De-Clutter Games 2012

 

Click here for The FlyLady Declutter Games Welcome Message

Click here to get your medals!

Don’t forget your equipment! Take a look at our FlyLady De-Clutter Games Package:
http://shop.flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_gp.asp

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Dear Friends,

Tonight we are celebrating the Closing Ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics. The athletes have preformed to the best of their abilities and now they will be headed home. We are all so blessed to already be home. Our DECLUTTER GAMES took place within the walls of our home.

Now as I have been watching the athletes from all over the world hugging each other, I have tears in my eyes. Our little games were not held in the United Kingdom but a all over the world. Each of us got to celebrate our own little triumphs and collect our medals!

I am so proud of each of you for taking our Declutter Challenges and using them to have fun and get rid of your clutter.

The athletes will be returning home with a message of peace. We too can promote peace throughout the world and it all starts in our home; over a million homes around the world. These Declutter Games help you to open your doors to your friends and family.

Please continue to declutter your homes. It is something we always have to do. Every time you bring something new home; get rid of something old.

We will keeping this information up through August 26th.

Peace starts with you! Clutter has been standing in your way! Release your clutter and FLY!

FlyLady

Day 16 Event

Dear Friends,

We are racking up those medals!! We are so proud of every single one of you for jumping in where you are and participating in our De-Clutter Games! Today is our final event for the Summer De-Clutter Games!

Today’s challenge is a Dresser Drawer Dive!

We are going to open ONE drawer of our dressers and set a timer for 5 minutes. Have your put away, give away and throw away baskets open and ready. Open a drawer and as quickly as you can get rid of anything that you do not love, use, wear or need. Utilize the give away or throw away baskets to move through the drawer as fast as you can. If there are things that need to be put away someplace else place in the put away basket. When the timer goes off STOP! Now if you have children go do the same thing in one drawer in their rooms. If no children then throw open another drawer in your dresser for round 2.

Your challenge for today is 5 drawers. You can do it! Go get your medal!
http://www.flylady.net/d/flylady-games-2012/

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 15 Event

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to the FlyLady De-Clutter Games! Today we have 3 challenges that go after that sneaky clutter that seems to multiply before we even realize it is happening. Have fun!

Challenge 1:

Declutter winter coats and jackets. Children’s winter coats are often passed from child to child. Spend a few minutes and look at the coats and jackets. Are they clean, in good repair and still wearable? For those that need to be cleaned and mended, will you take the time to clean and repair them before winter? If you won’t, put them in the give away or throw away bag. Has your youngest child outgrown the smallest coats and jackets? Put the outgrown coats in the give away bag. Look at the coats and jackets for the adults. Are they clean and in good shape? Ask yourself how long it has been since they were worn. Give away the coats that you don’t wear. Toss away the coats that really and truly are worn out!

Challenge 2:

Declutter place mats and tablecloths. One inexpensive way to decorate your kitchen and dining room tables is to buy new place mats and table cloths. Over time you begin to accumulate a stack of them. Some of them are really worn out and faded. You hang on to them because you might need them or find another use for them. They stack up in a drawer or on a counter. They are taking up space! Fling them now.

Challenge 3:

Declutter drinking cups and drinking glasses. Some are glass and some are plastic. Your cabinet is full of them. You collect them for a variety of reasons and you don’t need them. These are not the sets of glasses that you use. These are those random cups and glasses that you are given at events or get with a beverage purchase. If you have a souvenir glass that holds a special memory for you, you can display it or repurpose it as a holder for items. You can always take a picture of the souvenir glass or cup and then put them in the give away bag. Keep a few for those times you want to carry a cup with you, but otherwise fling!! You will be so happy when you open your cabinet and you have room to store the glasses and cups you actually use!!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 14 Event

Dear Friends,

Today we are going to do a fast paced event that I call the
Final Septathlon for the Summer De-Clutter Games!

We have seven disciplines in this one event. We will do each
discipline as fast as we can and see what our best time is after you
finish all seven of them. Set your timer for 2 minutes for each one.
You can do this.

