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.

Toffee aargh!

lost scout scarf and woggle - mess is increasing as I search for it DOUBLE AARGH

Scout bag now completely packed! down to marked cutlery and found scarf. but no woggle I don't think it will make much difference to the coyotes or bears though

now tidyng up nuclear fallout before dh gets home and feels tetchy

Omg toffee a sanitary towel lmho!!
swan just use a napkin ring!

I have just pulled my loft apart searching for air pump to blow up paddling pool which I rushed to shops to buy to help keep dc ESP ds with temp if 39.4 cool, whilst a reluctant DH looked after his sleeping children as it was eating into his nap time!! (funny how can allow a couple of hours on boat to eat into
naptime but not looking after own sleeping children!!!!!)
best of all ds doesn't want to play in it and is sitting on couch boiling!! Rant over sorry!!

pa hope dh takes you put for a nice meal instead 22yrs well done
dem hope you feel better soon!

Toffee Oh dear! That reminds me of when I was in the sixth form at school and we had a v. handsome French assistant. My friend put her bag on the table to get something out and... a tampon fell out and rolled across the table towards him!

Nettie We print out all your posts and get our red pens out. I always think of other MNers by their MN names too and have to stop myself using MN names on FB, for example.

admylin There are a couple of other expats on this thread - SC is in Belgium and Nick in Canada - but AFAIK everyone else is in the UK.

SC I should really tackle our basement too as it's a veritable dumping ground, but I'm concentrating on the areas that visitors actually see first!

QoD Am with you on the shoes.

PA Happy anniversary! Maybe you can manage to have a romantic evening after all now...?

DEM Hope migraine is better soon. Great news about the interview.

swan It's amazing what a difference one child less makes. The DC can even be positively angelic when they're on their own, but put all three of them together and they can't last five minutes without an argument breaking out.

Now have new car but DH is not pleased with me. We are having to pay a ridiculous amount of insurance just for the most basic cover because of my "accident" last year (car door blew open in a gust of wind when I was strapping DS in and scratched car next to it). The annoying thing is that although I contacted our insurance company to find out what I needed to do, I didn't actually make a claim in the end as we settled it privately. So now we've ended up having to pay 2,500 euros for third party insurance.

Hi again all. Have been out most of the day with a couple of mummy friends that I haven't seen for a while.
Managed to whip up a couple of sandwiches and a salad for the picnic. Not long got back. Will wait till ds is in bed before I attempt to do any washing up/sink shining.
Sure I was going to say something else but can't recall what

As this is my fourth visit today I wonder if I have got any jobs done at all..

dw-done
wm-to empty
living room rescue-done once needs done again
cat to vets-drops for eyes and 8teeth out
banking-done
kitchen rescue-done needs done again
loft organise (chap coming to look for fitted wardrobes)-started tonight
sort out bedding for caravan db and family down beginning of this weekend and dsis and her family down at end of week!-done bedding cupboard organised can get to towels and duvet covers
Clean sofas-nah I just don't wanna
sort out welcome pack for caravan-not yet but got food on order!

Not bad not bad!!
Off to be true Sado and watch big brother. As I
have no life I'll be back tomorrow.

Hope you all have lovely weekend

Just thought I'd tell you I've managed the sink - did it in the dark in the kitchen as we've got all the windows wide open to let a bit of air in and I'm scared of mosquitos coming in!

Ds was a real gem today and helped me pack loads of boxes with files, books and winter stuff - he's dynamic, tired me out and i had to stop him from going on to start the next section - it wa sjust too hot.

How is the packing going DidEinsteinsMum ?

Linzer that's expensive, dh had a litle bump last year when reversing and the insurance paid 2000 euro out to the other driver but only put our insurance up about 200 euro - thank goodness we didn't get that far as to needing 2 cars. I'm getting a bike with a couple of baskets on when we move!

Morning everyone!

Feeling quite perky this morning as it is half eight and I have only just got up . DD just woken up and DS still sleeping .

Didn't manage to get on last night as me and DH decided to actually spend sometime together so I thought it would be a little rude to make my excuses . (I did think about it though!)

I am however going to post a list and the steps and go as I have loads to do today and i need to get cracking!

List looks like this:-

House rescue downstairs (too much to do to post individual jobs )
Washing ad infinitum
Putting away ad infinitum
Marking ad infinitum
Bathroom clean

Bedrom will have to wait!

It is a beautiful day here today, you can already feel the heat so am going to get going before it gets too hot!

Back in a mo for the steps!

Today's babystep is an easy one do what we have already done!. All you have to do is shine your sink and get dressed to whatever damn shoes you fancy .

No missions today as it is the weekend.

