June's Fledgling Flyers:"two flyers are "blooming marvellously" : here come the rest doing their flaming best"

[elliepac]

Welcome to the June edition of the Fledgling Flyers where we are going to attempt to restore order in our houses, chatting as we go.

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

For those who are curious, these are the Babysteps, which we all hope will restore order in our homes and make our lives a little bit easier with lots of support (and chat, and wine, and a little more chat )

So please come and join us, old and new, from June 1st.

Yes, babysteps...

Sink - quite shiny
bathrooms - no
dressed - no
made beds - no
meal planned - lunch is pasta with bolognese in fridge or cheese supper is pork stew (need to make and put in slow oven)
decluttering - today's task is under playroom table - take two tablecloths to recycling
decluttering of toys in masterbedroom - make box for brother's house - if I can't bring myself to throw away a playmobil grocery van and ambulance I will GIVE them to close relative (Linzer this clutter is really getting me down, I need to just accept that my children do NOT need so many toys, or clothes)

preparations for Communion party - need to try online delivery thingy for first time Get kids to do some decorations?banner?
entertain kids gainfully - swimming lessons this afternoon, otherwise could I get them to do some work in garden? A possibility if I can keep calm and have enough football stickers as bribes.

PA it is extraordinary how many clothes ds2 has and how FEW ds1 (10yrs size 13 years)has. Maybe people just don't pass on teenage clothes in the same way, perhaps said clothes are in RAGS when the incumbents are finished with them Luckily ds1 is really not into brands yet so will wear anythng as long as it keeps him warm, bless.

The new desk in ds1's room is a great success, ds sits there with his sticker album, as if he is dealing with important govt dossiers

Right, we are back from 10 days in, mostly, sunny Suffolk and the contents of the tent are now all over the house

We all had a wonderful time and DC are now so used to late nights/late mornings that DS has only just woken up and DD is still asleep Am slightly worried that life is going to be a bit boring for them for a few days as they readjust - no more huge buttercup field full of jugglers, croquet, ukelele, table-tennis, etc to keep them entertained. The back garden in the rain is NOT going to cut it

I have tried to catch up with everyone but only got so far, you lot can't half chat! However MiniM I did catch your news, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS, very exciting

My list for today is mammoth but I want to get as much as possible done so we can enjoy the rest of half-term so here goes:

• Monthly invoices - done (whilst in bed - such decadence )
• Empty camping crates x 2
• Do camping washing-up and put away (10 days washing-up in luke warm water doesn't really clean things!)
• Washing x too much!
• Morning routine
• Bath DC x 2
• Menu plan then food shopping
• Post invoices and ebay stuff that I sold whilst away
• Make Brownies for cat sitters and deliver (will make ice-cream for them too later in the week)
• Defrost stew for dinner (once I've taken it out of freezer)
• As many 2 mins hotspots as possible throughout the day to reclaim some sort of order
• Evening routine
• Collapse in a heap

Better get started soon then.
Have a good day eveyone.

Clearly I meant nettie not linzer earlier - I blame pregnancy brain

Just waiting for my friend to pick us up now...

• reboot washing (in the drier, rainy here and I'm down to one comfy pair of trousers!) done
• Put recycling out / empty bins done
• load dishwasher done
• pack DS's nappy bag done
• Off to meet friend's new baby
• DS to nursery
• cook shepherds' pie for dinner
• phone someone to look at broken oven
• clear dining table hotspot (that's the mission too)
• DS from nursery
• rest!

Coffee break.

Clean/15 min declutter in bathroom done
DD's bedroom:- clear out draws/14 min declutter/clean/change bed done
DS's bedroom:- find floor/dejunk/clean
Our bedroom:- find floor/dejunk/clean
All clothes away in wardrobes when find them
All washing sorted
Skip trip

Now onto DS's bedroom which is the first big challenge, I have bin bags and I am ready to throw out anything that is broken and recycle/charity shop anything that is not used. Wish me luck!

Ok, despite be away so excused from missions, I want to get this sorted. So

application form and email done
Play with ds before he goes away done
shiney sink done
Load of washing in WM
ring various companies to sort a few things out
alter pattern
cut out material
run up top
reek havok on the weed population
down load appliction pack and apply
continue job hunt

*flying despite being away, so ...

