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

My TADAs,
Tidied normal household stuff in dining room, stacked my horse stuff in boxes in one area so can access table.
Started sifting through the charity shop stuff, was going yo take pics of some of and put it on the village fb page, to see if anyone wants anything, but OH came in in between jobs and randomly stacked a load of it up and put it in my new storage boxes.
Considering I've got a really big box of his stuff, and stuff I want him to let me know if he wants it before it gets rehoused, I was a bit miffed and went off to watch TV 😆 so didn't get much done.
He did redeem himself though, I've been getting the hump because one of my dogs keeps digging up my plants, so he made me a lovely rustic bench to put my pots on out of the way of little paws.
Went shopping today and bought lots of cleaning stuff in Home Bargains, I've gone full circle (more than once). My mum kept our home immaculate, but when she died and it was just my Dad it was like a tramps house.
I got married and was really house proud, it was my husband who hoarded then. Was widowed and things slipped. I've cycled between the two states for far too long.
To do list
Organise my cleaning cupboard.
Decide whether to try selling some of the stuff or give it to the charity shops.
Tackle the limescale on my tap that I couldn't remove, I've got some Kilrock gel to do it with.
A lot of stuff that I couldn't decide what to do with is now in my bedroom so that's probably a two day job for me.
Hi to everyone, hope you're having a good weekend!

Today's ta-da's:

🥀 Morning routine
🥀 Tea with a friend
🥀 Finished an art project and made progress with another
🥀 Took a walk round the lake
🥀 Sat in the sun reading a magazine and listening to the excited talk about discovering a frog 🐸 in the garden
🥀 Evening routine

It sounds like everyone has been busy the last few days, I've not done much, mostly work and doing the dishes after dinner.

It's Mother's Day weekend here. I worked my 2nd job today (Saturday), tonight we did our dinner of steak and shrimp with the ILs. DH & DC bought a hanging basket for MIL (I was planning on getting her one after work today, but DH said they already got one!).
They got me 3 rose bushes! I'm so excited! I have lots of planting to do still, but I'm looking forward to it 😀
I don't know what the plan is for tomorrow, but I know I don't want to really do anything, other than maybe spending time outside in my garden! DH mentioned driving up into the mountains, that sounds fun too, just not all day!
🍒👋 to everyone

Morning everyone 😊
OH has gone to sort the horses out for me so I'm having a rare lie in.
Then I'm going to pull out my cleaning supplies cupboard and get that really tidy, and any "doubles/trebles" of things are going in my overflow/crap cupboard.
My chickens have started laying like crazy, so I'm going to be making a quiche and racking my brains for more recipes to try.
Now my kitchen is tidy I won't have to move 67 items to make space for making pastry which is definitely a TADA!!

Ta-da's:

🕸️Morning routine
🕸️Home blessings
🕸️Paint nails
🕸️Read my novel
🕸️Decluttering
🕷️Evening routine

Morning, sorry, late again, I seem to have too much going on at the moment.

Builders started on Saturday morning, pulled up floorboards in the dining room to repair damaged joists. Left a big sheet of chipboard covering the gap over the weekend, but there was a bit of a hole at one end still. One of the cats went AWOL till mid evening then reappeared smelling of damp sawdust and brick. Hmmm. Covered the gap with something else. Lots of gardening and laundry done at the weekend. It is weird now, half the house is completely empty and the rest is very cluttered, Flying may take a bit of a back seat till this is all done.

Anyway, its Monday so that means Home Blessing Day.

The zone this week is the bathroom and one other room.

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

The mission for today is to clear the flat surfaces in your bathroom(s) and do a 15 min declutter in whatever room needs it the most.

I baked yesterday, cleared up the mess I made, washed the pots and put away everything.
One LOL.
Today I'm definitely sorting my cleaning cupboard, will sort one drawer of clothes, and may even put yesterday's LOL away.
I've got a LOL of towels to do.
All I've got out in the bathroom is stuff that's too tall for the cabinet, and my toothbrush because I don't like putting in the cabinet when it's wet.

📌 half a home bleurgh (downstairs)
📌 lol
📌 meal planner for the week
📌 food shop and community fridge
📌 dehydrated a tonne of bananas from community fridge.
📌 made a vat of soup
📌 have shingles again so wiped out

@partypompoms sorry that you're unwell. I had a horrible rash about 3 weeks ago and I've felt awful since, exhausted and migraines most days. I sent a picture of the rash to my GP and she just said it didn't look infected.

