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

ED please don't worry about links. Renovation is usually all about survival! Sending coffee ☕

Coffee duly being consumed. Its my day off work but the plasterer arrived at 8 so I have been out since 8.30. Went to laser hair removal appointment (begone hairy underarms!) and have spent the last two hours in a sunny window in my local Spoons drinking endless coffee, crocheting and catching up with a bit of TV on my tablet with earphones. So could be worse! Got to go shortly as two hours free parking is up, heading to the allotment next.

@HungryHazelEyes my children live in Bromley and Surrey.
It's a bit of a trek for me but I try to go every couple of months.
They couldn't get a doctor's appointment for over a week and ended up in a&e until 11pm. Its shocking.
I had my GP phone appointment this morning, been prescribed beta blockers, and managed to get an appointment with the nurse for my bloods.
TADAs, did more wardrobe decluttering, out of 14 pairs of jeans I can only get into 4 pairs now 😫. I've kept my summer trousers and shorts, will tackle those by wearing them and then deciding if I want to keep them.
The other TADA was decluttering my emails, it took me two hours. I had reams of decluttering and cleaning emails, I was reading through them but got fed up, deleted the lot and unsubscribed to them.

Ta-da's:

🐜 Morning routine
🐜 Decluttering the bedroom
🐜 Digital decluttering. For some reason my spam filter seems to have failed and lots are getting into my inbox. Very annoying
🐜 Completed part finished art project
🐜 Took a walk
🐜 Date night, rare event here
🐜 Evening routine

Sounds like some complicated flying is going on. Wishing you all luck.

Tada
Mealplan
(Usefull use of waking up early on a free saterday)

To do
Lol
Dishwasher
Garden
Plant stuff in garden
Visit market
Wash front window
Order groceries

Morning everyone 👋
ToDo
More sorting my bedroom today. As well as my clothes it's been used as a dumping area for bits and pieces. I did watch the Slob Comes Clean video where she says to handle things once, put it where it belongs, clean it etc, but everything was in such a mess I wanted things out of the way.
Mainly paperwork but also the flotsam and jetsam that would live in (several) junk drawers if I had one.
Maybe go shopping for a black out blind, these 4am sunrises are not helping my migraines.
Have a great day everyone, whatever you're upto.

Cherry ah, that's nice you take the time to visit them, it now makes more sense as to why you couldn't go! I'm sorry, I probably just missed it in a previous post of yours.
Sometimes you just have to do what works for you in that moment re decluttering.

Salix did you get your planting done? I still have a lot to plant and I'm still achy from Tuesdays planting session!

Ditzy dates don't happen very often here either! Surprisingly we had them more often when the DC were younger as they went to ILs, now DS is older, he's not so interested and DD is gone most weekends anyway.

ED your day yesterday sounded so relaxing (being out of the house) and very much needed for you!

Yesterday was interesting/crappy!
My Jeep key died, I couldn't get into it. The key wouldn't manually unlock it either. I was at work when this happened. I changed the battery in the key fob, still nothing. Lots of walking done, I had to buy my lunch, it was locked in the Jeep! MIL picked up a spare key (actually 2!) and brought them to me, so I could drive home. Turns out I put the buttons in backwards after changing the battery 🤦‍♀️ so they weren't making contact.

Then my favourite cropped jeans that I was wearing ripped between my thighs 😭 so they went in the bin when I got home (ripped far too high to be shorts!).
After work we went out for a drive to check out a couple local camping spots, which was nice. I then fell fast asleep on the couch once back home. after drinking a cider

Today we are going bulk shopping at Costco (quick trip). DS did get all of the laundry done yesterday! That's a first! He also did the home bleugh, but I still feel like the house needs a deep clean. Dinner is at ILs tonight, so no cooking for me!

Hopefully I'll be back with some ta das 🍒👋

@HungryHazelEyes What a nightmare with the keys. I'd have been panicking and smashing the window in before realising I had a second key.

Still struggling to stay on the thread as working this phone is so time consuming. No autocorrect and the phone is basically a dickhead.

