Flying out of summer (what summer?!)

[partypompoms]

Welcome to this long running thread, we may seem clicky, but all are welcome to join in!

Do NOT sign up for the Flylady emails - it's an excessive amount sent every day.

There are Baby Steps for starting out, add one thing at a time to start good habits and routines.

There are 5 zones that we will rotate through, don't worry about finishing it all this month, it'll come around again next month! Flylady is NOT about perfectionism!

Habit of the month of August is Laundry

Daily missions: each day of the week has a different mission.

• Monday: Home Blessing (or as we call it, home bleugh)
• Tuesday: plan & play
• Wednesday: anti-procrastination
• Thursday: errand day
• Friday: clean car & purse out and date night (what's that again?? 🤔)
• Saturday: family fun day
• Sunday: renew your spirit

Common acronyms we use:

• LOL: load of laundry (washing is certainly NOT funny!)
• DW: dishwasher, we are not rotating wives by any means, although an extra pair of hands could come in handy sometimes 😆
• LMS: lose/lost my shit
• DNLMS: did not lose my shit

I'm sure there's more I haven't mentioned, feel free to ask us to explain something. I'll try to update links every day, although if you can, it's worth downloading the app, you can even have it send you notifications (although I only have it for when the zones change).

I like the app as it has a tick list and I love a list.

Links are below 👇 and I'll tend to post the links the night before ready for the next day.

Launch Pad: www.flylady.net/d/new-links/

Zones: www.flylady.net/d/zones/

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

Hi derry 😀

ta da
👀work (including lots of digital decluttering of emails/files)
👀put Cagletini’s clothes away
👀put DS’ scout shirt/scarf and DD1’s school bag on to wash
👀spent a long time trying to sort issues with student loan
👀tidied desk

Glad to have made it through my first week back at work. Loads to do at the weekend though. Main aims for tomorrow are sorting my and DD1’s railcards, laundry, and tidying mainly upstairs.

SATURDAY: almost forgot sorry:

✅ family fun day where you do something nice together.
✅pamper thing is to sort your winter hooves out?! Well it's definitely not winter here but I wanted to share an amazing tool I was given last Christmas and it makes a huge difference to my hooves. It was from QVC I think and it's actually brilliant for dry skin.

Hello dolly and derry👋

It looks like being a bit cooler today. I need to tackle the kitchen, which has been too hot all week for me to do more than the absolute minimum. Ditto utility and garden.

Welcome dolly and derry 👋

Wowzer what a week back to work, I'm surprised I haven't melted into a puddle! Hope you've all had a good week.

Not much to tada on the home front , basics like food shop , washing , clothes out and ironed, all got done but not much decluttering / deep cleaning of the kitchen . I'm going to schedule a couple of 15 minute blasts in there in between the kids clubs this weekend - I have a huge pile of paperwork on the kitchen side that's been bugging me all week .

How did the appointment go @BloomingHazel?

@partypompoms I'll have a look for one of those tools - the foot pebble from tropic was brilliant but they've stopped selling them .

Tada
Morning coffee in peace ☕️

Morning all! I’m annoyed I woke up needlessly early, I’ve lazed for a while but should get up soon or I’ll end up stuck in lazy mode.

I need to think about the whole family’s evening routine really. Other than Cagletini’s bedtime (which often ends up later than it should be, but hopefully darker evenings will help reset it) we don’t really have one. DD1 is quite keen to change it too (we were talking yesterday about how she’d do better with a weekly chore list rather than set days as she’s often not home in the evenings). DH, who does more of the housework than I do, will be tougher to crack in terms of routine but hopefully he remembers from a conversation a few weeks ago that I am 100% serious about what needs to change - chaos is breaking the family. And me!

