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 .....

Just a quick drop in before I take 2 teenage daughters on the shopping trip. Looking at the list of what they think we will be buying I will be filing for bankrupcy tomorrow!

BLP - sorry about MC. It sounds as if you deserve some time with feet up after all the trauma. Put some time aside for yourself as well as all the tidying.

Only just found your tip on the linen. That sounds a good idea. Wish I'd known that before I sorted mine all out.

I had another very short-lived smug few minutes yesterday when my mount Everest of washing looked more like Ben Nevis......then the kids got undressed and Mount Everest returned! My aim of having empty wash bins , even for a few minutes looks increasing as likely as me climbing mount Everest! I have been determined to keep on top of the sorting when it is dry though, so that half the lounge is not covered in clothes.

No list for me today. Or if I did it would say spend, spend, spend, eat, spend, spend, eat, wine, collapse (not from too much wine I hasten to add!) I think I can probably manage that lot!

DH is incredibly impressed with my attempts so far.

Love to you all. Hope you all have a good day.

Best Laid you are NOT rubbish!! You are not allowed to say that on here [peers sternly at screen]. You have had a rough time - I'm so sorry to hear about your mc. Please cut yourself some slack and well done on your sitting room.

I have to confess, your opening sentence made me cackle though. I had visions of your cat spread out on the sofa, swigging from a beer bottle surrounded by full ashtrays and empty pizza cartons .... !!!

Am impressed by your kilner jars. Well done and don't try and do too much. Just shine your sink + 15 mins de-cluttering and you are done!!

Wow Dream team - you are on a roll!! And your ds sounds lovely btw ....

PositiveA - good luck with the shopping. mmmm ... could be a bit of a bribery opportunity there .... could your daughters help you with the laundry mountain????

Tommy and Molly, Bumpy and Raggity - how are you getting on????

My two cupboards are being delivered today (hurray). Just off to clear a path for the delivery men through the sea of cardboard boxes carrier bags full of goodness knows what on our landing ....

Have a productive day everyone!

I know it's late - but may I join in?

We spent the weekend in a hotel with the whole family, GPs, Aunties and Uncles and all, so it's back to earth with a bump and a mountain of undone laundry.

So far I have managed to wash a days worth of dishes and shine my sink. Yaay

Am currently on the 4th load of laundry....

Need to cook dinner, clean out the fridge and finish defrosting the freezer (because a dc left the door open yesterday grrrr), and spend some time dealing with the paperwork mountain - a 15 min burst will start it.

getting off MN would be a good start obviously

Of course you may!! Welcome SnowWoman!! Sounds like you had a great family holiday.

I've still got one "exploding suitcase" on my landing having returned a fortnight ago and I am still working through the laundry pile.... So congratulations for getting stuck in so promptly and for shining your sink!

Sounds like you have a busy evening ahead so good luck with it!

Speaking of holidays, I always say "next year I will change the beds the night before, defrost the freezer and clean the oven and fridge BEFORE I go" but it never, ever happens. Perhaps next time with the help of Flylady ....

It would be so nice not to be ahead of oneself for a change

Er, , I meant to write:

"to be ahead of oneself" of course

Perhaps there is something Freudian behind my lack of organisational skills ....

Welcome Snowwoman - Hope you had a good weekend and feel nicely relaxed and refreshed.

Know what you mean about getting organised before a holiday, so that the return is less trouble. Never works for me either. There is always so much to do!!

Ta for the tip on bribery. Not sure it would be really fair at the moment. DD has spent a year being really unwell and up to 2 months ago she had spent 6 months unable to stand, walk, feed herself, or do anything for herself at all - very hard on a teenager! So today was a huge treat for her to celebrate a miraculous recovery due to her determination and iron will! (don't know where she gets that from??? )
Well I have successfully completed my list today:-
spend done
Spend done
Spend done
eat done
Spend done
Spend done
eat .... just persuaded DH that a takeaway would be heavenly due to throbbing feet and aching legs and feeling absolutely nothing like cooking as much as a slice of toast!!!
wine doing mmmmmm
collapse ... after food and wine...
Fantastic day!

Down to proper list in morning. Can't even think about it tonight!
Love to all.

Evening.

I managed to sort the whole dresser yesterday .

