Fledging flyers - December's messaholics anonymous meeting place

[droitwitchmum]

Everyone welcome, newcomers and old(ish) flappers alike!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering

As Christmas is approaching I will also be posting Christmas missions.

I'll post links early in the morning on the relevant day while I'm making the coffee and brewing tea. There might even be toast...

Good luck!

Good morning everyone didn't do round up last night as had super early night so I'll do one now

But first today's babystep. An important one today. Welcome to hotspots fledglings!

Happy St Nicholas SC - no flying for you today have a good time.

MRwtd well done for doing your bit. wtd great bit of DH training

MrsD am pleased flying is working so well for you. Somehow you end up doing things without realising it after a while

SBB that glow of satisfaction should help you to keep going. Great list yesterday!

DSM v impressed by the amount you got done, even though you were ill in bed Hope you are feeling better today

Mellie how is DD? Hope all is well.

Hello to everyone else

Yesterday our Christmas decs went up so not much flying here but DS and I had to clear off the window sill to bay window (large and deep) and give it a good clean before we could put the tree up.
Also took DS swimming
Changed DS bed
Finished the ironing

Today I need to
dust
vac
change our bed
s&s
shine sink
bins
purge papers
go to ILs for lunch

Enjoy your sunday everyone

Slept most of the day and then drank 2 ltrs of diet coke at tea which made me a bit hyperactive.

Happy flying everyone.

Well... I did nothing yesterday. I went grocery shopping and felt so ill in the shop that I needed a nap when we returned home so the dcs sat in front of a movie...

Today I have managed to:
Start to tidy the office 1/2 hour
Clean and tidy the kitchen
Run the dishwasher (twice)
Wash and hang two loads of laundry
Write out a plan for the week so there is a faint glimmer of hope that I might accomplish something.

Tomorrow, I really NEED to:

Sort out the school room in 15 minute stints
Another 1/2 hour in the office
Keep up with laundry (minimum of 3 loads)
Ensure that dd1 and ds2 complete their calendar for MIL so that I can mail it.
Stay on top of the now immaculate kitchen.
Enlist the dcs help to sort out the back garden
Empty all rubbish bins as Tuesday am the bin-men are by.

I hope you are all feeling much more successful!

morning all,
cadmum do you home ed? I am considering it for ds at the minute as he has aspergers and I don't know how well he will cope at school.
any rate
today:
Playcentre until 12 with dd and ds
Make ds lunch (done)
book dog in to have nails done
hoover one area
toilets
bath or shower cleaned
2 loads washing
blasted roman citadel with ds (sigh, it is what he has chosen for our one on one time and it is just not really designed for a 5 year old with aspergers)
drop off cradle to friend who needs it
Start sorting out filing
Go out to tea with friends if I get dd settled (yay, haven't gone out to tea without kids in 5 years), dh is going to mind them...oh I hope the baby settles!!!)

Hi DSM cadmum & yawning. V quiet on here this weekend

yawning I know you are a long way away (NZ?) - are you half a day behind the uk or in front? Hope you manage(d) to get to tea without DC

Cadmum not surprised you did nothing yesterday, but you did manage shopping so something was achieved. Well done on your list today.

DSM I assume you are either a) lost in ikea or b) deep in lesson plans

See you in the morning - kitchen week this week

Evening all, not much Flying here, house looks a bit of a mess and may well continue to do so tomorrow as tomorrow is the last window of opportunity for Christmas shopping in nearest big town (1/2 hour away) without DCs. After that they are either at home or there is a play/party/appointment slap bang in the middle of every day.

On the plus side, have while away a nice relaxing afternoon at a friend's house while DH took DCs to buy the Christmas tree, and arrived home to find it all twinkling beautifully. Hope you managed to get out to tea with your friends too Yawning. Hope you are feeling better Cadmum. And hope you had a nice day too MC.

See you in the morning everyone. Actually, probably won't, got to stay on after school run to help with nativity play rehearsal, then straight off to shopping. Yawn. Night Night.

Hi all
Just popped in really to see if mellie had reported in

Not much flying here, just keeping things ticking over.

Have S& S both days, and floors are clean, as is sink and kitchen.

I did a ready for company in 15 minutes on Friday which was fab, as it even included folding all the clothes drying on radiators!! So house was SUPER ready not just surface.

Oooh I went for putting washing up bowl away in cupboard under sink
Wasnt sure about it, but I love it. Kitchen looks so much nicer without a washing up bowl in it, and it is much harder to dump things without it there too. Win Win

Love your name choice DSM- much better than mine of DidJesusMum. i cnat think who suggested it either, but I know I seconded it. Well done

See you all properly tomorrow

DTG

Taking so time away from mn. hope all well and ok. have a good week.

