Weekly Flylady Thread 1st January 2018

wishingthemortgaheaway

7/7 bullet journal jobs completed today. And some lovely activities with Pickle.

Jobs today included:

Dry washing away
Carbonara for tea
Tidy the hallway - I've done this but it doesn't look much different as hubby's tool cases for work seem to have multiplied. Don't know what to do about this, hubby has no issue with it!
Sorted A 'box of doom' everything put away properly.
Brought some books down from the loft for the new bookcase (this will be ongoing for a few days, just doing a few at a time)
Sorted Pickle's nursery bag out and topped up the nappy & wipe supply that need going with him on Tuesday.

Tomorrow is very task light, deliberately. Hopefully a long, relaxing evening (especially as it's a slow cooker tea tomorrow)

Have a good evening everyone.

ionafan

froddington wrote: »

Hovel to Haven? Shorter and, therefore, easier to type!!!

And, if you want to, you can abbreviate it to H2H

froddington wrote: »

Not sure on the best way to tackle it - I was thinking of using the spare room as a dumping ground for stuff from everywhere else which can then be sorted and housed / sold / dumped / given away bit by bit. That would give me room to properly clean and sort the other rooms without the clutter that currently puts me off.

If you're doing that, at least have a very quick sort through before dumping rubbish in there. Have a big box for eBay items, another for CS donations, another for papers for shredding, etc, then you can tackle them a bit at a time.

froddington wrote: »

I will probably end up writing a list of every little thing that needs doing in each room / area so I can see progress as I cross things off even if I've only done one or two small jobs in a day.

That's exactly what I did when I left teaching. I found the crossing off very encouraging, and I did get my house sorted properly in only a few weeks.

Phew, Jojo, I spend about 3 minutes doing my stairs from top to bottom. Don't think I've ever done them in all that detail!

Pigpen, the Germans have a proverb which translates as "Little children, little worries; big children, big worries." It's good that your other children are willing and able to help look after him.

Still haven't done my diary, but we have eaten and I have made a shopping list and read the meters.

Will see you all on the new thread tomorrow, if not before x

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

ionafan wrote: »

Phew, Jojo, I spend about 3 minutes doing my stairs from top to bottom. Don't think I've ever done them in all that detail!


Will see you all on the new thread tomorrow, if not before x

I'm taking it from the starting point of them never having been done 'properly' and being somewhat out of control - the type of situation where somebody could easily think 'I have no idea where to start' or takes on too much in one go and rapidly loses the will to live. It's how I'd explain the process to Himself, as he really seems to find doing things methodically utterly impossible.


After a fortifying cuppa (and a very edible meal where he used up some frozen meatballs instead of mince), I dared myself to go back into the kitchen.

Miraculously, it appears that he's beginning to get the idea of putting peelings and scraps into the bin as he goes along. The small amount of leftover pasta in the pan will be snuck out for the birds in the morning and, although he hadn't washed up, the things that were there had been put neatly beside the sink, rather than scattered about or left to begin the next noxious bowlful, so I washed up, then resealed and put the salad leaves back in the fridge.


What I failed to notice is that, whilst looking for something in the cupboard under the stairs, I dumped the super expensive cat bed that the Idiot Cat originally loved but refused to even look at once I moved it six inches, on the coffee table. He's been offered it every six months or so and refused it every time for the last four years.

In the five minutes it was plonked on the coffee table, he decided it's the Best Bed Ever and has been curled up in it for the last hour and a half. My feet are unclawed. The Grumpy Fluffy
Cat is unmolested.

I might never move it again.

kazwookie

Evening

Decrations and tree down, packed up, just need to go into loft OH will do this tomorrow or so he says.

Dinner done
Work done

Hugs all round

Valli

I am thrilled to report the old cat stayed in for most of the day; ventured outside BUT HAS COME AGAIN AND GONE UPSTAIRS OF HER OWN ACCORD. This is a major triumph.
She is allowed to sleep on DS's bed. She's in. We're so pleased; it's been a long haul.

YORKSHIRELASS

ionafan wrote: »

Pigpen, the Germans have a proverb which translates as "Little children, little worries; big children, big worries."

Oh this is so true. I had no idea that once they were adults I would worry about them so much. And of course they know far more about the world than we do! Hope everything is OK Pigpen.

DS1 gone to the pub. DS2 gone to his GFs, we have been chilling in front of the fire with the telly on. DHs turn to do the taxi run.