Today I had my mum over for 13 hours! She is having her bathroom done so needed an escape. My mum takes no housework to a whole new dimension - her husband recently told me in the 20yrs they have lived in their house she has never cleaned the kitchen or dining room floor - and I believe him.

I seem to have spent the whole day cooking and picking up after her. House is demolished so I am going to get off pc and get busy.

laptop is back but still doing installs and upgrades

Will catch up with you all tomorrow - must go clean!

Evening all!!

positiveattitudeonly Well well done to you, on acheiving every single item on your to do list! You rock!!

snowwoman welcome to the thread (tisnt my thread but I think it is ok to welcome you?)
WTG on getting so far with laundry!! Thats brilliant work (I actually have 1 item left from my holiday in mid June as it is darn handwash only grrrrrrrrrrrrr)

CTGH Does anyone really do that? I get mine sort of tidy and then cleaner comes and turns dishwasher on etc to stop mould growing, but changing sheets? Really?> If so I am SO impressed. Oh and thank you for saying DS sounds lovely- doesnt take much to have me grinning like loon!!

Oh and what cupboards? Where are they going and they going to make hosue tody? If so we love them!

TIBNI You are offically top dog today for getting your dresser clear. You are an amazing person, so well done

As for my to do ...
Well I got hall way empty ready for new flooring to be laid in a.m. and that is it

I went to work, came home, went to Slimming World, went to friends and got drunk and am currently still drunk and in charge of key board...huge mistake!! Just dont let me near AIBU!!! DS is staying at my mums and boy do I need it!!

Willpost a list in mornign when sober but at least having no-one eat here except breakfasy my sink is still shiny!!

Hi Dream team - hope no ill-effects this morning !! HAve a fry up !! Congrats on your empty hall and shiny sink.

Tibni - yay - your dresser is done!! My ma is the opposite. Her house is still so shiny, clean and orderly (even now when she lives alone aged 83) that I hardly dare breathe when I am there for fear of putting something in the wrong place. It turned me the other way !!

Positive A - Glad you had a great day yesterday!! Hope you managed to buy something for yourself too! So sorry to hear what your dd has been through. Poor her! She sounds a very stalwart character. Pls forgive my thoughtless comment about laundry and bribery - I was half-joking and had forgotten about your dd's illness - many apologies, am a twonk!

Here's today's step - no 6:

www.flylady.net/pages/bbd6.asp

We have to do just 2 mins on a hot spot!

Something that works for me is to "contain" my hot spots with a "border" such as a wicker basket or a shallow plastic tray. They look tidier that way and once they are at over-flowing point then it is a good reminder to declutter.

Have had good start to the day so far (remember I am an hour ahead of UK though!):

We are all up and dressed to shoes (feel a bit of a plonker writing that down but trying to stick to flying rules this time)
My sink is shiny
Breakfast things tidy and dishwasher on
First load of washing done and drying in sunshine outside
Second load washing on
Washed towels from yesterday folded
Kitchen clean

The hot spot I am going to tackle today is the wicker basket on my kitchen counter which is full of half empty bottles of bubble mix, old cookie cutters, half eaten packets of gummy bears and ice lollie moulds

The rest of the day will be spent tidying master bedroom and shredding old papers from office

Sorry for the essay. Enjoy your day everyone!

Can I join please? I can't get here every day but would love some support on the cleaning!

My hotspot is the dining table. I need to clear that today as we have guests over this afternoon.

I really need to declutter as there doesn't seem to be enough space for the kids toys even though they have about 6 toy boxes

I need to sort out my wardrobe and the kids closet and take the old or outgrown clothes to charity.

I need to clear out the spare room which seems to have become a general dumping ground

I would love to get all this done by the end of Aug!

As for today, my goals are to
Unload dishwasher
Wash clothes and hang out (is it going to rain today?)
Clear dining table
Empty bins
Tidy bedrooms
Tidy decked area
Go shopping
Cook

I did flylady for a while and I really try to stick to getting washed and dressed early, 'swish and swipe' of the bathroom every morning and the cleaning your sink, kitchen and a general tidy in the evening. Doing that really helps me to cope with every day!

Course you can join Velvet!! Welcome!! Hopefully we can all goad one another to meet our September deadlines.

