February's Fabulous Fledgling Flyers

[droitwichmummy]

Welcome one and all!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

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

or

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

This is what it's all about - Babysteps each day to try to get some order back into our home with LOADS of support from our regulars.

So join in! We start this thread on February 1st, but you are welcome to dive in at any point in the month.

Thank you MissB .

Flaps wings at everyone,

Really need a kick up the bum today. Didn't sleep well last night and I am hanging, eyes feel all dry and can't stop yawning. Also have a headache brewing.

Have done the morning routine, DC1&2 at school/nursery and that is it. Really need to reclaim my kitchen and dining room back today so I can start on the party food. Oh! and you know my lovely tidy tupperware cupoard that I did a few weeks ago, DC3 has made sure that it is decorating the kitchen floor now aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghh
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too PA - I don't have a pigeon problem, but we do suffer regular loss of signals in our Sky box, and I know just how frustrating it is (our terrestrial reception is crap and we can't get Freeview). If we did get pigeons it would be a pain as our dish is up on the chimney, totally out of reach.

My dining room (which is actually a toy store /office / thoroughfare) is definitely prone to hotspots, have a big filing pile to do (again).

MrsG I feel your pain.

I have left DD painting in the kitchen whil I do this, probably better hurry up and get back....

So, today

Play with DD this morning
Take DD to preschool for afternoon
DD and DW - both on
Hotspot dining room (did hall yesterday)
Walk to town briskly to buy things I forgot Yesterday
S and S - done

MrsGok You most definitely do not need a kick up the bum. What you need is a cup of tea a cosy chair and a good book. I am sure you could persuade DCs to organise the tupperware cupboard and pair up the lids and bottoms. Don't worry, it will still all be there when you have had a rest first.

PA theory on life.....relax the work will still be there tomorrow and an hour of peace and quiet is priceless.

Morning everyone,

I am in absolute awe of all of you, I cant believe how much you get done. I'm completely useless and I dont have dcs yet ( I think I'm going to be blushing a lot)

PA you are in fact a domestic goddess, cooking for more than four people results in a mental breakdown here, and on a week night no less!

SC thank you so much for reminding me about La Chandeleur, better add that to my list of things to do, or alternatively force dh to do it (he claims his are better than mine but i've had no proof yet! )

missbennett i didnt manage a declutter yesterday either, but have managed a slightly longer one today to make up for it (not two days worth of declutter though)

By the time I went out yesterday I'd barely managed half my list, and was all for abandoning it when I got home, so I'm really glad I'm on here as when I read how much the rest of you had done I polished it off, bar the declutter. Thanks to all of you for that!

So far today, (SC, I've followed your advice and have gone back to babystep2) I have:

got up and dressed - no shoes though lol - and much earlier than yesterday
made bed
cleaned the bathroom
decluttered a bit - and located everything I need for work

still to do:
finish washing up
shine sink
put away clean laundry
mop floors
clean kitchen work tops
make dinner and pancakes for dh

I inadvertently did todays mission over the weekend as we had guests, although this means there's a lot more decluttering to do elsewhere

Good luck today everyone!

Morning everyone. Got up and looked out of the window hoping for glorious sun, like yesterday. What did i see-snow!! Thankfully not as deep as last time, so thank heaven for small mercies i guess...

so far today-
morning routine
washing done
tickets bought for football

still to do-
todays mission
quick tidy in the living room
plan shopping list
shine sink

think for todays mission i will do my cupboard since i didnt manage it yesterday. i tried but... and the hallway is quite tidy anyway, theres no room to clutter it up.

hope you all have a nice day.

I have a small confession to make regarding the body clutter babystep for this week.

More of a correction really, SC - the walk 10,000 steps idea was not mine it was someone else's, I noticed once or twice that you listed it as my idea and I kept meaning to tell you but forgot. So, to whoever it was, sorry for taking your credit!

I'm off to town later, to try and buy a pedometer, which is what reminded me know.

ps PA -I like your theory on life very much!

now not know.

Morning All

Morning routine - done, except S&S
Babystep -
Well, I am dressed but we have a no shoes in the house rule so that's that. Also have to get the DCs all fed, changed, washed & dressed then DTs down for nap before I can think of getting myself sorted. So pjs & bedsocks it is till at least 10am . As for make up - pah!

So looks like a busy day:

S&S
Clear dining table & mantlepiece
Call bank
Clear fridge, meal plan, shopping list
Clear hallway
Kitchen hotspot
Put washing away
Sort box of baby mementoes for storage.

On the last point what to you do with this sort of stuff? I mean cards, photos, locks of hair,footprints, hospital bands, teeny tiny clothes. What have you kept & what can go? This is only going to get worse as they get older, we are not at the stage of nursery paintings, school newsbooks, reports etc yet. I really need to get a grip on what is reasonable to keep & what is just pointless, sentimental hoarding. But they're my baaaabies -wail!

PA thanks .

Tupperware now away, but the wall up the stairs is now an art gallery [rolls eyes]

Have sat and rested all I can, just having lunch now.