Enjoy everyone!

Hi all.
went to bed waaaaay too late last night, but DP only got back at 11. I wish he could jack this job in and get something closer to home, I really do.
Today I want to get the kitchen clean SO:

Washing up
Clean counters
Clean cooker
Sweep floor
Shine sink
one load of laundry.

Not really in the spirit of the fat fairy, but tbh my kitchen is crawling with ants so I really need to sort it out!

Can any of you tell me your success stories please. I can't get passedthe clean sink, it's always full - clean or dirty dishes but how do you do it?

Do you wash everything as soon as you use it or twice a day or how have you solved it?

Panic list required

already made beds in caravan visitors coming tomorrow not Monday!!
Been to school fair
seen fil
dw on
wm on

still to do tidy up boxes in conservatory make it look slightly useable
major house rescue
rescue loft for man coming to tonight
must clean sofas (need kick up bum)
mop floors
clean bathroom
ocado shop being delivered
make dinner aaarrrggghhh haven't even thought of that!!!

Sorry not stopping bbl hope to have moved myself and done all the above!!

Enjoy saturday

Hi Admylin

I've been on here since about November and am still not totally on top, but things are a lot better. I interpret some of the Flylday stuff very loosely. For example, the sink. We have a dishwasher, so don't need to handwash too much stuff every day, just lunchboxes, chopping boards, sharp knifes for example. So I just put it all in the washing up bowl and either do it when it's full or after the evening meal. Our hot water takes several minutes to come through from the tank, so certainly not going to do each thing as I use it. I do however, lift the bowl and drainer out every (well, most) days and give the sink a good clean round before I start, with an extra good clean once a week or so when the tea stains start building up etc, and a bit of bleach down the plug. This is still an awful lot better than it used to be. I still get that rabbit in the headlights thing when confronted with too much chaos though. Try and tackle clutter before worrying about cleaning.

Anyway, am just taking a break from a mammoth, long overdue declutter of the garden shed, DCs are at grandparents and DH has gone to the tip. Feeling virtuous. Hoever the house is a mess and there is stuff all over the lawn, so better get back to it. See you later.

Admylin don't panic. Lots of us have been around for ages (I started with SC last August!!! )
You just need to take a very small step at a time and do whatever fits in with you best. For me, I tend to do things as I go along now, rather than leave them for one big job that I then hate tackling and would leave until it was so huge it would take ages. Once I had realised that a clean sink was achievable I then just wanted to keep it shiny and to do that I needed to keep the draining board clear and one thing lead very easily to another.
My house is most certainly not a show home, but it is so much better than this time last year. The first thing I used to say to anyone who walked through my door was "ignore the mess" now I dont even have to think of it (on a good day!! ).
It really is worht sticking at it, but just babysteps at a time and it it takes you a month to just get into a routine of a clean sink, then dont worry. No-one will judge you on here!! (and if they do I will poke them in the eye for you)

Right, here I still have a gazillion loads of washing waiting to be done. I am still struggling to get my body out of holiday mode and actually want to move further than the sofa!
Cats are showing us their love of us returning home by bringing us de-feathered offerings. It looks as if someone has had a pillow fight in our back garden!

DH has just had a funny 5 minutes and accused me of playing tricks on him. He must have parked his car on next doors drive when he came home and thought I had moved it. Going round the bend, I say!!! And that is BEFORE the Saturday night beers!

hope everyone is enjoying some sunshine.

Waves to everyone.

Evening everyone!

Beautiful day here but haven't had the cahnce to enjoy it as have been sat inside marking all day! Never mind 110 left out of 300 papers so getting there .

admylin as pa and mrsd have both already said this really is about taking things slowly. Routines take a long time to become routine and that is why it is meant to be done in small steps. sc and pa have been here since august and i have been on the thread since september...that just goes to show that it really does take time. We still don't get it right all the time as a quick look through our posts will tell you. What I will say however is you know that awful feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when someone knocks on your door or rings to say they will be popping round in 10 mins.....flying has almost eradicated that for me. It is not perfect but it is not a disgusting hovel . That is what flying has done for me. Life sometimes gets in the way. I am a teacher and this time of year is ridiculously busy for me and therefore things have slid slightly but at least i know that i have a surefire method of putting them straight again. PLease don't look at your sink and give up, the first few months are the most difficult trying to get everything done and thinking that you are way behind everyone else on the thread but i promise you you are not and you will see a difference. Trust e...i'm a teacher if mr cameron can trust me with educating the nation's future (silly fool ) you can trust me with cleaning. .