Right, after that little rant 😳 I should get going!

po3.1 (for newbies this means power of three, I’m just setting myself three achievable tasks at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed)
❗️LOL
❗️Sort through a bag of clothes DD1 doesn’t want, and bag up donations/rubbish
❗️Start looking at home ed resources for Cagletini to use next week

Morning All! Thank you all so much for making me feel so welcome 🤗 (sorry, I’ll warn you now, I have a very millennial and non-mumsnetty emoji habit 😳)
Ive got a busy day ahead and have set myself a loose list to work from- I find it so much harder to focus without actually writing stuff down. DH has taken the kids out to the gym so I’ve got the house to myself for a blissful couple of hours! Gave myself until 9.30 to enjoy my tea and have a little mooch on my phone so I’m 4 minutes over now and I’d better get going! I’ll come back and report later! Hope you all have a good day!

Welcome Dolly and Derry! 👋

Hazel how was the restoration visit? I hope no unexpected surprises.
Derry my evening routine is long and protracted 😂 Looks something like this:

-tidy up dining room/put out dining room hot spots, then load+start DW, clean the kitchen including the hob, tidy up toys/stuff in the living room, nursery bag sorted/clothes for the next day, bath for McBaby, then bath and teeth for McToddler, while toddler is in the bath I brush my teeth and do my even skincare, then everyone upstairs for books/cuddles/bed. By that time is about 9pm. Then I collapse into bed myself for an hour of mindless scrolling, then pass out to sleep.

I completely failed at my to do list yesterday, so I'm retreating to naughty corner for the day.
I've done laundry and done usual DW/ kitchen clean up though.

I took a holiday (only a couple of days but good for the soul to have a break), go back to news that the building work has been significantly delayed for very good reasons. So the chaos here is going to drag on really badly and may be thus for the holiday season. Not thinking about it. it is what it is.

ta da
find homes for the new books
have a conversation about the plan moving forwards
finish emptying car
find the stuff from the loft that is going to sibling to see if they still want/for them to dispose of
figure out tea and timings
start the process of admin catch up - post/email/other people...

to do
laundry
tame kitchen
apologise to ds who i over tired grumped at unfairly last night
wash car and get the dang sand off it (sods law that happened 48hrs after i washed the car)
carry on with emptying loft/my room/chaos taming...
photocopy paperwork for teen.
Sit down and make a list and get prepped for the new week (conference schedule has had additional break out session added which will be really good but needs inclusion into the master plan.
survive the heat

Glad you got away for a quick break hills annoying about the delays to building work though 😩

By the way dolly no need to apologise for emoji use here 😁 you may often see 🍒👋 which is from when a previous thread leader made a typo of cherry waves instead of cheery waves!

po3.2
❗️Bit of a tidy up in Cagletini’s room (we partitioned it over summer so she and DS have their own space)
❗️Bit of a tidy on the landing (still got decorating stuff out 😳)
❗️Have another go at organising a weekly schedule

Glad you enjoyed your break @Hills frustrating about the building work ! It'll all be worth it in the end .

Sending you an ice pop to eat in the naughty corner @DomesticElf I would send you a coffee but it's so hot 🥵 !

Enjoy having the house to yourself @MissDollyMix!!

@SingToTheSky great use of Po3 !

Tada
✅Washing collected from various places that people like to dump it around the house
✅2 x LOL
✅ me & dd2 showered and ready
✅ 15 mins kitchen decluttering
✅ dd2 at gymnastics
✅ town for dd1 stationery stuff and dd2 sleepover things
✅ picked up some Halloween crafts and pjs for that thing that happens in December aswell as some themed tea towels
✅ now waiting at gymnastics till 330 , got my book to keep me company 👍

Lots to do when I get home but trying not to stress over it , just going to keep ticking those jobs off the list !

Welcome dolly & derry
My bedtime routine is:
😴 make sure DW is loaded & on, kitchen countertops wiped down
😴 lunch ready for next day (usually leftovers from dinner, so that's done before food is put away)
😴 shower
😴 put clothes out for next morning (when I'm working the next day)
😴 take meds, give Coco her meds (dog)
😴 brush teeth
😴 hand cream on, then bed for myself

The visit with restoration company went well. They were getting their game plan in place.
Thursday after they left, I went to their office to look at carpet samples & vinyl flooring samples. I took some home so we could make a decision.
I then went to the paint store and picked up some samples, then taped them up in different places of the house, took pictures etc. I have to go back today to get more samples 🙄 as I didn't like some of them.
Yesterday I spent a lot of time on the paint website so I have a list of colours. I have to pick them up today (the samples).

