July's Fledgling Flyers : The dc's drive us round the bend, the school holidays descend, our sanity we will lend, and flying will be our friend

[elliepac]

Welcome to the July 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 July 1st.

Ooh, can I be first to mark my place?

I think I might be going back to babysteps this month. Again.

Can I join up please?

I've been scared to join up to now because I sometimes don't get anywhere near as much done as some of you have on your lists.

We move house in the middle of July and I'm meant to be sorting out and slowly packing but I keep getting distracted/stuck/tired or can't be bothered. It's too hot to move house!

Hi all, just swigging coffee and resting my bunions for a moment and popping in to lay down my mop and bucket for the morrow...

Thanks for new thread Ellie (great title Nettie)

A warm welcome to Admylin. Don't be scared. We're very wierd friendly on here!! And don't be too impressed by all the long lists [whispers] sometimes we don't all get them done .....

If you check out the Flylady site, I think it contains a house-moving schedule which might be of help

Have a look here

And while I am at it fellow flegdlings, have a look here for Fat Fairy's tips on holiday prep and packing

Waves to Linzer et al

Great link thankyou! I like the bit about not moving anything you don't love.

This morning I asked dh about throwing some things and I wish I hadn't - he wants to keep a hideous TV shelf thing in pine wood that I can't bear to look at anymore. Honestly I'd rather put the TV on the floor! I do have an evil plan to dismantle it for the move, then tell him some vital parts are missing and we can't re-build it.

Thanks for that link, SC - I'll have to print it out before our holiday as it looks very useful (even if I won't be packing any outfits for fancy restaurants...).

Hi admylin, glad you've decided to join us! As SC says, you really shouldn't be put off by the lists as posting them doesn't actually mean we get them done... You only really need to do the babysteps to start with anyway, and then gradually add to your routine as the month goes on.

Woohoo I made it to my hat trick of titles!! I've very proud!

Hiya aDmylin welcome, yes we are all brill totally organise and excel at flying all the time! stick around and you will see with the fat fairys influence we will suceed! Hee hee hee

New month and new me totally organised I'll be !!

admylin jumpon board. I too am meant to be packing for moving in August. I am on the get rid of clutter phase. So my lists can be horrific but I am oblivious to the fat fairy's moto of slow and steady and will often burn out. Am on burn out atm. Mostly mentally after spending almost a week trying to deal with the lgeo and still no where near finish. have abandoned this task until my big project has been done. Which will take priority over packing.

However, this month I want to get more babysteps integrated. Have achieved the do not get distracted by the internet one. And got evening and morning routine sorted. So progress is being made SSSSSlllllllllllooooooooooooooowllllly

July - so soon. where is the year going?

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for leading us again Ellie, you're a star.

Thanks SC for the packing etc tips - we've a holiday coming up in a couple of weeks .

Welcome to the madness admylin.

See you tomorrow everyone!

I think I will join this month..house is getting a little neglected!

Love the thread title, btw!

Evening all, will mark my spot and go back to June....

Evening my lovelies and a huge welcome to admylin and houseofcrazy (do you live in my house ).

New month, best intentions, lots of babysteps and enthusaism..here goes!

Today's babystep is Sink Shining. Read what the fat fairy says and then trust me when I say she is right...sometimes she is just plain wrong but on this...she is right!

The mission for today is here.

admylin and houseofcrazy, i post the links to the next days babysteps and missions the night before. Don't worry about the missions for the time being just concentrate on adding the babysteps one by one. If you get chance use the links to have a wander round the flylady website. Any problems pr questions please please ask and we will help out. It is always lovely to have people join us .

Morning everyone, thanks for the babystep info.

Trouble is shining the sink isn't the problem, it's getting as far as having a shinable sink in my place, it seems to constantly have dishes in there. Can't wait to get my dishwasher at last. I stand cursing at the sink most days when I'm washing up. I have to get calmer about it I guess.

Is there a member list sometimes for this thread? DidEinsteinsMum are you packing it all yourself too? I'm just trying to get a few removal companies to give me a reasonable quote and not the laughable ones I've had so far. Think I've left it all rather late too but trying not to panick, i've just ignored it all up to now.

