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/

My app says we're in week 2 so I zoomed ahead and did bathroom stuff yesterday:

3x toilets cleaned
3x sinks shined
Restocked loo roll throughout
5min tidy of main bathroom

Kitchen in chaos. Hopefully washing up tomorrow

My app still says Zone 5, however it is another one that you can do anywhere, which is to dust door jambs, de cobweb the corners of the ceilings etc.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day, is there something you have been putting off. I need to get some car insurance quotes.

Babystep 5 https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-5/ is dealing with those negative voices in your head

I’m in a rush today, back later

Still not managing Flying!
Yesterday though I did write a list of what I need to do in order to feel ready to have more friends round. It’s a big list! Nothing very complicated but will take a lot of energy that I don’t have 😂

In the meantime though I really need to get a lot of work prep done - this month is going to be very busy, it’s exciting and could be great for my new business, so I want to put a lot of effort into it!

Found you all again! I'm on day 15 of covid, not a lot of flying has been done, to be honest, I doubt much will be done the rest of the week either. I will start again when I am feeling up to it, just about keeping my head above water with essentials of food and laundry at the moment.

Edited to add, DH has been brilliant at looking after me and picking up the slack as much as he can, so we are not up to our ankles in dog hair.

Yesterday was sunny all day, for the first time in weeks, I think. Spent a couple of hours in the garden enjoying the fresh air. Swept paths, chopped back overhanging branches that could damage greenhouse. Still finding shards of greenhouse glass from our last storm.

Rather despondent when heavy rain started today. Emailed school, bought new trainers for TeenBoy, long phone blether with DS.

Nellie I hope you're feeling better soon! I'm glad you're DH is helping out around the house too.

Scourgify it's nice to be able to spend some time outside when the sun is shining, isn't it? Too bad for the rain today though!

Sing hopefully a list will help break it down for you. It's so motivating to see things get crossed off!

ED I really need to sweep outside. I was going to do it yesterday, but the wind was freezing!

I didn't really get much done yesterday, other than LOLs x3 & grocery shopping. It felt like I had to keep nipping out of the house though.

I fell down the last 6 steps of our stairs last night, so I'm really bruised and hurting today. I'm at work and feeling miserable 😪 I'm just ready to go home!

Parsnip good job on the bathroom work!

Ouch @HazelNotHungryLC I hope you make a speedy recovery, hope you are better soon too @Nellieinthebarn

Sorry the good weather didn’t last @Scourgify but glad you made the most of it. I managed quite a bit of gardening at the weekend (partly at my allotment and partly on a community wildflower verge) and it was so nice to feel the sun on my back.

@SingToTheSky that’s exciting about your business plans!

I have sorted out a huge pile of clean laundry tonight and put all mine away. Before bed I am planning to clear a small drawer where I keep tights and re-purpose it for socks keeping a couple of pairs of tights, I virtually never wear them. The rest can go to the clothes bank. My sock drawer is overflowing, I have bought lots of really thick chunky ones this winter, plus I have plain black ones, sports ones, trainer socks for summer and they need more space.

Morning all,

I haven’t looked at the website this morning other than the babysteps. Today’s baby step is Hot Spots https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-6/

Now this is one where I think Flylady really hits the nail on the head, they do pop up everywhere and have a tendency to re-ignite when you have put them out.

My app is saying that in Zone 5 we will take out anything that doesn’t belong in the living room and put it away. Again this could be applicable to Zone 1 (or any zone really).

Thursday is Errand day, I tend to do mine on Fridays which is my day off, but even if you aren’t doing any today maybe take a minute to think if there are any you need to do this week and make a slot in your diary

Yes, the hot spots are a good concept.
Last month I worked on my paper pile on the dining room table for 10 minutes, now it takes probably less than a minute daily to keep it tidy. Without knowing it's hotspot baby step again, I had a few minutes early this morning in my sons room which doubles up as the laundry room. As it's been sunny and laundry has been outside on the line, I could get to a hidden hotspot (corner with a couple of boxes I throw misilanous laundry at and I went through it. Found a mountain of loose odd and a bag of odd socks so I've put the together with another bag of odd socks, will hopefully be able to pair them one day! Also seen my son has 8 jumpers his size (more in the wash) which is a bit ridiculous but we'll probably hold onto them until he outgrows them at least.

Morning everyone! I’ve had a lazy morning as I’m tired from a busy day yesterday and I’m in waiting mode for my psychiatrist appt (to hopefully figure out ADHD medication, as current one is affecting my blood pressure too much.

po3.1
❗️book a cab
❗️breakfast
❗️compile BP readings so I can show psychiatrist

Morning, it's been a very busy few days here. Day off today so hoping to get through a fair bit. Good to see everyone making progress.

Hope the bump is OK Hazel.

22in2022 I find kids clothes so hard to get in proportion. DS had lots of jumpers but DD doesn't wear them. DS never has enough trousers but DD has far too many. Plus I buy cheap bundles on vinted and store them and forget about them . . . Two of my LOLs are bundles of clothes I've been given that I'm sorting and putting away for a few years time.

Todays tasks
Meal plan
Shopping
Put Shopping away (I find this hard!)
Fold and put away 3 LOL
Hot spots in kitchen
Hot spots in bedroom
School world book day event
Clean fridge (the dc want to "help")

@DillyDeclutter and my kids grow at such different rates too! My eldest fitted her age until a few years ago I didn't have many clothes for my 5yo when she had a growth spurt and I felt bad. My ds was a baby and he is small, fitted 0-3 most his first year, now at 2 is the size of an average 15 month old going on his clothing. So I've asked family to please not get any 2+ as I've been gifted these second hand. Some still did, now he's fitting into his first birthday presents, plus clothes I've got him from vinted and shops+ some Christmas presents. So he has many stored clothes to grow into but it is a blessing that he doesn't grow otof clothes as quickly as DD.

