starting tomorrow ...accelerated flying for month of August only ....

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Bit of a long-shot but does anyone want to join me for a mutual kick-up-the-bum motivational thread starting tomorrow 1st August?

[then we could join (or re-join for about third time in my case ) main Flying or slatterns thread thereafter ....]

My house is a tip and I want to get it straight again before schools starts on 1st September ...

added to that I have visitors coming to stay at the end of the month too ...

both of these factors are making me feel stressed and the whole house is getting on top of me. Need to declutter, organise, tidy and clean.

Heeellllp, pleaasssee, someone .....

please can I join?
I have done nothing all day - just faffed around and my house looks like a pig sty.
The DSs' rooms are dreadful too but I can hardly blame them can I when the rest of the house looks like it does

Plesae tell me what I have to do to join your club?

I'd love to, only tomorrow is the 31st, so I can't...

Seriously though, by Monday I'll be interested. I can't do the flying thing at the weekend, weekdays only for me

Oh fantastic ... a recruit!! Welcome Tommy...

My faffing has been so bad this week that we are still living out of suitcases, even though we returned from holiday exactly a week ago ....

As to our "rehabilitation programme" ...

well, um, we could (if we want) follow the Flylady "baby-steps" (yuck - how I loathe that phrase) which are meant to get us in to good habits without becoming too over-whelmed. There's a lot of toe-curlingly-awful-folksy-waffle on the Flylady site - but the underlying strategy is very sound - but we could just print out the step for each day and then add the other stuff that we need to do and list??? Maybe???

[There are other Flying threads on here and I don't want to hi-jack them so I thought we could just do this for one month only and see if we can keep it up for that short length of time (actually for me it will be even less because I will be away from 14th to 21st Aug. inc.)]

Please feel free to give me a virulent 'verbal' dressing down if am patently procrastinating and not cracking on with my list for a particular day ...and I will do the same for you (if you want that of course) ...

How does that sound? Any other suggestions gratefully received ...

Sorry Bumpy Becky! Didn't see your post there for a minute! You are very very welcome too!! The more the merrier.

If I remember correctly, the first baby-steps are very simple and can easily be completed in 10 mins at either ends of day so no problem in keeping up at weekends or if you prefer, doing two at a time during week to catch up.

Our personal lists can be as long or short as we like depending on what we have to plough through that day.

While I am at it, here is my interpretatioon of the main Flylady principles:

Keep your kitchen sink clean and shiny and clutter-free.

Go to bed early at night and get up early and dress straightaway every morning, including lace-up shoes.

Do a few key things every night and every morning to make your day go smoother (ie lay out clothes, identify tasks for next day etc etc - this is covered in baby steps)

Cut down on screen-time no comment!!

Do one job at a time and clear up afterwards.

Don't take on a mammoth clearing task - take small bites - nothing more than one hour's worth.

Do something that you enjoy every day.

Work quickly and in a focused way (I find a timer helps once I can actually get down to it - 15 min chunks.)

Smile (I assure you I won't be doing this last one)

I do the 15 min chunks - that has been quite successful. I'e been amazed at how muchI get down (and how tidy my kitchen can look at the end of 45 mins

but I do tend to switch the laptop on as soon as I come down in the morning instead of emptying the dishwasher

Does the "something I enjoy" mean a houshold task that I enjoy or a proper thing?

agree about efficacy of chunks and the dangers of Mumsnet ...

um, I'm no expert, but I think it means something that you really like doing totally unrelated to housework ...

that bit won't be hard at all then

OK everyone -

here's the 1st step:

step one

and added to that (because this is accelerated and I am deep in the mire):

tidy up toys in sitting room
I am going try and get an early night
put clothes out before I go to bed for me and dd
get up early (for hols)
washed, dressed, breakfasted and cracking by 8am
tidy rest of sitting room
tidy bedroom
tidy hall
tidy landings
unpack cases
put away clean laundry
sort dirty laundry
start washing laundry
attend to flowers on terrace
clean out gps
try and jettison some clutter brought back from holiday

do 30 mins intensive chucking out in the office

I know this is intensely boring but that is why I haven't done it

I also know doing a load of stuff on top of step goes against all Flylady principles of taking it slow and steady but I'm in desperate straits ....

please adminster full-force kicks up the rear tomorrow ....

Tommy - what are up to tomorrow ??? [peers sternly at screen]

Becky - you have an abstention until Monday

Oh bums, sorry

I've drunk too many glasses of wine at dinner I've got ahead of myself

the first step is for Saturday August 1st (I think there are 30 or 31 baby-steps in all so may as well coincide with calendar)

thought tomorrow was 1st for some reason ...

I'm still going to try and do my list though so I can get a head start

can procrastinate no longer ...

Tonmorrow, I will start as I mean to go on and not turn the laptop on until I have finished my chores....