Have folded and put away washing, hung one lot up and put another lot in the machine. Have picked up and sorted stuff that was on the kitchen floor.

Need to put washing up away from the draining board and do tons more so I have some clear sides to cook later.

Hi MrsD, optimistic, feetheart, Lulabell, 1981 & all of you!

Chaos - wow, you sound ultra-busy

Mini-M - hope you worked out what you were talking about and presentation went well

PMPY, dwm & stillcounting - thanks for good wishes about the course,should find out soon and course starts end of April

dwm - hope you managed to stave off the migraine

Not a great day today, list update:

morning routine (inc S&S)done
hot spot - desk done
mop kitchen, living room floors done
15 mins declutter (entrance) - no and need to 2x 15 tomorrow - first time in this zone and it shows
babystep - done though obviously no shoes!
mission - no, but I need to concentrate on general decluttering anyway
evening routine - about to start, may end up in bed early, too - not quite 10 pm now

Actually, that's not as bad as I thought, and nothing planned for tomorrow so should get caught up

You see Mmango - there you are - you HAVE done a lot. Well done - especially well done with a babe in arms. Writing it down always helps I find, otherwise housework can become one large nebulous ground-hog-day jumble of activities for which we don't give ourselves enough credit. Fingers crossed for your course.

Go steady MrsGok and hope you have kept that headache at bay.

Talulahbelle - you are further ahead than me as I am not even sure of the location of some of dd's "treasures" as they are scattered about in different places around the house - but my intention is to gather them altogether in one treasure box (about the size of three shoeboxes stuck together) which has been sitting waiting in my wardrobe for about three years (sigh).

DD's artwork is a little more organised; I keep the best in one big file and then weed that out twice a year (she's very prolific ). The ones I am keeping (about 3-5 a year) go in another file in the roof.

Some of my house management books suggest taking photos of treasures and/or scanning them and keeping it all in one special photo album. Personally though I want to be able to actually hold and sniffle quietly over dd's tiniest romper suits from time to time....!!

I guess another solution would be to frame the treasures in a shadow box but I think I would find that a bit too personal to have up on the wall for everyone's inspection. Not sure.

So sorry MrsDinky about getting the origins of this week's body clutter step wrong. And apologies to the person whose idea it was!! I was probably typing too fast as usual!! (Will go back and investigate when I have more time.) Hope you are all managing to fit a few walks in to your routines despite the weather ...I've failed at that today

Had snow again here too at the w/e 1981 - it's almost gone today though and has been replaced with freezing rain ... lovely!

Don't be in awe Lulabell (the very separate one ). Parts of my house are in a truly pitiful state. You are absolutely not allowed to call yourself useless on this thread!! And frankly, although it is easier to get stuff done without dc, I found it easier to motivate myself once I'd had a baby. Partly, because I needed the place basically clear and clean for her. Secondly, because you have an earlier start to the day!! And thirdly because babies inevitably bring routines with them (ie sleep, eat, play, repeat x3) and chores fit in to that. So don't worry!! Start small with the baby-steps and enjoy your crepes today!!

MissBennett - sounds good. Have just finished War Horse but made me sob in to my pillow.

How did your day go Mummy? Any joy with the ironing pile?

Waves to Mini-M, Feetheart, Optimistic PA and everyone I've inevitably missed.

Today
Make appts (not done but found paperwork so can do tomorrow)
Clean out gps (nope - tomorrow - poor creatures)
Tidy master bedroom 15 mins done
Decluttering in home office 3 x 15 mins (did 1 x 15 mins)
Today's mission (half way through)
French study done
Washing done
Admin/peer at calendar/make appts done
One hour of still life (treat) done
Afternoon/evening routine (nearly there and must go and finish it because going out tonight)

WALK as much as possible!! NO - freezing rain and ran out of time -(wimp emoticon)

See you tomorrow everyone, we can do it, small steps, small steps ....

Evening.

Oh you sceptics. I was happily asleep before 9pm last night and therefore feel slightly more human. But as my day now starts at 5am i feel it might be a more regular thing.

Done today:
morning routine (new and under test phase)
Got to work without out getting lost
Kept on track all day
Bought new printer
Been to bank
ordered new pin forgot the old one
Picked up last bit for ds' bday present

Just have to wrap ds' bday presents
Ds' bday routine
Clear hall
look at lounge and sigh
Bedtime routine.

When did we get a confused face ?

That's new! Think we'll be using that one a lot

Hi all,

Had a good morning.

Managed the 3 s/s and extended them a bit by cleaning round bathroom and cloakroom including floors. Ensuite will have to wait!

Washed upstairs carpets.

Used a "rubber brush" down the stairs (mum bought it for me) and managed to remove a load of dog hair and grit - dog doesn't even go upstairs and I do hoover the stairs every week.

Kitchen is gleaming

and I managed a gym session!

