had trouble with mine, especially since pregnancy! So the Easter bunny dropped enough small eggs for a hunt , a small Easter egg , money for the older 2 and a pink monkey teddy that dd2 had spotted in Smyths ! Much better for her teeth and lessens my anxiety about her having too much sugar !!

Today we're off to visit family for the day so there won't be much flying . I hope everyone has a lovely day !

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