Hellllooooo everyone

Everyone very chirpy and active on here today. Love reading everyone's lists.

Your respective holidays sound fab Feetheart and Optimistic I love Suffolk!!

Good luck with your mammoth overhaul today Ellie ....(how about trying on "most highly resplendent, benign and esteemed leader" for size??? )

I imagine you donning a head torch and all-in-one waterproofs for your expedition under the beds today PA

Take it steady Chairmum

Waves to Nettie Biddy MrsD Unifying Linzer and everyone else

My scrolling time is up. My sink is shiny. I must return to my decluttering project in the bowels of the basement ....

Sorry, missed out Swan and Mummy and Nick by mistake and I'm sure I've missed others

WE WILL PREVAIL IN JUNE EVERYONE ....

Hello all!

Flying with a difference at the moment -moving in 6 days. Am sure I have a sink to shine somewhere, but it's probably hidden under a box at the moment. Will start the proper flying again once the move is done. I did read her tips on moving house from the website - she suggests unpacking in 15 min blocks; that's a lot of 15 min blocks I'll need.....

Won't post regularly for the next week most likely but will drop in from time to time to say Aaarrrghhh!!

If anything happens in my absence, all the best Chairmum!!xxxx

Good luck with your move Gormers

See you back on here soon!!

Oh and meant to add - have just read last posts of May thread (tea break)

Lots of problems with ants and bees and Playmobil ...

Hope your dd2 is OK today Nick

Need a list to keep myself motivated...

Done:
15 min declutter in hall
Shined sink
Work
Unwisely accepted job with v. tight deadline
Written postcard with DD1 (who definitely needs more spelling practice)
Baker's (partly because DD1 desperate for football sticker album which she had spotted there)
Picked up DS and friend

To do:
DD1 to ballet/DD2 to friend's
e-mail forms
Phone friend re calendar mix-up
Print out photos of London for English lesson tomorrow
Prepare English lesson

Another coffee break here.

Clean/15 min declutter in bathroom done
DD's bedroom:- clear out draws/14 min declutter/clean/change bed done
DS's bedroom:- find floor/dejunk/clean done
Our bedroom:- find floor/dejunk/clean done
All clothes away in wardrobes when find them doing
All washing sorted ihavetelargestpileknowntoman
Skip trip

Managed to find floor in DS's room, threw some stuff out, tidied all the other bits and bobs away and cleaned it. Have also managed to find floor in our room and cleaned it, my god it was filthy but it always last on my list because no-one sees it and therefore I never get round to it. I now have a pile of laundry nearly as tall as me on the landing (put it there because if I see it it will annoy me enough to do it!) and enough bin bags to fill my car. The house is not show home perfect but at least I now feel i can make an (im)proper attempt at babysteps this month with a clean slate so to speak.

I, however, am filty and knackered. Am off to make our bed, take the last bit of clean washing upstairs and have a bath before picking DC's up at 5. Back later to catch up with how everyone else has got on .

Oh my goodness, please tell me this rate of posting is only because it's the first of the month - I can't keep up!

dw - done
wm - done (a re-load as contamination of noxious variety somehow gave my beautiful load of whites enormous brown skid marks...)
school - done - all there on time! in one piece!
e-mail linzer - done!

to do today (some oddities):
police check
wm (am trying to find floor in laundry room)
ds doc's appt
tax return (it's late, but i found it the other day in a pile of paperwork )
ring cub camp organiser for update
ring school council trainers
ring school principal re dd1/ dd2 (have been putting it off, but only 4 weeks of school left now)
ring man about garden (we moved here in august and were told the garden would be returfed in a couple of weeks...)

remember man is coming to fix downstairs toilet this afternoon...

and I MUST mop the kitchen floor. All I can see is mud, and it's being traipsed everywhere.

and I'm going out for lunch - only to the local greasy spoon (it's the only restaurant in the village lol) but it's still out.

You are all so busy!!

Massive waves to everyone. Not a long post because my laptop will decide to shut itself down without any notice, so will post before it disappears! New one arriving tomorrow W"WWHHhhooooaaahhhh!!!

Right, so all my plans for today ahve flown out of the window. Raining cold February weather here today. Been taxi for the DCS all day. All in different directions at different times. According to DS they are making sure I dont get bored!!! No chance. Haven't had time to breath let alone get bored!!