Well we are all up and dressed and have started tidying ...
crikey there is a lot to do

Forgot to mention Flylady recommends drinking lots of water and I am going to try and get in an hour's exercise every day too ... half an hour walking ... half an hr Rosemary Conley vid.

I'm not so disciplined Tommy but your strategy is a good one. Will log back in after lunch. Good luck with it!

Can I join? Probably weekends only and no lace up shoes thank you very much!

Have just had the garden completely landscaped and it looks fab. I now need the house to match so lots of sorting out and tidying to do during August.

Can I join in too please?

I too have joined (then dropped off ) housekeeping threads.

I have been working hard to get on top of the housework and my house is looking better but behind the doors things need proper sorting!

If you see lots of repeats on my list it is not that im over keen but that I have jobs that really have to be done daily (like sitting room window) as my ASD son tends to leave a LOT of prints.

I've already got quite a bit done this morning - general tidy round.

So today I will attempt to;
hoover downstairs
sitting room window
polish downstairs
washing on line (when its finished)
iron (if it gets dry)
hoover stairs
hoover bedrooms
empty bins

bigger tasks
wash down shelves in dd and ds rooms
cleaned mirrored wardrobe doors
sort ds sensory area
sort understairs dumping ground!

Im going to write these aims down then step away from the laptop till coffee break!

ok - have done dishwasher and breakfast stuff.

There is a particulary messy shelf that neds doing so I'll do that now while I'm listening to Hugh FW on desert island discs!

Can I join too please? Just need to get the house in some kind of neatish, decorated order before I go back to school in September, when I'll be able to do maintenance type housework but the idea of a proper clear out will have me hiding under the duvet,or more likely the mountain of marking that inevitably awaits, which come to think of it is probably why my house looks like the place where dust comes to die (or possibly breed)

Today I will (as well as sink obviously)

*empty, clean and at least undercoat the pantry.

*sort out recycling

*do some laundry while the sun has made a fleeting appearance

Hope everyone has a good day.

Id like to join too if i may ? we go from either up and out all day to being in and half doin things - drive myself bonkers!! only think is we away 8 th aug one week so id do a week, then off a week,then back for res of hols...are you allowed to "join" if youre at work - i work part time ....Good luck all !!!!!Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to all those whose houses are in as bad a state as mine the new recruits

Welcome Molly - am v. of your garden - it sounds lovely

• no prob weekends only - Flylady baby steps will be posted every day for a month - just adapt it to suit yourself - loads of waffle on the site but the underlying principles are sound (and the morning and night routines will be useful for you if you work f/t)

Hellooo Best Laid Plans - I was hiding under the duvet procrastinating last week!! hope the undercoat went on fairly easily. You obviously aren't doing too badly if you can get to the walls of your pantry to paint them. I need to clear a path ... perhaps we should re-name this thread "where dust comes to die"

Hi Raggity - yes of course - all pt/ft/sahm/wohm welcome! I know EXACTLY what you mean about out all day or bitty half and half days where nothing is achieved - Flylady is very good for this as it gives you a structure (ie you know what to do next when you have a 20 min slot available and so you don't waste half of it dithering like me) and it cuts down everything in to manageable/achievable chunks ...

Thanks for the encouragement everyone and hope you are having a productive day

Oh dear! I'm sorry. I managed somehow to completely miss your post tibni. Hope you are managing to tick off the items on your list. I'm going to follow your example and step away from the screen and get back to chores before I press that seductive "active threads" button!!

I haven't had as productive a morning as I thought because I've gone out to buy a cupboard which is being delivered next week but it will help enormously with storing the sea of detritus on our landings ...(that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)

tidy up toys in sitting room done
I am going try and get an early nightdone
put clothes out before I go to bed for me and dddone
get up early (for hols)done
washed, dressed, breakfasted and cracking by 8amdone
tidy rest of sitting room done
have also cleaned kitchen and downstairs cloakroom (which I forgot to list)

now have to:
tidy bedroom
tidy landings
unpack cases
put away clean laundry
sort dirty laundry
start washing laundry
attend to flowers on terrace
clean out gps
try and jettison some clutter brought back from holiday

do 30 mins intensive chucking out in the office

exercise

Good luck everyone!!

Hi, can I join too?

I work part-time, have 5 dcs and only seem to be around long enough to make the place a mess, then am too exhausted to tidy up afterwards. DH is a bit excessive with tidiness, so we drive each other crazy, but happily married for 21 years, so cant be too bad .

Do any of you get DC s to help? Mine look at me as if I have got 2 heads if I start ranting asking for help!

At work at the moment, going home to mend the hoover as it got clogged a couple of weeks days ago and it has been the perfect excuse reason for not using it!!!

Now feeling better that I am not the only mum who struggles with this. How do all those perfect mums with perfect children with perfect homes and no ironing piles do it??
Kick up backside needed. Thank you.

