Fledglings Marching Into Spring - Flylady Mar 25 Thread

[ExtraDecluttering]

February has ended here with a beautiful sunny day, washing dried on the line, daffodils out and now of course it’s Spring and that traditionally means cleaning. If you're looking for something simple to start that can be easy to add to over time, Flylady may be the answer for you! This is a long running thread, but we are a friendly bunch and all are welcome to join in.

Do NOT sign up for the Flylady emails - unless you want to end up with a very cluttered inbox

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! Her motto is “you are never behind”

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 a week. It's also date night (with your significant other, or friends, or yourself!)
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
There are more, 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. You can also modify the tick lists to suit your home & lifestyle.
Links are below 👇 if I happen to not add links in time, they do update at midnight for you:
Launch Pad: https://www.flylady.net/d/new-links/
Zones: https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/
Baby Steps: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

Yay nice fresh thread! Thanks very much ED for running March. I had a very chaotic end to February (hospital appointments, half term and a major work crisis) which will also spill over into the first half of March.

I will definitely be reading even if not posting.

Off to watch Sort Your Life Out to inspire me for March.

Thank you ED for volunteering for March!
Thank you Dilly for running the February thread, even though I didn't post as much as I would've liked. You did a fantastic job! (My phone tried to put Dilly job, instead of fantastic job 😂)

I was able to get quite a bit done on Tuesday this week, and with DS doing the home bleugh today I feel good about heading into March!

We are having our birthday dinner for SIL, she just turned 40 this week. So in the morning I'll be baking her cake and starting the roast in the slow cooker. She wants a full roast, with yorkshire puddings for dinner. A special treat considering we're in the US! 🥰

It's going to be a busy day tomorrow. I really should have baked the cake tonight, but after the week at work I've had, I needed a drink and time in the hot tub! So it'll be done tomorrow.

Thanks for starting a new thread. On my to do list is to find that lovely new notebook with my routines written in...

Lots of things on for family fun day. Swimming and cinema with dd (dogman). Well I'm taking her but sitting outside with my laptop as she's going with a friend and his mum and little sister. And my parents are staying over. My baby step is decluttering. I did start 5 minutes a day decluttering in January and it was good but I didn't do it long enough to be a habit

Right, time to get started. No zone work today as it’s Saturday

Here is the launchpad - Flylady Central http://www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

Today’s Flightplan http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Saturday is Family Fun Day and March’s habit of the month is Get Dressed to Shoes, which many won’t want to do, get dressed as soon as you get up is a good principle but many don’t wear shoes around the house, we are fairly relaxed about shoes off but I’d never put them on till I wanted to go out.

Also here is Babystep 1 http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

Shine your sink. The babysteps are tiny habits we build up over the month, my sink is NOT shiny this morning so I will be giving it a good scrub.

Off out shortly, to a frosty parkrun and taking DD to work. Then I’m by myself till I pick DD up again at teatime (DH and DS are away). So my family fun consists of doing whatever I want

Morning! Can’t believe it’s March. Must do better with Flying. Again. At least some tricky family stuff is done now so I really have no excuse and I’m desperate to calm the C.H.A.O.S. so I can have friends round! I’ve set myself a reward of a new table, I really don’t like the current one (ex chose it and it’s far too small) so I’ll keep an eye in charity shops etc.

Thank you dilly and ed 💕

Checking in

Happy march folks

Hi that so good to see you stop by! 👋 how's things going for you lately?

2in2022 that sounds like a lovely day.

ED what did you end up doing?

Sing a goal of a new table sounds perfect 😍

Ta das so far:
🎂 stopped off at the store for onions for dinner
🎂 put the onions & roast beef in the slow cooker for dinner tonight
🎂 baked a cake
🎂 decorated with MILs help
🎂 swapped my Valentine's Day decor for springtime decor
🎂 took DS to hairdresser to get his perm redone
🎂 picked up grapefruit & oranges for a fundraiser for DS band
🎂 rotated DW

Still to do:
🍓 finish cake (frosting & decorating)
🍓 go back to the store for something to drink tonight
🍓 rotate DW again
🍓 cook the rest of dinner
🍓 pour myself a drink & get in the hot tub!

I do need to redo my nails again, but it might be a little ambitious to try to do them today!

Still here, still reading, occasional things being cleaned in between baby care and just not documented!

This last week DW (actually my wife, no dishwasher here!) has really been on it getting the dishes done though which makes everything else run smoother. I've started taking the car through the automatic carwash each month too which I think is my emotional equivalent of having my hair done - makes me feel so much more "put together" when it's clean!