1. Go empty one trash can.

2. Sweep the kitchen floor.

3. Make up one bed.

4. Throw away 3 magazines and a newspaper.

5. Clean the window in your front door with window cleaner.

6. Feather dust your family room.

7. Vacuum your family room.

Get on your Mark, Get Set, Ready Go!!!!! Don’t forget to pick up your medal!
http://www.flylady.net/d/flylady-games-2012/

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 13 Event

Dear Friends,

We are racking up those medals!! We are so proud of every single one of you for jumping in where you are and participating in our De-Clutter Games!

Today’s challenge is a putting out the flames on those Hot Spots! This is the final event for Hot Spot Challenges! Get yours done today!

For each zone set a timer for 5 minutes, stand in the middle of the room, turn around three times with your eyes closed. When you open your eyes whatever hot spot you see first is where you will start. When the timer goes off, head to the next zone. You will be surprised at how much you can get done in 5 minutes and it will make a big dent in those hot spots throughout the house!

Don’t forget to get your Medal!
http://www.flylady.net/d/flylady-games-2012/

Here is FlyLady’s description of a Hot Spot!

A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended will gradually take over. My favorite analogy is of a hot spot in a forest fire, if left alone it will eventually get out of hand and burn up the whole forest. This is what happens in our homes. If left unattended, the hot spot will grow and take over the whole room as well as making the house look awful. When you walk into a room, the hot spot is the first thing you see. Your eyes are locked on it. Over the years my hot spot has migrated. As a child it was a chair in my bedroom. I would pile it to the ceiling. Right now I have two hot spots in my home: the dining room table and the bed in the extra bedroom. The dining room table is a staging area. We put the unopened mail there, as well as any thing that needs to go to the basement. Some times you cannot see the top of the table. This is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen. Granted, the pile has only been there since last night, but if I don’t deal with it first thing in the morning, it will collect many more items by evening. CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER. The Bed in the extra bed room is just the same. I use it as a place to put things that don’t have a home. Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? It is our job to NIP this in the bud. Get rid of that pile, find the surface underneath, and stop the Hot Spot from becoming a raging Clutter inferno! — FlyLady

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 12 Event

Dear Friends,

It is impossible to have the FlyLady De-Clutter Games without shining our sinks!

We are going into the water for this event.

This event is called sink-ro-nized Shining!!!

I want you to grab a rag or paper towels and we are going to shine
every sink in our home. You may need some kind of cleanser or even
SOS pads(steelwool) for those sinks that have been forgotten in the
kid’s bathroom. Hey if you want to get the whole family involved;
then assign everyone their own sink to shine and it really will be
sink-ro-nized Shining.

Now set your timer! for 5 minutes. You may need to reset it for each
sink!

Get on your Mark! Get Set, Ready, GO SHINE YOUR SINKS!!!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 11 Event

Dear Friends,

We are going back to our office areas today. We are going to attack those piles!

Our desks are have become hotspots. I want you to grab a big garbage can and place it about 3 to 5 feet away from your desk. Set your timer for 5 minutes!

Then I want you to start sorting through one of those piles on your desk. Then take aim and toss the junk into the trash can. You may be able to get some help on this one for your babies. They can pick up your near misses. Recycle what you can and then reset the timer and go for it again! Let’s aim for five 5 minute cycles!

You will be amazed at how much you get rid of!

Get Ready, Set, Go!!!!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 10 Event

Dear Friends,

We have been working so hard for the De-Clutter Games and we are so proud of you!

Today’s challenge is the Weight Lifting Challenge from FlyLady!

We all have magazines, newspapers, catalogs, phone books and books
that we need to get out of our home.

I want you to set your timer for 3 minutes and we are going to do the
clean and check with the bags and boxes of paper clutter. Now don’t be
concerned about what you are going to do with them right this minute.
I want you to start bagging them up or boxing them up. You may have
to double bag them if you don’t have canvas bags to put them in.

We are going to do this in several classifications. Each one is 3
minutes.