I think I am the

Ok am cheating. i have done my bedtime routine and sat in the comfy surrounds of bed, having done the drown in wrapping paper sellotape thing. Ds is off to bed in ten minutes and as for the rest of it. CBA. Might head to bed a bit earlier tonight and get up a bit earlier. seem to be becoming a morning lark as apposed to the night owl used to be. Wont be around to catch up and feeling a bit guilty about having a sieve memory. Hope all are well. Sorry for being on own planet. hope to be more here when things settle into the new routine a bit more half term holidays.

chaos if your day starts at 5am you are fully entitled to be in bed now. I used to be a night owl but am yawning by 8pm most nights

Loving the confused face!

Busy day today (working) so not a very impressive list - a pretty sorry one actually compared to some of you!

However I was up showered and dressed before DC's and had also cut DH's hair before they emerged so felt quite organised this am!! Got beds made before we left for school run too

Tonight I will:
Get a load of washing out of tumble drier, fold and put away(does anyone remember the 'Magic Porridge Pot'?
Shine sink

Working all day tomorrow too so don't think tomorrows list will be particularly brilliant either!

Oops, deleted most of tonights list!
Also:
Get school bags and uniform sorted
Ironing
In bed by 10!

Evening all

WCTR - just pop in and out when you can. Think you won't be the only one looking forward to half term.

SC - lots of freezing drizzle here too, yuck. Did manage to walk into town and back, 2000 brisk steps, which I counted. Forgot to look for a pedometer. I reckon the school/pre-school run is about 5000 steps, but done at snails pace usually, so not much exercise really. Weigh-in tomorrow for me.

Talulahbelle - I kept every scrap of paper/homemade object for a long time, but decided to get ruthless last year (DCs are 6 and 4 now). All the little baby bits (first shoes, locks of hair, scan photos etc) are in shoe boxes (2 each at least, with cards everyone sent us etc) in the attic, artwork from nursery / school etc is in a box under my bed. I culled all the stuff that was really just scribbles and kept the good stuff, am doing the same on an ongoing basis. Plus, each DC has a box file for ongoing letters etc that I want to keep (on their 2nd one each now). Made a scrapbook of DS's first year at school, which I am quite proud of. Things like clay handprints are in a glass cabinet in the dining room. They have one shelf each in their rooms for their creations. I just cull these quietly every now and then. Getting harder to do it without them noticing though....

Well, I had a short list today, but managed to do most of it. DD is in an independent phase at the moment, which means I can get quite a lot done round her (I dread the clingy phases). My toy storage system is teetering on the brink again after two birthdays so closely following Christmas, so that needs to be the next major decluttering focus I think, before it all just goes into meltdown.....

Off to make a bit of supper, night all.

Evening. So far-

S&S done
Clear dining table & mantlepiece - cleared mantlepiece onto dining table. Don't think this counts
Call bank done
Clear fridge, meal plan, shopping list done
Clear hallway done
Kitchen hotspot done
Put washing away done and another load washed & drying
Sort box of baby mementoes for storage - trying to do this now but DT2 - who should be asleep- has other ideas.
Thanks for the input re baby stuff, StillCounting Agree a photo is just not the same.I haven't quite located all the baby stuff yet - DT's scan photos are missing for one- but it shouldn't be that hard, DD is 2 1/2 & DT's just over a year old so I shouldn't have accumulated that much. So many cards - have all the birth congrats, 1st birthday (x3), 2nd birthday, 1st Xmas (x3)Mothers' & Fathers' Day, birthday & Xmas cards to mummy & daddy. It's ridiculous. But what goes?

Thanks MrsD - cross post.

My prob really is that we are going to be in Oz for next 2 years & renting out the flat. If we were staying I could find space for this sort of stuff but as is I am going to have to ask someone else to store it so really need it kept to a minimum. I guess ruthless is the way to go.

Pluto has landed on the February thread .

So...the things that are going well and generally get done all the time now are:

most of my morning routines bar s&s which is a bit hit and miss - but toilets are always checked!

most evening routines - it takes a lot of willpower to keep on going but I know it pays dividends in terms of my sanity.

When I look at my list of all the domestic things I do before and after work I think I can feel pretty pleased with myself - and I also know that I need the support of this thread to keep me going!

This month I want to incorporate:

aiming to do a bit of laundry during the week rather than dealing with it all on Fridays (my day off)

actually doing some school work in the evening (not much chance of this though - just too tired)

I'm also managing to do some pretty good decluttering and this is going to be ongoing at weekends and holidays for the next month or so. It felt good to give a really big bag of clothes to give to charity last week and we're doing a book swap at work.

Oh - and good news on the d/w front from last month's thread - DH fixed it!

Just popping in to let you know I'm still keeping up with you all - just about - phew!

Haven't attempted any missions yet though but hope to do a few on Thurs and Fri.

Just put my routines and weekly jobs on my todo app on my iPhone - very exciting!!

Also loving the face - or is it a drunk face!!

Very brief post from me tonight as I'm a bit migrainy this evening, must be something in the air the past couple of days!

Just wanted to suggest this link to PA for pigeon control measures!

Also well suggested, I have been thinking about a slow cooker, but not sure which one to get as we are rather short on surface and storage space here. Anyone have any good suggestions?

Will catch up tomorrow when I will (hopefully) be feeling better!

Happing flapping to all in the meantime