There's nothing like guests coming to spur one on I find!! I'm usually flapping about hiding things behind the sofa, while they are coming in the front door ....!!

Btw Dream time ... I read somewhere (can't remember if Flylady or not) that it was a good idea to change your bedsheets the night before you leave for your holiday so you come back to clean sheets ... have never managed it yet .. but you never know.

1 cupboard is for linen

and 1 is for office (am a bit of a stationery junkie!!)

I change the bed sheets a day before I go on holiday then they're still relatively fresh when we get back
I also have to make sure the house is hoovered and tidy before we leave and I leave bleach in the toilet and down all the plug holes!

I am getting a bit stressed now. The guests have decided to stay for dinner (my offer, silly me!). Ds2 won't go down for his nap so can't get much done yet.

I've been shopping and bought everything we need so I need to make a start on cleaning, prepping the food and making dessert!

Have washed and put out one load. Another to do now.

Welcome to velvet cushion

CTGH - I was not aware that you are an hour ahead of me. That slightly dispels my guilty feeling when I drag myself on to the computer first thing in the morning, only to read that you have been super organised already and done washing, got it on the line and have had time to type out a to-do list for the day. Very crafty of you. I now believe I am in a time warp difference, too. My times start about 3 hours after everyone else and end 3 hours before you too. (due to laziness, does that count??)
I was not at all offended by your comments about DD. Don't worry, with 5 dcs I get confused, so I expect everyone else to aswell!!

Well, I am feeling incredibly knackered smug today, after getting a total rush of blood to the head. Should not be allowed to happen when trying to be in holiday mode! I have blitzed the kitchen dresser. This probably does not sound a lot, but 8 years of accumulated junk keepsakes and paperwork, intermingled with veg rack (ashamed at what I found growing in the bottom, I will just say if there are any horticulturists out there I can give you a lesson in total neglect perfection!) Kitchen is now looking wonderful, even if I say so myself.
I was worried that this could be the beginnings of insanity creeping up on me, but according to DH I am well beyond the beginnings of insanity and he assures me this is me being "NORMAL"!!!! If this is normal, then bring on the men in white coats! One day of my life is enough for me, I'll go back to being me after a good nights sleep!!

Happy cleaning - I have to say it does feel good to be getting somewhere after so many years of being the hamster in the wheel of housework! The faster I run, the faster the "stuff" piles up. I feel like a free hamster now, running productively!! I think all this cleaning has made me a bit phillosophical,(drat, I can't spell) so I'd better go to the wine!!!!

Morning all ...

Yay PositiveA!! Congratulations on your dresser and shiny kitchen!!!!

Hope your dinner went well Velvet ...

Hope everything is going OK for everyone else.

Rushing today as lots to pack in before the week end so pls forgive very brief post.

Here's today's baby step (no.7)

www.flylady.net/pages/bbd7.asp

Congratulations everyone - you have now completed one week of flying and are officially airborne!!

Morning!

Dinner went very well. We had a late night and I'm trying to finish off all the cleaning. I've got a bit of washing up left and thats it!

As for my other goals today, I'm hoping to

Do a laundry wash
Tidy bedrooms (I'm determined to keep on top of them now that they are quite tidy. Will literally only take a couple of mins to do beds, air the rooms and put clothes and toys away)
Buy presents
Buy uniform
Finish cleaning kitchen
Take rubbish out

Hi all.

VC - hello. Glad the meal went well.

PAO - well done on the kitchen - you deserve to feel smug.

CTGH - I try and get sorted before the weekend too but often can not tell by end of weekend!

My ASD son is having a development spurt which is great but also results in challenging behaviour as he tries pushing boundaries so I am having limited success round the house. He is missing school and trying to control his environment which is understandable but exhausting. Couldn't even go to the loo yesterday without incident (bottle of squash down sink, vinegar over kitchen - and that is with locks on kitchen door

I did manage to get a craft storage tower sorted yesterday in the conservatory - as I could keep an eye on him bouncing on the trampoline burning some energy! Probably be more in conservatory today as he is still bouncing off the walls. The conservatory is set up as a playroom so there is lots to sort!