1. Gather up the newspapers! Take the bag to your car!

2. Now for the Magazines. Do not stop an look at them! you have had
them for a long time it is time to pass them along. Take them to the
car and you can either recycle them so we don’t have to cut down more
trees or donate them around town to waiting rooms or to a charity.
The library does not want them!

3. Next go for that stack of catalogs that you get in the mail every
day. Do not open them up! It is time to save your money for something
that you really want! Out to the car they go!

4. Do you have some old phone books hanging around? Four or Five
years worth of them. Out they go! Straight to the car! They will
recycle too.

5. Now here is the tough one! None of you like to do this one! If you
don’t love a book, you don’t have a place for it or you have two of
them; it is time to pass them along to someone else. Your library
loves these books. They sell them to raise money for the library.
Most libraries have a donation box. Go put the box in the car.

Now set your timer for 3 minutes for each one.

Get on your Mark, Get Set, Ready, GO!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 9 Event

Dear Friends,

Today we are going to do a fast paced event that I call the Septathlon.

We have seven disciplines in this one event. We will do each discipline as fast as we can and see what our best time is after you finish all seven of them. Set your timer for 2 minutes for each one.

You can do this.

1. Go empty one trash can.

2. Sweep the kitchen floor.

3. Make up one bed.

4. Throw away 3 magazines and a newspaper.

5. Clean the window in your front door with window cleaner.

6. Feather dust your family room.

7. Vacuum your family room.

Get on your Mark, Get Set, Ready Go!!!!! Don’t forget to pick up your medal!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 8 Event

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Day 8 of the FlyLady De-Clutter Summer Games! We are so proud of you and are so excited that all of you have jumped in with us to get that clutter evicted out of your homes!

Don’t forget to collect your medal!

Your challenge today is to head back to your closet or a to your child’s closet. We are going to jump back in and work on making room for all those clothes that you have not yet gotten rid of. This will be out last closet de-clutter challenge for the games! You can continue to do this challenge throughout the games as many times as need be. Apply the same steps for your child’s closet as your own.

Step 1:

Grab a box or bag to put items to donate. Now set your timer for 2 minutes and go to your closet. Grab all the pants that do not fit you any longer or that you do not like. Don’t second guess yourself! Then take the bag to the car.

Step 2:

Set your timer for 2 minutes and with another donation bag, go into your closet and pull out as many shirts or blouses that you don’t love or that do not fit any longer. It doesn’t matter if they are too big or too little; if they don’t fit you should not wear them and if the clothing is not blessing you then it needs to bless someone else. Take the bag to the car. No double dipping back into the donation items. We have to let these things go!

Step 3:

Set those timers for 2 minutes and as fast as you can get rid of those dresses that you have not worn in years! The bridesmaid dress that you know you will NEVER wear again no matter what the bride told you, the dress that is a bit too worn or a bit too tight. The dresses that you have held onto because you associate them with a certain event. Time to let them go if you are not wearing them or have a need for them. Let go of the dresses that do not flatter you and make room for more blessings and compliments to come into your life. You can’t organize clutter; and these clothes are holding you back! Take them straight to the car and shut that trunk tight! Don’t leave any room for them to escape and run back into the house!

Step 4:

Grab your give-away bag and toss out those blazers, jackets, coats and skirts. Yes, you may have paid good money for them but if they don’t fit or you don’t wear them then all they are doing is taking up prime closet space for the clothes you love. This is exactly how we end up with piles in our bedroom or pulling clothes out of a laundry basket to wear. Grab them up and head to the car!

OK you have tackled a wide rage of your clothes and if you are up for the challenge go back and do it all over again. Focus on individual items in categories like the challenge, this allows you the freedom to not feel so overwhelmed that you have to clean out the entire closet right NOW. use follow your baby steps and you will get there! Now go grab your medal!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 7 Event

Dear Friends,

We are racking up those medals!! We are so proud of every single one of you for jumping in where you are and participating in our De-Clutter Games!

Today’s challenge is a Dresser Drawer Dive!