Just thinking about people wanting to clear out/tidy their homes. I strongly recommend decluttering as a first step. It sounds a bit dramatic but the Kon Mari book changed my life! There is no point in just moving clutter from one place to another - and if your cupboards and storage spaces are full of stuff that you never use your house will never be tidy.

pigpen

I spoke to DS1 again and his stupid phone died again.. so I text him and reminded him how many people have rallied around for him today, how many are worried about him, how many people cared enough to visit and call.. a random guy in the pub he tried picking a fight with just hugged him tight and said nothing. Another person tried persuading him to get out of the road he was lying in.. people who don't know him showed compassion.. I reminded him of this and he has had a nap, he woke up to my brother in the house, he left his partner and week old baby home to go be there for DS1.. he just sat and hugged him until he was all cried out..

He rang me again to tell me he never knew how loved he is and that he appreciates everything and everyone and is feeling better.. at that moment in time.. we don't believe it will last but he has gone to the pub where DD2 is working and she will bring him home or stay at his and be with him tonight..

He is a total douchebag and has so many people who love and care for him.. I'm glad he can see that!

MrsChaos

Just a quick comment to add to the H2H and decluttering conversation.

KonMari is great, but the effort, time and space I would need to collect all items of a particular kind in one place in order to go through them in one sitting is simply prohibitive (unless I declutter a lot first).

I was advised once to start with peripheral storage. If that is cleared and organised, then the process of tidying becomes easier, as everything can be found a home straight away. No immediately obvious progress this way, though.

ETA You posted as I was typing, pigpen. I hope that things will get easier for our DS1 soon (and for all of your family). Shows just what strong family values are!

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Hope everyone is feeling a little better/positive tonight and hugs to everyone who needs them.
I s&s the bathroom which is still lovely after yesterday and tonight tidied my craft room, it didn't take that long and I now know what I can do before buying anymore material or wool. I have started my bedroom and I will get it finished tomorrow and then move back into it, had visitors in there all over Xmas so taking the opportunity to give it a good going over.
Tomorrow I will also make some soup and perhaps a cottage pie that will last a couple of days.
Oh and slinky wise, I have recently lost a stone and a half and this year I would like to lose another three stone and then I should weigh about right! But it could be a little less weight or more, it depends how I feel and look. Ok off to bed, this not sleeping very well is annoying me and I'm hoping it's just reaction to a very busy Xmas.
Nannyg

Honey_Bear

froddington wrote: »

Hovel to Haven? Shorter and, therefore, easier to type!!!

Not sure on the best way to tackle it - I was thinking of using the spare room as a dumping ground for stuff from everywhere else which can then be sorted and housed / sold / dumped / given away bit by bit. That would give me room to properly clean and sort the other rooms without the clutter that currently puts me off.

I will probably end up writing a list of every little thing that needs doing in each room / area so I can see progress as I cross things off even if I've only done one or two small jobs in a day.

I've been using your approach Frodders, and it's worked very well up to a point for me. I've now got a bit of a problem with what to do with the leftovers of the series of culls in my Room of Doom that I simply cannot decide about. Given that was the problem with the entire house four years ago and is now reduced to one shelf and one drawer the size of a shoebox, I reckon it was the right method for me to begin with. I just need to change my strategy now because I've been stuck with that shelf and drawer for about 18 months.

Thanks to everyone for the Hovel to Heaven (aka H2H) suggestions.

I'm going to follow Jojo's absolutely excellent suggestions for the stairs and landings as a jumping off point because they're prefect for me and for this house.

I've dejunked, sorted, washed and cleaned for four years and it's gradually been getting better all round, but if I carry one as I was, it will never be 'done' and I need it to be, so that I can concentrate on other things. Kondo-ing isn't for me at this stage - I amazoned and donated my excess books before Marie K reached puberty, I've declobbered all my excess clothes, shoes and bags, etc etc. I'm technically on the home straight having sorted nearly every drawer and cupboard in the house over the past few months although I've still got a few to go. I still haven't cleared my In Tray, having almost done so a few weeks ago but I think I will have by the end of January. Once I've got to this stage with everything it never goes back to being anywhere near as bad as it was, but it's still not quite 'done' and I need to start this final push with a plan.

I'll be able to compile a Toots List as I work my way through, which has never been on my agenda because it would have been a thoroughy demotivating book the size of War and Peace. Otherwise I'll get bogged down working on one area and I can always do things like touch up skirtingboard paintwork top to bottom in one hit rather than one flight of stairs at a time.

I hate sanding down window frames but I know that'll have to be done on several, as well.

(((Hugs))) for Pigpen's DS1.

OH said he had an absolutely brilliant birthday, so that was a day really well spent.