MOrning all,

What a weekend! Have spent all weekend in hospital with DD finally coming home yesterday evening. SHe is, finally, starting to get better. Antibiotics are kicking in, temperature is under control and she is back drinking again so we are hopefuly over the worst. She was much more like her normal self yesterday. Thank you for all the hugs, they were much needed and much appreciated.

Needless to say, DH has done his best but house is a bit of a pigsty (understatement of the year) after a week of me being purely focussed on DD so am feeling a bit of crisis cleaning coming.

Lovely to se so many new fledgling flyers and thank you again for all your support. Have absolutely got to go to work today so DD is going to go to my lovely childminder who has promised to look after. This is where I hate being a working mum but after having most of last week off, I really have to go today.

Hope everyone else is ok.

Good morning all

Hi Mellie so pleased that DD is starting to get better. Being a working mum is so hard sometimes isn't it?

DSM take care and hope to see you soon

The Christmas mission finally has a link AND THERE ARE VIDEOS - try not to get sidetracked . I think it may be the same Christmas mission as saturday which the fat fairy posted early.

Today's babystep is a useful one. Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't, and sometimes I wish I had

Today's mission is cleaning the kitchen bin. Thankfully I did mine yesterday as part of my home blessing so might do the dusting I didn't get round to instead.

Not planning much today as have to get even earlier train than usual as off to deliver training which I enjoy, but it will probably wipe me out a bit.
Sort washing
Ironing
put washing away
dust
s&s
shine sink

Have a great monday everyone

Morning!
I seem to have had the weekend off. Well not really, managed to turn baking mince pies for a friends' visit into a full two day stressed out mission. I am officially crazy.
Will get back on track today! (not posting a list yet tho, will see how far I get!.
Have a good day all.

Good morning

Really not doing much flying as spare time still being used for painting but managing to keep place reasonable so won't have it all to do when decorating done, although I'll then need to make curtains.......on and on and on it goes.

mellie So glad that DD is on the mend, sounds like a dreadful week for all of you. I'm sure your childminder will be fab and you shouldn't feel guilty, you were there when she really needed you. Good to have you back, not too much flying for you young lady!

DWX Love the phrase "a ready for company" . It is a great way to gage how you're doing isn't it. Also agree about washing up bowl - we got rid of ours altogether.

A quick list to make me feel better

Make bed done
S & S
Empty DW done
Reload DW
Washing on done
Painting

Just noticed the Sunday paper is still in the plastic, that's how busy we've been. Went to a lovely Christmas party with our baby group yesterday. They all looked very cute in verious xmas outfits. DS won't forgive me when older

Good Morning

Can I come and join in? I'm drowning in a house of clutter and the imminant arrival of loads more plastic tat lovely toys is filling me with dread.

Plan for today-
Shine the sink
Post Ebay parcels
15 mins decluttering spare room

Wish me luck, I'm off to shine the sink

Morning all

Have been waiting for my paid work to arrive so this morning have done:-

2 loads of laundry.
Kitchen hall and dining room vacuumed.
Kitchen hall and dining room mopped.
Stairs vacuumed.
S/S
Watched House

Paid work has arrived so I'd best get on, lots to do this afternoon.

Glad your DD is on the mend Mellie.

Big wave to everyone else, sorry a bit busy to read through thread properly.

Have a good day.

I know this sounds really overly dramatic, but this thread has really transformed my home

This morning was so calm, all up and breakfasted, washed and dressed with time to spare - I was calm and didn't shriek once!!
I feel so relaxed and on top of things!

So enough cheesiness (sp?) for today and on with the list:

DONE
Bed made up for PIL
DS2's bed changed (wet - hasn't done this for ages)
Other beds made
School run
Quick co-op shop
Swished and swiped bathroom
Box of stuff for ebay in loft (will do after xmas)
Washing on
Choreography for rehearsal tonight

STILL TO DO
Cook dinner
Lesson plan for yr 11
Hoover through

Have a good day everyone

Glad your DD's getting better Mellie

Hello!

Apologies. Still haven't really caught up with this thread properly - it is moving so fast & like everyone else, I'm a bit frantic this wk, so just reporting in ....

Massive, warm, enthusiastic flaps of wings to EVERYONE though!!!

A warm welcome to MrsGrumpyGruffalo - I know what you mean about drowning in toys - dd (who is at home from school with a cough) and I are having a huge clear out today ...