@HungryHazelEyes on one of our older Land Rovers if the fob didn't work for whatever reason you could unlock it (and disable the alarm) by turning the key to the right, count for 10, then twice to the left and back to the right.
Can't remember how we found out as probably wasn't in the user manual 😁

TaDa, doesn't look like I've done much, but I've filled 3 charity sacks and have 7 empty hangers, all my clean laundry is put away, and I have very little to wash.

Just popping in to give everyone a wave 👋 I haven't been on here for about a month I think ! We've had holidays , injuries , panic attack (dd1 is doing her GCSEs,) I've unintentionally upped my hours at work which has meant the house routines aren't going well 😫 it's also dd2 birthday this Friday but she's having her party tomorrow and although everything is prepped for it , I'm still up on the middle of the night worrying instead of sleeping 😂 why do we do this to ourselves?!

Hopefully I'll be back into the swing of things soon and be back on here with you all. I hope everyone is doing ok ❤️

For the book readers, I have read unexpected lessons in love -
An ok easy to read story , good if you need a book you that doesn't require a lot of concentration . Also listening to The help which is brilliant!

Oh no, the jeans. Hopefully it wasn't too awkward? Had it happen once at work, but could temporarily fix it (well, ducktape it) before anyone noticed.

I planted what I planned to plant. And then I went to the market where, to my surprise, they sold very interesting plants, so I now have more plants waiting. Next to the ones who are awaiting better weather.
I have to do gardening in babysteps, and take rests. I know that achyness. But if it's only muscle strain, no worse things, and not too severe, it also kind of feels good. Like I did exercise, and I'm growing stronger, and I'm heading in the right direction healthwise.

Tada yesterday:
Everything except washing the window

Tada today
Lol
Dishwasher

Todo
Bring lunch
Put book in free library

Salix I had to ask a coworker, I showed her my rip in my jeans, and stood normally, she said you couldn't see it (I had looked in the mirror at work, she confirmed what I saw).

Cherry I might give the turning thing a go, the lock wouldn't budge at all though, either way, so not sure if it would work. I now have a spare key at ILs house, where I go every day for lunch.

sunny good to see you 👋 you've had a busy month so far! I hope you managed to get some sleep. I know what you mean about doing that to ourselves though, it happens to me all the time!

pompoms are you not able to get a new phone yet? It's frustrating when technology doesn't do what you expect it to do.

YesTaDas:
🍹bulk shopping done & put away
🍹meal planning sorted
🍹fridge cleared out
🍹filled up DW with empty containers
🍹grocery shopping done and mostly put away
🍹4 more plants planted in the ground, one pot done also
🍹filled my bird feeder up with bird food
🍹showered
🍹went to ILs for dinner, ate outside, it was beautiful 😍

Ta Das so far today:
☕️ shredded some cheese for DHs breakfasts
☕️ got myself a coffee (it's already gone, I need another!)

I need to get more planting done today, but first I have a cake to bake for tomorrow. There's a birthday potluck for 2 birthdays at work. I'm making DHs favourite cake, so he was a little disappointed it wasn't for us! We will be going to ILs for lunch (they had lots left over from last night) so I probably should get moving (it's just after 10am here)
🍒👋

No TADAs for me today, bastard fox took all my chooks. 😪
Went to get a blackout blind but looks like I need to get one made to measure as my window's not a standard size.
Going out for a mooch tomorrow as its my birthday so won't get anything done now until Tuesday.

Cherry I had to look up chook as I'd not heard that word before! I'm so sorry, that fox really was a bastard 😢
Happy birthday for tomorrow! 🥳🎂🧁

Ta Das (so far):
🎂 baked cake, letting it cool before whipping the cream & finishing it
🎂 handwashed dishes that I'll need again for whipping the cream
🎂 cleaned the microwave

We are at ILs right now for lunch, then going out for a bit of a drive to check out more camping spots.

So sorry about the chooks @CherryogDog what a horrible thing to happen. Happy Birthday for tomorrow!

