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!

Seems like there are lots of poorly children out there - hope they are all on the mend soon and the washing stops mounting!

Didn't go to church - we are CofE so Sun am only, StillCounting - sat evening would be so much better! - but was family service and no family to take (couldn't persuade DD2 out of pit bed) so decided to take morning off.

Instead, I have done big tidy of sitting room (still lots of stuff to sort but looks a bit better!) but no hoovering as lost all suction! So, following manufacturer's instructions instead of usual tendency to rant at appliance, I cleaned the filters and they are now drying outside - hope that will improve things later! Have also done load of washing/drying.

Now sitting with lunch and wondering if I should check that family still alive?! Oh, no, I hear sounds of life so peace over!

Might go to the tip this afternoon she said optimistically!

Hope everyone else having a good day - feel like I've found new friends - is lovely! And thanks for the link to Fly lady and working, Droitwich - some interesting ideas there for me to think about - feel like am only achieving as I've got a couple of days off - normally work full time and in termtime between us there is something on every night so I need to get organised!

dry sheets DONE
put sheets & new pillows on our bed DONE
empty dishwasher DONE
hoover and dust bedrooms
clean bathroom
clean out the rabbit cage

DH is going shopping in the city centre. Hope he brings me back something nice

Just sitting down for my break again and catching up with the news.

I sent DH into town with the DC at 11am, he had a list of about 15 things to get in 3 shops, all items marked at which shop. He is still not back and has rung me so many times I am ready to throw the phone at the wall. The DC will be starving by the time they get home.

Have emptied the washing machine again and refilled it.
About half of the bedroom floor has been done and a bag of rubbish has gone out to the bin.

Just off to start again.

just sitting down with lunch after a mammoth fly and checking in seeing as this thread is moving so fast

in the hour and a half that dd has been in bed i have:-

dw on and washed up
found the living room floor which means i have tidied and mopped said floor
tidied dining room and done quick dust
sorted ds clothes etc. for staying at my mum's tonight
swept all floors

am going to finish lunch and then pop some washing on ready for work tomorrow and s/s bathroom before i go to my mum's with dc's for an hour or so.

byr how exciting what do you think he will bring you?

mrsgok hope your dc's aren't too starving by the time they get back. through painful experience i have learnt never to ask dh to go into town for me it just leaves me without half the things i wanted and lots of things i didn't .

anyway, enough procrastination, am going to tackle the laundry monster.

Phew. DD finally asleep and in clean clothes ... and clean things on the bed, even though they technically are not bed sheets. All bedsheets, couple of blankets, grobag and multiple sleep suits in dryer. So at least there will be clean, dry stuff for the next round

update for today:
baby step - waahay! read t'internet! doing
wash up soaking
washing (must do DD's bedding!) drying
take down xmas tree recycled and all needles hoovered
decorations into loft geting closer
buy shelves?? not today
also: hoovered front room and hall. Thanks xmas tree

Am now sitting here with bowl of xmas pud and brandy butter. DP and DS happily plugged into Wii. I'm off to do my babystep, see y'all later.

@ knowing where everything is when its on the floor - kind of like my big pile of "worn once" clothes

Elliepac, tell me about it [roll eyes] He is back and hasn't got all that I wanted and has bought other stuff that I didn't want as I have it on home delivery.

Still we are sat down and having a late lunch, would you call it lunner (lunch + dinner).

Another coffee break ....

This thread is moving spectacularly fast - well done for everyone with their lists - and thanks for the motivation because I really needed inspiring this morning ...

2nd load of dw emptied and 3rd on ...
2nd load of washing done
sitting room floor emerging
bathroom tidy and s& s done

Save us a bit of pudding SSC!! BlackYellowRed - Dag !! (or should I say "eh up me duck??") - it's a small world .. I was born in Nottingham!! My mil is from Londerzeel (now resident in France)...Tell me, how has your palate adjusted to Gregg's sausage rolls in the past decade???

MissBennett and Swan don't worry, you will get your (Flying) reward in heaven ...I can see your wings sprouting from here ...

MrsD - I have given up dismantling the "cabin" - it will be disappearing once school starts tomorrow ....