Tuesday will be busy.
Plumber, painters, masonry contractors, lumber contractors will all be coming over at some point in the day.
Dobby gets fixed that day too! Thankfully I'll drop him off early at the vet, then pick him up later in the day.
Tomorrow we are going to look at tile samples in next big town, so we can see them in person (found a few online I liked). Once we know what tile we like we'll let them know so they can order it.
This project is expected to take between 6-12 weeks, but could be longer if they run into anything or have delays with supplies.
At this point I don't know if we'll be able to even have our Christmas tree up, let alone my Halloween and autumn decorations! 😢

This coming week is when they'll be able to clear away the shed and all the burned contents, we need to be here so we can identify what everything is. We should find out more on Monday as for timing etc.
Things are happening, well will be!

@HillsBesideTheSea that so awful about the delays. Let's not think about it and maybe it'll go away.

✅family time with kids and mother
✅ 2 lols
✅ hula hopped 15 mins
✅ decluttered a few items from the dressing up box
✅ listed a few items on Vinted.
✅ duolingo
✅ found a very nice and very cheap wine in Aldi.

SUNDAY:

☀️renew your spirit by doing something just for yourself

www.flylady.net/d/daily-focus/daily-focus-sunday/

Coming up next week is zone 3: bathroom plus one other room of your choice.

Going to be honest, I feel sorry for the contractor in this situation. The delays are not his fault, and honestly the good resolution of that is more important than the fact we have delays. But dammit i am fed up of not being able to find my clothes... And it would be really nice to have somewhere to sit in the lounge and use of the dining room.

Thank you for the welcome! I am still trying to get to grips with the Flylady website but as I live in chaos I am willing to give it a go 😂 (also have a millennial habit of emojiing!)

so today I managed;

✅1 x LOL
✅15 mins decluttering
✅listed a couple of things on eBay

Before bed I cleaned the surfaces in the kitchen and hoovered in the living area (couldn't do the DW as that was still running!), cleansed and moisturised (and teeth of course). The cleansing / moisturising is a habit I have only started in the last 3 months so definitely believe you can pick up good habits!

if anyone has a link to a simple(!) fly lady explanation please do share otherwise I'll just pick up what I can from lurking here!

@derrydee Fly lady system in short

1. start with the baby steps to build routines
2. declutter - you can't clean clutter
3. Missions
4. deep cleaning stuffs

The launch pad link is a short cut to all the things. The baby steps repeat every month. People are saying good things about the app if you are an app loving person. The website can be a bit twee for those who are adverse to the soft and fluffy approach. The system works... if you follow the system.
Hope that helps

Today has been a day and I want SNOW. Lots and lots of lovely SNOW. I am done with this heat. It can sod off now. I am fed up of heat exhaustion/stroke. I am sick due to the heat. AGAIN. I am fed up of this. Y'all there is a reason i don't live somewhere that does hot.

Two LoLs and a tidy of utility, including chucking out some recyclables.

Straightened up the contents of the fridge, and kitchen in
general.

Small bursts of weeding and sweeping up fallen leaves.