Absolutely need to get on with stuff, I’ve had a very unproductive day other than my appointment

po3.2
❗️towel LOL
❗️stock check/clear out fridge
❗️take in tesco delivery due in about 40min

I had a half day today , just helped DS sort out some stuff in his ManCave .
Found some odds socks and got rid of them before DS tried to keep them (he has hoarder tendencies it seems , I recognise from my Mum so I am keen to stamp them out )

Got a LOL on now - dressing gowns , four of them .

I had a wander down the garden to see if anything is growing but nothing so far .

Got through everything except cleaning the fridge, yay. House a lot better.

22in2022 I am the other way round, DD is younger and grows faster. She is in 4-5 and DS who is 3 years older is in 5-6. I keep saying she'll catch him up soon (although I also think girls clothing is sized smaller).

70 I have just one odd sock at the moment after I cleaned behind the tumble dryer and found almost all of the missing ones. It won't last!

Morning all, it’s Friday, so time to cear out your handbag and car. My car isn’t too bad at the moment, could do with a vacuum, it’s going in for service next week and they usualy wash it so I’m not going to attempt that, it could badly do with it though, encrusted with salt and other grot. My handbag is OK, I switche to those small uniqo ones about 18 months ago and as they are quite small you just can’t let clutter build up in them, I just chuck out a handful of receipts once a week or so and a few pens.

Babysteps: so far we are

Shining our sink
Getting dressed (to shoes optional)
Putting out hotspots
Putting away negative voices
Thinking about our routines

Today we are going to add to our routine - choosing your clothes the night before. I do this at least partially most nights and it does help, especially if you are in a rush in the mornings. My DCs are grown up now but I used to do it for them when they were little too. https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-7/

The mission today (whatever zone you are in) is to tackle those dust bunnies, in corners, under furniture, wherever you find them. In my case I need to do an entire dusting, it is the bit of home blessing that tends to get forgotten here, we spread the bed changing, bins, vacuuming over the weekend (starting Friday for me as it’s my day off) but tend to forget to dust.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget my DD (and my DMum) have hoarder tendencies, it is very trying, I am dreading the day I have to clear dparents house, it doesn’t appear cluttered but that is because it is big with absolutely masses of storage space, all of which is chock-full. Attic, cellar, double garage (actually that’s not too bad, they do put the car in it), rows of built in wardrobes and cupboards.

I only deal with my own odd socks, I don’t pair anyone else’s unless I find two matching when I’m sorting clean laundry, just put all the person’s socks in their pile for them to sort. I keep my own odd socks in my sock drawer and usually their partner returns in the end, I have a sort out once in a while. Which reminds me I didn’t do my tights drawer the other night but did do my bra drawer (I have one of those tall narrow chests of drawers with 6 small drawers).

I make it a habit to clear out my hand bag and car each day, putting receipts in office and coffee cups etc in bin. It makes quite a difference. Badly needs hoovering and a wash though.

Straightened up the bathroom shelves yesterday and washed the floor. Forgot to load the washing-machine, so TeenGirl went to school in boys underpants today.

Did half an hour in the front garden this morning as soon as Teens went off to school.

DH remarked on the living-room looking tidy. He altered an old coffee table to fit it into a corner of the utility where Teens’ school backpack used to sit on a crate. He took the crate to corral some of the tools in his car boot.

I try and take anything out of the car that shouldn’t be there every time I get out, but it doesn’t always work, if I’m in a rush, or if there is too much to carry in one trip, or if someone else has dumped it and I want to ask them to get it, but it’s a good practice.

Well, today I sold something on Vinted for the first time. And it was very easy. I have been putting off trying for far too long and just charity shopping things, but I am going to be doing a bit more now.

Washed the car today ( treated it to a high pressure hose/foamy brush wash)
Only the outside , I'll get someone else to clean inside .

Tomorrow is Gardening Day .
I have plans so I;ll see what can be accomplished .
DH wants to mow the lawn so hopefully it'll stay dry .

I washed my Jeep today, as well as vacuuming it out! I do have seat covers that still need to go in there and they are just taking up space in there right now. No other flying though.

Scourgify I had to laugh at you sending DD in DSs underpants 😆 I probably would have done the same!

My cars a bit messy...I'm waiting for a good time to remove the rubbish when my children won't see the junk food I ate last week...will tidy out my bags today. A smaller bag is probably the way to go, except I often take either a potty training toddler or a laptop around with me, so maybe in a couple of years!
@ExtraDecluttering vinted is great, I've had most sucsess selling DH things and non clothes items eg a chess set. Mine and kids clothes I think are saturated so I normally put them on then a month later take them to charity... I've sold a couple of frugi items.

Anyway, I've been focusing on my morning and evening routines. It's not too full on of a list. I've got on them to unload the dishwasher every morning and clean ds highchair at night as If we leave that to the morning it's pretty gross. There not a habbit yet so I don't want to add too much extra. I seem to have a bit of a mental block when it comes to laying clothes out for the next day as I do everything but that. I've also not done my relaxing bedtime activity (painting by numbers) much recently.

Still feeling a bit rough, but DH cleaned my car inside and out, because it was too embarrassing to take it for its service in the state it was in. Shame is the Spur!

I am keeping up the routines though, and I managed to clean the ensuite and the main bathroom yesterday. Today I will try to get some ironing done, this is so I can start to get my packing together in good time for our holiday in a weeks time.