Have you 'flown' before? Our esteemed leader,MummyClaus (which suits her 'cos she looks after us all ) will fill you in on the details but just follow the baby-steps and all will become clear.....

Oh Mellie - I'm so glad your dd is now on the mend - but what an awful time you have had. Take it steady this week ....and try not to worry about being back at work .. your dd will take it as a sign that all is well again ...and she'll no doubt love being the centre of attention ...as HavinganR says .. you were there all last week and this w/e when she needed you ...and after all ....you are helping to support her financially and being a great role model to boot ...!!! So don't feel guilty ... pat yourself on the back for handling a difficult situation really, really well!!!

Starting to Fly again properly today (well as properly as I ever manage anyway )but dd still at home from school and not ill enough to NOT need (excuse double negative - rushing) entertaining if that makes sense so progress is a bit slow, plus have masses of prep to do for a Christmas "event" that I am attending/organising tonight.

My week of illness + weekend of St Nicolas celebrations, has really set me back in terms of Flying and it's put a real dent in the Christmas preparations too, so am feeling slightly "rabbit in headlights" again. Plus have just learnt friends (family of four) coming to stay w/e 19th so really have my work cut out. Heeeelllppppp!!!!

Done
Kitchen (a bit cluttered but clean)
Sitting room (ditto)
Laundry - wm on
Gps cage - clean/fed/watered
Decluttered three shelves of playroom storage unit
Glass recycling
Plastic recycling

To do (today and tomorrow)
Club event prep - for tonight
More laundry - woollens
Newspaper recycling
Declutter sitting room and kitchen
Clean and tidy master bedroom
Clean and tidy bathroom
Put away laundry
Draw up (frightening but definitive) list of tasks to accomplish before Christmas and set deadlines (v. v. scary!!!)
On-line supermarket order
Declutter top three shelves of playroom storage unit
Take unwanted toys to parish hq
Hair cut
Trip to photo processing place
DD finger and toe nails!!

Good luck everyone. I don't know about you but I've got that old panicky "can't settle and do one thing" feeling ...because there is SO much to get done ... running around like proverbial headless chicken. Ok, so, time to breathe, calm down, 15 minute spurts of focused effort, breathe, breathe, tick off the tasks one by one ...

[SC heads off to grab gin bottle timer and start ....]

Good luck everyone. Hope you all have v. productive day!

Well it's 1.45pm and usaully at this time of day I'd be wondering how I had managed to do so little in so many hours!
But not today
Sink is shiny
Ebay parcels are done and ready for DH to take to P.O after work.
5 more items have been photographed and written up ready to be listed on Ebay tonight..
DS1's favourite pjarmas no longer have a big hole in them cos I sewed them!

Just going to do my 15mins of decluttering the spare room before picking kids up.

Hello Everyone,

We had a good weekend here and my list of jobs to delegate out to team Pluto were all completed. The loft room is ironing free, the side return is swept out and the Christmas tree is up and looking lovely. We did a big tidy up yesterday and everything looks lovely. The challenge is to keep things orderly at least until the weekend. Our house is too small downstairs for 4 people and when we can afford it we will move but for the time being it's really difficult to keep things organised.

Anyway, it has made a massive difference laying out clothes and breakfast things each evening so I'm keen to keep that going, whenever I forget the next morning is not so productive. I'm also going to focus on decluttering and hot spots in a big way this week, especially in our downstairs: a through lounge / diner, the kitchen and an understairs cupboard. The hall is long and very narrow and the laminate floor gets filthy - I have to wheel the wagon pram through it several times a day and it brings in a lot of muck. I think the solution is to buy a couple of cheapish runners that I can hoover through.

I'm glad to hear your DD is better Mellie - just a couple of weeks to the hols now. I have to say I'm glad I'm taking the full 52 weeks mat leave. Financially it would have been sensible to go back just before Xmas (and get paid for the holidays) but I knew I would really appreciate one year in my life when I wasn't running around trying to juggle family and work just before the festivities.

My little list for what's left of today:

Post Christmas cards
get one load in w/m
Keep on top of general state of tidiness in the kitchen and living room.
Declutter kitchen drawer

Just typed a long post and somehow lost it before posting it. Way behind today and haven't got time to type it all again, so waves cheerily and frantically heads back to the kitchen to put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher

Evening all.
Just flying through en route to other things!
Mellie I am so pleased that your DD is on the mend and echo the comments SC made about being a great role model. I'm sure the house will be much easier to get together as tyou have been flying...
SC - one step at a time is all you can do! Glad you and yours are feeling better...
Welcome to MRSGG I hope you enjoy this thread as much as we all do!