So alive and dead are still under the bed!! deferred until Friday now as DS is at a sleepover and I am not going to go under that bed without him to yell at when I find unmentionables under there!!

Best go before laptop goes.
See you all with Ernest tomorrow. Lots of stroking!!

You have been busy! I on the other hand have had a vegged out day to myself so v little done DS on holiday with GPs this week and DH at work so peace and quiet

Main news of the day DAISY'S STITCHES ARE OUT! Vet took them out this morning and took her socks off. Have had to put some of DS's outgrown socks back on her as she had scratched the scabs on her scar so much it was bleeding . But she did have a wander round the garden in the rain first

Other than that I have put DW and WM on, had my hair cut and watched the second part of Going Postal.

Will shine sink later and that's about it. Have to admit I feel idle but have decided I can take a day off

Nick it is always this busy at the start of the month, we might will slow down soon.

Will have more productive day tomorrow!

This isn't a good sign is it...I forgot that it was the start of a new month and I didn't even mark my place.

Part of my excuse is that I did some outstanding (by my standards at least) decluttering yesterday resulting in a couple of bags of things for the charity shop and a couple of sacks of rubbish.

Now for some tidying. I might have to ignore flylady instructions this week (sorry Ellie) in favour of dealing with some issues:

• washing machine broke but will be fixed tomorrow - catch up on washing.
• need to find homes for my maternity clothes that came out of storage and pack normal clothes away to go into storage.
• contents of bathroom need to go back into bathroom now it is finished.
• I too need to find my bedroom floor.
• big general tidy needed tonight as cleaners are coming tomorrow (hooray).
• we have no food in the house.

I will feel like I'm on more of an even keel when that is sorted out!

Gormers: good luck with the move.
MiniM: every little bit helps, you sound excited still
DWM: gald to hear daisy is doing better and someone is enjoyingthe rain.
PA: dont blame you for not braving the dead or alive unmentionables on your own.
Ellie: wow. you have been working hard. very impressive.
I tried the pile on landing thing but ds discovered laundry at the bottom of the stairs is a fab crash mat. I keep telling myself that he is helping me move it in the direction of the wm. Still its irratation value is high.
SC: how is your decluttering project going.

application form and email done
Play with ds before he goes away done
shiney sink done
Load of washing multiple done awaiting drying weather tomo.
ring various companies to sort a few things out
alter pattern done
cut out material done
run up top halfway
reek havok on the weed population - rain stopped play
down load appliction pack and apply
continue job hunt takingbreakfromdeathlyboringtask

Gosh talk about busy!! You girls have been manic

just finished eating so thought I'd pop in as I'm gonna hit the hay readnewmoon very soon afterbgt I'm pooped!!

I can't remember who suggested the running app but I almost fell over in gym! Done half of week one when the women said I'd have to do another 4 mins I started to panic

anyway I'd like to check off my list to make me feel like I've accomplished lots!!

bed made
wm on
living room floor mopped
cooker moved out cleaned underneath and lotsa ant powder put down
get dc ready for swim lesson-done
no music and movement cause half term so off shopping ds similar prob to pa son and got no clothes left.-done plus Dh new clothes and Dc both got new shoes.
Finish tidying toys in living room-nope
check mission-checked not done
Dh got day off so am going to drag him along get him to buy us dinner
ironing put away -still some to do in our room
gym tonight-done
evening routine.

Sorry no catching up, at work tomorrow so will -sneak-- try find some time to catch up then.

Well done all of you x

Evening my petals,

What a day! I know we always start enthusiasic at the beginning of the month but I suspect today may take some beating . Mammoth lists all around and a huge number of dones plastered around the board. Well Done everybody! Have, for once, played my part today. I did all my humungous list and would have to say am feeling a little smug . Not entirely sure how long it will last but am hoping that tidiness/cleanliness will breed tidiness/cleanliness.

nettie enjoy new moon. I have read the all, at a very swift pace. Well Done today!

unifying superlative day. Well Done you . Damned rain got in the way of my washing marathon too.

mmhow dare you not follow my carefully selected babysteps, although I think you will find neither have I. Sometimes stuff just needs doing doesn't it. Well Done! How exciting getting the maternity clothes out .

