Fledglings flying into Joyous June - Monthly Flylady thread

[DillyDeclutter]

Join us in building routines to make housework more manageable. Start out with the baby steps, add in the missions in each zone, it will eventually become second nature. Jump right in, you're never left behind!

This is a long running thread, but we are a friendly bunch and all are welcome to join in 😊

June's habit of the month is drinking water. Whatever gets you drinking, fancy glasses, ice, floral decorations- go for it!

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!
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 (although I only have it for when the zones change). 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.
Zones: https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/
Baby Steps: https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/
full disclosure: the Flylady website is going through some changes and there have been some issues with it loading/ updating, so I will do my best!
The Current FLY Zone | FlyLady.net
https://www.flylady.net/d/zones/

Hmm, not sure how the children fit into that routine. They get me moving between rooms and general chaos. I think it's 2 separate routines really for me, kitchen one before kids bedtime then living room and bathroom after they're in bed, or at least the youngest. Their bedtimes are quite changeable at the moment, so maybe it's worth setting one for each of them so the evening runs more to a routine.

I hadn't refreshed so didn't see your comment 2in2022 making small changes will help you figure out what works best for you! And if course, the more you can delegate to someone else to do, the better!

Dilly there is a lot more storage space in US homes, for sure, unless you live in a tiny apartment. Making use of the space you have is what needs to happen. Utilize space vertically (shelves) and underneath things is the way to do that. Just try to keep it organised and only keep what you truly want and need.

Searching I hope the vitamins work well for you, I couldn't imagine not having energy as needed all the time (it's bad enough when I'm sick!). The jet lag is still on going. Work is becoming a challenge today!

Setting bed times for each of your DCs would really help, I would imagine. If you could get everything done in the kitchen and dining room before the youngest goes to bed, that would be good.

It's also a great time to include them with what they can do (take their dirty plates into the kitchen, or throwing away napkins, for example) doing age appropriate things, so it really depends on their ages of they can actually help yet. Mine started at about age 3, but I don't actually remember! 😱
I also had them help pick up any toys laying about in the living room, that only took about 5 minutes, before they had a bath and went to bed. It was also part of their bedtime routine.

Sorry I'm rambling now.. jet lag is not doing me any favours!

They do both take their plates through and set the table. There 2 and 7, but the 2 year old likes to do what the elder one does. He's a very capable but small 2 year old so sometimes his plates he puts on the side really teter on the edge. I imagined I'd have the oldest one with a later bedtime and we'd do some older activities like a board game but that hasn't really happened. we had that for a bit in the new year with set bedtimes. But the finds school tiring and I don't think gets she sleep she needs, the youngest still naps so can't go to bed too early and gets fomo and wants big sis to be in bed same time as him.

I'm enjoying the instant hot water🚿🛀 and after two of hard effort, DH has unblocked the kitchen drain and replaced some piping. 🪚 🔧. I've about three days of dishwashing to catch up with tomorrow, then I'll use the momentum to sort out the kitchen a bit more.

DH knocked the gunk out of the old pipe onto my decorative garden pebbles, which was a little disappointing as he was right beside the scruffy slabs that wouldn't have mattered at all.

As far as an empty space under the bed is concerned, there are eight storage tubs under my kingsize bed, and I need every one of them for spare bedding and out-of-season duvets. I should really look at the contents of the six stacked tubs behind the door though.

Oh that's lovely they are both helping out 😍 2in2022 it's so much easier to start when they're little like that too. Bedtime sounds really tough for you too, mine has the same age gap, but I really don't remember how we did it with them DS was a terror as a baby & toddler so probably buried the trauma deep within <not helpful, I know, I'm sorry!>

Sunshine instant hot water is something I don't want to take for granted. I don't even really think about it here, but at the airbnb we had to push a button to have hot water. Every. Single. Day. We do not have to do that here, thankfully!
As far as storage goes, do you use compression bags by any chance? Would that help reduce the number of tubs, if you can't declutter much of it?

Morning!

Tuesday is plan and play day - plan your week and then sit down with a cuppa.

Mission for today is to clear any junk that is on your bed, and make it neatly.

Baby step 24 is to add a swish and swipe ot the bathroom to your morning routine.https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-24/

Back later!

