Flying into May - Fledglings welcome all as we conquer the clutter

[EversoDisorganised]

Time for the May 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 covers housework, self-care and general organisation. It runs on a monthly cycle with the house divided into weekly zones, 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.

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.

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

Each day the website posts a mission (a detailed bit of cleaning or decluttering) for the current zone, but decluttering takes priority.

Then there’s the daily focus - each day of the week has a theme, although switch them round to suit yourself.

Each day I’ll provide the link to the flight plan, which is where you can see what is meant to be done that day (as a guide, nothing is obligatory).

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 to be confused with dear wife
LOL - load of laundry, we aren’t finding washing hilarious
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer
BRC - box of random crap

🤗Lol
🤗food shop and community fridge
🤗toddler group
🤗 kids gym class
🤗 planted a load of cuttings and plants in the garden
🤗 filled car with petrol...my all time worse job to do
🤗 ironing

Morning all, I have startede the day by cleaning the bathroom basin and feeding the cats, I’m at home today with just a small amount of work to do so will be planning a few PO3s I think.

Thursday’s Flightplan is here: http://flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

Our mission is to choose our own mission in Zone 1. Where to start! We have to empty the whole of Zone 1 by next Friday so decluttering is the obvious one for me.

Thursday is Errand Day, I need to pop to Sainsburys for a few bits, will do it on the way back from taking DD to the station shortly.

@CherryogDog these threads have been going for about 15 years, I think the feeling you describe of everyone just getting it is what makes them so special.

@EversoDisorganised I'm still in planning mode, envious of your productivity!
Last night I went to wash the pots and pans, but got distracted trying to work out how much washing powder to use, I've just got a 10kg bag from ebay and the guide is in mls, not grams.
After all that mental arithmetic needed to sit down and watch Eastenders 😅
Today I WILL finish my kitchen.
Plant my tomatoes out.
Anything else is a bonus.

Welcome Cherry. I haven't been ion much due to tech problems which I cant sort out and a dH that hogs the computer.I don't have a laptop or a decent phone and Ipad and Mumsnet are no longer compatible.

I have got myself back in a muddle. However I clean basin every morning and if you do that it does only take two minutes.I do loo too but not a full clean ie the pedestal and bottom of loo.I do that once a week with shower tray and doors on a Saturday.

I have been in the garden and have lots of time out of the house recently. Boudoir is a tip as trying to declutter some stuff. Room of Doom is slowly getting better. Dining room table is covered in stuff. Small amount on left side.Piles of stuff including 10 baby and toddler blankets for Ukraine.I have finished another and have been given three more beautiful ones. Need to photograph them and put them on the Cumbria Way Challenge sometime soon. Then send to Ukraine.Saw awful video footage of captured soldiers this morning. Not sure what their fate will be but they were making them say rank and name and stripping them of there stripes etc hands bound. I hope they get a chance but more likely will be shot. They are from the same place as my friend's brother but thankfully he wasn't amongst them. I imagine he will know some of them.So sad.It is still snowing there too.They looked so cold and frightened and some were quite old. 🙏for them.

The Scarecrow trail is a great success with lots of people coming.Ours is still up though not sure how long as it is very windy today.
Another one who 'hoards' keeps things but trying to do less. Plastic bacgs/ carrier.I have a few strong ones and about 4 of the carrier bags. Two in a small Laura Ashley strawberry bag by the backdoor and two in the car any more go to Ukraine or the charity shop as they are short just now. Two pairs of old leggings are on the scarecrow and a pair of thick tights. Plastic tray for seedlings and take some to the school. Give paper towel tubes when I save a few. I have been invited to help with the garden and work with the children one morning a week.
My pension was paid in at last so I had a little spend at the garden centre yesterday.Two plants and four bags of compost. Start planting seed today. early potatoes are in and bed was dug over. Need to tidy Greenhouse again and start lettuce off. Toms are being grown by BF's son. Broad beans are later damn. Peas will be ok. It was -2 last week on two nights hence the late start.We often get a late frost in May so don't plant out until June.Going to risk pots with Petunias for Coronation.
Right need wee and coffee and out into Greenhouse.I did an hour in the garden this morning when it was bright and sunny but now it is cold and windy so Greenhouse it is.
Thanks ED for both threads. Good luck with the building work/Ours hasn't turned up again.We just need the outside pointed.I am going get someone else.
👋

Tada!

