April Flying with the Fledglings - We’re No Fools

[EffortlesslyDecluttering]

Welcome to the April Flylady thread, we are starting the month with spring well and truly sprung, flowers out, longer days and hopefully warm, dry weather.

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”. We will be decluttering and cleaning in these zones with a daily mission posted, these are tasks that should take up to about 15 minutes.

Other daily themes: each day of the week has a different regular to-do:
Monday: Home Blessing (or as we call it, home bleugh) - hoover, dust, change beds etc
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.

Note: The Flylady website and app are not working reliably at the moment, both are stuck in Zone 5 and have been for several weeks. So the launchpad is not always up to date. However the Zone and Babystep pages are useful for reference. I will be posting the daily Flight Plan from the Flylady FB page instead for the time being.

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/

Thank you for the new thread ED and thank you for running the March thread, especially with the glitches that are ongoing!

I hope to be better this month, although I didn't do so great today 🤦‍♀️ I didn't do any of the cleaning I wanted to! I did have some ta das though.

Ta das:
😳 mammogram (my first one ever!) They are starting to do them when you turn 40 over here, I lucked out and didn't have one scheduled for last year, but this year, no such luck! 🤞 everything will be all clear and good!
😊 LOLs x6, including sheets (put back on bed) and towels, among others
😊 clean clothes put away
😊 general tidy and put things away
😊 handwashed dishes
😊 rotated DW
😊 cleaned out fridge
😊 meal planning
😊 grocery shopping
😊 a nap!

I just need to get my clothes out ready for tomorrow, before I go to bed tonight

Morning all, quick one this morning as I slept in a bit and need to get to work.
https://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/social_annotation_v2?permalink_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fconta.cc%2F4iO8cPX&image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmlsvc01-prod.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9043fe5c401%2Fd2f73ce3-ac3c-4a04-88e3-f2d1e3bbe614.png&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3V57UKj9FSb6kSa2dtCiyLVuQb09gKPCZbMloraf7ImU6szl_BsMgToZA_aem_MpvBhGDBNoHZE8Bzc17RXA

According to this Flight Plan link we are tackling walls, windows and light switches for fingerprints and smudges, in Zone 1, the porch, hall and dining room. Get out those microfibre cloths!

April’s Habit of the month is making our bed, and a reminder about the first babystep, shining your kitchen sink.

Tuesday is also plan and play day, I’m going to have a little diary update later.

Oh , I need to do the WM and DW cleaning cycle , I usually do on the 1st .

I need to wash the car and do the tyres on Thursday then fill the freezer with pizza for DS

I;ve done loads of washing over the past few days , lovely drying weather
Some to put away still .

My DC Easter Eggs are all sorted <preen>

Tada!
✅washed cat bowls and fed cats
✅put WM on
✅taken some plant cuttings and potted them up, put remainder of original plants in garden waste which gets collected today
✅put robovac on
✅got sourdough starter out of the fridge to feed this evening

Amazing what you can get done of you get up half an hour early.

Today is Thursday, the flight plan is here https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Your-Flight-Plan-for-Thursday-.html?soid=1120012284937&aid=eJvWlO45L2w

the mission is to get rid of anything that doesn’t belong in Zone 1. Our babystep is to start reading the Flylady website, hmmm. Well do have a go but some of the links aren’t working very well. Also worth reading through the flight plan in a bit more detail. The FB is a bit like the emails, soo many posts.

Way to go to get ahead, ED - congrats!
I've just been downstairs and done my usual first tasks of the day (feed cat, clean sink & hob, check mousetraps, put DH's coffee ready, got supper ingredients out of the freezer) but have slunk back to bed with my coffee.
Later it's the upstairs house bleugh but we're going to a little food and crafts shopping centre first this a.m.
Yesterday, I gave the bannister and the woodwork either side of the stairs a good going over - it looks and feels so much better 😊

🤞here too for an all clear, Hazel. I remember my first mammogram - I had this horrible mental picture of someone squeezing a spot and kept thinking my breast might pop 😯

Well done on sorting all your Easter eggs out, 70isaLimitNotaTarget 🐣
I'm getting there but I've a lot of present buying over the next few weeks: Easter, DD's birthday, other DD's baby shower and a big birthday for DS-in-Law...

It's looking to be a pleasant sunny day here. Hope all is well with the rest of all you FLYers 😊

Thank you @LaMarschallin I'm off to work now but can add:

✅washing hung out
✅yesterday's washing sorted and mine put away
✅swish and swipe bathroom
✅packed lunch made

Food and craft place sounds nice. @BloomingHazel I also send 🤞for mammogram all clear, they start at 50 here I think, I was in a trial of starting at 47 but friends younger than me say it's 50 again now.

I too have bought the DCs easter eggs 😇

Found you, hi! Thank you ED for the new thread.

I am super busy at work and my cleaners have cancelled indefinitely due to a very sick relative. It seems a bit heartless to find someone else, not quite sure what to do.* *they always have cancelled at the drop of a hat anyway and I said their next cancellation would be their last . . . Obviously before this came up!