@HungryHazelEyes that happens to me with jeans, usually it is gradual and I can stop wearing them before they get to the point of being properly ripped open, but i remember once being at some sort of play farm with the DCs, we went in a rowing boat and I took a big, big step from the bank down into the boat and my jeans ripped right up the inside seam, I had to shuffle awkwardly for the rest of the day.

@SalixAlba I have to pace myself with gardening, I have a small allotment as well as the garden at home, I often find myself up there more than once a day at this time of year (it is less than 10 mins walk from home).

@Searchingforsunnydays good to hear from you, sorry things have been so hectic. We have a respite from big exams this year, DS did A levels last year and DD has hers next year, not looking forward to that, hope DD gets through the rest of the GCSEs OK.

@partypompoms I mainly use a tablet for longer posts - I can’t get on with autocorrect / predictive text at all and turn them off when I get a new phone but typing manually on a phone does take a while.

We have had a nice weekend and did get wuite a bit of Flying done despite the building work, it has been nice having the house back to ourselves for the weekend though, and lucky the weather is nice so plenty of time in the garden as not much sitting space indoors ATM.

Tada!

Friday - after my sojourn in Weatherspoons I went back to the allotment for a bit, then met friends for a little celebration event after which we retired to the pub, so it was nearly 6 by the time I got home and builders gone. DD had gone to the nearest big town shopping and DS to the nearest uni town to meet a friend who is studying there.

✅cleaned bathroom
✅hoovered and mopped kitchen floor
✅removed all teatowels used as plaster dust covers from kitchen and wiped all surfaces

Saturday - nice long walk, went into town for a few bits, spent some time at the allotment. Went to the gym and then to the pub with DH - a new place we hadn’t been to before.
✅2 loads laundry done and line dried
✅chucked out empty shampoo bottles etc
✅main weekly food shop done and put away

Sunday - did DD’s paper round (she is giving it up soon, but I like doing it at this time of year), then went to allotment. Home for a zoom call, went to gym again, back to the allotment and then went to the pub quiz with DD and DH - I was in a different team to them and mine won
✅ 3 loads washing done and line dried
✅emptied DW
✅completely cleaned out fridge, took about an hour as there are a lot of plastic caddies, those and all shelves washed, dried and put back
✅bit of gardening at home
✅cooked dinner
✅made my packed lunches for the next two days

Monday’s Flight Plan http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-60

We are moving into the master bedroom. Ours is a bit of a tip at the moment with lots of extra stuff that isn’t normally in there. The mission is to declutter under your bed. Well, I did a big clearout last month but now have about three bookcases worth of books stashed under there that normally live on the landing.

Monday is also Home Blessing Day

Poor chicks :( . Evil fox.

There was a warning for hail and storm, so we put all plants inside. We didn't even get a drop of rain.

Tada
Put books away (it's helping, making a to do list)
Brought lunch
Lol
Dishwasher
Clear table
Water plants, after bringing them outside

Todo
Bathroom
Check grocery order
Handwash

Sorry to hear about your chooks cherry

So annoying when the weather forecast is wrong Salix

I've been a weird combination of lazy and busy so I've been absent from the thread. Been sewing seeds and decorating plant pots, doing some craft projects, lots of watering the garden. Got my summer's reading sorted from the bookshop. Bought some things to improve my home décor. Re-stocked my beauty stash. Food shopping and been experimenting with cooking. Spent a lot of time binge watching a nostalgic TV series on YouTube

It's been quiet on here today!
I know what you mean about the weird combination of lazy & busy.

Ta Das:
🐶 washed mattress & pillow protectors
🐶 vacuumed mattress & sprinkled baking soda on it
🐶 cleaned calling fan in master
🐶 cleaned bedside tables
🐶 washed sheets
🐶 vacuumed baking soda up from mattress
🐶 remade bed
🐶 washed comforter (duvet with no removable cover)
🐶 one other lol
🐶 dog beds in washer
🐶 took dogs to groomer (nails & anal glands)
🐶 rotated DW
🐶 vacuumed main floor
🐶 swept carport
🐶 picked DS up from school

I'm about to bathe the dogs, then I'll need to clean both bathrooms. I'll have to take my Jeep to DHs work so he can do an oil change tonight. I'm not sure what else I'll get done, other than a load of towels to wash too.
Maybe I'll be back with more ta das 🤷‍♀️

TaDas
2 LOLs, but haven't put any of it away.
Put away the pots I washed on Sunday 😳
Cracked on with tidying my bedroom, it's about half done.
Washed patio, I do this twice a week and "slosh" any dog wee with a bucket on the other days.
My lists always seem a bit meagre compared to everyone else on here!