Morning all,

Well, I did Parkrun yesterday and ended up having a nice chat with another participant on the way round (we are both at the slower end of the participants). Still managed to take a few seconds off my PB for that course . Then home, a bit of tidying, laundry and a bath. DH arrived home early from his travels but was heading off to London mid afternoon to meet friends so we went out for a quick lunch which was nice. Then I stayed in town for shopping while he caught the train. Home and off to the allotment for an hour, it was quite warm by then in the sunshine. Home and dinner on the sofa watching TV with DD and a cat. Got two loads of laundry line dried, result. Just need to put it away now.

@ParsnipSnap that’s a good idea about the car wash, I have started taking mine to the valeting place once a year or so to give it a total deep clean and I love how it feels afterwards, it inspires me to keep it tidier and vacuumed, for a few weeks at least. It’s really dirty now with salt and mud, but the drive-in car wash here always seems to be broken.

You had a busy day @HazelNotHungryLC . “Do my nails” is now one of my Sunday renew your spirit things, I have got into a routine of wearing neutrals so a bit of wear/chips don’t show and I can get a week out of it. Polish off Saturday night, oil the nails and again Sun morning, then a long shower on Sun evening to do all the shaving, exfoliating and that gets the cuticles soft and easy to tidy up afterwards and nails done again before bed. However on Wed I bought some new colours and had a mid-week change and they still look fine so I left it on last night.

Welcome back @THATbasicgirl and @SingToTheSky

Hope your cinema trip went well @2in2022twoyearson

@DillyDeclutter sorry you’ve got so much going on and will understand if you don’t post much, always here if you want to chat and have a virtual cuppa. SYLO is indeed inspiring, it also makes me realise that actually, I have come a long way in my decluttering journey.

So, Sunday is Renew Your Spirit Day, where we are meant to do something just for ourselves. Nails, a bit of TV, time outdoors or with company, whatever makes you feel good.

Babysteps - I didn’t shine my sink yesterday but will do it now. Babystep 2 is to get dressed to lace-up shoes (not literally) but get ready for the day. I haven’t sone that yet either. But it is a good habit. http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-2/

Taking a look at the sneak peek for the week here - we will be in Zone 5 The Living Room, peculiarly for the start of the month.

If your living room is already decluttered here is the suggested detailed cleaning list, http://www.flylady.net/d/zones/detailed-cleaning-zone-5/

Have a good day everyone.

ED I struggled a bit with the missions etc in February. The app and the website arent always updating and even when they do update they arent in sync. There is different information if you go to the website through the Facebook links or directly. I am not criticising, just saying. It also seems she has some illness in the family.

Today I am preparing for a job interview on Wednesday - 20 minutes work followed by 10 minutes cleaning/tidying/playing with the dc. Rinse and repeat.

Parsnip I had a new car last year and have been good about keeping it pretty clean. I try to wash and hoover monthly. It's satisfying, isn't it?! Although the ANPR on the toll road didn't read my reg last week so I knew I was overdue for a wash - I do quite a bit of motorway driving, and the grot does build up.

Ah yes, I remember you saying that last month @DillyDeclutter . Well the app says it’s Zone 2, in my mind it should be zone 1 so 🤷‍♀️.

I have just looked back to your posts through Feb and see we were in Zone 5 at the start of last month too. Hmm. Maybe we’ll just have to make it up as we go along.

Parsnip & ED my Jeep needs a bath really bad again, it really doesn't take much for it to get in a state again though. I might try to do that today, weather depending. I've tried a few times this week to take it through the carwash, but there's been a queue to get in and I haven't had the time to wait.

The app and website not updating are frustrating. I would go by the dates for the zones:
Zone 1: 1st - 3rd
Zone 2: 4th - 8th
Zone 3: 9th - 15th
Zone 4: 16th - 22nd
Zone 5: 23rd - 31st
https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/

Of course, you can have us in whatever Zone you want ED we'll eventually make it through all of them!

I've still got to drink my coffee this morning before I start doing whatever it is in going to do today.
I might go shopping for some clothes, I'm struggling putting outfits together at night and feel like I'm wearing the same things all the time!
I did want to go with MIL & SIL, but they weren't excited about going clothes shopping, so I guess I'll be going on my own 😢

I've taken on a big mission of sorting out my clothes cupboard as it's an absolute tip and I can never find anything, it's such a stress and waste of time. I've partially swapped my wardrobe with the one storing too big/small children clothes. It's taken one and a half hours, in not finished but have found clothes I love but haven't been able to find. Once I've finished I'll do a tada list for today/ this weekend. I wanted to take a kids coat to charity shop, but DH wants to hold on to it... but allthough decluttering was my most recent baby step, today was meant for organising the wardrobe for me. I should find laying out tomorrows clothes easier now!

Thank you for Marchs Thread @ExtraDecluttering

My sink is an unshiney little nightmare but its saving grace is it isn't that little .
It;s a granite resin in Champagne ( I know what was I thinking ) had it years . It likes to trap stains so needs a good whirl around with the spinning brush (JML one ) it's noisy , works ok with some Astonish paste .

I bought some Elbow Grease spray (pink and yellow ) but they are both the same just different smells .