✅Cleaned basin
✅Took DD to station
✅Did main weekly food shop (realised I might as well although usually do it on Friday we needed fruit today). Bumped into friend and chatted.
✅Stopped at allotment for 45 mins on way back
✅Voted
✅Unpacked food
✅Aquafit - another friend there, went for coffee after
✅Walked home via bluebell woods
✅2 x LOL washed and put on line (left on line overnight)
✅Cleaned kitchen floor
✅TIDIED DINING TABLE!
✅Packed half of contents of dresser (china and glass) into a crate, but ran out of newspaper, also moved all the wine glasses into my baking cupboard (boxes of flour etc removed to counter)
✅Hoovered car
✅Cleaned out two week day bags, found a credit card that was AWOL, phew
✅Ordered radiators, finally
✅Chucked dinner in oven and went back to allotment for an hour
✅Updated banking spreadsheet
✅Started listening to audiobook of Atomic Habits after @HillsBesideTheSea suggestion a few weeks ago, already seeing parallels with Flylady eg baby steps

Friday - here is today’s Flightplan. As usual the weekly habits are to clear out your car and handbag. Our mission today is to take 15 minutes to just chill out

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

@EversoDisorganised you've done loads!
Yesterday tada
Cleaned cooker (not oven because can't bend down without knackering my back, DP says he'll do it this weekend)
Actually took me 2 hours, which is very embarrassing 😳
Whilst it was soaking with cleaning stuff I washed the pots and pans, did a LOL, took out all my baking dishes that don't have handles and put them in the charity box. My hands don't work very well these days and I can't bake unless DP is in to lift stuff out.
Contemplated the hot spot in my front room.
Today's to do
Hopefully my under sink storage will arrive today so I can get that area sorted.
A general kitchen clean. It's like painting the Forth bridge 😁
Clear hot spot in front room.
Any energy left to be used cleaning downstairs.
I've got a way to go before I'm anywhere near as sorted as you all, but I've got the motivation, if not the energy.

I thought about sharing some pics I took of my dining room, in the hope that they'd make you all feel better about your own dining tables.
But then I thought what if the Daily Mail lifted my pictures 😅
It's a mix of the usual clutter, piles of charity shop stuff, and about half of what came home from the stables.
I think this will be the last of the rooms that I tackle, I've got a tack room in my outbuildings, but it needs pulling out on a dry day to sort it out before I put anything else in.
I'm secretly hoping that our new place will be ready soon, the planning permission is taking forever, and I'll just be able to move everything there instead of dealing with it all.

@EversoDisorganised I read atomic habits recently and found it really motivational. I love the idea if I can just improve 1percent each day then all the improvements will compound.

@CherryogDog have you ever seen any of the cleaning tiktoks where the houses are a real mess? I am fascinated and horrified in equal measures. I actually bought my shark hoover after watching someone hoover up rabbit poo, cat poo, old food, clumps of hair, dust and god knows what else. It's a really good hoover.

@Porkandbeans1 haven't seen the tiktoks but watched a fair few of the hoarders programmes, some are just so sad!
I used to love Aggie and Kim's How Clean is Your House, some people I know were on it.
I loved the episode with the horsey people, and Kim's shock at finding the dishwasher loaded with bits and stirrups 😅
Hard to believe but I used to be a cleaner when my children were small, one employer must have forgotten I was coming and I found the dishwasher full of sex toys 🤣🤣

Gorgeous bluebell wood ED

Cherry - that dishwasher! 😂

The Shark sounds good Pork. I've got a Hetty that I'm quite impressed with

Ta-da's: (from the last few days, in addition to the morning and evening routines)

🕵️ Life admin
🕵️ Shopping list
🕵️ Hand washed delicate clothes
🕵️ Shredding unwanted paperwork
🕵️ Art project
🕵️ Took in delivery, unpacked and put away
🕵️ Decluttering
🕵️ Reading novel
🕵️ General tidying up

Hello. Don't think I wrote here before, but I followed flylady years ago, and it worked. But that was in an apartment and living alone, both of which changed, so most routines I had have since disappeared. What stayed was the daily focus (with completely different things) and the idea that doing anything, no matter how small, is better than nothing. I have looked here before sometimes, mostly on the first day of the month, and I think writing and reading here (probably irregularly) might help to keep the house a bit more into shape.