Sorry not to answer everyone individually ... but hope the floors are emerging, the dc are recovering ...and errant dh's return safely....

How's the ironing going MiniM???

Waves to Ellie tibni Flamesparrow MrsGok 1981 Mmango and everyone I've missed yet again!!

Keep going everyone!!!

Ok I've had a quick read of the posts since this morning and there are some requests more info so here you are:

This is how to shine your sink. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THE FULL CLEAN EVERYDAY . I do the full job about once a month and then just a wipe round with any old kitchen cleaner or 'shiny sinks' every night before bed.

Incidentally January is 'shine your sink month' here's a link - oh when you open it there is an audio-type message from the fat fairy. Enjoy!

To help you recover from the festivities here is a link to this week's pamper mission.

The zone for next week is the kitchen - oh dear!

StillCounting I have indeed adjusted a bit to the English cuisine! Most people don't even realise I'm foreign now, until I ask for mayonnaise on my chips

clean the bathroom DONE
letting our bed air a bit and might hoover it before putting sheets on

We have a memory foam mattress. I love it, so comfy. I was telling MIL it is dust mite resistant and then she pointed out it must be FULL of our skincells etc because that's what the little buggers eat. Hmm It freaked me out a little, but the mites do more!

OMG, I hadn't seen the full instructions for shining sinks before, have just been cleaning mine with whatever comes to hand. How remiss of me. Well, we have been discussing that we should at least try everything FLylady suggests, but I probably will stick to leaving everything to dry on the draining board until time to do the next lot of washing up. This is an improvement on my old habits after all, I used to just add more and more clean stuff till it all slid off into the sink again.....

Also if I hid dirty dishes in the cupboard (we do have a DW, so it's not many for handwashing) I might forget them.

Whats an SOS pad? I just use kitchen sponges or microfibre cloths.

Shuffles off to find the bleach etc.

flamesparrow OMG, I thought I was hte only one with that pile of clothes. I've actually got a basket specifically to try to keep it under control (not much luck so far).

Droitwich thanks for links, and at "having so much fun" keeping sink shiny. But will give it a go.

Am quaking slightly at the thought of focussing on the kitchen for a whole week. there's going to be something about clearing out fridges, isn't there? But pampering mission is easy - can read and bf at the same time (assuming that's allowed )

Ok, nearly 11pm here. Will do a last round of dishes and quick wipe of sink before bed, then do the proper shine tomorrow.

List for tomorrow:

1. quick tidy of living room (so there's room for 2)
2. yoga - 15 mins
3. shower and dressed
4. shine sink

List for the week:
write thank you notes, wrap presents
post notes/ presents
go through box of baby clothes - find next size up
deal with huge piles of clothes in bedroom (charity bag/ laundry)
deal with piles of crap in the entranceway (give away or throw away)

Sitting down for my break. DH is tackeling the washing up mountain. DC1 is tidying the landing.

Glad it is the kitchen next week. Need to do that, so I can order my new fridge/freezer and dishwaser and dryer Need everything to be clean for when the delivery men come in and take the others away.

Waves to Stillcounting.

Thanks for those links DM

Have done 2/3rds of the floor now and can nearly reach the second set of shelves woohoo!!

Right then ladies, back to it.

Hoover parts dried so I have just done the sitting room. Means DH has gone upstairs as dust affects his lungs (genuine, this, has emphysema)and both DDs upstairs and I have found reruns of P&P on Watch channel! Oh yes - who needs anything more? And I feel I can indulge, as I've been to the tip and taken dog for a walk.

Failed with DD1's room but there is always tomorrow and hopefully she will be feeling better then.

Think this is last episode and then will cook tea

Only have about a fifth of the floor to clear now, hopefully will finish it tomorrow, then I need to move a bookcase in there (recycled from DC1's room. It is looking really good now and I am really chuffed. Have a black bag to go to charity shop and have chucked out 5 black bags of rubbish.

DH has cleared all the washing up that has acumalated

Will start on DC1's room when I have finished the littlies room.

Just going to eat Dinner and rest and relax for the evening.

afternoon all!

