January Fledgling Flyers - The 15 minute mess removal squad

[droitwichmum]

Happy New Year!

This is the place for you if you have made a New Year's Resolution to get on top of the chaos in your home

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

Here you can find out what it is all about. Try to ignore the cutesy stuff - cute the regulars on here are not! We also take some of the suggestions with a HUGE dose of salt (look out for wearing tie up shoes in the house)

If you decide to register for the e-mail updates from flylady be warned: unless you choose the daily digest only option you will be innundated with e-mails throughout the day. I will post the links you need each day so you don't need to register on the site to join in.

Dive in and mark your place - we start on January 1st!

Vvvvvv quick as I'm at work but if you follow this link it will get you to the FAQ page where you will find out everything about Hotspots and Room Rescues!

See you later

afternoon everyone,

well had a very successful day yesterday and managed to do everything on my list, even the evening routine was feeling very smug and proud of myself. however, this morning it became clear that all that effort was entirely uneccessary as ds was sick everywhere during the night so no work for me today.

will be back later for a better post but just wanted to wish pluto good luck for today and big waves to everyone else.

Ooh this is perfect for me - can I join? 15 min blitzing is about all I can manage with 3 under 5 year olds!

I totally sympathise with the crumbs under the table problem. Anyone got any quick tips for getting rid of layers of dried on accumulated food on baby's highchair? .

Hi Hatty and welcome

Is it wooden or plastic?

If it is plastic, what I did was put it to soak in the bath with Stardrops after evening meal, then after a couple of hours cleaned the half that had been in the water using more Stardrops and a sponge with a green scourer on it. Then put fresh water and Stardrops in the bath and soaked the other half fir a couple of hours and then cleaned that. In the morning I just cleaned up any bits I missed after breakfast.

helpwithcleaning I think that most of us post our list up in hte morning of what we want to do for that day. Then mark the bits done through out the day, I quite often add things as I think of them during the day to do during the day and quite often don't finish my list but hey! I've done something.

I have a rubber brush that I just sweep up with. It has quite a small head, so goes under the table quite well and I have a gate leg so definatly not easy to get under and then once a week it all get pulled out and done properly.

broom and I also have the hand one as well

Thanks MrsGok! I'm afraid it's wooden - sorry to have made you type all that out, should have been more specific!

Evening all!

Just got in from work - arghh ! No TAs in for me so had to 'borrow' one who is not used to my v. challenging class! I am exhausted!!
Not much flying done yet but a quick update anyway...

morning routine done
DS1 to cricket winter nets and back to do
Wash extremely filthy rugby kit from 2xmatches and 1x games lesson done*
wash equally filthy towels/bathmats to do
Supper done
Drink water some
Fruit/veg 4 so far

The missions and zones I'm going to leave until I have a day off...and feel more like it! I've got to micro-plan my day tomorrow as I still don't have my TAs in...

You'll all be pleased to know that DH didn't buy a boat!

A big welcome to all the newbies...
Pluto - hope your first day went well...
Giant hug to all you other lovely ladies- sorry i haven't time to post individually tonight!

No problem Hatty. I am afraid it will be time and patience then. I would take it in 15 minute blocks and use plenty of water (put something under it), some fine steel wool, sponge with scourer and start at the top and work down and maybe some diluted Stardrops in a spray.

Evening all

Well all my good intentions pretty much fell by the wayside today. I have a teething, cold/cough riddled DS and a new iPhone . These 2 things combined meant not much flying happened. However I have made a start, so here goes:

Today I have

Cleaned bathroom
Put away clean nappies and DS clothes
Filled and emptied DW
Swept carpet (more of that later!)

This evening I have done my routine including laying clothes out for DS and myself and laying breakfast things AND of course shined the sink.

What is Pluto up to? Is it the return to work? Hope it went OK, if so.

OM No TA! Oh dear, that does make things hard work.

Hello to everyone I haven't met yet, especially the new flyers.

Helpwithq's Hotspots are those areas that build up all the time - for instance, a big one for many of us seems to be dining tables or kitchen worksurface. Mine are places where stuff that doesn't really have a home gets dumped! Room rescue's are that 5 min whizz round, usually clearing up toys and newspapers and shoes and jumpers. HTH

In regards to the table I agree a brush and dustpan is good but I have just gone retro and bought a carpet sweeper (very 70's) to run over our lounge rug. It seems to get covered in bits and with DS mobile he wants to eat anything he finds (including leaves and crumbs). I can use this everyday and it is much less hassle than getting hoover out. Good for small areas - such as under/around the table?

stupid computer just deleted my long post. too tired to retype. have been very busy. maybe come back after a restoritive shower in 10 mins. otherwise night all.