Yesterday's TaDas
4 LOLs.
Last of the kitchen cupboards organised.
One bedroom drawer tidied and 3 things in the charity bag.
Hopefully today I'll finish my chest of drawers.
I've got masses of bedroom storage but I still can't work out how to organise my clothes.
I can't get on with Marie Kondo's vertical stacking. I'd like some of those fabric clothes organisers with the dividers but haven't seen any in the shops.
I go through phases of not having enough of something eg t shirts, stock up and then I've got far too many.
I lost a load of weight, celebrated by buying too many pairs of jeans, put weight back on and now have a deep drawer of jeans that fit and a big box of jeans that I can't get on.
And coats. I have about 20 lol.

Yesterday:
Headache. Nothing.

Today (headache gone, luckily)
Todo.
Lol (jeans)
Hand wash
Tomatoes
Feed upstairs plants

Should do: (But I will pick one ir two cause it's too much)
Bathroom
Kitchen
Living room
Garden
Mealprep

Extra's
Bring something to attic
Clean robot's filter
Study
Buy potting mix
Dishwasher
Wash windows

Sorry to hear that some of you are unwell.

I've not done much since last week, between working both jobs and Mother's Day, I haven't done much at all!

To Dos:
☕️ hair appt
☕️ LOLs, including bedding & towels
☕️ deep clean as much of the house as possible
☕️ plant some of my flowers in pots & the ground
☕️ DS hair appt after picking him up from school

Not much then... 🙄

Big interview is over and I got the job! It hasn't quite sunk in yet, it was a huge life changing thing.

Now I can sort of catch up on sleep a bit, then I can get on top of the house and finish last few bits of paperwork. On count down to annual leave now, can't wait to spend more time with McToddler.

Congratulations@DomesticElf !!
I sorted one bedroom drawer, Potted the last of my plants, and then did nothing.

Oooh congratulations on the job Elf

Ta Das so far:
🐞 hair cut and colour for me
🐞 went to the bank
🐞 2 LOLs going - sheets and towels
🐞 positioned where I want most of my plants
🐞 pulled some weeds from fire pit area
I'm currently inside, getting a drink of water while waiting for DH to come home for lunch. DD just pulled in for her lunch!

@CherryogDog could it be shingles? Is the rash agony?

• home bleurgh 2nd half upstairs
• cleaned bathroom
• lol
• put kids winter clothes away and got out summer clothes
• went on a bus adventure to the next town with toddler to feed the ducks.
• taught for an hour
• battled kids to eat stir fry... bloody exhausting. Is it worth it?

@DomesticElf can you give any hints what sort of job it Is? Sounds great anyway and well done you!

CherryogDog I hear you with the clothes. To organise I made a capsule wardrobe out of what I already had. One for each season and put it all in a drawer. Plus one drawer for underwear and one for pyjamas

I can't imagine there's much point trying to clean amongst that level of mess ED. Cats, sneaky beggars, they get everywhere. What do you do with a filthy cat? wonders idly if you could vacuum a cat without injuring it and concludes probably not Do they clean it off themselves or does licking plaster/concrete/whatever dust make them ill?

Congratulations on the job Elf

Get well soon Pompoms

An optimistic to-do list there Salix, much kudos if you get through all that

I do like a nice fire pit Hazel

Ta-da's

Yesterday

🧁Morning routine
🧁Decluttered
🧁Took a walk
🧁Went to the pharmacy
🧁Weekly planner
🧁Shopping list
🧁 Manicure
🧁Evening routine

Today

🍇Morning routine
🍇Shopping
🍇Met up with a friend
🍇And next it's the evening routine and an early night

@DitzyDaffodils I left her to clean herslef, she wasn’t visibly dirty, just smelled a bit of damp brick when I picked her up and snuzzled my face into her fur. I have threatened them with the handheld Dyson in the past when they have resisted being brushed as they shed fur everywhere but I think it’s more than my life’s worth.

@DomesticElf so pleased for you, well done! What a year you are having.

@CherryogDog sorry you are feeling so unwell. I couldn’t get on with the vertical stacking thing but I did start rolling my clothes up a few months ago and it has been a total game changer (my tee shirts do get a bit creased though). Before and after pictures attached, and I have kept them this way ever since.

@partypompoms sorry you’re unwell too and as for the stir-fry, my deepest sympathy, been there done that.