TaDas
DS bedding changed - washed his soft jersey bedding ( it is stored in plastic vacumm bags but still needs a wash as its a bit 'plastic-ey' )
His heavy brushed cotton is washed and dry to be put away

2 bags of my winter clothes in the attic

Couple of things to Charity Shop yesterday

De-Cluttered money from my account to Uniqlo/H&M/Marks and Spencer for DD clothes

Vacuumed (again)

Bought a dress (eBay) for holiday

ToDos

Just going to collect up the bins to go out

DH is loading the DW

More dry laundry to put away

@2in2022twoyearson I’ve been having a clothes sort out too, put out a bin liner full to take to the clothes bank. Like @HazelNotHungryLC I feel as though I’m wearing the same things all the time so it was good to find some things I’d forgotten I have and put them where I will find then again.

I think we’ll go with Zone 1 tomorrow and see how we get on. That’s entrance porch, hall, dining room.

2in2022 well done on working on getting your clothes organised!

70 you've been busy!

ED the clothes I had forgotten about I decided I didn't want anymore. They were already gone mentally anyway. I do still have them in a box, to go to the charity shop, but I haven't made it there yet.

Ta das:
😴 LOLs x5
😴 redid my nails (manicure & pedicure)
😴 grocery shopping list completed, but not gone shopping yet
😴 decorations for DDs birthday ordered (she'll be 21! 😱)
😴 outfit found on Amazon & ordered for me
😴 more clothes added to wish list for my birthday
😴 GF cheesecake found on Amazon too, so added that to my wish list as well. Now I don't have to make my own for my own birthday! As long as DH orders it in time..
😴 clothes out ready for the morning
😴 scrubbed my feet in the shower & just added lots of foot cream, they feel soft already

I do need to get my lunch ready in the morning though, I didn't get that done tonight. I know I'll regret that in the morning too 🤦‍♀️

@HazelNotHungryLC most of the old clothes I found I also put in the bag and o go to the clothes bin. However my DH went through it saying, what's wrong with this? You don't want to throw out a good coat like this?. I said what you did l, I haven't seen them in so long and have other good coats....Was so infuriating as when I've wanted to get rid of other household items he's said you have so much in your wardrobe to sort out. We both agree we need to declutter the house but he's got hoarding tendencies. He has decided to put some of his many amps and guitars for sale.

Morning all,

Let’s start with the babystep - https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-3/ which is to start exploring the Flylady website, if you are new to the system it will help you see how it fits together, if you are a seasoned Flyer you might discover something new. Right now you might end up confused…..

Ok, the website isn’t working at all it seems. Maybe explore the app if you have it.

So, take your pick.
Zone 5 - living room, let’s get rid of anything that doesn’t belong in there. Just for 15 mins. the app now says this is today’s mission.

Zone 1 - entrance porch, hall, dining room, let’s do the same.

Monday is also Home Blessing Day, where we are supposed to vacuum (middles of rooms), empty bins, change bedlinen and dust, but of course you can adjust to suit yourself, these weekly tasks can be fitted in at another time if that works better.

@2in2022twoyearson how annoying. My DH is a bit of a hoarder too, but he doesn’t try and stop my throwing my things out, problem is he backfills any empty space I create, not clothes storage but generally around the house.

2in2022 that would be so frustrating for me! Thankfully my DH doesn't day anything about me getting rid of things, other than to mention I have a lot of clothes 🙄 but he NEVER gets rid of any of his clothes!

Sadly my new notebook has not resurfaced. I've used the flylady app to customise morning and evening routines, so baby step of today and replaced my paper notebook...I prefer paper though that function of the app is easy to use. Also shined my sink today. My hotspot is looking tidy this evening. Otherwise there's lots more I could have done today but didn't, feeling sleepy.

Well, February totally ran away from me, so a lot of getting back on track needs to happen here.

Bought a new frying-pan. Straightened up kitchen shelves and one drawer. Recycling into trolley and out onto pavement. Take soft plastic to tesco when I’m passing. I think there’s a lot I could still get rid of.

Morning all, well the website is still playing up, but the app says it;s time to do a 27 fling boogie in Zone 5 (the living room), or if you prefer Zone 1 (the entrance, hall, dining room). Grab a bin bag and throw away 27 bits of trash.

Babystep 4 is to start building a control journal using post-it notes to remind you of the babysteps that need to be building into habits.

https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-4/

Tuesday’s weekly habit is planning (plan and play day in Flylady terminology). Perhaps have a diary catch-up, to do lists, meal planning, whatever gets you more in control. I use a notebook for a daily journal and to do lists, also any other sorts of lists, I use my phone calendar as a diary, so the book isn’t strictly a bullet journal but it has all the info I need to keep life ticking over. I tend to take myself off to a coffee shop once a week or so and catch up with the planning, deleting emails etc.