Cherry I thought it was just me who takes days to put the clean dishes away! I've been doing a lot better just lately, like something in my head that says just do it now, it'll only take 2 minutes, which is usually right!

More ta das:
🌧 fully remade our bed
🌧 bathed the dogs
🌧 cleaned both bathrooms (limescale remover)
🌧 washed towels
🌧 took Jeep over so DH could do my oil change
🌧 cooked dinner
🌧 got my lunch for tomorrow, ready to go
🌧 clothes out for tomorrow

I'm about to take a shower, then I'll try to get to bed early, ready for work tomorrow.
🍒👋 to everyone, I'm sure there'll be minimal flying from me the rest of the week.
I'm looking forward to the weekend, I'll be off work Saturday thru Wednesday! I took my 2nd job off too, so no work at all for me!

Morning all, well, we are keeping on top of the daily stuff, laundry, kitchen etc but not much else. Building is progressing nicely, new radiators went in yesterday and look lovely compared to our old chipped rusty 1970s style ones. I am just enjoying my morning cuppa in the garden with a cat on my lap but need to go and get ready for work. Looking forward to another bank holiday weekend.

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

Today's Flight Plan is here. Wednesday's habit is Anti-Proceastination Day and our mission is to clean up our nightstands.

@HungryHazelEyes there's a weird system in my house, if I wash pots I put them away (eventually), if OH washes pots I put them away(also eventually)
TBF he does the dishwasher most of the time, but he did once say I loaded it wrong so I said I wouldn't do it again 😆
My ToDo
I'm continuing in my bedroom, I've got everything that needs attending to in one corner now, it's all on the surface of my desk and one of the bedside tables needs a declutter.
Once I've finished my bedroom I'll have my usual and pretty constant angst over whether I should try to sell all my decluttered clothes or just charity shop the lot just to get the house cleared.
It's currently piled high in the spare bedroom.
Might look into one of those companies that buy by the kg.
I'd like to persuade OH to have a declutter, he's got clothes from the 80s, from when he was a skinny bean pole, he just wears a handful of his clothes but says he may just need his dress suit complete with cumberband, that he got from a charity shop and wore once, back in 1992 for a wedding.

Thanks ED luckily as the exams go on , she's becoming more and more relaxed so hopefully no more panic attacks 🤞🤞

What books are on your summer reading list @DitzyDaffodils ? I'm currently reading Firefly lane - a page turner so far !

Sorry about you chicks @CherryogDog 🥲

Hope work is going ok @HungryHazelEyes , I break up on Friday too - I absolutely love my job but I am counting the hours and minutes until half term !

<waves to everyone else>

Tada
✅ Work
✅ LOL
✅ school runs
✅ Rang tax credits - I was on the phone for 1&1/2 hours 😫 I've been overpaid by £3k !! Set up a payment plan because unfortunately I can't magic up that amount of money - so frustrating, I won't be renewing a claim , I no longer trust the system. It was quite a shock having that letter arrive !
✅ Cooked some sort of freezer use up what we've got dinner
✅ dd2 is at gymnastics
✅ wrapped dd2's birthday presents
✅ 10 mins of putting clothes away

To do :
😴 clothes ready for tomorrow
😴 breakfast & dinner pots
😴 lunchboxes emptied
😴 general tidy through

Would like to do but isn't urgent :
👀15 mins of laundry folding and putting away
👀 tomorrow's wash in the washer
👀 hoover through

I'm off to do a power hour and see what I get done before dd2 is back from gymnastics !