I know what you mean ! id like to not feel that im chasing my tail..!! I pay dc s a small amount for jobs ...and thay have a daily job that i can ask them to do ..ds hoovers room ,ds dusts when asked...Id like to know how ,when its hard to do basics anyone ever gets round to inside cupboards,bottom laundry pile ,photos in file ,old bills shredded ...help anyone ?!!Do we do this as part of fly lady stuff eg a quick clean and one cupboard? - my baking cupboard is full of flour debris ,rings of treacle - my friends is squeaky clean - but when do those jobs get done ?Is there a secret method ?!-advice on how to do this in flylady system would transform thing s for me- you know when you are sitting having glass or two of wine at night - well i can FEEL the presecence of that dratted mess!!!!!!

Positiveattitudeonly - read the non-ironers thread, that's why they don't have ironing piles

Countingthegreyhairs - took me a good hour to clear out pantry (throwing away an embarrassing amount of stuff in the process), but it is now, bar the bit behind the freezer, brown cookie dough.

The cat is currently sulking outside, partly due to the smell of paint, but also the number of expletives uttered when I found her secret poo stash behind the freezer.

Two lots of laundry done, ominous black clouds overhead now though.

Think I'll just finish this tea before I do anything else...

I need to join in as my name suggests...

I just don't know where to start and have been stop starting all day. The main problem here is that we have too much stuff and literally no storage so things live on top of things and with DH at work all the time, he never has the motivation to sort out his stuff to get rid. I, on the other hand am fed up of throwing out my stuff to make room for everyone elses and funds are a bit tight having lost my job in July.

I also have the added thing of 5yo DD who is happy to get stuff out all over the place but then throws a huge tantrum when asked to put it all away. This happens daily and its getting me down. She was sent to her room 20 mins ago to start putting her toys in the boxes at the side of her room. Not a massive job, but she is in there kicking and screaming and slamming doors.

There is so much to do and it is the holidays. I've been working for a while and missed out on my kids and I feel a bit resentful that I have to spend our free time cleaning. Same worries all round I suspect. I just don't know how I can get stuff done with the DC here because everytime I get something done, they've undone it within seconds.

Am having cup of tea now, have done the majority of the washing up and done 2 loads of washing which need to go out. I suppose I could take the rubbish out as I go (live in a block of flats) then that gets rid of some stuff.

Not sure what to do next though. Will check DD's progress and then make sure the kitchen is presentable methinks. Back soon!

I can not even say that the house is really small or that we lack storage - we just have a load of clutter.

dh hates throwing anything away and tends to create piles rather than dealing with stuff where as I hide things in drawers / storage but will throw things away.

Well I have done my list all but the ironing as washing is still on line. I have also scrubbed the shower screen (having been shamed having seen a thread while having coffee break) and sorted my underwear draw and thrown some ancient articles away!

I have also balanced this with colouring, reading and dot to dot puzzles with ds and having a special picnic lunch with him as well as tickle and cuddle time. dd just got back from a sleepover and gone for a lie down as she has 3 hours gymnastics training tonight.

Yay! New recruits!

Welcome PositiveAttitude: I take my hat off to you with 5 dcs + pt job. Surprised you get any housework done at all!! I only have one so I have absolutely NO excuses . Ahhh - congratulations on your 21 yrs!!

I try and get dd to help and she does have specific tasks but I'm so disorganised myself at the moment that I have let these slide which is one of the reasons I need to get back on track by the time school starts again. I also want to try and model a less stressful "all or nothing" system of managing a home to her...

Welcome to you Secret Slattern too! I totally sympathise about not knowing where to start, clearing up after your dd (I still need to stand over my 6 yr old to get her to put toys away properly) and with feeling resentful about cleaning in the holidays.

Hopefully the Flylady system will help us address all these problems ....

Raggity - I think Flylady would recommend doing a shelf at a time of your cupboard. It is surprising how much you can get through with the 'tiny bite' little and often method. She introduces the concept of hot spots at step 6 (so it will come up on 6th August).

Well done on getting through your list tibni (I'm still doing mine!!) and keeping the dc happy at the same time! Not an easy task!

For anyone who isn't sure the Flylady baby steps introduce a new system of working a step at a time. It encourages you to attend to the daily tasks morning and evening - then you spend a few minutes every day on decluttering and sorting - then when you have decluttered it then introduces you to a regular cleaning routine (Monday washing, Tuesday bedrooms, Thursday errands etc etc for example) + on top of this one weekly cleaning period of an hour or two. This all sounds more complicated than it is.

Anyway, I hope everyone is ready to start tomorrow (if you are Flying at w/es):

In preparation remember to:

try and get an early night
put out your clothes the night before
try and decide what tasks you are going to tackle in advance and stick to it
try and get up 15 mins before the rest of the family

Here's step one again:

www.flylady.net/pages/begin_babysteps.asp

I will also be spending one hour decluttering the office tomorrow.

Good luck everyone!!