Morning all,

Just flying by before I start work - DD1 finishes school at 10.50 today but has a friend coming over afterwards, so I'm hoping to be able to work for most of the morning at least.

admylin I think that having a shiny sink is supposed to inspire you to keep it looking that way and to wash and put all the dishes away immediately, but it's difficult without a dishwasher, isn't it? I'm not too convinced by FlyLady's idea about having a dish pan under your sink (there'd be no room under ours, in any case). At least it sounds like you'll have a dishwasher after the move. (My theory is that removal companies on the continent can get away with charging more than they would in the UK as people don't tend to move as often - possibly also why estate agent fees etc. are ridiculously high).

No member list as far as I know, but you'll soon get to recognise the regulars. It took me a while to work out who the abbreviations referred to, as we are quite lazy like to save time by not typing out full names.

swan It took me well over 20 years to work up the courage to drive on the motorway - the lengths I'll go to to get a decent cup of tea.

Must stop procrastinating and start work. I aim to have a shiny sink by the end of the day and anything else is an added bonus.

Meant to say almost 20 years

I sort of dropped off these threads a couple of months ago but would like another go. The house is a state. Can I come back please?

Sorry no chit cat - short of time this morning!

Brekkie dishes
sweep
washing in
washing in machine
washing out
clean J's carpet
general run around
shower
lunch bags

And that should take me up to C's immunisation appointment and playgroup at 10am!

Sorry again, gotta go! Will BBL.

Just dropping in on the new thread. Welcome to Admylin and HouseofCrazy.

Will drop in again later.

Right. Its July. 6 mths of Flying here, need about 6 years more to make real indent in house but the conversation is good

Swan - Sorry about DN and thanks for the concern. I learnt a LOT about the strain on parents when DS broke his leg last year so am taking it a bit in my stride this time round
Tell your SiL to get onto Limbo. If she orders it before 2pm today it should be with her tomorrow and it makes a HUGE difference.

Need to do monthly invoicing then will come back to read new thread and maybe write a list.

admylin - yep packing it all myself and will probably rent a van and move it myself too. Just me and ds and most will fit into 2 trips in the car - or at least it did when we move 3 years ago. Have bought furniture since then but as mostly ikea it will flat pack. Have inherrited a large wardrobe that doesnt flat pack so not too sure how that is going to get move tbh though unlikely to be in the first wave of moving. thankfully it can be done in stages as moving out of the folk's house where I have been living temporarily.

Right today is the first day of the new month and the plan for this morning was a qucik school run and a few errands so sods law dictates i bumped into everyone and have only recently got in from a 8:45am drop off still

Ironing
project work
school run
make granddad's birthday cake with ds
ds' spellings

short and sweet today. am knackered. can i go back to bed yet?

Back, invoicing done so now its time for hot drink and MN

Welcome to admylin and houseofcrazy and welcome back LPP. This is my 4th attempt at Flying over the past 2 years or so but I've stuck with it this time inspite of life getting in the way a lot sometimes. It does make a difference though and I know what I have to do to get back on track and don't get completely overwhelmed by it all like I used to.
As I have been returning to work over the past 8 mths - working at home pretending learning to be 'Office Manager' for DH's business it has helped me keep some sort of balance between house, work and children though its all a bit fluid The summer holidays will be a challenge of how well it works, or not!

Nick - enjoy Canada Day. Fireworks in mountains sounds lovely.

Right list for today:

• Morning routine
• Work - more to do
• Then LOTS of walking as car battery is very dead - walk to pick up DS from pre-school and walk to Tumble Tots, walk from there to pick up DD from school and then walk home. Over 4 miles I think - eek!
• Sort out birthday present for DD's friend for tomorrow
• Ring dentist and cancel appointment for tomorrow
• Email relative to say we are coming to party on Sunday
• Decide on a salad or pudding for said party that I can make in advance and will survive overnight camping trip All suggestions welcome as I'm a bit stuck at moment
• Afternoon/evening routine
• Collapse in heap and not move till bedtime (fat chance!)

Better get on then.
Wonder what % is between length of list what is actually achieved?
Have good start to the month everyone.