Hi to Pluto, HARR, Mrs Dingdong,Mulleered, SantasBB,WTD and anyone else I'm sure to have missed!

This weekend has been manic in the Optimistic household. What with rugby players from overseas to entertain and DD going to the Jingle Bell Ball I haven't had time to do anything! DS2 had a music exam to do today so that also cut into my time! I really need to get on track as I'm doing extra days at school this week!

I'll try and get on with the missions and gradually get organised on the decorations this week. I have just about wriiten my cards and done most of my Christmas shopping so that's a relief.

Wine and nibbles open shortly. Bit early but who cares?

Good Evening, now you know I've had a productive day as I'm not just posting my good intentions in the morning.

MGG Welcome, I too am dreading the plastic that may find it's way here in a couple of weeks. I have asked both Mum and Dad to NOT buy anything BIG, but I don't think they were listening! Nothing makes you feel like a domestic goddess more than sewing/mending imo

SBB Aaaargh, very sweet but really don't get too good - we may have to corrupt you

SC Phew (that's a puffed out over-worked emoticon) that's a serious list. You would be the first to tell us to take small steps - so, take small steps - I think you will need something stronger than wine tonight!

Pluto Well done for your productive weekend, how lovely to start the w/e ahead and not playing catch up. Totally agree about the floors in this weather. Need to do something about my kitchen floor - 2 mins after I mop it it's muddy.

OM I think I'm busy with a baby but it seems to me that all of you with teenagers live life at 150mph, it always sounds manic, but fun.

Make bed done
S & S (does it count that my Mum cleaned the bathroom )
Empty DW done
Reload DW done
Washing on done
Painting done (all the skirting boards - yey)
Washing on airer done
Cleaned kitchen done

I know this is a enormous post but I had to post my list - I'm stupidly proud, even though it now looks a bit small.

Evening all and thanks for the warm welcome.
So glad I stumbled across this thread, digging my way through the clutter seems such an uphill struggle, but I'm taking my first babysteps and it doesn't seem so daunting.

Stillcounting - I know that panicy headless chicken feeling well, there's so much to do but I don't know where to start. The one step at a time approach is very appealing.

Havingarudolphreindeer - I tried asking for no big presents last year, Fil bought DS2 a sit in motorised bumper car which was not only huge but managed to run down the Christmas tree, I dread to think what he has planned for this year.
The sewing made me feel very domesticated plus as I was in the house on my own took advantage and I watched an episode of 'Supernatural' while sewing and didn't feel guilty because I was doing a job while watching

Haven't managed the 15 minute declutter yet as My Mum phoned just as I was starting and then it was time to pick kids up, will make it first job for tomorrow.
In lieu of the declutter I have done a load of washing and superglued the head back on one of Ds1's Scooby Doo monster figures.

Hello everyone and welcome gruffalo!
This is the link to the flylady (aka fat fairy ) site. I would advise that you have a look around it but be wary of signing up for her e-mails unless you like LOTS of messages every day. There is a way of signing up for a daily digest which is what I have done (although I can't remember how). I post the links to the bits you need ecery day anyway, so its really up to you if you want more info. You look like you are off to a great start just remember not to try to do it all in a couple of weeks. If you anything like the rest of us, it is highly unlikely you will manage it anyway AND you will burn out, get fed up and give in (I'd better go and shine my sink...)

mullered hope you managed to at least shine your sink today!
HARR be proud of your list! Rope in anyone you can to help - mum's, cleaners, DHs, DC, cats, dogs etc etc they all make the mess so they should all help to sort it out
wtd impressive morning - would a glass of something help with that paid work - red and white open, help yourself
SBBoots wow - a complete convert! Hope PILs appreciate the difference in your home when they arrive
SC - deep breath, make a plan and grab a glass of wine. Just do what you can but PLEASE look after yourself, take 15 mins out every hour and get to bed on time.
Pluto - I'm impressed at Team Pluto! What's this about posting Christmas cards? I need to find/make mine yet
MrsD shounds like you've had a busy day. I can probably find some mince pies to go with that wine
OM entertaining rugby players? Am more at that than DDs ball
Hope everyone else has had a productive day. As promised I have done v little apart from lots of walking! DS safely in bed so I will go and eat then do the v small pile of ironing, quick s&s and shine of sink then off to bed by about 10

See you all tomorrow

A reminder for tomorrow - please nag me if I haven't done it by 10am:

Declutter kitchen drawer
Post Christmas cards

CBA tonight!