@HazelNotHungryLC we got caught like that at our AirBnB last week too, it was a hot water tank system but only on for a couple of hours in the morning (5-7) so with four of us wanting showers and then again in the evening having been to the beach we had to keep pressing the boost button. At home we have it on for a couple of hours in the morning and all evening on the basis that the tank is well insulated so it if doesn't get used it doesn't need much heating the next time.

On the subject of DCs helping, mine were very good when they were little but I have realised as they grew up that while they are still good at doing things, they STILL need to be reminded every time for anything beyond the basics (both neurodivergent) which is very wearing for me. They both do laundry and clear the kitchen but I have never managed to get them to think to say vacuum or dust, they do it willingly if I ask but I often have to ask more than once. I have decided to print out some prompt sheets, laminate them and stick them up in the kitchen. DD particularly means well but says she finds it incredibly hard to add things to routines and remember them and if her routines slip she finds it hard to get them going again, so if she forgets to brush her teeth once then it goes out of her brain for next time too (she is awaiting ADHD assessment). DH isn't much better (suspect ADHD there too). Over the years many, many of the people on these threads or their family members have been ND and I think it really does add an extra layer of challenge. So I am looking at these lists of routines with interest, for me it's easy, I just do them but clearly that doesn't work for my family. Similarly I have had to put labels on containers in the kitchen which helps them but I have no need for whatsoever and would never have thought of, I just know where everything lives.

I suspect I may have ADHD, as I'm dyslexic and just read this year that ADHD is common with it, but also organisation is a weakness with dyslexia. Like your children I annoy DH by not 'seeing' non basic jobs that need doing and I really struggle to stay on task in the kitchen. I used to annoy my mum too. Things like chopping veg and making sandwiches im so slow at. And I still haven't got the hang of the flylady routines. I could print and laminate it for myself as I find laminated things at work useful.

My kids are very switched on so keep me, they don't seem to be ADHD, or autism or dyslexia (2 year old is too young to tell) I have terrible short term memory. My 2 year old has even picked up on this as he wanted me to do something makes sure he breaks down my task into steps, telling me one at a time. 🤣

I have asked him because he works in a special needs school, he says no, because I don't hyperfocus on anything, but I think maybe I do....

I read another flylady musing, but found it a bit sexist. In the way it assumes a woman has the responsibility for the household. I'm trying harder to do my bit, but dh has the most control there. So her post was probably more suitable for my DH, about getting annoyed at your spouse (she said husband) and children about housework.

My DD is dyslexic too @2in2022twoyearson and I suspect so is DH. DS I don't think is either but he is autistic and dyspraxic, he can't remember more than a two step instruction, he says if you add a third thing the first falls off the list.

*it's DH not my 2 year old who works in a special needs school and I asked about ADHD. 🤣

yes I assumed that was what you meant.

My assessment i had at uni which diagnosed me dyslexic, highlighted an audio processing disorder, my weakest skill. I can't follow multi step instructions well. When my mum asked me to do something she always got me to repeat it back, because sometimes I'm hearing words but not listening. I didn't struggle at school because things were normally written down, which helps and I have to do.

I'm OK with spoken word but less good with watching things / video, I struggle to take in information from video unless it's REALLY interesting, I am much better with the written word and pictures for most things. I don't watch a lot of TV or films and it irritates me that so much content on the web is now short videos instead of written articles, it takes far too long to watch them, I don't remember whereas I can read and take in really quickly. I use subtitles a lot.

Good evening! Some interesting discussions!

DS and I are both likely to be autistic, we function well with structure and timetables. This is why the Flylady routine works so well for me. The structure helps me feel in control.

Consequently, fixed bedtimes are non negotiable in this house! DD at 7 and DS at 7.30. Each gets half an hour of reading and chatting- DS gets his TV time in while I'm up with DD.

Yay for hot water Sunshine! we have an old fashioned tank system that will do four showers OR one bath, and when it's gone, it's gone.

I have one hour before the school run
Toddler and I have been out all morning, ds slept on the way home and woke up as I brought him on. I have one hour to clean the kitchen, maybe hang up washing and prep dinner I just had a 5 minute nap on the sofa, in front of the TV, tried to get up but dictator toddler said to sit back down and watch Thomas with him so I was easily persuaded

Feel like I'm getting to know a few of you well, I want to share that I passed my exams for a post graduate certificate, I regretted doing the course as I was studying with small children, dyslexia and a 10 year break from study, was sure I'd failed the exam. I'm so glad the time and energy and tears I spent on it paid off.