Hi ladies
FOrgot it was July today so was merrily posting on the June thread.
Welcome Admylin and Houseofcrazy. Advice is follow the babysteps - don't try to do it all at once I've fallen off this thread several times though

Have an extremely clingy, bad tempered DS today, so I will content myself with doing one load of washing up and Shining the sink. Back to baby step number one for me (again)

Hello everyone

[Catching up from other thread]

Good Lord Roadrunner Nick the mundane task of taking the dog for a walk certainly turns in to an adventure in your neck of the woods - glad you and your ds are ok - and now you are casually cleaning your didgeridoo - I think that must be a first on the Flying threads I wonder if the Fat Fairy has any tips like only polishing it for 15 mins at a time!!! Happy Canada Day

Yay - good to see our most highly esteemed Flying guru QueenofDreams and congratulations on your pregnancy - sorry you are feeling so rotten though - take it steady

Well done with your decluttering Mini

Many congrats to your ds Ellie on his school report. What wonderful comments. He sounds lovely!! Well done to him for working so hard.

Am also a proud Mummy because dd got a really good school report yesterday. All her academic and social marks were good - the only one that was slightly marked down was "keeping her banc (school desk) in order". Oh dear, I wonder where she gets that from???

lol MrsD at the competitive mothers

Swan sorry to hear about your dn - what rotten timing

July thread:
Well done for sticking with it this time Feetheart and good luck combining work with holiday childcare.

I'm on my nth round of babys-steps ... Trouble is, I am not rigorous enough with myself. I say "oh I'll only have time for that in the holidays" and then hear myself saying "no time for that in the holidays, I'll get it done in term time". Beginning to dawn on me (finally!) that these are just plain old lazy excuses!!!!

NO time (imois a good time for decluttering and cleaning - I'd rather be doing ANYTHING else frankly - so we need to make it as easy as we can on ourselves and do a little bit every day ..

A warm welcome to HouseofCrazy

Keep going DEM

And welcome back to LPP - great to 'see' you!

DD and I have had an extremely lazy morning today (1st of holidays) and am about to prepare lunch so must get cracking for rest of afternoon.

Laundry on-going, master bedroom floor beginning to emerge, must start decluttering 1st floor landing.

Have a productive first day of the month everyone!!

Waves to everyone I have missed!!

Good morning and happy July to all here and happy Canada day to nick of mountains!!

I dejunked my garage till 10pm last night no 15 m chunks for me! Still needs finishing but looks tons better for the men coming to sort out filter today and they can get to it too (oo and I can get my bike out will ask pa dh to come and stroke my bike and get it useable again been stuck there for just under 4 years)

ds has had temperature of 38-39.9 all night and this morning so no work or nursery today.

Have so far
wm x2
ds doctors temp of course come town to the right side of 38 making me look like the neurotic mum from neuroticland
popped to work
car cleaned
lunch done dw x2
beef brisket cooked

still to do
photos of double buggy for eBay
pick dd up from nursery
general house rescue!

Better get to it. Hope you all having brill start x

sink clean
kitchen tdy
wash done

but otherwise....long telephone conversation, bit of time at work, & trying to fill in an official form has used up all the time
Upstairs not good.

children picked up from assorted activities by 4.00. ds2 earlier, clutching unsold flags, he had given one away to his girlfriend. I offered to buy them and he said bitterly "what would be the point?" ie: I can wangle 10 p out of you anytime..ah well he liked making them

Now taking dd to violin and have to extract ds2 from telly. and lots more ...

SC we don't have desks here anymore [sob]

Have a streaming cold, have been working all day and house is a mess. However, DH has come home early so that I can go to bed and he is now doing the washing up, cooking for the children and hoovering (although not all at the same time). What a lovely man!

Thinking about having a 'Control Journal', but am not sure if this is just going a step too far. Has anyone done this? Or even bought Flylady's Control Journal? Maybe this cold is making me a bit delirious. Am not sure if I'm losing my grip on sanity even thinking about this....

Btw, glad to hear a couple of you have secret cleaners to help out. Bet that's not covered in Flylady.

Too snuffly to comment on anyone's posts - sorry. Will take my germ-infested virtual presence away now.