To everyone else....hi! Rather short round-up tonight as everyone has been off enjoying the weather .

pa's cats were maybe a little miffed that they didn't get a pressie from herhols so left her pressies to make a point . Her DH is parking the car in oddplaces and she is washing...and washing .

mrsd gave us all a lesson in sink shining and cleaned her garage...bravo!

nettie had a rather busy day in front of her. Do you think she managed to get it done...those sofas have been on that list for days . I bet she did manage to get it done because she always does .

qod is tackling her kitchen which she reckoned was not in the spirit of the fat fairy. She forgets that the fat fairy is with you wherever you go...she's with you when you go to Tesco (meal plan, meal plan), into town (cross that off the list and cross that off the list) and even on holiday (clean that coffee table pa). .

And that's about it. I have done sod all flying but lots of marking!

Have a good evening everyone!

Today's babystep is post-it notes. Bonkers I say but i know it works for some of you lovely ladies.

No mission today as it is the weekend!

Have a good day!

LOL Nettie you are like me coming back onto thread in a vain attempt to reassure oneself one has done something and calm the fevered brow
er napkin rings might be a bit large for a Cub, their necks are not yet muscular enough

Ellie full of admiration for your marking,hope the very last paper is an excellent one, and full of admiration for your sweetly sleeping children

PA my cat is now watchng a disaster movie with me, the other one is on the prowl for a green parrot up a tree - the parrots are making the most apalling clucking noise

done
gardening, sweeping of terrace, repotting and cherishing slug ridden dahlias
nice supper for dh
buy lots of cutprice shoes from TKMax to stop feet hurting
take ds2 on circuitous bus journey just for fun
lunch out

ds1 seems to be alright, we have not heard anything so that must be good.

QOD well done for getting away from house, always a good way to keep mess down. Hope you are feeling a bit better.

Amylin I admit it, there is stuff on my draining board. However I have done quite a lot of 15min jobs today. --heads off to disaster movieaverting eyes from clean laundry pile

Well, shed has had two car loads of stuff removed from it and tipped, everything else put back neatly, and nothing is on the floor (previously you had to be a mountaineer to get to the shelves at the back). Much credit to DH for this.

Also, 2 loads of washing done,large batch of strawberry jam and batch of strawberry icecream made, yum yum. Masses of washing up though .

Good evening everyone

I have been so productive today [knackered but proud emotion]

tidied up boxes in conservatory make it look slightly useable- done
major house rescue-done looks lovely
rescue loft for man coming to tonight-done dh helped
must clean sofas (need kick up bum)-wait for it wait for it!!!........I DID IT hooray all I needed was the threat of visitors
mop floors-dh did kitchen, I'll do other tomorrow
clean bathroom-tomorrow
ocado shop being delivered-done and early brownie points for him
make dinner-done fish and chip from freezer

have also
put welcome pack in caravan
put lightbulb in my kitchen (I can see)
dejunked computer desk and filed paperwork

swan ooo a circuituss bus journey I'll send my ds to you loves bus journeys
mrsd ur strawberry ice cream sounds delicious is that homegrown strawberries too?
ellie well done on marking not much more to do [£££] [£££]
admylin the secret of my success is a lookie likie granite sink - can't shine that no truthfully I do dry it and use my bar keepers friend from time to time to keep it nice and I have dishwasher which I am getting into habit of tackling straight away. One thing that has made difference to me is making my bed I've never done this before and it helps me tons.
pa aw such nice presents from dear putty cats. My dear cat sat on the decking today and paid no attention to baby bird sitting in mop bucket who had been frightened outta nest by big bird then frightened out his wits by my ds bring frightened out his wits at finding him in mop bucket!! Used to get leaves and worms now nothing!
qod hope you managed to sort the ants. We had them under cooker recently...must keep eye out see if they have sneaked back in...

Well time for bed, night all

Afternoon everyone,

Just a quick post before I get on with the marking!

This morning I have:-

Done downstairs house rescue that I meant to do yesterday
WM on x 2
DW on
Swept/mopped floors

This afternoon I am going to mark.

Have a nice day everyone!

Hello everyone

Just diving in and out

Glorious weekend here (still hot but bearably so now)

Too many lovely distractions - didn't do one bit of Flying yesterday - and ate far too much as well I think it was the aftermath of hot weather and not sleeping (excuses, excuses)

Went to bed very early last night and slept for 11 hrs straight so feeling much more energetic today...

Went to see Tour de France whizz through town this morning ... quite love- er- rly thigh muscles on display

Cracking on this afternoon with my (overly)ambitious schedule ....

Thank you (I think it was Swan) to whoever suggested child-swapping to free up more time. I'm working on it!! DD booked in to pony camp this week too although she will be at home on Tuesday because she has a dental appt. she can't miss. So intending to declutter madly in her absence.