@HungryHazelEyes belated Happy Mother’s Day to you

@SalixAlba glad you felt better today

Well, apologies for the lack of links earlier, the electrician started this morning and I had to spend half an hour before work going over everything that needs doing (which is a lot, having new lights and sockets in 4 rooms plus a wired doorbell and outside light). Flying is minimal, we are doing the laundry and keeping on top of the kitchen but that’s about all.

Here is the flightplan link which will update overnight http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

The mission for Weds is to top up bathroom supplies and chuck out any trash in another room.

@partypompoms I did suspect shingles, because of how unwell I feel, but the rash didn't fit the pictures I googled, not painful but insanely itchy.
I've got a telephone appointment with my GP on Friday.
@DitzyDaffodils I don't really have seasonal clothes, other than my jumpers. I just wear more or less layers.
I'm definitely going to whittle down my clothes though.
I've got so many and nothing is worn out or frayed so it's hard to decide.
@EversoDisorganised I've tried rolling my t shirts, but any time I pulled one out several others tried to make an escape with it.
Currently they're layered, and I try to sort them into ones that are comfy under a fleece, polo shirts, long sleeves, vests, but my version of putting LOLs away is just pushing stuff into drawers 😆
I'm very good at doing the laundry, just not putting it away.
Today's LOLs
Pack for my weekend away, I'm going to visit my adult children and grandchildren.
Put laundry away, tidy my t shirt drawer and maybe put some in the charity bag.
If I've got any energy left I'll sweep and mop the dog room.

1. Got up at 6am and made cottage pie for their days and some for the freezer
2. Toddler group and coffee with friends
3. Lol
4. Washed make up brushes and make up box.

Thank you, lovelies 😊
Pompoms I work in healthcare, it's a permanent consultant post.
I'm impressed you can easily whip up cottage pie first thing in the morning! When I do it, it takes half a day and most of kitchen utensils 😂
Cherry folding dry laundry used to be the bane of my life, but since moving to a house with no dryer, I am forced to do more frequent smaller loads, and it's so much easier to put it away properly.
Salix that list looks scary 😯

Yes ta das:
🪷Cycle of LOL - washed and out to dry, dry folded away.
🪷Kitchen sorted
🪷Quick home bleugh
🪷House straightened in the evening.

@DomesticElf I never use my dryer and still struggle putting my laundry away lol!
Yesterday's TADAs!
Needed to chase up a parcel which involved being on the phone to RM, twice, with a 20 minute wait both times.
Not to mention the automated system, press this number bla bla bla, with every choice saying redial this number, goodbye.
Then I did something I've been avoiding, which was pull out my two drawers of t shirts, rather than tackle a few at a time.
I had LOADS! I've filled half a charity sack and still have a drawer and a half full.
Then I moved onto my jumper drawer, two went into the sack.
Then I spotted a load of clean washing hiding in the corner and had a moment of fear that it would be more t shirts, but it was leggings and socks, phew!
One of my granddaughters is poorly, so my weekend away is postponed, my DP hadn't booked in any work today because of taking me to the train station, so we're going to sort out some fencing for the horses.
While I was waiting to see if I was going away I said I'm a bit out of kilter now with my TODOs, and he said pack anyway for when you do go.
And added "it's not like you don't have enough other clothes" 🤣
My kitchen was a mess last night, but it didn't upset me like it would have done in the past because now I've decluttered everything has a place and it can be tidied up and wiped down in 5 minutes. Which I'm classing as a victory ✌️

cherry awww, too bad your GC is ill and your trip is postponed. Where are you heading on your trip?
ED I wouldn't worry too much about flying right now, it seems it would be pointless with all the dust flying around!

Tuesdays remaining ta das:
🐞more weeding
🐞planted 3 plants, including one rose bush
🐞took DS to his hair appt
🐞5 LOLs total
🐞took a relaxing bath as I was so achy

YesTaDas:
🐦 took Jeep through carwash after work & vacuumed it
🐦 S&S both bathrooms
🐦 cleaned the drawer from the fridge in the camper, apparently a couple cans of soda got left in there and one exploded, the other almost exploded 😳
🐦 cooked some hard boiled eggs for other dinners this week

🍒👋 to everyone

Sorry for lack of leadership as well as Flying, the various tradespeople are all turning up first thing every day and need details sorting for the day’s work. IT will be nice when it’s all done but that will be at least another 3 weeks.

Oh no, that sounds so stressful ED 😫
Honestly, don't even worry about the links right now, it's in the OP and there's the app that I look at once a week we can also help answer any questions that might come up.
I do know that it's bathroom week and I have spent more time working outside in my garden, than in!