Evening everyone!
Chuffed to bits tonight - everything on list done and going to be in bed by 9.30 (hopefully).

DH is away until Wednesday when PIL arrive for DS1's birthday on Thursday so hopefully all this flying fluttering will pay off!
The only downside is a pile of marking and planning lurking in my bag

feetheart very impressed by curtain making. Have been talking about making a curtain for the front door (very draughty) for yonks!!

Evening All

Well done Neenook! I am going to be in bed by 10:00 hopefully (so I had better be quick).

I've been at work today but spent the evening rescuing downstairs and cleaning! Didn't manage the declutter.

Feetheart I am extremely impressed by curtain making as I can just about sew a button on!

Welcome back HAG and welcome Hatty Helpwithcleaning I think my floor management is my most challenging daily task - DS is 17 months. We have a wooden floor with rug in the main seating area. After each meal I use a broom to sweep under and around the table and in the kitchen. I have a handheld vacuum (but with a lead so more powerful) that I use to vacuum the rug approx every other day. Proper vacuuming and floor washing in the dining area then happens twice a week - once by me and then once by our cleaner.

OK, think I had better stop talking about my pet topic

Night all

Hope today went OK Pluto I was a wreck going back to work, but found it nice to have adult company again and regain a bit of 'me'. Hope you found it the same!

MrsGok hope you are feeling better and I need a wonderbroom now! DD is babyled weaned so much mess here at all times!

HAGiraffe

Bugger all flying done here today but looks like DH and I will be made MD and strategic director of the company we work for. All very secret, but exciting and quite scary as the company is not in a terribly stable financial position due to mismanagement by the existing directors (who are to be removed apparently).

Timing is quite good though as we are off to the Fat Duck (Heston Blumenthal's restaurant) tomorrow to celebrate DH's 40th and my friends husbands 30th so it adds that extra celebratory air!

Hi to all including ellie and DWM, who I always seem to manage to forget for some reason

Oops HAGiraffe meant to say that grumpy teething poorly children are definitely an excuse for lite flying! I should know - I've been using it for nearly a fortnight now

Hello also to MM x-post!

Got through day number one! House looked good this morning and Y9 period 1 went well -even after a year of not using an interactive whiteboard. DS2 had a lovely day too.

Thank you so much for all your kind wishes for today. All those kind vibes from cyber world have definetely made it better. Perhaps they will also magically empty my d/w and plan a Y8 lesson for tomorrow that I still have to do...going to get up early rather than miss my 10.30pm bedtime deadline.

done
clothes out
breakfast laid
packed lunches in fridge
DS2's clothes ready for tomorrow
kitchen tidy

to do
plan Y8 lesson in the morning
find some time to talk to DH rather than just bark instructions

Washing - done
Order logs - forgot
School for a meeting - done
Tip - byebye Christmas tree - done
Sainsburys - done
Loft- christmas decs away, various stuff put up there - done
Tidy our bedroom - sent DH to do about half an hour ago as it's all his, he is still in the front room watching telly
Hoover downstairs - done
Make invitations for DSs party - need to print and put in envelopes

Quite a productive day by recent standards.

HAG - I also have a Ewbank carpet sweeper, for in between hooverings, and the kids love using it too, no good under our table though as it is one of the round ones with one central leg and feet sticking out like an office chair, can't get in between them with the sweeper, also DCs have Tripp Trapp chairs and can't get round those with it easily either. Brilliant for the front room, hall etc though.

PMPY - congrats on the job front, and have a lovely evenig tomorrow, think of us all sweeping up crumbs from under our tables while you dine in style!

Night night all

ps,

Drank loads of water today, and have managed my 5 a day (unusual for me)

Very excited as I have discovered an entire thread about slow cookers under Good Housekeeping......

Hello everyone - champagne at the ready for Pluto (first day back at work) and pmpy(exciting hush-hush take over of the business world!) Virtual champers has NO calories and counts as one of your 5 a day

Welcome hatty. No idea how to sort out that highchair. StillCounting may have some suggestions if she appears later.