Laptop is sorted so we will have it for holiday

Hope you all have a good day

Afternoon everyone

Hmmmn got the dishes, beds and more laundry done. Freezer defrosted and food we couldn't use binned. Fridge clear out is ongoing

Unplanned panic when I had to clear up the house and make sure there was loft and underfloor access for builders so they could quote for doing our hoped-for extension. I realise yet again that I need to get rid of 15 years and 4 children's worth of clutter if we do go ahead cos I'm not paying storage on it. Sigh.

Off to do the ironing, and cook dinner and menu plan/shopping list for tomorrow.

see y'all later.

Evening All,

VC - Glad your meal went well.

TBNI - I admire you. Sounds a bit hectic in your home. I would give up on housework altogether during the hols. Well done for doing so well.

SW - Well done for doing so much today. I will be joining you in the defrosting freezer and cleaning fridge as we are having a new one delivered next week some time, so kids are eating their way through the contents at the moment.

Another surprisingly productive day. I have gone dresser-tastic!! Kitchen dresser completely spotless, inside and out. Large-lounge dresser top and drawers sorted. Dining room dresser inside and out done! Yes we do have a lot of dressers and a very large house with lots of rooms - needed for 5dc s. Shower-room Number 2 bleached and shiny and looking good! Left on my to-do list is the shoe cupboard, the wash room and still am hopeful of having an empty washbin even for 5 mins. If I don't post for a few days please send a search party out I will be somewhere in the depths of the shoe cupboard. Not sure why seven people need more shoes than an explosion in a Clarkes factory, but I will be ruthless. This is my new word for this week. Poor binmen will be demanding a pay rise when they see how much I have got rid of so far!!!

No wine tonight as I am just off to collect DD from an evening out - the sacrifices mums make!!!!
Have a good evening all and happy shining tomorrow.

Hello everyone!

I am so sorry to be only posting now. I got off to a V. late start and had an incredibly busy day (not domestic duties but work organisation).

Hi VC - I am sorting out school uniform too ..first time dd has ever worn it so all rather exciting .. no doubt this wears off pretty soon!! Have you got yours sorted?

Tibni - glad your laptop has recovered! "Chapeau to you" for craft tower success. Sounds as though you have your hands full with your lovely ds! When are you off on holiday?

Snowoman - Well done on your freezer. Must do mine. I feel your pain . Am clearing out for builders too and the back-log of clutter and unfinished tasks is well [gulps] overwhelming. [Double sigh in return!] Here's hoping we can overcome!

Heellloooo PositiveA! You can emerge from the shoe cupboard now!! There is no stopping you is there?!!! Congrats on your dresser-tastic day!!

Carry on everyone!!

Have a good w/e

Here are our steps for today and tomorrow (for those that are Flying every day):

Sat 8th : Baby Step No. 8

www.flylady.net/pages/bbd8.asp

Start of house control journal and overview of past week)

Sun 9th: Baby Step No.9

www.flylady.net/pages/bbd9.asp
Official start of decluttering. Quite useful link included.

Does anyone know what "putting out" your hotspot for 2 minutes means? I've obviously missed something ....

Hi all

Sorr havent been here for a few days- I also tackled 'THE SHOE CUPBOARD' (Said in big presenter voice LOL)

Threw away 8 pairs, and someone is coming to get 4 pairs of DS' shoes that no longer fit him

I can see my floor again and all DS' clothes have been cleared out -about to list them on Freecycle.

I think I have the school clothes sorted now- also buying for the first time

Need to clear some of DS' toys- he has too many shockingly enough... I am sure unlike other kids his age!!

Oooh and I found a lovely unit for lounge from Ikea that I might buy

Left to do today is

1. Put washing on line and get another load in
2. 10 minutes on clutter on bedrrom floor- not normally there but has sneaked in as homeless stuff due to emptying study (a hotspot ATM)... which leads to ...

Hotspots question that you asked CTGH

Your hotspots are the places in your house where you, or other people, dump things. The anology is, is that if you dont keep an eye on these hotspots they will like little forest fires, catch light and take over, but spending literally 2 minutes dampening them down once of twice a day will stop that happening - Flylady explains it better, so will find the link. Ahh here it is - hotspots

hope everyone else's weekends are going well

Thank you DreamTeam!! Understood what a "hot spot" is, just didn't twig fire analogy so thought "putting out" alluded to laying it all in the middle of the floor for next day or someat. Am a twonk of the highest degree !! I'm not at all sure I am qualified to be running this thread ...