We are going to open ONE drawer of our dressers and set a timer for 5 minutes. Have your put away, give away and throw away baskets open and ready. Open a drawer and as quickly as you can get rid of anything that you do not love, use, wear or need. Utilize the give away or throw away baskets to move through the drawer as fast as you can. If there are things that need to be put away someplace else place in the put away basket. When the timer goes off STOP! Now if you have children go do the same thing in one drawer in their rooms. If no children then throw open another drawer in your dresser for round 2.

Your challenge for today is 5 drawers. You can do it! Go get your medal!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 6 Event

Dear Friends,

We are racking up those medals!! We are so proud of every single one of you for jumping in where you are and participating in our De-Clutter Games!

Today’s challenge is a putting out the flames on those Hot Spots!

For each zone set a timer for 5 minutes, stand in the middle of the room, turn around three times with your eyes closed. When you open your eyes whatever hot spot you see first is where you will start. When the timer goes off, head to the next zone. You will be surprised at how much you can get done in 5 minutes and it will make a big dent in those hot spots throughout the house!

Here is FlyLady’s description of a Hot Spot!

A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended will gradually take over. My favorite analogy is of a hot spot in a forest fire, if left alone it will eventually get out of hand and burn up the whole forest. This is what happens in our homes. If left unattended, the hot spot will grow and take over the whole room as well as making the house look awful. When you walk into a room, the hot spot is the first thing you see. Your eyes are locked on it. Over the years my hot spot has migrated. As a child it was a chair in my bedroom. I would pile it to the ceiling. Right now I have two hot spots in my home: the dining room table and the bed in the extra bedroom. The dining room table is a staging area. We put the unopened mail there, as well as any thing that needs to go to the basement. Some times you cannot see the top of the table. This is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen. Granted, the pile has only been there since last night, but if I don’t deal with it first thing in the morning, it will collect many more items by evening. CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER. The Bed in the extra bed room is just the same. I use it as a place to put things that don’t have a home. Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? It is our job to NIP this in the bud. Get rid of that pile, find the surface underneath, and stop the Hot Spot from becoming a raging Clutter inferno! — FlyLady

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 5 Event

Dear Friends,

We have worked through the zones focusing on Put Away, Give Away and Throw Away. Today we are going to one area. The main closet where you keep YOUR clothes. We want to focus on your things first, don’t get sidetracked thinking you will get rid of your spouse’s clothes or your children’s clothes. Just yours for today. This challenge is done in steps that can be repeated as many times as need be, just don’t overdo it and burn yourselves out!

Step 1:

Grab a box or bag to put items to donate. Now set your timer for 2 minutes and go to your closet. Grab all the pants that do not fit you any longer or that you do not like. Don’t second guess yourself! Then take the bag to the car.

Step 2:

Set your timer for 2 minutes and with another donation bag, go into your closet and pull out as many shirts or blouses that you don’t love or that do not fit any longer. It doesn’t matter if they are too big or too little; if they don’t fit you should not wear them and if the clothing is not blessing you then it needs to bless someone else. Take the bag to the car. No double dipping back into the donation items. We have to let these things go!

Step 3:

Set those timers for 2 minutes and as fast as you can get rid of those dresses that you have not worn in years! The bridesmaid dress that you know you will NEVER wear again no matter what the bride told you, the dress that is a bit too worn or a bit too tight. The dresses that you have held onto because you associate them with a certain event. Time to let them go if you are not wearing them or have a need for them. Let go of the dresses that do not flatter you and make room for more blessings and compliments to come into your life. You can’t organize clutter; and these clothes are holding you back! Take them straight to the car and shut that trunk tight! Don’t leave any room for them to escape and run back into the house!

Step 4:

Grab your give-away bag and toss out those blazers, jackets, coats and skirts. Yes, you may have paid good money for them but if they don’t fit or you don’t wear them then all they are doing is taking up prime closet space for the clothes you love. This is exactly how we end up with piles in our bedroom or pulling clothes out of a laundry basket to wear. Grab them up and head to the car!