List:

hoover lounge...tree dropped needles on the way out!
finish ironing
prepare Ds school bag
finish cleaning hob
mop kitchen

Evening all!

Thank you for all of the links and keeping us under control DWM.

I am looking at everyone's list and seeing so much done and it really doesnt feel like i have done much today. Here is the done list

Move a few bits of furniture about in the lounge
Cook roast veg for tea (required trip to shops)
3 loads of washing - washed and dried
1 extra load washed
1 load dw
30mins of red cabbage indicator expt with ds. He loved it
Tidy away bits from a unit moved from my bedroom into lounge and had change of purpose from my hobby bits to ds' toy storage.

Next job is to track down the essay bit. although i might head to bed and have an early night and get up early to do that.

Mum is planning to take down the tree in peace and quiet as she wants a sort through before it goes away.

I am trying to sort out my sleeping habbits and lose a bit of weight. For which i am hoping the duvet diet will work but as it requires a clean, tidy and relaxing bedroom it means i need to discover it and the floor. So despite seeming to have done nothing but tidy it i am going to have to hit it again cos its still a bombsite.

Now that i have balanced out all the amazingly brilliant tales of tidying with a compulsory tale of chaos i shall head off to work or bed.
Night all.

Ok, last check-in for the day. Done fairly well but loads more to do. Can at least start school and work tomorrow without total dread, which is good!! So thanks for the motivation everyone.

1. shine sink & clean kitchen done (three dw loads) clean now but work-tops still a bit crowded (looking forward to zone decluttering this wk)
2. pick laundry up from all over house done
3. tidy and clean sitting room 3/4 done
4. tidy and s&s bathroom done
5. strip all beds and change done3 more tomorrow
6. start washing done3loadsmoretodo
7. clean out gps tomorrow
8. dd bath toenails/fingernails done
9. personal grooming for myself prior to going back to work tomorrow (nails etc) to do now

10. tidy up hall and landings - tomorrow 11. clean downstairs cloakroom - tomorrow 12. evening routine, clothes out etc done 13. early bed gonnatry

hello to it'shappenedagain MrsDinky and everyone else!!

Well done on your floor clearance MrsGok
that must be tough on your dh MissBennett, well done with today's list
G'night Mmmango - don't worry about kitchen zone - tis just 15 mins a day (use timer and don't do more or you will burn out)
If yr kitchen needs decluttering, just do that for 15 mins a day. Once decluttered, go on to cleaning for 15 mins a day. Baby steps, baby steps (we hate the phrase but it works, honest!!)

BlackYellowRed lol - so funny you should say that - 90% of our recipes are Belgian (dh does a lot of the cooking and is VERY interested in his food) but I still resolutely stick to malt vinegar on my chips!!!! That's the only thing I miss really, along with Marmite and salt & vinegar crisps!!! The food here is far too good though and I now have to lose 10 kilos ...!!!

Thank you for keeping us all going Droitwich!

See you all bright and early tomorrow.

x posts Wherechaos - Pat yourself on the back. You HAVE done a lot to day!!!! Consistent, small, focused bursts of effort is the way to go and you have done just that!! No perfectionism allowed!!

I'm with you on the early bed and the diet btw!! We can do it!!

[Oh dear that post has far too many exclamation marks and sounds dreadfully keen but you catch the drift I hope ...]

G'night all ..

WCTR - what's the red cabbage experiment - I am intrigued?

MrsGok - impressive start to the year!

MissB - I live in the heart of Austen country, (the signposts say so!) so another fan here.

MMango - yoga a very good idea, keep telling myself I need to do a few sun salutations every morning, it's just finding space, I'd probably knock things over.

BYR - mayo on chips, yum, yum. I was taken to Holland and Belgium on holiday when I was about 12, this culinary delight is one of the outstanding memories!

DWM thank you for helping us all keep track on the thread, it is going to be a big job this month.

SC - mammoth list today - good luck!

SSC - hope you haven't had any more vomit!

SR - I only seem to notice how dirty my grouting is when I'm in the bath, I should keep an old toothbrush within reach. DCs would stick it in their mouths tho, yuck

*Going to go, waves at everyone else, got to do packed lunches, PE kits etc for tomorrow.