Today is my "day off" so as well as keeping an eye on work emails and catching up with my voluntary stuff I have done all the bins and hoovered the car. Need to
hoover the rest of the house
do kitchen
do bathrooms
meal plan
Shopping
School admin
bath children
Clean some windows
Put washing away

Will try to update later!

Hi all,

I'm starting this month feeling a bit rough. I agreed with my manager id study from home this morning and come in at 1, but after getting an hour of study I've gone back to bed, I'll wash and have a lemsip in a minute. I have put a load of washing on and cleared and cleaned the dining room table so I could work on it. I'll probably go back to baby steps from about half way through them. I've only got a few weeks until exams though so my contribution to housework will be very limited. I like how flylady can be very light touch.

Not a good day fatigue wise, so just the basics done, beds made, toilet swished, LOL and people and pets fed. That'll do.

Morning all, sorry to hear about fatigue, poorliness and lack of cleaners. We always used to have a “naughty corner” on the thread, with cushions, hot drinks etc for Fledglings that are in attendance but not able to manage much flying for whatever reason, maybe it’s time so open it back up again <puts on kettle>. All are always welcome to just drop in and chat even if there isn’t much Flying to report.

It’s Friday today, so as usual, it is clean out your bag and car day, also date night, I’m going out on my own tonight, to a gig, eeek. There was only one ticket left and DH didn’t really want to go anyway, he goes on his own sometimes so no reason why I shouldn’t really, I do go to the cinema by myself sometimes.

Meanwhile, it’s my day off work. I need to do planning, decluttering and DD wants to spend the afternoon in the nearest city as she broke up from college yesterday so we are going to go together.

Our mission today is to tackle dust bunnies and cobwebs in the dining room or equivalent in Zone 1.

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Your-Flight-Plan-for-Friday-.html?soid=1120012284937&aid=bxwpjI44jA4

I missed out babystep 2 on Tuesday, which is Getting Dressed to LAce-Up Shoes. Now, I know shoes on or off in the house is a hot topic on MN, but getting dressed apart from shoes as soon as you get up is a good habit to get into, then you are ready for the day, can go outside as needed and no chance of sloping off back to bed with a cuppa, which obviously I never do .

Today’s babystep is to write your earlier babysteps on post-it notes for your kitchen and bathroom to act as remnders to start embedding the babysteps as routines. I have never done this as it looks, er, cluttered, but the principle is a good one.

Have a great time at the gig, ED - sounds like fun 😊
I've built sloping back to bed with a coffee into my morning routine since retiring. I do a few housework-y jobs first, sort out health maintenance (take tablets, do blood sugar) and do my morning skincare routine.
Then I can enjoy my coffee with only my toothbrushing and getting dressed to follow.
Today I'll give the kitchen its house bleugh (including mopping the floor), rest of downstairs will be done tomorrow.
I'm also going to box dye my hair as I've got an appointment for highlights and a cut on Tuesday.

Hope you're feeling a bit better today, Nellieinthebarn and Nellieinthebarn.

It's an awkward problem, Dilly.
This will make me sound very cynical, but I presume there really is a sick relative?
Just wondering if your cleaner guessed that the next cancellation may be the last and had to think of a better reason.
I had something similar happen; the excuses just went on and on. They obviously weren't keen on doing the job but wouldn't just resign. Eventually I said I'd have to get someone else in while they were experiencing so many difficulties, but to contact me when things were better and they could return.
Still haven't heard and that was 2 years ago 🤷‍♀️

Ironed yesterday's LOL, helped DH a bit in the garden and walked the dog, as well as the basics, so slightly more achieved than yesterday.

I hope to be able to clean the car out tomorrow, my bag is still ok from last time. Now I have switched to a smaller one it doesn't get so full of crap.

Bagsy-ing a spot in the naughty corner. Glorious sun here, with a lovely cooling breeze. My favourite weather 🌞

Same here, 20°, sunny and breezy which for me is absolute perfection.

My goals over the next fortnight are weather based. Mostly getting the front garden into some kind of order in the early morning, then moving into the back garden as the sun moves round the house.

Teens leave tomorrow morning, so I can sleep when I want and/or need to, and same with meals.

All school uniform to be sorted this evening and washed and dried over the weekend.

Also on the to-do list are several life admin tasks. One almost completely finished today and will doublecheck and post tomorrow.

Checking in. New month off to a decent start with the car vacuumed and tidied out yesterday. Vacuuming of various rooms done throughout the week. Ready for lots of dishes to be washed over the weekend

This morning woke up early again as my head and throat hurt in bed with my cold. Managed to do all my morning routine, after a coffee, felt very energetic and dusted vacuumed and tidied ds room/laundry room and sorted out clothes cupboards. Hooverd corners

I'm in the naughty corner too. Need to hoover the house . . .