dwm yay for Daisy's stitches coming out. What alovely day you sound like you have had. I got a whole day to myself for the first time in ages and I blardy cleaned .

pa or should I call you mrstaxi? I think things under bed should be left to said DS to sort out. Over and above the call of duty I believe. Bet you can't wait to stroke ernest . Even I'm looking forward to you stroking ernest!

nick i promise you it will calm down, we all get over excited at the beginning of the month and then gradually run out of steam as we go through .

linzer busy day for you too. Well Done! How did the postcard writing go?

gormers good luck with the move. Feel free to come in and rant every couple of days. Moving house is soooo stressful. Haven't done it for nearly 10 years but still brings a shudder to me. Just do what you can and in your case just focus on what needs doing. .

sc how are the bowels of your basement . I like resplendent .

chairmum sounds like you had some lively things planned today but I hope you managed to get in plenty of the last thing on your list .

feetheart suffolk sounds fabulous. Long list for someone who's just returned from a holiday. Can I be your catsitter please, I catsit fot the MIL and get a bag of dodgy toffee .

sr how did the decluttering go? I know I did some in DS's bedroom today and it was tough going. A little at a time remember. .

biddy cracking start this morning! Did rain hold off long enough. It started here about 10 and hasn't stopped since!

om hope you are having a lovely holiday.

Big waves to anyone elseI have missed of which there are bound to be some...mrsd!

Am going to post steps now, watch Luther in my lovely clean and tidy bedroom and pass out .

Another massive WELL DONE to everyone today...today we have all bloomed and done more than our flaming best .

Hello everyone,

Today's babystep is damned lace-up shoes again . We know the principle behind this is to get us moving, bed head off, fly head on. I shall plead the 5th amendment on this one

Evening!
No way can I keep up with everyone - you all sound to have been hugely productive! I am going to concentrate on baby steps. So I've shined my sink, and in the process the kitchen generally looks tidied and more loved

I've also been to work - the one appointment free day and I didn't get nearly enough done So I will have to go again tomorrow. And the next day. But I've got Friday off!

And I've been to aqua aerobics! DD2 and DH are watching Lord of the Rings 3 and DD1 is staying with friends. So all peaceful and I've got the computer. Tomorrow I will try and do the mission but lace up shoes are not my style - I might manage Croc flip flops though!

Hi Ladies

Well done on a fabulous day and thanks for the entertaining round-up Ellie.

I am feeling a bit better about the state of the house and have:

• made space for maternity clothes (but now need to organise drawers properly)
• contents of bathroom need to go back into bathroom now it is finished: mainly done
• I too need to find my bedroom floor: done
• big general tidy needed tonight as cleaners are coming tomorrow (hooray): done
• we have no food in the house: online order done

plus: ironed clothes for tomorrow (but nothing else , asked DH about various belongings strewn about the house and requested their removal!

Decluttering proper starts tomorrow. Please NAG!

Wow, mega-busy day for lots of people. Better see how I've done:

• Monthly invoices - done (whilst in bed - such decadence )
• Empty camping crates x 2 - done 1
• Do camping washing-up and put away - no
• Washing x too much! - done 1 load, no room to dry anymore! Tomorrow is another day
• Morning routine - some of it
• Bath DC x 2 - done
• Menu plan then food shopping - done
• Post invoices and ebay stuff that I sold whilst away - done
• Make Brownies for cat sitters - done
• Defrost stew for dinner - done
• As many 2 mins hotspots as possible throughout the day to reclaim some sort of order - have done a few, many, many more needed
• Evening routine - don't need to water garden and will shine sink before bed
• Collapse in a heap - done

Not bad though house still looks like a bombsite.
Well done everyone, scarily impressive start to the month

missb, i'm with you - these broads are crazy

i managed 5 out of 11 things on my oddities list (including lunch lol - chicken caesar with teriyaki ), so that's not bad for me! the rest will carry over until next week tomorrow...

i've decided that i'm going to try and clear 10 things a day from the spare room that mil will be using - if you visualise something akin to room on 'hoarders', you'll realise this will not have an enormous effect on the room itself, but psychologically will build me up to doing something major about it!

now, where are my lace-up shoes...

i can't bring myself to comment on anything you've all done - will i be magically transformed by 1st July?