Still hot and humid here, despite short rain shower.

ta da
🤷‍♀️LOL1
🤷‍♀️sorted through DD1’s unwanted/outgrown clothes
🤷‍♀️discussion about work hours etc with DH
🤷‍♀️chose and printed some stuff for Cagletini to do next week
🤷‍♀️attempted to organise schedule
🤷‍♀️LOL1 in dryer, LOL2 on
🤷‍♀️quick tidy in Cagletini’s room
🤷‍♀️went through lots of DIY/decorating stuff, decluttered lots (including broken boxes) and packed the rest into one big box
🤷‍♀️ordered some coasters for my/DD1’s desks
🤷‍♀️trimmed hair (ok hacked a couple of inches off, it’s just too bloody hot!!!)
🤷‍♀️shower/hair wash/defrost (for newbies that is our term for shaving legs because one time I wrote “deforested legs” and someone misread it as defrost, so it stuck!)
🤷‍♀️dinner and movie with friends, just got back, it was lovely 😊

Good morning everyone ☕️

@SingToTheSky sounds like you had a productive day ! Glad you had a good night with friends - What movie did you watch ?

@Scourgify it was really hot here last night too , I didn't really get to enjoy much of the weather as Saturdays are busy with kids clubs , today is quieter but the weather is turning and we are forecast thunderstorms!!

I hope you're feeling better this morning @HillsBesideTheSea ?

@partypompoms I'm not even sure whether I can hulahoop anymore ?! Is it a normal one or a weighted one that you use ?

@BloomingHazel I'm really hoping the restoration goes well and they finish early so you can get settled in before Christmas. Even though it's under unwanted circumstances - are you getting some enjoyment at picking new colours and furnishings for your home ?

My dd2 had her very first sleepover last night ! It was at her gymnastics club - she was upset when I dropped her off but she really wanted to stay, I've been expecting a phonecall all night and haven't really slept much !! I'm o proud of her that she's done it though !

Ta da
Morning coffee ☕️

To do
😴 iron uniforms (although I may only do a couple of days worth and wait until it's cooler later in the week to do the rest)
😴 general tidy and hoover downstairs
😴 finish sorting the pile of paperwork on the kitchen sides , clear any other clutter on there

There's probably a few more bits and pieces but they are the main aims for the day .

Happy Sunday fledglings! It’s 7am and I am already melting.

Welcome Dolly and Derry.

glad things are starting to happen in the house Hazel, I have my fingers crossed that it all gets done quickly for you.

Sorry about the building delays Hills, glad you got a break.

I’ve had a busy week at work and have got in late most nights, but stayed on top of laundry and the kitchen. DH is in my good books as he randomly decided to sort the garage in the hour between him finishing work and having to pick up the DC and he has made such a difference. You can actually get in for a start!

YesTaDas:
🥵persuaded DD1 to tidy her bedroom
🥵cleaned bathroom
🥵dusted boudoir
🥵put away piles of clean clothes
🥵decluttered, dusted and organised shelves in kitchen
🥵cleaned kitchen cupboard fronts
🥵cleaned kitchen window and glazed door
🥵swept all hard floors
🥵gave up any idea of mopping as I was melting, showered, and joined DC and DH on the beach
🥵ordered a gift

Today DH is working. My plan is to take DC to the park before it gets too hot/touristy, then stick them in the garden until the forecast rain arrives. I need to do some ironing and I’m hoping to get the floors mopped if it’s not too hot later.

Morning all! It has been so much too hot these last few days I've achieved as little as I can get away with. The weather is supposed to break tomorrow, so hopefully I can get more done next week.

Ta da
❤️ Many LOLs, dried on the line
🧡 Hound walked early and in the shade
💛 Visit to Posh Cheese Shop (DH felt this was very important 😁)
💚 Watched SYLO on catch up. I do love watching other people tidy up. Living vicariously!
💙 Lay in a darkened room under a fan trying not to melt
💜 Marked and pinned the vertical channels on DD's weighted blanket I am sewing.

To Do
☀️ More LOLs. Always more LOLs
☀️ Sew weighted blanket channels and start filling with beads
☀️ Weekly planning (Sunday has to be Plan & Play here, Tuesday just doesn't work)
☀️ Not melt

@HillsBesideTheSea sorry to hear your building must be put off for longer.
@Scourgify you have reminded me I need to weed the bed outside the front fence, but it's in full sun til well past my bedtime at least 4pm so that will have to wait til this evening.
Welcome @MissDollyMix and @derrydee, always lovely to have more Fledglings aboard. Go slowly and never, ever try to catch up. Whatever you've missed will always come back round again tomorrow / next week / next month.
@Searchingforsunnydays hope DD enjoyed her first sleepover!
@Upsadiddles hope you can enough energy off the small Ups.