OK you have tackled a wide rage of your clothes and if you are up for the challenge go back and do it all over again. Focus on individual items in categories like the challenge, this allows you the freedom to not feel so overwhelmed that you have to clean out the entire closet right NOW. use follow your baby steps and you will get there! Now go grab your medal!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 4 Event

Zone 1

Take a walk through your house and collect any jackets or coats that need to be hung in your coat closet, wherever that may be. Once you have brought them to the closet, go through and choose the ones to give away. Anything that is too worn, too old, out of style, unloved, doesn’t fit or is just no longer needed: put them in the Give Away basket. Is there anything in this closet that belongs some where else? Put them in the Put Away basket. Anything that needs to be thrown away? Check the pockets before you donate or toss. Now that you have cleared out some space, hang up the newly returned items that you collected from around the house.

Zone 2

Head to the kitchen and throw open those pantry or food cabinet doors. First look for anything that is out of date and toss. Look for all those empty boxes that seem to magically multiply and toss/recycle. Look for anything that you do not like or will not use. Place these in the give away basket to take to a local food bank that accepts donations. It is amazing how many things that just pile in these cabinets and take over.

Zone 3

Head to the main bathroom and toss all the old and out of date make up, hair and body products. Toss all the colors that just don’t work and you have held onto because you just haven’t gotten rid of them yet. Today is the day! Gather up all the unopened ones that were gifts that you do not love or will not use and place in the give away basket. Get rid of the old deodorants, empty bottles, and empty the trash can. This will free up space in your bathroom that you had no idea you had.

Zone 4

Choose the one drawer of your dresser and throw away anything that needs to be tossed. Get rid of things that have holes, are worn out or stretched out. Place things that you do not love, do not fit or you no longer need in your Give Away basket. Then move on to the next drawer. Don’t spend too much time deliberating: you love it and it fits so it stays OR you don’t love it and/or it doesn’t fit so it goes out for donation OR it gets tossed. That is it. Apply this for as many drawers as you can in 15 minute sessions.

Zone 5

Head for the Living/Family Room and go after the books and magazines that have been ignored. Toss/Recycle what has been read or is out of date. As quickly as you can go through and donate what is not longer interesting, no longer is needed or is no longer loved. Don’t linger too long or you will second guess yourself and end up keeping everything!

Now – take out all the trash and recycling. Don’t leave in the house to pile up. Take all things to be donated to the car and plan your trip for drop offs as soon as possible. Don’t get this far and then leave the give away items piled up in the house!!

You are doing so well and we are so proud of you!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 3 Event:

Zone 1 – The Dining Room

Set your timers for 5 minutes and grab your give away basket or box. Grab anything you see that is clutter and you no longer use, need or love. Don’t get caught in the trap of who gave you what or one day maybe, just get those things that you have been putting off de-cluttering and put them in the basket/box.
When the timer goes off, take your items and place them in the boxes or bags by the door.

Zone 2 – The Kitchen

Set your timers for 5 minutes and head to the kitchen, as fast as you can just start tossing things into the give away basket/box that you do not love, use or need. We all have these things that just seem to multiply and overflow in the kitchen. Do not get stressed if you are having a hard time making a decision on something, skip it and move on to the next. We will be coming around through here again. The things that you know you don’t need, the things that you have been meaning to get rid of and the things that you just have too many of, toss in the basket/box. When the timer goes off, take the items to the bags/boxes by the door.

At this point you should stop and take these items to the car to drop off on your next trip when you leave the house. Schedule some time to take items to your local Habitat for Humanity resale shop. The items you donate help families get established in homes that otherwise may not have the opportunity.

Zone 3 – The Main Bathroom

Set your timer for 5 minutes and go through the towels and washcloths that you have had for way to long and need to pass on. Maybe you never liked them or have changed colors. Maybe you inherited them from someone else and you just have too many. If they are in good condition donate to Habitat and for those that are a little more worn you can donate these to your local animal shelter.