Yesterday
Ta da

• Conquered the laundry mountain
• Ordered groceries
• Dishwasher unloaded and loaded
• lol
• Took a rest when I felt tired

Today's to do's:

• Water plants
• Harden tomatoes
• Wash work clothes
• Take a rest when tired

I should also batchcook, weed the garden, put up wallpaper, clean the windows and do 30 other jobs. But I woke up tired again, so we'll see

Yesterday's TaDa!
General clean of kitchen.
Shone my sink. Couldn't get all the limescale off the tap, previously I'd have wandered off to Google limescale remover paste and then faffed about on my phone for an hour, but I did the best I could and waited until I'd finished my to do list before googling.
Swept up all the hard floors downstairs.
Mopped all the hard floors, even though it was raining and they got a bit mucky afterwards.
2 LOLs.
Tidied the hot spot in my front room.
Waited in all day for my storage thingy to arrive which didn't come until 7pm.
Watched one of A SLob Comes Clean on you tube, where she says deal with the object straight away when you declutter, don't put it to one side to deal with later. I'm on the fence with that, I feel I might get distracted but I'll give it a go.

Weekend's plans will be tidy under sink, organise larder (DP will be putting an extra shelf in), clean oven (also DP's job).
Some work at the field.
Shopping.
Start decluttering and cleaning the rest of the house.
What's everyone else got planned?

Morning all,

Welcome @SalixAlba I agree about reading and posting here keeping me focussed, it reminds me to do things and makes me accountable.

Flylady gives us a bit of a day off on Saturdays, which are decreed to be Family Fun Day, here is the flightplan in any case http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

On Monday we will be moving into Zone 2, the kitchen.

Well, it’s pouring with rain here, DH and I have had a lazy morning, full english breakfast and now watching the Coronation, we aren’t huge royal fans but I find the whole thing fascinating.

Did a lot more packing up in the renovation zone yesterday, DH is going to take some furniture to work this afternoon (he has a storage unit there). I’m hoping to get up to the allotment for a bit. DS came home from uni again yesterday, he’s feeling a bit worn out with an excess of midweek socialising, no sign of him or DD yet. Lots more pre-renovation packing needed later too.

Also watching the coronation. Currently doing yet more batch cooking. But this will be shelf stable stuffs so the poor freezer can have a break. Well except the pie. the pie has to go in the freezer

thank you for the reminder about watering plants. meant to do that last weekend and never got around to it.

The plan for this afternoon is a walk if the weather holds out but that is not looking probable so will most likely be text books.

Thanks for the welcome, EversoDisorganised.

I also watched the coronation. Which was perfect for removing wallpaper during the less interesting bits.

Yesterday's tada's:

• Watered plants (did not expect that to be inspiring 🙂)
• Hardened tomatoes
• lol. Not work clothes
• Spray painted little cupboard
• Bit of weeding because of lovely weather
• Removed wallpaper
• Took rest
• Got plants and cupboard inside before rain

Today's todo's

• dryer
• wash work clothes
• put book in little free library
• bring lunch

Optional

• Fold laundry
• Fill painted cupboard

(Also, English is not my first language, so if you notice tomoatoes losing and gaining e's or odd phrases, that is why)

Or 'o's apparently 😀

Welcome Salix 👋

I worked yesterday, wasn't feeling the greatest, but powered through anyway. I did a lol when I got home, then watched a couple of movies with DH & DS. It was a quiet evening, DS has strep throat (I took him to urgent care Friday night after work, one look in his throat and I knew it was strep). Doctor also took one look and knew it as well, no test needed!
ILs are bringing lunch over today, I think 🤔 I need to call them to confirm or we'll be heading over there!

To Dos:
🐶 bathe the dogs
🐶 wash dog beds & blankets
🐶 wash blankets from couch
🐶 vacuum main floor
🐶 meal plan for the week
🐶 grocery shopping or pickup

Coco is stinky, I smell poop when she's around and it's grossing me out! I'm feeling quite a bit better today, no body aches right now anyway, so I'm motivated to get stuff done!
Time for my 2nd cup of coffee though before I start (9:15am here)
🍒👋 to everyone

I'm reading the thread but the phone is such a PITA to use that its very hard to reply much.

not much flying happening though, just ticking over by feeding everyone and doing LOLS.

I have washed the birds feeders. we have a squirrel bring a total dickhead here and smashing up all the feeders if anyone has any tips? I'd happily feed it if it wasn't such a violent thug.

Placemarking.
Welcome newbies ☺️👋

My life has been taken over by interview prep, which is in just over a week's time 😱
Keeping up with all my routines, which means laundry is under control, kitchen is sorted, plants and fishes are alive, carpets are in a presentable state, house is relatively tidy.