Well done on your jettisoning shoes and hope you are having a good day.

Hope everyone managed their 5 minute room rescue today! This is just spending 5 mins "clearing a path" in the worst room of the house - the one you never let anyone see! 5 mins a day for 27 days and it will be done!!

Here's tomorrow's (Monday baby-step:

www.flylady.net/pages/bbd10.asp

Hi all.
I have emerged from the black hole!! Dreamteam girl, you made me laugh about throwing out 8 pairs of shoes. I have 4 black bin bags full of shoes, trainers, boots and bags!!!!
All done now. Nice and neat on shoe rack.

I cannot believe that I have gone headlong into blitz mode and feel now as if the whole of the downstairs is accessible to anyones spotchecks. Thank you so much, CTGH, for inspiring me and giving me the umph to do this! I even contemplated asking MIL to come over as I would not have to hide anything or keep her in one room to avoid any nasty comments. I said contemplating. That was enough......I then realised that I must be back to being totally insane and shook my head violently to get such thoughts out!! No way is MIL being asked round. That would be self torture on the grandest scale! (she is mrs houseproud to the highest order. I always feel as if I breathe wrong around her!! Never been good enough for her, so after 21 years I dont ever want to be!!!)

Anyway, back to the point. Shoe cupboard - done. Wash room - done.(years of tumble dryer fluff removed, a million odd socks discovered - the other halves of the pairs that were thrown out last week, no doubt )
Still got at least 3 loads of washing, that treadmill is ongoing and I still have not managed to get to the bottom of the washbins (we use 2 big black dustbins). That is my goal for the next few days.
I have to admit I am not really keeping to the fly lady points as I have been in blitz mode, but will use some of the suggestions to keep on top of things. I think I will easily manage the second half of tomorrows baby steps. - 15 minutes of cup of drink, magazine and feet up!! Easiest 15 minutes of the week, I may even be able to stretch that one to last a bit longer, say 5 hours, if I try really hard????

Must be off now. Feeling very "beached out" after spending a wonderful day at the beach with the family. Too much sun all round. Face rather red!! Lying on the beach all day doing nothing is soooooo exhausting!!!

Hope you all have had a good weekend and keep flying!!

Wow PAO - you are really doing so well.

I have not tackled shoe basket yet but I will be brave this week.

We go on holiday on Saturday to Norfolk, dh, dd, ds and I and also a friend who is such a help with ds.

Well I have got a few bits done over the weekend - sorted out some clothes and cleaned part of the conservatory.

ds and dd are at a playscheme at ds SEN school Monday - Thursday so I am hoping to get a lot done. ds has taken a lot of entertaining this past week and I have needed eyes in the back of my head. Last night he got hold of 2 jars of my face cream .

dh has an interview tomorrow so I will be flying with crossed fingers!

Yes PA you are positively soaring!! Congrats to you and sympathies re MIL situation. I would have loved a close relationship with my dh's ma- tried my best for 14 yrs before I gave up trying to please her - it's just very sad but only way I can cope with it.

And thanks for thanks - appreciated!! Cannot claim entirely altruistic reasons for starting this thread - it's a safe bet my house is probably in a worse state than everyone's put together !!!

Tibni - Well done on your conservatory and hope you are managing to profit from a bit of peace and quiet!! I'm off on hols on Friday but have dd and various friends with me until then ....

Speaking of hols - would someone pls mind taking over posting the baby steps for one week Sat 14th to Sat 22nd when I am away? Thanks very much!!

I've done the shoes - took me a good couple of hours, emptied and swept out shoes basket, hoovered the whole area, wiped the wall the remove the word "explorer" - not sure how long it had been there as it was behind the large wicker basket, hidden out of sight.

My MIL is the "children should be seen and shown off to church friends but not cause an inconvenience" type. dd obliges but ds doesn't , we don't see her often because it is too stressful.

Took dh to station to go to London for interview.

Im a very proud mummy - dd just got her RAD ballet result, a distinction

CTGH - whatever your motivation for the thread thanks. Sometimes it feels I am the only one who doesn't have an immaculate home.