🍒👋 everyone!

@HillsBesideTheSea it's much cooler today here so hopefully you are too. Rain here in fact.

@derrydee what's your starting point? Are you up to your eyes in clutter or are you reasonably sorted?

@Searchingforsunnydays it's a weighted one that I got in tkmaxx but they are on Amazon top of course.
How old is your dd? I'm not sure when they start sleepovers. Mine is 5 and nowhere near yet.

@Upsadiddles I'm currently sat in the park on the rain.

Slightly cooler but back to being heat sick <sigh> probably not helped by ds making the agreed "i am stuck can i have a lift" call last night. He doesn't like to make the call, i would rather he made the call and was safe. But it rather meant a lack of sleep.

Am making the most of the fact later in the week is supposed to be cooler and taking the time to plan. For those of a nervous disposition skip the rest of my post. I am about to be super scary!!

So in my planning i am trying to figure out how to get everything done that needs to be done, to work around the delay and to be able to have Christmas. Baring in my that i have no lounge, no dining room because of having to empty other rooms into it. I figured that with help i can get boxes returned in about a week, we start our seasonal celebrations on the 22nd Dec so working back that gives us about 15 weeks. The contractor is out for at least 12 weeks, allowing for the 1 week of miracles, that gives us a 2 week window for the work to be completed so that we can pull Christmas off. Would it be the Christmas we would normally do? hell no. But it also would not be everyone stuck in individual bedrooms not being able to have a space big enough for everyone to be in the same room. So at this point I am having to work expectation modifications. It also means i have at least 14weeks weeks more of this hellish chaos
And now i need to figure out how to make the best of this situation which is already frustrating the heck out of me.

Suggestions on a postcard...

hills that sounds so stressful! Can you rent one of those storage pods that sit on your driveway (assuming you have one with space for it!)? You could put excess in there but still can get to it when you need to.
Or know someone who has a spare room/ garage etc who would be able to store some of the things you don't need at all in that time period (or are available for you to go get what's needed, if anything)?
I hope you're feeling better soon 💐

pompoms I didn't even know there was such a thing as a weighted hula hoop! I could never master that as a child even, it would be a sight to see me try it now! I do admire someone that can keep it up for 10 minutes though, that would be a tough workout!

balloon I wish I had access to watch SYLO, I've heard many good things about it! I had found Call the Cleaners on Amazon prime (1 season), set in 2011, and liked it.

Up ⭐️ for your DH! Going to the beach sounded like a good idea too.

sunny I am enjoying looking at colours of paint & today we are going to look at tile. It is overwhelming though, usually I'm only doing one room at a time, not the whole house!
Well done for your DD making it through the whole night! It is worrisome when it's their first time, so I can imagine stopping yourself from falling into a deep sleep in case of picking up in the middle of the night. You don't want to miss that phone call.

Sing you were productive! And you finished the day with friends, that sounds like a perfect day to me!

Scourgify I swept a lot yesterday too, must have been the day for it!

I'll be back later, hopefully. I must get ready for the day, as we need to leave to go to the next big town!

@BloomingHazel I couldn't hula hoop as a child either. But as an adult I love it.

☔️ hula hopped 15 mins
☔️ made and decorated cupcakes for my new toddler group that's starting tomorrow.
☔️ half a home bleurgh to be finished tomorrow afternoon
☀️ kids to park
☀️ plugged my new group on social media
☀️ me time: soaked feet, used the pedi machine and painted nails and toes
☀️ made fairy wands with kids

Also oh god I weighed myself today and the heaviest I've been (not pregnant) so I've drunk loads of water and I'm determined to hula hoop each day and drink water and see if that helps! Also alcohol only Friday and Saturday nights.