Haven't really been doing in depth zone cleaning, which I am planning on getting on top of once I am through this interview.

pompoms we have asshole squirrels here too, FIL has ordered a spray for me to keep them away. I'm just waiting for its arrival. MIL has used hers and it works. The squirrels are cute to watch, until they start digging in my flower pots, shredding swing cushions to shreds and chewing on solar string lights that were brand new 😡 I'm ready to chop down the tree they live in (mainly because I hate that tree)!

Elf good luck with your interview and good job on keeping up your routines.

Ta Das:
🫖 bathed dogs
🍯 washed all the dog beds and blankets (2 LOLs)
🫖 cleaned dogs kennels, discovered that Coco stunk of puke, not poop in the end as I found some throw up in her kennel 😢
🍯 washed blankets from couches (2 LOLs)
🫖 vacuumed main floor of house
🍯 S&S main bathroom
🫖 put away air fryer from countertop
🍯 wiped countertops down
🫖 ILs came over with lunch 😋
🍯 meal planned
🫖 grocery list written
🍯 pulled out food from freezer

I had to make myself some chamomile tea and honey as I started not feeling the greatest again (mainly my throat). I am currently relaxing on the couch. I will be taking a shower soon, body scrub, self tanner etc. Maybe that'll help me feel better again 🤷‍♀️

Sorry, been AWOL for a couple of days. Watched TV for much of Saturday (although did go to the gym after the Coronation). Then lots more decluttering and room clearance. Out all day yesterday with friends (non-Coronation activities - football match and a meal). More house clearance this morning then drove DS back to uni this afternoon and have been doing admin for a couple of hours now. Washing is ticking over and the kitchen is clean. The rooms that have been cleared are grubby where the furniture was but the bulk of the clearing has been done now, just coats and shoe racks to go. Builders start on Saturday.

So, as it is Monday we should have been thinking about Weekly Home Blessing Hour. To anyone unfamiliar this is a blitz of dusting, hoovering, bin emptying and bed changing. http://www.flylady.net/d/daily-focus/daily-focus-monday/

The mission for the day was supposed to be http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60 Scrub Your Stove top, I do need to do this.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Clean In and Around your silverware holder, if you use one, or utensil pot, cutlery drawer etc. The link above will update overnight, but if you ever want to check yesterday or tomorrow there are links for that below the heading on the Flight plan page.

Good luck with the interview Elf

Never heard of squirrel spray Hazel, sounds interesting. Got to keep them away from your new cushions. Hope you're not coming down with a cold and sorry Coco has been unwell

Welcome Salix you're off to a good start

Would the squirrels leave the bird feeders alone if you did feed them Pompoms?

You've done so well with this clearance mission ED

Just dropping my ta-da's before I go back to bed. Been keeping up with routines, plus:

Saturday

🍉 Sorted out new electronic devices, getting the Bluetooth to talk to each other
🍉 Worked on my scrapbook
🍉 Had a life-is-shite moment and planned out my new fantasy life if I won the lottery. Alas I did not
🍉 Decluttered
🍉 Life admin
🍉 Took a walk by myself when everyone else was in bed, to clear my head

Sunday

🥴 Home blessings
🥴 2 extra LOL
🥴 Deep cleaned bathroom and sprayed insecticide. There's an ongoing, unfixable, pest control issue that I have to keep to minor levels
🥴 Took a walk in the sunshine to relax

Monday

🧁 Washed car
🍭 Decluttered
🍬 Tidied bedroom
🍫 Took a walk
🍩 Filed some paperwork
🍧 Sorted out my weekly planner

My TADAs
Potted lots of new plants for my patio.
Found some seeds and beans that my daughter got me for my birthday last year so chucked them in too.
Had a row with him indoors because he put a bag of compost on top of the box with seeds in.
Cleaned my oven myself in the end.
Tidied and cleaned under the sink and vowed not to buy any new cleaning products until the current ones are nearly used up.
Bought animal feed.
Today's list
I'm going to avert my eyes from my hell hole of a dining room, clean my front room.
Hoover my stairs.
Start cleaning upstairs if I have any energy left.
Ditto put my laundry away, I'm very good at keeping up with the laundry, not so much putting it away 🙃
I'm going to try to attach a picture of my beans, I have no idea what they are, there's no info on the packet so will be a surprise if they grow!
If you zoom in you can see what they say.