A man from the council came round unannounced yesterday and I asked him in, he said (unpromoted) "don't worry about the mess, I have kids too". It wasn't actually that bad (only some folded washing on the sofa and a coat on the chair, plus the toy dd was playing with) so I feel a bit offended!

And......I'm back again

Maybe this month I will stick to it .... probably not!

Still living with THATtwat now looking at private renting for me and DC as sick of the feet dragging re house sale etc

Ta da

🧡 4 x LOL
💛 odd socks sorted
🧡 recycling out
💛 pots washed / in DW
🧡 one end kitchen mopped
💛 hob cleaned
🧡 laundry collected from around the house
💛 food shop put away
🧡 laundry basket cleaned
💛 kitchen table scrubbed
🧡 kitchen window sill tidied
💛 top of a chest of drawers dusted

THAT I'm sorry THATtwat is dragging his feet and forcing you to uproot the DC. So selfish of him! You've got a lot done though!

Dilly I can't believe he said that to you! It's one thing to say excuse the mess when it's your house you don't say it about someone else's! It doesn't sound like it was bad at all!

2in2022 I'm sorry to hear you have a cold! I hope you feel better soon 💐 you accomplished a lot!

Parsnip that sounds like a great start to the month! How's everything with baby Parsnip?

Scourgify that's a great plan to follow the sun to work outside! It's that time of year here that the sun is shining, but still a little chilly, especially if the wind is blowing, which is does, a lot, in this valley!

Nellie it makes it easier with a small bag. I just have a small purse/phone case that has everything in it. I do need to go through it though.

LaMarschallin I have my hair appt on Tuesday as well! Does your hairdresser not colour your hair along with the highlights? Mine includes 3 colours in her pricing (I just do 2), I assumed all of them did! Mine will be touching up my roots and adding more bleach highlights on Tuesday. I'm also going to get it chopped. I thought I'd have a little longer hair, but it's driving me crazy so, nope!

ED how was the gig you went to?

DS did the home bleugh yesterday, as well as mowed the grass. He did a fairly good job, but because he does rush through his chores, he didn't mop as thoroughly as I do. I did mop again when I got home from work last night though, and it's a lot cleaner now!

My plans for today are not housework based, I've got to make some caramels for the fundraiser, the baskets need to be ready to go before Friday.

We are also going to go to the next big town to get a few things, like hand soap, as we are almost out! I haven't been this low on hand soap, ever!

I hope everyone is having a great family fun day!

I have my hair appt on Tuesday as well! Does your hairdresser not colour your hair along with the highlights? Mine includes 3 colours in her pricing (I just do 2), I assumed all of them did

Sadly, no, Hazel. But I'm thinking of asking them to do it next time. The box dye I use is Josh Wood which is a good one, but, by the time I've added in all the extras, it's about £30. Plus there’s all the hassle of doing it myself.
I suppose I'd just got into the habit of doing it this way.
I'll definitely be glad to have my fringe cut back in. Tried growing it out but I can't get used to being without it. It covers the forehead wrinkles (although that means I age rapidly in a brisk wind!) and also I've got quite a high forehead.

Thanks hazel

I'm hoping to hear tomorrow about viewing a property, its not the best location but i could make it work

Ta da
💛 dryer on
🧡 up fed and dressed
💛 windows open
🧡 bed made

Had a nap yesterday then felt very groggy all afternoon but had somewhat relaxing time in the garden.

This morning I have done one lol but hanging it up was feeling more stuffy so maybe hay fever is topping up my cold symptoms. So paused that to drink my lemsip I made for when I'd finished. Before that I unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned the toilet and bathroom and attempted to remove mould from bath mats but they're soaking in a bleach solution for attempt 2.

DH has taken kids out now, I'm taking kids out this afternoon. Dropping off the oldest at a birthday party in a town centre 20 minutes away then will look for some summer shoes, Crocs or sandals for little on. DH picked up his size from shoe zone but they are ridiculously big for him, so this is a take two.

LaMarschallin wouldn't it be cheaper for your hairdresser to do it all?! I might be wrong, of course, my hairdresser is only just starting to put her prices up. We have been paying the same small amount for years! She's still affordable though.

THAT fingers crossed 🤞 that place will work out for you. Ultimately the best thing would be not having to be around THATtwat at all. How are the DC doing in all this?

2in2022 it sounds like a busy day for you!
I've had a cold and allergies at the same time, it was awful! I really feel for you and hope you find some relief soon 💐

Yesterday we got what we needed from the next big town. I also got some soil in a few of the raised planters for our vegetable & fruit garden that we're doing this year. It's our first time, and we're excited!
DH was getting the watering system set up, so it will be fully automated (very much needed here as it's pretty much desert and very dry).
I pulled some weeds/grass out of the flower beds while he was finishing up.
We have a few things to plant in them today, we will do that this afternoon.

I did manage to get my caramels and cashew clusters made in the morning, I just need to wrap and package them up today. I also need to dip the truffles I have in the freezer.

I then need to get meals figured out & go grocery shopping.
But, before I start on any of that, I'm going to drink my 2nd cup of coffee!