Zone 4 – The Master Bedroom

Set your timer for 5 minutes and grab up anything that needs to go. There are always things in the bedroom that can be de-cluttered. Any decorative items that have been hanging around too long and you no longer love. Maybe a picture on the wall that you just no longer enjoy. Things that you have piled in here to give away. Now is the time to grab them up and take them to the car!

Zone 5 – The Living/Family Room

Set your timer for 5 minutes and take a look around. Any dvd’s that you can declutter? How about books, pillows, lamps or knick knacks? Don’t worry about the dust just get them out of the house! Take your items to car.

I promise you that these three days have already made a dent in your homes. Challenge yourself for more 5 minute sessions if you can. You will be amazed at how much you can do in 5 minutes and not feel overwhelmed. Things that you may have passed by the first time, you will see again on your next go round. We are so proud of you!! Now go collect your medal at FlyLady.net!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

Day 2 Event:

Zone 1 – The Dining Room Event

Set your timer for 5 minutes, as fast as you can grab up anything that belongs in another room in the house and put in your Put Away basket.  Once the timer goes off, set the timer again for 5 minutes to deliver the items to their home.  Things like jackets, books, shoes, mail, and toys.

Zone 2
– The Kitchen Event

Set the timer for 5 minutes and as fast as you can fill your Put Away basket with things that don’t belong in the kitchen.  Set the timer for another 5 minutes to Put Away the items in the basket.

Zone 3 – The Main Bathroom Event

Set the timer for 5 minutes and quickly grab up the things that don’t belong.  Usually in the bathroom it is clothes and shoes that get left behind.  Toss them in your Put Away basket.  Set the timer for another 5 and away you go to put the collected things away.

Zone 4 – The Master Bedroom Event

Set the timer for 5 minutes and look for things that just don’t belong in the bedroom that need to be returned to their proper home.  It could be books and magazines, cups and glasses, mail that needs to go to your home office area and assorted things that have gathered in the room from your last stash and dash.  Set the timer for 5 minutes and send the items in the Put Away basket packing.

Zone 5 – The Living/Family Room Event

Set the timer for 5 minutes and get to it!  You all have the hang of this now, grab up those jackets, shoes, books, tote bags, toys and more, toss in the Put Away basket and set that timer for another 5 to return the strays to their homes.

You will find in some rooms you will beat the timer, this is such a great feeling. Yesterday’s trash and today’s Put Away events will make a big  difference in how each room looks and feels.  You may need several more sessions for each zone, that is completely ok! Remember to drink your water and take a break then jump back in.  You can do this!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

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Day 1 Event:

Zone 1 Event 

Your challenge today is grab up anything that needs to be recycled or thrown away in the entrance are of your home. Grab up the fliers that have been left on your doorstep, the junk mail and anything else that has just accumulated in this area. Don’t stop and ponder or talk yourself out of anything.  Your best friend for decluttering is a trash can!

Zone 2 Event 

Your challenge is to declutter the front and sides of your refrigerators.  All of the art work, appointment card reminders, carry out menus, old calendars and more. Your refrigerator is a huge part of your kitchen and a simple de-cluttering of the exterior will make a huge difference in how the room looks and feels.

Zone 3 Event 

Grab that trash bag again!  Empty the trash can, grab up those empty shampoo, soap and product bottles, empty tissue boxes, used up toothpaste tubes, empty air freshener cans, and any other surface clutter that needs to be tossed or recycled.

 Zone 4 Event 

Here we go!  Let’s attack the surface items that have somehow managed to disguise themselves as residents in your bedroom.  The overflowing trash cans, tissues, disposable water bottles, soda cans, dry cleaner bags, shoeboxes and more.  Toss/recycle these items as fast as you can!  (For those of you with children living at home you can assign this task to the older ones and do this in the little ones rooms)

Zone 5 Event

The final De-Clutter event for today is to get rid of anything in the Living and/or Family room that is just trash.  Any wastebaskets that need to be emptied, soda cans, water bottles, candy/chip bags, tisses, napkins, junk mail and more.  Toss or recycle anything that needs to GO!  Evict the trash!

Please click how many events you completed to receive your medal!

   

 

 

 

 

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