Too tired to do much flying after work today but have put washing on so that's something. Will catch up on Wednesday and Thursday.

Found DreamTeamGirl on the daily thread. Looks like she put her head round the door and ran off at the length of the thread! DTG we miss you but are really pleased you are still going. Feel free to pop in to say hello as swanriver does from time to time.

I used to put a plastic sheet under DS's chair & table and then just shake it outside afterwards to get rid of the crumbs (feeds the birds too) and wipe it down for the liquid stuff.

MM hope you are in bed!
Neenook likewise! (Well done on the list btw)If your laptop can hang on in there a bit longer we might have a Part 2 thread soon...
chaos go to bed. Now. See you in the morning
hag poor you and DS! You have done well considering the distraction of an iphone (can you MN on it?)
OM there is one word for all that filthy sports kit -yuk!
ellie poor DS (and how frustrating was that after such a good day yesterday?) Hope it has subsided by now.
pmpy lol at 'cupboard of doom'
in1981 hope there were no surprises under the bed...
Mmmango I would agree with your interpretation of room rescue and hotspot (you are doing great btw)
feetheart hanging washing OUTSIDE! V brave (& organised)
hwc keep asking those questions - there is always someone else who wants the answer too
MrsD silly question I know but...why not put DH's coffee machine away so that you have room for a slow cooker?
missb I know you will have left home by now but we will be thinking of you tomorrow
SC great posting this morning! PA has sort of wandered off hasn't she, and where is sep? Hope everyone has survived parents evening
MrsGok how are you this evening - delegating loads I hope

Pluto! You just made it before I posted this! I often find getting up early better than trying to stay up to finish stuff. You must be exhausted - bedtime!

Waves to everyone else - see you in the morning!

mummy Bloody hell woman you are good! Doing as told shortly. Just waiting for beding to come out of tumble dryer.

Evening folks.

I'm not to bad DM thanks for asking, I think I will be hobbling for a while and will be on light duties but at least I will still be getting things done, which I wasn't before.

Morning routine done
Babtsteps done
Mission (sort of, I can't get to under my bed at the moment so I will spend the time doinng 15 minute hotspots.) doneI
Washing up done
Washing done
Evening routine as soon as I have posted this, I will do it and go to bed

Neenook and MiniMarmite - don't be too impressed by curtain-making, you only have to point the (borrowed) machine and sew straight lines

Re slow cookers - we now have an enormous 6l one as DH has visions of cooking whole chickens in it. It lives in a cupboard as no space for it anywhere else but is used a lot and I can store most of the cupboard inside the thing!

Smug feeling continued all day and I managed to get ALL of my list done for first time. Did nearly set fire to house and ruin decent saucepan by leaving heat on under cheese sauce Luckily DH found it and averted disaster.

Now just need to get to bed by 11pm!

Good morning everyone!

chaos what were you doing on here at 1am when all good flyers should be tucked up in their beds? Better luck today

Babystep today is a reading one so lots of time to do the mission - clearing out your sock drawer!

Have a good day everyone

Morning fellow flyers,

Another one here who was awake at sill o'clock Chaos. Went to bed at 11pm ut I was still awake at 1.30. So bloody annoying.

Right today I am doing

Morning routine
Washing
Keep on top of washing up
Baby steps
Mission
Dieticians appointment for littlies

Still on light duties today.

Morning ladies!
Up with the lark today so just time for a quick post before I go to work:

Today I'm just keeping everything ticking over so:

morning routine
Tesco (packed lunch stuff and supper)
washing x2
drying X2
ironing
water
fruit/veg

Will get stuck in properly tomorrow!

have a good day all
tea/coffee/water on side...

May i add- it is never a good idea to start mning from the comfort of bed. Time escapes much more easily then you realise.

Not sure whether to be chuffed or not. Had planned to do under the beds and matresses yesterday. so did with a rueful smile as to for one doing the fat ones mission. Pull out the sock draw to find a pair and sort out the odd socks and discover that it todays. Not sure about the dressed to shoes bit - not got there yet but having packed ds off to school mking the most of a day off. Tons that can be done, lets see what happens.
Oh and got one of the pillows washed yesterday -planning to do the rest today.

Thanks for the coffee. have a good day.