Very impressed by your achievements yesterday Nettie. Good luck with yr. visitors.

Well done to your dh MrsD and your jam and ice-cream sounds wonderful

Good luck with the marking Ellie (respect!) and thanks for steps although, like you, have never bothered with post-it note business

Huge waves to PA - we missed you while you were away - how's the tan? Good luck with laundry mountain!! x

Admylin - I confess I have a dishwasher which I bung EVERYTHING in. (I even have dishwashable chopping boards from Lakeland.) But don't despair!! Just do everything in 15 min blasts (I find if the thought of something is too overwhelmingly boring or dispiriting - I just grab a timer and tackle it for 15 mins. You really can put up with anything for that amount of time!! (Well, nearly anything )

When I didn't have a dishwasher though I think I just decided to do it in the morning after breakfast and in the evening after dinner and left lunch/coffee cups plates in big bowl on the side (it didn't fit under sink). Otherwise you can be doing it all day ...

As for rest of house ....I agree what everyone else has said. I can now open my door and let visitors in to the downstairs without flinching!! (other floors are getting there) It's taken me 10 months to get to this stage though. Ignore the yuck-cutesy language on the Flylady website (or buy the book 'Sink Reflections' (yes that really is the title!) - available through Amazon) - the underlying system is sound I promise you and the baby-steps DO work. You don't have to understand it all to do it iyswim - it will start making sense as you go along.

Key things to remember are: little and often every day. It's amazing what you can get done in 15 min bursts. Do one load laundry every day from washing through to putting away (I don't do this - I do 2 day cycle as I hang a lot of things up to dry.) But, laundry every day! Decide on how you are going to tackle ironing ie x4 evenings a week or 30 mins every day ....

Adapt Flylady system to suit yourself. (Look at her suggested weekly plan and write your own down to suit your undiv. schedule.)

The baby-steps I find most useful are: morning and evening (in my case afternoon) routines, putting clothes out every night, getting dressed to shoes (yes, really) hotspots and meal-planning.

Good luck with it - don't get disheartened - Flylady herself said it took her 9 months to get her house under control. So slowly does it and the most important thing to remember is: don't feel bad about yourself. You are following the system now. It's under control. You are doing a bit every day. No need to feel guilty or overwhelmed (easier said than done I know!!!). The baby-steps will help you squash all the boring domestic stuff in to manageable chunks so you can make the best of your time and do other more interesting stuff instead!!

Toffeefudge lol at sanitary towel!! When dd was tiny - she stuck all my velcro-type hair curlers down my wollen scarf - I went out to important work meeting on the tram without noticing - until I hung it up for all my colleagues to see on coat pegs in conference room!!!
Hope you are feeling better!

My time is up so sadly must stop scrolling.
Enjoy the rest of your w/e everyone.

Waves to QoD, Linzer, Optimistic Feetheart and eveyrone I have surely missed ....

Admylin - packing is going very little towards no where. Living in a a messy in progress bombsite. So much to sort. Presents and projects that need to be done, job interviews, and hayfever from hell. Little progress here tbh. but need job really to move and it will be into rented accomodation so no fixed moving date yet. Very glad can do the move in stages and leave stuff here as needed. How's your packing going?

sorry - forgot to wave to you too DEM sorry you are suffering with the pollen

pedantic disclaimer: I am reliably informed by my dh that the bicycle race we saw this morning was not the real Tour de France but some pre-race race thing with champions of yore - proper race comes through town tomorrow (shows how much I know about professional cycling) ..; still like the thigh muscles though

The only flying going on here is of the bug variety. Had a battle with small black flies this morning. Discovered they are breeding in a bucket of rainwater outside our back door - clouds of them flew up in the air when DH moved the bucket to get at the recycling. By the time he'd finished carrying all the recycling out to the car, through our house, our kitchen was infested with them. DH hates fly spray, but I persuaded him there was no other option, then had to spend time hoovering up all the little bodies (and persuading DS2 that I really, really had not killed his Little Pet Fly).

No time to do any housework because I'm still doing my proofreading work in every spare moment. However, I did do a very exciting thing - went out to the stationers and bought myself a book to make up a control journal. I have bought a black book with A4 plastic inserts, plus some sticky tabs to divide up the pages. Oooh - the excitement! Can't wait to start printing out all my routines. Picture me this evening, happily typing up notes on housework, oblivious to the dirty dishes and household clutter around me.

PS SC - lol at the story of your decorated scarf!. Am very encouraged by how Flylady has helped you. Is 'Sink Reflections' worth buying?