Yay well done @2in2022twoyearson that is quite an achievement! I started an OU degree when mine were about 8-10ish can't remember, got the first year done (undergrad certificate level) but gave up after that which I kind of regret but I was overwhelmed with work, DCs and the EHCP process at the time. Will it help your career?

I have told my family the checklists are coming, and nagged them a bit, said I would like each person to have one daily job from the list and 15 mins tidying each night. We all did our 15 mins last night (I tend to also do this in the morning when they are all still in bed too but they never see it happening). In addition I have taken two bags of clothes and an old but working TV to the charity shop this week. Just need to find some suitable places to stick up my checklists, I don't really want them all over my walls if I'm honest but needs must.

Mine was a 9 month pgcert course. It was funded by my work, and should help my career and the hospital department I work at. On the one hand it was overwhelming, with working, having children and realising my inherent dyslexic weakness in study skills, especially time management, are much worse now and harder with the busier life I now lead. I consciously prioritised my mental health and children over the course, but am glad I didn't drop out, I was close. I'm proud that I didn't fully focus and fully commit myself to the course, kept it in perspective, which was difficult for me, if that makes sense. I've always tried my best academically. Allthough my husband says i worked hard I think he doesn't appreciate how i worked harder when I was at school. I took on board some conversations I had about being good enough and scrapped a pass which is all I need, so very strategic.

Well done 2in2022 that really is an achievement 🏅 especially with how busy you are!

ED well done on getting your family involved! Can you put the checklists on the fridge? Or in the bedroom of the individuals? I would have a hard time putting things up on the wall as well, I would probably have to get a framed cork board or something though so it looked better (but that's a 'me' problem).

Yesterday I didn't do much:
☀️ washed mattress & pillow protectors
☀️ washed sheets
☀️ bank
☀️ grocery shopping (just a few bits)
☀️ took a nap

That was it! I napped, ate too many carbs, fell asleep on the couch, went to bed early - stupid jet lag!

Congrats 2in2022 that's a huge achievement! I couldn't even think of doing exams at the moment!

Sorry I'm late to the parry today, Wednesday is my long day at work. It's also anti procrastination day, and I've booked some tickets I've been putting off for a while.

Today's mission is to clean the left side of the bed. Earlier in the week we were to clear the top of the bed, I am wondering if we are supposed to have some sort of integrated shelves in our beds.

Baby step 25 is to read Flyladys musings and testimonials. My political and social views differ significantly from Flyladys, but she is good at cleaning chat!
https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-25/

Morning! It's Thursday- errand day. Also my day off work - I'll be sorting the shopping!

The mission for today is to clear off your dresser and put away as much as possible.

Baby step 26 is to know you are not behind. Jump in where you are! https://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-26/

I wrote out a couple of commandments this morning from baby step 18. I've also added suncream the children to the morning routine, as I've not been good at always applying it, I just direct my 7 year old to do it herself at break time, which I know isn't great. 2 year old will have it applied for him in childcare, and he's kept out of the sun more, but it saves childminder a job, then if it's routine, on days I'm not working, he's suncreamed and ready before we think about going out. It worked this morning, for 2 year old, but my eldest didn't get up until I'd finished my morning routine so I quickly put some on her as she got her shoes on.

@HazelNotHungryLC we have two tall cupboards in the kitchen which I think I am going to get the thin stick on whiteboard sheets for, the cupboards are white and not too visible when you walk into the kitchen so I think they will not stand out too much. The fridge front is already where we magnet small pieces of paper and card we need to keep (repeat prescriptions etc although they are all online now anyway), although it does need a bit of a tidy up at the moment.

Everyone did well yesterday and did their 15 minutes or so, the house is looking much better already. I have been focussing on the mater bedroom as per Flylady zones and have partially decluttered most surfaces and dusted, I also have some plans to reorganise storage and buy some vacuum bags for under the bed stuff.

I completed one life admin task that has been hanging over my head like the Damoclean sword. It is now up to someone else to make decisions. I can't do anything more.

Meanwhile, the rain has started coming in through the kitchen ceiling, right in front of the cooker. This is not helpful.

Last day of term tomorrow.