Night night

Hello everyone - hang on, going to make coffee

Thats better. I suddenly remembered how long the round-up took last night and decided I needed provisions

SC well done with that awesome list! I've laid out my clothes ready for tomorrow and I'm sort of ready to go
chaos I haven't looked at my revision yet. Thinking about doing it on the train on way to + from work
itshappened don't you just hate those needles? I'm not keen on artificial trees but that's what we have atm - couldn't cope with real tree, DS and 2 cats
MrsGok I'm so impressed with your decluttering
missb I'm amazed you got anything done with P&P as an accompaniment. Or like me do you know it so well that you say the words along with the actors
Mmmango read as much as you can when you can, I have to do mine now last thing at night and when sitting in DS room waiting for him to look sleepy (its a deal we struck when going through bedtime hell!)
MrsD remember that the fairy is American and refers to stuff you cannot get anywhere else! I'm also with you on not hiding washing up in a cupboard
BYR I find it easier to sleep at night by NOT thinking about what might be lurking in (or under) the bed
Flame any sign of your floors yet?
cat I remember DS's grobags! Quite fancied some for myself...
ellie great progress earlier. Well deserved outing to mum's
in1981 early night for you I think! Hope DS2 sleeps well tonight
MM I'm about to start ironing how is yours going?
swan where would we put all the rubbish without landings - oh I know, the spare room! (My landing and spare room are both woeful)
Bobbie hope you took things easy today. Get yourself some sleep and hope you have a better night tonight
3x hope you had a good day. Never feel guilty about a lie in, you deserve them

Big waves to everyone else out there. Don't worry if you go awol for a day (or several) no-one will start tutting when you come back!

I'm going to set my timer for 15 mins ironing then off to bed. See you at some horrendous hour tomorrow morning (afternoon for Mmmango I think)

Not enough time to read all the posts, but looks like it's been a busy day

I've spent this afternoon on phone to NHS Direct and out of hours doctor, and various nurses, about poorly, still vomity DD. Luckily she's now vomiting in between feeds, so is not dehydrated, just a bit whiffy. As am I and some of our towels. Still, I guess the smell will make it easier for me track them down tomorrow when I go to tidy up

So, update for today:
baby step - waahay! read t'internet! done
wash up still soaking (DP doesn't do hints. Will tell him to do it tomorrow)
washing (must do DD's bedding!) done must do many more loads tomorrow
take down xmas tree recycled and all needles hoovered
decorations into loft done
buy shelves?? maybe tomorrow
also: hoovered front room and hall. Thanks xmas tree

And if anyone is having difficulty with shining sinks, come try mine - it's an old white plastic one, with stupid textured surface. "clean" is close enough to "shine" for the warm glow of domestic goddesshood to be achieved

Off now to shine sink and enjoy a few mins of TV without DD while she sleeps. Happy shining to y'all!

Hi Everyone

Thank you for the hand holding / laugh / support the other night it was just what I needed.

ds had a sleepover last night at his godfathers - the only person who will have him to stay and a place he loves. Our gardens actually touch so very close if we are needed. ds slept all night for him and dh and I had 9 hours unbroken sleep - bliss! The sleepover had been pre arranged but I would have understood if godfather had wanted to back out with ds being so unsettled.

Had a reasonable day - washing, ironing all done and cloakroom cleaned. General tidy up done and I have managed to get to the gym while dh took ds and dd to the autistic swimming (which restarted today)

I will try and catch up properly with you all but will be difficult until dc's are back at school.

Waves to all and thanks again!

byr i love mayo on my chips, they are nothing without it!! Is that really a foreign thing?!

managed to do all things on my list, and even squeezed a couple of extra in -xmas tree down as had totally forgotten about it yesterday, and a little bit of ironing. GO ME!!

dwm am definately of to bed now! hopefully ds2 stays in bed tonight or at least decides not to switch all the lights on! lol!

catch you all tomorrow.

Just found this thread - looks like it could help me!
We preparing to move house so packing, decluttering etc in earnest at the minute. Will keep an eye on this and come back and join in to help keep on top of things when we're in the new place...